[FFML] [FanFic] [Ranma 1/2] Kasumi the Wayfarer Chapter 2 (Revised)

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Kasumi the Wayfarer

A Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction

Jeremy Harper

Disclaimer - Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is used without
permission.

Chapter 2: Of Kittens Bearing Tales

Kasumi settled down at the living room table with a sigh. Sipping her tea, she
looked out into the backyard, contemplating the koi pond and rock garden. A radio
played music, barely audible. The day's chores were done and she had nothing to do until
Nabiki, Akane and Ranma got home. The house was empty; Father and Uncle Saotome
had gone out to an early neighborhood watch meeting and she was grateful for the silence
for she felt oddly tired, and for the life of her could not figure a reason why. The
housework had been no more onerous than usual. She wondered briefly if her return to
her dreamlands was the cause of her fatigue. Perhaps during her absence she had
somehow gotten... out of shape, for lack of a better term. It seemed a silly conjecture,
especially since she felt so wonderful this morning - better than she had felt in over a
month, in fact. But it was the only plausible reason she could think of that could explain
this sudden weariness.

Kasumi drank another sip of tea and dismissed her concerns. No doubt she would
be better the next morning. Thinking of tomorrow made her recall that she needed to take
a quick inventory of the refrigerator and pantries to see what was needed when she went
out shopping. She also should remember to drop in at the clinic and return the book on
shiatsu she borrowed from Doctor Tofu. Her lips quirked into a smile; the good Doctor
was such an amusing and silly man. It always brightened her day to see his antics. It was
a shame that he didn't behave with a little more decorum, though. He was quite
handsome. Kasumi blushed at that errant thought and brushed it away. In all seriousness
she found it hard to reconcile the Doctor Tofu she knew with the Tofu Father, Akane and
Ranma spoke of with affection and respect.

A figure jumped over the wall and landed on all fours on the far side of the koi
pond, slightly startling Kasumi. She set down her tea and looked at Ranma as he
crouched on his haunches, glancing about with casual deliberation. Satisfied, he leaped
over the pond and padded up to the porch, still on all fours. He meowed out a greeting.
Kasumi couldn't help but laugh. She spoke to Ranma, pitching her voice in a soft, purring
lilt.

"Oh my, whatever happened to you Ranma?" Ranma meowed in response. "You
don't know? Oh well. Whatever are we going to do with you? You're always getting into
so much trouble." Ranma's responding meow sounded indignant. Kasumi laughed again.
"Yes, I know it's not usually your fault. Well, I think Akane will be home soon looking
for you. Would you like some milk while you wait?"

They were in the kitchen - Ranma sloppily drinking milk from a saucer, while
Kasumi watched him in amusement - when they heard the front door open and Akane call
out a greeting. Ranma's head snapped up from the saucer, his eyes large and bright, with
a large smile stretched across his face. He shot out of the kitchen like a lightning bolt,
nearly crashing into the wall in his haste. Kasumi followed behind at a more sedate pace.
She caught up with him in the foyer, snuggling in the lap of a rather out of breath looking
Akane. He was purring quite loudly; Kasumi translated in her head what he declared to
the entire world: mine, mine, mine, mine, mine. She smiled good-naturedly at his
uninhibited display of frankness, but a trace of wistfulness crept into her eyes as she
looked at him and her oblivious little sister.

"He seems happy to see you, Akane," said Kasumi.

Akane laughed and blushed a little. "I guess so. Has he been home long? I hope
he hasn't been underfoot."

"No, not long. He was a bit noisy when he came in, but he quieted down when I
gave him some milk."

"Figures. He has a bottomless stomach, no matter what." Akane scratched Ranma
around an ear. His purring intensified.

"So how did he get into the Neko-ken this time?" Kasumi asked.

"Shampoo. She asked him out and when he said 'no' she splashed herself and
chased him around. He tripped on the sidewalk and by the time I booted her off he'd gone
cat and dashed off before I could call him back."

"I should have guessed..." Akane paused in her scratching. Ranma meowed in
protest but she ignored him, looking closely at her older sister. "Are you all right,
Kasumi? You look tired."

Kasumi hesitated a moment before answering. "I AM feeling a little peaked. I... I
don't think I slept as well as I should have." She admitted the last part with reluctance.

Akane pushed Ranma off of her lap, stood up and walked over to her. "Maybe
you should lie down for a little while."

"I think you are right. In fact, I think I'll go to bed now. I'm sure I'll feel better
after a long sleep."

Akane nodded almost eagerly. "Okay. I'll cook supper, then. There's a new recipe
in my cookbook I want to try out."

"No Akane."

"But..."

"I said 'no', Akane," Kasumi said with uncharacteristic force. "If you want you
can help with dinner tomorrow, but for tonight just order some take-out."

"O- okay Sis," Akane answered, surprised and a little stung by Kasumi's tone.
Kasumi just nodded and made her way upstairs to her bedroom. Akane watched her,
stroking Ranma's head, finding comfort in his purrs.

Kasumi sat in front of her mirror, brushing her hair and frowning. She knew now
definitely that she was out of sorts. It was not like her to be cross with Akane; she
couldn't figure out why she had spoken to her like that. Kasumi set down her brush and
looked down at her hands folded in her lap.

"I know why," she finally whispered. "I'm jealous of her. She has a life outside of
the family, and she has someone who loves her very much. What do I have to fulfill me,
besides the responsibilities of caring for my father's house? Who do I have to love me?
No one..." Kasumi sighed deeply as she got into bed. "But at least I have my dreams. No
one can take those away from me..."

**********

In her bed at the Foaming Tankard Inn Kasumi the Wayfarer stirred, awoken by
the lusty crowing of a rooster greeting the Sun. She sat up, stretched luxuriously and
threw off her blankets, the cares and burdens of the waking world forgotten. Stepping out
of bed, she donned the clean cloth robe and slippers old Ranson supplied all his guests
with, gathered up her own clothes and gear and walked out to the bathhouse in the inn's
back courtyard. Being the only woman guest at the inn right now, she had the ladies'
portion of the baths to her self. So she took her time, pampering herself with hot water
and soap, washing away the musk she acquired traveling yesterday. Once finished she
quickly memorized a cantrip from her grimoire and used it to clean and freshen her
clothes. It was a useful spell for travelers, one she wished she had in her other life. She
frowned a little at the thought. She did not like thinking of her other life while in her
dreamlands. Still frowning, her mood now somber, she dressed and left the bathhouse.

A chorus of mews greeted her. Two kittens dashed across the courtyard towards
her- one black with a white tip on its tail, the other completely white. They twined around
her legs, pressing their cheeks against her boots, purring happily. Kasumi laughed
merrily, her previous somberness banished. She knelt down to stroke them.

"Hello Whitetip. Hello Snowchild. It's wonderful to see you again. My have you
grown! I hope you've been taking good care of Ranson while I've been gone." Kasumi
lilted her speech in the purring manner she had used with Ranma. As a child she
befriended the cat community of Ulthar and learned their language. The cats loved her
dearly - especially the young ones - and she returned their affection fully.

"Lady Kasumi, Lady Kasumi, have you heard what we've heard?" the kittens said
to her in tandem.

Kasumi smiled and continued to pet them. "I don't think I have. I've just returned
to Ulthar after a long hiatus. Do you wish to tell me?"

"We do," the kittens said. Kasumi scooped them up in her arms and walked over
to an oak bench set against the wall of the inn. She sat down, settling the kittens in her lap
and scratched them behind their ears.

"Now my clever kittens, tell me what you know." The kittens purred at her praise
and launched into their tale.

"We were down by the Skai," began Whitetip.

"Yes, playing tag and chasing butterflies," added Snowchild.

"Yes. I was chasing Snowchild when a Twk-Man came flying by."

"He was riding a golden dragonfly so large it could have carried us away!"

"He asked us if we wished to trade with him, for he had important news."

"So we gave him a red ribbon."

"Yes. It was a good, new ribbon. All bright and shiny."

"And he told us something wonderful..."

Here the kittens paused for a moment. Kasumi scratched them under their chins.
"So, what was this wonderful thing the Twk-Man told you?" she asked. The kittens
looked at each other, then around the courtyard to make sure no one was eavesdropping.
They stared up at Kasumi, their golden eyes wide with excitement.

"Mazirian the Magician is dead!" Whitetip whispered.

"He'll no longer threaten and frighten with evil deeds and dark spells," added
Snowchild.

Kasumi's eyes grew wide in surprise and disbelief. "Are you sure?" she whispered
back to them. They nodded emphatically.

"The Twk-Man said he saw Mazirian die with his own two eyes," said Whitetip.

"Twk-Men don't lie," said Snowchild. "You know that, Lady Kasumi."

"You're right," admitted Kasumi. "But Mazirian was as cunning as he was cruel.
It is hard to believe that he is dead... How did it happen?"

"The Twk-Man said Mazirian chased a strange woman all throughout the Forest
of Skai, and spent all his magic in the pursuit."

"She led him through a grove of Thrash Vines. The Vines whipped her near to
death and killed Mazirian outright."

"The Twk-Man also saw a strange man leave Mazirian's home, carrying that poor
woman away."

"The Manse of Mazirian the Magician now lies open, undefended by its master."

Kasumi did not speak for several moments, thinking hard on this story. Shaking
out of her reverie, she proceeded to pet the kittens thoroughly, thanking them for bringing
this news and asking them persuasively to refrain from telling others about it for a few
days. The kittens purred happily and agreed. She took them to the kitchen, fetching them
a saucer of cream as a reward. She left them behind, drinking happily, as she left the inn.

Kasumi wandered the white cobblestone streets of Ulthar deep in thought,
greeting those who hailed her abstractly. She eventually found herself at the docks. A
wind blew over the Skai from the East, damp and soothing, the smell of the river
pleasing, for the folk of Ulthar knew better than to foul it, so not to offend the aquatic
Gnorri that lived farther down current, or the God Skai himself. Kasumi stood at the very
end of a pier, out of the way of the passengers disembarking from a moored boat, recently
arrived from up-river. She doffed her hat, holding it by her side, and looked out over the
Skai, gazing at the dark forests that lay on its other side.

Kasumi knew much of Mazirian, though all of her knowledge came from second
hand sources. She had never met the magician in the flesh, thankfully. His reputation was
dire, his cold, clinical cruelty and greed for sorcerous secrets renowned. He had made
many foes in his long quest for knowledge; he had stolen lore from the great King
Kuranes, founder of Celephais, and Prince Kandive the Golden, ruler of Kaiin. That
Mazirian crossed such dangerous men and managed to live long after the fact was
testament to his own power and ruthless cunning. For as long as she could remember the
inhabitants of the region feared him and were thankful that he had little use for the
common run of folks, thus rarely emerging from his manse and his gardens to trouble
them.

Now Mazirian was dead, and that manse - a renovated ruin of a castle so ancient
not even the Wise had the slightest inkling of its founders - and those gardens were
vulnerable. Kasumi did not doubt the kittens' story; the veracity of Twk-Men was
proverbial throughout the known world. She wondered about the marvels Mazirian was
said to have collected... treasures from centuries past, charms and devices constructed by
artifice long forgotten, spells and incantations of incredible cogency... all of it waiting for
one daring enough to claim it. It also helped that she, as far as she knew, was the only one
to know about this opportunity.

Kasumi rubbed her chin thoughtfully. She was not of an avaricious nature. Money
she found useful, but it meant little to her, and she sought spells to aid her with her
adventures, not as a means to gather power or dominion. But like the cats of Ulthar her
curiosity was great; she wanted to see the legendary gardens Mazirian cultivated, to
examine the artifacts he horded, to browse through his grimiores and lorebooks, just for
the sake of doing so. And once curiosity had been satisfied she'd leave, maybe with a
bauble that caught her fancy and a spell or two added to her repertoire. But she couldn't
help but think that perhaps this adventure could prove to be too much for her alone. The
Forest of Skai was in some ways more dangerous than the Enchanted Forest, for in
addition to monsters and neomorphs men dwelt there- brigands for the most part, as
savage and sadistic as any deodand or moon-beast. And then there was the matter of the
manse itself. Mazirian may be dead, but magicians of his stature often left unpleasant
surprises for those who sought to impose on their hospitality while they were away. The
course of wisdom suggested recruiting competent help. Yet Kasumi frowned at the idea
of seeking partners. She was not adverse to companionship or sharing spoils, but she
knew instinctively she had little time to pursue this opportunity. Though she had many
friends among the wanderers of the dreamlands the odds were against any of them being
in Ulthar now. Nor for a venture of this magnitude did she wish to trust someone she did
not know well. Also the news of Mazirian's demise would not stay her secret for long.
She trusted the kittens' discretion, but the Twk-Men were mercenaries; they would tell
anyone of it if they paid their price. Kasumi did not relish competing for the manse-
especially if it were against a true sorcerer or a villain such as the notorious Liane...

"Ka- Kasumi!" A voice startled her out of her thoughts. It sounded very familiar,
yet she couldn't place it. She looked over her shoulder for the speaker. A man stood
halfway down the moored boat's gangplank, staring at her in gape-mouthed astonishment.
He was tall and svelte, tanned bronze from a life out-of-doors, clad in a deep-blue vest,
blue trousers, and sturdy leather walking boots. He wore no shirt beneath the vest, his
almost Grecian chest and stomach bare to the world. Slung over his shoulder was a
bulging rucksack. An axe, bronze-hafted, its blade bright and silvery, hung at his hip; on
his brow a silver circlet bound his brown hair, keeping his bangs out of his eyes. The
circlet was wrought to resemble a wreath of oak leaves, and set in its center was a small
blue gem of cabochon cut. His face was handsome, its wide brow and tapering chin
giving him an air of intelligence and wisdom, while his dark eyes were of the deepest
black Kasumi had ever seen. She peered closely at this man, trying to place when and
where she could have met him, for his seemed hauntingly familiar. Recognition dawned,
its light striking her with a thunderbolt's force. Her eyes flew wide open. She dropped her
hat onto the pier as her hand shot up to cover her mouth.

"Oh my! Doctor Tofu!"

/////

Author's Notes

If you wish to know more of Mazirian the Magician and of the hubris that caused
his downfall I refer you to the second chapter of Jack Vance's 'The Dying Earth'.

Criticism and comments can be directed to DorianVal@aol.com.

Thanks for your time and tolerance,

Jeremy Harper