“I will grant you My Blessing, Saotome Ranma,” said the cat-headed deity, “for you to use to guard and enlarge the new clan of werecheetahs you shall found. Now, if there are no objections, I should like to visit here again in corporeal form...” Seeing the blank look on Ranma’s face, she explained, “That means physically, as I am now, rather than just in spirit or in your dreams.”
Ranma swallowed – the sensual deity was affecting him somewhat – and nodded. Kasumi smiled brightly, and made a mental note to inquire about suitable snacks to keep on hand for the goddess’s visits. Somehow, catnip tea sounded so disrespectful.
Bastet smiled inwardly, and made a note to make sure Kasumi did keep a supply of catnip on hand.
“Now, I’m afraid I can’t stay much longer,” sighed Bastet, rising gracefully. “I will speak to you again, and often,” she told Ranma, “but mostly when you need advice. One thing I will advise you now, though: pay attention to more than merely your martial teachers. The world has changed since My worship was strong, and even then the truly powerful had scholarly knowledge as well as strength of arms.”
“Ah-m,” said Ranma, nodding vigorously.
Bastet swayed seductively to the huge doors, and they cracked open at her approach. A few cats slipped out into the living room from the heat of her throne room.
“Um, Bastet-sama?”
“Yes, Ranma?”
“Um, do I need to, um, pray to you, or build a temple or somethin’?”
A recovering Genma thought that was a very good idea, the first sensible thing the boy had suggested since… Wait a minute. Build a temple? He could see a lot of work needed there. In fact, on consideration, he suspected that even keeping a temple would need some work. Still, if the boy ran the place…
Bastet turned back, frowning slightly. “No,” she said slowly. “I would like for worship of myself to spread once more – all deities would really, and don’t say otherwise Bell-chan. However, the worship of those who have received my blessing is... uncomfortable to me. They have too direct a knowledge of Me, whereas even most of my priests rely on faith.” She shrugged. “As for a temple, I think a proper Egyptian temple would look rather out of place here, and you will have more to do with your time than carving stonework in My name. Just keep a few bowls of treats out for My aspects, won’t you?”
One of the cats, a burly creature quite opposed to the sleek Japanese ideal of feline grace, mewed emphatically at Ranma’s feet. A more regal animal agreed from Kasumi’s ankles.
“Uh, yeah. Um, what would they like?”
“Oh, dear, I can help there,” said Kasumi happily. “I used to put out little snacks for the local cats all the time, and I have a box of toys I had to put away when we found out about the Neko-ken.”
Bastet smiled back. “Thank you, dear.”
The bronze doors cracked open a little further, and a head stuck out. Ranma thought it was that of the busier-looking of the two slavegirls, but she was now wearing a modern outfit with a pair of reading glasses perched on her nose. “Bastet-sama?” she asked. “A call from Kami-sama. Not urgent, he said, but could you call him back when you’re finished?”
“Oh. Yes, be right there,” said Bastet. She turned to the group in the Tendo living room. “Well, I really do have to leave now. I’ll see you soon, Ranma.” She turned and walked through the portal, revealing a high-ceilinged modern office with an unconscious kendoka lying in the middle of the floor as the doors swung back to their full extent.
“Uh, B-Bastet-sama? What’re ya gonna do with Kuno?”
The deity looked back over her shoulder, scowling. “I shall punish him properly,” she said sternly.
“Yer gonna do somethin’ kinda – bad to him, ain’t ya?”
“What is he to you, Ranma? An enemy. Why should you care what punishment he receives?”
“Well, he’s kinda an idiot, an a pmph…”
Mindful of Kasumi’s admonishment about speaking ill of others before the gods, a hand had been placed over Ranma’s mouth to prevent him from putting his foot in it.
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(Posted Tue, 01 Aug 2006 18:18)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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