"Really?" Ukyo asked. "So, tell me: What does he wish for?"
Kasumi shook her head. "Not now and not here! I'm planning on telling everything this evening... Ukyo, please call the bakery of Saotokyo and the embassy of Juuban and arrange a meeting within the bakehouse, this evening, 20 o' clock!"
"Bakehouse, 20 o' clock," Ukyo nodded. "Sugar, you really made me curious now...
"We'll meet at 19:30 in the inner ward, at the well. I'm going to tell Nabiki... she has to come as well."
And while the chef was dialing the number of the royal bakery, Kasumi was hurrying down to the castle's inner ward. She went through a small archway and entered a small courtyard. If she would look up, she would be able to see the window of Ranma's bedroom above her head.
She headed for a small, wooden shack that was situated in one corner of the courtyard. That shack was the workshop of her younger sister Nabiki. Nabiki was the head engineer and technician of the castle, because of her exceptional technical abilities. Not many people knew that Nabiki was a real genius... She wasn't only a simple engineer but a brilliant inventor.
Kasumi knew it, of course. When they were still living within their old home, Nabiki was always bored because she couldn't find a job where she could further develop her abilities... But working within this big castle gave her many opportunities to demonstrate her inventive talent. She did not only fix the castle's water conduits and other things, but she also constructed a new security system to make sure no thief would try to steal the riches that lay within King Ranma's treasure room.
Kasumi knocked at the door. "Nabiki... are you there?"
"In a minute," her sister called back. Kasumi heard some rumbling, then something fell to the ground with a loud 'clang' and Nabiki cursed. Shortly after, the door got unlocked and Nabiki opened.
"Oh, it's just you, sis! Come in! I just worked on a present for Ranma's birthday. That's why I locked myself in. I hope he likes it... Here, take a look: A special high-speed mountain bike for martial artists and other sportive people. He can steer it through almost all kinds of terrains. The back wheel is especially broad, see? When I pull on this handle..." It clicked. "Then the hind wheel will split into two separate wheels. It also has retractable spikes, a detachable box - if he wants to take along some stuff - and..." She grinned. "Side impact protection!"
Kasumi took a look at the bike, a really good piece of work. She sighed and sat down in an old armchair. "Nabiki, Ranma just told me what he's wishing for, and a bike is not one of the things. I tell you, he's so bored with his life... I could tell he was distressed. I'm really worried about him..."
Nabiki's face fell. "No bike? Just why did I work so hard on it? Look, it really works fine..." She jumped onto the bike and cycled a few times around the cramped room. The pedals squeaked horribly. And then, after the third round, the bike lost a wheel and Nabiki fell to the ground.
"I just have a screw loose..." she murmured. "Just one damn screw, and I also have to oil the thing..."
"Nabiki, did you even listen to me?" her older sister sighed.
"I understood every single word," Nabiki said offended. "Ranma doesn't want my bike. Okay, I can always drive it myself..."
"Now, now, sis... Don't be offended! I think your bike is the most brilliant, interesting and greatest thing I've ever seen."
Nabiki smirked. "So, you think so?"
"Of course!" Kasumi smiled. "I've never seen a better bike in my whole life!"
That calmed the girl genius a little bit and she sat down in a chair. "Well... about those wishes... what are they?"
"I thought about it," Kasumi said. "His first wish is a special kind of cake... Something unusual. I decided that the royal bakers in Saotokyo should be able to create something fitting. Perhaps Ukyo wants to help them, if she likes... That's why I called a meeting for this evening at 20, within the bakehouse.
Second: Ranma wants a pony. That's why I invented the ambassador of the Juuban kingdom. They are known for their big ranches, it certainly will be easy for them to find some nice pony for our king. That's also no problem.
But three and four: The magician and the thunderstorm... He wants a real magician, you know? Someone who wants to entertain him on his birthday party. I don't know anyone who could be considered. And a thunderstorm? For the last few weeks, the weather has always been sunny. How are we supposed to influence the weather like this?"
"Well, it's easy," Nabiki smirked. "The magician just has to conjure up a thunderstorm, and everything's fine."
"Well, do you know a magician?"
"No, no, it was just an idea..."
Kasumi stood up. "You know what? I think we can leave out the magician. If Ranma gets three of those four things, he will be happy enough."
"And what about the storm?"
Kasumi looked down at her sister. "You will take care of that!"
Nabiki stared. "M-me?"
"That's right!" The royal coiffeur smirked. "Nabiki Tendo, I hereby order you to build a Storm Machine for King Ranma's birthday."
Nabiki jumped to her feet. "Now wait just a sec, sis... I can build burglar-proof door latches, high-speed bikes, even ejection seats for cars... but a Storm Machine? I don't even have the slightest idea how something like that is supposed to look like."
"I don't care how it looks like," Kasumi replied. "As long as it's able to create a real thunderstorm. I know you can do it, Nabiki... Don't forget, you're a genius. I'll see you at 19:30 at the well. See you then."
And she left Nabiki's little workshop.
For several minutes, Nabiki just stood there and thought about it. Then she sat down at her desk and began sharpening her pencil.
"Storm Machine..." she grumbled. "Storm Machine... Lightning, thunder, crack-a-doom..." And while she sharpened her pencil and thought and thought and sharpened her pencil, it was getting later and later. She was that much in thought that she didn't even notice when nothing of the pencil was left to sharpen anymore...
See other episodes by Shritistrang
(Posted Sat, 07 Oct 2006 11:15)
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