Again, C&C may be ignored. I'm just commenting on the
AMG aspects.

--- Thryth <thrythlind@yahoo.com> wrote:

*Warning: contrived coincidences will appear at
almost random*

What, no more cliches?

Seven Omiais in One Day

Why do I have this feeling of impending doom? ^_^;

   "Okay," Urd said.  "First I 'rewarded' those
three,
did you know that one of them is half-demon?  Wait
of
course you knew, you probably read the file. 
Anyway,
then I kissed the next one just to keep h..uh...her
from asking anymore questions.  Then came that other
girl I decided to help out a little with sexuality
issues..."
   "Oh my," Belldandy said, blushing red.  Skuld and
Keiichi stared at Urd, blinking.
   "And then I met Kodachi at the bar and got
drunk,"
Urd said.  "Actually...she's half-demon
too...strange
that there would be two unrelated half-demons in the
same place.  Then again, with all the mortal powers
there..."
   "You made out with six different people," Keiichi
said, interrupting her.  "In one day?"
   "And you didn't know they were the people you
were
looking for?" Skuld asked, she really didn't know
any
longer whether she could continue to be amused or
embarrassed about her sister.
   "Well, I didn't have time for any REAL fun," Urd
said, producing a series of differing reactions from
the other three.  Belldandy blushed deeper, Keiichi
twitched and Skuld looked green.  "I had work to do
after all.  Hmmm, nice bunch though, I could
definitely stand to be around them for a while. 
Kinda glad it worked out that way."

I've already made the point in chapter 1, but nobody
in the entire cast of AMG has shown any likelihood of
tolerating a polygamous relationship, least of all
Belldandy or Urd. Urd refused to get back together
with Troubadour because he put something else (his
music/career/license/whatever) ahead of her. "I just
couldn't stand it," she said. Very similar to
Belldandy threatening to return to Heaven or becoming
so jealous that her emotional aura smashes light bulbs
every time she fears another girl is getting too close
to Keiichi.

<SNIP>

*******

   There was one good thing about her assignment
though.  The cover story was VERY easy to make
without
lying.  Judging by what she had seen in the file she
had finally read, the bounds of plausibility in this
neighborhood had been stretched beyond all
conceptions.  
   Urd figured she could tell them that she was the
space pirate daughter of a prime goddess here to
marry
the boy that she had watched grow up through most of
his life after being imprisoned by his grandfather
for
attacking their home planet.
   "Naww..." Urd said as she knocked on the door. 
"Who would believe that."

*******

   Ryoko sneezed.

Hehe. Especially since TM cloned AMG's "one guy living
in a house with several beautiful and magical women"
and took it to the extreme.

Urd would actually make a good Ryoko, except for the
part about fawning over a guy who won't commit to her.

*******

   "Hello, can I help you?" Kasumi said as she
opened
the door.  The person on the other side, a tall,
tanned gaijin woman with interesting taste in
clothes
backpedaled a couple of steps in surprise.  "Oh my,
did I startle you?"
   "Errr, this is the Tendo Dojo, right?" the woman
asked.
   "Why, yes it is," Kasumi said, blinking in
confusion at the woman and her behavior.
   "I think I need to speak to a Soun Tendo and a
Genma Saotome..." Urd said, trying to decide if this
was Bell playing a joke or just a really strange
coincidence.  Kasumi blinked.
   "Oh, certainly," she said, sounding vaguely
cautious now.  "Please, come right in."
   "Thanks," Urd said, looking at Kasumi curiously.
   "Father," Kasumi called out.  "You and
Saotome-san have visitors!"
   "What is that Kasumi?" Soun asked as Kasumi led
Urd into the tea room.  As usual the two men were
playing shogi.
   "I shall prepare some tea," Kasumi said.  "Do try
to be polite."
   "Is there something wrong with my daughter?" Soun
asked, noting Urd's confused look as Kasumi walked
out of the room.
   "She's almost the spitting image of my sister,"
Urd
said faintly.  "Voice, personality...everything."

Cliche-o-meter... pegged! 

Not a bad cliche, though, as Fujishima wanted Kasumi's
seiyuu to play Belldandy.

   "You mean there are two such women in the world?"
Genma asked, blinking.
   "Errr, back to business," Urd said turning back
around.
   "What business is that?" Soun asked.
   "Well, I find myself in a rather confusing and
difficult situation," Urd said.  "And this is just
the
first place I have to stop by."
   "What kind of confusing situation would that be?"
Soun asked.
   "My father has an...interesting sense of humor,"
Urd said.  "I get the feeling he's trying to make a
point with this."
   "Excuse me," Genma said.  "Who is your father?"
   "I'm sorry," Urd said, dodging the question.  "I
forgot to introduce myself.  I'm Urd Wodendottir."  
   It wasn't nearly an accurate name, the Norns were
all three older than Odin.  In fact, they had
advised
him on his original rise to power, but it was a much
more obscure name than, say, "Godsdottir."

Hmm, I was going to let this pass since there is no
evidence that he is NOT their father. However, there
is similarly no hard evidence that he IS, and
circumstantial evidence would indicate that he is not.
Still, this isn't a cliche, really.

Canonical note: The references to "father" in the
English dub of the OVA and a recent Darkhorse chapter
are both mistranslations. It's Kami-sama both times in
the original Japanese.

   "Wodendottir," Soun said.  "Is that a name you
are
familiar with?"
   "Not I Tendo," Genma said.  Then they turned to
look at Urd.  "You wouldn't be..."
   "I AM engaged to your children," Urd interrupted.

"Yes."  Genma and Soun irked then stood up roaring
in
Urd's face.
   "HOW did THAT happen?" they both roared.
   "Well, let's see," Urd said calmly.  "First there
was this man that was a little lacking in money so
he
sold my father this wedding contract with one Ranma
Saotome."  
   It was true, the man had swore that he'd burn the
thing in offering if he had a stroke of good luck,
and
he had.  
   "And then this other guy from some side branch of
the Picolette family tossed his off on us after
hearing about the contract with another branch
getting
nullified."  
   Also true, though the exact words as he destroyed
the paper had been "let God sort it out."  
   Urd produced the documents in question, however,
as
she spoke.  There were notations to the effect that
they had been sold to the Wodendottir family.
   "Well," Soun said.  "I'm sorry to say that I
can't
provide you a husband.  I only have daughters."
   "Not a problem, it actually makes it easier," Urd
said.  Suddenly they were speaking to a well-built,
rougishly handsome gaijin man, and the feminine
robes
had become something just as stylish, but more
suiting
a male.  "My family knows a lot about magic, and
well...two bodies...two identities...two marriages. 
If it were just a matter of you two, this would be
comparatively easy."
   Meanwhile, Genma had toned out as wheels started
rolling in his head.
   "Bu...bu...bu..." Soun sputtered as Urd returned
to
her natural form.
   "Now, this was just a polite visit to inform you
of
the situation," Urd said as Kasumi brought in tea.
   "Here's the tea," Kasumi said.
   "Oh, thanks, Belldandy," Urd said, she twitched. 
"I'm sorry...Kasumi...you just look so much like my
sister."

She sounds and acts like Belldandy, but looks?
Belldandy is a brown-haired gaijin.

<SNIP>

*******

   "Okay," Urd tapped her foot.  "Ukyou Kuonji,
still
in school...Ryouga Hibiki...don't know where he
is...Kodachi Kuno," a grin spread across Urd's face.

Again, Urd is straight as an arrow,. though portrayed
like this often enough in fanfiction.

<SNIP>

   Still, as Cologne read on, a broad smile began to
stretch over her face.  If this letter was the
genuine
article, then that meant the bearing was much more

Did you mean:

bearing => being 

or 

bearing => bearer

?

than a mere sorceress.  And if she was willing to a
marriage, it would certainly make the tribe much
more powerful indeed.

<SNIP>

   Again...it was all true.  Urd was really
beginning
to want to hurt most of the parents of her
intendeds. 
Too bad she wasn't allowed too.

too. => to.


Well, am I getting used to this, or was this chapter
lighter on the AMG cliches? Anyway, on to chapter 3,
but later.

Brian W.

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