Suggested changes: {before : after}
On Thu, 10 Oct 2002 17:07:23 -0400 "L.S McGill" <lsmcgill@hotmail.com> wrote:
It was a rundown little place on a main highway running from this {realities : reality's}
Tampa to Miami, and it had definitely seen better days. It belonged to some
chain she had never heard of called Denny's, and at the present, it was the
only place she had found in the area that had a probability nexus, a vital
component for the summoning spell she had needed to cast to lure her quarry
in. This world was surprisingly lacking in people with sufficent faith for
magic to thrive.
Urd shook her head. She'd given up on trying to understand the game a while
ago. It seemed to have a different rule for every card. Give her poker any
day.
Grand Fizbin is much simpler.
He had to be near the north end of Honshu, whatever the GPS had said. He
knew he hadn't crossed any oceans while driving. No, somehow, he just had
gotten lost again.
He's certainly in denial about his Hibiki curse. As sensible as he is in
other areas, I'd have thought he'd have learned to deal with it, or at
least realize what it is, by now.
Finally, he was on a street he knew. "Furinkan High?" He drew up in front
of a gate and stopped. "Well, Ryouga, I think it's right over that way."
He pointed to the gate and watched as Ryouga got out. "Nice seeing {you
cousin : you, Cousin}!" he lied as he peeled out, leaving skid marks as he put distance
between them. Of all his family, he hated Ryouga most. The boy could get
lost in a closet, and get anyone with him lost.
Ranma barely dodged the umbrella as it {impacted : hit} where he would have landed,
and he had to throw himself backwards to land on the edge of the impact
crater next to Akane. You!" he said as some vague recollection struck.
It only took him an hour to find his way the seven blocks that separated the
mansion from the Tendo dojo, and he'd only gotten lost briefly when he'd
made a wrong turn into Minsk ward. Pulling up to the curb, he surveyed the
{Dojo : dojo}. It was a nice enough place, though several steps down from an estate.
{ :}He figured the Tendos must be from a samurai line that had fallen on hard
times, or they were a cadet branch. He was a little surprised. That deal
had needed some hard cash, and this place gave no indication of a family
with such holdings.
He approached the door with it's traditional wooden sign "Tendo Dojo, School
of Anything Goes Martial Arts" An odd school, but then, so was the
{Hibiki's : Hibikis'}. He smiled at the smaller sign set off to one side, "To defeat
owner in savage combat, use rear door." He rang the door chime.
Tao-Ching did so, wondering at Kasumi's use of a word denoting elder sister.
{ :}The woman looked to be his age, and he hoped that her sister wasn't _much_
younger. As good as Kasumi looked, the sister was likely a looker too and
there were things other than business he might wish to discuss. Also, it
would have been embarrassing to have been outmaneuvered by a child.
Nabiki's heart hammered on her breastbone, trying to get out as she blushed
furiously. Most boys were too scared of her to try and flatter her, and
this wasn't a high school boy... This was one of the big boys she competed
with in the {stocks : stock markets}. He had to have money, and big money to have learned who
had outbid him in a sealed stock auction of a small but lucrative company.
The buying and re-selling of that company's stock had enabled her to put the
{Dojo : dojo} back in the black with just the money from Zhu Shu's students.
I don't think they are competing in stocks, unless both are into bondage.
Besides, they haven't been introduced yet.
"Talented indeed. It took me two." Two pairs of eyes measured one another.
{ :}Tao-Ching was very impressed. "I have done a little research on you. I
always like to know my opponents..." He paused, "Or possible allies." He
noted the slight flush the hint brought to her face. "But I am curious.
You evince enormous talent, yet you play in such small ponds. Why aren't
you living you up to your potential?" He waved his hand around to indicate
the {Dojo : dojo}.
Zhu Shu was annoyed. And wet. She'd avoided the {hentai squad : Hentai Squad} all day only
to get caught by a little old lady on the way home. Now her white silk
dress was tight against her, the water soaking it making it nearly
transparent. She trudged along the walkway, studiously ignoring the stares
and appreciative whistles she drew, her ears quivering.
Just outside the {Dojo : dojo}, she stopped to look at the Humvee parked in front.
As she turned to enter, Tao-Ching stepped out. His eyes took in {her see : the view : her appearance}
through dress and he grinned. "I see you still have a problem with water."
he said.
Tao-Ching rolled his eyes. "I guess the {Gaijin : gaijin} are right, getting turned
blonde does make you an idiot." He leered. "But it does make you cute,
too. I particularly like the way that dress shows off everything."
Zhu Shu raised an eyebrow. "Humph. There was the {Guide : guide}, the Saotomes, the
boy who turned into a pig..."
Zhu Shu sniffed and turned to enter the {Dojo : dojo}.
Tao-Ching straightened. "Anyway, I must apologize for my {cousins : cousin's} rude
behavior at fainting while beholding such divine flesh. I am pleased to say
that I don't share that problem." He ogled the still semi{ : -}see-through
dress.
"No problem. That guy's got the {worlds : world's} worst sense of direction. Right now
he's probably asking 'Which way to Tokyo?'."
"A smilodon?" Nabiki was awed. "Interesting..."
Good to know Nabiki's so familiar with predators. Professional curtesy, I
suppose.
At the entrance, the girls dismounted. Zhu Shu had much better control than
Nabiki, who had to take several minutes to get her knees steady beneath her.
{ :}She looked the smug cat in the eye.
Ranma bent down to pick up his pigtail and unwrapped the tie around the end.
{ :}He gathered his hair which even as he had bent, Akane had watched grow
another six inches, and tied his hair in a massive ponytail. His hair
stopped growing just short of his ankles. He looked at Akane. "Another
little 'gift' of my trip to China." was all he said as he turned to Zhu
Shu. "She pushed me into you to get you out of the path of that thing."
From where she sat on the bleachers, Mara watched the whole show and cursed.
{ :}That hadn't gone at all like she had planned. Zhu Shu was tougher than
she'd given her credit for. She'd played a lot of probabilities and wasted
a lot of magic to make this fight happen today and ensure that Akane had an
"accident" that ended with her dead or hospitalized, so a guilt ridden Ranma
would be easy prey for her next trap. But that meddling Chinese girl had
interfered again! She was supposed to be out cold!
Terror filled eyes met her worried ones. "No. Bell, you didn't {her : hear} what
she said. You didn't see her eyes. S-she meant it!" Urd sobbed. "She
meant it ...."
"Why hello Akan- Oh my!" the {Doctor : doctor} started as they entered. "Put Zhu Shu
here and let me look at her!"
Doctor Tofu released Zhu Shu an hour later, warning her to take it easy for
the rest of the day. No jumping and no strenuous exercise. He allowed
Ranma and Akane to walk her home. Genma had already called the {Dojo : dojo} to ask
Soun to monitor the afternoon training session Zhu Shu usually led for the
Juuban girls. Even Zhu Shu had to admit that at their present level, Soun
could teach them an enormous amount. It may not be Sword Dance, but the
basics were the basics.
Ranma stood in shock, but a ribbon snapped down to snag his wrist, picking
up his arm and placing it around Akane's shoulder. Akane giggled. "I think
she despairs of {you : us} ever getting this right."
Akane may not be very introspective, but I think she'd realize by now that
she is part of the problem too.
At the Tendo Dojo, Nabiki was introducing the Voodoo priest to Soun and
Genma, telling them she'd hired him for room and board to make needed
repairs around the {Dojo : dojo}. Soun had nodded at the need and Nabiki left the
three to talk before dinner. It wasn't long before the sake had lubricated
tongues.
Ke Lun stood on the end of the dock, examining the massive city of Tokyo.
Somewhere in there was her great{ : -}granddaughter, and her adopted sister, Song
Zhu Shu. She looked down at the address Shi had asked Sung Po to radio to
the Amazon village, and proceeded down the dock. A woman with hair as white
as her own and a golden tan waited at the end.
"Your message was such we dared not take the chance. The future of our
tribe is a foremost concern of the council, as is vengeance for old
grievances. I will also admit to some small concern for my
{great-granddaughters : great-granddaughter's} happiness on my part as well." Ke Lun smiled. "The
message left by the lightning bolt didn't hurt your cause either."
Ke Lun nodded, seemingly lost in thought. "And how long have you been
practicing answers?"
"Two day-" Urd started automatically before the question properly
registered. "Uh ...."
Nice tail pull.
"Humm?" Kasumi's gaze took in the scissors, unused since Akane had decided
she wanted long hair like hers, and the fact that Akane's hair wasn't in her
usual ribbon. She raised an eyebrow.
The sissors would hardly go unused. Long hair need to be trimmed
periodically to keep it even and to get rid of split ends.
Zhu Shu smiled sadly. "Point four. Ranma do by instinct. No thought.
Still no see?"
Without thought goes without saying. That's part of her point. <G>
Akane smiled. "I got Kasumi to do mine. Like?" She slipped the rest of
the way out of the robe.
Sure, the hair looks nice.
"Yes. Because you're probably the best friend either of us have ever had.
Ranma thinks the world of you, and I'm coming to." She climbed into the tub
next to Zhu Shu. "And you probably saved my life today. Look all you want,
Zhu-chan. It's a small enough reward. And I know you'd never go {father : farther}
than I'd want you to."
"No" Akane gave her a smile. "It's different when you do it. It makes me
feel desirable and a little sad.{: "}
"It... It is a burglar! With a pack for stolen {good : goods}!" Kasumi whispered.
Kasumi had taken the upstairs while Zhu Shu searched the {Dojo : dojo} and Akane had
taken the downstairs. She had already searched her room and Zhu Shu's, and
as she opened Akane's door, a small black shape dove off a shelf at her.
She slapped at it in a panic and a small oink of surprise came from the
shape as she smacked it across the room. A small piglet wearing a yellow
and black bandanna bounced to the carpet and took a defensive stance.
"He no in {Dojo : dojo}. Hope Panda man not see. Last time try to cook" Zhu Shu
said as she came in, looking in the garden as she walked up to Kasumi.
"Because Zhu Shu see fall in pool after Ranma knock off cliff at Jusenkyo."
Zhu Shu looked at Ranma with her arms crossed. "And then have to save from
Panda man and {Guide : guide} when try to cook!" She turned back to the pig "And Zhu
Shu get dress ripped off as thank you." The pig looked embarrassed. Zhu
Shu turned back to Ranma. "Ranma owe apology!"
Ranma turned to Zhu Shu, and did a double take at the matching red and black
braids she had framing her face, but Zhu Shu turned away quickly to make
some hot chocolate. Ranma sighed. "I certainly hope Ryouga's the only
problem from China to follow me."
No one has told him that Shan Pu wasn't trying to kill him. After all the
guide's stories, Ranma is probably very worried about that. Knowing the
truth might not make him feel any better though.