A Gift for Kasumi
By Dojo-Ranma
Disclaimer - I don't own this series, nor do I make profits from this (as much as I wish it did)
Thanks to everyone who preread for me (you know who you are) and everyone who continually keeps reading to this and the ones who review, cause lets face it, I don't know if you love it or hate it until you review for me. So thanks to you guys and keep it up. Enjoy Chapter 4!
Chapter 4 - Broken Hearts of Angels
Ranma stood there, his feet strapped a couple of pieces of lumber, making him seem about as tall as Soun. He walked out the door of his room. He made his way down the hallway to Kasumi's room. He knocked on the door politely.
"Go away please!" She cried from inside the room.
"It's me, Ranma." He answered as he slowly opened the door being very cautious, "Can I come in?"
Kasumi pulled her head up out of her pillow and looked at the door, her face streaked with tears that just flowed down her face. She only nodded before placing her head in her hands and cried more.
"Kasumi, what happened?" Ranma asked, rather concerned at this time as this had been only the second time he had ever seen her cry. He took a step forward, only to partially lose balance on his makeshift stilts. He teetered forward and then backward, his arms swimming wildly in the air. Kasumi looked up to notice the boy standing on one foot, his arms spinning around and a look of panic on his face. He finally lost his balance as he fell over backwards, and landed with a loud thud on his back.
Kasumi couldn't help but laugh through the tears, the whole situation was so funny. She wiped away a few tears and sniffled.
She giggled meekly as she admired his dishevled outfit. A pair of stuffed red pants, black boots with wooden feet, a santa coat loosely draped over his body and a fake white beard strung around his neck. His normal black pants could be seen under the red santa pants and he wore his usual white undershirt
He reached down and untied the makeshift straps that held his stilts to his feet, all the while grumbling about the wood not being square.
He tossed the stilts and boots aside as Kasumi knelt beside him. He sighed as he looked out the window, noticing the stunning night sky. "Kasumi, what happened to you?"
She slipped back slightly, not wanting to recall the incident that crushed her heart. But the pain inside swelled up as the memories flooded back to the forefront of her thoughts.
"After you left the stage, I began to search for Dr. Tofu to give him his present and ask him out. I finally found him standing by the Christmas tree near the stage. I walk up to him and handed him my gift for him."
"And then what happened?"
"I was about to ask him out when his... sniff when his fiancee showed up."
"His WHAT!" Ranma stared in disbelief.
"His fiancee," Kasumi responded, the tears began welling up again. "Why? Why? Why? Why? WHY? WHY! WHY ME!" Shaking her head as she spoke.
She fell forward and began crying into his chest, her sobs grew louder as her hands gripped his shirt and tears poured out of her on to his undershirt. All he could do was gently enfold her body in his arms, as he could feel her warm breath and tears. She trembled in his embrace and wept like a lost soul.
Ranma stared blankly in total shock, the man who was head over heels for this girl, threw her aside like an old dish rag. He scratched his head as he tried to say something to help her out.
"Umm... You want me to go beat him into a pulp?" He asked, half jokingly.
Kasumi laughed through the tears again at Ranma's attempts to cheer her up. "Thank you, Ranma, but I'll decline. I'm sure he's got his reasons." She tried as hard as she could to muscle a smile through all the sadness, her attempt failed miserably resulting in another fit of tears.
"Anyway, don't worry about me." She continued after a couple of minutes, "I just need a few minutes to straighten myself up. Please, go and enjoy the party."
"I don't think so Kasumi," Ranma shook his head sadly, "I'm not going to go enjoy a party when someone needs me. There ain't no way I'm leaving you like this. I'd rather fight Saffron, Happosai, Cologne, and every other opponent, demon, and ghost I've ever encountered at once than walk away right now."
"Ranma, I'm fine. Really! I'll be okay." She tried to convince him.
"Are you going to be fine at a party with him there right now?" He asked, staring into her eyes.
Her face saddened and her head bowed. "No. I guess I can't."
"That's what I thought," Ranma replied solemnly. He stepped forward and gave her a small comforting hug, and then stepped back.
There was a deadly silence in the room. Neither person spoke as they stood there, unsure what to say next. What could they say? What could they do? The party continued downstairs, and there wasn't much they could do. Was there?
"Well," Ranma broke the silence contemplating the situation, "I guess we could resort to Plan B..."
"And what is Plan B, Ranma?" Kasumi asked inquisitively, pondering what the pigtailed martial artist could have planned.
Ranma fished into his black pants and pulled out two pieces of paper. "This was in case the party went sour, or I got tired of dealing with the fiancee brigade and company at the party. I kind of expected someone to join me, just never thought it'd be you."
"Joining you where?"
"I was going to visit my mom for the remainder of Christmas... If you would like to join me. I'd love the company and I know my mom would too. And you could have some time away from all this to think."
Kasumi thought about it for a moment and smiled, "Sure." She smiled weakly. "I'll leave a note in the kitchen for everyone."
Ranma smiled, and began to collect his things off the floor. "Don't mention where you are going and that I am going with you, or else my loving fiancees will follow us." He warned.
"Hai. I won't."
"Good. The last thing I want is to have half of Nerima chasing me all the way to Kyushu."
Ranma made his way out of the room and back to his room. He dropped the suit in a pile and removed the rest of his outfit. He grabbed his Santa hat, placed it on his head, and picked up the red sack that had held the presents earlier, still holding a gift or two inside. I'll save giving her present to her till later. He thought as he stepped out into the hall and closed the door. She's been through enough as it is.
He walked down the hallway and made his way downstairs. He shuffled over to the front door and stepped into his black Chinese shoes. He turned around to notice Kasumi walking down the stairs with a piece of paper in one hand, a medium sized hand bag and a shopping bag with a few packages inside in the other. Her eyes still looked sore and full of sorrow.
"I'll be right back," She said waving the piece of paper as she walked past the front door to the kitchen, trying to muster a smile. Ranma glanced out the door, checking for any wandering guests out front. The last thing he needed was someone like Kuno or Ryoga catching them sneaking off, or worse, Akane. He shivered mentally at the results of THAT confrontation.
Dammit! How the hell am I supposed to make this party profitable if my cashcow has disappeared, wondered Nabiki as she covertly searched for her favorite hunk Of cash! She smiled evilly.
"Where the hell is that baka!" Akane loudly searched around the hall looking for her fiancee. "How DARE he ditch out on me!" I bet he's with off with one of his fiancee's or some girl. I'm gonna pound him when I find him.
The entire room stared at the mallet-wielding girl.
Tofu looked around the room forlornly, Kasumi had not returned. I'll go find her and explain. I just couldn't be man enough and tell my mother no. I love Kasumi so much, but how could I tell my mother that? I have a girl I like but I can't even have a normal conversation with her cause I turn into a ravinglunatic that dances with a skeleton. That'd work... He rolled his eyes at his own sarcasm.
"Tofu, come dance with me," his fiancee, Akira, said, pulling him out of his daze and onto the dance floor.
"I-I'm really n-not that good at dancing," Tofu spluttered as he tried to excuse himself out of the situation.
"Come now, I've seen you dance with Betty several times now, don't be so modest," she replied back sweetly.
Tofu resolution crumbled and resigned to finding Kasumi later. I'll fix everything Kasumi. Don't worry.
Suddenly the tree exploded, everyone looked to see a purple haired amazon standing there with her new bonbori looking through the carnage she just created. "Airen?" She asked quizzically.
Coughcoughugh "Nope," replied the tree.
"TSUBASA! DIE!" Screamed Ukyo, running at the tree with her spatula. The mutilated tree jumped up and ran out the back door and over the wall with the okonomiyaki chef hot on his heels.
Well, I guess it's time to resort to plan B, thought Nabiki, as she lost interest in searching for Ranma. "Oh Kuno-baby!" She called as she walked over to go and earn herself a little Christmas bonus.
Ryoga stopped and looked around, he was on the 768th step of a set of stairs leading up to what he could now see being a large temple. Dammit! This isn't the dojo either! All I did was go up the stairs to the bathroom and now...now... "Where on Earth am I NOW!"
"RANMA, THIS IS ALL YOUR FAAAAUULL...!" He screamed as he took another step and slipped, rolling back down the stairs he had just climbed up.
Kasumi came out to the front entrance. Man, she still looks so depressed. He thought as she set her bags down and slipped on her shoes.
"Hey Kasumi."
"Yes, Ranma?"
"Here's your ticket." He said as he handed her the ticket stub for the train.
"Thank you." She said, still a bit dejected about the situation. She stood up and began opening the door.
"Hey Kasumi."
"Yes?" She replied, as she stopped and turned to see what Ranma needed.
He smiled as he looked above the door, "Merry Christmas." As he leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
"Oh my!" Were the only words that she could think to say. Ranma Saotome, one of the greatest martial artists in the world, owner of several engagements to various women that he doesn't want, had half the females in Japan pining after him, and who happened to change into a girl on occasion, had just kissed her.
That's the sweetest thing that anyone has ever done. She thought
Kasumi's hand flew to her cheek as her cheek radiated warmth and she smiled shyly. Noticing Ranma's gaze, she looked up to notice a sprig of mistletoe, hanging strategically above the door.
"I don't remember that being there..." She mused absently.
"I saw our father's put that up there as one of their little traps they had set up to trick me and Akane this morning."
"Oh?"
"There was actually about 385 sprigs of the stuff around the house. I took down all but two of them. Just so they wouldn't complain.But anyway, we should get moving before we are spotted." He said quickly surveying the area before settling down.
Ranma picked up her gifts and set them within the red Santa bag, then handed her her handbag, and finally slung the Santa bag over his shoulder with one arm. He turned around to face Kasumi after they stepped out the door.
"One last thing before we go."
"What's that?"
"I think you need this more than I do." With that he reached up with his free hand and pulled off his Santa hat and placed it on her head. The warmth the hat radiated was deliciously wonderful. She smiled genuinely at his kind gesture, noticing her ensemble was complete once more.
"There you are," he smiled widly, "Good to have you back, Kasumi."
She blushed at his remark, though not quitesure why. In slight embarassment, she gently pushed Ranma, catching him completely off guard. He landed in the snow bank on his rump, as Kasumi retreated toward the gate, giggling. Ranma got up, noticing his pants were now wet and cold, growled playfully at her. Kasumi eeped and turned tail and ran for the gate, Ranma hot on her heels.
"Let's go, Ranma." She taunted gaily. And with that, theymade their way away from the Tendo compound and out into the white wonderland of winter.
End Chapter 4