Author's note and disclaimer at end.

C&C, public or private, is welcome.

D.B. Sommer wrote:

<<Nope. This is a one shot shortfic. No chance of continuation. I think it
works best as a short, at least in my hands>>

Komodo replies:

But what about in mine?
*****************************
"I don't think so, Admiral. You see, at this point
I'm pretty much the Queen Bitch of the Universe."
Kerrigan to Admiral DuGalle, Starcraft: Brood War

6 months later...

Kasumi Tendo sighed as she rolled her sleeve down over the tattoo on her 
forearm as the water gurgled down the sink. Almost mechanically, she began to 
put away the clean dishes. It had been six months since that bear, what was 
his name? Macgreagor? Had come to her and turned her into...that creature.

'His name was Brackgaugh, Girl.'

Kasumi ignored that and filled several glasses with ice before setting them 
on a tray along with a pitcher of water and carried the tray out to the back 
yard.

Seated on the porch, her father, his friend Genma, and the Genma's son Ranma 
watched as the man named Happosai instructed three young men in the way of 
the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts.

While his faults were legion, Happosai was a master teacher and it showed in 
the rapt attention the three young men were watching him with.

Makoto, Hikaru, and Mamoru. A trio of wandering Martial Artists.

Kasumi pushed aside the wave of guilt. The creature was responsible for them 
being here as well, using pheromones to bind them to her as the beginnings of 
a harem before Kasumi had regained control of her body and learned how to 
change back. If she had only been stronger, better able to fight the 
creature's influence...She pushed such thoughts aside and tried to look on 
the positive side. They had no idea she had any ties to their...mistress and 
their presence had reawakened her father's desire to teach, something he 
hadn't done since the death of her mother. Even if Happosai did show up to 
hijack the lessons now and again. Carrying the tray out the men, she smiled.

"Would you like some water, Grandfather? Kasumi asked. "Its hot out."

"Of course," Happosai chortled and snatched a glass from the tray.

"And you?" Kasumi asked, moving over to the trio.

"Thank you, Kasumi-san," they chorused, each taking a glass. For a moment, 
Kasumi remembered the pleasure the creature had sought in their bodies. She 
didn't lie to herself, it had been fun and it was nothing she hadn't thought 
about now and again.

But that had been all it should be. A thought.

"It shouldn't have happened," she said out loud to herself.

"Kasumi-san?" Hikaru was staring at her. "Did you say something?"

"No, just thinking out loud," Kasumi replied.

'About him bound in chains kneeling at your feet as you draw pleasure from 
his tounge no doubt.'

Kasumi turned away quickly so that the martial artist wouldn't see the blush 
on her face and walked back into the house. Dropping the tray onto the table, 
the pitcher spilling water onto the floor, she marched into the bathroom and 
closed the door behind her.

The blush faded as she allowed her temper just a bit free of the tight leash 
she had kept it on since the fourth grade when she had punched a fellow 
student in the nose, nearly killing her. That had also been the day she had 
given up on the Martial Arts. Facing the mirror with narrowed eyes, she 
stared at her reflection.

Except that it wasn't her reflection. 

The Creeature, as Kasumi thought of her, was a tall, pale skinned woman with 
black hair, black lips, and green eyes. She was beautiful, much like a snake 
was beautiful. A metal collar engraved and etched with runes and designs 
encircled her throat. She wore leather armor with metal plates over her 
shoulders, forearms, the outside of her thighs and shins. A black cape hung 
from the shoulder plates and a sword was slung across her shoulders. Her arms 
were bare, a dagger hung from each hip, a sai was in each boot and while they 
were unseen, her belt held a whip, a pair of nunchakus and several shuriken 
of various sizes. Various other blades and sundry items were concealed here 
and there about her person. Her bust was slightly larger then Kasumi's, and 
her belly was flat. She was lean and athletic and an air of restrained 
violence hovered around her like a light.

"Stop that," Kasumi said flatly.

"Stop what?" the creature asked as she smiled, revealing her fangs. "Showing 
you what I can give you?"

"I don't want it. Any of it."

"Do you? We're two of a kind, Kasumi Tendo, and you know it."

"We are not."

"We are. Those three men you served water to. Not six months ago they knelt 
at your feet and gave you the respect you deserved. I've watched 
your...family these six months, Kasumi. You cook, you clean, you slave all 
day and for what? Tell me that, girl, what is there at the end of the day but 
weariness in your bones and aches in your feet? I can make you a queen...but 
only if you release me."

"I don't want to be a queen...I want to be...I...I am a proper Japanese 
woman. I know my duty and nothing you offer, Creature, has anything to do 
with that duty."

The Creature sneered at her. "You say that now, girl, but remember, you 
accepted my power of your own free will. And if you don't find a use for it, 
it will." With that, the creature faded from sight and there was only 
Kasumi's own reflection. 

For the longest time, she stood there, staring at the mirror and then her 
internal clock chimed. 'I need to go to the market,' she thought to herself 
and exited the bathroom, retrieved her bag, the shopping list and money from 
the safe in her father's office. 'I must make dinner.'

**********************
Kasumi was generally believed to be oblivious to the general going ons around 
her when the truth was, she simply wasn't interested. Even Ranma's arrival 
hadn't shaken that. Once one accepted the fact that Ranma could switch 
genders, one could also accept that things like ghost cats, mulitple 
fiancees, and chi-powered martial artists existed in the world. And if it 
existed in the world, then there was a reason, a purpose. Kasumi's was to see 
to the welfare of her two younger sisters and then, once they were married, 
she would find herself a husband. As it should be and nothing else should 
distract her from that purpose.

But even as she walked home, something nagged at her, but she couldn't put 
her finger on it until suddenly, her feet refused to move and she nearly fell 
forward. "What-"

'Shut up and listen," snarled the creature. "What do you hear?'

"I don't hear anything."

"Exactly. Where's the children? There's always some playing on the sidewalks 
when you go to market."

Kasumi looked around. All the houses were closed up and there was no sign of 
children anywhere. Come to think of it, there was no sign of anyone and then 
in the distance, she saw a narrow plume of smoke rising into the air. "Oh 
my," Kasumi said and broke into a run, the bag of food swinging wildly.

**********************
The Tendo house was charred, scorch marks were decorated across the exterior 
walls and she didn't even hear the bag hitting the sidewalk as she ran 
inside.

The entrance was all but gone and the rest of the lower floor was the same. 
Even the staircase was gone. Outside, Happosai lay on the grass. Makoto, 
Mamoru and Hikaru were each curled up in a ball and her father and Mr. 
Saotome were sprawled in the empty koi pond.

"Kasumi..." It was Happosai. The little man's eyes were open, but just barely 
and it was obvious that even breathing was causing him considerable pain. "A 
demon...used...electricity...took Ranma and...your sisters..." His eyes 
closed.

'Turn me loose.'

"No. I...I will call the Koban." She stood up and moved with jerky steps 
towards the house, not really thinking. "Yes, the Koban. That is the proper 
thing to do." But instead, her legs turned her towards the remains of the 
sofa and sat.

'Listen to me, Kasumi, your Koban can do nothing."

"Then they will summon the self-defense force."

"Bah. There's nothing they can do against this demon. They can't stop 
it...But I can."

"No...I can't let you out. You'll hurt somebody, or..." She looked out at 
Makoto, Mamoru, and Hikaru. "Or expand."

'I will not. I give you my word, Kasumi. I will return this body to your form 
the moment the demon is dead and not one second longer. I swear this upoun my 
honor.' The creature's voice was empty of any her usual sneer or arch 
superiority.She almost seemed to be pleading. 'It has a particular influence 
over children and it will seek worshippers to particpate in it's insane 
rites.'

"I..." Up until that point, Kasumi had been prepared to refuse the creature, 
regardless of what she said, but what she said about children cut the 
nineteen year old to the core. "Children?"

'You cannot stop it, Kasumi. I beg of you, let me out, or this entire city is 
doomed. Please.'

Kasumi rolled up her sleeve and stared at the tatoo and then reached out to 
clamp her hand over it, then paused. "Remember, I have your oath."

'I have done many things, Kasumi Tendo, but I have never broken my word.'

Kasumi grabbed her arm. "Oath of Blood." Under her palm, the tatoo became 
white-hot and then the world faded away in a white haze. She felt herself 
being pushed aside as though she was being moved to the passenger seat in a 
car as someone else took the wheel and then the haze vanished.

**********************
The woman known as Bloodmaker took a deep breath and then turned and strode 
out the door and up onto the rooftops.

Even if demons didn't leave a aural trail, she still could have tracked this 
one. It had left a trail of damage out of Nerima, through Juuban and into the 
city proper. Soon, she began to encounter the twitching bodies of police 
officers and citizens and those led her right to the Hotel EL-Hazard, which 
boasted "A most magnifcent world within these walls."

It was also the newest and most expensive hotel in Tokyo. Drawing her sword, 
Bloodmaker marched in, the aural trail leading her to one of the theaters.

Inside, she saw the demon. It was short, with pale yellow fur and evil black 
eyes. It's markings make it look cute, but there was nothing adorable in the 
way the children gathered at the foot of the stage as they chanted the 
creature's name in a dull, icy, monotone. She bared her teeth and charged 
down the aisle, leaping onto the stage.

Had it been a movie, this instance before woman and demon began their battle 
might have been enhanced with some music, something soul-stirring. But 
instead there was only a chorus of voices saying the same thing over and over 
again.

"Pikachu, Pikachu, Pikachu..."

**********************
Disclaimer: Ranma is owned by Viz Video, Pokemon by 4Kids Entertainment. Any 
other names or titles mentioned are preesent only for the purpose of satire. 
Additonal inspiration was provided by the Yu-Gi-Oh dub, which I see as a 
seperate universe all it's own and that too is owned by 4Kids Entertainment. 
No money was made from this and no such intent should be inferred.

Author's note:
You know, looking back, I just realized how much of a putz that line of "How 
about mine" up there at the top makes me sound. Still, it was the only way I 
could think of to respond to what seemed to me like a sort of challenge.

Anyways, a few words about characterization;

I'm not gonna say my version of Kasumi is canon, or even anywhere near it. 
But it's how I see the character. It's my interpetation and I have yet to see 
two fanfic authors with the same style. Similar styles, yes. But the same? 
No.

By the same token, I also don't do humor that well, which is probably why 
this came across as a bit dark. Still, the concept is a fascinating idea and 
I would welcome the chance to further play in this particular sandbox, so to 
speak.

Thank You, and Good Night.

*************
Steve "Komodo" T.
 "Then we would drink a lot of beer, and when Mantook was ready, he would 
tell me the story of the Great Moose, who said to the Little Squirrel, "Hey, 
Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat."
-Jim Carrey on Just For Laughs



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