A Scary Difference Chapter 8

    Akane looked outside for Kasumi and Ranma.  They were sitting next
to the pond, quietly talking.

    She walked over quietly.  "Kasumi, Ranma, breakfast will be ready in
just a minute!"

    Ranma glanced over at his fiancee.  "Hey, Akane, I was just talking
to Kasumi... I kinda thought you might be able to help her."

    Akane blinked and looked over at her sister's martial
artist/aquatransexual counterpart.  "What can I possibly do?"

    Ranma shrugged.  "Well...."  Akane noticed that he looked slightly
uncomfortable.  "Kasumi was wondering... what it's like, being engaged
to someone who changes from boy to girl....  I thought maybe you could
tell her about it."

    Akane blinked, unsure what to say.

    Kasumi shook her head.  "That's OK, Ranma.  Akane, you don't have to
talk about it if you don't want to."

    Akane frowned.  "No, I want to help, Kasumi.  You're wondering what
your Ranma might think about your turning into a boy?"

    Kasumi slowly nodded.  "I don't think my Ranma is very happy about
that, or the fact that I'm a better martial artist than him."

    Akane sighed.  "Wow, I've been there before.  For the longest time I
didn't know what to think about Ranma's curse.  I didn't like him being
so much better than me, either.  Before Ranma came, I was the best. Then
HE showed up, and Ryoga, and Shampoo, and Ukyo, and everyone is suddenly
better than me."  Akane shook her head wryly.  "I wasn't easy to
accept.  I finally just had to admit the truth to myself."

    Akane smiled.  "It helped when Ranma started training me full time.
Maybe I'm not the best, but I'm getting better all the time... and you
know?  I don't have to be the best around, anymore.  I just have to be
the best that I can be."

    Kasumi smiled back.  "That's very wise, Akane.  I hope my Ranma will
be as accepting."  Kasumi looked sideways at the younger girl. "Akane...
you said the curse confused you at first.  How do you fell now?  You and
Ranma seem very close now."

    Akane looked fondly at her fiancee.  "We are.  We're finally getting
married, and I can't think of anything I want more.  As for the curse,
it did freak me out at first.  I couldn't help but see Ranma as a guy,
no matter what sex he was on the outside.  But his girl side confused
me.  At times we would hang out, as if we were just friends, going out
to ice cream stores and things like that.  Other times were scary, when
Ranma would act the same as a girl as he would as a guy... and I'd get
scared of what people would think.  Even worse was when Ranma would
really act like a girl....  I never knew if it was an act or he was
becoming someone else."

    Both Ranma and Kasumi flinched a bit at that.

    Akane sighed.  "In the end, I realized something.  Ranma is Ranma,
boy or girl, he is the same person inside.  I got used to the curse.
When Ranma changes now, I hardly notice, it's still Ranma."

    Ranma smiled at Akane's words.

    Kasumi looked thoughtful.  "Perhaps with time, it will be the same
with my Ranma."

    Akane nodded.  "Just give him time.  It's not easy, but there's no
reason why he can't get used to your change."  She held up her hands.
"Now don't get me wrong.  I still don't feel quite the same about
Ranma's female form.  I'm trying, but... there are some times when...
when what sex Ranma is still matters...."  Akane sighed, turning to
him.  "Ranma, I...."

    Ranma shook her head.  "Don't worry about it, Akane.  I understand,
really.  I feel the same way."  He frowned.  "Your Ranma probably will
too, Kasumi.  I can't see him... well, if I was him, I can't see him
feeling exactly the way about you as a girl then when you're a guy. Like
Akane says, he'll try, and most times he'll get used to it... but it is
different when... you know, on dates and stuff...."

    Kasumi blushed.  "I understand.  I think I could live with the
understanding you two have.  I hope Ranma will come to accept me."
Kasumi hesitated.  "Thank you, Akane, Ranma, for being so honest with
me.  I realize it must have been difficult."

    Akane shook her head.  "It is... but... I needed to talk about it, I
think."  She looked at Ranma.  "I think we both did."

    Ranma nodded.  "Yeah.  Maybe we should... talk some more... some
time."

    Akane nodded back.  "That's a good idea."  She smiled.  "There, now
that we've got that out of the way, breakfast should be ready."

    Ranma and Kasumi nodded, and the three teens started for the back
doors.  Abruptly, Kasumi halted, staggering.

    Ranma stopped as well, looking concerned.  "Are you alright,
Kasumi?"

    His gasp caused Akane to stop and look as well.  Kasumi was doubled
over.  She groaned in pain and flickered in and out of existence.

    The older Kasumi was standing in the shogi doors looking out, and
spotted what what happening.  "Oh my!"  She started to move quickly
toward her counterpart.

    Kasumi-chan flickered again.  "I... feel like I'm being... pulled...
through a wall... that isn't there!"

    Kasumi-san halted a couple of feet away.  "Oh dear... you must not
resist the pull.  I felt it before I came home."

    Kasumi-chan groaned and flickered once more.  "I'm... not!"

    Kasumi-san looked very worried.  "Energy!  To open the way back
requires a lot of energy.  There must not be enough to pull you all the
way through!"

    Kasumi-chan's eyes narrowed.  "E-energy?"  She focused as best as
she could past the pain, drawing upon her chi.

    Kasumi-san kept speaking.  "When you get through, you should follow
the red cord.  It will lead you home."

    Kasumi-chan finished gathering her chi.  "I think it's working." She
said quietly as she felt her chi drain into wherever the pull was coming
from, lessening the pain.  "Dragon... Fang!"  Kasumi built up as much
energy as she could at once and let it go... not sure quite where it was
going, just... away.  As she completed letting the ball of energy go,
she vanished.

    Ranma whistled in amazement and reached down to pick up the clothing
that she had left behind.  "Whoa, Is this what happened to you, Kasumi?"

    Kasumi, the one remaining, nodded slowly. "I'm pretty sure, except
there wasn't enough energy this time.  I think she's on her way now."

    Akane frowned, looking worried.  "I hope she's OK."

    Ranma nodded.  "She's tough.  She'll make it."

    Akane sighed.  "I hope you're right, Ranma.  I hope you're right."

    Frost popped into Kasumi's room and dropped into the bed.  She
looked around dazedly.  "I thought... for a moment, that I wasn't going
to make it...."  Frost blinked.  The room was empty.  Apparently, while
she had been summoning up the energy for her return, Shampoo and Makoto
had left the room.  Frost shrugged wearily.  "I really didn't want to
explain what happened, anyway."

    The magus felt her strength slowly returning, and stood.  "I had
better get going before someone shows up.  Kasumi's astral cord will
lead her here, and there's nothing more I can do, anyway."  Frost
quietly started for the door, disturbed to find that even the energy for
her silent movement spell was currently beyond her.  <I hope no one
notices me.>  Luck was with her, Makoto and Shampoo were no where in
sight as Frost slipped out of the restaurant and headed for Dr. Tofu's
clinic.

    "I could sleep for a week."  Frost mumbled as she staggered down the
block.  Her other voice spoke up, having been strangely silent in the
other plane.  *Well, now you know not to try that again!*  Frost
sniffed.  < Oh be quiet.  This is your fault too.>  She was too tired to
argue anymore the rest of the way.

    When she slipped inot her room she didn't even notice thatt the good
Doctor wasn't around.

    A few minutes later, Kasumi popped into her bedroom, naked and
tired, but glad to be home.

    She looked around cautiously.  "I hope I'm really home, and not
another alternate world."  Kasumi suddenly heard the sound of her door
opening.

    Makoto was speaking to Shampoo's back as the Amazon once again
looked in her 'Airen's' room.  "Well, she wasn't at the Tendo's...."

    Shampoo gasped in shock and rushed into the room.  "Airen!"

    Makoto blinked as the open door let her see the purple haired Amazon
glomp a naked and red faced Kasumi.  Kasumi tried to get an arm free but
once she did so, Shampoo grabbed it, examining it closely.

    Kasumi grabbed the covers off the bed with her free hand and pulled
them over her body.  "Shampoo, why are you squeezing my arm?"

    Shampoo released Kasumi's arm, satisfied.  "Kasumi is strong
again!"  She explained pointedly, looking questioningly at her Airen.

    Kasumi nodded in sudden understanding.  "Oh!  You must have met the
other Kasumi!  It's me, Shampoo, the Kasumi that belongs here.  Somehow
I was switched with a Kasumi from another dimension, but I'm back."

    Shampoo looked confused.  "What... dimension?"

    Kasumi shook her head.  "Perhaps it would be easier to say a
different world, one like this, but where Genma Saotome took Ranma on a
training trip to China, not me."

    Makoto nodded.  "We met her.  Shampoo here nearly brained her."

    Shampoo sniffed.  "Was not Airen.  Besides, bonbori for defense.
Shampoo was only going to scare girl so she tell where Airen was."
Shampoo snuggled up to Kasumi.  "Is you really Airen?"

    Kasumi blushed a bit more, but nodded.  "Yes, Shampoo.  This does
seem to be where I'm from."  She shrugged.  "I can't imagine another
dimension where I'm married to a girl."

    Shampoo glared at her.  "What that supposed to mean?"

    Kasumi shook her head quickly.  "Nothing, Shampoo, I was just saying
that I'm sure our relationship is unique to this place."

    Shampoo looked mollified, so Kasumi cleared her throat.  "Um,
Kasumi, I'd like to get dressed now, so if you could let me go...."

    Shampoo reluctantly released Kasumi and backed away.  Makoto bit her
lip, wondering if this Kasumi was now aware of her secret.

    Shampoo paused at the door.  "Airen, how you get home if you on
other world?"

    Kasumi shook her head.  "I don't really know.  My counterpart
returned, but wouldn't say how.  She told me it was a matter of honor
that she not tell.  She said I would get back, however, and this
morning, I felt a strong pull, from nowhere.  The other Kasumi told me
to go with the pull, and that it needed energy to it's job.  So I
powered up a Dragon's Fang Fist, except I let the energy go to the
pull....  Apparently it worked.  The last thing the other Kasumi said
was to follow the red cord, and after I released my chi, I found myself
in a black, empty space, with a thin red cord leading away.  I followed
the cord, and came to a pool of water that showed this bedroom.  I
stepped into the pool and I was home."

    Shampoo followed all this with growing confusion.  "Shampoo not
understand what happen, but Shampoo very glad Kasumi back!"

    Makoto nodded.  "Me too, Kasumi,  Welcome home."  She sighed to
herself in a combination of relief and exasperation.  < So Kasumi, our
Kasumi, still doesn't know about us....  I almost wish she had found
out, but I guess that means our secret is safe.>  She pulled the door
shut in front of Shampoo as the Amazon backed out of the room.  "You can
get dressed.  I'll call everyone with the good news."

    Shampoo glared at Makoto, then blinked.  "I'll tell
great-grandmother."  She hurried off.

    Makoto shrugged and headed downstairs to the phone.  A few minutes
later, Kasumi joined her, dressed in one of her normal outfits.

    Makoto handed her the phone.  "Here, Nodoka wants to talk to you."

    Kasumi took the phone.  "Hello Auntie Nodoka.  Yes its really me, I
just got back.  Yes, the other worlds Kasumi was returned home as well.
"Yes, I'm fine, thank you.  I will come over, yes...."  Kasumi nodded
once.  "Alright, Auntie, see you soon."  Kasumi put the phone.  "I'm
going to go the house.  Makoto, shouldn't you be in school?

    Makoto grinned.  "It's Sunday, no school."

    Kasumi sighed in relief.  "Oh good.  I guess I lost track of time."

    Makoto shrugged.  "I don't blame you.  What was it like, being in a
different dimension?"

    Kasumi looked thoughtful.  "Why don't I tell you on the way, if
you'd like to come along?"

    Makoto nodded.  "Definitely, I've got to hear this."

    Kasumi started for the front door.  "First, why don't you tell me
what I missed while I was gone.  Then when I get to father's house, I
can tell everyone what happened to me."  < Well, most of it, anyway.>

    Makoto followed Kasumi out into the street.  "Alright, that's a
deal.  I'll tell you all about what happened."  < Well, except for the
part where I'm a Sailor Senshi and me and my friends sent the other
world's Kasumi home.>

    The two girls started walking down the street, and suddenly a bucket
came down on Kasumi's head from the sky.  Kasumi knocked the bucket away
but still got soaked, changing to male form.

    A familiar voice cried out from the sky, as Mousse leaped down from
a nearby rooftop.  "I've got you now, Kasumi Tendo.  I know your
weakness!"  Hitting the ground ten feet away, Mousse brought out an
unusual weapon, a cat carrier.  "Now I'll just lock you up until the old
witch admits I've defeated you, and...."  He pulled his glasses down to
take a look.  "Hey!  You didn't change into a cat?"

    Kasumi shook her head.  "No, Mousse, I'm not going to."  His fist
flared with chi.  "If you wish to challenge me, you should know I'm
feeling just fine."

    Mousse considered that.  "Ah... well, excuse me...."  He hopped back
onto the rooftops and leapt out of sight.

    Kasumi sighed.  "Yes... I guess I really am back home, after all."

    From a nearby rooftop an ancient Amazon and a young doctor watched
the scene.  The doctor spoke first.  "It would seem Cologne, that
everything is back to normal."

    The crone cackled.  "Much to Moose's disapointment it would seem.  I
wonder though... how did the son-in-law return?"  She gazed interested
after the pair.  "Well, as long as she is back.  I suppose this was a
learning experiance for many."  She turned to Tofu.  "I believe you will
find your missing guest has returned as well."

    He blinked.  "Really?  Than did she have something to do with this
odd situation?"

    Cologne shruged.  "I think... that one has learned the biggest
lesson.  We shall see."  With that, she leapt off the roof.

End of "A Scary Difference."