-------------

    "Look at this, Akane.  They're debatin' us again."
    "Really, Ranma, I don't know why you bother with that 
stuff."
    Ranma shifted in his seat.  "It's kinda neat, you know?  
'Sides, there ain't nothin' else to do right now."
    "I guess."



    "Is he any better, Nabiki?"
    "Not yet.  But pictures of him just doubled in price."
    "Nabiki!"
    "What?  I'm just looking out for our interests, is all."
    Kasumi sighed.  "Will you tell Akane and Ranma that dinner
is ready?"
    "All right, Kasumi."  Nabiki left the kitchen and unhurredly
sauntered to the dojo.  Her younger sister was inside.  For a 
change, she wasn't breaking bricks or practicing a kata; 
instead, she was apparently lost in thought, sitting 
cross-legged in the center of the floor and gazing at the wall.
She jumped with a small gasp as Nabiki made her presence known.
    "Visiting unknown territory, sis?"
    "What?  What do you mean?"
    Nabiki chuckled.  "Nothing, nothing.  Dinner is ready."
    Akane looked down.  "Ok.  I'll be right there," she said 
slowly.  She looked up.  "Will Ranma be there?"
    "I think so - Kasumi asked me to tell him dinner was ready."
    Akane didn't reply, but her face looked troubled.



    Nabiki knocked twice and opened the door.  Ranma was hunched
over the screen, peering at the glowing characters like a 
linguist getting his first glimpse of the Rosetta Stone.
    "Dinner is ready, Ranma."
    Slowly, the black-haired boy looked up.  "Why dost thou 
address me so, Nabiki Tendo?  I am not that foul fiend Saotome,
but Tatewaki Kuno - the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High!"  
Lightning flared in the distance outside the window.
    Nabiki sighed.  Ranma was definitely getting worse.  If only
those people on that fan fiction whatchamacallit would stop 
playing with his mind, maybe there'd be a chance.
    "C'mon, Kuno-baby.  Even you need to eat."
    "HOHOHOHOHO!"
    "Let's go, Kodachi."
    "Mercenary girl no tell Shampoo what to do!" 
------------------------

    Heh heh heh...

    IF you couldn't tell, this was inspired by the debate 
currently raging about characters being OOC vs. IC vs. what the
author wants and so on....

    Just trying to lighten things up a bit... have a good 
weekend folks! ;)

    (ps - please don't kill me! ;)

    Brian Payne
    brianp@nhspokane.com     
    sofaspud@ior.com
    http://www.ior.com/~sofaspud