…
"Kasumi! Ranma has gone crazy!"
The longhaired girl named Kasumi looked up from the sauce pan she was stirring to stare at her sister. She scanned the younger girl's face for any hint of a possible humorous intent but found none. Sighing softly to her self, she stirred the sauce one more time before turning down to gas to let it simmer. Dinner would have to be a little late, she guessed. She gestured the other girl to go ahead and wait the table while she put on the kettle – any and all discussions will always flows smoother with a cup of tea.
"Now Akane, why don't you tell me what happened today and we can take it from there? First of all, what makes you think Ranma-kun is insane?"
"I… eh… Ranma said… that's…," Akane stammered; she was not quite sure how to paraphrase what happened exactly. Still… "The idiot said he wants grapes at his funeral?!"
"I beg your pardon?" Kasumi asked, thinking she has misheard her sister. "He said what?"
"Grapes," The younger girl said flatly. "He wants them at his funeral. He's convinced he's going to die soon. And he wants to write a will as well, but mostly, he wants to make sure there will be grapes at his funeral."
She paused a bit before continuing.
"I'm not sure whether it's for us to eat or as a decoration or to be something kind of offering or something…"
There was a moment of silence where both parties were deep in thought; Akane, thinking how badly she had mucked up the explanation and Kasumi, thinking about… well… grapes.
"I see well… It's not exactly an impossible request. I mean, sure grapes are rather difficult to come by at this time of the year but I'm sure we can figure out something. I mean, it would be much easier if he had picked orange or… "
'If worse comes to worst, I could always order some in from Mrs. Nanohana's shop,' Kasumi mused. 'She's ever so delightful with those foreign fruits and vegetables of hers.'
"Onee-chan!! Please work with me here! Ranma is convinced he's about to die. Doesn't that strike you as being unusual - at least just a little bit?" Akane pleaded, hoping to God or gods that her sister would understand. She has to – she was the last person - no one else had even batted an eyelash. Not even Nabiki; she thought the whole thing was completely hilarious.
Kasumi looked at her younger sister with her ever so compassionate brown eyes. Then she blinked once and…
"No, not really." She said truthfully, lifting her cup for another sip of tea.
…
"But Kasumi! What kinds of person think he's going to die in the next few days?" Akane asked after she has recovered from her momentary misplacement of her center of gravity.
"The kind that has been beat on, kicked around, knocked unconscious, unceremoniously malleted and routinely subjected to the whimsical temper-tantrums of several violent teenage girls?" The older girl gave her reply after having considered the question carefully for one seventeenth of a second.
Seeing the shocked look on her dear sister face, Kasumi smiled, having decided that she had said the right thing. Ah, another crisis averted. Now she could go to the simmering soy bean and oyster sauce she had left on the stove; it must be awfully well simmered by now.
But before Kasumi stood up, Akane suddenly leaped up from hers and pointed an angry, accusing finger at the other girl.
"Wait a minute Onee-chan! Are you saying that it's my fault?"
Kasumi also took the time to consider that statement – a whole half second, this time around.
"Well, no, not just you in particular I guess. I'm sure Shampoo, Ukyou and Kodachi also plays a part in Ranma-kun mental stability - or the lack of thereof, as you suggested," She paused for a moment to take another sip of tea and to formulate a question of her own. "Still, I don't see why you think your fiancé is any less sane than normal; it all seem perfectly logical to me."
Akane stared open-mouthed at her sister. Has Kasumi also gone insane? She waited for Kasumi to shout 'Ha! Gotcha! Just kidding, just kidding…' but those words never come.
"Oh, except for maybe the grapes. It's such an odd choice of fruit – terribly off-season, you know… Why, I dare it's a tad inconsiderate of Ranma-kun to demand such a thing…"
Akane made her departure a silent one; her sister obviously needed sometime alone. Obviously.
……
Kasumi smiled brightly, having solved another budding crisis with a cup of tea and a few words. Sure, it feels nice to be need but sometimes it feels even better having other people respecting your personal space – like her kitchen for instance; some people really needs to learn to cook before stopping into such a delicate and sacred area. Why, she dare say invading someone else's kitchen is borderline sacrilegious.
Kasumi blinked, looking up from the tea she was nursing. Someone was coming into her kitchen, again.
"Nee-chan! You have a minute?" Nabiki said from the doorway.
"I have about thirty-seven million, three hundred and seventeen thousand," Kasumi answered with a smile, gesturing her younger sister to approach. "So of course you may have a few. Take a seat; I'll go get you a cup of tea."
The bop haired girl plopped down onto the proffered seat, sighing contently as she rubbed her aching foot.
"Nabiki!" Kasumi said disapprovingly. "Please put your foot down…"
"But 'Nee-chan…," Nabiki moaned. "I've been running from one side of Nerima to another since noon! All because – oh, thank you 'Nee-chan," she took the cup from her sister began sipping. She sighed contently as the soothing warmth slid down her throat seeped about her chest.
Kasumi's smile strengthened when she saw a hint of bliss appeared on her weary sister's face. Tea always helps, always.
"Anyway," Nabiki said after a second gulp. She held on to the cup instead of putting it down - letting the heat soaked into her hands. "Have you talked to Akane yet?"
"I have," Kasumi said.
"…and?" Nabiki pressed.
"And?" Kasumi reiterated. She was confused. She has answered the question – what was she supposed to say after that?
"And what did she say?" the younger Tendo asked.
"What did who say about what?" Kasumi asked again. "Really Nabiki, you must be clearer – speaking like that only leads to ambiguity and misunderstanding."
Nabiki gave Kasumi a long hard look before sighing. She looked to her right and stared out the veranda for awhile – sitting still with a forlorn look on her face the whole time. After half a minute, Kasumi was beginning to get worried.
"Nabiki-chan?" the serene girl asked softly. "Is there something in our backyard?"
"No, onee-chan, there's nothing in the backyard," Nabiki answered with a half-hearted smile. She suddenly thrust the cup of tea back into Kasumi's hand and stood up. "I'm going to take a bath – please go and talk to Ranma, okay?" she said pleadingly.
"Okay," Kasumi responded with a smile. She followed Nabiki with her eyes as she turned around and left the room. The longhaired girl looked down at the cup of tea in her hand and scowled – Nabiki did not even finish her cup of tea!
Kasumi eventually stood up. She walked back into the kitchen and up-ended the cup in the sink before started washing it. It did not take her long to finish – she has, after all, been doing this practically all her life.
"Oh my," she suddenly muttered – she had completely forgotten about the talk she suppose to have with Ranma. "This wouldn't do at all."
Kasumi quickly finished rinsing the cup and turned the tap off. Water should not be waste after all. She took off her apron and hung it up before leaving the kitchen. She headed up the stairs, expecting Ranma to be in his room.
"Ranma-kun," she called out, knocking lightly on the door to the room Ranma was sharing with his father. "May I come in?"
There was no response.
"Ranma-kun?" Kasumi called out again. She should hurry otherwise dinner will be served late. What would it not be rude for her to just barge in like this without the boy's permission? What should she do? Dilemma, dilemma, dilemma.
"I'm coming in, okay?" she said finally. She eased the door opened and slowly entered the room. She glanced around for a moment. To be honest, ever since she saw it for the first time it has always struck her as being rather unlike a normal teenager's room. The total lack of litter and mess was a welcomed change from Akane's and Nabiki's rooms.
Now then, where was the teenager? It took her but a moment to spot him.
Ah, in his bed – where else?
"Ranma-kun," she called out in an attempt to wake the slumbering boy.
Ranma muttered something incomprehensible and rolled over - he did not wake up though. He even started snoring a little – as if to doubly confirm that he was still asleep.
"Ranma-kun!" Kasumi called out again, this time with a note of urgency in her voice. "Please wake up."
"…go away, Akane…, lemme sleep…," Ranma mumbled dreamily.
Kasumi stared at the unmoving boy. She was beginning to feel rather odd. There was this welling of emotion building inside of her – a weird tingling sensation. It was extremely peculiar. And what more, it seemed to be urging her to hit something – how curious was that?
"Ranma-kun," Kasumi tried again with similar result. Should she tri growling the boy name - maybe that might help? She entertained the notion for a few more second. Really, it could not hurt to try, right?
She looked left and right before leaning down.
"Grrrrr,"
Ranma suddenly jumped out of bed – eyes wide and hands up in a defensive posture.
"Whoa, huh?!" he said aloud, looking disorientated and lost. "Who's there?"
"Kasumi Tendo," Kasumi said.
"Kasumi? What's going on? Where am I? What happened? The last thing I remember was…," Ranma trailed off. He seemed to be staring at a spot just a few feet to her left.
Kasumi turned and followed the boy's gaze. There was nothing there – much to her surprise. Oh wait – there was!
"Kasumi!" Nabiki screamed hysterically. She ran into the room and took hold of Kasumi's hand. She tugged insistently, almost like she was trying to drag the older girl. "Oh god…, come here, come here quick!"
"What is it, Nabiki-chan?" Kasumi asked calmly. It was irrational to be panicking when there was obviously no need.
"It's Ranma. He…, oh god," Nabiki sobbed. "…, I can't explain it, okay? So just follow me. You have to see it…,"
"…, okay, if you insist," Kasumi said with a shrug. She turned to Ranma who was standing there with an uncomprehending look on his face. She flashed him an easy smile.
"Ranma-kun, I'll be right back, okay?" she paused before adding an after thought. "By the way, did you know that you're missing your feet?"
…
Author's note: No, I am not on drug or under influence of alcohol. Really, I'm not.