Disclaimer: I do not own these character, I just decided to play with them for a bit.

Ranma looked at the Souma's; a question in his eyes. The only way to describe their expressions was as bug eyed astonishment. He glanced at Kasumi, and saw her gaze was also on the Souma's. She turned and the two met eyes.

'What?' they seemed to ask each other. Both looked at the little girl on Ranma's back. She was rigid with shock and her eyes were wide. Just before Kasumi could ask the girl what was wrong she seemed to go limp. Ranma's eyes showed panic, thinking something was wrong, when the little girl suddenly wrapped her arms around Ranma.

Ranma could feel the girl trembling on his back. He unconsciously began to rock back and forth hoping to calm the girl.

Chapter Eight

Hatori knew he was staring; yet he could not seem to stop. The boy was holding Kisa and she was not transforming. How was this possible? What was happening?

Kisa suddenly started to cling to the boy and her trembling was obvious to everyone. Hatori could only imagine what was gong on in Kisa's head.

'How was this possible?' Glancing at the others he could see their shock. Not only that; but the girl, Kasumi, and the boy, Ranma, had noticed the reaction of the Souma's. The first person to recover, surprisingly, was Kyou. He walked over to the boy and slowly ran his hand down Kisa's back. She turned, and seeing Kyou, almost launched herself at him.

"She's shy," was Kyou's statement.

Ranma slowly nodded at Kyou but still felt unnerved.

"Okay, Ucchan and Kassan are still getting dinner ready. I don't think they expected you yet.

This seemed to upset Tohru, who started to bow and apologize. Ranma was not sure how to make her stop. He looked at Kasumi helplessly. She went to Tohru and managed to calm her.

"Ranma-kun, why don't you go get cleaned up? I'll show our guests around the house until you get back." Ranma nodded. He bowed shortly to the guests then went inside. Stopping briefly in the kitchen to tell them that the guests had arrived before going up to get clean.

Ukyou went out to greet their guests. As soon as she found them she could tell that something was wrong. Kyou was carrying around a little girl who was clinging to him.

"Welcome."

Every eye was now on Ukyou. Tohru was the first to react and started to bow and apologize for being early. Ukyou's and Kasumi's eyes met. An understanding was immediately there. Ukyou walked forward and took Tohru's hand then led her from the room. Once in the kitchen Ukyou had Tohru start cutting up vegetables and included her in the conversation between herself and Nodoka. Eventually Tohru seemed to calm down and willing offered ideas and comments.

Hatori watched Tohru leave, but felt his gaze and mind return to the young lady who was leading them around the house. He had noticed the looks that Shigure and Ayame were giving Kasumi. She seemed oblivious to their attentions. Nothing seemed to faze her. Not even the boys arguing. This brought something else to his attention. Kyou was still carrying Kisa and Momiji seemed to not want to get more than a few feet from Kyou. Going so far as to be holding a handful of his shirt. And Kyou didn't seem to mind. He actually seemed to be comforting the rabbit from time to time.

The arguing was between Hiro, Yuki and Haru. Shigure and Ayame seemed to be egging them on until Haru turned black. Haru had just spun around to hit Shigure when Ranma arrived.

Ranma noticed Haru throwing a punch at one of the older guys. He thought his name was Shigure. Not wanting to have a fight break out and ruin the house; he remembered Nerima; Ranma caught Haru's fist.

"What's going on?"

Haru tried to pull his fist free of Ranma's grip. The pigtailed boy didn't even move. In fact he didn't even seem to be straining at all, yet Haru could not move his fist at all. All of the Sohma's watched wide eyed, except one.

Kyou was still holding Kisa as well as trying to keep Momiji calm. He had noticed that Haru was going black but could not do anything without upsetting the rabbit and tiger. When he noticed that Ranma arrive Kyou knew that he could handle it. Noticing that everyone was just staring at the martial artist Kyou answered.

"Haru has something of a split personality. When he gets stressed his darker side comes out. When that happens we call him Black Haru. We just say that he's gone black to make it easier."

Everyone except Ranma, Kasumi, Momiji and Kisa now turned wide eyed stares on Kyou. Kasumi noticed this but Ranma didn't. Instead he answered Kyou.

"Oh. Can I let go of him now or keep holdin' on to him?"

"You can let go, he's changed back." At Kyou's response Ranma glanced at Haru and saw him gapping at Kyou. Before he could ask why Ukyou walked out of the kitchen.

"We're all set. If everyone would go outside we can get started." Ranma and Kyou started outside. Kisa was still in Kyou's arms and Momiji was all but attached to the cat's hip. Hiro quickly followed Kisa. Tohru walked out of the kitchen to join Ukyou and noticed that Kisa was still in Kyou's arms. Immediately worried, she rushed past Yuki; who was trying to get her attention; and asked Kyou what was wrong. Yuki watched, slightly perturbed by being ignored. No one noticed except for Ukyou who made a note to talk to Tohru about those two Sohma males.

Arriving outside Hatori was not quite sure what to think. A large grill was set up across the yard. He knew he had probably missed it earlier since all of his attention had been on the young man doing kata's and then the scene with Kisa.

At one end of the grill was a table set with a stack of empty bowls. Next to the empty bowls were bowls filled with vegetables and meats. It almost looked like a Mongolian BBQ, but not quite. Nodoka came out and placed another bowl on the table.

Ukyou clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Okay, pick up a bowl and put everything you want in it. You'll give it to me and I'll cook it up for you."

"And what is it you'll be cooking for us lovely lady?" the snake asked. The answer was simple.

"Okinomiyaki. Go ahead and set started while I go and get the batter." With that the chef walked back into the house. Ranma led Kyou and his entourage toward the table. The cat was still carrying the tiger with the rabbit holding onto a handful of his shirt. Hiro was watching Kyou with annoyance in his eyes and Tohru was hovering around the group. Ranma handed bowls to Tohru and Hiro, he then offered two too Momiji. The rabbit let go of Kyou and grabbed the bowls a question in the eyes he turned to Ranma.

"I don' think the little girl is goin' to let go of Kyou. So, you take an extra bowl an' I'll take another and we'll put together their food. Who you wanna help?"

Before Momiji could say anything Hiro interrupted. "I'll do Kisa's."

Ranma turned and raised and eyebrow at the sheep. "Was I talkin' to you?" Before anything else could be said Shigure placed his hands on Hiro's shoulders.

"Let Momiji help." Hiro looked up at the dog, a scathing comment ready to come forth. But the boy saw something in Shigure's eyes that stopped him. The boy nodded and Momiji quietly asked Kisa what she wanted.

Hatori noticed that both Kasumi and Nodoka were watching carefully; especially Nodoka. The Saotome matriarch appeared troubled by what she had just witnessed. Yuki had placed himself by Tohru. Shigure and Ayame had drifted over and were teasing everyone. Hatori grabbed Haru and led him over to the table. He noticed that Ukyou had returned and set up behind the grill. Hatori had expected Kasumi and Nodoka to help her but they simply watched the girl. Within moments of the first Okinomiyaki being placed the doctor understood. With a casual grace and fluidity the girl manned the grill expertly. She had all of there food cooking and all were perfectly shaped. She then quietly asked Kisa what kind of sauce she wanted. As the question was asked to everyone he watched as Ukyou never placed the wrong sauce on the wrong Okinomiyaki.

Two plates were given to both Momiji and Ranma. The pigtailed boy then led Momiji, Kyou and Kisa over to another part of the yard to sit down and eat at. Soon everyone had their food and followed. Hiro and Yuki looked slightly disdainful of the food until they each took a bite.

All of the food was devoured and most of the males went back for seconds before Ranma dropped the bomb.

"So why did y'all freak when I picked up Kisa?"

Kyou glanced at the others and saw no one answering so decided that he would. "Kisa is one of the members of the family that is cursed. When you hugged her she should have changed. Why didn't she?"

Ranma looked at Ukyou for an answer. The chef turned to the Souma's and asked what she thought was an important question but seemed to confuse them. "What does she turn into?"

The Souma's all looked at each other, not sure if they should answer. Too the surprise of everyone the girl answered. "I turn into a tiger."

Ukyou nodded and began to speak out loud. "Okay, Kisa is a tiger, Momiji is a rabbit, Haru is a bull, Hatori-sensei is a sea dragon and Kyou is a cat. Ranchan and Kyou got along very well almost as soon as they met and the tiger doesn't change when he holds her." It wasn't Ukyou that answered but Kasumi.

"The neko-ken?"

"You got it sugar, the neko-ken."

"What's that?" asked Momiji.

Nodoka answered, "It's not important right now. Am I correct in assuming that all the rest of our guests are cursed with the exception of Tohru-chan?"

Tohru answered the question with a "Yes Auntie," which received odd looks from Yuki, Shigure, and Ayame.

"I thought our princess was related to the lovely chef not the beautiful matron?" the snake asked. Haru answered, "That's what she told us to call her yesterday."

"So what does everyone else turn into? Or do we have to change everyone to find out?" When Kasumi asked this the eyes of those who hadn't had their animals named shot to the girl. Before Shigure or Ayame could do anything Hatori answered.

"Shigure is the dog, Ayame the snake, Yuki the rat and Hiro is the sheep.

Kasumi blinked and tilted her head. "Like the Chinese Zodiac?" Then came the explanation of the family of Souma and their curse. As this finished Nodoka stood up and asked if anyone wanted desert.

After desert was done Ukyou took Tohru's hand and led her upstairs. Kyou helped Ranma take down the table and grill as Kasumi and Nodoka cleaned up. When both boys offered to help Nodoka thanked them then chased both boys and Kasumi out of the kitchen saying that she would finish.

Ranma and Kyou went into the yard and Ranma started to show Kyou katas. Kasumi handed out the tea she had brought and sat to watch the boys. Hatori walked over and sat next to her.

"I never had a chance yesterday to thank you." This seemed to surprise her.

"I didn't do anything that anyone else wouldn't have done." Before Hatori could reply Shigure interrupted.

"And how did help Tori Kasumi-san?" Kasumi then told of how she had found the sea horse and brought him home in her bento box that she filled with water. She then calmly went on with what had happened when she arrived home. When Kasumi finished the story Hatori noticed that they had gathered an audience. With the exception of Kyou and Haru, who were doing katas with Ranma, the other zodiac members were all listening to Kasumi. Seeing the gleam in the eyes of Shigure and Ayame, Hatori quickly started a conversation before they could.

"Most people would not have been so careful in their handling nor so kind and considerate after I changed back." Kasumi blushed at the praise and lowered her eyes. Without pausing to let anyone else interrupt the doctor continued. "I believe you mentioned that you are a nursing student?"

This question caught the others off guard, but the Tendo girl answered with an affirmative so Hatori continued. "And you were out looking for a doctor's office to be an assistance or intern at?" Hatori could feel Momiji's eyes on him. The rabbit appeared to have guessed what he was going to say.

"Yes," Kasumi answered.

Taking a deep breath Hatori continued. "When I spoke with our clan head and mentioned what had happened yesterday I asked if it would be alright if you interned at my office. He agreed. So if you would like I would be honored to have you work with me at my family practice."

To be continued.