Just a Little Time
By Douglas Helm and "Tuxedo" Will Wolfshohl
Continuing a Ranma ½ story kernel by Dark Oni
Those characters that are original and the story "Just a Little Time" are copyrighted ©2003-2004 ShoujoFiction dot com domain by Douglas Helm and Will Wolfshohl. Original kernel copyrighted ©1998 by Dark Oni.
This story and dozens of our other stories reside at ShoujoFiction dot com . Comments are welcomed.
Chapter 8 - Little Helpers
"Why do I gotta go to bed?" demanded Kasumi as she and Nabiki, each dressed in their pajamas, were herded up the stairs. And another strange thing, 'Why ain't Nabiki complaining about it too?' "I'm the oldest!"
"Because it was a little too noisy in there," Akane countered then reasoned, "Besides, Kasumi, you had a tough workout today. You must be tired."
"Akane-dear," the former eldest sister began in her nicest voice attempting to sound mature, "It's too early for me to go to bed." A nearby clock on the wall reading just after seven o'clock confirmed that. Couldn't her sister see that?
"Com'on, 'Sumi!" Nabiki prodded, tugging at her sister's wrist, "I wanna story!" She yawned. Besides, going to bed sounded like a pretty good idea just about now.
Kasumi opened her mouth to protest but then saw the look on Akane's face. The look wasn't scary, or even angry or annoyed. It was just a certain look their mother had given them on occasion when they were little. The little girl suddenly knew that she wasn't going to win this fight and further, her earlier foray had proven that going to her father wouldn't help matters.
Nabiki, who by now had given up on her sister, skipped ahead. She'd just have to talk to Kasumi in the morning. She was ready to turn the corner towards her bedroom when Akane remarked, "And you aren't sleeping in my room tonight, Nabiki."
"Huh?" the kindergartener questioned while looking over her shoulder. She had no intention of sleeping in Akane's bed tonight. She wasn't sure she could survive it considering her sister's infamous temper.
"Com'on," the older Tendo interjected. Moving past the eight year old, she opened the door to Kasumi's bedroom and waited.
"I get to stay in Kasumi's room?" The little girl's eyes lit up with excitement. It would be like when they were really little. Kasumi would protect her and Akane from all the scary things that went bump in the night. Now that she had her boyfriend around, she wouldn't need that protection but it would be fun to pretend for a night.
"It's your room too," Akane declared matter-of-factly. Little kids were hard to fathom sometimes. She threw a baleful look towards Kasumi who sniffed. Nabiki for her part rushed inside.
"Cool!" Nabiki squeaked. 'That's even better.' "But where's the bed?"
Akane just rolled her eyes. "Come on, girls, we need to get you settled." She wished their mother were still alive to handle them. Unfortunately, she had died when Nabiki was barely a toddler so it was left to Akane as eldest to raise her two baby sisters. Neither girl even remembered their sainted mother Akane sometimes lamented.
Kasumi's world was turned upside-down when she observed the room. It didn't look anything like her old room. Gone were her adult trappings such as the jewelry box and bedroom furniture left to her by her mother. Instead, there were a few toys and assorted dolls scattered about. Her lovely bed was gone replaced by two single futons lying side-by-side. "Where's my bed?" she squawked.
"Yeah!" Nabiki agreed, "I wanna jump on it." She hadn't dared jumped on "the lump's" bed the previous day. She gave the futon a try and sighed dramatically. "These don't work."
'Jeez, not you too.' "Girls," Akane began with mild exasperation, "Enough of your silliness. I said you and Nabiki are going to bed. Now get under those covers right now or there won't be any bedtime story tonight."
The youngest Tendo gave a squeak of dismay and rushed over to her sister. The story was one of the best things about being little in her ever so humble opinion. "Move it!" she commanded while pushing Kasumi in the back. The bigger child just stood her ground.
"Stop that, Nabiki."
"I wanna story!"
"You'll get one," Akane promised, "Now climb into bed, young lady." The five year old only hesitated for a moment before choosing the futon she figured was hers, i.e. it looked much cuter. The sheets had puppy dogs on it. "You too, Kasumi."
"I..." Kasumi drew herself up to her full, if now diminutive, height, "WANT... MY... ROOM!" 'I'm the oldest!' She wasn't about to be ordered to bed by her baby sister despite being smaller than her... temporarily.
The teen crossed her arms and answered just as firmly, "No."
'That look again.' Kasumi deflated. It had been worth a try. Muttering under her breath, she walked over to her futon and slipped under the covers. 'After she leaves, I'll talk to Nabiki.' She regarded her younger sister. She was hugging a stuffed animal in a fashion that just did not fit with her image of what her mercenary sister should be like.
# # # # #
Ranma Saotome sank up to his chin as he settled into the hot waters of the furo. He had retreated into the bath. Handling Nabiki as a child was one thing; handling Kasumi AND Nabiki was definitely beyond him.
Nevertheless, the pigtailed martial artist had only been mildly surprised by the elder sister's transformation. If it had occurred before Ukyo's, he might have been more startled. If the truth be told, Ranma was actually somewhat relieved. Nabiki now had somebody else in the house near her age whom she could play with. 'Where do they get all that energy?' That left Ranma free to think about getting all of them back to normal.
'Akane can sure cook but... I miss the old Akane.' This Akane was showing him a very definite, non-uncute side and it was doing strange things to him. It was also reminding him of what his Akane was like and apparently what she could be. 'Damn!' he thought, 'Who's gonna be next?' He could think of a number of people he'd like it to happen to. 'But not Akane!' Somehow, he had to beat that thing before that could happen.
He sighed and placed a damp washcloth on his head. 'But how did Kasumi keep from becoming littler?' Certainly, the trend appeared to suggest Kasumi should have ended up younger than Ukyo. Somehow, she managed to remain the oldest of all those attacked. That was a question that he would have to raise with Cologne, when he got the chance.
'We better get back to normal before one of them gets into trouble or else knowing my luck, I'll be stuck punishing them!' That was hardly something a true martial artist would do.
# # # # #
Nabiki paused in the telling of the story as Ranma returned. Her niece padded behind him looking sheepish. The younger girls giggled which caused their older sister to blush.
"You can pick up the tale, Ranma... if you want."
"Huh?"
"I just got to the part where Kasumi got changed."
Ranma blinked, looked puzzled for a moment, and then grinned. "Oh, okay... Nabsy." She grinned at the old nickname while he settled himself and thought for a moment, "So anyway..."
# # # # #
The lights were off in the bedroom of Kasumi and Nabiki Tendo leaving only the diffuse light of the city coming through the window. Nabiki was just starting to slip into warm fuzziness when her sister poked her in the side rather hard.
"Hey! Stop that!" she complained, glaring at her sister in the darkness.
"Shhh..." the eight year old warned.
"Then don't poke me! Jeez!" Nabiki complained before yawning.
"Why are you being so cutesy?" Her only response was silence. "Nabiki?"
"Wha?" came the sleepy voice.
"Why are you letting Akane tell you what to do?"
The kindergartner sat up then replied in a tone of voice that you might use to explain something to an overanxious toddler, "'Cause it's fun, 'Sumi!" After a heartbeat, she added, "And I like stories."
"But there has to be bad stuff."
"Well duh!" the little girl replied, "Of course, there is. I don't like corner time or no dessert or gettin' spanked or..."
"Spanked?" Kasumi squeaked.
"Yes," Nabiki blushed then quickly amended, "Only once though." She was determined to avoid earning any others.
'Akane spank Nabiki?' That was crazy. "Gosh, Nabiki, you're older than she is!"
The little girl heaved an exasperated sigh. "Look, Kasumi, Akane thinks I'm five. Daddy thinks so too. Everybody does 'cept Yuri 'n' Maki 'n' Ranma." Ukyo was a lost cause. Nabiki paused for a moment remembering what Ranma had said atop the Cat Café. "'N' I've been a little... naughty 'n' even Ranma says that if I don't be good, I'm gonna get it!"
"Oh my. So Akane thinks I'm really eight?" Kasumi sounded unhappy at this. Yet, everything she had experienced since she came back from the market supported it.
"Yeah," her sister confirmed. "'Night night." With that, she flopped back down and wiggled into a comfortable position.
"But Da-Father will change us back." He had to.
Trying to suppress the urge to yell, the little brunette pointed out, "Daddy thinks we're kids!"
"But... but what are we gonna do?" Kasumi demanded. By way of an answer, Nabiki got up, marched across the floor, and pushed the door open wide. "Nabiki, where are you going?"
"Ta get Akane," Nabiki said in a very grumpy voice.
"Why?"
Smacking her forehead with the palm of her hand, she answered, "'Cause, Sis, you won't shut up!"
# # # # #
Kasumi woke up the next morning with a knee digging into her stomach. That knee belonged to her younger sister, who mumbled something unintelligible as Kasumi pushed her away. Nabiki yawned and then curled into a tight ball beneath the covers.
'It's not a dream.' The older girl felt unhappy as she considered her situation. 'I'll just have to show them that I'm older.' Nabiki was right - body size didn't prove a thing. She got up and softly padded to the bathroom deep in thought. 'I know!' she suddenly thought halfway through her business, 'I'll cook breakfast!'
# # # # #
Akane Tendo's eyes opened slowly. She blinked a few times to clear the sleep from them. Gray dawn light was poking through the partially open curtain on her bedroom window. With practiced ease, she turned and switched her alarm clock off before it could ring. Rolling back, the sixteen year old sat up and stretched before swinging her feet out. The air was not cold, something for which she was thankful.
She smiled as her eyes rested on something she loved. "'Morning, Ranma-honey." She reached out and patted her favorite teddy bear on the head. It was dark chocolate in color with a red ribbon around its furry neck. Ranma had made it for her from one of the kits you could buy. Akane had promptly tied a ribbon around its neck and named it for her fiancé. The red ribbon assured that they would stay together forever, or so legend stated.
Staying together forever with Ranma Saotome was a very pleasant thought to teen. As she got up and prepared for the day, her mind considered what it would be like waking up next to the real Ranma two years hence when they were happily married. That naturally led to things that made her blush.
Finished dressing, the eldest Tendo sister left her room and padded down the hallway to where her little sisters slept. 'Now where did Kasumi go?' She grinned slightly. 'Hope she plans on staying up.' Nabiki had laid claim to both futons along with the pillows and blankets. 'She's so cute like that! I almost hate to wake her up.'
Turning, she glided gracefully down the hallway pausing long enough to peek in on her future husband. She was surprised to find him asleep in his cursed form. This puzzled her and she chewed on that thought all the way downstairs.
When Akane reached the bottom of the stairs, she stopped dead and listened. There were noises coming from the kitchen. 'Uh oh, I think I found Kasumi!' She sighed a little. 'At least Nabiki isn't in there with her.' Nabiki liked to "cook" with pizzazz. Therefore, she wasn't too surprised to see Kasumi when she entered the kitchen.
Her heart started to sink though at the sight before her. Apparently, the little girl had decided to go all out. 'She must've decided to take lessons from Nabiki.' "Kasumi?" Akane asked softly. The child yelped in surprise and then with an even louder yelp vanished behind the island as the stepstool she'd been standing on vanished beneath her. Akane couldn't see the landing but she certainly heard it.
"Are you okay, Kasumi?" she asked while moving quickly around the island so she could observe the damage.
"Yes," Kasumi said, sounding rather disgruntled.
"What are you doing?" The older girl helped her sister up.
"Making breakfast."
Akane considered what she was going to say as she surveyed her sister's handy work. "Kasumi, why didn't you wait for me?"
The child gave her sister a look that was hard to read before saying, "'Cuz I always make breakfast, Akane." Didn't she?
"Umm..." the older Tendo replied while trying to figure out what some of the items were supposed to be. 'Well, I suppose Father'll eat it because Kasumi made it. Mr. Saotome will eat practically anything... Ranma-honey's gonna be the tough one. He's pickier than Nabiki.' She peered at the contents of the rice cooker. 'Maybe'll I'll wait until they go off to school.' That would make her late though.
"You aren't gonna cook too, are you?" she hoped. Yesterday had to be a fluke. Kasumi was eyeing Akane suspiciously.
"Of course, Kasumi," her teenage sister stated. 'What a silly question.'
"That's bad..." the little brown-haired girl commented, her eyes went wide, and she put both her hands over her mouth.
Rather puzzled, and a little hurt by this, Akane donned her apron and tried to figure out a way to salvage the food without hurting her little sister's feelings. 'She just tries too hard,' Akane mused, 'I should get Nabiki involved. She'll make a good cook one day.' Kasumi was the heir to the Tendo Dojo, which meant a lot of training and little time to teach in the kitchen.
# # # # #
Nabiki seemed to have a case of the giggles; had had them since breakfast. Kasumi wasn't really sure why. She had watched Akane dress Nabiki without protest in an overly cute kindergarten uniform while she was putting on hers. The eight year old was not very keen on the entire school thing. She had done her time. She'd told all involved that it would be very boring and she had important things to do around the house. This hadn't stopped Akane from dividing her sister's long brown hair into two pigtails and tying a powder blue ribbon around each. Nabiki though seemed eager to go and liked the idea Kasumi would be joining her.
Soon, Akane dressed in her Furinkan High School uniform and Ranma in his normal Chinese motif led the pair of little girls on their way. The group found Maki waiting for them as usual and her eyes went wide upon seeing a pigtailed Kasumi approach in an elementary school uniform. Before she could question it though, Nabiki grabbed her and started nattering about the night before, conveniently falling a few yards behind.
"Why can't I stay at home?" she asked Akane who was giving Ranma a look that seemed misplaced on her baby sister.
"What's wrong, Kasumi? You usually like school." Akane wondered, "Has somebody been teasing you?"
"I haven't..."
"Akane?" Nabiki interrupted.
"What?"
"Did you make my lunch?" She hadn't dared open her bento box to check.
"Yes," Akane replied.
"Good!" the youngster replied while giving Kasumi a look she usually reserved for Akane's cooking.
Kasumi sighed. 'This is not going to be a fun day.' It was not, as she was about to find out, going to be a boring day either. Third grade turned out to be a lot more challenging than she remembered...
# # # # #
The middle Tendo daughter was in the schoolyard wondering where to go. The place appeared more or less as she remembered but it had been years since she had last been here. She considered sneaking away. It was then three other girls her new age showed up. The trio immediately launched into a conversation with Kasumi as if it were the natural thing to do.
"Are you ready for the test, 'Sumi?" one of them asked another girl.
"Test?" Kasumi squeaked.
"Math," was the response after a moment in which the others gave her a strange look. "It's first thing today."
"I need to go home," Kasumi stated seriously. One of the others smiled.
"Don't worry, 'Sumi. You can keep me company," one of the others consoled.
"Huh?"
"I didn't study either," the girl replied and gave her a quick hug. "We can take our lumps together." This was hardly reassuring to the pigtailed Kasumi. Unfortunately, she didn't have much of a choice in the matter. She was practically dragged inside the classroom by her "friends" before she could think of another excuse.
'What am I panicking about?' Kasumi thought, 'I can do this stuff! I graduated high school for goodness sake.' And she could. The multiplication test turned out not to be difficult, although she did find herself puzzling over a few of the answers.
The rest of the morning subjects were not as easy. She found that there were gaps in what she thought she should know. It didn't help that her mind kept wanting to wander away during the more boring bits.
It was very distressing to Kasumi to be sent out into the corridor by her teacher for not paying attention in class. It was even more embarrassing when a class of kindergartners, including Nabiki and her friends, walked by. Most of them giggled which just made Kasumi's ears go red.
Lunch was not very satisfying even though Akane had packed a nice bento for her. Kasumi really did not want to be there. She felt grumpy. She really didn't feel right joining the others' conversations. She pondered wandering over to the kindergarten area to join her little sister but dismissed it.
The third grade classroom where she and her friends were "sentenced" was boisterous, i.e. their teacher had yet to return from lunch. Once she returned, the first subject of the afternoon was music, which ended up being a complete disaster; the others weren't much better. It was with some trepidation then that Kasumi set off with her classmates for PE.
# # # # #
Kasumi walked out of the elementary school building about three that afternoon with a look of determination on her face. She ignored her sister and her friends chattering. At the gate, she tapped her foot impatiently as the group waited for Ranma to appear.
Despite her best efforts, Kasumi couldn't help but hear the young girl's conversation. "I just can't believe I added that wrong." Nabiki sounded a little embarrassed. "It was funny though."
"Yeah, Nabiki, you're pretty good with money 'n' stuff," Yuriko commented, "But that was funny."
'Money...' Kasumi worried for a moment and then a new thought popped into her head. She flinched and turned around to confront her sister. "Nabiki, you ain't gonna..." The five year old gave her a confused look.
"Gonna what, 'Sumi?"
"Gonna tattle 'bout you seeing me in the hall?"
"I ain't gonna tell, Kasumi," Nabiki said earnestly.
"You sure?"
"I ain't gonna tell. Promise..." the girl repeated then made an X over her heart with her right hand. "That'd be naughty."
Kasumi sighed internally satisfied. As the three little girls continued their conversation about their day, she renewed her pacing occasionally pausing to look down the street. 'Where is he?' Finally, Kasumi couldn't stand waiting any longer. She wanted to return to normal. True, she had liked school when she really was little. However, she certainly did not want to live through it again for the next ten years! "I'm going home, Nabiki," she announced suddenly. "You coming?"
"Are you nuts, 'Sumi?" her sister squeaked, "I'm stayin' right here." There was no reason to piss off Ranma.
"Yeah," Maki and Yuriko added in agreement, "Us too!" Their mothers wouldn't take kindly to them heading off on their own, as they found out clearly the day of their attack.
"It's perfectly safe, girls. I'll be with you."
"Nope," Nabiki said while shaking her head.
"Don't tell me you're scared, NABSY."
'Being scared don't got nothing to do with it,' Nabiki thought while shaking her head again. 'It's my tush on the line!' Given how strong Ranma, not to mention Akane, was, she'd likely be standing up for a solid week if she invoked their wrath.
"Fine," Kasumi snapped and started home alone. She wanted to go back to being the oldest, to running the household. She looked back over her shoulder at Nabiki. The little girl was looking more and more like a lost cause to the normally eldest Tendo sister.
'It's Ranma's fault. He's the one taking his sweet time getting here.' Kasumi frowned. Of course, this wasn't Ranma's only procrastination in her opinion. 'If Akane was stuck as a kid, he would've worked it out by now.' She was back to her original solution. 'Daddy's got to fix this.'
# # # # #
"Da-Father."
Soun Tendo looked up from the shogi board across from Genma. He found his eight year old daughter standing before him still wearing her school uniform. "Did you have a good day at school?" he asked while smiling at her. Not seeing his other daughter, he added, "Where's Nabiki?"
Kasumi shrugged and said again, "I wanna talk to you."
"Okay, Kasumi-honey," Soun agreed, "What is it?"
Kasumi shot Genma a calculating look and then shrugged. "There's a monster in town."
"A monster?" Soun questioned. "Like the one Nabiki saw?"
His middle daughter gave him an exasperated look. "Maybe. I'm not sure what it really looks like, Daddy, 'cuz I only saw long glowing arm thingies."
Genma interjected, "Glowing arms, you say?"
"Yes, Mr. Saotome."
Soun held his chin in his hand pondering. Before, he had discounted the stories of monsters as his youngest daughter's fantasies. She had quite the imagination but Kasumi, on the other hand, was a practical child, not prone to make up such things. He decided to find out more. "Is it attacking anybody?"
The eight year old looked exasperated. "Does it matter?"
"This is Nerima, Tendo," Genma pointed out, "They should put a weirdness forecast on the TV like they do for the weather."
"That's a good idea!" Soun said in a very serious voice.
"DA-DDY!" Kasumi squawked and stamped her foot, "Please go look for it. It's over by the canal."
"Well, Saotome, what do you say?" Soun asked his good friend while cracking his knuckles.
"Why not, Tendo?" Genma replied. "Haven't beaten up a good monster in weeks."
Soun checked his watch. 'My class starts in about two hours.' He got up and patted Kasumi gently on top of the head. "Daddy will go get it, honey."
"Good!" the little girl replied. She brushed a pigtail aside and then marched upstairs to change out of her school uniform.
A little while later, Kasumi, dressed in her gi, sat on the mat inside the dojo with her legs folded under her daydreaming. She waited eagerly for the change. As the minutes passed, she imagined what she would do as soon as she was a grownup again. This distraction cost her though.
Ranma wasn't happy that his pupil wasn't paying attention in class and even less so when she commented that he just wasn't good enough really. He ordered her into the corner in front of the whole class. Annoyed, she refused and so instead, she was sent out of the dojo altogether. Nabiki, who was standing next to her during the exchange, watched wide-eyed, her mind racing.
# # # # #
Soun returned from his daughter's quest shortly before his scheduled evening class began. "Well, honey," he announced to his daughter, "We didn't see anything."
"That's right, Kasumi, and we looked high and low too," Genma added while starting to eat.
"For what?" Nabiki chimed in, sounding suspicious.
"Kasumi said she saw something, Nabiki."
"Oh my, Father," Akane commented, which got a mixed reaction from Nabiki, Ranma, and Kasumi. "Do you think it was something dangerous?"
"No, no, Akane," Soun assured her, "Whatever it was the girls saw is gone now."
"No, it's not!" Kasumi huffed. How could it be? She and Nabiki were still little.
He knelt down to his little girl's eye level. "Sweetheart," Soun began in a soothing tone of voice, "We looked all over by the canal like you said. Even asked some others. No one saw anything strange. Ryouga hasn't heard of anything strange going on either." He then smiled broadly. "It must've heard Saotome and I were coming after it and ran away."
"Right Tendo."
"What about Shampoo?" Nabiki interjected.
"No, I think it's gone." 'If it ever existed.' Which he highly doubted.
"That's wonderful, Father. Isn't it, girls?" Akane declared proudly.
"But Daddy..." Kasumi stopped. She did not want to whine like a baby.
Soun glanced up at the clock. "Well, now that that's settled, I should get ready for the evening group." He stood up then asked, "By the way, how did the afternoon class go, Ranma?" He raised an eyebrow as Nabiki giggled.
"Uh..." the pigtailed martial artist glanced towards his pigtailed pupil and then at Soun, "It was okay."
"What happened?" Soun asked. His future son-in-law shifted nervously.
"Ranma?" Genma was looking mildly worried. Nabiki looked torn between tattling and keeping quiet. Kasumi tried to make herself disappear into the background.
"Kasumi was rude, Father," Akane interjected into the growing silence, "Ranma had to send her out of the dojo." Genma looked startled; Soun looked annoyed. As the details came out, the startled look was replaced by one of understanding.
"Oh yes," Soun remarked, "I can see where Kasumi would be bored. No offense, Nabiki. Well, come on, Kasumi. Let a real pro show you how things are done." Genma nodded, which earned him a scowl from both Nabiki and Akane.
# # # # #
Ranma paused in his story to see if any of his children were going to comment. The girls looked amongst each other and then the second oldest said, "I think Dad needs a hug."
"Oh, can I hug him too?" Nabiki asked. Ranma felt suddenly nervous.
"As long as I get to do it too, Sis!" Akane piped up. This was the signal and the assault began. By the time it was over, Ranma had forgotten where he'd left off.
"Don't worry, guys," Nabiki declared with an evil grin, "I know what happens next."
"What?" the girls demanded.
"Now your Aunt Kasumi's usually the sweetest person in the world." Nabiki replied lazily, "I mean it was me who had the rep for being sneaky back then."
"You're tellin' me," Ranma replied with a grin.
The woman stuck her tongue out for a moment before continuing, "But Kasumi could be sneaky if she wanted to be..."
# # # # #
The predawn light was just beginning to drive the darkness away when Kasumi Tendo woke with a start of surprise. She lay there for a moment listening to the stillness of the house. Her little sister's breathing indicated deep slumber. And then, she knew why she had awakened.
'No!' Her mind denied it. It just couldn't be. Her hand though told her differently. She sat up feeling the dampness. 'No, no, no!' Kasumi shook her head. 'I am Kasumi Tendo, age nineteen! I'm not a little girl!' She peeked under the covers. Apparently, reality said she was Kasumi Tendo, age eight, who was sitting in a puddle.
'What am I gonna do?' She couldn't let Akane find her like this. She certainly could not let Ranma or Genma and especially couldn't let her father find out. 'What am I gonna do?' She looked wildly around. Maybe she could hide the damp futon somewhere, and then as her eyes landed on her sleeping sister, her mind supplied a plan.
'I couldn't,' she thought sternly but maybe it would shake Nabiki out of her little kid attitude. Besides, Nabiki WAS younger. It would not be so strange. The older girl sighed. 'I can't be sneaky. That would be something Nabiki would do.'
Kasumi suddenly wanted to cry. Too many things were happening too fast. There were things that she wasn't prepared to deal with. The eight year old sat there for some time before she heard Nabiki stirring. 'Too late to move,' she knew. Her sister was sure to cook up some scheme.
Nabiki yawned expansively, stretched, and then sat up. She looked around sleepily. When she saw Kasumi, she stared at the older girl as if she wasn't sure who it was. Recognition dawned a moment later. "'Sumi, time to get up?"
"It's early, Nabiki," Kasumi told her, hoping that Nabiki hadn't detected anything unusual. "Go back to sleep."
The youngster replied, "Can't. Gotta piddle." With that, she jumped up and left the room.
'Gotta change...' the brown-haired child chewed her lip. 'But will they notice?' She had to risk it. As quickly as she could, Kasumi changed and stowed her soiled things in a hiding spot. 'I'll take care of them later.' She carefully made her own futon.
When Nabiki came back, she gave her older sister a puzzled frown and asked, "Why'd you change your PJs, 'Sumi?"
"I didn't, Nabiki." The youngster frowned even more. "Really."
"'Sumi, don't fib," Nabiki remarked.
"I'm not!"
"Not what?" The voice made both girls jump. Akane smiled slightly. "I see you two are up."
"Yep," Nabiki chirped and then declared, "I'm gonna wake Ranma up!"
"I'll help!" Kasumi volunteered in an unconvincing voice wanting to get away as quickly as possible from any incriminating evidence.
End of Chapter 8
Coming next in Chapter 9 - Moment in the Sun
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