Suggested changes: {before : after}
On Thu, 25 Jul 2002 00:38:42 +1000 David Eddy <dje@progress.com> wrote:
Well, it's been a long time. A *really* long time.
So long I didn't want to presume on the people I used
to use as pre-readers. So you takes your chances.... :)
I'm sure you can find one or two pre-readers somewhere under the
seatcushions or the like.
"I know you, {husband : Husband}. I have not gone through eight
years of marriage to you to be surprised by your actions.
I know it is your dream to train Ranma to be your catspaw
against that evil old man.
Now Nodoka smiled a conciliatory smile. "However, I
do not see why we cannot both fulfil our duty to the
clan, *and* follow your desires. It is not a large
compromise I ask you to make, {husband : Husband}.
There are more, but I won't mention them.
He nodded. "As you well should be, {daughter : Daughter}. After
three years, at an age when Ranma should be completing
his first year of school, I can find no evidence that
Genma has taught the boy anything but how to fight and
how to steal. I fear that were the pledge to be assessed
today, things would go badly."
"I have a solution," said Hayao. "Ranma will reside
here for two months of every year. He will accompany his
father for the remainder of the year, and during that
time he will be enrolled in a correspondence course with
a top school. We will of course audit the results. As
for Genma, {daughter : Daughter}, you have my apologies but I have
decided that if he is incapable of holding to a sworn
pledge, he is not the kind I want around here. He will
remain married to you so that our honor is not sullied,
but he must never set foot on our domains again. We get
the best of both worlds - Ranma trained in martial
matters by a true prodigy in the field, the boy gets an
education, and during his time here we can teach him
about traditional matters. And as for enforcement..."
Hayao paused, and grinned unpleasantly. "We will simply
have to put the fear of Saotome into him."
"And I think we'll formally adopt that girl Ukyou.
Would you like to take her under your wing, {daughter : Daughter}?
After all, it was Genma who made the original betrothal
offer... it seems appropriate. Perhaps Yumi and young
Michiko will enjoy having an older sister."
It does sound interesting. I hope to see more soon.