Northbound Trolley
It was a quiet night at the Tendo Dojo. Almost everyone had gone out
for the evening. The fathers were out patrolling the neighborhood
for muggers (from their usual observation post at the counter
of Nabo's Bar). Nabiki was off on some mysterious "business" related
mission. Kasumi had left just after dinner to meet with her cooking
club. Akane and Ranma were alone in the living room.
They were sitting at opposite ends of the sofa watching television.
This was not unusual, but what they were watching was; a news and
issues program designed after American shows like "48 Hours" or
"60 Minutes". Akane has wanted to watch "Sleepless in Seattle"
for the 10th time, while Ranma had wanted to watch the Jackie Chan
Marathon. They has been forced into this compromise by two factors:
the first was that the TV remote (sarcastically named R-chan the 47th
by Nabiki) was currently lying in several pieces in front of the sofa,
the unfortunate victim of the preceding argument. The other factor
was the ongoing Anything Goes I'm-too-stubborn-to-get-up-and-change-
the-channel-before-you contest that was replaying for the 7th time
this month by the occupants of the sofa.
The current segment on the program was an investigative report on the
recent increase of young women being molested while riding the Tokyo
inter-city rail system. As the reporter was stating that the actual
number of cases was probably 10 time what was actually reported due to
most of the victims not coming forward because of the loss of face
involved, Ranma notices that Akane was sitting stiffly upright, her
hand clenched into fists in her lap and worse she was glowing a bright
blue with rage. Her mallet was was winking in and out between her hands
as she snarled between clenched teeth, "Those Perverts! If they tried
anything like that with me, I'd tear then limb from limb!"
Ranma as usually spoke before he thought, "Why any of those guys
would want of grope an uncute tomboy like you is beyond..." He
stopped suddenly, realizing what he was saying and jumped off the sofa
rapidly backing away waving his hand in front of him in an attempt to
placate his slowing raising fiancee.
Akane's mallet solidified into full existence and she was yelling
her trademarked war cry "RANMA NO BA...", when she was interrupted by
the sudden entrance of Kasumi, who was crying. Akane's battle aura
instantly vanished and she rushed over to her sister to see what was
wrong, Ranma following behind.
Kasumi collapsed against her smaller sister and began to cry harder.
Akane tried to comfort her, not really sure how at this reversal of
the usual roles.
Akane said "Kasumi, what's wrong? What Happened?"
Kasumi tried to talk but her crying interfered. Finally she was able
to get out between her sobs, "I was coming home from my club on the
train...it was very crowded...I'd given my seat to this old women and
had to stand...and this man came up behind me and he...". She
couldn't continue and her crying got worse. All she could say after
that was, "Please don't tell Daddy, please..." over and over again.
Akane started to glow blue again, "I'll kill him, no I'll beat him
senseless and then kill him, I'll..."
Ranma grabbed Akane and shook her, "Stop! Calm down! Y'll never
find him now, 'sides Kasumi needs you now. Help her up to bed.
I'll figure something out, don't' worry." He was barely holding his
own anger in check.
When Akane later came down from Kasumi's room, she found Ranma sitting
cross-legged in the middle of the Dojo deep in thought. Just as she
entered, Ranma looked by and grinned evilly, "I've got it! I know
just what to do. I'll...".
***
Ranma-chan stood on the train holding one of the over head loops
dressed in one of her more revealing disguise outfits. She worked
hard at keeping the disgust out of her face as she stoically repeated
over and over to her self "Soul of Ice. Soul of Ice. Soul...".
***
THe EMT was almost yelling at the Tokyo Rail System transit-cop,
"Are you sure you searched the whole train and everybody on it?
There is only one possible explanation for this you know!"
"Yeah, everywhere and everybody. The only Thermos bottles we found
contained tea or coffee. We found nothing like you described."
"Look, There has to be a Cryogenic container on that train. At
least there must be some Dry Ice or something like that. I mean
it's the middle of the summer and there can't be any other reason
why I've had to treat 12 passengers in the last week for severe
FROSTBITE OF THE HANDS!".
--
Mark Biggar
mark.a.biggar@attbi.com
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