Don Granberry <lunohoco@lunohoco.com> wrote:
For one thing, the content of the conversation aside,
Genma doubted he could have drawn a knife with the speed or
precision Kuonji had just shown. Up until now, he had been
fairly certain he could take the man in the leather jacket.
Now... now he wasn't sure. Judging from the guardedly
thoughtful expression on Soun's face, he wasn't the only one.
[But one suspects that Nodoka can, na?]
Nope. ^_^ Nodoka is a student of Saotome-Ryu Kenjutsu, and has
fairly little in the way of iaido or iaijutsu skill. She does carry
an iaito, but only because it's a lot faster and more damaging
than a bokken.
"He's good," Genma said. "Faster than me at drawing, but
I'm not an iaidoka."
[Interesting factoid: In nearly fifty-percent of the duels
between master swordsman during the Edo period, both
combatants died. Sometimes on the field of honor, or >sometimes within
days of being carried off by their seconds.
Often one died immediately the other later. Iajutsu became a
very important factor a swordsman's repertory, rather like the
legendary "fast draw of the American west. ]
Very similar, yes. Unlike European schools of fencing; most
Japanese sword arts avoid blade parries - it's very bad for the
sword. Kenjutsu also stresses a 'one-hit, one kill' attitude. As a
result, sword artists usually tried to defend themselves by A)
Dodging and B) Killing the other guy very quickly. As the above
factoid shows, this was of limited use against a skilled
opponent, as both were usually better at killing than staying
alive.
"So?" she hissed. "Look at you! You slave away for next to
nothing, you have to do jobs like this to keep your head above
water... but hey, you're nobly poor, so it's okay! I don't give a
shit about any of that, Genma! We can't all be perfect samurai
like you!"
[Well actually, being nobly poor isn't nearly as bad as being
ignobly rich, is it Kiri? But then, you figured that out just
before planting that bomb, right? Wait a minute? Who did they
steal that big, radial engine from? Wasn't he a Kuonji as well?
Or was that Gosenkuji? I'll hafta check.]
That was Gosunkugi Bono.
Kiri would love to be ignobly rich, but not over the backs of
certain people.
"Shayo, by Dazai Osamu."
Nodoka blinked in surprise. "That's pretty sophisticated
stuff."
[Do these two sound anything like Ranma and Ryoga to you?]
Just a bit, at times. ^_^
"Uh, um," Kiri said, mental wheels spinning desperately.
Yes, why was there someone in her bed? Especially after she
had made such a fuss about a private room? Bed... private... "It's
my lover," she declared. That should satisfy his curiosity, and
hopefully get him to make a departure...
[For all her street smarts, she doesn't understand all that much
about men, does she?]
Not really, no. ^_^ She knows where to hit them for maximum
effect!
Inji spread his hands sadly. "I'm afraid I don't have any,
no. I do have some Grey Poupon, if you like."
[Charming asshole, isn't he? I suggest we start hating him now
and beat the Christmas rush.]
Inji's the sort of person only Kasumi could love. ^_^ Well, no, not
really. He does have his good side; it's just been hidden really
really well.
Soun sputtered, his face beginning to color, and Genma
sucked in his breath. Soun was building up a massive charge of
indignation, the prerequisite to the fearsome Righteous Seven
Demons Wrath ki attack.
[I'm surprised Genma didn't try to teach this one to Ranma, then
of course, Ranma hasn't really annoyed Kasumi yet, has he?]
There's two main reasons for this...
1) Genma hasn't learned the technique.
2) The main reason he hasn't, and why Ranma won't, is the
nature of the technique. The RSDW requires the martial artist to
draw chi from moral disgust and outrage - in other words, you
need to be able to get all huffy and indignant. Neither Genma nor
Ranma has the sort of personality that would allow them to
perform it - they're too easy-going and un-moral themselves.
Ukyou and Shampoo would also probably fall flat trying to learn
it. Akane, Ryouga, and Kuno would be naturals. ^_^
With a roar, the two surface-to-air missiles intended for
sale to the Viet Cong ignited, lurched once, and then soared
into the inferno, taking the boatload of screaming martial
artists with them.
[So! This is what it's like to ride a rock someone skipped
across a pond! I always wanted to try that--when I was young
and stupid.]
That certainly describes this group. ^_^
"What does, <AAAAAARGHDAMNYOUTAKASHIYOUBASTARD>
mean?
[Was he quoting Nodoka or Biki? Nodoka, I should think.]
Well, quoting everyone. ^_^
Thanks for your comments! ^_^
- Susan Doenime
Brisbane, U of Q
"I hit the streets / They watched me in the monitor..."