Turning, she found the setting sun had been blocked by...
an insectile being just over two meters long. Four of its limbs were employed as legs, and the two not engaged in holding the creature up were holding a wooden staff that ended in some sort of ceramic blade/hook arrangement.
"eeeee," tried to force itself out of Ukyo's throat.
"Look, mammal, would you terribly mind not freezing in the middle of the intersection?"
Ukyo blinked as it penetrated that she actually understood the creature. "Uhm... you talk."
"I do? Oh my goodness! When did that happen!" The insect made a snapping gesture with its mandibles. "Now if you terribly don't mind, the prince is due to choose a lifemate tonight and I want to get my bet in!"
"Prince?" Ukyo continued to stare at the insect.
"You must be from one of the outlying areas," said the bug. "Mammals can be so terribly impolite."
"Is there a problem?" asked a rumbly deep voice.
Slowly Ukyo turned. A sphere about six feet across, a mouth that was a wide gash. One big eye. About a dozen smaller eyes on stalks in some bizarre mockery of hair. The scream tried to force its way out of her throat again.
"This mammal is apparently from some outlying area and unfamiliar with traffic laws," snapped the thri-kreen. "I need to place my wager upon who Prince Ranma will choose tonight. Good day, officer!"
"Move along then," advised the spherical creature. "Here now, lass, be moving along now. Ye can't be blocking the intersection."
"Did he say 'Prince Ranma'," asked Ukyo in a shaky voice.
"Yes, Prince Ranma," agreed the beholder.
"That lousy creep is a prince?!" Ukyo began snarling.
"I am relatively sure he is free from small parasitic insects, though he can be sneaky, I'm told," replied the beholder, wondering why his translation pendant seemed to regularly produce bizarre results. Particularly when dealing with young humanoids.
Ukyo wasn't thinking things through too clearly. As a result her next words were shouted (even though many of the passerby didn't speak Japanese at all).
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(Posted Sun, 23 Feb 2003 12:18)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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