The Test.
Part Two: The Reply
By: Peter Vela

Nabiki sits and stares in wonder at the screen.

�Shit. I can�t believe I got away with it! Muwehehehe!�

�Got away with what?�

Turning in her brand new Ikea ergonomically correct swivel seat, Nabiki sees Ranma poking his head through her bedroom doorway. Immediately composing herself, Nabiki assumes the superior, but sexy expression that we all know and love.

�And what is it now, Saotome?�

�Well, I heard that hyena laugh that I have nightmares about and thought Kodachi took to attacking you.�

�Do you SEE Kodachi anywhere in here??�

Ranma glances around nervously just to make sure.

�Good thing you don�t have a cathedral ceiling like Akane�s room, Nabs.�

Nabiki snorts as she observes Ranma with a dry expression.

�Saotome, IS there anything else??�

�Nah, ther�.�

�Bai bai Saotome.�

Shrugging, the pigtailed boy turns to leave. That is, until he sees the computer screen.

� �Ey, what happened with that test message of yours?�

Looking suitably shocked, Nabiki righteously chastises the younger Saotome.

�It�s a fanfic thank you very much, and I expect you to address it in the appropriate manner.�

�Okay, okay. Fanfic it is. � An impossibly huge sweatdrop makes it�s way down Ranma�s temple.

�Yeah, so, what happened.�

�I was in the process of investigating, before I was rudely interrupted.�

�Yeah, yeah. Well, get on with the show. I wanna see too.�

Nabiki sighs. �If you must.�

She accesses the inbox as Ranma looks on.

�See, Saotome not one admin replied to my posting��

Ranma looks unconvinced. �So, it looks like you got away with your �fanfic�� but what are all these others?�

�Heh, those�re private replies. Probably flames and death threats and the like� I�d be expecting a lot of people to be pee�d of because of what I sent. Most likely accuse me of wasting their time and inbox space� y�know those stiffs that can�t spare five kilobytes on their Coldmail accounts. Especially the moderators. I was expecting them to crucify my ass, but as you can see��

�What�s a flame?�

�Jeez� it�s a personal attack to yo� ah, never mind! Let�s just get around to reading these, �kay.�

Ranma simply nods and smiles the smile of the oblivious.

<click>

********
From: "Loh Chan" <bigtrouble@hotmail.com>
To: "Nabiki Tendo" <show_me_the_$@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [AFML] [R1/2][shortfic]The Test
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2000 17:49:24 �0500

Cute.  Maybe you should consider putting this in the 1-Hour Spamfic
challenge.  ^_^

Liked the way you put the story in present tense.  It's kind of a 'as amatter of fact, it's happening right now!" thing.  I was actually turned offby it until I realised what you were doing (silly me, I didn't get it till the end ^_^).

Er, not much else to say about it.  Just my 2 yen.

Loh.
********





�Hmm� looks like you gotta fan Nabs.�

Nabiki smirks. �Certainly looks that way, huh? �

<click>


********
From: "F. Sai Yuk" <warrior@cwc.net>
To: Nabiki Tendo <show_me_the_$@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [AFML] [R1/2][shortfic]The Test
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2000 09:58:03 +0000

actually i thought it was pretty funny.
not a test at all but an ironic comment on the recent
misadventures of mr daly and the responding
decree from the admins.

regards
Fong.
********



Ranma scratches his head. �Who�s that Daly guy.�

�Y�know, the guy that got banned for sending a test message he thought he�d get away with��

�Oh, yeah��

<click>


********
From: Musashi<miyamoto@fanfiction.com>
To: Nabiki Tendo <show_me_the_$@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [AFML] [R1/2][shortfic]The Test
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2000 18:57:09 -0500 (EST)

Why is it that you feel the need to push us?
********


Nabiki lets out a low whistle. �Straight forward kind of fellow, isn�t he? Not the one to beat around the bush.�

Ranma smiles, thoroughly amused. �Is that the ol� sourpuss you were talking �bout?�

�Yep� that�s old sourpuss alright, and he doesn�t sound too thrilled to me.�

�Yea, given a chance, he�ll probably eat your liver with fava beans and a nice chianti� tsitsitsitsitsitsitsi��

Nabiki gives Ranma a pitying look.

�Poor, poor attempt at humor, Saotome.�

�Okay, I�ll shut up now.�

�Yyyeeessss, now help me think of what to say back.�  Her countless mental gears turning, Nabiki leans forward, supporting her head on the palm of her hand, elbow at the knee, and assumes the classic thinker pose.

�Uh, how �bout challenging him to a du��

�Hold it, hold it there Saotome. Say no more� please. I�ll pretend that I didn�t hear that from you. I mean, seriously! Is that the only thing you can think of? And what�dya think he�s gonna do if he accepts a challenge? Brain me with his keyboard?! Jeez�  get a grip. The guy�s probably sitting at home in front of his computer, wearing a �truth is out there� t-shirt and eating five pounds worth of Taco Bell for dinner.�

�Well I don�t see you comin� up with anything.�

�I already have.�

Giving Ranma an evil grin, Nabiki types out her reply.



********
To: miyamoto@fanfic.com
Subject: Re: [AFML] [R1/2][shortfic]The Test

Why is it that you feel the need to push us?

Just wait for the sequel. ^_-
********



"......Nabs, you�re a shit stirrer.�

�I know�

<click>



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


In a darkened room, the AFML moderator known as Musashi hunches over his keyboard, staring with bloodshot, sleep deprived eyes at the flickering screen. It had been a long and tiring night of endless comments and criticisms, coupled with a few threads of off topic spam which he rightfully banned from the mailing list.
�Fools. Don�t they ever learn?� He mutters to himself as he clicks the mouse button, effectively banning yet another deviant who dare test the authority of AFML moderators.

Musashi loves this part of his job. The feeling of power he gets from sending these delinquents on their way was euphoric. He just wished that Kami-sama grant him the same satisfaction in his life outside the AFML.

Even though everyone thinks that he�s oblivious, he knows his life sucks.

He comes across Nabiki�s message and reads it thoughtfully.

�Ah, Nabiki Tendo. You are fast becoming a thorn in my side.�

Picking up a foam bokken, Musashi proceeds to whack the monitor at the speed of a chestnut fist.

�Strikestrikestrikestrikestrikestrikestrike��

Panting from his exersions, Tatewaki Kuno smiles, turns off his computer and heads to kendo practice.

end The Test part 2: �The Reply�




Stay tuned for:

The Test part 3: �Mr. Moderator!�




�I�ve had my fifteen minutes of fame� when�re you gonna get your�s?�
-Konfucius (bluezboy@hotmail.com)


Konfucius Says! The best Ranma and Eva fanfics are�
www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Teahouse/4901/index2.html


Much gratitude goes to my good friend Damocles for pre-reading.
the NEXUS - http://www.bluep.com/~modesto

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