Makoto left the alley after her brief encounter with the gymnast looney, and started to look around for a place where she could study the map to the legendary treasure with quiet and tranquility (Commodities that seemed to be quite scarce in this ward), but her quest was quickly interrupted by the growing grumbling of her stomach.
I can't believe it's already this late Minako thought after she looked at her clock. I'd better look for a restaurant. Perhaps I can look at this map while I'm waiting for the food...
She asked a old woman that was cleaning the street in front of her house (Barely avoiding being splashed), and she was directed to a Chinese restaurant named "The Nekohanten".
When she pushed the door open, she was surprised to find a dark and damp room. The only light sources were the opened door and the thin spaces between the wooden boards that blocked every window. The tables and stools that once might have been used by the clients of the Nekohanten now were full of weird objects, strange bottles and mysterious boxes. The darkness prevented her to see behind the bar of the main room.
What a mess... she thought. Is this place really open? The door is certainly unlocked...
Her curiosity got the better of her, and she entered the darkness of the restaurant. (Not before putting a stool at the door to keep it open).
She picked up an object that caught her attention. A rubber duck with a pulley in the middle? What the heck would this be used for?
"What may I help you with, lass?"
Minako yelped in surprise and almost dropped the fake duck. She turned around and faced a small old woman with long, white hair, dressed in a decorated silk dress, and that seemed to be perched in a long and gnarled staff.
"Er..." Minako tried to answer.
"Aah... so you feel guilty of entering my restaurant without permission and stealing my duck. Take it. It's yours," the old woman said, pointing at the duck at Minako's hands. "It's just a failed experiment of my employee, when he still tried to duck-shaped weapons. I don't want it here."
"But why don't you want it? It might explode?" Minako asked her, wary.
"No, the pulley squeaks,"
"But-"
"Yes, yes, I know." the old woman interrupted. "You want to complete your quest and all that. The sooner I deal with you, the sooner you will leave and let me finish the spring cleaning. So, what is your preference? Tarot? I Ching? Possession by ancient spirits from beyond? Magical eight Ball?"
Minako tried to answer.
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(Posted Thu, 23 Nov 2006 00:29)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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