Soun looked at Genma. "The curse is looking less and less like a problem, old friend," he said solemnly.
"I'm glad that you see it like that, Soun-old-buddy," Genma replied, perking up slightly.
"If only in comparison to your son's attitude," Soun finished.
"Oh."
"We need to take steps, Genma. If the boy were to just leave then all our plans are for nothing."
"He won't do that," Genma assured the Tendo patriarch. "I admit that his ignorance is an unforeseen problem, but look on the bright side. He can't survive without someone to deal with anything outside the martial arts. And I'm the only person that he knows, so he literally can't leave me. So long as I stay here, he has to stay here with us."
Soun brightened. "That's perfect! And once he's married to one of my daughters he'll be left dependent upon her! He can carry on the schools, and his wife can do the actual running of the household... that's brilliant!"
Genma beamed. "I rather thought so, old friend."
"Of course, these days things are so much more complicated," Soun said thoughtfully. "There's paperwork and so forth... You should send him to school with Akane and Nabiki. That will give them a chance to fall in love."
"School?" Genma frowned. "Well, if you say so, old friend. I can't say I like taking the time away from his training, but if it helps the marriage..."
"Besides," Soun added absently. "I suppose it must have been difficult for his schooling, to move around as much as you have. They expect sensei's to have college degrees these days, you know, so he'll want to get caught up."
"College?" Genma asked faintly.
Soun nodded. "Ridiculous, isn't it? But we have to move with the times..." He held up the bottle of sake they were sharing and tilted it thoughtfully. "How strange... this is empty. When did that happen?" He cracked the seal on a second bottle, thus missing the worried look on Genma's face as he desperately tried to remember what sort of education was needed to get into a college. He was almost certain that being able to read would be necessary...
D for Drakensis
You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.
"I'm glad that you see it like that, Soun-old-buddy," Genma replied, perking up slightly.
"If only in comparison to your son's attitude," Soun finished.
"Oh."
"We need to take steps, Genma. If the boy were to just leave then all our plans are for nothing."
"He won't do that," Genma assured the Tendo patriarch. "I admit that his ignorance is an unforeseen problem, but look on the bright side. He can't survive without someone to deal with anything outside the martial arts. And I'm the only person that he knows, so he literally can't leave me. So long as I stay here, he has to stay here with us."
Soun brightened. "That's perfect! And once he's married to one of my daughters he'll be left dependent upon her! He can carry on the schools, and his wife can do the actual running of the household... that's brilliant!"
Genma beamed. "I rather thought so, old friend."
"Of course, these days things are so much more complicated," Soun said thoughtfully. "There's paperwork and so forth... You should send him to school with Akane and Nabiki. That will give them a chance to fall in love."
"School?" Genma frowned. "Well, if you say so, old friend. I can't say I like taking the time away from his training, but if it helps the marriage..."
"Besides," Soun added absently. "I suppose it must have been difficult for his schooling, to move around as much as you have. They expect sensei's to have college degrees these days, you know, so he'll want to get caught up."
"College?" Genma asked faintly.
Soun nodded. "Ridiculous, isn't it? But we have to move with the times..." He held up the bottle of sake they were sharing and tilted it thoughtfully. "How strange... this is empty. When did that happen?" He cracked the seal on a second bottle, thus missing the worried look on Genma's face as he desperately tried to remember what sort of education was needed to get into a college. He was almost certain that being able to read would be necessary...
D for Drakensis
You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.