Nodoka looked over the assorted books and supplies she had put into her cart. The store was based on the same concept as one of those mega-stores the Americans were so fond of having. The main difference was that here, each stall was operated by a group who would have been running the same thing elsewhere, but joined the store because of cheap space, giving it a mall-like feel. But you paid at a central register, and thus could get personal help, excellent advice, and great deals.
It also helped that is was the day they received their shipments and they needed some extra help. Ranma himself was too young—despite Genma’s protests that it would be excellent training—for the owners to let him work, so he was with them as Nodoka finished getting what she needed.
She didn’t have to worry too much about books. She had Nabiki’s school books from this term, as well as those Kasumi had finished using last year, both sets would hopefully be ready to leave at the Tendo Dojo within the next few months. She was hoping to pick up a few extra-curricular books that she felt might come in handy; history beyond what schools required, astronomy, and some cooking books.
And looking at her son, she decided to get him some clothes as well. He only had two sets, both were for training, and he always was wearing one or the other. Even her husband had five sets.
Plus, Nabiki was insisting that they finally get her a sleeping bag. Apparently, she wasn’t buying the excuse anymore as to why she was being asked to sleep with Ranma.
“Might be for the best,” she mused, as she saw the two children watching with interest as a man prepared his sushi for today’s sales. “It would be bad if they fell too deeply into a brother/sister relationship instead of something that would blossom into love and many grandchildren for me.”
She nodded as she finished grabbing what she needed, before she went over to the two. It was close to lunch, and they were both probably hungry, given how training had been going the last few days.
“Oh, that reminds me, I need to pick up some kendo gear for them.”
Genma sighed as he finished his meal, preparing to sneak back into work, and hoping the others wouldn’t notice that he had slipped away, thus making him a prime candidate for the reason their lunches had all vanished before their breaks had began.
But he had other things to worry about now. Nodoka was already making the boy soft. It should have been Ranma unloading the deliveries, not him. She even banned the usual food training exercises after she saw them, and then forced him to eat a light dinner after he had succeeded in defeating the boy and stealing all of his lunch.
How was the boy supposed to toughen up with her coddling him like that?
“Hey, what happened to our lunches?” yelled one guy, as the others gathered around the central cooler for the loading dock.
Genma tried to look shocked as well as he continued to work. If he was lucky, the man running the place wouldn’t notice he had been gone, and would assume he was striving to work through the break, showing how tough he was.
It was that thought ... as well as the promised beating by his wife if he was doing something wrong ... that kept him lifting those boxes.
“Did those bastards even steal the wax fruit we had on the table?”
I thought that stuff was a little off.
He just hoped it finished soon, and he could get back on the road. At least Nodoka was given permission and funds from her family to get their supplies. It would save him time from stealing procuring them himself.
Too bad they used a credit card that only she could use. Damn thing wasn’t even accepted in bars.
It’s like they don’t trust me? Oh, what could they have been misinformed about to make them think I was such a dishonorable person?
“Get back to work, Saotome!” yelled the female dock head. “Cry to the heavens on you own time. Don’t make me get your wife.”
None of the other dock workers laughed at that. They had both seen said woman give her earlier ‘pep’ talk to him, and were also thanking Kami-sama that she was not their wife.
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(Posted Tue, 26 Dec 2006 14:54)
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