I did see this when it came out, but it got sort of buried under other things.
Suggested changes: {before : after}
On Sun, 17 Aug 2003 05:04:10 -0400 (EDT) Frederick Herriot
<fherriot@yahoo.com> wrote:
"One hundred thousand girls...?"
"Onii-chan, are you alright?"
That would have been a bit much even for Ataru's old reputation.
"Agreed," Seiko nods. "Traditionally, at least as much as those
of the Great School have discovered since our mission to bring Unity
to the Universal School began, it has been much easier, FAR {MORE
easier : MORE easy : easier}, to destroy then to create."
"Almost," the slender teenager with the deep blue eyes and the
wavy platinum hair looks up at the gantry, where Otako now stands,
a {datapadd : datapad} in the older Avalonian's hand. Around her, several
box-shaped sanitation 'bots scoop up the carpet of dead pansies,
depositing them in their internalized atomizer units. Also keeping
watch over the cleanup of this particular section of the vast bioroid
factory are two other teenagers. All three share tapered ears. "I
estimate another couple hours to get all the compartments in this
section cleared."
"Very well," Otako taps controls on her {padd : pad}, then heads off.
"Exactly, Tomomi-san. Then you take in the events after the
Second Tag Race. Lum-san, Lan-san and Jariten-chan are forced to
return to their homeworld. At the very same time, Moroboshi-san
reunites with Negako-san, then moves to Oomure-jima to meet his
half-sisters. Onii-san himself became very sick from just prior to
Lum-san's departure to a day or so after she {has : : had} left." A bemused
titter escapes Ryooko. "I've no doubt that Negako-san had something
to do with that, given how skilled in the martial disciplines
she is said to be."
Happousai and Tarou blink. "Kaeru?!" the former stares at
Negako. "You told me he died when he was a baby!"
He got better.
"And there are no objections to {this : these} planned {adoption : adoptions}?"
"Yes, ma'am, I do," he nods, giving her an appraising gaze.
"You're Fe-..." he catches himself. "You're {Ranma : Ranma's} mom, right?"
"Thank you, Tarou," Negako rises. "Happy, we need to talk.
ALONE. Tarou, if they cause any problems, kill them."
That does sound in character for Negako, but I hope it isn't covered by
any special court.
Nodoka and Hisayo turn towards the man they had called "father"
for so long, then the former bows her head in mute acknowledgement.
The latter blinks as she focuses briefly on Happousai -- *This is my
real father?!* she mentally roils -- before turning back to Isao.
Taking a moment to gaze on her brothers, Hisayo's mouth twists in
revulsion before she turns back to Negako. "Moroboshi-sensei?"
That might have been a good point for Nodoka to faint.
Negako blinks as she considers the question. "I believe Isao
and his sons will trouble us no more. Reigi is more than capable
of dealing with them. As for Happy and Tarou, that is between them.
Let them {settle it out : settle it : sort it out} by themselves, Chigaiko."
"The last several compartments are being cleaned out as we
speak, Mister President," Otako reports, staring at her {datapadd : datapad}.
"Another several hours. Several primary units had to be totally
disassembled to clean them {out :} of flowers," Otako lowers her {padd : pad}.
"Mister President, I've been thinking about what happened to us this
morning when Moroboshi's ship returned from wherever they went to."
Ryuunosuke considers that, then lays back. "I just can't see
it, Saki-chan," she {empathically : emphatically} shakes her head. "I can't!"
She's actually showing rather little empathy at this point.
"Amazing, isn't it?" Tomomi smirks. "One of Mom's friends,
Tomoko Fujiki, and her husband owns this apartment block, plus a few
others scattered around the Tokyo area. She had this apartment
{installed in : designed} for either a big family or several small families
like ours willing to share the same space. Since our moms are all
Avalonians, it was a no-brainer for them to consider using the same
place."
A business card is handed over. Nodoka takes up the meishi,
then {glaces : glances} at the name written there. Her jaw hits the table in
shock, then she quickly composes herself. "Yes, please, send
Yamashina-san over!" she stares thankfully at the maitre'd.
Walking up to the table is a woman appearing to be in her early
twenties. Her hair, combed straight all the way to her hips, appears
to have a greenish sheen to it, though Nodoka always wondered if it
was a trick of the light that made it seem that way to her. Her eyes
are turquoise, a shade that -- though not seemingly native to any
pure-blood Japanese -- seemed just *right* for Mizuho Yamashina.
Currently, the newcomer is dressed in a black strapless tank-top,
grey blazer and thigh-length skirt, showing off a mouth-watering
amount of leg to those few single men currently relaxing at nearby
tables. Following Mizuho is a younger, raven-haired tomboy with blue
eyes, currently dressed in a red plaid skirt and vest over a black
button shirt. Nodoka knew her as Ayumu Inaba, one of the {staple : group : stable}
of sweet young women who helped Mizuho run her private hotel.
"Nodoka-chan!" Mizuho waves back, then walks over to sit in the empty
tatami mat beside Ranma's mother. "How are you?!" she gives the
older woman a warm embrace as her own companion slips into the empty
mat beside Hisayo.