Notes: Well it is another chapter release I hope you like it, special thanks to my beta reader for making this possible.
Unknown Mother Chapter:2
Hibiki residence, two days later
Nayomie sat on the couch, going through her contact book and shaking her head. 'Where on earth am I going to find a sitter for the children on such short notice, especially this close to the arts festival?' she asked herselfas she scanned through the list, tracing her index finger along the page. She stopped, looking at Mrs. Saotome's name with a number underneath it. She shook her head once again. Skipping to the last name on the list, she picked up the phone.
"Hello, Satori, this is Nayomie Hibiki. I was wondering if you might be able to babysit for me today?" Nayomie asked with hope.
Satori looked over to her boyfriend and answered, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Hibiki, but I'm rather busy. Otherwise, I would gladly watch them for you."
"I- I see. Alright. Take care, Satori. Maybe next time, then. Goodbye," Nayomie said, trying to mask her disappointment as she hung up the phone. Shoulders slumped, she lifted her head when she heard a knock at the door. 'Who could that be? Ranma, maybe?' Standing up, she walked to the front door. Opening it, she found another Saotome. "Why, hello there, Nodoka. I didn't expect to see you today. Please come in, won't you?"
Nodoka gave Nayomie a warm smile as she was allowed in, taking her shoes off and stepping into some house slippers. "Thank you, Nayomie. I am terribly sorry for bothering you. I was in the neighborhood and thought I would drop by to chat for a little while," she said as she took a seat on the couch as per Nayomie's gesture.
"Would you like some tea, Nodoka?" Nayomie asked pleasantly.
Nodoka crossed her legs, placing her hands in her lap, while looking at her old friend from childhood. "If you wouldn't mind, please, I would love some."
Nayomie walked into the kitchen, leaving her friend in the living room. "Not at all! Would you prefer sweetened tea or herbal tea?"
Still sitting on the couch, Nodoka noticed a crib set up in the corner of the living room. With a curious eyebrow raised, she replied, "I will take herbal tea, please." After making her request, curiosity got the better of her. Walking over to the crib, she looked down to find three slumbering infants.
After preparing the tea to brew, Nayomie walked back into the living room and saw Nodoka standing over the crib. "They are adorable, wouldn't you agree, my friend?"
"Yes, they certainly are. Are you babysitting?" Nodoka asked curiously.
Nayomie nodded. "More or less, Nodoka. Ryoga just found out he was a father not long ago, but we have no idea who the mother is."
"Oh, that is terrible! You mean the mother abandoned them at your son's doorstep?" Nodoka asked in disbelief.
Nayomie shrugged, letting out a sigh. "I would personally like to think she had a good reason. She promised in her letter to come back for them as soon as she dealt with her problems. She obviously loves them, as they were well cleaned and fed when they were dropped off," she explained. Thinking for a moment, she asked, "Nodoka, could you possibly do me a favor? I wouldn't ask unless it was important. Could you watch them for me? Ryoga doesn't come home for another six hours, and I had promised I would help out at the festival."
"I would gladly watch them for you, Nayomie. How long until you need to go?" Nodoka asked, wearing a hopeful expression.
Nayomie gave her friend a smile. "I have about twenty minutes before I need to leave. What is it I can help you with, hon?"
Nodoka sighed. "I'm afraid my husband and son got in a fight, and, well, I have opted for a divorce. Last night, Genma didn't take the news well and presumed to threaten me. I fear he may try to do something rash. I was wondering if there might be any way I could stay here until the divorce is over, along with Ranma? I know he is old enough to be on his own, but he really hasn't a home or the means to buy a home for himself as of yet," she explained in an almost begging tone.
Nayomie looked to Nodoka with worry. "I can't say I didn't see this coming, Nodoka, but if it will help you and Ranma then I have no problem with the two of you staying here for now."
"Thank you, Nayomie! I will gladly help out around the house and help look after the children," Nodoka promised, bowing gratefully.
Nayomie sighed as she looked at the Saotome honor blade leaning against the couch, then went to the kitchen to get the tea for her friend. 'Oh, the messes you get yourself into, Ranma,' she thought, hoping she had not made a mistake.
Forty minutes later
Nodoka reached into the crib, picking up Neji and looking into the child's chocolate-brown eyes and noting the fuzzy white hair upon her head. 'Ryoga is definitely the father, those fangs cannot be mistaken.' "Who is your mother, little one?" she asked as she cradled the child, knowing she was far too young to answer her question. As she looked at Rei, she noticed the child had blue eyes and sported a thin layer of auburn hair. 'It couldn't be, could it?' "Your mother wouldn't happen to be my child, would it?" she asked, giggling. "No, of course not. He would never consider having children as a woman, I'm sure of it," she said firmly, though she continued to sit and think on the matter for several minutes more.
Nodoka placed Neji back into the crib, looking to her honor blade with disgust. Turning her attention back to the children, she tried to study every detail of their features. 'Even if my son did have these children, he wouldn't tell me, would he?' Nodoka let out a sigh, lost in thought on the matter for some time. She perked up to the sound of knocking at the door front door. "Come in," she called as she looked to the door to see Ranma step into the house.
"Oh, hey Mom, what you doing here?" Ranma asked casually, trying to hide his worry as his gaze fell to the bundled sword on her lap.
Nodoka, noticing Ranma's gaze, gave him a soft smile. "I was visiting Hibiki-san and she asked me to watch these children for her." 'Do I ask him?' Thinking against it, she spoke. "Ranma, she said we can stay here for a little while. I would like to go do some shopping. Do think you could maybe watch the kids while I buy us some groceries and supplies to help the Hibikis out?"
Ranma looked to his children and then to his mother. "Um, I don't know anything about takin' care of kids, Mom," he carefully lied.
Nodoka chuckled at Ranma. "Just for a little while, I promise. There's nothing to it," she said. She wore a slightly cheeky smile that Ranma missed as he was looking off to the side. 'When he is ready, I suppose,' she thought as she walked over to her son and gave him a hug. "Okay, I will be back shortly. There is formula in the refrigerator, and the baby supplies are by the crib," she said before leaving, handing her bundle to Ranma as she left.
Ranma watched his mother leave while he held the Saotome honor blade. He turned his gaze to the bearer of his possible doom. 'Weird, she's never placed the sword in my hands since we left the Tendos,' he observed. After a few minutes he set the sword down, sitting on the couch. He had mixed feelings about the present situation. 'Does she know?' Ranma wondered, both hoping and fearing that his nightmare might be nearing its end.
Festival of the arts
As Nodoka approached the arts festival in the park, she heard the sounds of chime music being played and many patrons all walking along. Looking at the displays as she continued to wade through the crowd, she finally found her friend's booth. Walking around the counter to the back, she found Nayomie stirring soup.
Nayomie looked over to the sound of shuffling feet with surprise. "No-chan, I thought you were watching the kids?" she asked with a worried look.
"I thought they needed time with their mother. Ranma is the mother, isn't he?" Nodoka asked, hoping she wasn't making a fool of herself.
Nayomie continued working on her soup, not answering for a few moments. "I am not sure, but I think so. They do tend to drink a lot whenever they get together, so anything could have happened."
"If you thought he was the mother, why not ask him or call me?" Nodoka asked, furrowing her brow.
Nayomie shrugged her shoulders. "You know their histories. We're lucky they're truly friends now. I didn't want to push for fear that she would just run away, taking the kids with her. She fears you, Nodoka, and she probably lacks the courage to tell my son as of yet because of that. But let me ask you a question, dear. If you suspected, why didn't you ask Ranma yourself?"
"I guess I felt much the same as you. I have made many mistakes…I never wanted him to fear me," Nodoka said with eyes downcast. She felt terrible.
Nayomie gave Nodoka a smile. "Then let us bide our time. Ranma will come forward when he is ready. How will you respond once he does, however?"
"I…am not sure. I don't approve of such relationships. But at the same time, this is my child we are talking about. Even if I tried to deny it in the past, I know he's half-girl. So, I suppose I will just have to cross that bridge when we get to it," Nodoka said, shrugging her shoulders in resignation.
Back with Ranma and the kids
Ranma sighed as she came back from the kitchen. "Alright, who's first?" she asked with a motherly lilt to her children as she waved the bottle in front of them playfully before placing it into Rei's waiting hands. She then did the same for the other two. Reaching over, she picked up the TV remote and turned it on. Scanning the channels, she stopped on a commercial that featured her ex-fiancée holding up a soda called "Chikosala." Ranma felt her heart lurch, shaking a bit as she thought about how she missed her wayward ex. "Damn you, Hiroshi, this is all your fault. If you hadn't told Akane, none of this would have happened," she muttered to herself.
The three infants made cooing noises as they suckled their bottles under their mother's watchful eyes.
"Hiroto, your Mommy's little boy, aren't you? Look at you go, you're definitely going to be a strong martial artist when you grow up," Ranma cooed as she watched her son empty the bottle in a matter of seconds. Looking to her two girls, she saw that they had finished their formula as well before starting to cry.
Ranma smiled as she got up to get some more for them. "Alright, alright, I'll get ya some more," she said in a motherly tone as she looked down at her children happily before walking to the kitchen.
Once inside the kitchen, Ranma opened the fridge and grabbed three more bottles of formula that were already prepared. Pausing when she heard the kitchen wall phone ring, she set the bottles down to answer it.
"Hello, Ranma?" Nodoka asked.
Hearing her mother's voice, Ranma casually dipped her hand into the water heating on the stove to warm the children's bottles, triggering her change back to male. "Yo Mom, what's up?"
"I was just checking on you, Ranma. How are things going?" Nodoka asked as she held her hand over her other ear to block out the noise coming from the crowd at the festival.
Ranma shrugged as he leaned against the kitchen counter. "They're goin' fine. The kids eat like vacuum cleaners, but nothin' I can't handle. You were right, it's pretty easy."
Nodoka smiled. 'You've been a mother for a while now, haven't you? I didn't think would be an issue,' she thought. "Well, I should be back soon enough. Is there anything you would like from the store, dear?"
"If you wouldn't mind bringing me some lime soda, I'd appreciate it, Mom," Ranma said as he walked over to peer into the living room, checking on his kids.
"If they're out of lime, is there something else you would like, honey?"
"Well, how 'bout sweet tea, Mother?"
Nodoka filed away that information for future reference. "Alright, sweetie, I should be back soon. See you then," she said as she hung up the phone, letting out a sigh.
"Alright Mom, see you soon. Bye," Ranma said as he hung up the phone, letting out a sigh of his own as he walked over to the sink and triggered his curse with the faucet. She then grabbed the bottles, checking their temperature, and made her way to the living room to finish feeding her children.
After a few minutes her cell phone started to ring. "Yo, Ranko here," she answered
"Hello Ranko, this is Shinji Kashi. Remember me from the Sonachi bar?" he asked.
Ranko perked up as she remembered him. "Yeah, 'course I remember you. What's up?"
"I was wondering if you're interested in doing another job?" Shinji asked Ranko in a calm and collected tone.
Ranko looked to her children. "I can't accept jobs like that. I have my children to worry about," she explained.
"Nah, Ranko-baby. Nothin' like that. No, I have a dojo I want you to knock off. You are still a martial artist, aren't you? If so, there's fifty thousand American in it for you," Shinji offered, hoping that would get her attention.
Ranko considered his offer. The last time she dealt with her acquaintance, she was selling her fists to gather his money back from people in debt to him. The work helped pay for her living on and off. "What kind of job, and why American cash?" she asked.
"You'll go to Hollywood, California, enter a martial arts tournament there, and compete. Once you face the Shankara School's fighter, you are to embarrass him and his wife, taking them down a peg. They think they're the best and knocked out my best fighter a week ago," Shinji said in a cold tone.
Ranko rolled her eyes. "I thought I was your best fighter?" she asked nonchalantly.
"You decided to get drunk and have kids, remember? Besides, we both know you're my hired muscle. Will you take the job, Ranko-doll?" Shinji asked.
Ranko let out a sigh. "I didn't do that on purpose, and don't call me 'doll.' I'll do the job, but you have to do me a favor," she demanded.
"Anything you want, girly. Just name it," Shinji replied.
Ranko felt like hurling for a second, but pushed the feeling down. "I'm being trailed by the Jusenkyo Preservation Society. You remember that item I sought for a cure?"
"So you found it, I'm glad I could help. Wait, you didn't steal it, did you?" Shinji asked, surprised.
Ranko rolled her shoulders while looking to Hiroto. "Well, yeah, I did. I had to for little Hiroto's sake. Besides, all they were doin' was holdin' onto it, so I nabbed it." 'Of course, it didn't help that my judgment was impaired by alcohol…again,' she thought sheepishly.
"Wait, you gave it to your son?" Shinji asked, even more surprised.
Ranko chuckled, her eyebrows arching. "Yeah. Actually, it can help him more than me. I'm a mother now, what good would it do me? Look, could you maybe get them off my back, throw them off the trail?"
"Ranko, I can't guarantee I'll be able to. If they catch up to you, I suggest you just give them back the item. Kenny no longer changes into that feeble monk anymore, and you had issues with him last time. You told me that when we met," Shinji said, trying to talk some sense into the girl.
Ranko let out a sigh. "If I try to give it back, they'll probably execute me."
"Ranko-baby, I know they won't. They won't hurt anyone who's a parent, trust me," Shinji assured her as he flipped through his list of contacts in search of someone to fix the situation for her.
Ranko looked to her children as she collected the newly empty bottles. "Alright, I'll take the job. I'll need money and transport to the job site. Proper paperwork too. How long until I have to be there?"
"Just swing by the bar and I'll give you everything you'll need, including a proper visa. As for the time frame, the tourney is in four weeks. So I suggest sometime between now and then you get your ass over there, preferably no later than one week beforehand, Ranko-doll," Shinji answered in his best business tone before hanging up.
Ranko closed her phone, placing it back in her pocket, before standing up to take the bottles back to the kitchen and rinse them out. 'Well, guess I gotta get to practicing once Mom gets here,' she decided as she heard the sound of someone approaching the front door. She immediately took a heated kettle from the stove and poured it over her head, grabbing a kitchen towel to dry his hair.
Nodoka entered the house to see her son coming back from the kitchen. "Is everything going okay, honey?"
"Peachy, Mom. They've been fed and seem rather happy," Ranma said, gesturing to the infants with a smirk as he walked over to relax on the couch.
Nodoka nodded as she walked into the kitchen to put away the groceries. "We will be staying here for a little while until your father has been dealt with. Will you be looking for work soon?"
"Yeah, I gotta go on a trip in a few weeks. After that I'll get a job so I can live on my own, Mom," Ranma said nonchalantly as he closed his eyes for a nap.
Nodoka quirked an eyebrow as she came back to the living room. "Going on a trip? I thought you promised you wouldn't be leaving again."
"Yeah, I did promise, Mom. I said I wouldn't go off training for years or anything. I've been offered a trip to a martial arts tournament in America and I didn't wanna turn it down. I should be able to make some good money doin' it," Ranma explained, opening one eye to look at his mother.
Nodoka gave her son a slim smile. "Well, if it won't be long I suppose I can excuse it. Are you going back into the Art full-time then?"
"I plan on it. Why, somethin' wrong, Mother?" Ranma asked, sitting up with both eyes open now.
Nodoka shrugged. "Nothing really, other than the fact that I feel awful for my mistakes. I just want the chance to make amends."
"We all make mistakes, myself more than others. Let's not worry 'bout these things and just start anew. You're doing just fine as you are," Ranma said as he lay back against the couch to take a nap.
A few hours later
Ryoga opened the door to his home. Once inside he took his work boots off and walked to the kitchen, almost colliding with Nodoka. "Mrs. Saotome, what are you doing here?" he asked, surprised.
"She and Ranma will be staying with us for a little while, dear," Ryoga's mother called from the kitchen.
Nodoka bowed apologetically to him. "I am sorry. I should have checked around the corner before barging out like that, Ryoga-kun."
"No, that's okay. Where's Ranma at?" Ryoga questioned as he looked around the room.
Nodoka let out a sigh. "He said he will be back. He went to see Dr. Tofu for some reason or another."
"Oh, okay then. I was going to have him take me to a few places to see if I can find the mother of my kids," Ryoga explained, scratching the back of his neck.
Nodoka looked at him with a blank expression that did not betray her feelings. 'My, that will get you far, child. Having the object of your search take you around to find a lead?' she thought, her mask breaking as she stifled a laugh.
"Something funny, Mrs. Saotome?" Ryoga asked curiously.
Nodoka gave him a smile. "Oh, just remembering the first time I met you. You scared the daylights out of me when I went to put some things away in my pantry. You said you'd been lost in there for three days," she lied, though she was telling a true event from Ryoga's youth back in middle school. 'How could I have been so blind when you talked about going to school with a boy named Ranma? I should have been able to make the connection, even though my Ranma was supposedly off on a training trip,' she scolded herself in frustration.
Ryoga continued past the woman lost in her thoughts as he went to take his bath.
Meanwhile, Tofu's clinic
Dr. Tofu, slightly older now but largely the same as five years earlier, addressed his visitor. "So, how have you been of late, Ranma?"
Ranma, who was sitting down in one of Dr. Tofu's chairs in front of his desk, sipped some tea. "I'm doing fairly well, Doc. Thank you for not telling anyone about my issue. You were really helpful with the woman's center in Hamamatsu, and they helped a lot in making me feel comfortable with myself during the pregnancy," she answered.
"Have you talked to Ryoga about this yet?" Tofu asked as he took a seat behind his desk.
Ranma sighed. "Not yet. Not sure if I should. And to make matters worse, my mom is now in contact with my kids. If she figures out they're mine, I'm a goner for sure."
"Ranma, I think at some point you're going to have to come out and deal with your mother, and Ryoga has a right to know you are the mother of his children. Sure, it will be a little awkward, but you can't expect to keep this a secret forever. Otherwise, you should have stayed out of sight," Tofu explained to her.
"A little awkward? That is rich, Doc. What am I supposed to say? 'Sorry Ryoga, ol' pal, I had your kids. Will you be with me?' He'll think I'm a pervert for sure," Ranma complained, feeling quite frustrated.
Dr. Tofu placed his elbows on his desk, a somewhat perplexed expression on his face. "Ranma, look in that mirror and tell me what is wrong with you being with him?"
"I know I have a girl's body, but getting drunk was an accident. And, well, I just feel it's wrong somehow," Ranma stated, trying to explain her feelings.
Dr. Tofu considered her words, nodding to himself. "Ranma, I personally think your issues lie with your mother. If you could get the seppuku pledge out of your way, you'll be free to be you. But the only way that's possible is for you to deal with it directly. You told me and your therapist that you've accepted this side of yourself and are happy with your kids, yes?"
Ranma gave Tofu a simple nod. "Yes, I did. I promise I'll deal with it soon, I just gotta steel myself for it first."
"If you need me, there let me know when the time comes. And don't forget, eventually Ryoga will have to know as well if you even remotely want it to work out," Tofu said with a reassuring smile.
Later that evening
Ranma stepped inside the Hibiki home, slipping her shoes off and shutting the door quietly so as not to disturb anyone. She then started creeping over to the crib where her children slept.
"Ranma, why are you sneaking around the house?" Nodoka called, as she was sitting in the recliner behind her.
Ranma froze, turning to look at her mother. "Oh, no reason really. I just thought everyone was asleep. I didn't wanna disturb anyone and I thought I heard something coming from the crib."
"I see, they must have kicked one of their toys," Nodoka offered, trying to mask the truth she knew.
Ranma felt relief from the save. "Yeah, that must be it. Well, I'm gonna go take a bath and head for bed. Bye-bye," she hastily replied as she quickly backpedaled toward the furo.
Watching her daughter leave the living room, Nodoka let out a yawn as she went back to reading her book. 'Soon,' she promised herself.
Mother-to-mother talk
Ranma sighed as he sat in the furo, relaxing his sore muscles. 'Think I overdid that workout before I got home.' He turned to the sound of knocking at the door.
"Ranma, I'm coming in," Nodoka announced as she opened the door. Shutting it behind her, she sat down on the floor next to the tub, her eyes looking away.
Ranma gulped as he felt a little embarrassed. Fear began to well up as he noticed his mother had the honor blade with her. "Whaddaya need, Mom?" he asked timidly.
"Could you possibly grace me with Ranko, please? I would really like to speak with her," Nodoka asked her son in a soft tone.
Ranma sighed as he stepped out of the tub, using the faucet to change gender. After turning the water off, she sat down on her knees across from her mother. "Okay Mom, what's on your mind?"
"Before we have this conversation, please hold this, dear," Nodoka requested as she held the honor blade out to Ranma. The younger Saotome took it, looking to her mother warily.
"With that done, I would like the truth. When did you have your children?" Nodoka asked coolly.
Ranma gulped, unsure as to what to say as anxiety washed over her. "I…it happened a little after Akane had left me. I got drunk with Ryoga, and before I knew what was happening, we kinda did it. Then I ran off on my supposed trip for a cure, but I really went to see Dr. Tofu. He sent me to a woman's home, where I stayed throughout my pregnancy. You've gotta understand, Mother, I was afraid. Our last conversation was over booze, and…" she trailed off as her mother completed her thought.
"And there was the pledge, yes. Again, I am so very sorry, dear. But while we are on the topic, when are you planning to tell Ryoga, Daughter?" Nodoka asked in a calm, soothing tone.
Ranma looked down at the bundle in her lap. "I'm not sure how to explain it to him. I'm…afraid he might reject me," she explained, sadness in her voice.
"Are you wishing for a relationship with him, dear, or simply to save face in terms of honor?" Nodoka queried.
Ranma looked her mother directly in the eyes, steeling herself. "I wish for both, Mother. He stuck with me when everyone else abandoned me. And I'd like the kids to have a real family, you know? I guess I'm just too much a coward to face him directly."
"Honey, what you should do is consider this as another challenge. Prepare yourself, and then put yourself to the test. If he should not accept you, you move on for your children's sakes. But I have a feeling he will if you have faith. Take your time, dear, and tell him when you are ready, not a minute before," Nodoka said while standing up.
Looking down at her daughter, she contemplated. "One last question, dear. Are you still my son and part-time daughter, or have you chosen your path?"
Ranma looked up to her mother. "Yes, I have chosen my path. I am your daughter first and your son second. That's because I'm their mother first, before anything else. Um…do you want your sword back, Mom?"
Nodoka gave her daughter a smile. "No, you keep it, dear. That sword has been handed down from one matriarch to the next, and now has been passed down to you, my daughter," she answered lovingly. She reached into her robe and pulled out an old parchment, tossing it down in front of Ranma.
"What is this, Mother?" Ranma asked, looking down at the parchment.
Sniffling, Nodoka fought back her tears. "That, my dear, is your freedom from the seppuku pledge. Burn it or do whatever you wish. I never want to see it again," she explained, leaving the furo and leaving her daughter speechless.
Chapter Notes: Well look's like Mom already figured out her daughter has had her grandchildren, and has opted to lighten her daughters burden, now Can Ranma/Ranko finally get the courage to face Ryoga for better or for worse.
And look's like Ranma plans to go back into Martial Art's heavy again taking her kids in account mind you, California huh she really wants that money doesn't she... (Ranko Aka: Red watch out for Shinji don't you realize he is bad for you!)
And we have learned the item that was her cure she gave to her son, and is now on the run from the Jusenkyo Preservation Society will she find a way around it? find out later on as we continue this ride.
Reviews are welcome much love. ~Zeltronica~