Faked our deaths,
Lit a match,
Closed the door,
Waited for the flash.
Greyhound Station,
we paid in cash,
Miss Lazarus,
we're coming back!
They say it's darkest before the dawn,
We've been in this town for far too long,
They say it's darkest before the dawn,
We're moving on, we're moving on, we're moving on!
- Sunset by The Midnight
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Ranko pretended she wasn't terrified out of her wits by upping the showmanship. Nabiki saw through her, of course; Nabiki knew how she tended to ham up the performances when she was nervous; and Ranko was so far beyond nervous right now that 'panicked' was on another planet.
"Are you watching closely?"
She poured the hot water on her head and Nodoka stared in shock as the girl she thought she knew grew taller, her bust disappeared, her hair turned black, her arms more muscled and less lithe, her frame bulkier, and a little hunched, as if a weight settled on it.
Nodoka found herself looking at a boy. A familiar-looking boy. In a dress, but a boy, nonetheless.
"Hi Mom." Ranko said. "Long time no see."
Nodoka stared, speechless. Ranko waved.
"And for my next trick…" She poured cold water on herself and returned to the busty redhead.
Nodoka gasped, and her breath started hitching. Nabiki knelt next to her and rubbed the small of the older woman's back until she'd calmed down.
That is until Ranko poured hot water again and returned to her boy form. This time she knelt and took her mother's hands while Nodoka tried to control her breathing.
Once Nodoka had calmed down, Ranko smiled at her uneasily. "So y'can probably see why I haven't been around. Pop didn't much fancy havin' his insides become outsides."
Nodoka's heart clenched. The contract. Oh kami-sama, that stupid contract.
"R-Ranma?!" She stammered, and Ranko nodded. It'd do for now. "Is that… is that you?!"
"It's me." Ranko confirmed. "I missed you, Mom." She said, squeezing Nodoka's hands. "I'm real glad ta meetcha properly."
Nodoka pulled her hands from Ranko's and then threw her arms around her child. "Oh, my Ranma! My baby!" She wailed and squeezed her closer.
"M-mom." Ranko managed to say, her own eyes filling with tears. After a short while, Nodoka pulled away and sat back.
"How?!" she demanded to know, worry and fear, longing, joy and pain all warring on her face as she tried to maintain equilibrium. "Why?! What happened to you?!"
Ranko shifted uncomfortably and then she splashed herself with cold water again, sighing in relief. Tights and panties were not designed for male anatomy, at least not the ones she was wearing. Nodoka noticed and frowned, and Ranko smiled at her. "Sorry Mom, it's a long story, but also I don't wanna have certain bits squished up the whole time I'm tellin' ya. Ain't comfy, and trust me, I know."
Nodoka blinked, then went as red as Nabiki did, but she nodded in acceptance of the reasoning.
Ranko took in a deep breath and looked at her mother. "Mom, this is gonna be a real doozy of a story. Nabs'll back me up on all of it. It's not gonna paint her in a good light, but I want you to know now – Nabs is my sister in everything but blood and I have forgiven her." Her hands closed around the object in one of the large pockets this dress had. Nabiki probably wouldn't forgive her for what she was going to pull, though.
"And every bit of this story's gonna be true, even if it's unbelievable." Nodoka stared as Ranko took a long sip of tea, looking back through her memories. "That awright, Mom?"
Nodoka looked at her child and nodded, emotions still warring in her eyes.
Ranko took in a breath and started to tell Nodoka about her life.
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Ryouga eyed Ranko. "You… You told your mom about being… Uh… you?" She nodded.
"Yeah." She laughed ruefully.
"But the seppuku pledge your Pop told you about…?" Ranko shrugged. "Wh-what happened?"
"I told her about everythin'. Everythin'. The journey, the curse, the ridiculous bullshit I'd been through all that time." Ranko took a drink from her glass and swayed a little. Ryouga wondered if she was getting drunk. He was starting to feel… fuzzy. His lips especially.
"And she didn't…?"
Ranma looked down at her glass and Nabiki scooted next to her, putting an arm around the redheaded girl. "I'll tell this bit." She said, looking at Ryouga. Ranma nodded. Ryouga saw tears dropping to the table but he couldn't tell if they were happy or sad.
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Ranko told her everything.
Training. Going hungry. Beatings.
Genma lying, cheating, stealing, using Ranko as nought but coin.
The Cat Fist – Nabiki had had to restrain Nodoka for a moment as she shrieked in outrage.
Everything that had happened in her life she laid bare for her mother to see. She left nothing out, but she tried to keep it as neutral as possible. Whenever it became biased, she admitted her bias.
She told her of China, of Jusenkyo, of the Spring of Drowned Girl, of her curse and Genma's.
The Amazons, Shampoo, Mousse, the Kisses.
Returning to Japan and going to the dojo.
Akane. Kasumi. Nabiki.
The spar, the furo, the engagement.
School, the horde, Kunou.
Ryouga, the fights.
As she moved on with her story, all of the insanity that happened during the last few years, Nodoka's face grew more and more pale, and more and more outraged and angry.
When she described Jusendo, Nabiki was crying softly. She hadn't known how bad it had gotten. None of those who'd been there had really spoken about it to anyone who hadn't gone. What could they say? Akane and Ranko both still had trauma left from it.
Ranko found herself crying about it, wrapping her arms around herself as if cold. She'd not told anyone how she'd felt during that time, but it poured out of her now. Misery and terror and absolute horror at the fact that she'd taken a life, even if that life had come back.
What's worse was her feeling like she'd someday have to do it again. Or whether she'd balk so much the next time. She knew she was capable of it, like it was always an option now. She hated that she could consider it, even though it gave her the chills.
She told Nodoka how everything had changed… and then gone back to normal. The maelstrom that never seemed to end, never left her alone. Never let her think or even find a way out. How she and Akane had drifted, even though they'd been so close and now there wasn't much hope left.
"…So that's it. Up to a month or so ago." Ranko finished quietly, bowing her head. Nodoka stared at her in shock and outrage. She felt weak, and trembled, partly in rage, partly in the horror of all that had happened.
"I-" Where could she begin? That stupid, stupid contract. She couldn't judge her child, not for a second. He'd already been through so much.
The silence between them all deepened until it became almost a physical thing, crawling over them in the late-morning light. No one wanted to speak, to break it. Like there was a spell in the air, turning it thick.
"…There's more, Mom." Ranko said quietly, eventually breaking it. She bowed her head even lower, looking ashamed. Her face twisted and fear slammed through her entire system.
"More?!" Nodoka all but shrieked and Ranko winced. "There's more than that… that maelstrom of horror?!" Ranko nodded, eyes still on the floor.
"Y-yeah." She said. Nodoka eyed Nabiki, now sitting quietly next to her child. The girl hadn't spoken much, barring a couple of times to clarify or corroborate. Ranma's retelling of events had made it clear how much she'd hurt him and Nodoka could see the regret in those piercing eyes and her flinching when the worst things were brought up.
That and that her son clearly trusted the girl with the bob and cold eyes to visit where he clearly thought he would be forced to die showed that something had happened to make him forgive her.
Nabiki took Ranma's hand and Nodoka's eyebrow raised, before she noticed none of the usual signs of teenage love. It was more like… a big sister caring for her sibling. He hadn't been lying, then. It looked a little odd, but she nodded approvingly. Ranma clearly needed someone stable and the frosty demeanour that permeated Tendou Nabiki clearly helped Ranma to calm. Nodoka schooled her expression, mind a-whirling.
One thing she had noticed was that when Ranma had demonstrated the curse, only a moment afterwards he'd splashed himself with cold water. The excuse he'd given was true, female underwear was not for male anatomy. And the clothes were some that she'd picked up for 'Tendou Ranko' herself. But why was he wearing those clothes and not the strange boy's clothes 'Ranko' had been wearing before Nodoka bought them for her?
Certainly he seemed to have a flair for the dramatic, but she already knew 'Ranko' as something of a tomboy so…
She stared and a hand went to her mouth for a moment. An inkling began to spark into her mind. One that filled her with shame. Not for her child, but of herself. She thought she knew where this was going to go.
And she knew why there was that awful terror running through her child. Why whenever she moved her child flinched and behind those blue, blue eyes a naked terror boiled, almost incandescent.
Kami-sama why did I make Ranma sign it too?
"I… well. Um…" Ranko fiddled with her fingers, red hair falling over her eyes. "Y'see I…" Nabiki squeezed her hand and it all came out in a rush. "I'm… I'm not a boy Mom. I don't feel like a boy, I'm not… I'm not Ranma. In a w-way, I r-really am R-ranko. I… like that n-name more." Nodoka's eyes widened and she flinched a moment, head whirling, guess correct. "I-I… when I change it f-feels so… right. So much better than when I'm a boy…" she swallowed and looked down. "I'm… I'm a girl. I think… I think I was always a girl. Even before Jusenkyo. Even when I was little."
Ranko's rushing babble wasn't easy to follow but Nodoka managed to follow the thread of time from when she'd spoken to Nabiki that night, to wrestling with her gender identity, to the crazy, lunatic plan she and Nabiki had conceived to get away from the madness. Oh, my child. My brave, strange child.
And then came the part she herself had been afraid of. Ranma… No, Ranko, stood up, knelt and then bowed low, forehead touching the floor. Her hand went into her pocket and pulled out an object that made Nabiki hiss in shock. Shoulders shaking, with one hand holding up an object. Nodoka's eyes widened and she felt even more faint. A tantou
"I h-have shamed you, m-mother." The redhead stammered out, absolute fear in her voice. Fear of me. No child should have that fear of their parent. Oh, what have I done? "I understand I am to be h-h-held to the contract I-I and my f-f-father s-signed. I am no 'man amongst men'. Father failed, I failed. I accept my punishment, but please spare yourself and father. You shouldn't die for my failure." Her arm trembled where it held the tantou, and the redhead made as if to begin drawing it.
Nodoka stared and then cast a glance to Nabiki, who was half out of the seiza position she'd been sitting in, looking terrified and unsure. Clearly, this had not been part of whatever plan they'd concocted to speak with her.
Nabiki bit her lip and looked at Nodoka. As subtly as she could, Nodoka shook her head as Ranko continued to stutter out apologies and confess what she thought her shame.
"My child." Nodoka's voice was calm, but an undercurrent of fear ran through it. She schooled her expression to coldness out of habit. Ranko flinched. This was it.
There was a rustling as Nodoka reached into her kimono and pulled a piece of paper out. Nabiki's eyes widened further and she stood up to object, but the mercenary girl found Nodoka's katana at her neck before she'd had chance to move.
They froze, Ranko looking up from the floor in shock at Nodoka's speed. Nabiki standing there with a blade pointed at her, trying not to breathe too hard.
Quick as lightning, Nodoka moved, and both Ranko and Nabiki flinched. There was a sound like ripping silk, a whistle and then a long 'shing' noise, with the click of a blade returning home to its scabbard. Ranko felt at her neck. She didn't feel any blood pouring from it. She looked up again.
Floating in the air was the pledge, cut into tiny, tiny pieces. Some paint was on one and the beginning of the character for Ranko's old name was on another as they floated by the redhead.
Nodoka looked down at Ranko. Ranko looked up at Nodoka. Abject terror stared up into abject horror. Nodoka's mind was frozen. Her child was so afraid of her. What had Genma done to her to make her think any sane mother would make her child commit seppuku? Shame, grief, rage and hurt slammed through her. Rage at Genma, at herself for wanting something to control her husband with, to make sure he did well training Ranko. Grief that she'd missed her child's years because of this stupidity and hurt that Ranko had thought it was serious for her. Shame that she'd failed her child.
She was a failure as a mother. The shame almost caused her to take the tantou and drive it into her own neck.
But under all of it was a fierce, burning pride. Her child had suffered so much and was still the person in front of her. Damaged, clearly, but whole. Alive. Hold her you idiot! She berated herself, but she couldn't move a muscle. Her child had faced all those horrors she'd had explained to her and still come out strong. She'd been wrong, felt wrong her whole life and fought, and fought and even though she'd been so afraid she still came to tell the truth to her mother, even though she'd clearly expected Nodoka to force her to fulfil the contract and die. And she'd been ready to do it.
Hold her! Nabiki breathed in. The moment seemed to last a lifetime. Paper flew to the floor in the beams of sunlight coming in from the windows, rustling softly. Everything was quiet, like no sound would emerge until someone moved.
Do it, Auntie! Nabiki thought. Hold your daughter! Come on! The two just looked at one another. Ranko looking up from the floor with terror on her face and underneath it all the tiniest spark of hope in those deep blue eyes. Nodoka standing there with hand on her sheathed katana, looking down with that same fear and hope mixed.
The moment broke when Nodoka's eyes filled with tears and she rushed down to grab Ranko into her lap, throwing the tanto the redhead carried and her katana behind her and crushing the petite girl to her chest like she'd never let go. Nodoka rocked back and forth with her daughter in her arms and wept like a broken-hearted child.
"M-my baby!" She howled. Ranko teared up and started to sob as the moments caught up to her and she held onto Nodoka as if drowning. "Oh, my baby, what have I done to you?!"
"M-mom…" Ranko wailed. Nabiki found herself tearing up, barely remembering her own mother's arms around her. She rubbed her eyes and sat down to wait. She'd give them all the time they needed.
Ranko and Nodoka were on the floor sobbing and crying for a long time. Nodoka couldn't seem to get any coherent words out, just wailing that spoke of grief and loss and the fear of a mother who almost lost her child due to her own stupidity. Ranko vented her terror of the day, her fear of her mother and the mixed pain and joy she felt at that moment.
Nabiki breathed a shaky sigh of relief as the crying began to slowly subside. What Ranko had done was so far out of the plan that they might as well have scrapped it. She was really going to do it too. Idiot didn't even tell me she was. I'm going to kick her ass later. She rubbed her eyes again and controlled her hitching breathing.
As the two calmed down, Nodoka stopped holding on so tightly to Ranko and she looked down at her daughter.
Her daughter!
Ranko looked up, eyes red and puffy, breath still hitching, tears still flowing from her eyes. Nodoka smiled a gentle, tender smile at her and softly wiped the tears from Ranko's eyes. Then she kissed the girl's forehead.
Nabiki couldn't take it. Her throat was thick, her breathing hitched and she could feel her tears coming again. She stood up abruptly, not noticed by the two in their moment and went to the bathroom to have her own cry in private. That scene had brought emotions and memories she'd long buried for her own good. But maybe she could cry about it for a bit today. Just for a bit she could drop the 'Ice Queen' persona, as always on her own.
In the living room, the two were still holding each other. "My daughter." Nodoka said, staring in wonder into her daughter's eyes. "You could never shame me." She ran her hands through Ranko's hair and smiled. "Never. Girl or boy, or cursed, or either. There is no shame in you."
"B-but it's n-not…"
"Not what? Right? Traditional" Nodoka closed her eyes and squeezed Ranko to her closely again. "I have no place to judge you even if I were inclined to." She's so petite. "You are you. And to hell with tradition if it causes you such pain! I will not be a mother who tells her daughter she deserves to die!"
"Y-you do."
"D-do what?"
"Have the right to j-judge me."
"Why?"
"B-because you're…" Ranko swallowed. "My Mom. What… what you think. It's important to me. You're my Mom."
Nodoka buried her face in Ranko's hair. "I'm so sorry about the contract." She shuddered, "I never meant it to be for you. Never."
"But Pops said…" Ranko shivered in remembered terror.
"Ranma," Her child twitched, and she sighed and smiled apologetically, rubbing her daughter's back. "Ranko. Your father is, putting it mildly, an idiot." Her voice grew thick a moment. "Would you have trusted him in my place?"
"N-no." Ranko said quietly. "But I wouldn't have made my baby sign it, neither."
Nodoka winced but took the words in anyway. "Yes. And you're right. I was a fool and should have thought my actions through. I suppose it's lucky you aren't half the fool either of you parents are."
Ranko shivered and laughed gently. "No, I think I definitely inherited that ability to leap before I look, Mom."
Nodoka held her close and tittered, smelling a scent of lotus flowers on her daughter. "Well, at least you learned to be better, even if it's only recent, dear."
Ranko sucked in a long breath and began to cry again and Nodoka held her closer. "S-sorry Mom, I'm not s-s-sad. I'm just… h-happy. And r-relieved. And I just…"
Nodoka held her daughter closely for some time longer after that.
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"Nabs?" The bathroom door slid open and Ranko walked in. She saw Nabiki sitting on the floor against the wall and knelt by her, pulling the bob-haired girl into a hug. Nabiki wasn't crying anymore, but she was breathing a little shakily.
"Hey Ranchan. Didn't want to disturb your own cuddle with your… your mom." Nabiki said, breath catching. "I'd give anything to see mine again and seeing you two reunite was… It hurt."
"Oh, Nabs…" Ranko said softly and held her sister closer. "I won't say I understand your pain, 'cause I don't. When I thought Mom was dead, it had been a fact in my life for so long I hadn't even thought about it before. When I knew she was alive it was wonderful though, so if I apply the opposite, I can guess how bad it is."
Nabiki nodded and Ranko helped her up, taking hold of her hand. "Come sit with us. Don't cry alone. No one should. You and Kasumi-nee-chan taught me that the other day."
Nabiki followed her into the family room and Nodoka smiled a watery smile at the bob-haired girl, her face understanding. "Nabiki-chan. I'm sorry, I should have comforted you, too."
"No, Auntie, you had your daughter to look after."
Nodoka shook her head. "Kimiko was very precious to me, Nabiki. Losing her so soon after losing Ranko was a blow. I wish I'd been there for your family, but…"
"It's fine, Auntie. I just got over emotional after seeing you reconcile. And I was worried about my idiot sister here going so far off script I wasn't sure what was about to happen."
Nodoka nodded, her face a mask of pain. "Yes. I'll take my fair share of the blame for that."
Nabiki laughed. "Then in my book you are already better than your husband. He's allergic to taking responsibility for his actions."
Nodoka sighed. "I'd hoped some time in the world would have tempered that. Never mind." She looked between the two. "Ranko dear, as wonderful as it is to finally meet my daughter, I can tell you have something of an ulterior motive. I know telling me what happened wasn't you trying to save yourself from the seppuku pledge." She gestured at the pile of paper shards on the low table. "Because you were willing to go through with it. Why did you choose now to reveal yourself?"
"Mom…" Ranko closed her eyes and looked down. "I… wanted to escape." She said softly. "I can't deal with it anymore. I found everything about me was a lie. I've nothing inside my centre but my desire to know who I am, to explore my womanhood, to find out what I want and what I need. But beyond that… everything else is manipulation, or lies, and just… I'm a worthless shell."
Nabiki started and shook her head, but Ranko just carried on.
"…Nabiki here has been my hero through all of this. Her and Kasumi-nee-chan. They're my sisters, Mom. In all but blood. Akane would be too but…"
"Your feelings for her are complicated?"
"Puttin' it mildly." Nodoka's eyes narrowed in reproval and Ranko tried speaking more politely. Nabiki laughed internally at her. "But I just… I can't handle it anymore. When I thought I was Ranma, when I thought other people's honour debts were mine, or didn't want people to hurt because of me, so I let myself get hurt instead… I could just deal with it. Now? I can't. I broke down after less than a week, Mom."
Nodoka frowned. "I could step in for you, dear. A mother's word is important to these things."
"Naw, Mom. They're mine to deal with. Not mine to fulfil, but mine to end." Ranko shifted. "I just… need to know who I am before I do. And for that… I just… I need time."
Nodoka nodded. Nabiki reached into her bag and placed down her charts. "I mapped every bit of chaos in Ranko's life. The only place no one will ever think to look for her is here."
Nodoka closed her eyes, a look of pain flitting across her face. "I think I know why."
Nabiki smiled at her. "If I thought you were actually going to make her fulfil the contract, I wouldn't have brought her here to you." The mercenary girl said. "I am very protective of my family. Had you tried to make her do so I would have made your life difficult in every way I could."
Nodoka smiled at her. "It's good my daughter has such allies."
"But I did not think you would. Above all else you are her mother, and while some would balk at her being transgender, I did not think you would. I saw your longing and what you wanted, and all you wanted was your child back. I am sorry but… I exploited that to help Ranko."
Nabiki stared evenly at Nodoka, expecting a rebuke. Instead she got a gentle chuckle and a pride she hadn't thought she'd see. "Ranko, dear, are you sure Nabiki wouldn't have been the one to be engaged to if you were a boy?"
Ranko paled and laughed. "Maybe, Mom, but I don't think my wallet or dignity would have escaped intact. And she's my sis, so I don't really wanna marry her."
"A shame. Still, I am impressed by this plan, Nabiki-chan, even if it's a little vague on the details."
Nabiki actually blushed under the praise. "Thank you, Auntie. I don't want my sister hurt anymore, so it gave me something of a driving force to finish it."
"Commendable. So." Nodoka looked at Ranko. "It looks like you're wanting to live with me, Ranko dear?"
"…If that's okay, Mom. No one would look for me here…"
Nodoka smiles brightly, cheering up. "I think I would be suitably happy for that. When can it happen?"
"Right now, actually." Nabiki said, smiling at Nodoka. "This is the extraction phase. Effectively I have to have Ranko go to ground in a place that's still in Nerima – hiding in plain sight and all that."
"Hmm. Correct, if she leaves, they'll chase her and find her. They won't think to look here as only the Tendou family really knows I exist, and they only know of the contract. Genma won't come by, he is far too much of a coward to face me without Ranm… Ranko." She looked over at Ranko. "I'm sorry dear, it might take me a while to fully wrap my head around it. I'll try harder."
Ranko smiled warmly at her mother. "It's alright Mom, as long as you try."
Nodoka beamed at her daughter and then looked at the plan. "We'll need to tighten this up a little. But of course, you can stay here. I won't have you on the streets."
"Thanks, Mom." Ranko said, looking down and surreptitiously rubbing at her eyes.
"I assume you have made preparations for her wardrobe?" Nodoka looked to Nabiki who nodded.
"Kasumi-nee-chan will bring it piecemeal. I know she occasionally visits with you, so it won't look odd."
Nodoka nodded. Then she looked at part of the plan. "So, what is 'locking'?"
Ranko beamed. "Stopping my curse from activating and turning me into a boy." She said. "In short term I can use waterproof soap, but it's only temporary."
Nabiki sighed. "I wish we had that locking ladle that you mentioned from Herb."
Ranko grinned and took the scripted box from her bag. She ran her chi through it and opened it up. Inside, Nabiki saw several vials, labelled in Chinese. As well as that were some stones, bags of powder and a small book. "I took this from Cologne one time when she had me working. The vials are a potion made from the chiisuiton water and some herbs from Jusenkyo."
"Daughter, I do not approve of stealing." Nodoka said sourly. Ranko waved her off.
"Mom, those assholes were going to use these on me when I thought I was a boy, so I'd acquiesce to their dumb laws for a 'cure' despite that these are at best temporary."
Nodoka frowned at the curse but let it slide this time. There was plenty of time and training to go later to make her daughter more feminine, even if she despaired of her ever being truly ladylike. "I see." She said. "So, they would stoop so low?"
"Yep!" Ranko said angrily. "But this works in my favour. I want to speak to Prince Herb again, see if I can't visit and use the proper ladle to have it permanently locked, but these temporary locks will do for now. They've a chance to go full, but it's low. Each vial has a different potency, the longest I've got here is a four-month lock." She grinned. "And whaddya know, bein' locked won't be a curse for me!"
She pointed to the book. "This came with it. I think it's a spellbook or somethin'. The box was originally scripted so only the old ghoul could open it but I've got powerful chi and I know a little scripting. So, I modified it and now only I can open it. And it'll give anyone not me a nasty surprise if they try, so even if she knew I took it and took it back, she'll find it detonating in her face." Ranko laughed nastily. "Serve her right after all the horrible things she and her granddaughter and that idiot Mousse have done."
Nabiki looked proud. "Wow, Ranko, I didn't know you had it in you, but this is perfect. Why didn't you use this last week?"
Ranko sighed. "Didn't want them figuring me out. Not until I know who I am. Not 'til I've found myself."
"How do you know you can trust them to be what they appear?"
"I asked Herb." Ranko said, shrugging. "I described the box and the things in it and he advised me what they were. Said I 'should be careful of those amazon dogs trying something underhanded now they know force is off the table'."
Nabiki looked curious. "I thought you were enemies?"
"More like rivals really by the end. He's not so bad when you get past the asshattery. Kinda like me." Ranko chuckled and her mother gave her another look which made her squirm.
Ranko picked up the four-month vial. "Don't mean I can't do it now, though." And she downed it without further comment, making a face. "Oh, that tastes awful." She rinsed her mouth with tea and then picked up a cup of hot water Nabiki poured from a kettle for her. "Here goes." She said.
She dumped it on her head.
Nothing happened. Joy bubbled up inside her and she let out a happy laugh, grabbing another cup of hot water and pouring it on herself. She did this about five times and her grin grew wider and wider.
Eventually, she stopped, hair dripping. "…Finally." She whispered. "Finally, I'm me all the time."
Nodoka watched and smiled softly, bittersweetly. As much as she knew she'd come to love her daughter, she still missed her son. But that ache would fade with time.