Here's part 4 of KLS.  It's probably going to be a while before I post
another part of KLS or RLS again 'cause I'm not really sure where to go
from here (actually I do know where I'm going with this, but I need a
couple of transitional parts
first.) Enjoy!


Kasumi's Little Secret 
Part 4:  Learning to Push-Hands
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction
Version 1.0

	"Tadaima!"  Akane cried as she paused by the door to remove her
shoes.  
	"Hello Akane-chan," Kasumi said, "how was school?"
	"It was fine Oneechan," Akane paused for a moment to sniff the
air. "What's cooking Oneechan?" she asked.  
	"Oh," Kasumi replied, "I thought we might have an early dinner
tonight, and maybe the family could go out to see a movie tonight."
	"On a school night Oneechan?"
	"I'm sure if you get your homework done before dinner it will be
all right," Kasumi smiled.
	"That's a great idea Oneechan!" Akane exclaimed, "I guess I'd
better get to work!"  With that Akane ran up the stairs to her room to
work.  <Now, I need to find Ranma,> Kasumi thought, <and tell him about
tonight.>

***

	"Dinner was very good tonight, Kasumi," Genma said.
	"Yes," Soun agreed, "it was absolutely delicious."
	"Domo arigato Saotome-san, Otousan," Kasumi said bowing to each in
turn.  
	"So Neechan," Nabiki said, "are you going to tell us why you made
dinner so early tonight?"
	"I thought the family might want to go out to a movie tonight,"
Kasumi smiled.
	"That sounds like a great idea!" Soun laughed.
	"What should we see?" Genma asked.
	"That new Jackie Chan movie is showin' tonight," Ranma said, "why
don't we go see that?"
	"I think I'll stay home for this one," Nabiki said dryly, "Jackie
Chan isn't exactly my style."
	"Oh come on Neechan!" Akane exclaimed, "it'll be fun!  How often
do we get to go out like this."
	"Well..."
	"I'll even pay for your ticket!"
	"It's a deal!"
	"Now that that's settled," Ranma said, "let's get goin'!"
	"Ranma-kun," Kasumi said, "you did finish your homework, ne?"
	"Iie, Kasumi," he sighed, bowing his head, "I guess I should stay
home and finish it, ne?"
	"Hai, Ranma-kun, you should," Kasumi said, "I need to do some more
work around here anyway so I'll be staying with you."
	<Somethings not right here,> Nabiki thought, <Kasumis never shown
interest in Ranmas school work before--for that matter neither has Ranma!>
	"Ranma no baka," Akane said, sluging him in the arm, "didn't I
tell you to get your homework done?"
	<Wait a sec,> Nabiki thought, narrowing her eyes at Ranma, <Whats
he been doing since he got home?  He wasnt in the dojo and he wasnt
watching TV...if he wasnt doing his homework, what was he doing?>
	"How was I supposed to know?!"
	Enough fighting you two, Kasumi smiled, youd better get going if
youre going to make it to the movie, it starts in half an hour and it
takes fifteen minutes to get there, so youd better hurry!
	<Kasumis trying to get us out of the house,> Nabiki thought,
<why?>
	Cmon Neechan! Akane cried, lets get going!  I dont want t miss the
movie!
	<Something fishy is going on here,> Nabiki thought as Akane
dragged her out the door, <and I mean to find out what!>

***

	Whew, Ranma said, I thought theyd never leave!
	Me too, Kasumi smiled, Why dont you go on ahead to the dojo and
work on your form while I go change.
	Sure Kasumi, he said, what are we doing tonight anyway?
	Im going to start teaching you Push-Hands, Kasumi said, walking
towards the bathroom.

***

	So whyre you teachin this t me now, instead of durin our mornin
sessions? Ranma asked after Kasumi bowed into the dojo, dressed in her
karate-gi.
	It takes a little bit more time to grasp Push-Hands than we have
during our morning sessions.
	Oh, Ranma said, then wed better get started, huh.
	Kasumi began by asking Ranma to take a modified cat stance and
extend his arms, left palm down, right palm up.  As she continued, Ranma
began having doubts about what he was doing.
	Kasumi, he said, why am I doing this?  Im just leaning back and
forward while I wave my arms around.  Whats the point?
	Kasumi smiled and moved to face him.  She mirrored his stance and
extended her arms so that they met his.  At her touch he stopped moving.
	Keep the count, she said and began preforming the same Push-Hand
form he was, two steps behind.  At first Ranma didnt understand what was
going on, and he lost the count.  Kasumi only smiled at his clumsiness and
patiently started over.  After the first couple attempts, something
clicked in Ranmas mind.  Push-Hands was a little like beginner level
sparring where two students traded the same techniques back and forth.
This wasnt beginner level sparring, however, Ranma marveled at the subtle
interplay between his body and Kasumis.  Each movement that he made was
matched by an answering movement from Kasumi.  After a while, Kasumi
called a halt to the exercise.
	What did you think? she asked.
	It was interestin, he replied, but I still dont see the point.
Whats the martial application for this?
	Push-Hands is the next step in your training, she said, once youve
mastered Push-Hands youre ready to move on to sparring.
	Theres more to it than that, isnt there, Ranma said.
	Well, yes, Kasumi admitted, sparring in Tai-chi is different from
sparring in other martial arts.  It doesnt involve the complex attack and
defense routines like other martial arts.  Its primarily a matter of
reading your opponents Chi.
	Chi?
	It is called Ki here in Japan.
	I know what it is, Ranma said, I _did_ spend some time travelling
in China, remember.  I was wondering how you can read your opponents Ki at
all?
	You already have a rudimentery ability to read other peoples Chi,
she said, you can sense when someone is about to attack you, ne?
	Hai, but...
	When you do that, youre senseing that persons Chi, Kasumi
interrupted, proper training in Push-Hands will teach you to read other
peoples Chi to a point where you know what theyre going to do next.
	Youre joking right?
	No, Ranma-kun, she said, Im absolutely serious, how do you think I
was able to avoid all of your attacks that day you walked in on me?
	Ive bn wonderin how you did that!
	Well, she laughed, now you know.  Wed better get moving, that
movie is probably over by now.

***

	Kasumi shut the bathroom door and put out the sign just as she
heard the front door open.  <Not a moment too soon,> she thought, sighing
with relief.  She stood there for a moment before walking towards the bath
stripping unconcernedly.  Occupied as she was by the bath Kasumi failed to
notice the bathroom door open quietly.
	<Kasumi must be in there,> Nabiki thought, <theres her dress.>
She was about to close the door when a pile of white cloth caught her
attention.  Silently slipping inside Nabiki inspected the suspicious
material.  <Wait a sec,> she thought, holding the piece of fabric up,
<this is Kasumis _gi_!>


Glossary:

Oneechan:  Older sister
Neechan:  Older sister; less formal than oneechan
Domo arigato:  Thank you very much
Otousan:  Father
Iie:  No
Hai:  Yes