Calm's Sorrow
A Magister Negi Magi: Negima! and Ranma ½ crossover
By: GraysonPaladin, the author formerly known as Paladin13
Inspired by: Kamon772's "The Tough Badgermole and the Chaotic Horse", written with his permission
Disclaimer: I GraysonPaladin do not hold the rights to Ranma ½ and Negima, those belong Rumiko Takahashi and Ken Akamatsu, respectively. I do own any OCs except for Aura, the little bundle of joy belongs to Kamon772.
Summary: Who is Nodoka Saotome? Who was she before the birth of Ranma? What made her the person that she is? Whatever happened to Nodoka Miyazaki? Why did she disappear after Negi's confession? What if these two women, a Mistress of the Blade and a Mistress of the Book, are one and the same?
*************
Chapter One: A Past Remembered
June 30th, 2016
Nerima ward, Tokyo Japan
In old well warn house a thirty-two year old woman in an elegant, yet worn kimono. Her auburn hair swept up into conservative bun shined in the noonday sun, her large brown eyes gleamed with a hidden intelligence. Sitting on a worn couch she flips through a battered photo album, she stops on one particular photo. This photo shows thirty one middle school girls and two ten year old boys. She moved her fingers across the picture before stopping on one of the girls. This girl was smiling but showing a blush of embarrassment, her long dark almost violet hair covered her eyes.
"So much has changed since then," the woman whisper to herself, "I am no longer that young naïve girl."
She turns to another page; this has a strange looking card, one reminiscent of a tarot card. It showed the young girl, the woman's younger self, on the face. She was dressed in a school uniform, her dark hair parted in a way that her left eye is shown. Around her are books, crossing her image is two words, a name, Mijazaci Nodoca, Miyazaki Nodoka, the woman's true name, instead of Saotome Nodoka. She snaps the album closed before setting it down on the low coffee table as she hears the door bell. Standing up she walks to the door to find a pile of letters falling from the mail slot.
Nodoka shuffles through the post, "bill, bill, catalog, wait what's this?" She pulls out a simple letter in a white envelope with red, blue, and white outline. Unlike the other letters her name and address are written in romanji not kanji. The sender surprised her, Negi Springfield, her old homeroom teacher from Mahora.
As she opens the letter she sits back down, hoping not to fall on the floor. With a shaky hand she pulls the letter out of the envelope and flips it open. It wasn't magical hologram letter that she was excepting but a simple written note.
"Dear Nodoka Saotome née Miyazaki,
You are herby cordially invited to the ten year class reunion of Class Three-A, Mahora Academy. The reunion will take place at Mahora Academy on July Eleventh to the Sixteenth. Food, room and board, and transportation will be provided. All class members will be staying in Ayaka Yukihiro's mansion for the duration of the reunion. Please RSVP as soon as possible with all who will be in your party.
Nodoka I really do hope that you come, at least long enough for apologies. I am sorry for all that has happen to you, for breaking your heart. I knew that you had feelings for me, but I already gave my heart away since our trip to the World of Magic. About month after you left Haruna finally told me what happen, again I am sorry. Please come so I can say all that in person.
Sincerely,
Negi and Chachamaru Springfield"
Nodoka didn't realize that she was crying until she sees tears falling onto the letter. Ten years, ten long years for him finally talk to me. Of course I'm going Negi-sensei, I wouldn't miss it for the world, she thought. She wipes the tears away and sets the letter down before regaining her composer. Knowing what she must do, she pulls out a calligraphy set and writes a reply.
The morning after she drops her three year old daughter, Yue, at day care Nodoka heads to the small public library where she works. Not even her marriage to Genma could negate her love of books. Walking into the library Nodoka can almost fell the power radiating from the books, even ten years from leaving the Ala Alba she still retains her power as a Bibliomancer, a Book Mage.
"Nagatabi-san, I'm in," Nodoka calls out after she checks in.
Some laughed from behind her as a tall woman walks up to Nodoka. Her hair is an unusual shade of midnight-green, which contrasts with her crimson eyes. "Nodoka how many time must I tell you call me Tsubame," the head librarian Tsubame Nagatabi asks.
"Only a million times Tsubame-san," Nodoka said with a smile as Tsubame rolled her eyes.
The rest of the morning went by fairly quickly for the two, but since they worked at a small branch library very few people came in. Only around lunch time did they take a break.
"Um, Tsubame-san," Nodoka asks with a shaky voice.
Tsubame turns her head to face the younger woman, "what is it Nodoka?"
"I need to take some time off in two weeks," Nodoka asks hesitantly.
Tsubame raises a brow at the question, for all the time that she has worked with Nodoka the other woman has never asked for time off. "Time off, what for?"
"For my class reunion."
"Well seeing that you have never used your vacation time you can go." Tsubame pauses as she takes a sip of her tea, "If you don't mind me asking, what school did you go to?"
"Mahora Academy in Ibaraki Prefecture."
After work Nodoka deposits the letter and head home after picking up Yue. The rest of the day seemed meld into the coming week. Until the next Friday when Nodoka and Yue packed their bags and left for Nerima Station. From there they made a shot hop to Tokyo Station before boarding a different train to Mahora. While Yue with her head on her mother's lap Nodoka stared out the window, her mind drifting form the present to the past.
*************
"Well girls this is our final day together, in a few short hours you will all cross the stage for your diplomas," class 3-A homeroom/English teacher, Negi Springfield said. "I am very proud of every single one of you. In the four years that I have been your teacher I have seen all of you grow up from being one of the biggest bunch of misfits to the finest group of young ladies that I have ever seen." Negi walks out from behind the lectern. The young mage has grown up considerably since he first arrived at Mahora, no longer the short ten year old he now looks like the spitting image of his father Nagi. "Despite the various misadventures early on all of you have done so well. I am proud to be you teacher and Mahora is proud to have you as part of the Class of Two-Thousand and Six." The Gray Mage reaches into his trouser pocket and pulls out a small box. The entire room goes quite; every single young woman knows what is in that box. "I know all of you know what it is this box; before you leave you will know my choice."
Negi walks through the line of desks the very back of the room, thirty pairs of eyes watching his every move. He passes Nodoka's desk with only the barest of glances before proceeding down the row, with each step he took her heart started to break. He turns left to face one of the more unusual members of the class. The only one who seemed to have an idea to what is going on is Evangeline A.K. McDowell who leaned back in her chair with a knowing smirk. Negi kneels before his destination and opens the box, the enter class held its collective breath. Inside the box is a simple gold ring with two small diamonds.
"Chachamaru Rakuso would you give me the honor of becoming my wife?" With each word, each syllable Nodoka's heart broke.
The gynoid sat there looking at the young mage, a faint blush creeping up on her pale features.
With a shaky voice Chachamaru answered, "Yes Negi I will." She leans down to the kneeling teacher and kisses him for all he is worth.
With that kiss Nodoka's heart finally shattered and she dropped her head to the desk with a resounding thud. Her friends, Yue Ayase and Haruna Saotome, looked over at her with concern.
"Blind, blind, I have been so blind," the shy girl muttered. "How could I not see him going to her? I should have seen it!"
With Negi proposal distracting the rest of the class, Yue stood up from her seat and walked over to Nodoka. She leans in over Nodoka's desk and whispers, "don't worry Nodoka we'll find away to break up the engagement."
The normally shy young woman grabbed Yue's collar and pulled her in closer. "You and Haruna will do no such thing. Negi-sensei made his choice and we will have to live with that," she whispered dangerously. "It is better to have one unhappy person than three. If her truly loves me then he will come back, if he doesn't then it wasn't meant to be." She lets go Yue's collar and returns to her ponderings.
The rest of the day became a blur. Nodoka could barely remember leaving class to when she received her diploma.
*********
Nodoka is brought out of her thought and back into the present when the train's intercom chimed.
"Mahora Station, Mahora Station," the conductor calls out. "All passenger we will be arriving at Mahora Station in one minute."
Nodoka softly shakes her daughter awake," wake up Yue-chan, we've arrived."
Yue sits up rubbing her eyes, "ok Mama I'm awake."
When the train pulled to a stop the two disembarked. As Nodoka walks hand in hand with her daughter through the familiar turnstiles memories of the past crept up from the recesses of her mind. AS they walked into the school-city the warmth of familiarity washes over the older woman. When she sees the centerpiece of Mahora, the World Tree, Nodoka Saotome née Miyazaki knows one thing.
"I'm home, Dear God I'm finally home," she says with a large smile.
Nodoka smiles at her daughter, who has a confused expression on her pretty face. In a few short minutes they left the station and entered the heart of the school. Yue looks around at the buildings and people with wonder and curiosity.
"Mama what's this place," she asks.
Nodoka looks down at her and smiles. "Yue-chan this is where I went to school, this place has been home for a long time."
Within thirty minutes mother and daughter stepped onto the front walk a mansion. After double checking the address they walked up to the front door and knocked. After three tries the doors open revealing a woman of medium height and long blond hair, she is dressed in a dress-suit, blue eyes radiating with authority.
"Yes who is it," the woman asks.
Nodoka looks at her quizzically, a small half smile forming on her lips. "You don't remember me Iincho, I know it has been ten years," Nodoka reached behind her head and undoes the clip holding her hair up. While most of the hair falls down her back, some fall across her eyes.
Ayaka Yukihiro stares at the auburn haired woman in front of her as the hair tumbles down. Even if the hair is auburn instead of a deep violet only one person wore her hair like that. "Nodoka," Ayaka asks with surprise. "Is that you, what happen to your hair and who's the kid?"
Nodoka chuckled at her former class rep. "Slow down Ayaka, It's a long story and I'm sure I will have to repeat it many of time, but for now can we come in before my daughter fall asleep," she motions over to Yue who is staring the doze off.
"Oh of course come on in," Ayaka opens the door further permitting Nodoka and Yue to enter.
A butler came down and took their bags up to their rooms while Ayaka took mother and child to one of the small sitting rooms. With Yue fast asleep on a couch and tea served the two women being to talk.
"So what happen, I mean you disappeared right after the party," Ayaka asks.
Nodoka sighs as she sits the teacup down on a saucer. "I hard for me to explain, do you remember on the day of graduation when Negi-sensei proposed to Chachamaru?"
"Yes I do," Ayaka stopped talking but her mind kept moving. "Wait you had a crush on him... oh my I can see where this is going."
Nodoka nods her head, "yes after he proposed my heart shattered, the rest of the day is all a blur. For the most part I kept to myself until the party; even then I went only because Yue and Haruna dragged me there."
Ayaka nods as she sips her tea and motions for Nodoka to continue.
**********
As I said I wasn't planning on going since it was not just a graduation party but a party to celebrate Negi and Chachamaru's engagement, and I didn't want to be reminded of that fact. When I got there everyone and their families were there, then I met him.
Haruna walks up to me with a stocky man who looks uncomfortable in the slacks and button up shirt. "Nodoka this is my elder brother Genma, nii-san this is my best friend Nodoka Miyazaki."
"Pleasure to meet you Nodoka-san," his voice seemed soft but there was an underling edge to it.
"Oh no the pleasure is mine, Genma-san."
After a while we started to talk about ourselves, but then I knew that we had nothing in common. But still we enjoyed each other's company, we even danced for a while and as a martial artist he was quite the dancer. But then Haruna spiked the punch and I mean with something hard. The rest of the night is blank to me until the next morning when I woke up in Genma's hotel room.
I groaned as I opened my eyes, "what the hell happened." I looked down finding my naked next to Genma. "Oh no, I…I... d…i…d…n't did I," I asked myself. Feeling the pain from the actives I knew the answer.
I silently got out of the bed and put on my cloths, which were scattered around d the room and hurriedly left the hotel for my dorm. I kept the incident to myself until a few weeks later when I knew something was wrong.
"Oh God I don't feel so good," I groaned after I vomited into the trashcan next to my bed.
Haruna and Yue looked at me with concern as I threw-up one more time.
"Um Nodoka have you gotten yourself checked out yet," Yue asked, "I mean you have been throwing-up for the past few mornings."
"No I haven't, I think it's just a stomach bug," I replied before hitting the trash can again.
The two of them looked at each other and nodded, and before I knew it they were dragging me to see Shizuna-sensei. After a few hours and many tests later Shizuna-sensei pulled me into the privacy of her office. I knew something was wrong, something that changed my life forever.
"Well Miyazaki-kun it appears that you are pregnant," she said with a neutral expression.
My cheeks flushed, "pregnant but how? I mean…" Then is hit me, "oh no Genma, I slept with Haruna's brother."
Shizuna-sensei face softens as looks at me with sympathy, "do you want to talk about it?"
"No, no please don't tell anyone," I shouted as I rushed out of the infirmary before Shizuna-sensei could reply.
I rushed back to my dorm, my mind a jumble of thoughts. I found Yue and Haruna waiting for me in the dorm, the faces showing a mixture of emotions.
"I'm pregnant," I said simply.
Haruna gazed into my eyes, her face full of concern, "how, when?"
"Someone spiked the punch during the party," Haruna's face shifted to guilt, "and it was with your brother."
Haruna fainted at the news while Yue sat silently. Before I knew it my family knew and due to their strict beliefs I was pulled out of Mahora and engaged to Genma. My future was ruined.
*********
Ayaka finished her tea as Nodoka finished her story. "I'm guessing that there is more to the story than that," the former class-rep asks.
"Yes there is but it can wait."
"I do have one question though," Ayaka said. "Why didn't you ask for help from the class?"
Nodoka looks down at her teacup, fidgeting with it. Her cheek flush, her voice wavers. "Two reasons why. First my family is very traditional, to the point that I was very lucky to have gone to Mahora. When my father found out he pulled me out of school and forbid me from talking to anyone in the class other than Haruna. He believed that it was the class and Negi's influence that caused me to get pregnant."
"And the second reason," Ayaka asks hesitantly, fearing the answer.
"I was afraid of what the class' reaction would be." Tears started to flow down her cheeks, "I thought you would all hate me."
Nodoka at that moment started to weep. Ten years worth of bottle up emotions broke through. Ayaka did what any true friend would do; she sat next to the weeping woman and embraced her, becoming the shoulder to cry on. After a minute the tears stopped and Nodoka calmed down.
"Mama what's wrong," Yue asks, waking up from her nap.
Nodoka wipes the tears away before answering, "nothing's wrong Yue-chan, not anymore." She back over at Ayaka and blushes in embarrassment, "I guess introductions are needed, Yue-chan this is my old friend Ayaka Yukihiro, Ayaka this is my daughter Yue."
The young girl moved onto her mother lap and looked up at Ayaka. Brown eyes gazed into sapphire; Yue smiled and hugged the older woman.
"Ayaka-oba-san," she said.
Ayaka looks down at the child and smiles, "yes Yue-chan I'm auntie." She looks back at Nodoka, "so what happen to your eldest? Yue is obviously too young to be your first."
Nodoka leans back in the couch, "My son Ranma was taken away from me by my husband at the age of two. I only saw one more time three years ago. All I have to remember my son are a few photos and this," she reaches in her kimono and pulls out a sheet of parchment before handing it to Ayaka.
The former class rep opens the sheet and gasps. "A seppuku contract? But why, they haven't been used in years."
"I believe that the contract would be a legal way for Genma to deny me access of my son."
Ayaka looks back at the contract noticing that Ranma's 'signature' is some finger doodles in paint. "Well for all that it is worth this contract is not legal."
"I know that Ayaka it just I have nowhere to look."
"I see, I will offer any help that I can with tracking down your wayward husband and son. One last question, what happen to your hair?"
Nodoka laughed at the question, "I'm sorry Ayaka," she tried to regain her control, "this is my real hair color," she points at her auburn hair. "Well as close as it was before I came to Mahora, originally my hair coloring was a bright red, but over the years the color darkened. Remember back in school that I was so shy, I dyed my hair so I could blend in."
Ayaka snorted, "like dark violet is more conspicuous that red."
"How about green, pink, or even blond," Nodoka retorted.
"Touché bookworm, touché."
Nodoka left shortly afterward with Yue, to show her daughter around campus but not before asking Ayaka to not tell the other of her arrival. Yue looked around Mahora with awe, her mother told her bedtime stories of the school, but to see it real life is overwhelming to the three year old. Around six that evening after dropping Yue off at the nursery in the mansion, Nodoka headed into downtown Mahora for the restaurant that Class 3-A is meeting in. At the restaurant the rest of 3-A are talking about how they are doing since they left Mahora, except for Yue and Haruna. The former members of the Library Exploration Club look around the sitting area hoping to find a trace of their missing friend.
"I thought that she would be here," Haruna asks.
Yue just shrugged, "we weren't sure that she was going to come anyway."
"But I swore I saw Yue-chan earlier."
The duo stopped their conversation when Negi tapped is glass. "Well everyone it seems that everyone is here."
Chachamaru looked around room to do a last minute headcount, "Negi we are missing someone, number twenty-seven, Nodoka Saotome née Miyazaki."
"Actually you are not, Chachamaru-san," someone called out from the door leading into room.
Everyone turned to face the newcomer, it is beautiful woman dressed in elegant formal kimono. Her auburn hair is held in a tight braid, her brown eyes gleaming with hidden amusement. Over thirty pairs of eyes stared at the woman whose lips became a grin.
Meanwhile as Class 3-A swarmed Nodoka, Yue-chan waited back at Ayaka's mansion with the rest of the children of Class 3-A. To say that Yue is bored out of her mind would be an understatement, none of other children want to come near her and the nursery workers took away her books. Besides her bright red hair, she also inherited her mother's shyness.
"Hello, would you like to be friends," a young voice asks.
Yue looks over at the voice to see a young boy with reddish-brown hair and brown eyes. Next to the boy is a girl of similar age with pale green hair and eyes. Both are about the same age as Yue.
"O… ok," Yue answered.
The boy grabbed Yue's hand and pulled her towards an open toy chest. She blushes at his touch.
"My name is Nagi, Nagi Springfield," the boy says, "and this is my sister Arika, what's your name?"
Yue smiles at her new friends, "Yue, Yue Saotome."
Nagi and Arika also smiled as play time began.
Back at the restaurant the commotion surrounding Nodoka's unexpected arrival died down and everyone returned to their seats. All the while Nodoka found out how the others were doing. Akira, Makie, Sakurako, and Yuna are on the National Olympic Team will be competing at Tokyo in the coming weeks. Ako was traveling her band. Most of the class has stayed in or around Mahora, a few like Fei Ku and Asuna returned to their homelands. Nodoka held off any questions, promising to answer them after dinner.
Yue and Haruna looked over at their friend seeing how happy she looked, how much of her old self is back. The way that she is laughing and socializing is a far cry from the last time either one of them saw her. The duo knew that for her to come to the reunion was a big step, and the old Nodoka, the Bibliomancer companion to the Gray Mage, is coming back.
After the large meal and when everyone settled down Nodoka tapped her glass and stands up.
"Good evening everyone," Nodoka says, "judging from your reactions earlier you weren't expecting me to show up?" The whole room chuckled at the question. "Before I answer any questions I do have something to say to you Sensei and Chachamaru-san."
The Gynoid and Gray Mage looks confused for a moment then the realization hit them, the letter.
"Sensei you have no need to apologize, neither do you Chachamaru-san. I knew that you won his heart all those years ago. I f anyone needs to apologize its Haruna."
Haruna blushes, "I've said that I was sorry already."
"I know Haruna, I know. Well I'm going to anticipate two the major questions. What happen to me, and what is with my hair?" Laughter broke out once again, Nodoka relaxes some. "For the second question, this is indeed my real hair color, for the first it is a long story."
Nodoka sat back down and takes a sip of wine. She begins to tell them about the day of Negi's proposal, to that faithful party, and afterwards.
"The only good thing that came from that party is my son, Ranma." She reaches into her handbag and pulls out a thin photo album; she plucks out a few photos and passes them around. The photos were of a black haired boy with steel grey eyes, Ranma.
***********
It was shortly after Ranma turned two that Genma started to make noise about training Ranma in the Anything Goes School of Marital Arts. I agreed initially if I could supervise the training sessions. But then Genma got the idea that he needed to take our son out on a training trip. For God sakes he was barely old enough to walk, but when Genma got the idea there was nothing I could do to stop him.
It was early morning about two months after Genma began the training. I woke up about an hour before or so before sunrise to find Genma's side of our bed empty, which is unusual because he never gets up before sunrise. Then I heard a loud thumping noise from down the hall. I quickly got up, put on a robe and left the bedroom to find Genma wearing a heavy pack and carrying a sleeping Ranma.
"Genma," I shouted, "what in God's name are you doing?"
He turned to face me, careful not to wake my son. "I'm taking my son for a training trip," he answered gruffly.
"A training trip, we already discussed this, Ranma is too young!"
He raises one of his large hands, I flinched back thing that was about to strike me.
"Listen here woman, you agreed to let me train my son in the Art, you agreed to let me do that by any means. I have to take him away from any influence that would make him soft."
Before I could retort he turned back towards the door and walked out with my son. Due to the meekness I suffered during this time I didn't pursue him, or called the police.
Four years later I received some unexpected news. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon when the front door of my house open unexpectedly. Since I was in the kitchen I grabbed a nearby frying pan and went to intercept the intruder.
"Nodoka I'm…" I hit him on the back of the head with the pan, and he collapsed to the floor. "…home."
I turned him over his face, his identity surprised me, for it was a man that I haven't seen in four years.
"Genma," I asked.
My wayward husband looked up at me from his position on the floor. His face and arms were covered with small scratches; his white gi was soaked in dried blood. I lowered the pan and dropped to the ground.
"Genma what happened, where is Ranma," I asked, my voice shaking.
"He's dead," he said after a moment, "it was a training accident."
I could see it in his eyes that he wasn't totally lying, but I still pressed for more information.
"What kind of training accident?"
He looks away as if in shame, "it was yesterday, we were out in the woods outside of the city and just finished lunch. A pack of wolves entered our camp; I was too late by the time they reached Ranma. I'm sorry Nodoka but there was nothing left."
I just stared into his eye in disbelief I could see that he was lying but not about the accident. Something did happen to my son. I decided not to push further on, hoping that I would get more answers tonight. After a quick bath and tending of his wounds Genma began to tell me about the training trip, I could tell that he was leaving many things out, but I would question him later. That evening he brought out some sake he had and we began to mourn the loss of our son.
The following morning I woke up with a hangover and in bed next to Genma. Let's say that the previous night's activates were something. After rousting Genma up and fixed breakfast I left to the library that I worked at. That is where my suspicions about Genma were proven.
Around ten or so the door opened for the library, since I was the one working the front desk I greeted the newcomer.
"Good morning Mizuno-san," I said to the older woman that entered.
"Ah good morning to you too Saotome-san," she said with a smile, that is when I noticed a young boy came in with her.
The boy wore a pair of long pants and a button up shirt, his long black hair was pulled back into a pigtail, his steel-blue eyes looked around the room in curiosity and discomfort.
"Now who is this Mizuno-san, is he you grandson?"
The old woman crackled at the question, "no he isn't. I found him two days ago curled up on my lap acting like a cat. When he came to he told me his name is Ranma Saotome."
I dropped the pencil that I was holding and leaned across the desk to get a better look at the boy. Upon hearing his name he looks in my direction that is when I truly saw his eyes. Those steel-blue eyes that I knew belonged to my son. I sat up and sprinted around the desk to embrace my son.
"My son," I sobbed, "my son you have returned."
He seemed to struggle in my embrace but soon relaxed as tears began to fall from his eyes.
"Mom," he whispered, "I thought you were dead."
"Dead, who said I was dead? Genma," I growled out his name. "No my son I am not dead and you are home."
Around noon Ranma and I left the library for lunch, in fact we met up with Haruna. To say that she was overjoyed would be an understatement. Having left word with Tsubame-san, the chief librarian for the branch, Ranma, Haruna and I went into town to shop and to bring Ranma out of his shell. During the Afternoon he told us about the trip, mostly he proved that Genma did leave things out. He did tell us about his latest training exercise; while he didn't into much detail he did tell us the name, Neko-Ken.
That evening after Genma left to go drinking and Ranma went to sleep, I slipped out of my room and entered my son's. Inside I could see Ranma tossing and turning in his sleep, I can still hear him calling out for me.
"Mama, mama help me," he cried, "please mama take pain away. Daddy I don't want to go into the hole, please stop! Mama, help me!"
Little by little by heart broke, I sat on his bed, pulled him into an embrace a placed a kiss on his forehead.
"It's alright my son," I whispered soothingly, "mama's here, you're safe."
His small body is wracked by his sobbing, "daddy I don't want to go into the hole, mama make the cats go away, mama help me!"
I pulled him in tighter, my tears mixing with his. "Mama's here, the cats are gone so is the hole. You're safe now, mama will make sure."
Soon his sobbing stopped and his breath shallowed as he fell back into a hopefully dreamless sleep. When his hands loosened their tight grip on my robe I slipped off is bed and tucked him in. As I left his room as realization hit me, Neko-Ken, the Cat-Fist, My God Genma what have you done? After I silently closed the door I sprinted to my room.
Inside I tore through Genma's pack, after a few seconds I found what I was looking for. In my hands I opened a small, thin book titled Advance Training Techniques. Aa I flipped through the book I grew more and more ill. That night I learned the secret of the Neko-Ken, the torture that my son was subjected to.
"My God Genma what have you done? How could you be so stupid?" I asked, "well then my husband you will pay for what you have done."
I snapped the book closed with disgust, come the morning Genma will be rotting in a jail cell. I placed the book back in the bag and left to check on Ranma. When I found that my son was sleeping peacefully I went back to bed myself.
The morning came not soon enough as I discovered when I called Ranma down for breakfast.
"Ranma time to get up," I called out. I grew worried when Ranma didn't come when called, "Ranma?"
I left the kitchen and entered Ranma's room only to find it deserted. His bed was unmade, his dresser drawers pulled out scattering his clothes. The only clue to what happen is the open window. Then I rushed to my room to find that all of Genma's belonging gone and the window opened.
"No, no," I muttered in disbelief, "no not again, not again!"
I bolted from the bedroom and out the front door into the lawn. I looked around to find any clues; I dropped to my knees and began to weep when I found none. When I entered the house and sat down for the meal I found a single piece of parchment on the table. It's contents shocked me.
"If I am unable to make Ranma Saotome a Man among Men he will commit seppuku with me as his second, Signed Genma Saotome, Ranma Saotome."
************
"Shortly I called Haruna to tell her the news, the police. Unfortunately due to lack of evidence the Nerima Police were unable or unwilling to investigate. So even today I am unable to find my son." Nodoka paused to catch her thoughts, "the one good thing to come out of that, besides seeing my son again, is that three weeks later I found out I was pregnant again. That time with a daughter, my Yue."
The room fell silent no one speaking, no clattering of utensils could be heard. They all thought that how did their honya-chan come to this, before her disappearance she was brave, and will ing to smack some sense into those who need it. But the woman before them now, while close is still a far cry from the bookworm that they knew.
"Nodoka-dono what exactly is the Neko Ken," Kadea Nagase asks.
Nodoka had to suppress a shudder at the memories. "The Neko-Ken is supposedly the ultimate martial art technique. In order to learn it first you must dig a hole deep into the ground and fill it with starving cats. Then wrap the student is fish and throw them into the pit, again and again until they learn it."
The class paled at the description, one or two had to run to the nearest trashcan.
"But wouldn't that…" Chisame asks before Nodoka interrupted her.
"Yes it would cause massive amounts of physical and mental scarring, mostly likely causing a massive fear of cats."
Once again the class fell silent, for Ranma a mere boy at the age of six to have survived such treatment is a miracle.
"I think that I can safely say for everyone here that if you need any help we will be here for you. Even if it means hunting down your husband to the ends of the Earth," Chachamaru said as she shifted her hands into a sword and gun.
"Yes of course, we girls of Three-A have to stick together," Asuna stated, everyone agreed.
The rest of the evening went by quickly for Nodoka, the feeling she got from the class overwhelmed her. She has finally been reunited with her friends, more than that she is reunited with her family; a family that has done more for her than even the Saotome and Miyazaki families.
It was around eight in the evening when Class 3-A left the restaurant and headed back to Ayaka's mansion. When Nodoka returned to the mansion she is greeted by a surprise, her normally shy daughter is fast asleep in the nursery holding the hands of two other children next to her.
"I see that Nagi and Arika have found a new friend," Chachamaru says from behind Nodoka.
Nodoka jumps at the voice, clutching her chest. "Would you not do that?" She see the Gynoid sporting a small smile, "what?"
Chachamaru just keeps smiling as she kneels down to pry the children's hands apart. "I'm guessing that she is you daughter?"
Nodoka down to help with the children, "yes this is my Yue-chan. So then Nagi and Arika are your and Negi's?"
Chachamaru easily lifts the two slumbering twins; Nodoka has a little more trouble, "Yes they are."
Nodoka nods as the two women walked out of the nursery.
"Ano, Chachamaru-san you don't mind me asking how Nagi and Arika are yours. I mean no offence but they look too similar to you and Negi-sensei for them to be adopted."
Chachamaru blushes at the question, her ear-plates drooping in embarrassment. "I take no offence Nodoka-san. I did carry my children for nine months to term. They are blood of my blood, bone of my bone" the gynoid says with a menacing tone.
Nodoka blushes herself, "I'm sorry for sounding insensitive."
"No it's all right, it just believe me how surprised that I was when I got the news that I was pregnant."
"Still how?"
Chachamaru sighs, "shortly after you disappeared I was caught in a laboratory accident, my body was severely damaged beyond repair. Mother Satomi using notes left behind by Mother Chao constructed a new body for me. One that is technorganic and magically based so I am more human than ever before."
"Sounds like Chao-san watched too much science fiction," Nodoka said with a laugh.
Chachamaru snorted at the comment, "well she did put in her notes that she was a fan of Armitage Three, Battlestar Galatica and Andromeda."
Nodoka grew silent for a moment, "Chachamaru-san my friends call me Nodoka."
Chachamaru smiles at older woman, "and my friends call me Chachamaru."
The two women soon bid each other goodnight and headed to their rooms. A friendship once shattered is now mended.
The next morning Nodoka found herself waiting on a bench outside of Dean Konoemon Konoe office. She fidgets with the sleeve of her kimono, wishing for nth time that brought a book.
Shizuna-sensei pokes her head out from the large oaken door. "Saotome-san, Dean Konoe will see you now."
Nodoka stands up and thanks Shizuna-sensei. Shizuna watches the young woman walk into the office; she sees Nodoka walk with her back straight and her chin held high. Yet with there was an uneasiness in her step, but she also sees that with each step Nodoka takes, her stride is more sure. She has come a long way from that scared, timid girl all those years ago, Shizuna thought.
Inside the office Nodoka stands in front of the massive next to the large window overlooking Mahora. Dean Konoe sits at the desk watching her every step.
"Welcome back to Mahora Saotome-san, or should I say Miyazaki-san," the Dean said with a knowing smile. "Please take a seat."
Nodoka takes the offered seat, her posture becomes more relaxed. "Thanks you sir and its Saotome now. I haven't been a Miyazaki for nearly ten years."
"Of course, of course," he said as Shizuna brought in a tea service, "Help yourself to the tea." He waits as Nodoka poured herself a cup, "now what brings you to my office this fine morning?"
Even with her newly found confidence Nodoka starts to fidget nervously. "I would like to enroll my daughter in Mahora."
The Dean raised a bushy eyebrow as he sipped the tea. "Wouldn't that be a question for the admissions office?"
"It is sir, but there is more than just enrolling Yue in the Academy." She pauses for a moment to collect her thoughts. "I'm afraid for her, I'm afraid that my husband will try and take her once her finds out about her."
Konoe leans back in his chair, not once taking his eyes off her. "My granddaughter and Negi-kun informed me of you situation last night. Still answer me truthfully, do you believe that your husband will try and kidnap your daughter?"
"Yes he would," Nodoka answers without any hesitation.
He smiles at the answer, "then Yue-chan is welcomed to the Mahora Academy Kindergarten division."
"Thank you sir."
"No need to thank me, your daughter would have been accepted anyway. In fact she will be given full ride for her entire Mahora career."
Nodoka's jaw dropped at the news, paying for her daughter schooling was one thing she forgot about. "Sir I'm not going to contest a scholarship but why? With the trust fund my uncle left me I can easily pay for her schooling."
She grew unnerved by the twinkling in the Dean's eyes, like there is a joke that she is unaware of.
"The scholarship that you daughter is entitled to is founded by Negi-kun and Asuna-hime so that alumni that are financially less off can still afford to send their children to Mahora. Since you are a former student of the Academy and gradated well within the top ten percent of your class, there is no problem for your daughter to gain the scholarship."
Nodoka looks down, resting her head in her hands. "I'm not sure that I want to take charity, even if it is a scholarship. But for my daughter I must!"
"Of course, now will you be moving onto campus with your daughter? In fact there is a position for you at Library Island."
Nodoka shakes her head, "I'm sorry but I will be staying in Nerima for the foreseeable future, just in case my husband returns."
"Very well then, now if Shizuna-kun can…" he was cut off as Shizuna entered the office and sets down a small stack of paper work on the desk before leaving, "bring in the necessary paper work we can get started to enroll Yue-chan."
"Thank you for everything," Nodoka said knowing that her daughter's future is secure. Now if she could find her son her life will be complete.
She left the meeting with her head held high; her future is finally back on track. In a short while she meets back up with her daughter and the others. For most of the day Nodoka took her daughter on a tour of the campus, sharing with Yue all the places her mother cherished in her youth, the library, the old class room, the World Tree and even her old dorm. In the late afternoon Nodoka found herself sitting on a wooden bench overlooking a playground watching Yue playing with the Springfield children. She can see a budding crush developing between Yue and Nagi.
"The Fates are truly are cruel, history is repeating. Hopefully this time sorrow won't clam her heart too."
"I don't think it will," a woman said as they sit next to Nodoka, "not with her mother helping her."
Nodoka turns her head to her right she sees Kazumi Asakura and the ever present form of Sayo Aizaka sitting on her left.
"How do you know," Nodoka snaps, "after all her own mother let sorrow get the better of her. A nonexistent marriage, a dishonorable husband, a son that is luck to be alive, even banished from her family."
"But you did recover," Sayo said, "I mean you did come here."
"I know but it's still hard, I have lost so much even if I have gained something. So what brings you two to the park?"
Kazumi reaches in to her messenger bag, pulls out a thick folder and hands it to Nodoka.
"That folder contains the police record of one Genma Saotome," Kazumi answered.
Nodoka opens the folder and starts to leaf through the pages. Endless accounts of theft, destruction of public property, destruction of private property, cruelty to animals, child endangerment, and the list keeps going on and on. Many crimes happing even before she met the bastard.
"Why," she asked simply.
"Because you are our friend," Sayo said, "plus Ayaka asked us to."
Kazumi shivered a bit at the memory, "yeah she can be very persuasive."
Nodoka started to laugh know full well that what they said is true. "I really need to thanks her then. Though reading all this makes me remember something about my story."
Sayo looks at her quizzically, while Kazumi asks, "about what?"
Nodoka leans back into the bench and tilts her head skyward. "Remember what I said about when I tried to talk with the Nerima Police after Ranma was taken," both Kazumi and Sayo nod, "if this record is true, and I have no doubt that it is, why didn't they peruse Genma if he apparently has a record the size of Honshu."
Kazumi looks pensive for a moment, "well for most of the crimes he committed the statute of limitations had elapsed and some of the others there is very little proof that he did them."
Nodoka sighs at the answer, "but at least it's something. I just wish I knew all this earlier."
"No sense dwelling on the past," Sayo said, "believe me."
"I know," Nodoka said with a smile.
The rest of the week past quickly for Nodoka, she is immensely happy that she came, to finally be reunited with her family. Then came Friday, Yuna managed to get tickets for the entire class and their families to the opening and closing ceremonies for the Tokyo Games. For Nodoka and Yue that was the highlight of their week, to see the Games live. The following Saturday before they all departed Nodoka asked Setsuna Sakurazaki, the class' sword-mistress, to train her in the use of the katana.
*****
Paladin's Note: Well thus ends the first chapter of "Calm's Sorrow". The title of the story comes from the literal translation of Nodoka's name, Nodoka mean Calm. I'm sure some of you will be asking why I paired Chachamaru up with Negi, simply Kamon and I after remove Nodoka from a list of pairing narrowed down said list to three possible candidates, Setsuna, Chisame, and Chachamaru. We went with the Gynoid because there is more information in the manga backing the pairing up. Asuna was taken off the list because we don't know what her exact relationship with Negi's mother is, can someone tell me if they were sisters or not?
I do have to say that this was the first time that I used the honorifics, if I made a mistakes please let me know. Any questions, comments, or concerns just leave me a review or a PM; I'll back to you ASAP. ~GraysonPaladin