Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½. It is owned by viz Media and Rumiko Takahashi.
It was a pretty good evening. The weather was calm and the sun was about ready to set. And it was the day that was going to be the start for a whole new era in the near by Nirima ward.
Ranma Saotome and her mother Nodoka have been on a training trip after the death of Genma Saotome from an on the job accident. While Ranma was young Genma was working on a construction site to save up for the training trip. While his wife was pregnant he was originally planning on going on the trip with a son he thought his wife was pregnant wife, despite what she kept telling him that she was pregnant with a girl. And when Ranma was born Genma was disappointed at first but he decided that making sure his daughter was strong enough to defend herself was just as good a reason for the trip as his original one.
And right before the original date of the trip to begin years ago Genma wound up falling from the high rise he was working on. And sense he was a couple of stories up it was far too high for him to survive from, despite the training he had received. And when Nodoka received the news she decided to take Ranma on the training trip that Genma had planed...minus some of the dangers. That way at least there would be something of him that she and Ranma can have memories of. Plus it allowed her to bond with her tomboyish daughter. And thus the training trip went underway after the funeral.
During the trip the two woman have learned many martial arts techniques. From many other schools as well. And they both had made friends with an Okonamayaki chef named Ukyo. And they have always kept in touch with her afterwards. And then there was the meeting with Ryoga...Nodoka had a hard time with Ranma at that time. Ryoga had a bad sense of direction and was really shy and Ranma wanted to help him out, but he went to an all boys school so if she were to help him she would have to go there as well. And the school wouldn't let her. But they did suggest that she went to the girls' school next to it. And that satisfied her until she found out that Ryoga was becoming the only thing she thought of about. And when Ranma and Nodoka had to leave it was hard on Ranma as it was her first crush. But now...she laughs about that even though she still does blush a bit when she and her mother talk about him.
And then there was Jusenkeyo. Sure they didn't get any major curses but they still wound up with curses from the cursed ground. Ranma became a cat-girl while her mother got the curse from the spring of drowned dog-girl. The two of them always joked about what it was like in their cursed forms. And when they were told of a village that could help them they were then brought to the amazon village.
Once they arrived Nodoka used some of her language training lessons from when she was a girl and did her best to attempt to talk with the natives of the village in their language. Luckily one of the elder's saw this and laughed. She hoped over to them on her staffed and introduced her self as Koh'lan, or Cologne in a much closer translation of the name. And she was able to speak Japanese as well so both Nodoka and Ranma were both grateful of that.
Once they were done with their tale Cologne had agreed to teach Ranma in some of their fighting ways while Nodoka agreed to teach their people of the modern world. So that both sides could learn from the encounter. In the end Cologne waved them off her self with the great grand daughter Shampoo who became Ranma's close friend. And even though Shampoo hated it she had to admit that Mouse was a good friend to Ranma as well so he was there with them to wave them off.
All of that happened weeks ago in the amazon village. And Nodoka and Ranma were almost at their destination of Nirima. But they needed to rest up for the night and decided to stay at an Inn near by. Once they got to their rooms Nodoka and Ranma put their things down and began to unpack a few things they will need for the night.
"So mom, why is it we are heading to Nirima again? It was a promise between you and this Kimiko person or dad and this Soun guy?" Ranma asks as she got a robe out of her pack.
"Ranma that isn't a polite was to speak. But as you asked this was a promise that I made with my long time friend Kimiko. She married your father's best friend Soun Tendo and had at the time when I was pregnant with you, one daughter and one son. So we promised that with our third child we shall at least attempt to have the families joined." Nodoka answers as she unpacked her robe as well.
"Sorry mom. Oh and was her third child a boy or a girl?" Ranma asked being a bit curious.
"That I don't know. I was unable to get in contact with her during that time. Anyway her two oldest are named Kasumi and Tenchi. And I believe that she wanted to name her youngest Akane if she was a girl or Akira if she had a boy. And well Soun never had a backbone so she always got her way with stuff like that." Nodoka said smiling.
Ranma giggles and says, "Well then. Hopefully we can become friends at least. Oh and mom are we going to eat at one of the stands outside tonight. It seems like there is a festival here tonight."
Nodoka puts a finger to her chin and thinks about the question. She looked out the window and says, "Sure why not. I think we both deserved a little fun during this trip."
Ranma smiles as she looks outside. She then looks to her pack and sighs saying, "But we don't have anything to wear do we? We are supposed to wear a special kind of kimono for them right?"
Nodoka then giggles at her daughter and says, "I think we can go as we are dear. It is not needed to wear such clothes during them anyway. Oh and after we eat the manager had told me that there is a bath in the inn we can use when I paid for our stay. So before we go to sleep I think we should use the bath. And then in the morning after we eat we shall head out for the Tendo dojo."
"Okay mom...oh yeah you said while we are on the trip that the Tendo family went through the same thing as us. Do you mean that their father died as well? Does that mean dad's old friend is dead...just like dad?" Ranma asked getting a bit sadden at the memory she just brought up.
Nodoka stops in her actions and says, "Yes...that is what I have read in the letters that Kimiko sent me. Anyway it happened a lot more recent for them so please don't talk about that when we are there okay."
Ranma nods and says, "I know what that feels like mom...the pain never really goes away... anyway I think I will go to sleep after the bath as you suggested. But I think I will skip the festival and just get something to eat..."
Nodoka nods and says, "You just made your self sad bringing that up ha?"
Ranma nods and says, "I made you a bit sad as well right?"
Nodoka nods and says, "Well then...why don't we got get some food together and then share the bath. That way we will be there for each other."
Ranma nods and then smiles and says, "Okay mom...well then lets get going then. I'm hungry."
Nodoka laughs and says, "Okay then. Lets go and fill our stomachs for the night."
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Well here is my new story...please read and review. And for those who are waiting for updates in my other stories then please just wait up. I will eventually get something in my head to make me continue those stories.