Word Problems

"Sesshoumaru-sama is walking-"

"Where is he going?"

"Irrelevant. Sesshoumaru-sama is walking-"

"Is Rin with him?"

"Hai, she is; and so is Jaken-sama and Aun. No may I continue?"

"Hai!" came the happy reply.

"Sesshoumaru-sama and his companions are walking when their path is suddenly obstructed."

"What does 'obstructed' mean?"

"Past tense of obstruct; obstruct: to block, to be in the way. Their path is suddenly obstructed by juusan youkai. Jaken-sama told them to move, but they refused. Sesshoumaru-sama dispatched, past tense of dispatch which is to... permanently remove, san youkai as a warning to the rest. Ichi youkai ran away; how many are left?"

"Juu, iie, kyuu!"

"Yoku deshimashita! The remaining kyuu youkai refused to move so Sesshoumaru-sama cut down yon more. As Jaken-sama belittled, past tense of belittle, means to make fun of, them the youkai who had run away returned. How many youkai still block the path?"

"Roku!"

"Hai. Sesshoumaru-sama got rid of go youkai-"

"Ichi!"

"Hai. And ichi remained. It was the youkai who had run. Suddenly, there were nana youkai behind Aun."

"Hachi!"

"Hai. The youkai had run for reinforcements, backup-"

"A futile effort."

"Futile- useless. Sesshoumaru-sama used his youki whip on the newly arrived youkai and Jaken-sama roasted the ichi remaining youkai with Nintoujou. How many youkai did Sesshoumaru-sama teach a lesson."

"Ichi!"

"Soo desu ka?"

"Hai! Sesshoumaru-sama killed juukyuu youkai and Jaken-sama killed ichi, the youkai who had run. And because Jaken-sama presumed," a black eyebrow rose at the word, "to kill the ichi that Sesshoumaru-sama spared, Sesshoumaru-sama taught Jaken-sama a lesson!"

"Ahh... This happens often?"

"Hai!"

"What is the purpose of this?"

"To teach Rin-chan math. Dooshite?"

"Do Sesshoumaru-sama! Do Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Such things are beneath this Sesshoumaru."

"Soo desu ka? Or are you afraid I'll make it too hard for you?"

"Ningen are inferior to youkai, especially a taiyoukai."

"Does that mean you'll do it?"

"..."

"Onegai shimasu, Sesshoumaru-sama. It's fun!" the little girl pleaded.

"...Don't pause."

"But of course. Okay, you, Sesshoumaru-sama, are a coachman-"

"Ridiculous. This Sesshoumaru would never be a coachman," he spat the last word.

"It doesn't matter; it's just hypothetical!"

"I, Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, would never be a coachman."

"Fine! You, Sesshoumaru-sama, the great, powerful, almighty, and conceited-" he growled, she glared whilst continuing, "-taiyoukai and Lord of the Western Lands, are going to war."

"Dooshite?"

"Nani?"

"Why am I going to war and with whom?"

"Argh! It doesn't matter! Read my lips: it is irrelevant!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Gah! You're so noisy! You are going to war with Naraku because he called you a cross-dressing sissy who is getting it on with Jaken! Happy?!"

"...'Getting it on'?"

"It is not an appropriate thing to discuss in front of a child," she spoke primly.

"You will explain this later."

"Maybe," he raised one finely arched eyebrow questioningly. "Only if you stop interrupting."

"Agreed."

"Good, now just listen. You are going to war with a force of ichimanyonsenroppyakunijuuni youkai, yourself included. In the first battle ni generals, yon captains, and yonsenrokujuusan soldiers die, hyaku deserted, gojuunana joined Naraku, and sanjuuni joined the side, and don't even think of interrupting.

"In the second battle reinforcements of happyuakunijuusan arrived, roughly nihyaku youkai were fatally injured, sensanbyaku were killed, zero deserted or went to Naraku, and nanajuugo switched from Naraku's side.

"In the third and final battle, senhyakujuuichi recruits arrived, nisenyonhyakugojuusan youkai died, and juukyuuu deserted when the outcome looked bad. How old is the taiyoukai leading the attacks?"

"Who won?"

"You won, okay? Now stop stalling and answer the question."

"Hassenyonhyakugojuugo," came the ready response.

"Wow, you're old," she smirked.

"...You think you're so clever."

"I know I am. Don't give me that look. Hey, it's your own fault for assuming to know the question. Get away!" She took off running through the gardens, followed by the excited squeals of Rin and a mischievous Sesshoumaru.

He grabbed for her as she tripped, taking him down with her. They landed in a heap, still for a moment trying to take in what had happened.

Sesshoumaru's head lifted from her shoulder. He looked down into her sparkling sapphire eyes, the look in molten gold ones softening. She raised her head from the ground and sweetly kissed him.

"Ai shiteru.."

"Ai shiteru, Kagome."

Owari

Translations:

-sama... honorific title

hai... yes

iie... no

youkai... demon(s)

Yoku dekimashita... Very good.

youki... demon energy (I think), similar to jaki

Nintoujou... Jaken's Staff of Heads

-chan... affectionate term used for females and small children

dooshite... why?

Soo desu ka... Is that so? Really?

nani... what?

taiyoukai... great demon

onegai shimasu... please do it for me (in this case)

ai shiteru... I love you

ichi... one

ni... two

san... three

yon... four

go... five

roku... six

nana... seven

hachi... eight

kyuu... nine

juu... ten

juu kyuuu... 19

sanjuu ni... 32

gojuu nana... 57

nanajuu go... 75

hyaku... one hundred

nihyaku... two hundred

happyaku nijuusan... 823 (From here on, I assume these are correct.)

sen... 1,000

sen hyaku juuichi... 1,111

sen sanbyaku.... 1,300

nisen yonhyaku gojuu san... 2,453

yonsen rokujuusan... 4,063

hassen yonhyaku gojuu go... 8,455

ichiman yonsen roppyaku nijuu ni... 14,722

Completed:  Thursday, October 9, 2003

Edited:  Tuesday, February 3, 2004