Suggested changes: {before : after}
On Fri, 30 Aug 2002 14:40:01 -0400 Nuki_mouse <Nuki_mouse@hotmail.com> wrote:
<I just wish she shut up and get this over with!> Xian Pu implored, but she
knew that this wasn't really her true desire at the moment. Xian Pu actually
wished the Gorilla Girl {wound : would} rant on, all day and night, rant to her {hearts : heart's}
content. She knew the Kitchen Destroyer wouldn't attack until she had her say
and until then Xian Pu's life was safe.
The flames of her rage lit up Akane like a party lantern as her battle aura
burned red hot, fueled by her {anger driven : anger-driven} chi. Shampoo had taken too many
things that were rightfully hers; Akane wanted not only revenge, but to leave
Shampoo hurt, broken, and DEAD!
<The Yakusa? She'll just ignore it, no way she'll endanger her precious skin
for anyone, least of all ME> Xian Pu felt. <No honor at all in that one, but the
Old Maid, the Housekeeper!> she thought in contempt, <She so weak and timid, {: but} she
bound to come and try to stop the Gorilla.>
The two thunderous sounds came as one, as the mallet seemed to break the sound
barrier as it swept down in deadly flight. Squarely it struck the futon over
Shampoo and the whole house shook from the force of the blow. Possibly if the
frame was made of {tungsten : armor} steel or the mattress pad of Kevlar {carbon :} fiber the
futon MAY have survived the blow, although that seems doubtful.
Akane savored the sensation, each new cut or mark sent a spasm of pleasure and
joy racing through her body for the pain and hurt she inflicted on the purple
hussy. Finally after a series of quick, violent blows, Shampoo's body was
uncovered and {laid : lay} un-moving while Akane prepared herself for her final,
exquisite attack.
Like {its : it has : it's} been said, Xian Pu did not want to die, but damn if she was going to
give Gorilla Girl the satisfaction of seeing her grovel or fail in some futile
attempt to save her life. Defiantly, Xian Pu lay still, staring up at her
executioner and waited for the deathblow to fall.
"FORE!" Akane cried out with relish as her "club" started it's {downward
descended : descent : downward swing}.
"With friend or foe alike, dead is DEAD, and there's nothing honorable in
death, {the Honor : Honor : the honor} is in living."
But now as death stared her in the face, Xian Pu was finally starting to
understand just what her Great{ : -}Grandmother had tried to teach her. Xian Pu had
been wrong, for all these years. She had it all backwards! The true meaning of
those words was that death (any death!) was the LAST resort and there was
NOTHING honorable about resorting to it.
Xian Pu forced herself to face the bitter truth of her Grandmother's words.
<It's better to surrender, to swallow my {honor : pride}...and ask for... MERCY then to
die,> and this idea was indeed very foreign, almost vile to Xian Pu.
Nabiki sauntered out of her room, towards the guestroom located just down the
{upstairs :} hallway from hers. <I'll keep 'Kane from hurting Shampoo too much, but
damn if I'll hurry to stop her fun!> she smirked, trying justify her delay in
stopping her sister. <So Shampoo's a little ill, it's not like she doesn't...!>
Kasumi did not have time to waste arguing with Nabiki. Her arm suddenly shot out
and her hand, with a speed that belied her gentle nature, jabbed Nabiki hard in
the {side : chest}.
A perfect solar plexus blow.
The solar plexus is not on the side.
"I know you can be cold and calculating at times, but I {use to believe : believed : used to believe} it was
just an act, but you LIKE it, don't you? Being a remorseless cold-hearted
bitch." Kasumi said in a voice so frosty that icicles formed on the words. "Do
you have ANY scruples at all? Is no one, even your family, safe from your
trickery? I never realized just how... mean and uncaring... you could be, Ice
Queen."
Time slowed for Nabiki, almost stopping, yet her thoughts {race : raced} ahead with the
speed and force of a runaway locomotive....
So {Cold : cold}, so dispassionate, let my OWN SISTER dishonor herself, use her like a
tool, Nabiki accused herself. Let the TOOL hurt Shampoo, KILL Shampoo! I'll just
sit back and go "Tist Tist Poor Shampoo..." and blame it all on hotheaded
Akane....
But Shampoo's cries of mercy were too late for either sister to stop their
imouto-{chan : chan's} next blow.
The "Queen" would have allowed her sister to kill, {cause : caused} the murder of a
helpless captive, cold heartedly used and {ruin : ruined} others at a whim, {defile : defiled} and
{destroy : destroyed} her family....
Kasumi found herself mentally tongue-tied, having trouble saying (or thinking)
the word "innocent," when applied to Shampoo. <Maybe..., maybe Shampoo {does :}
deserves some form of punishment, but not this! It's torture... its murder!>
But to Kasumi, Nabiki's unselfish deed came as no real surprise, it was just
the suddenness of the action that had shocked her. She always "understood" her
middle sister better than anyone else, maybe better than Nabiki herself. Behind
that mask of cold indifference and detached nonchalance was still the strong
willed little girl who hated to be {a "Crybaby," : "a Crybaby,"} "Weak," or "Helpless."
Akane..., she was the one always crying, wailing out for her "Mommy!" Father
became a...? Kasumi thought about her father's {with-drawl : withdrawal} from life. ...became a
weak shadow of the strong man he had been, like the best part of him died along
with {mother : Mother}.
And I..., I was helpless. I hid myself in a role, I tried to BECOME {mother : Mother},
Kasumi realized. The "Perfect Traditional Japanese Housewife;" never complained,
always happy, docile, I never tried to be myself, the family came first!
"AUUGG!" came Nabiki's cry as the mallet struck her on the side. If Nabiki
had been anywhere else but in mid-air, the force of the blow would have
shattered her ribs and smashed her body into a bloody pulp. Still, the anger
fueled weapon swatted Nabiki from the air like a housefly and smashed her body
HARD to the {ground : floor}, barely missing Shampoo.
"Iiieeee... Auggg! Oh {pleases : please} Kami, NO! Yeeeoooo! Please stop, ...Akane!"
Nabiki screamed out in pain, "Please, AAAYYYEEEIII....!"
Akane ignored the delightful cries of agony coming from her vile, perverted
sister! Her foot grated violently on the broken bones and the mallet head
slammed repeatedly into bruised ribs and she relished in the sensation of power
and control she now had over Nabiki, secretly HAPPY to have caused her such
pain!
I thought Nabiki's ribs on the mallet side were broken along with the other
sholder.
<?!?> Akane was flabbergasted, it wasn't her wild imagination. The spirit WAS
there, it had answered her! It, no SHE, sounded like..., like {mother : Mother}.
<I'm supposed to be the honorable one, the martial artist!> Akane cried, <I'm
the one {whose suppose : who's supposed} to risk life and limb to defend the weak....>