Author's Note: So very sorry! It has been quite a while since the last update, yes? Well, good news and back news.

Some of you (a lot of you), may have noticed that I'm getting off track in the later chapters. I know this. I don't know how to fix it without rewriting everything.

So I am. Rewriting everything, that is. I have the first chapter, half of the second chapter and just about all of SI-Kasumi's childhood planned.

I had Kasumi going to America, originally, and coming back just to see her mom die. That's just a bit crappy, now isn't it? So I changed it. I changed a lot of it.

Girl still gets reincarnated as Kasumi, with the vision magic and the past-life memories. Shin still exists, as does Li Mien and Mio. Yayoi and the others? Well, I think three OC are enough, for the moment...

And since this isn't just an Author's Note chapter that's annoying and gives you bad news (even though this is only half-bad, since you'll be seeing more of me, maybe even soon! gasp), here's a little something-something to tide you over:

Broken Mirror Reflecting
By: Sister Shadow / Li

Disclaimer: I don't own any anime, only the plot ideas and original characters.

Summary: When the soul to be reincarnated as Tendo Kasumi is unable, another is offered the chance. She accepts, and as a result, possesses the memories of her past lives, most recently an American anime otaku. Knowing the events and people to come, she waits to see what the future brings while trying to forget something from her distant past.

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Chapter One: Offer, Rebirth and Family

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Part One: Destination

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In what would be called a ghost town, a caved-in old warehouse sat nearly submerged in the polluted river that had once made this place prosper. A preserved skeleton could be found there, the body of a young woman in her early twenties. She was dead, yes, but still there and willing to chat, if you wanted. If one was attune to the spiritual plane, that is.

Her current form held no gender, or had any descriptive features, and no color. It was only the vaguest outline of human form, her body, only unique in the place where one would have eyes: they were a bright, brilliant blue.

She remembered not how her living self had come to be here, or her name or past before death. All she could bring to mind was the endlessness of her time in the warehouse and something called the 'Internet' and computers. It must have been very important to who she was before for her to remember now.

The spirit knew no time, only this place. She had seen this place weather many storms, only to be claimed by the river that had once made this area a port of call. No one had come, living or otherwise, for her body or her soul. But there was one thing, er, person, who appeared at random times to stare, poke and prod at her using fingers, sticks and speech without much of a reaction. Having no memory of human socialization, she felt the best thing to do was ignore him, which didn't work very well. He didn't go away and stay gone, but kept coming back.

Like now, for example.

With a loud bang and the dramatic addition of illusion-smoke and imagined neon lights in varying shapes he announced his arrival. The additions immediately disappeared after a few moments for the effect to take place. Holding them up more, she assumed, would tax him. (Where'd that thought come from?)

Instead of his usual casual smirk, he wore a half-grim, half-grinning expression. Unlike her, he was in full, fluorescent color. Pale hair that brushed his shoulders, without a strand out of place, framed his face and bright eyes of undeterminable color. This dress, though, threw the whole attractiveness of his features off; yellow just did not go with fuchsia.

"I've talked to some friends of mine, sister, and they have an offer for you that you can't refuse," stated the spirit. He had yet to give his name.

Maybe his curiosity was rubbing off on her, but she just couldn't resist, though skeptical. "What kind of offer?"

The spirit's grin widened as he regarded her, as if sharing a private joke with himself mentally. "The kind of deal that will give you both your body and your memories back."

"Mine is unusable," she pointed out the obvious, not trusting him in the least. "Unless your 'friends' have the power to wake the dead or turn back time, I am stuck in this state until someone comes for me."

The multicolored man regarded her for a moment, face blank, before breaking out into a wide grin. "I knew you were just what we need!"

She stared at him as if he were insane, which his outfit and attitude agreed with. He had the decency to look a tad sheepish. "Er, anyway. My friends can't change what happens here, but they can give you a new start!"

"Reincarnation? And I would remember…" The offer was tempting, but not something she really wanted. "No, thank you. I'd rather wait for my Messenger, all the same."

He frowned at the unisex spirit, brows furrowed and disappointment evident in his eyes. "Haven't you realized? I am your messenger."

"What?" She met his gaze, searching for any sign of deception. There was none. "Then why… Why have I been here all this time?!"

His expression changed into an almost blank mask; answering her questions was business. "We have been waiting for an opening for you. This offer is the first one we know you'd like."

"Oh, so… I have to be reincarnated, no matter what?" she asked, already resigning herself to the answer, which she only wanted to confirm her thoughts.

"I'm afraid so." His voice held a sincere apology. Why was he sad for her?

"How long would I have to wait for another offer?" Spirits can touch inanimate objects; she leaned against a half-submerged wall of the warehouse, knees near her chin.

Her face was turned away; she only heard his answer. "Estimated, maybe another few decades or so."

"Then I accept this offer, whatever it is." Determinations shone in her blue-eyes-things. She wasn't going to be stuck here any longer.

Her messenger grinned and said, "Good." He clutched her shoulder in a friendly manner, grip surprisingly solid. "Now, here's the deal..."

He explained to her that a body in another dimension needed a host spirit since the one for it had been captured and therefore unable. This person, a Japanese female to have two sisters, was an important member of the Larger Plan, which would otherwise destroy their universe if she simply didn't exist. Wherever this was, she thought, I will be glad to be doing something useful.

"I just hope I may help in this other world you have described to me," she admitted, standing next to him.

"Oh, you will," the astral figure said, smiling a mysterious smile. "All you need now is to go there. Your new identity is waiting."

He gripped her arm tightly, and where he held burned. After a near eternity without pain, the spirit only felt a mild sense of curiosity at the burning sensation. While not in a corporal form, she felt her body twisting and reshaping itself into something else, something much smaller and compressed.

Finally, it stopped, and she realized she could no longer move. She had no arms or legs, torso or even a head. All of her was now a compact round gem held in her Messenger's hands.

"Sorry about that," he apologized. "It's the only way for you to travel."

'I'm alright,' she said, though she didn't know how. Telepathy or something else?

He blinked in surprise. "Learning already. Yes, you are what we need…"

'What do you mean?' she asked, curious at why he repeated himself.

"Nothing, never mind. Just relax, now. It'll all be over soon…"

'Ah…"

She was floating, out of his hand, light as a bubble in the wind. She was a bubble in the wind, all round and clear and sparkly. Blue, though, reflected off her dome, not rainbow colors.

"Remember, even in chaos there is order. Have fun in Nerima, Tendo Kasumi-san." He called up after her, his familiar smirk back in place.

Her last sight was of the mangled body of her former identity. Then she dreamed of comforting warmth.

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Let me tell you, readers, that it is never a good decision to trust someone so annoying when they offer change out of the blue. Sure, I remember everything from my life, and the one before that... and the one before that... and the one before that (you get the idea), but I also felt everything all at once. I hardly remember what happened after that.

When I came to, though, it was to what can only be called the 'light at the end of the tunnel'. But in reality, Tendo Kasumi's body was just being born. I, unsurprisingly, had the overwhelming urge to cry, and did so. My new mother, Tendo Soun's wife, held me after the midwife was done checking the baby body over. I was starting to regret agreeing to this even more.

How was I, an only child, going to handle two sisters and a depressed father when oka-sama (I decided to call her that for no apparent reason) died? I couldn't even take proper care of my father's family's collection of pets, even though they depended on me only for food. And another mother?

I missed mine. And my father. And my family. They were dead, though, and had been for a long time. They evacuated the town as any sane person would. I only stayed behind to find my wayward best friends, like-siblings who were more trouble than they were worth. They're dead, too. Everyone was. I wonder how much time really passed while I was stuck there haunting the place my body lay?

And I'm thinking about things I shouldn't be. Let me guess: you don't know what the heck I'm talking about.

I'm angry, annoyed, confused, sleepy, and ranting at people who did nothing but join me in my new adventure. I'll apologize when I feel better.

It was nice being cooed over for a change. Mother was smiling tiredly and holding my body tenderly. Soun was crying, ranting on about how lucky he was to have such a beautiful wife and child, though I didn't know that until later. And here I thought he'd only turned crybaby after the death of his beloved.

"What a beautiful girl she'll grow up to be," commented my mother in Japanese. Which I didn't understand. It was just a jumble of sound to my ears, but I knew she was talking about me.

"Our little heiress," cooed my father. He was immediately backhanded by his wife. I guess aggression ran in the Tendo females, all except me. I really don't know how I'm going to have the innocence and obliviousness that series Kasumi had.

Who or what captured her spirit anyway. And why?

"Our little princess," father corrected himself. Oka-sama smiled in approval. I personally wondered when they would begin to spoil me, and if my new self would like it.

Sure, I would always be the core me, but with my child's mind my personality would develop according to the environment in which I was raised. Kind of like planting seeds, (what you're born with) and nurturing them until they become whatever they do. At least I'm flexible and can adapt easily. I can make Soun and oka-sama's first experience with a child a bit easier, too.

Did I mention I'm more like Nabiki than Kasumi? Kami help Nerima. I may turn the place upside-down even before Ranma and the rest arrive.

I was so tired and content in my mother's arms, I fell asleep right then and there. I was set for the moment.

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Author's Notes Continued: And that, my friends, is half of Part One of Chapter One.

Broken Mirror Reflecting will continue in the new version. First posting should be up by the end of November, hopefully.

Oh, and, to all reviewers: Thank you very much! Y'all prompted me to start this again, since originally I was just going to give up and leave it like it was.

Ja ne 'til the new one,
SS/Li