On Mon, 27 Jul 1998, Freemage . wrote:

	Akane's gaze turned. Kodachi's pen flashed out of her pocket. A
numeral that had been a three on the recipe was instantly transformed
into a nine.

*I take it this is something that could be done in kanji?

No.  A three is three horizontal strokes, while a nine is stroke that is
down and to the left, followed by a horizontal stroke, then a curved
stroke that is open on the top, both connected.

But it's entirely that the Arabic number system was used.  Language
specific numbers aren't used that often in the US either.  (When's the
last time you've seen a recipe call for fourteen peppers, versus 14
peppers?)  In that case, a quick stoke of Kodachi's pen could have closed
the top loop of the 3, turning it into a badly written 9.

-Natsume Ranma Ranma
-------
The sardines weren't worth the trouble.  A few more shots, then 
Ryoga-san would overheat and explode.  Ducking around a corner, 
I managed to lose him as I entered the ramshackle residence of 
my Anime supplier.

One look at his face and I knew that I was betrayed.  "Tell me."
I insisted.  He refused, so I slammed him against the wall.
"Last chance.  Where can Ranma-Ranma find good fanfics?"
"Try Jason Liao." he whispered, before he slumped to the floor.
I heard the sounds of a door splintering as I left through the 
window, one step ahead of Tendo Heavy Industries...