Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Kasumi, the Game Queen ❯ Birth of the Game Queen ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and Yu-Gi-Oh belong to their respective companies. Also Jounouchi Katsuya is the original Japanese name for Joey Wheeler. Any comments or questions email me at davidknight30@hotmail.com

Kasumi, the Game Queen
By: David Knight

Chapter 1: The Birth of the Game Queen

It was another normal spring day in the Nerima district of Tokyo, Japan. The sun was bright, not a cloud in the sky, there was a cool breeze out to keep it from feeling too hot.

Ranma Saotome was now having another sparring session with his father Genma in the morning.

As usual, Kasumi Tendo placed the latest load of laundry onto the clotheslines to dry, as she did every morning, and feeling a bit of regret. She took a look at the Saotome's sparing with each other. _I wonder why Mr. Saotome insists upon trying to hurt Ranma. It's not like he could hurt Ranma anymore. Ever since he developed that ki technique, he's at his best._ Kasumi sighed to herself. _Amazing how being around it could affect me._

She hadn't been exactly the same ever since she first felt Ranma use what he called the Moko Takabisha (Fierce Tiger Ball). He had been practicing it one night and had thought he had been alone that time but Kasumi had been doing some late night work around the house. She had been so quiet that he hadn't even noticed her. When Ranma used it, Kasumi could feel the confidence sweep through all of the area.

And to someone who has had to suppress her own wants and desires, well it was a life preserver in an endless sea of disappointment and broken dreams.

As Kasumi turned back to watch the Saotomes, a small smile crept on her face as she saw Ranma kick Genma in the head, making him fall onto his back next to the pond.

"Hmm. Aim must be getting off... I was so sure that would send you into the pond," Ranma commented to himself.

Genma got up from the ground in a huff. "Foolish boy!" he yelled. "You should never let your guard down! I guess I'll have to make your lesson extra harsh today."

Ranma got into a ready stance, prepared to take his father on again... that is until Happosai whizzed past all of them, with a sack filled with ladies' undergarments. "What a haul! What a haul!" the old pervert cried as he ran off.

And then as Kasumi knew, came the inevitable.

"RANMA!!!"

Ranma slowly turned around to see Akane charging out of the house with her mallet raised high.

_Oh man!_ Ranma cringed.

_Not again Akane..._ Kasumi shook her head. _Why does she continue to do this to him?_

Akane swung her mallet back, ready to swing it like a baseball bat. "Pervert! I'll teach you a lesson for stealing my underwear!" she cried and it shortly followed after her the initial swing. Genma watched as Ranma avoided swing after swing. He smiled and started charging at Ranma as fast as his legs could carry him to Ranma. Akane hit Ranma with her mallet, but Genma kicked Ranma at the same time, altering Ranma's trajectory wildly.

"Huh?" was what was said by all present, as Ranma shot straight up into the air.

"Why me?" Ranma asked himself as he headed straight up into the air. "What did I do this time?" He asked himself again as he plummeted towards the earth. As Ranma closed in on the roof of the dojo, one thought dominated above all others. _This is gonna hurt..._

Kasumi cringed at the sight of Ranma crashing through the roof and a huge mushroom-cloud of dust forming from the new 'entry-way' that Ranma has created through his landing. "Oh my... I better make sure Ranma's alright." was all Kasumi said before deciding to walk back into the house.

Genma and Akane looked back at one another, surprised by Kasumi's actions.

"What is she worried about? My boy is the strongest and will survive that easily!" Genma boasted.

"There's no way I'm going to marry that pervert!" Akane declared.

Genma blinked. "Uh, Akane? No one's mentioned anything about the marriage today."

* * *

Ranma cringed in pain as he lay on his back. His body ached and his head felt awfully warm. "Damn it. That was worse than usual," he grumbled.

"Are you okay Ranma?"

Ranma looked up and saw Kasumi right there holding a first-aid kit. "Oh, hi Kasumi. Sorry about the mess."

"It's okay Ranma. It wasn't your fault. Here, let me check you." She said as he looked over Ranma over.

"Don't worry about." Ranma shrugged. "I've taken worse hits from Ryoga than anything Akane's hit me with." After assuring Kasumi he was fine he looked around and saw what a mess he had made from falling into the attic. "Look, I better try cleaning this up."

"Oh no!" Kasumi started. "Don't worry Ranma, I'll take care of it." She told him. _Like I always do..._

"You sure?" Ranma asked Kasumi, a questioning look in his eyes.

"I will, don't worry. I suggest you try to get some rest right now Ranma." Ranma looked reluctant, until Kasumi smiled and said, "If you do as I ask, I promise to make you a special lunch."

That got his attention. "Okay Kasumi. You take care then," Ranma said, before going back downstairs.

Kasumi sighed as she looked around. There was quite a mess in the attic made by Ranma's landing. _Just adds to the piles of the junk that we all keep piling up in this attic. And once I am done with the attic I have to get to fixing the holes in the wall, go get groceries, set the table, prepare dinner, clean the table... oh there is just so much work!_ She calmed herself down, feeling that there was no way to change her life. This was what she was meant to be.

A virtual housewife.

"Well, I better get started..." she sighed, as she was ready to begin her daily chores. However, just as she was about to start, a flash of gold caught her eye. She turned to her left and saw in one of the boxes in the corner, there were several odd-shaped pieces of gold-colored metal in it.

"What's this?" Kasumi wondered as she took two pieces out and unconsciously moved them around with her hands, trying to put them together, trying various different positions. As she was working on the pieces, she began to feel a little strange, as if there was something alien behind her putting this together. Suddenly, she heard a clicking sound and the two pieces she had in her hands suddenly merged together to become one larger piece.

"Oh my... its some sort of puzzle," Kasumi realized. Not wanting to leave the job unfinished, she looked down at the remaining pieces of the puzzle. Slowly, she reached for another piece and started to try to connect it to the much larger piece that had been two pieces only a few moments ago. After a few attempts, she connected the smaller piece to the merged larger piece, making it now one large piece that had once been three.

Slowly but surely, Kasumi began fitting the puzzle pieces together. She thought that it was strange that she was assembling something without knowing what the completed puzzle would look like. As she worked the puzzle, she felt different through out it, as if she could feel something helping her through this but she had no idea what it was. All that mattered to her now was completing the puzzle. The puzzle began taking shape and formed a small pyramid with a metal hoop at the bottom. Finally she reached for the final piece, which resembled a strange shaped single eye. She connected the final piece to the rest and finally the puzzle was completed. Suddenly without warning, the puzzle gave off a strange burst of light, which almost made Kasumi drop it in surprise.

"Oh... my..." she said just staring at the puzzle. She didn't know why she felt this but she did feel that this puzzle was hers and that she shouldn't show it to anyone at all. Searching through the boxes in the attic, she tied a piece of leather through the loop and making it into a necklace now. She wore it for the moment under her shirt. _I could imagine if Mr. Saotome saw it he would think it was gold and try to take it from me. I won't let anyone take this from me._

After taking care of the attic, which took a bit over an hour, she decided to go get the groceries done and go to the store.

Yes it seemed just like a very normal day in the life of Kasumi Tendo.

Except of course for the puzzle.

* * *

_Eggs, milk, cereal... Really hope I haven't forgotten anything._ Jounouchi Katsuya shook his head. The young man ran his fingers through his short blonde hair. _Dad would know what to eat to begin with. I'm the one that has to get any food for us. I practically live on my own, thanks in parts to my parents separating over stupid reasons._ he growled. _They didn't want to stay married. Fine I'm okay with that. But why the hell did they have keep Shizuka and me apart for over ten years! That's not fair at all!_

He kicked at a display stand and was fortunate it hadn't knocked over or he would have had to pay for that. Ever since Jounouchi's parents got divorced so many years ago, he hadn't gotten much word about his own sister, other than the fact that she was still alive. _Yeah fat lot of good that does me. They forget the most important problem of all. Do they think I'm stupid!_ he was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't see that had bumped into someone.

"Oh!"

"Eh?" Jounouchi turned around and saw the woman that he had ended up knocking down. _Great! Another thing I can blame on my parents._ "I'm sorry. Here. Let me help up."

"Oh no its nothing." She said as she got up picking her things up. "I'm just fine. My fault really." She walked away.

_Her fault... but I was the one that wasn't watching where I was going... man..._ Jounouchi shook his head as he decided to go finish doing his shopping. With any luck he'd be done in ten minutes.

* * *

Meanwhile a few blocks down, there was a robbery in progress. A botched robbery actually. The thief (let's refer to him as Punk) was running away from the police and he didn't exactly have the best mental health. In fact he had already shot dead two cops at the very beginning and then had just continue shooting at any cop he saw.

Punk realized he wasn't getting anywhere fast. He needed to get out of the city but needed hostages to do it.

Once he saw the supermarket he knew he found the answer.

* * *

"That will be 4500 yen Kasumi." The cashier said.

Kasumi nodded as she went to pay the money for her groceries. Except for that accident with that young man everything was as it always had been with her.

Normal.

As she was on her way out though, a man grabbed her forcefully, holding her tight. The man pulled out his gun and shot a round in the air. Once the shot was heard people started to scream out. The man took in the screams as he put his gun to Kasumi's head and shouted out to everyone, "This is a robbery folks as well as a hostage situation! Here's what I want! I want all of the money from the registers and I want some Vodka to drink. Now I know you called the cops already but that's fine since you are all going to help me leave the city because if you don't stay right where you are I'll blow this little girl's head off!"

No one was trying to take the man on as Kasumi could only think. _Oh my! I wish Ranma were here! He'd get rid of this man! Anyone we know could get rid of this man! Anyone but me!_ she thought as she was being dragged over by thug who was taking her over to the liquor stand.

"That's right no one try to play hero here." Punk smirked. Everything seemed to be going his way.

Seemed to be that was.

Jounouchi attacked Punk from behind and pulled away Punk's gun hand, allow Kasumi to be freed of Punk's grip. Jounouchi looked back at the scared Kasumi. "Go! Run!"

"Stupid kid!" Punk cried as he threw Jounouchi off of him and he ended up hitting Kasumi, who fell back against a register and slumped to the ground.

"No!" Jounouchi cried wanting to go help her but Punk came from behind, grabbed him and put his gun to Jounouchi's head.

"I told you no heroics kid!" Punk shouted.

"Threatening girls like that! You're a real coward you know that!" Jounouchi shot. "I'd rather be your hostage than her!"

Punk smirked. "You just arranged that kid. For a couple of seconds now anyway... before I blow your head off!"

It was Punk's laughter that woke Kasumi back up and she saw with open eyes that Punk was about to kill Jounouchi. _Oh no! That boy tried to save me and now he'll die because of me! I can't let that happen! But I'm just a normal girl! I can't do anything..._ Little did she notice that her puzzle had come out from her shirt and was now in front of it.

Nor did she notice the strange glow that it was starting to give off.

_But... but I cannot stand for this! I won't! I will not let that boy die!!!_ Kasumi decided as the puzzle she wore shined for a moment and she stood up facing Punk.

"Huh? You're up already?" Punk blinked. He didn't even notice that Kasumi's hair was more unruly now and that there were faint silver stripes in front. The most un-Kasumi like feature on her face though was a smirk.

"It's time to play a game." Kasumi replied in a voice that was not like her normal one. This voice had confidence and strength behind it as well as an edge.

"A game, huh? Not much interesting happening today. Well other than this hostage situation of mine." Punk remarked.

"Oh but this isn't a normal game..." Kasumi spoke in a seductive tone, "It's a game for your life."

Punk drooled, already intrigued. "Sounds fun, what are the rules?"

"There's only one rule. It's prohibited to use any finger other than the one you chose."

"Say what?!" Jounouchi gasped in disbelief. _Just what is she trying to pull here!_

Kasumi explained, "Using only the finger you chose, you have to try to take the other's life. So, which finger do you chose?"

"Ha! I pick my pointer finger!" Punk smirked. _This way I can just pull the trigger, shoot the girl, and I win! What fun!_

Kasumi shrugged. "As you wish. As for me... I'll use my thumb."

"Lady have you snapped?! Just what are you doing!" Jounouchi shouted.

"Shut up!" Punk shouted as kept the gun at Jounouchi's head. Punk noticed he was near the liquor section, so grabbed a bottle after smashing Jounouchi in the back of the head with the butt of his gun, sending Jounouchi crumpling to the ground. "Ooops." Punk sneered as he put a cigarette in his mouth and was going to light it with the lighter in his left jacket pocket but when he searched there he didn't find it. _Oh well. Guess I'll just swipe a lighter from her... after I have a drink._ he mused as he decided to keep the cigarette in his mouth as he started to pour his drink into a cup with his left hand, holding the gun in his right hand.

"Game start." Kasumi replied.

"You mean game over." Punk laughed as he pointed his gun at Kasumi, intending to end the game by shooting her in the head, however he saw the smirk on her face still.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Kasumi asked.

"Huh?" Punk asked. "What am I forgetting?"

Kasumi chuckled lightly as she flicked open the missing lighter and lit it using her thumb, "Your lighter. You dropped it from when that young man hit you."

"That's right, I haven't lit my smoke yet." He smiled deciding to give the girl a few more seconds of life. "Want to light my cigarette?"

"Why not?" Kasumi replied as she walked over to Punk and lit his cigarette. However after lighting it, Kasumi dropped the lighter onto Punk's left hand, the hand that was still pouring his drink.

Punk's eyes went wide at that, "Wha the... What the hell is this?!" he shouted at Kasumi, who kept that annoying smirk on her face. "What?! What's so funny?!"

"You do realize that is Russian Vodka you're pouring." Kasumi chuckled, "Its 90% alcohol. Very explosive if I recall my chemistry class correctly."

Punk stared at her but his attention moved away from her as he felt left hand getting wet. He looked back and saw that the vodka was overflowing from his cup and onto his the table, his hand and now onto his pants.

"Now if you move your left hand, the lighter will fall into the drink. If that happens, there will be a fairly large explosion, which will naturally kill, and of course you'll lose the game, too. So as long as you follow the rules, you can't move." Kasumi bent down and picked up Jounouchi, draping his arm over her shoulder.

Jounouchi started to wake up. "Lady... get away... he's..." he moaned.

"It's alright young man. He won't hurt us now." Kasumi assured him. "Now let's go."

_I am not going to lose to some little bitch!_ Punk decided as he let go of his gun from his right hand and used that hand to take the lighter off of his left hand.

Unfortunately for him, Kasumi heard the gun drop. Her face was that of disgust as she gave a death glare at him. "Some how I knew you wouldn't be able to play by the rules."

"I am going to send you straight to hell!" Punk screamed as he went for his gun.

"You want to see Hell?" Kasumi growled as her Millennium Puzzle glowed and suddenly a third eye appeared on her forehead.

_What the...?_ Jounouchi blinked as he saw that. Apparently he was the only one that saw this because everyone else was still very much in shock/denial.

"Allow me to personally show you the way to the gates of darkness... MIND KILLER!" Kasumi cried as she flung her right hand forward and aimed at the man with the gun.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" he screamed as the magic of the Puzzle affected him. He fell to the ground screaming. "Ah! Ah get them off! Get them off of me! Ah! Stop it!"

Jounouchi could only stare at Punk and then looked at Kasumi. "What...What did you do to him?"

In a cold voice, Kasumi answered him. "Gave him what he truly deserved. I drove him insane."

"'Drove him insane'?" Jounouchi asked her.

"He's killed people most likely... and he nearly killed us." Kasumi replied to Jounouchi. "I think this is just punishment for him."

"But do we do when the cops come?" Jounouchi asked.

His question would be soon answered by the arrival of the police, who found the raving Punk and then handcuffed him. "What's with this crazy ass murderer anyway? And who was the one that knocked him down?"

"That would be him officer." Kasumi said pointing to Jounouchi. At Jounouchi's stare, Kasumi said, "Well you did knock him down to save me from his gun. You're a real hero."

As she expected, that's what everyone in the store was telling the officers. It was simple in Nermia. Most people just took the quickest answer and rationalized it.

However since Jounouchi was NOT from Nermia, he did not let it drop. As the officers carted Punk away and told everyone they would need their statements some time this week Jounouchi needed to be taken to the precinct to give a statement.

"Please don't mention my name. Just say it was a girl you never saw before that he took hostage. If my father were to learn I was a hostage I don't think I'd ever hear the end of his crying. It could flood the house." Kasumi said as she picked up her things and was ready to walk out of the store.

"Hey wait a minute. I don't even know your name. I'm Katsuya Jounouchi!" Jounouchi called out the disappearing Kasumi.

"Tendo Kasumi." Was all Jounouchi heard before he lost sight of her.

_Tendo Kasumi... I'm not going to forget that name._ Jounouchi mused. _She saved my life... however weird it was. Least I can do is get her dinner... DINNER!_ Jounouchi sweatdropped as he remembered his father. _Kuso... pop's is going to go nuts when hears about this!_

* * *

Dinner was a normal affair at the Tendo home that night. Kasumi cooked and cleaned after everyone and no one even said thank you that night. _After what I went through to make them dinner... and I didn't even get thanked tonight._ she shook her head as she went to go finish what remained of her chores before going to sleep.

Except she found her sisters and Mr. Saotome had left a large amount of clothes to be cleaned.

It took Kasumi ten minutes to calm down in side her mind before she started work on their clothes so it would be ready for her to finish the cycle tomorrow. It was two at night before she finally made it to bed.

Her thoughts realizing that she would have to go through the same cycle of work, something wasn't too particularly excited to do, all over again with nothing really interesting to do in her life.

_I almost died today and if it wasn't for that boy saving... wait a minute I remember that Jounouchi was being held hostage... and then I... I was the one that saved him... but then how was I able to do that!_ Kasumi wondered. _And I've been feeling more and more restless. As if the feelings that I had used to keep myself willing to help my family in anyway way are less strong. I want to do so many things... what's wrong with me?_

_The question could be stated as what is going right with you. _

Kasumi's eyes opened up and as she looked around she saw herself in a place devoid of any objects of furniture at all. She saw a dark and long corridor. She walked down that, trying to find out where she was. Finally, saw two doors one on either side of the corridor walls. One of the doors was open and it was to the lighter side. Her mouth opened up into a gasp as she saw her entire room inside this lighter side, however there were so many more things in this room. Many dolls, figures of angels, beautiful dresses and lovely painting hanged all over the walls of the room.

"In case you are wondering what has just happened, let me explain. You are still sound asleep in your bed. Its just that the Millennium Puzzle has brought your consciousness here, into the Dreamscape of your mind so that you and I can have a little chat." A voice, Kasumi's own voice albeit a bit stronger spoke out.

"Who... who are you?" Kasumi asked as she whirled around looking for the voice that had spoken to her. "Where are you?"

Her question was answered when she heard a creaking sound, like that of a door opening. She saw it was coming from the second door and she looked at that door, she saw that there was the strange eye emblem that she had seen on the puzzle was also on the darkened door. As Kasumi waited there for the door to open completely, she felt a bit fearful but her fear became shock and disbelief as she saw who came out of the door.

It was Kasumi herself. The only difference was that this Kasumi looked exactly like the Kasumi that dealt with Punk earlier in the day. The Kasumi double smiled kindly to the original Kasumi, "I am you but to make things easier for both of us, you can call me Yami."

Kasumi blinked. "... you're me?"

Yami nodded, "If you want to be technical I am your other half. I am the part of yourself that you have kept locked away ever since your mother died. The part of you that is strong-willed, full of life, hope and dreams. I am the confidence that you have lost over time. The side of yourself that has the determination to over come anything."

"Really?"

"Once long ago though I was living person but my soul has long since become part of the Millennium Puzzle in order to prevent the return of the Shadow Games."

"'Shadow Games'?" Kasumi asked.

"Long ago in ancient times, the Pharaohs of Egypt played an ancient game using very mystical and powerful magic. However, the magic was so strong that it threatened to destroy the world, mainly because these games drew upon the power and energies that came from a dimension known as the Shadow Realm. For that reason, these games were referred to as the Shadow Games." Yami explained to her, "But even in the Shadow Realm, the Shadow Games became a threat to the world and the creatures that lived there, for there were men and women of wicked and evil intent who wanted to use the power of the Shadow Games to take over or destroy the planet. In order to protect the world and all beings who walk upon it, a brave Pharaoh sealed away the power of the Shadow Games in seven Millennium Items."

"Millennium Items?" Kasumi asked.

"Your Millennium Puzzle is one of them. All seven of the Millennium Items were safe guarded by servants of the Pharaoh and then hidden. But the Millennium Puzzle has mysterious powers; Powers different from that of the other Millennium Items, as since no two Millennium Items have the same power. Over the millenniums, someone shattered the Millennium Puzzle, forcing me into a coma of sorts, but the pieces of the puzzle can never be destroyed. Using what influence I could, I was able to have the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle appear in several places over time, when ever I had regained enough strength." Yami said, "However no one was able to solve the Puzzle and thus I remained as I had since the time the Puzzle had been shattered, weak and alone..." a small smile crossed Yami's face them, "Until now."

"Until you made it appear here in my attic, where I found it and put it together," Kasumi realized. "But what does that have do with you?"

"In order prevent the Shadow Games from ever being restored, a young man had his soul sealed away in the Millennium Puzzle and he became the watchman of the Shadow Realm."

"Then that would mean..." Kasumi stared at Yami who replied, "Yes. I am that same man."

"Then why do you look like me instead of you?"

Yami sighed when she heard the question. "I am now just a spirit, and I take the appearance of the one who has been chosen to use the Millennium Puzzle. And that person is you, Kasumi."

"But... I'm just..." Kasumi started but Yami hushed her.

"Kasumi. I have already seen your memories." She flinched and Yami sighed. "We are the same person Kasumi. It would make only sense that I able to see your memories. You feel that there is no escape out of your current life. But Kasumi, your father doesn't run your life. You are of legal age, you can leave this place and live for yourself."

"But my family..." Kasumi shook her head but Yami raised her hand up still to make her stop so that she could talk. "They have depended on you do to virtually every motherly task required. That is simply not right. You've done far more than your share of hard work Kasumi. You don't have to make any decisions now. After all what I speak of is very life changing but I ask you to let me help you in ways that I can so that you can see what it can be like. To live for yourself."

Yami looked at Kasumi with a smile on her face and her right hand out, "What do you say Kasumi?"

Kasumi mused over Yami's own proposal. On one hand she had to cook, clean, shop and do many other chores for the people in her home. And now on the other was Yami who was asking Kasumi to let her see what it could be like living for her self and trying to help her.

What was the harm in just seeing?

"Alright." Kasumi said slowly, but she took Yami's outstretched hand, "I accept your offer Yami."

To Be Continued...

Author's Note: Well I hope this first chapter interests you all. Coming in Chapter 2, Yami begins helping Kasumi out in showing her other ways to live and Jounouchi comes back to Nermia and checks up a girl he knows while trying to find Kasumi to thank her. See you all later.