On Wed, 15 Nov 2000, Miller, Bert wrote:
Great! Another of these! More, more!
But they're worth the read, honest! ^_^
That they are!
^_^
He hurried over; chivalrous brain neurons buzzing
frantically. "Excuse me, Miss? Miss? Can I help you?"
Somehow this really seems like Soun. "Chivalrous brain
neurons," heh!
Soun, in the manga, has a stronger 'noble' quotient than Genma. Or at
least fakes it better. ^_^
name. This was just the sort of thing he had needed; a virtuous
task to comfort a maiden in distress. It helped shore up his ego
nicely, and kept him busy.
I can just picture the young, unmoustachio'd Soun doing this.
Why, does the facial hair reduce his chivalry? ^_-
"Can I help you?" he asked, noting with mild curiosity the
sledgehammer she was carrying over one shoulder.
Now, everybody's going to think this is Akane's mom....
Not my fault... ^_-
She nodded, head hanging in shame. "I agree, but none of
them listen to me. They act like I'm some sort of fanatic. And
there aren't technically any laws against it."
Yes, Soun thought dazedly, modern law did lack a well-
defined demonology statute. "Well, it's certainly not your fault.
You seem quite opposed to your family's practices."
Second time through, I'm admiring your careful wording here.
The first time I didn't quite notice what she said vs. what
Soun inferred.
Soun is good at making the Martial Artist High Jump To Conclusions.
"I'm Toriiko," she said, smiling.
"No last name?"
Uh-oh. This means we know it, of course...
Good call.
"Likewise," Toriiko said, setting her hammer down so
that she could bow from the waist. Soun returned it, noting as
he did that her hair was cut back into a short bob, severe and
functional - consistent with the rest of her appearance. He
approved.
Hmmm... looks a bit like Akane, too...
Well, hairstyle isn't hereditary, thank goodness. ^_-
Soun shook his head, faintly appalled. "Kiritsubo, you are
an irredeemable brute."
She blushed. "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever
said to me, Tendo. Thank you." She waved. "For truth, injustice,
and alcohol!"
Amusing. Not the high farce of the last few episodes, but
amusing nevertheless. Also sad, in a way, that Biki thinks
that.
Kiritsubo has some strange ideas, many of which conflict.
"I like Kiritsubo-san. Up to a point." He resumed walking
towards the garage, and she followed. "She's a good companion
to have in a tight spot, but she's a bit too suited to tight spots
for everyday life."
Heh. Nice characterization.
"No, not really," Misuto said, looking somewhat
disappointed. "I'm not allowed to smite people anymore, either.
Oh? What is it she does later, then?
Well, it's different when they attack you. Note that she does this in
Heirlooms as well. But unprovoked smiting is out.
The kami seemed to consider that, then shrugged. "Modern
relationships are so difficult to understand. Especially the
ones without obvious copulation. I blame the decline of
traditional moral values."
(snicker) Traditional Heian moral values? (hoo boy!)
The good old days! ^_^
"Of course," Soun agreed tactfully. He wasn't used to
having to carry the modern point of view in a conversation.
Heh again.
Toriiko dragged him aside as he tried to come up with a
diplomatic response. "Are you sure this woman can help us?"
she whispered. "She may be a kami, but I think she left her
grasp of reality back in heaven."
"She's a mist and fog deity, and I am afraid it shows,"
Soun admitted.
Kasumi's parentage shows through! (I assume)
We'll see. ^_-
"He doesn't seem very helpful," Misuto said
disapprovingly. "You there! If you assist these noble lovers, I
shall allow you to bask in my divine glory and worship me."
Inji just stared, for once seeming to be completely at a
loss for words.
Heh. I just love this bit.
Seeing Inji at a loss isn't something that happens often. Enjoy it while
you can. ^_^
Then he flew backwards, sputtering, as a cone of
compressed, superheated steam burst from Misuto's lips. The
archeologist crashed against the far wall, exposed skin the
angry red of a freshly-boiled lobster.
"Cool," Toriiko said, impressed.
"Aren't I?" Misuto said proudly. "That was a pretty basic
smite, but I feel it's a very stylish and elegant one."
A smite; not allowed to do it any more?
See above.
"I'm sure he'll be delighted to hear it," Soun replied,
feeling slightly deflated. It was just like Genma to get all the
really good vendettas. Damn his luck, anyway!
Heh. Still, Soun has obviously changed over the years, as
well. It's hard to picture today's Soun thinking this way.
Most of the people we see in Pastpresent - all of them, except for perhaps
Nodoka - change over the years. It's inevitable, really...
"But that's not the worst of it!" Kiri gestured to the group
of impassive figures in red. "In a rare moment of unity, the, er,
People's Glorious Marxist Animal Liberation Brigade has come
to us with an offer to help..."
Heh. How about animal masks instead, then?
Been done. ^_^
"They're killing poor, cute, helpless kittens!" Kiri said
angrily. "Roasting them over an open fire and eating them!"
A shocked, appalled silence settled over the room. These
were hardened criminals, the dregs of society, vicious thugs
and amoral thieves. But even they weren't cruel to animals.
That was evil of a whole different level.
Heh.
The mist kami sighed. "Mortals. You're going to die
eventually anyway, you know. Can't you make it artistic?"
Hmm... Interesting. One point for Misuto, not that twenty-
year-olds would be likely to understand it.
^_^
Soun's eyes slowly opened and refocused. Kiri, Misuto,
and Toriiko all stared anxiously down on him.
Heh. Soun's life in a paragraph. I'll bet he never sees
it coming, either.
Unlike the readers?
Go-Jigokuoni casually picked up a cat.
Soun's mind noted with horror but no surprise that the
cat was little, marmalade, had a funny ear, and wore a collar.
Typical.
Now, to be fair, Go-Jigokuoni should _also_ fit this
description, but I don't see the color, collar, or ear anywhere.
He is a mix of black and orange, the collar was removed, and Soun wasn't
examining the ears. ^_^
around a few years ago, when you were sixteen. History
will repeat itself, and we have a special sort of destiny
hanging around us that draws the blood of many old
players back into the heart of matters. Then, too, some of
it has been carefully orchestrated...
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Heh. Go ahead, foreshadow!
Why thank you, I will! ^_-
Nice read. Witty rather than farcical. To some extent,
a breather in the series, but a nice one.
Well, farce only happens so often.
Looking forward to more!
More coming... thanks for the comments! ^_^
- Susan Doenime
Brisbane, U of Q
"I hit the streets / They watched me in the monitor..."