DB Sommer wrote:

And one from August. I must be getting more of the old backlog terminated:

  I could have sworn you C&Ced this already, but can't find anything to prove that. Huh.

[Predawn]

Which we call 'night'. :)

  Nah, you get that glow on the horizon that tells you it's time to go to bed... ;)

Legend speaks to us of Shen-Lung, the great dragon that supports the
palace of the gods in the heavens.

But as with all legends, the truth was distorted. The palace of the gods was
in fact supported by a rather obese sea slug named Mortimer.

  I'm suddenly reminded of the tales of salting the Earth... that would provide interesting connotations.

She cocked her head to one side, offering the same smile she always
did for her customer.

customers

  Got it.

She raised an eyebrow at that. "I do," she admitted. "You're...
'Gifted'?"

Ryu: That's what all the ladies tell me. ^_^

  Hah!

He nodded slowly. "I suppose. I don't know what it is... just that...
I can hear things. Metal, earth... you know?" She shrugged, handing him
a plate, burdened with its fresh meal. "For example," he said, taking a
bite of the okonomiyaki, "I can tell that you no longer cook with the
same passion you once did."

So, he's equating Ukyou with a lump of clay, is that it? :)

  That's not neccessarily a bad thing.

"They lived happily ever after?"

  "Um... not right away."

  "What happened, Daddy?"

Ryu: Hot sex and nine months later, you.

  I have to wonder how you'd react if I wrote an actual lemon. ^_^

Ukyo's smile widened, turning more sincere. "Fine, fine. Just talking
with Ryu-chan. Who's the kid?"

  Nabiki flushed, handing the sleeping girl to her husband. Tofu
accepted the child, taking a seat near Ryu. "Well," Nabiki explained,
twiddling her thumbs. "Um... after... after the..." Her flush and smile
faded. "Tofu and I... Ukyou, meet our daughter, Ranko."

Ukyou: Just plain evil, aren't you?

  Tofu: Only on the outside. On the inside, she's filled to the brim with creamy noughat!

  ... I'm not even gonna try and justify that.

Ryu dropped his guise of subtlety, watching the departing trio. Ukyou
sighed, shaking her head. "I want a family like that, someday."

Ryu: I think I'll wipe out their memories and steal them for my own.

  Hah!

Rolling her eyes, she looked out at the sky, already darkening from
the onset of the nuclear winter that the wars had promised. "You,

jackass."

Ryu: Where do we get the kid?

Ukyou: You don't know?

Ryu: I had very little in the way of formal education.

  Heh, you're the evil one, Mr. Sommer. I shake in fear!

Though it's not likely that anyone remembers, this was written at Mr.
Sommer's request/suggestion. :p

Wow! Even I don't remember and I'm the one that made the request. ^_^

  I could be misremembering. Ginrai thinks it was Bjorn. >_<

Probably a bit too surreal, but it helps explain some elements that
are helpful towards understanding act three and four of Compass Points.

Nah. It just helps fill in some gaps. It flowed well. Nice work.

  Thanks for the time, and the C&C.

D.B. Sommer