Chapter Twelve : Hello, Momma!
A Small Distance Away from the Alleyway
The woman's house was a traditional Japanese home, like the Tendo's house. It seemed kinda large for just one person, really. Ranma was currently sitting in the living room, watching the woman pour some tea.
"So," Ranma said, "You live here alone?"
The woman paused before setting the kettle down.
"Y-yes," She said, sitting down on the other side of the table, "My husband and son left almost ten years ago on a trip."
"Ten years?" Ranma asked, "That's a long time for a trip."
The woman nodded.
"I had hoped they would come back sooner," She said, "But I haven't heard hide nor hair of them."
The woman then looked up at her.
"Ama..." She stopped, "You are...?"
"Yeah," Ranma said, "I'm Amaterasu's reincarnation, anyway. I don't go by that name anymore."
"Really?" The woman asked, "Then by what name?"
"Ranma."
The woman froze for a brief moment.
"R-really?" She asked, "Strange."
"What?" Ranma asked.
"Oh, nothing," The woman smiled, "That's just a strange name for such a darling young lady."
"Y-yeah," Ranma said, looking down, "I get that a lot."
"My name is Nodoka," The woman said, "I cannot thank you enough for your help."
"D-don't worry about it," Ranma smiled, laughing a small bit, "It's my job, right? But... how did ya know?"
"Well, I find it odd that no one else did," Nodoka said, "The red markings and the ears, I mean. The markings are identical to those on a picture of Amaterasu that is passed down in my family."
"Well, about that," Ranma said, "Most people can't see them. The only people who can see them either have a strong will or some sort of divine connection. To everyone else, I seem perfectly normal. But you missed one, I have a tail too."
"I... I see," Nodoka said, now seeing the tail that was slightly curling around Ranma's knees as she sat there, "It's strange... But, oh, listen to me go on. I shouldn't be boring you with such trivial matters, Great One."
"N-no, that's fine," Ranma was slightly caught off guard with 'great one', "I-I only came into my... power very recently. At this point, I'd much rather have friends than followers."
"Oh my," Nodoka said, "So you mean... you weren't always...?"
"Nope," Ranma shook her head, "Up until about two months ago, I was a perfectly normal human being. Well, as normal as one would be growing up with the Old Man on the road all the time."
"What do you mean?" Nodoka said.
"Me and Pop have lived on the road for about ten years now," Ranma said, "N-not like we were homeless or nuthin', we were training martial arts."
"R-really?" Nodoka said, before mumbling, "That's very peculiar..."
"What is what?" Ranma asked.
"Oh, nothing,' Nodoka smiled, "You just remind me of my son. He and his father practiced martial arts too. That's the reason why they left."
"Oh," Ranma said, "I guess that is kinda freaky."
"My, but you don't really talk like a lady should," Nodoka said.
"Eh-heh," Ranma looked sheepish sipping her tea, "Yeah, that happens when ya grow up with only a surly Pop to keep ya company. This is actually only the third time I've ever worn a skirt..."
Ranma kinda blushed.
"Really?" Nodoka asked, "I had noticed you walk a slight bit oddly."
"Yeah, I'm a real tomboy," Ranma answered.
"Please, I'm..." Nodoka said, "If it's alright. Could I ask you something?"
"Sure, fire away," Ranma said.
"Could you..." Nodoka asked, "Find my son and husband?"
"I..." Ranma said softly, shaking her head slowly, "Sorry. I... I don't really have any way of doing that. I'm not even close to being at full power yet. I can keep my eye out, but I don't really have any way of just going poof and there ya go."
"Oh," Nodoka looked down, "Well, I would appreciate if you would keep and eye out."
Ranma smiled warmly and nodded.
"Sure, no problem," She said.
"A-another question," Nodoka said, "I'm... curious. How... how did you come in to your powers?"
"Oh, that," Ranma chuckled a little bit, "Kinda weird, actually. I fell into a cursed spring over in China. You heard of Jusenkyo?"
Nodoka shook her head.
"Well," Ranma said, "If ya fall in, ya turn into what last drowned there. I fell into Amaterasu's spring. Lemme tell ya, I was way different than I am now before I fell into the spring."
"How different?" Nodoka said.
"Well, um..." Ranma said, kinda not knowing how to answer, "My hair color... the markings and stuff, of course... um... my... uh... ya know, just everything. I looked completely different. I acted different too."
"So," Nodoka said, "So if, say, a cat fell into that spring before you... that cat would have become...?"
"Nah," Ranma shook her head, "I was her reincarnation even before I fell in. Everything else couldn't break the surface of the water. I sunk like a rock."
Nodoka sighed as she heard that.
"What?" Ranma asked.
"Oh, it's nothing," Nodoka said, looking back up at the young deity, "It's just that you remind me of my son at every turn. The Shinto priest that lives nearby predicted that my son had the soul of a god. I'm sure it was just either something to make me laugh or something with a more simple hidden meaning."
"It is kinda weird how I'm exactly the same," Ranma said.
Ranma paused.
Nah, couldn't be. A woman like this would never marry the Old Man.
She shook her head.
"Anyway," Nodoka said, "I'd love to hear more about you, but I don't want to pry any more."
"Nah, it's okay," Ranma said, "I mean, you knew who I was right off the bat, so I really don't have any reason to keep anything a secret. I doubt you're gonna start acting like my Old Man."
"You keep saying bad things about you're father," Nodoka noted.
"Well," Ranma looked off for a moment, "Yeah, I guess. He's kinda sneaky and pretty off handed at times. He freaks out every time he sees me wearing anything remotely feminine. He almost had me engaged to another girl. But... he's my Pop and I guess I gotta like him at least a little."
"Engaged to another girl?" Nodoka asked.
"Yeah, that was one big mistake right from the beginning," Ranma said, "Maybe before the spring, but definitely not now."
"Before the spring?" Nodoka asked.
"Um..." Ranma looked down and blushed, "Yeah."
"You mean..." Nodoka looked at her, kinda freaked out, "You were...?"
"No," Ranma said, "I wasn't a lesbian or nothing. I was just... ya know... a guy."
She mumbled that last part kinda quietly, almost hoping that Nodoka wouldn't hear it.
"You were...!?" Nodoka asked, looked astonished.
"Yeah," Ranma looked down, "I was a boy. But Amaterasu's a chick, so the spring had to turn me into a girl. Then it messed around in my head, makin' me act kinda like a girl and stuff. I wouldn't even think of wearing what I'm wearing now up until two days ago."
Nodoka looked like she was thinking like crazy.
"What is it?" Ranma asked.
"R-Ranma," Nodoka said, closing her eyes, "Wh-what's your last name?"
"Huh?" Ranma said, looking really confused, "S-Saotome, why?"
Nodoka froze for a small moment.
"And your father?"
"Um... Genma Saotome?" Ranma was even more confused.
Wait... could she...?
Aw, damn. This wasn't the way Ranma had envisioned meeting her mother.
Nodoka froze again. This time for much much longer.
"Ranma..." she said finally, "I think... I think you are my son."
Damn it.
"Wh-what?" Ranma asked, looking at her, kinda freaked out.
"My name is Nodoka Saotome," Nodoka said, "Genma Saotome is my husband and Ranma Saotome is my son. My husband and son left ten years ago one a martial arts training trip."
It was Ranma's turn to freeze.
"Wh...?" Ranma said after a small while, "Y-you...?"
"But," Nodoka said, "I am uncertain about something."
Ranma didn't respond, so Nodoka continued.
"Before they... you left," Nodoka said, "Genma signed a pledge that he had written; if Ra... if you were not a man amongst men by the time I next saw you... you and Genma would commit seppuku."
"Wh-what!?" Ranma stuttered, "I...!"
She sighed.
"If you..." Ranma sighed and looked down, pausing for a moment, "Even if honor demands it... I cannot do that. I have the charge of protecting the world from the demons' evil. I can't commit seppuku, even if you ask me to. I'm sorry."
"R-Ranma," Nodoka said, "I..."
Ranma waited quietly for her response.
"I... I have had ten long years to wait," Nodoka said, "A small while ago, I might of asked you to do as such. But... I cannot allow you to do as such. Not only because you are Amatersu... but because you are my child. I can no longer hold you to this contract. I now only ask you one thing."
"Wh-what?" Ranma asked.
"If possible," Nodoka said, "Grow up to be a woman amongst women."
"Eh-heh," Ranma said, "That might be a while."
"I also would ask for you to give some grand babies," Nodoka went starry eyed.
"That'll definitely be a while."
"Oh come now," Nodoka said, "You said the spring altered your mind to make you think and act like a girl, right?"
"Yeah, I guess," Ranma said.
"The you should have no problem finding a nice boyfriend," Nodoka looked very very happy at the thought.
"A... a-a boyfriend!?" Ranma said, almost in panic mode, "But... but I...!"
"Oh, come now," Nodoka laughed a small bit, "I'm not forcing you or anything. I was just asking."
"Well..." Ranma blushed a bit more, "I... I guess..."
"Hmm?" Nodoka looked at her, eyebrows arched slightly.
"There..." Ranma closed her eyes for a moment, as if steeling her resolve, "There is... this one guy..."
"Really?" Nodoka asked, kinda amazed.
"He's an old friend," Ranma said, "Back from my old all boy high school. We met up again just after I was cursed... but..."
"You doubt he'd reciprocate the feelings," Nodoka said.
"Resipca-what?" Ranma asked.
"You doubt he would feel the same way about you," Nodoka explained.
"Y-yeah, I guess," Ranma said, "Still... I'm still kinda gettin' used to all this stuff... I mean... yesterday was kinda the first day I had ever worn a bra so..."
"Don't worry," Nodoka said, "We'll get that covered."
A small while later, after a lengthy talk about everything that had happened since the training trip began, Nodoka was slightly peeved at Genma; although 'slightly' was a vast understatement. Her happiness that her... child had come back to her mostly covered that though.
Mostly.
Nodoka was still kinda iffy about her son now kinda being her daughter, at the same time being, ya know, the goddess of the sun and whatnot. She had the sinking feeling that if Ranma had not saved her in that alleyway she would be reacting much, much differently. And now that she knew, she saw that; if you took out the furry ears and red markings; Ranma basically looked like a carbon copy of herself when she was younger.
Ranma had, she guessed, kinda come to terms about her feelings. She didn't really know much about friends and whatnot, so she really didn't know how to match up the feelings and the titles. She loved her father, but she also didn't like him, so he wasn't a very good thing to set the bar from. But the almost instant connection that she felt with the woman who had turned out, in some weird cosmic quirk, to be her mother kinda set the bar by itself. She felt that Nodoka was... important to her; kinda in a way she couldn't really describe. The small 'talk' about boyfriends made her realize that the feelings she had been feeling towards Ryoga were, all in all, not very far from that feeling.
But she was kinda iffy about it. She knew that she felt that way, but she didn't know how to express it or even what that feeling meant. She didn't know if she should feel that way. Her mind was buzzing constantly about it.
Nodoka had then, after a small while, showed Ranma around the house to see how much Ranma remembered about it. Most of the stuff she didn't, but upon seeing her old room, she instantly recognized several things, including the pillow that she had been slightly obsessed about absolutely having to have it to go to sleep. She also remembered the kinda kiddy name she had giving it, since it was in the shape of a happy Panda.
Mr. Chubchub.
She also remembered that that name really annoyed Genma.
Of course, Ranma also noted how much the pillow looked like Genma when he was a panda himself.
Therefore, Ranma instantly made the decision to start calling Genma 'Mr. Chubchub' when she was trying to piss him off.
Although it also kinda freaked her out that almost the first thing she had said about the panda pillow had been about how cute it was.
Shiver.
After a little while, Ranma suddenly remembered something.
"Oh damn," She said.
"Ranma," Nodoka said, "Watch you're language."
"Oh, um, sorry," Ranma said, "But I forgot that the Tendo's don't know where I am. Can... can I use the phone to call and tell them I'm not, like, dead in the gutter somewhere?"
"Of course," Nodoka said, "Tendo... do you mean Soun Tendo?"
"Yeah, do ya know 'em?" Ranma asked.
Nodoka nodded.
"Old family friends," Nodoka said, "I take it that you were engaged to one of Soun's daughters."
"Yeah, for all of about ten minutes," Ranma said, "I'm still... kinda shaky about it, but I'm pretty sure I don't want to marry another girl."
Ranma thought about that for a moment, before shaking her head. She moved over to the phone. Pausing a small moment to remember the telephone number, she dialed it.
"Hello?" It was Kasumi.
"Kasumi," Ranma said, "It's me."
"Oh, Ranma!" Kasumi said, "We were about to get worried that something happened at your duel with Kuno."
"Nah, it wasn't even a duel," Ranma said, the word duel snagging Nodoka's attention, "I just happened to bump into someone on my way back. Can I talk to my Old Man?"
"Oh, yes," Kasumi said, "Although I think he might be a slight bit... inebriated at the moment."
"That's okay," Ranma said.
There were some quiet noises as Kasumi handed the phone to Genma.
Ranma heard a hello grunt.
"Pop," Ranma said.
"What is it boy?" Genma asked.
"Do you remember Mr. Chubchub?" Ranma smirked.
Silence on the other end of the phone.
"What are you talking about, boy?" Genma said, "Start making some sense."
"I was just asking because I managed to bump into a woman named Nodoka on the way back from Furinkan," Ranma said.
Silence.
"Does she know?" Was the rather quiet reply.
"Yep."
"Did she say anything about Seppuku?"
"Yep."
"Well?"
"Nope."
"'Nope' what!?"
"No she isn't."
"Oh, thats good," Genma said.
"You wanna talk to her?"
"No!" Genma said, "Uh... um... n-no. N-not at the moment."
"Okay," Ranma said, rolling her eyes, "But I am going to have to ask you about that when I get back."
Silence.
"Ranma?" came Nabiki's voice.
"Nabiki?" Ranma asked, "What happened ta Pop?"
"He just jumped out the window," Nabiki asked, "What did you tell him anyway?"
"I'll tell ya later," Ranma said, "I was just calling to tell you guys that I'm okay."
"When can we expect you back?" Nabiki asked.
"I dunno," Ranma said, "Not to long I guess."
"Well, see ya in 'not to long'," Nabiki said, "I'll tell everyone you're not dead in the gutter somewhere."
"Okay, bye," Ranma said.
Nabiki replied in turn and thus the long drawn out telephone conversation came to an end.
"What was this about a duel?" Nodoka asked.
"Hmm?" Ranma asked, looking at her mother, "Oh. Some idiot at school wrote me a note to meet him on the school field at four. I had thought it was a martial arts duel or something, but it turns out he just wanted to give me some roses."
"Oh, I see you've already started to attract some attention," Nodoka smiled.
"Trust me, Mom," Ranma deadpanned, "That is one person I don't want any attention from."
"My, why's that?" Nodoka asked.
"He's a Kuno," Ranma replied.
"Huh?" Nodoka looked confused.
"He's the biggest moron and pervert I've ever seen," Ranma told her, "And I'm pretty sure he's crazy or somethin'. He calls me his 'Beautiful Red-Haired Lupine Goddess'."
"So he knows?" Nodoka asked, setting her tea cup down.
"Oh, God, I hope not," Ranma said, "The first day I went to school, I didn't have a uniform, so I was wearing the only clothes I had. It was a red and white shirt with a white wolf on the front of it. I actually came out of the cursed spring with it."
"That's the only outfit you have?" Nodoka asked, "Nothing else?"
"No," Ranma said, "At times, Pop would sell some of the stuff we carried around with us for money. Turns out to get some money for supplies to go into China, he sold all of our clothing except for our gi's. Besides, that shirt got ripped by a tengu a few days ago."
"A... a tengu?" Nodoka kinda said absentmindedly, "So... what else do you have to wear?"
"Um... my school uniforms," Ranma said, "I had bought some clothes, but the tengu kinda shredded the bag that they were in. I've been borrowing from the Tendo sisters for other clothes."
"Well we'll have to remedy that," Nodoka said, "It's late, so the stores aren't open right now, but how about I come over to the Tendo's house and we can go get you some more. No daughter of mine is going to be without and suitable wardrobe."
"Really?" Ranma looked up, "Wow, thanks!"
"And I want to meet this boy thats caught your eye," Nodoka smiled widely.
"Momma..." Ranma looked down, blushing.