Suggested changes: {before : after}
On Wed, 03 Jul 2002 21:22:27 -0700 Brian Randall <brian@azurite.org>
wrote:
Ranma woke up with the first lights of the rising sun
turning the walls of her room {golden, running : golden mixed} with a soft amber
glow. She stretched carefully, mindful of the silver-haired girl
cuddled up against her, and muffled a yawn. "Morning, kiddo," she
said sleepily.
"I worked a summer at a hot-spring resort with {Akini : Aniki}," Ranma
said dismissively. "Most days I ended up in the kitchen." He served
Mitsune, then retreated back into the kitchen to prepare more place-
settings. "A few days I had to serve everyone in the main hall."
"You think I can help you?" Mitsune asked, surprised.
"No, you're just less perverted than everyone else!"
That's scary.
Ranma marched across the lawn area behind the inn, glaring
towards the trees. Shinobu had realized that the man had a quick
temper that seemed to come and go -- mostly around Motoko -- but she
couldn't fathom what had brought up the man's ire this time.
Certainly{, :} not why he would be angry about missing panties.
Whatever his anger was {at : about}, he stood in the center of the
lawn, fists trembling at his sides. "Where are you?" he yelled out
towards no one in particular.
Ranma trembled with barely suppressed rage, his face a mask
of anger focused enough to make whatever temper he'd {had : shown} against
Motoko the prior day look as though it were nothing.
Ranma glanced at Suu, his expression softening. Standing up
straight, he shifted his combat stance, turning to face the old man.
"Maybe I use Anything Goes, and maybe I don't," he said evasively.
"And even if I do, I'm not your heir. Never will be again, {old man : Old Man}."
Ranma glanced at Motoko, and his expression shifted -- for
just a heartbeat, Shinobu knew, but long enough for her to see -- to
hurt and betrayal before it melded back into anger. "Stuff it, {old
man : Old Man}!" Ranma yelled, turning back to the wizened creature. "Fine.
I'll accept your challenge. When I win, you leave me alone, forever.
Deal?"
Because Ranma was right next to the edge of the roof, she
{realized. What : realized that what} she needed wasn't a protective and burly foreman, but
a way _out_. "Uh, I don't really think that would be a good idea. I
mean, I don't even know your name!"
"Um, well," Ranma hedged, looking around frantically, "I'd
love{ : to}, but, um... you see...."
"You wound me," she quipped, her smile widening slightly at
his wince. "But{, :} I would like to know what all of _that_ was about."
"Don't call me that," Ranma said reflexively, marching into
the shop, and nodding at a waitress. In short order, the pair were
seated near the window, with a good view out onto the city. Bright
sunlight flooded the street below, shiny cars dimmed by tinted
windows, and the tree-lined hill that Hinata-Sou sat in pitched in
the {difference : distance}. Mitsune said nothing immediately after Ranma's
admonishment, and he spent a long minute simply staring out at the
view. The restaurant they were in sat atop a hill, and he could see
more streets and buildings laid out below, before the slope
reversed, leading up to the inn.
Shinobu blinked, then pointed to the building they were
standing in front of -- the same one Suu had fallen off of. Keitaro
turned to look, adjusting his spectacles and blinking at the sign in
front of the building. "'Lower Hinata Tea-house'," he read off the
sign. "Oh. Well, that would explain that. Thanks{, :} girls!"
"No, you're probably right. If Suu were back, I'd probably
get some clue {on : of} it."
Ranma wasted no time, surging into motion faster than
Mitsune's eyes could follow. By the time Naru opened the door again,
Mitsune was in the same position, blinking, and wearing the black
dress. Ranma was seated on the opposite side of the room, trying to
look nonchalant, and wearing her {T-shirt : t-shirt}.
It would have worked, but the t-shirt was on backward.
"Okay, quick, dress up casually so they won't suspect us,
and let's chase after them!"
The game is afoot. Take precautions.