November 11, 2011

Not if I can help it!

Nodoka Saotome woke up for what seemed the twentieth time that night. She quickly gave the other side of the bed a brief inspection. After lightly prodding around and feeling the warmth of the other human being who was allowed to share her bed her body relaxed and once again her mind wandered back to the argument she had the previous night with her husband, Genma.

-.-

It wasn't that she hated Genma, or else she would have never forsaken her family in order to marry the man that now currently shared her bed. She just didn't agree with him spontaneously packing up and taking their only son on a long extended training trip. It wasn't exactly spontaneous since her husband had given her some type of warning even before they were officially married. He had mentioned to her on one of their dates that he wanted a male heir to his Anything Goes School of Martial Arts branch and he wanted to go on an extended training trip with his son in order to fully learn what it meant to be a practitioner of the Saotome branch of Anything Goes martial arts. What he did fail to mention was that he had planned to take their first son on that training trip before he was even three! He also failed to mention that she would not be coming along on that trip!

Now Nodoka was usually a calm, collected, dutiful-wife, but Genma's latest suggestions were outrageous! She just wouldn't not, could not allow Genma to take their son on such a long extended trip without herself there to guide the both of them, she could not bear to leave her 2 year-old son for such a long time. She usually kept her cool under any circumstance, even when she was aware of her husband's 'extracurricular activities' with the master, although they did try her patience at times. She knew perfectly well that her husband was passionate about his art that was one of the reasons she fell in love with the man as well. She respected him as both a martial artist and as her husband so she rarely opposed him in any subject, but when he sprung that ridiculous announcement that he was taking little Ranma on that promised training trip a few days prior to his second birthday, the dam holding together the perfect housewife just broke…

The night before Ranma's birthday was a tense one in the Saotome home. The neighbors nearby already knew things were edgy between the married couple for the past week Genma had tried to persuade his wife to let him take little Ranma on that training trip he promised. Nodoka, uncharacteristically was being rebellious and stubbornly against the idea.

"Look No-chan, I promise to visit with Ranma every 3 months, just let me take him first thing tomorrow-morning so I can start his training." Genma pleaded with his stubborn wife.

"Why does he have to start now?" Usually Nodoka wouldn't put up more than a token of resistance with Genma when those rare occasions broke out where they both disagreed on something, "For god's sake Genma, he's barely going to be 2 years-old! What could you possibly teach him at such a young age that you couldn't do here at home?"

Genma had his reasons of course, but it wasn't like he could just tell her, because I don't want him babied around by you and because I will do things you probably will not approve of. "Because that's the age I started training in the art so I am only following tradition. You know how important tradition is No-chan."

Of course Nodoka knew how important tradition was, being brought up in a wealthy traditional family had hammered that into her head, if anything else. Even so, she just couldn't stand the thought of not seeing Ranma for such a long time and if it came down to it she would break any tradition for her son. "To hell with tradition!"

That stunned Genma in mid-retort. Nodoka as well seemed to have stopped her argument and contemplate on what she had just said, that last remark had not been meant to be voiced out loud, yet it had. The most surprising part was that even though in normal circumstances she would never have said something as obscene as that, she didn't regret saying at that moment.

The silence was finally broken by Genma, "Alright Nodoka, what if I promised on my honor that I would bring Ranma back as a man-amongst-men or else we would both commit seppuku.

Nodoka almost caved in right then and there if it weren't that something inside of her stopped her from uttering the words of agreement that, unknowingly, would seal her son's fate by condemning him to years of torture, abandonment, emotional trauma, and scarring for life. But because she refused her husband's pledge she would forever change the way Ranma would be brought up in this world.

He was certain that Nodoka would have dropped her resistance the instance he proposed the seppuku pledge. The only reason he hadn't suggested it before was because it came as a risk to himself too. After all, Genma Saotome never went back on his promises…at least not when they counted anyway. He had made the proposal with the full intention of honoring it not knowing what exactly could prevent him from fulfilling it. Knowing his wife she would also feel honor-bound to let him go, but something had gone wrong; terribly wrong if Nodoka had refused such a pledge…

The argument had gone on for hours into the night, until finally it seemed that Genma had gave in and accepted that maybe it was too early for Ranma to start his training. Of course that didn't mean both parties had kissed and made up, they had both went their separate ways Genma had left their son, who by that time had finally stopped crying from all the yelling and arguing, with Nodoka while he raided their liquor stash. Nodoka had been adamant on keeping little Ranma close to her, preferably in her arms, as possible just in case Genma had any second thoughts about taking their son without her permission.

Eventually they both went to bed, Nodoka making sure that Genma had gone to bed with her in order to keep an eye on him and Ranma at the same time.

-.-

Once again she checked the space next to her to make sure her husband was there, feeling the big bulge under the covers she let her body relax again. She cast her gaze over to where Ranma's crib was and smiled, although she had nothing against Ranma learning the family school of martial arts she just couldn't stand the thought of losing her only son if something were to happen to him while on his travels with his father, not that she didn't trust her husband, she would trust him with her and their child's life anytime, but she just couldn't shake the feeling that something could go wrong in their travels while she wasn't there.

Thinking of her son, she threw back the covers and slipped on a light blue robe over her half-nude body and made her way to where Ranma slept.

As she got closer she noticed something odd about the way Ranma's silhouette, one thing she noticed right away was that the part that should be the chest wasn't moving-she quickened her pace.

Immediately she uncovered what she thought was Ranma's sleeping form and found out that it was nothing more than a baby doll turned her way with a creepy-permanent smile facing her. It felt like something out of a horror movie, she gasped and quickly ran to their bed to make sure Genma was still there. For all appearances it indeed looked like he was still sleeping, but as soon as she threw the covers off she realized that what she had touched earlier in her inspection was a punching dummy wrapped in thick covers, probably acquired from the attic, and a rubber ball on top of the pillow to give the illusion of a head. She almost screamed then and there, instead she ran down the hall quickly looking into every room for her son.

After looking through every inch inside the house and not finding any sign of either her son or husband she started to panic. There was no way her husband could have ran away with their child could there? She had married an honorable man after all, there was no way he could abandon her like that could he?

Figuring that standing there having second thoughts about her marriage wasn't going to find her son she ran out the back door into their backyard without even bothering with her current state of dress. Knowing her husband and his methods, he would never leave through the front door if he was doing something he wasn't supposed to. Her suspicions proved to be right as she distinctly saw a man carrying a huge sack on his back walking rapidly to the wall that separated the Saotome property from the rest of the neighborhood. She immediately knew that was Genma, her current state of mind did not allow her to think otherwise.

She screamed at the man, "Genma Saotome! Give me back my son!" Her muscles tensed as she prepared to sprint across their vast backyard.

Genma was just getting thinking of his wife and what she would think while heading for the wall that separated their property from the next door neighbors when he heard the chilling scream from his wife. I should have used a bigger dose! He knew there was a risk of her waking up in the middle of his operation so he had drugged his wife with a bit of some sleeping drug he had come across in his travels with the old master. Knowing that his plan to escape with Ranma during the night was in jeopardy, without looking back he made haste for the wall.

In any other situation Genma would have easily outran his wife, but not this time. Nodoka was no slacker when it came to her physical fitness and while she wasn't at the physical level Genma was in terms of speed she did have several advantages at the moment. Her body was tensed and pumped full of adrenalin that helped her achieve speeds she normally couldn't push herself to do, and Genma was weighted down by all the equipment he was carrying on his back along with Ranma in his arms. So it was a surprise when Nodoka caught up to Genma and tackled him to the floor.

As soon as she was close enough she leapt onto Genma's back with no regard as to the repercussions of her actions.

Luckily for her Genma was an accomplished martial artist and since his school revolved around aerial maneuvers, with some effort he was able to spin in mid-fall so that he landed on his side instead of face first into the grass and crushing his son under the combined weight of himself, the equipment on his back, and his wife.

Nodoka was thrown a foot or two to the side from the spin, she too was able to control her own fall so that she landed on her hands and knees instead of her back in order to sprint after Genma in a moment's notice. Once she saw that Genma had twisted in midair just in time as to land on his side instead of on their son she lessened her aggressive stance a bit and thanked god that her impulsive action didn't hurt their baby.

From Genma's point of view his wife looked like a savage woman ready to pounce on her prey. He also noted that she looked stunning half kneeling-squatting on her hands and knees with her hair tangled with some grass and running wild all over her face. She had also apparently forgotten, or rather neglected, to put on some additional clothes in order to preserve her modesty because not only did she look like someone raised in the wild, but she also forgot to put on a bra in her haste to find Ranma. Her robe had come undone from the flimsy silk belt that came attached to it, she only wore her crimson red panties and her light blue robe, which was also a bit messy from rolling in the grass a bit. Overall it brought a smile to his face just seeing his wife in her current state, he must have been smiling on the outside too because the glare that he was receiving from Nodoka intensified. Finally it was Nodoka who broke the silent staring contest, "Genma Saotome what do you think you are doing? I thought we agreed that Ranma was not going anywhere without me or my permission!"

The exclamation seemed to have broken Genma out of his ardor thoughts, "N-No-chan! I was just taking Ranma to his early birthday gift! We were going to see the full moon by the park."

Nodoka was many things, but stupid wasn't one of them. She knew perfectly well that Genma was lying, she just couldn't believe how blatantly obvious he was being and to be honest it pissed her off. "Genma if you want to play games with me fine! I never thought it would come to this, but we're through!"

It shocked him that his wife would say something like that. Even if he was trying to take Ranma without her knowing it wasn't as if he was planning on leaving and never seeing her again! He just wanted what was best for the boy and he needed to train the boy away from his mother or else he would grow soft. "Now No-chan t-there's no reason for such a drastic action-"

"Give me one good reason why I should not call for help and get the police involved in this? Give me one reason why I shouldn't call my father and have you arrested for child kidnapping?" If had stopped and thought about what to say first she would have realized that she didn't mean what she said, yet she was angrier than she had ever been in her life; angrier than even the day her mother disowned her for marrying a man she did not approve of, she wasn't just angry, she was pissed. There was nothing Genma could say or do in her eyes that could possibly salvage their relationship at that point.

He didn't know what to do, he hadn't expected things to go so out of control to begin with. Hell, she was supposed to have agreed to let him take Ranma on the training trip for sure after he had proposed the seppuku pledge! To make matters worse little Ranma had started crying because of all the yelling, it was amazing that he hadn't shed one tear while he was running away to begin with.

The threat about calling her father really scared him the most. He had met the man on several occasions and he didn't need to look very hard to know right away that the man absolutely hated him. Just as much as he loved the art with a passion, the man who called himself Nodoka's father hated him with just as much passion…maybe even more… He had married his esteemed and only daughter after all, even against the threat of a whole noble clan raining legal hell upon him, so it was no surprise that if Nodoka did indeed call her father for help he would indeed help, if not for his daughter than to simply have a reason to get at the man who stole his precious only daughter from him. With the clan's resources there would be no place for him to hide, the only reason he hadn't been harmed before was because he was the husband of the only Himura heiress and it would be very bad for public image to take action against the wishes of the only Himura heiress. But if she wanted him taken care of there would be no place he could hide from them.

The sound of barking dogs and strange, yet familiar, voices interrupted his fear-induced thoughts. He hadn't even noticed that his wife had gone on a tirade cursing and condemning his name, of course he summed that up as blind rage…surely she didn't mean some of those things?

Well he tried, really he did, but there was no way he was going to have Nodoka's whole clan breathing down his neck for the rest of his life. So he did the one thing that he knew would quite his wife and hopefully stop her tirade. He walked up to her and ignored her aggressive stance even as her muscles tensed in preparation for a fight. By the time he was right in front of her she had stopped yelling and was torn between attacking him and looking at Ranma in his arms. He knew she wouldn't try anything as long as he held their son in his arms so he outstretched his arms while holding Ranma, clearly offering her the child.

Nodoka snatched her son from her, soon to be ex, husband and glared at the man she once called her soul mate. As soon as she had her son safely in her arms she shifted him onto her left arm and aimed a slap to Genma's face.

Genma saw the slap coming a mile away, but wisely chose to ignore it and let her vent some of her anger on him. He could have easily knocked her incoming hand away, but he figured that this was one of those times where it would serve more than just to hurt him, it would serve as a therapeutic action. So instead of making any move to stop his wife he closed his eyes and waiting for the pain on his cheek. What he wasn't expecting was to be slapped several times on the face, kicked in the right shin and stomach, and punched in an uppercut right below the chin.

He took the beating without so much as a grunt, he knew he deserved it and it would help him in the long run when trying to talk her out of divorcement. Her attacks hurt a bit, but nothing a martial artist of his caliber couldn't handle so he continued to keep his eyes closed it helped restraining years of conditioned counterattacks his body was itching to execute. He could hear pant, scream, and grunt in frustration knowing that for all her efforts she wasn't really hurting him, then he felt her stop. Deciding that maybe she was done venting he counted from ten to one slowly in his mind to help him relax and focus on his next move, he was at 4 when suddenly his danger sense screamed at him to move. His eyes snapped open instantaneously and tracked her foot coming straight for his privates. Being the high caliber martial artists he was and not wanting to experience the kind of pain his wife so obviously wanted him to feel he let his body dodge…or at least that's what he thought is what would happen. Instead his body decided that wife or no wife, remorseful or not, there was no way it was going to let an attempt at hurting the most vulnerable place known to man be abused the way his wife clearly planned to, if the look on her eyes was anything to go by.

Quickly Genma caught the offending foot with his right hand and swung his wife with the momentum she had built onto the grass. What would have been a very nasty slam against the ground turned into a small toss as Genma quickly caught up with his traitorous body and acted fast by first snatching Ranma from his wife's arms and then, as her foot was still raised up in the air like a soccer player doing a bicycle kick, grabbed her from the torso with one arm and twisted in the air so that he landed on his back with her facing him on top and little Ranma safely held on the other outstretched arm.

Just as Nodoka was about to say something they both heard whistling and clapping followed by a "You go Saotome!"

Both Saotomes turned to the wall separating their property from the next and found their neighbor laughing and giving them both a look of approval.

Suddenly Nodoka's anger and was derailed and slammed to the back of her head and for the first time throughout the night she became self-conscious of her state of dress. Faster than anyone could see she rolled off Genma, flashing their neighbor both her breast and her underwear in the process, and fumbled with the silk belt on her robe.

A second head popped up from the wall and asked, "what's going on Banjiro?"

"Oh nothing honey, just the Saotomes having a bit of kinky fun on their backyard. Eh Saotome? You lucky dog you! You both were making out like animals! We could hear your screams of excitement all the way over here." The one known as Banjiro laughed with a look of approval for the both.

The woman looked over the pair with a devilish grin on her face, "Oh really? Well don't let us ruin your 'private' fun time now." She turned to Nodoka who had managed to cover herself up before the woman showed up. "You might want to keep it down Saotome-san, I doubt anyone else heard, but you wouldn't want anyone sneaking a peak at you making out like animals would you eh?"

Nodoka was burning red with embarrassment at that last remark with all traces of anger gone from her features. She made eye contact with her neighbor and friend Momoko and politely answered, "We weren't doing anything…indecent Kawasaki-san…We were just having an…" She looked at Genma, but couldn't muster a glare or even a disapproving look for him due to her embarrassment, "…argument."

"Sure, sure honey." Momoko said with more than a trace of sarcasm to her voice, "You're both a married couple there's no need to hide it, quite frankly I think little Ranma there would love a brother or sister to play with! Why, why not give him both! Hahahaha"

Genma, who had gotten up and was holding Ranma, asked, "Can we have some privacy Banjiro?" Raising his eyebrows in a suggestive way, he got along with the middle-aged man quite well so he wasn't as embarrassed as Nodoka to be caught in a compromising position by his neighbor. Quite frankly he was glad for the distraction as one look towards his wife revealed that, at least for the moment, she was way more embarrassed by the situation than angry at him.

"Yeah, yeah Saotome we get it. You just wanna get back at making out with the lady. Like the wife said though, try to keep it down will ya? Some of us got work tomorrow!" With that the woman known as Momoko turned away and climbed down out of sight.

Banjiro turned back to Genma and said, "You're one lucky man Saotome." Then looked at Nodoka, "I would say at least 34C's and nice choice in underwear Saotome-san" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Nodoka smiled nervously and blushed even harder knowing that her neighbor saw her breast. The only man she would ever show them to was her husband…speaking of husband. She quickly turned to see if her wayward husband had made an escape, but was surprised to see him instead playing with their son standing there as if their previous argument hadn't happened.

She was about to berate Genma when they heard from the other side of the wall, "See honey why can't we do something wild like that? Did you see Saotome-san? She looked wiiiild!"

Instead of the insults that were threatening to come out another fierce blush overtook her.

They heard the female Kawasaki retort, "Because unlike them who get along very well honey you are a pervert!"

Nodoka was ready to drop dead of embarrassment right then and there. There was no way she could live this down! She didn't care if she had to move right after moving in three years ago, she couldn't live with herself knowing that the next door neighbors thought of her as a sex-crazy woman.

Surprisingly it was Genma who broke the long awkward silence, "Come one No-chan let's go home before someone else sees us" She eagerly nodded her agreement without a word she followed him inside.

-.-

Once inside Genma again took the initiative, "No-chan I know that you are mad at me for trying to take Ranma on the training trip, but this is something the boy needs in order to carry on the Saotome school of Anything Goes."

Though the all-consuming anger that she felt earlier when pursuing Genma was gone that didn't mean she was going to just forgive and forget just because a little incident happened to interrupt her promise for pain. "Genma I want you out of this house by tonight, I don't ever want to see you again!"

"Now hold on No-chan-" He started to explain.

"-And give me back Ranma! I don't him being defiled by such filthy hands! To think that I went against my family's wishes and married a man below my stature." She couldn't hold back the tears now that were threatening from the moment she started the argument outside. The only reason she hadn't let them flow was because her anger helped her keep them at bay. "I gave up everything for you Genma! My family, my wealth, my stature, even some of my closest friends that I knew all my life for you! I thought you were the man for me. The one who I would have children. The one who I would spend the rest of my life with as I watch my children grow old."

It hurt him to see her like that, but there was no amount of apologizing that he could do to gain her forgiveness. It made him think of what he was thinking when he went through with his plan. No he knew the culprit for his inexcusable behavior, it was the alcohol running through his veins at the time. The night before he went to bed with the resolve to try to persuade his wife on that training trip a few later, but then he had to go and get drunk…

He punched himself on the face in front of his wife. He was so stupid! How could I go and do something like that? Am I no better than the master? May god burn his soul for all eternity…"Nodoka, I don't know what to say or do to ever gain your forgiveness, but I swear to you I didn't mean to separate you and Ranma for ever-"

"You were going to abandon me! Who do you think would have provided for me? My parents? Did you forget that I gave everything for you? Everything I married you with nothing but the clothes on my back. What do you think would have happened if you had left?" Her face was red from anger, the tears were flowing freely onto Ranma as he cried in her arms.

"I…I hadn't thought about it…it just didn't occur to me that you would be left in-" He tried to explain himself as honestly as he could, but the more he thought about it the more he realized that not only had his decision been spontaneous he hadn't even taken into consideration what would become of his wife. Am I such a monster that I would have abandoned my wife to the wolves? He really had screwed up and now it was probably going to cost him marriage and his only son.

Nodoka couldn't keep Ranma from crying usually he wouldn't get upset as long as he was in her arms, but all the yelling –which was a rare thing in her household- must have been upsetting him and no amount of coaxing and shushing was going to stop him. "Genma I'll say it again, get out! I'll find a way to support myself and my son. I see that you don't care what happens to me, you just wanted me in order to produce a heir for your stupid school, a means to an end. All those sweet words, all those gifts and dates, they were just to get me in bed and produce a heir."

"Now that's not true Nodoka don't you remember why I told you I loved you? That hasn't changed. I still love you, it was just your stupid husband blinded by alcohol doing another stupid stunt. I promise you Nodoka I would never leave you! I…I-I love you! I love you as much as I love our son. I didn't marry you just to produce an heir, if that was the case don't you think I could have gotten any one of those other girls chasing Soun and me around to do the deed?" By that point Genma was also crying freely and his voice cracking with emotion as well.

Nodoka's lower lip quivered as her tears ran freely down her cheeks and onto the crying form of Ranma. "I-I want the man I married 5 years ago…The passionate man who would hold me and whisper sweet words into my ear. The man who I could be proud to call my husband, I want the man I fell in love with…" She was whispered the last words sobbing and looking at her son cry rather than making eye contact with her husband.

"I-I can be that man again! Just give me another chance No-chan-" Genma's excitement over salvaging the situation was evident in his voice.

"-Don't you 'No-chan' me! You lost the privilege of calling me that the moment you stepped out of this house this night." Her tone was cold and antagonizing.

"I'm sorry Nodoka. I can be that man again. I can change please just give me a chance." Genma pleaded between sobs as well. "Me and Soun got rid of the master I-I can change to the man I used to be, the one you fell in love with for the first time…I just needs another chance please Nodoka…" He pleaded her looking at her straight in the eyes.

"I-I want to believe you Genma, really I do, but you acted without concern over me. You practically threw me away the moment I became useless to you. How do you think I feel? Do you think I can just forgive and forget?" She managed to control her sobbing to just a few hiccups.

"…Just give me a chance Nodoka…I ask for no more than to be near my wife and child…I just need a chance to prove myself to you…"

"Do you promise to always be there for your children and myself at all costs? That you will not abandon us like you planned to do this night?" She really didn't want to lose the man she had married, but she also couldn't just forgive him. Besides she had married an honorable man and she still had a bit of faith in that man.

"I promise, I promise, oh thank you No-chan! Than-"

"I told you, you lost the right to call me that! I want you to swear Genma Saotome on your honor as a martial artist that you will never do something like that again. Also swear to me that you will always support your son no matter what he does or wants to be." Her voice cracked with emotion, but she ignored it and continued. "Swear to me that no matter what happens you will never leave us both me and our children!"

At that point Genma was the happiest man alive. I was right to marry such a kind forgiving woman! "Thank you, thank you Nodoka-sama! I promise. I swear on my honor as a martial artist practitioner of the Saotome branch of Anything Goes martial arts that I will never leave my family. That I will support my wife and children no matter what happens."

"You also have to stay off alcohol from now on." Nodoka managed a weak smile.

"Aw come on No-chan! You-" He stopped his complaint when he saw the weak smile that looked like took a lot of effort for Nodoka to manage turn easily into a frown of disapproval. "I mean of course Nodoka-sama I will try my hardest to stay off alcohol as much as possible." He finished with a small smile of his own.

-.-

Notes: This has been ½ written for a few years now. I just finished the other half in a sort of rush to post it on the 11/11/11 for kicks. Later I'll come back and rewrite the chapter. This is just a little project I've started at my professor's urging to write something to practice my writing since he made it perfectly clear that I suck at anything non-fiction…