"She WANTED this?" exclaimed Ranma, some sarcastic voice in his mind asking when he was actually going to get any sleep.
"As near as we can tell, yes," said the Slave Bureau eunuch. He was shaved and somewhat pudgy, with a single gold earring bearing a slave-id, giving him an odd sort of "middle aged Mister Clean" look. "She was deliberately bad in order to be punished."
"I don't know about 'deliberate'," mumbled Rei in the background.
"In any case, Mister Saotome, if we can move onto other matters?" asked the eunuch as the sleeping Minako was set into the tent by two other Bureau members.
"I got four girls and a fiancee?" asked Ranma, whose experience with the opposite sex (other than fights) had been near zero prior to this little trip.
"Yes," said the eunuch, consulting his ledger. "You're planning on opening a dojo?"
"Yes, he is," answered Genma.
"Excellent," said the eunuch. "As you know - it is traditional for the dojo master to keep a slave for the specific purpose of training other slaves. There are people who object to free persons interacting significantly with their slaves but want their slaves to have some self-defense training."
"Yes, that's so," said Genma, again cutting Ranma off. "Some slaves find it easier to relate and take instruction from a fellow slave as well."
"Exactly," said the eunuch.
"Four girls?" repeated Ranma.
"So," began Genma speculatively. "With these four we could diversify a bit. Usagi would make a good greeter and could entertain and put guests at ease. Makoto could instruct servants in self defense and protection of their master for those who wanted their slaves to have such skills."
"I see where you're going with this, and I concur," said the eunuch. "Always best to have the primary duties clear cut and your business plan ready. For one thing, the more detailed your business plan - the easier it is to sell potential investors in your business."
"That's true," admitted Genma. He'd rather figure things out as he went, but bankers and the like seemed to like things a bit more organized.
"Might I suggest your miko learn a bit more about fighting, though a side business selling charms and wards and the like would certainly boost your potential for profits," prompted the eunuch.
"Very true, and as a miko she would automatically be a good candidate to officiate matches and perform ceremonies and the like," realized Genma. Damn, getting these girls was proving to be the best idea he'd had in a long time.
"What about Minako?" asked Usagi, trying to follow the conversation.
"four girls?" muttered Ranma.
"Five, you forgot Ami," helpfully pointed out Rei.
"She can always do an exercise class," pointed out the eunuch. "I hear dance aerobics is a popular choice and something the young lady has some talent in."
"five girls?" asked Ranma of no one in particular, his eyes staring off into the distance.
"In any case," said the eunuch, "what I wanted to bring up was the possibility of additional classes for the young master's slaves. Business management, perhaps some basic classes in repair and upkeeping skills for work around your dojo. Freeing the young master's time to do the things in keeping with his station."
"Well," hedged Genma, "we really don't have a lot of money for such things."
"Something to consider for the future then," agreed the eunuch.
Kunzite checked with Otori and was pleased at the initial results.
Many of those had taken the plunge and gone for minor alterations. All it would take was the trigger and a new weapon would be unleashed on an unsuspecting world.
What he didn't realize was that:
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(Posted Wed, 22 Jun 2005 09:47)
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