[Episode 109643] [Episode 109643]"We have to get to Nerima quickly, while the offer is still valid. I can't believe our luck!" Genma explained.
"What's in Nerima," Ranma wondered out loud, more puzzled than before.
"It turns out that one of friends - or at least, this world's version - is having a spate of money trouble. He's selling one of his daughters tonight, and I've managed to work out a deal whereby you'll get first pick."
This was news, indeed. They'd been out looking for a respectable slave in their price range for a while - no man of status could do without a slave, and owning any kind of business - or even being accepted at the better variety of dojo - required a certificate of slave ownership. It was one of the weirder quirks of this world's society. But, as their funds were next to nothing, there had been very few options - none of which were acceptable. But how had the old man gotten the rights to first pick? Ranma couldn't curb his curiosity.
"How'd you manage that, Pop?" It sounded much too good to be true.
"Oh, our own analogues, who conveniently disappeared around the time we got here, were apparently friends of the family. Tendo-kun felt much better knowing his flesh and blood would be among friends."
Ah. A Classic Genma Scam. That explained things, and set Ranma's danger sense off even wilder than before - his old man's scams had a disturbing tendency to go off in their faces, and justice was far harsher here than it had been at "home". Ranma mulled it over, looking for potential weaknesses, but to his eye, the reasoning seemed sound. The two of them did fit in well enough that they wouldn't be discovered as outsiders without a very careful examination, and from some of the old man's stories, shared over the fire late at night, Tendo Soun wasn't the brightest crayon in the box. Although, he had assumed it would be his pop, not him, owning the slave. Curious. Well, at least he'd spent enough time around the auction block to know what would be required of him as a new slave owner...
Ranma didn't have much more time to ponder that as they arrived at the gates of the proudly named "Tendo Dojo - Musabetsu Kakuto-ryu". The house looked like it had been built for a large, well-off family, but it was presently in a state of disrepair - not that it was run down, but what repairs had been needed over the last few years had apparently been made by less than professional hands, and with cheaper materials than the original building. The boards in the dojo structure's walls were an irregular patchwork of old, darkened wood and newer, lighter-colored or silvered boards. There were no gaps, as yet, but the building would need a major renovation to regain its respectable look. The main house wasn't much better, although the patchwork effect wasn't so heavy.
"Saotome-kun!" came a yell from the door, breaking Ranma's focus. From the front door of the main building, a thin man with long, dark hair and a moustache came half-running. "You've arrived!"
"Tendo-kun, old friend!" Genma bellowed in answer, and Ranma was treated to the sight of two grown men hugging. He looked away quickly - it was disgraceful, really. Instead, his eyes traveled to the doorway, where he spotted three girls of around his age, looking on with similar disapproval, or in the case of the oldest girl, an obliviously blissful expression. So these were the candidates for his future slave? They looked kind of cute.
Later, after Ranma had been introduced to the master of the house, it was time for explanations. Genma was seated opposite Tendo-san, with Ranma himself in a similar arrangement with the three Tendo daughters.
"...so you see, Saotome, with my daughter's expensive habits, I can't afford another slave, and thus I can't operate the dojo. And without the income, I might have to sell the house - or more of my children - soon. It's quite a difficult situation..."
Ranma listened with only half an ear, while studying his "opponents". The younger two - Akane, who was his age, and Nabiki, who was a year older - were looking a little resigned, although Akane was more sullen about it. The eldest apparently didn't have a care in the world - it was as if the whole business didn't touch her at all. Ranma didn't know whether to admire her or be revolted. They were all beautiful - Akane had long, bluish-black hair that shone, and her face looked like a smile would light it up radiantly. Nabiki, with short brown hair and an amazing figure, looked like she was a regular little imp - her natural expression seemed to be a slight grin. And Kasumi, tall and voluptuous - was still vacant, and it was beginning to irritate the heck out of him.
"...anyway, it's time we got down to business. Son, it's time we left you alone so you can choose which one you want. Come along, Tendo, no need to embarrass them." With that, Genma pulled his friend through the door, leaving Ranma alone with the girls.
As soon as the door closed behind their fathers, the vacant expression melted off of Kasumi's face, to be replaced by one of pure business. Akane's and Nabiki's faces grew even grimmer, if that was possible.
"So," Kasumi began, "do you wish to begin with reviewing the contract, or shall we get down to the inspection?"
The change was astonishing, really. There was a powerful woman underneath the oblivious mask. It was amazing how well she hid it. Wait a minute? Inspection? What kind of contract was this. Ranma shook off his shock for the moment, and decided:
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(Posted Thu, 15 Jul 2004 01:44)
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