Ranma-kun chuckled audibly to himself from a reclined position on
the couch as various animated figures chased each other across the
television screen. Kasumi was humming from the kitchen. Nabiki was off at
work, having attained a starting position of an affluent Tokyo corporation
as a mailroom clerk. Akane was probably upstairs in her room working out.
Across paper sliding walls in the other room, Soun and Genma were deeply
engaged in a game of... chess?
Ranma looked over his shoulder in mild irritation as he heard the
doorbell, somehow already knowing who it was. He was crossing the room
when Kasumi answered the door.
"Oh, hello Shampoo!" Kasumi merrily chimed. Soun and Genma looked
at each other in surprise, "Tendo? Doorbell? Shampoo?" Both shrugged
and returned to their game.
The purple wonder smiled and handed a delivery box to Kasumi,
"Nihao! Shampoo bring too-too delicious ramen for airen! Airen!" Shampoo
saw Ranma and began crossing the room with arms wide open to give him a
great big...
Waitaminute. What was Shampoo going to do again?
Shampoo stood there for a moment in confusion while Ranma sighed
and shook his head, "Shampoo, would you mind leaving?" At this, Shampoo
scowled ferociously...
... and then smiled and waved her farewell, "Okay, bye bye airen!"
before letting herself out.
Ranma was halfway back acrosss the room when he saw Kodachi through
the window coming down the street, passing Shampoo without comment, and
coming up the Tendo-ke's walkway. Ranma ignored it and returned to his
place in front of the television. Kodachi rang the doorbell, and just as
before Kasumi began to make her way to the door to greet the new visitor...
... when she promptly forgot what she was doing and returned to
whatever she was doing _before_ in the kitchen. Kodachi rang the doorbell
several times before giving up and leaving the way she came.
Just then, Akane came merrily down the stairs, "Whew, that was a
great workout! Hey, I bet the family would just love it if I helped out
with dinner tonight!" and with that started towards the kitchen before she
felt Ranma's glare of disapproval on her back.
"No, I don't think you will," said Ranma in a low, commanding voice.
"Yeah, on second thought, I think I'll go take a bath..."
Ranma nodded, "And then you can read a _book_ on cooking for a
couple of hours before dinner."
"And then I'll read a _book_ on cooking for a couple of hours
before dinner. See you then!" finished Akane just as merrily as she had
started as she returned upstairs.
Sim-Ranma smiled a little private, digital smile to himself as he
watched his cartoons.
***
Ranma stared wide-eyed at the computer screen, completely engrossed
in the mini-[non]drama as it played it's boring little self out. He noted
that according to the clock in the lower left hand corner of the screen
that Sim-Nabiki would be home from work soon, so maybe Sim-Kasumi should
start making dinner. With a few more clicks of the mouse, Soun and Genma
began another board game.
"I love this game," Ranma drooled, "This is how life should be."
Unfortunately, at that moment Nabiki chose that moment to return to
her room, "HEY!! Saotome, what do you think you're doing on my
computer??"
END
--
Note: I was playing this game, The Sims. S'fun.
-Doug D.
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"Soilento-Midori wa hitobito desu--!"
-Jason Son one day in Japanese class.
"The Phoenix has risen... my destiny is true... watch your backs, gaijin!"
-Oroku Saki, TMNT #10
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