"Come on, Son. We have to get moving!" Genma shouted as he rapidly filled a
rucksack with a few changes of clothes and some food he'd pilfered from the
kitchen. He cast about the room with a nervous eye, looking for anything he
might need for the weekend. Occasionally he would glance at hi son on to
see if he was packing his belongings as well. "If we get caught, it'll be
over..."
Ranma was slowly filling his own bag, wondering what had his father so nervous and why he was muttering something about pain, being too young and mistakes. He didn't want to leave the house as the weather looked as if it was about to turn sour. On the other hand, it has been a long time since he went on a training journey, and the break may help him clear his thoughts. With a slightly increased speed, he finished packing, and waited for his father to tie his stash shut.
On the way out, Kasumi stopped Ranma and gave him a box of food, and reminded him to be polite, even if his father was acting like the panda that he sometimes was. At the door, he handed Kasumi a note for Nabiki as they shared a private smile. As headed to the gate, hoping that the time away from the Tendo house would be short. When he saw Soun Tendo with a pack on his back waiting for him, he knew that the trip was going to be short and breathed a sigh of relief.
That very same morning, Akane and Nabiki decided to go shopping to kill time and to see what was new in the world. After several hours of walking through stores, peering into windows, and grabbing the occasional bite of junk food to eat, they found themselves taking a break in the mid-afternoon while walking home.
Sitting on a bench and sipping coffee, the two sisters watched a lady dressed in a formal kimono walk in and out of various shops. Finishing their drinks, the two sisters discarded the empty cups, and started towards home again, occasionally stopping into a small store to browse their wares before continuing on.
Akane and Nabiki had just left a grocer with a pair of small bags for Kasumi when they were greeted by a polite voice.
"Excuse me. Could you please help me? I seem to be lost."
Nabiki eyed the source of the voice; it belonged to the lady in the kimono they were watching earlier. The kimono was in good shape, although it showed signs of being worn all day. The face of the woman looked vaguely familiar to Nabiki but she couldn't say exactly what was tugging at her memories.
It was the well-trained and reserved motions that impressed Akane. It was obvious to her that this lady had studied to be a courtier of some sort, or perhaps, a member of one of those conservative cultural preservation groups that were becoming more common. In either case, this lady had a tangible presence that had to be acknowledged.
Both Akane and Nabiki stood up and held their hands in front of them and gave a polite bow.
"Yes, ma'am. We'll do our best." Akane voice didn't quite sound right to her own ears. She tried to be polite, but it sounded hoarse to her ears in comparison to the woman's speech.
"I'm very sorry, but I'm looking for the Tendo Dojo. I hear that my son and husband might be found there."
Nabiki and Akane looked at each other with confusion on their faces.
"Is something wrong?"
Nabiki recovered quickly. This woman may well be a future family member, and she didn't want to cause any potential future problems. "No, ma'am. It's just that I'm Nabiki Tendo, and this is my sister, Akane. We're on our way home now, and if you'd like, we'd be happy if you could join us."
Nodoka looked at the girls in front of her and tried to discern any clues about their upbringing. The taller and older one, Nabiki, seemed to carry an air of confidence, and was able to put on a neutral mask once the initial surprise wore off. The other girl, slightly shorter, was obviously in very good physical shape, but her emotions were easily read on her face.
The clothes they wore were perhaps in style, but they were certainly cared for. The final analysis was that both girls were polite and good children. Perhaps she could learn more about the Tendos and any new information on the whereabouts of the Saotomes.
"Thank you. I think I will take advantage of your offer." Nodoka Saotome joined the two girls on their way home, making small talk along the way. It wasn't easy for her to not bombard the sisters with questions about her missing son, but the years of practice that gave her patience to wait just a few more minutes.
It was after Nodoka was seated at the table and had her first sip of tea when she could no longer contain her questions. Addressing her questions to the eldest daughter, Nodoka cautiously broached the question of about the possible whereabouts of her missing son and husband.
"Kasumi, is there anything you can tell me about my husband and son?"
"This morning, my father, Mr. Saotome, and Ranma went on a training trip. They are supposed to be home by tomorrow night." Kasumi politely refilled Nodoka's cup.
"They, they have been here?"
"They've been living here ever since they returned from China."
To Nodoka, Kasumi's statement was either the best news she'd ever heard in years, or the worst. Why Genma never returned home was a major concern, and that will be dealt with, but at least for now she knew she was close to her missing son. Her happiness was quickly tempered with a dash of curiosity.
"But why did they come here instead of coming home?"
The expression on the faces of the three girls wavered, as the sisters looked at each other as to what to say. Akane was about to say something, but Nabiki stopped her. "I think that's something that Father and Uncle Saotome ought to cover. What we do know is kind of," Nabiki paused looking for the correct word, "complicated. To be honest, you have to see it all to believe it."
"What? Is something wrong? Are they okay?" The Saotome woman's voice took on a tone of alarm.
"Mrs. Saotome, they both have gone through many hardships since you last saw them, and it has been ten years since you've seen them."
Nodoka realized what Kasumi just said. Her little boy is probably not a little boy any longer. And her husband, after ten years, probably lost the fat he gained when they were first married.
It was her son that captured her fancy at the moment. She wanted to know what these three girls thought of him. She took a sip of her tea, and looked at the girls, and began to wonder about their relationship with Ranma.
"Ranma. Tell me about Ranma. What's he like? Did my husband make him a man among men?" The answers from each of the girls varied, but what she heard from the girls surprised her.
"Well, if anyone ever calls him a girl, he'll beat him up."
"The pervert!"
"He's helpful and kind."
"He can learn anything."
"He's honorable."
"He never loses."
"He peeped at me!"
And so it went. Kasumi invited Nodoka for dinner and set of for the kitchen while Nabiki and Akane told stories of Ranma. Nodoka heard stories about battles with Amazons, with his rival Ryouga, and with the myriad strange martial artists that inhabit Nerima.
By the time Kasumi started to bring food from the kitchen, Nabiki and Akane had brought out photo albums of Ranma and were elaborating on previous stories. There were pictures of Ranma working out, fighting, and relaxing on the beach; many of the photographs were very candid shots, almost as if he never knew they were being taken. As she studied the pictures and heard the descriptions, she noticed that Nabiki were in only a very few of them, and of the ones she was in, she was always seemed to be standing next to Ranma.
As they ate, Kasumi talked about how she, with Ranma's help, were able to improve the garden and the general state of the house, even with the damage his fights occasionally caused. Her own stories of Ranma were almost domestic; it was as if they spent long hours together talking and working.
Nodoka learned of Ranma's resourcefulness and willingness to help the family from Nabiki. The middle daughter seemed to be keeping a few secrets, but it was clear that the two of them worked together frequently.
Akane's description of life with Ranma was adventuresome and full of wistfulness. On one side of the coin, it appeared that Ranma had many fights, often in defense of Akane. On the other side of the coin, Akane told of good times when the just talked or the occasional date.
As they ate, Nodoka kept listening to what the three girls were saying about her son. Each of the daughters told a different side of her boy. He was a complex young man that obviously defied simple explanations. She was feeling very proud of her son and her husband. From all appearances, her son is the man she wanted to return home, but she had yet to hear his own word about his relationships with woman. She was certain that Ranma held a special place in the hearts of these three girls, but she had to know if there was anything special between them.
When she heard Akane's concerns about Ukyou (a man's name? Oh dear!) and Shampoo, she became alarmed.
"Who are Ukyou and Shampoo?"
Nabiki sighed. The answer was going to open the door for many questions. "Ukyou thinks she's Ranma's fiancee. And Shampoo thinks Ranma is married to her."
"You sound disappointed." Nodoka was very happy to hear how Ranma has attracted two girls. She was also very relieved to hear the female pronoun.
"They don't have a claim to him! One is a deluded cross dresser, the other is a Chinese bimbo!"
Akane's ire was proof to Nodoka that the young girl felt something for her son. "Oh, given what you've said tonight, I would say he has enough love for you as well." Nodoka was smiling with visions of a very large family in the future. When the table went and stayed silent, Nodoka knew she touched on a subject that was sensitive.
It was Kasumi that spoke first. "Mrs. Saotome, are you aware of an agreement between our father and your husband?"
"No. What agreement?"
"That the two families were to be joined."
"So one of you is married to my son?"
"Not yet."
Nodoka turned to Nabiki. What do you mean by 'not yet?'"
"Ranma has shown a little reluctance to get married."
"I'm not marrying that pervert!"
"Nobody said you had to."
Akane stared at Kasumi.
"So why do you get so jealous when Shampoo gets so friendly?" Nabiki had to needle her sister when the opportunity presented itself. Akane sat and fumed.
"So who has Ranma chosen?"
There was another silence at the table before Nabiki spoke with disappointment in her voice. "Actually, he hasn't picked anyone."
Confusion played on their guest's face for a moment, then a realization dawned upon her. Her manly son, Ranma, was engaged to all three of these lovely girls! What joy!
It was then that Nodoka realized the late hour. With an ease of years of practice, Nodoka thanked the girls for their hospitality and gave them her phone number in exchange for a promise to call her when Ranma returns to the house.
After watching Nodoka turn the corner, the three girls gathered in Kasumi's room to discuss Nodoka Saotome. Nabiki observed how Nodoka was so concerned about hearing and seeing how masculine Ranma was. "I just hope we didn't over do it."
"I don't think we did. It's not like we lied or anything. Does anyone think that we can stop Mrs. Saotome from being too upset when she finds out about his curse?"
"I don't know. And there's no way that we can hide it from her. You know how he attracts water."
They all agree that to ensure a happy reunion between Ranma and his mother, that they would have to keep Genma at bay. They stay up another hour plotting the reunion, but question of how to delicately introduce Ranma's sex change to Nodoka went unanswered. Ranma's curse seems to defy all logical means to control it, so each of the girls decided to let fate take its course.
It was early the next afternoon that Soun, Genma and Ranma returned home with the mission being declared a success, the three males tromped into the bathroom for long hot soak. While they worked the dirt and fatigue from their bodies, Akane called Nodoka and let her know that Ranma is now home and briefly explained the plan that the three sisters concocted the previous night.
Akane cornered Ranma while on his way to his room. Groggily listening to Akane rant something about a history test, he nodded and tried to go to his room for some sleep.
"Ranma, Nabiki is waiting for you."
Ranma looked at Akane and wondered how he could get away. Deciding that escape was not worth the effort, he finally gave in, and agreed with Akane, if for no other reason for the faint hope he could catch some sleep on Nabiki's floor -- assuming she would leave him alone.
Meanwhile, Kasumi found Genma and her father getting ready to play a game of shogi. She sweetly asked her father and Genma to go shopping for some groceries she had forgotten. After a small protest that was quenched when Kasumi mentioned that they were low on sake, the two elders trudged out the door with a mission that would keep them out of the house for at least a few hours.
It was just minutes after the two men left the house that Nodoka knocked at the front door. With Nodoka's arrival, the sisters put the plan into the next phase. Kasumi escorted Ranma's mother into the living room while Akane went upstairs to fetch the wayward son.
"Ranma, there's someone down stairs that you should meet."
"Do I have to?"
"Yes! Now get down there!" Akane wasn't allowing Ranma any room for maneuvering.
Ranma recognized the tone of voice, and pulled himself up off the ground. "I'll be back, Nabiki."
Nabiki could hardly surpress her smile. "Take your time, Ranma. These books aren't going to go on a ten year training journey."
"This isn't a challenge, is it?"
"No, Ranma. It's not a challenge." Akane giggled. "At least it won't be a fight."
When the two of them reached the tearoom, Akane opened the door to allow Ranma to see an auburn haired woman sitting at the table.
"Go on in."
Ranma walked in, and Akane followed, shutting the door behind her. After the two of them approached the table, Akane began the introduction.
"Ranma. This is Nodoka Saotome. Your mother." Akane took a half step back.
Ranma looked at the older woman, and then at Akane, wondering if there was a joke being played on him. It was Akane's eyes that told Ranma that she was telling the truth. He turned to look at the woman that could be his mother.
"Nodoka, this is Ranma."
The two Saotomes looked at each other's face, trying to find something to recognize. Ranma starts to scratch the back of his head when he saw the woman blink; that one action brought fourth a connection between a tattered photograph and the woman in front of him.
"Momma?" Ranma started to move him closer to his mother despite his struggle to maintain a sense of decorum. "Momma? Is it really you?"
A single tear started down Nodoka's face. She started to stand, but her legs weakened with emotion and she faltered, and started to fall forward. "Ranma."
Ranma moved forward and caught his mother. "Momma."
"I'm okay, Ranma." Nodoka slowly pulled away from her son, elated that he looked like the man in the photographs she had seen the night before.
"Son, is your father around? Is he here?"
"I don't know where Pops went. He probably went with Mr. Tendo to pick up some more sake or something."
"That figures. He was always a drinker." Nodoka nodded at Ranma, who embarrassingly poured two cups of tea and offered one cup to his mother.
"So, the girls tell me you've had an interesting life."
Ranma almost spit the tea out of his mouth. "Er, yes. That would be about right."
Nodoka took a slow sip from her cup and watched Ranma sit with a bewildered look on his face. "Have the Tendos treated you well?"
Ranma nodded his head vigorously. "Yep."
"You getting along with the three girls?"
Ranma started to fidget; he wasn't expecting such a probe into his personal life so quickly. "I guess so."
"You like them?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Any one of them more special than the others?"
"Well, um, uuh, er, you know, uh, that..."
Nodoka laughed at her son's uneasiness. She could see how he would be engaged to all three girls; his shyness makes him attractive. "I heard about your engagements. I suppose congratulations are in order."
Ranma slumped. "Mom, whatever you heard, it isn't what you think."
"Oh? You mean there isn't an agreement between your father and Mr. Tendo to join the families?"
"Well, there is that, but..."
"There's nothing to worry about. You marry one, and the other two can be your mistresses!" With a mischievous eye, Nodoka looked at her son. "Unless, of course, you'd rather try to marry all three."
"Wha!" Ranma backed away from the table and started windmilling.
"Something wrong?"
"It's not like that..."
"You mean you don't like them?"
"No."
"You do like them?"
"Yes!"
"Ranma, do you like them or not?"
"I like them."
"Well, they seem to like you. I don't see a problem."
"It's not like that!"
"Well, then, what's the problem?"
"There isn't one. It's just that I'm not ready to get married."
"No problem. I can wait."
"But..."
"Ranma, I know we just met, but I'm a woman, and woman can tell certain things. Right now, I know that those three girls on the other side of that door love you."
Ranma didn't respond, and the room was silent for a few minutes. Suddenly there was a soft knock on the door.
"Ahem." Kasumi peered through the door with a smile on her face. When she knew she had the attention of Ranma and Nodoka, she threw the door open, revealing Genma."
"Nodo... Nodo... Nodo..." Genma tried to flee the scene, but was tripped by Nabiki and Akane.
"So, Genma. I see you're trying to run away again." Nodoka smiled at her husbands' futile attempt.
"No, no, no. I'm, uh, just, uh..."
"Come over here!" Nodoka ordered Genma into the room. Slowly he walked in and stood in front of her. She looked him over, trying to see if he's still all there.
"You look good." Nodoka adjusted the belt around her husband's waist. "You've lost weight. Perhaps the trip was good to you."
Genma swelled at the compliment, but as soon as he was about to say something, she grabbed the collar of his gi and held him out at arms length.
"Why did you stop writing? And what's the reason for coming here instead of home?"
Akane and Nabiki sat Ranma down, and then took their places on either side of him. Kasumi, the hostess, was bringing more tea when Genma started to stammer his answer.
"You see, uh, it's a martial artists duty to uh, protect those that can't protect themselves, and uh, always train so that they can be, uh, the best they can be, and uh..."
Nabiki whispered just loud enough so that Ranma and Akane could hear her. "This ought to be good."
"Genma, you are hiding something. What is it?" Nodoka had unsheathed her sword from behind her back and had the sharp edge of the blade just a hair width away from Genma's nose.
"Nothing! Nothing! It's that uh, Ranma, that boy! We have to leave. Now!"
"What for, old man? I'm not leaving this place." Nabiki and Akane slid their arms under Ranma's, and sat closer to him.
"Training! I just remembered a secret technique! And I'm going to forget it if I don't teach it to you now!" With that, Genma tried to grab Ranma shirt and drag him out of the room.
"No way, Pop!" With the reflexes of years of fighting his father, he turned the hold into a throw, putting his father into the pond just yards away.
"Growlf!" The wet panda held up a sign, "Now you've done it! We're dead!"
Ranma sighed. "That, Mom, is what he's hiding." Turning to Kasumi, "Could you please get some glasses of hot and cold water."
With a smile, Kasumi turned around and placed a tray of three glasses of cold water and four small kettles of hot water on the table.
Nodoka sat without moving, her eyes wide open, looking at the panda where her husband should have been.
"Where's Genma?"
"Mother, it's a long story. That stupid panda is Father." Ranma shifted his weight a little to get comfortable. "It all started when Pops and me were..." Whap!
"Ranma..."
The hit on Ranma's head was Nabiki's reminder about grammar. "Sorry Nabiki," he apologized. He restarted his tale, "When Pops and I were in Chimmmmf!"
Genma grabbed his son and bounded out the door, over the fence, and down the street. It was a few seconds before a dust cloud arose in the distance that signified the fight between the father and son.
Nodoka stood; ready to give chase and stop her family from fighting when Soun stopped. "Don't worry Nodoka, they'll be fine. When Ranma wants to win, there is nobody that can beat him. Not even his own father. He'll be back in a short while, and probably will be dragging Genma along with him."
Nodoka looked at the man who is her husband's best friend. "You sure?"
"Certainly. I know it's been a long time since you've seen him, but your husband and son are as tough as they come.
"Now, please sit and enjoy the tea. Besides, there's much to talk about."
As soon as they started talking, they saw Genma be thrown over the fence, and then manhandled by Ranma. Only when they were in the living room did Ranma let go of his father. Kasumi handed the elder Saotome a towel to dry off with.
"Sorry about that, Mom. Sometimes he gets carried away."
As soon as they settled down again, a crash was heard.
"Nihao! Where husband!?" Shampoo came in through the engawa doors on her bicycle. "Ranma! You take Shampoo on date, no?" Shampoo wrapped her arms around Ranma, leaving him to struggle in her grasp.
"Let go of me, Shampoo! You're embarrassing me in front of my mother!"
Shampoo looked and saw Nodoka and suddenly let go of the pigged tail boy, dropping him to the floor. "Aiyaa! You Ranma's Mother?"
Nodoka leaned over to Soun and whispered, "This is one of Ranma's fiancees?"
Soun nodded.
Nodoka was gracious and nodded, happy that Ranma has attracted such a beautiful young girl. "Yes."
"I'm Shampoo. Ranma my husband. Grandmother will be so happy to meet you. She elder of tribe and has much to talk about."
"Wife? Tribe?"
"Yes. Amazon, from China. Very old."
"I see." Nodoka adjusted her kimono slightly. "Ranma, care to explain?"
Ranma sat down between Akane and Nabiki. "It's a long story. It all started out when Pops and I were in China. He had this book of legendary training grounds, and thought we should go to a place called 'Training Ground of Accursed Springs.'
"Pops wasn't too bright. He never read the stupid book." With that, he picked up his father and heaved his father into the pond. "You see, if you ever land into one of the springs, you are cursed to become whatever drowned there."
Genma came up from the water as a panda.
"Pops fell into Spring of Drowned Panda."
Genma rushed his son but Shampoo tripped him, causing him to knock himself out when he landed on edge of the table. Nodoka had a strange look on her face; it registered both confusion and horror.
"Don't worry, Mom. Pops is all right." Taking the kettle from Kasumi's hand, he poured its contents on the slowly waking panda. "You see, cold water triggers the curse, and hot water reverses it."
Nodoka looked at the tray in front of her, seeing two glasses of water and two small kettles. She took one glass of water and dumped it on her husband and watched him change into a panda. Smiling, she took one of the kettles, and poured it over his head, watching him turn back into a human.
"Oh, this is so funny!" She took another glass of water and poured it over his head and started laughing when he changed once again. "This is so perfect!" Taking the remaining kettle, she poured it over her husband's head, and after he changed one last time, she started to dry his bald skull.
"So, what does this have to do with Shampoo?"
Genma tried to get up and flee the scene when Nabiki stuck her leg out and tripped him again. This time his chin hit the floor hard, dazing him.
"Well, I was kind of distracted by this, and he attacked me. I, uh, fell in a spring myself." Ranma whispered the words, leaving no doubt that what was to come next was very distasteful to him.
Sighing, he takes a glass of cold water from a new tray that Kasumi brought into the room, and dumped the contents on his head.
"See? I fell into the pool of drowned girl." He then poured a kettle over his head.
Nodoka looked at her son, daughter, and then son again, not making a sound. Her face became a mask, not giving a clue to anyone what she was thinking.
Ranma continued his story. "Anyway, we were looking for a cure when we came to the Amazons. There was a feast on a table that was a contest prize, and Pops was hungry. So he proceeded to start eating. Naturally, the winner of the prize wasn't too happy."
Shampoo pointed proudly at herself. "My prize. Me champion Amazon!"
"Yeah. Anyway, to save our skins, I challenged Shampoo for the food. I won." Ranma didn't show any sign of gloating as he continued. "Shampoo gave me a kiss, and we, uh, were forced to leave the area.
"After we left China, we came here. We settled down, and thought we were safe. Somehow Shampoo tracked us and followed us from China. The next thing I know is that I'm being hunted, she was out to kill me. When I beat her again, she gave me another kiss. Now she thinks we're married."
Nodoka looked at her son and blinked. What she just heard confused her; it was beyond her sensibilities to comprehend.
Seeing the confused look on Nodoka's face, Shampoo tried to clarify matters. "Amazon law says if outsider woman beat tribe warrior, warrior must give outsider Kiss of Death. Amazon law also says if outsider man beat tribe warrior, warrior must give outsider Kiss of Marriage."
Nabiki attempted to further elaborate. "The Amazons are a matriarchal society. Their warriors are women, and the rules are eugenic in nature. By forcing the losing warrior to kill the winner, or dies in the attempt, the bloodlines are kept strong. Conversely, if the winner's a male, then the tribe wants the genes of the winner bred into the tribe with the hope of stronger and better warriors.
"When Ranma defeated her the first time, he was the red-headed girl you saw earlier. The next time Ranma defeated Shampoo, he was the male you see today, and she gave him the Kiss of Marriage.
"Am I making sense?"
Nodoka slowly nodded her head. This story was rapidly becoming more than she could handle.
"The Amazons know about the cursed springs, and when the Elder of the tribe learned that Ranma was a male, she revoked the Kiss of Death, as it doesn't apply to males." Nabiki knew she just told a white lie, but to tell the whole truth invited more problems.
Nodoka reached for her sword and started feeling its handle. "Genma, am I to take it that you knocked my son into a spring that curses males to become female?"
Genma was checking his mouth, making sure he hadn't lost any teeth the last time he hit the ground. When he heard his name called, he froze in place.
"It's a martial artists duty to make sacrifices to become the best!"
"You turned my son into a girl. You promised to make him a man among men! You do remember your promise, don't you?"
Sweat began to bead on his forehead. "Promise? What promise?"
Nodoka proffered a piece of paper to Genma. "This promise."
Sweat was now pouring off Genma's forehead. After shoving his glasses back high on his nose, Genma took a deep breath and sat up straight.
"Of course. That promise. I succeeded. Ranma never loses any fight he gets into."
"He turns into a girl! Girls are not men!"
Akane looks at Ranma, who was about to make some comment about "tomboys."
"Just a price to pay as being a martial artist!"
"You sacrificed his manhood!"
"Only temporarily."
"You failed."
Nodoka's eyes bore into Genma and he felt his life slowly bleed from his slit belly. Sucking up what little courage he had, he tried to place the blame where he thought it should lie. "He failed. He's the one that turns into a girl!"
By now everyone has had a chance to read the paper that Nodoka was wavering in front of Genma, and without exception, went into a state of shock.
"Mrs. Saotome, you can't be serious, can you? Seppuku?" Akane attempted to be the voice of reason, but her voice creaked with fear for her sister's fiancee's life.
"As a martial artists wife, I have to take honor seriously." She turned to face Genma, "I will take the role of Kaishaku."
"May I take a look at the promise, Mrs. Saotome?" Nabiki was curious about the strange ink marks on the paper.
"Here. It's quite correct, if you'll notice."
Nabiki looked at the paper, and saw little handprints all over it. "What's all these?"
"Oh, Genma had Ranma stamp the promise to show his agreement."
"These are Ranma's?" Nabiki tried to suppress a comment about cuteness given the severity of the situation in front of her. "How old was he when he did this?"
"Oh, three years old."
Nabiki's eyes widened at the age. Knowing that Ranma could barely ink the kanji for "seppuku" today, she knew that Ranma could not have known what he pounded his handprint on. "So you are going to hold him to a promise he made when he was three years old? He probably couldn't even say 'seppuku', much less know what it means."
"But Genma..." Nodoka was surprised by Nabiki's defense, for most of the time people deferred in her presence. She tried to continue, but Nabiki kept talking.
"Genma would have promised you anything to get him out of the house for training. Do you really think he thought you'd take it seriously?" Nabiki watched for signs of Nodoka acquiescing, but suspected that the elder lady would be very good at hiding clues.
Soun Tendo broke into the conversation. He knew that Ranma would commit seppuku if he was told to do so, and if he did so, it would be for the wrong reasons. "The girls have a point, Nodoka. To Ranma, that paper was nothing more than an exercise in finger painting."
"Mrs. Saotome, should Ranma be held to a promise he couldn't have made?"
Ranma's mother sat there, thinking about what everyone had said. Her memories were faded with age, but she did remember Ranma pounding on the paper with his ink stained hand.
"But Genma made the promise."
"And he succeeded." Kasumi's soft voice cut through the stress that permeated the room, and all eyes turned to find her eyes filling with tears.
The three Tendo sisters and Shampoo went on to list instance upon instance of Ranma's insistence of his maleness, of Ranma's fighting prowess, and of Ranma's honor. When Ranma, his father, and Soun attempted to put in a word, they were hushed and were asked to leave, and when they objected, Nodoka allowed the blade of her sword to glisten in the light, causing fear and a rapid evacuation by the males.
The most serious issue was the curse, and Nodoka asked many questions about how Ranma was affected, and whether or not he ever considered himself a girl. She was surprised to learn that although Ranma hated being a girl, he was not afraid to use his female form to his advantage. There were stories told of how Ranma would entrap Happosai by using his female form and of how Ranma would brazenly wrangle free food as a girl. When Nodoka heard some of the stories about Kuno and his attraction to the "pigged tailed girl", she laughed and remarked that Ranma was taking after her own youth.
At one point Nodoka was interested in the mechanics of the curse, so water was poured on Genma to turn into a panda and back again several times. Nodoka learned that no amount of willpower could overcome its effects - cold water always triggered the effect one way, and hot water triggered the curse the other. The discussion turned philosophical, they supposed that perhaps the curse was a correction of some karmic extreme in the afflicted one's life.
Then things turned emotional. One way or another, each of the girls admitted that Ranma changed their life. Near tears, Shampoo admitted that she was constantly surprised of his capability of forgiveness, and she sometimes felt unworthy of being his wife. Akane blushed when she said that she was proud of Ranma; not because he won fights, but rather because he speaks from the heart, and is very sincere in his good intentions. Nabiki was coy, teasing her listeners as she mentioned the person that she thought was a perverted dumb jock was actually a honorable, smart individual that forced her to plan harder to manipulate - something that was becoming more difficult with each passing day. Kasumi had a quiver to her voice when she blurted that Ranma was rapidly leaving his boyhood behind, and that he was maturing into very desirable young man. If Nodoka had known the story of how Akane became engaged to her son, she would have recognized Kasumi's quivering as a sign of the shame and embarrassment of not accepting the engagement when she had the opportunity.
By the time it was dark, Nodoka had been presented with enough evidence to thoroughly convince her that not only her son was a man, but also that he has risen above every one of his father's mistakes. And for the second day in the row, she was convinced that each of the girls wanted Ranma for their very own.
After the five of them had a chance to recover their composure, the males were allowed to return to the room. Genma and Ranma were wearing the white robes of Seppuku and had serious looks on their faces. After everyone was seated, Nodoka took her sword and moved to place on the ground in front of her.
Whack!
"Ow!"
Nodoka had hit Genma on his head with the sheathed sword. Genma began rubbing a large lump on his head while his wife started to wrap the sword and sheath in the silk covering. Without taking an eye off her husband, in a clear voice it was made known that she was not pleased.
"You idiot! You are coming home with me tonight, and you have a lot of talking to do. By the time I'm finished with you, you are going to wish I let you commit suicide!
"Ranma!" When she saw her son stiffen at his name, she softened. "Ranma. I had already decided that I couldn't hold you to your promise made when you were three years old." She smiled, and then looked at the girls at the table. "And these four ladies told me far more than I think they intended. You have nothing to fear."
With that, Genma followed Nodoka home that night and Ranma the next. And it was under a week when Shampoo, Kodachi and Ukyou managed to destroy the Saotome home, each trying to convince Nodoka that they were best suited to be Ranma's wife.
With their home destroyed, the Saotome moved in with the Tendos, setting up temporary housekeeping in the Dojo.
Ranma was slowly filling his own bag, wondering what had his father so nervous and why he was muttering something about pain, being too young and mistakes. He didn't want to leave the house as the weather looked as if it was about to turn sour. On the other hand, it has been a long time since he went on a training journey, and the break may help him clear his thoughts. With a slightly increased speed, he finished packing, and waited for his father to tie his stash shut.
On the way out, Kasumi stopped Ranma and gave him a box of food, and reminded him to be polite, even if his father was acting like the panda that he sometimes was. At the door, he handed Kasumi a note for Nabiki as they shared a private smile. As headed to the gate, hoping that the time away from the Tendo house would be short. When he saw Soun Tendo with a pack on his back waiting for him, he knew that the trip was going to be short and breathed a sigh of relief.
That very same morning, Akane and Nabiki decided to go shopping to kill time and to see what was new in the world. After several hours of walking through stores, peering into windows, and grabbing the occasional bite of junk food to eat, they found themselves taking a break in the mid-afternoon while walking home.
Sitting on a bench and sipping coffee, the two sisters watched a lady dressed in a formal kimono walk in and out of various shops. Finishing their drinks, the two sisters discarded the empty cups, and started towards home again, occasionally stopping into a small store to browse their wares before continuing on.
Akane and Nabiki had just left a grocer with a pair of small bags for Kasumi when they were greeted by a polite voice.
"Excuse me. Could you please help me? I seem to be lost."
Nabiki eyed the source of the voice; it belonged to the lady in the kimono they were watching earlier. The kimono was in good shape, although it showed signs of being worn all day. The face of the woman looked vaguely familiar to Nabiki but she couldn't say exactly what was tugging at her memories.
It was the well-trained and reserved motions that impressed Akane. It was obvious to her that this lady had studied to be a courtier of some sort, or perhaps, a member of one of those conservative cultural preservation groups that were becoming more common. In either case, this lady had a tangible presence that had to be acknowledged.
Both Akane and Nabiki stood up and held their hands in front of them and gave a polite bow.
"Yes, ma'am. We'll do our best." Akane voice didn't quite sound right to her own ears. She tried to be polite, but it sounded hoarse to her ears in comparison to the woman's speech.
"I'm very sorry, but I'm looking for the Tendo Dojo. I hear that my son and husband might be found there."
Nabiki and Akane looked at each other with confusion on their faces.
"Is something wrong?"
Nabiki recovered quickly. This woman may well be a future family member, and she didn't want to cause any potential future problems. "No, ma'am. It's just that I'm Nabiki Tendo, and this is my sister, Akane. We're on our way home now, and if you'd like, we'd be happy if you could join us."
Nodoka looked at the girls in front of her and tried to discern any clues about their upbringing. The taller and older one, Nabiki, seemed to carry an air of confidence, and was able to put on a neutral mask once the initial surprise wore off. The other girl, slightly shorter, was obviously in very good physical shape, but her emotions were easily read on her face.
The clothes they wore were perhaps in style, but they were certainly cared for. The final analysis was that both girls were polite and good children. Perhaps she could learn more about the Tendos and any new information on the whereabouts of the Saotomes.
"Thank you. I think I will take advantage of your offer." Nodoka Saotome joined the two girls on their way home, making small talk along the way. It wasn't easy for her to not bombard the sisters with questions about her missing son, but the years of practice that gave her patience to wait just a few more minutes.
It was after Nodoka was seated at the table and had her first sip of tea when she could no longer contain her questions. Addressing her questions to the eldest daughter, Nodoka cautiously broached the question of about the possible whereabouts of her missing son and husband.
"Kasumi, is there anything you can tell me about my husband and son?"
"This morning, my father, Mr. Saotome, and Ranma went on a training trip. They are supposed to be home by tomorrow night." Kasumi politely refilled Nodoka's cup.
"They, they have been here?"
"They've been living here ever since they returned from China."
To Nodoka, Kasumi's statement was either the best news she'd ever heard in years, or the worst. Why Genma never returned home was a major concern, and that will be dealt with, but at least for now she knew she was close to her missing son. Her happiness was quickly tempered with a dash of curiosity.
"But why did they come here instead of coming home?"
The expression on the faces of the three girls wavered, as the sisters looked at each other as to what to say. Akane was about to say something, but Nabiki stopped her. "I think that's something that Father and Uncle Saotome ought to cover. What we do know is kind of," Nabiki paused looking for the correct word, "complicated. To be honest, you have to see it all to believe it."
"What? Is something wrong? Are they okay?" The Saotome woman's voice took on a tone of alarm.
"Mrs. Saotome, they both have gone through many hardships since you last saw them, and it has been ten years since you've seen them."
Nodoka realized what Kasumi just said. Her little boy is probably not a little boy any longer. And her husband, after ten years, probably lost the fat he gained when they were first married.
It was her son that captured her fancy at the moment. She wanted to know what these three girls thought of him. She took a sip of her tea, and looked at the girls, and began to wonder about their relationship with Ranma.
"Ranma. Tell me about Ranma. What's he like? Did my husband make him a man among men?" The answers from each of the girls varied, but what she heard from the girls surprised her.
"Well, if anyone ever calls him a girl, he'll beat him up."
"The pervert!"
"He's helpful and kind."
"He can learn anything."
"He's honorable."
"He never loses."
"He peeped at me!"
And so it went. Kasumi invited Nodoka for dinner and set of for the kitchen while Nabiki and Akane told stories of Ranma. Nodoka heard stories about battles with Amazons, with his rival Ryouga, and with the myriad strange martial artists that inhabit Nerima.
By the time Kasumi started to bring food from the kitchen, Nabiki and Akane had brought out photo albums of Ranma and were elaborating on previous stories. There were pictures of Ranma working out, fighting, and relaxing on the beach; many of the photographs were very candid shots, almost as if he never knew they were being taken. As she studied the pictures and heard the descriptions, she noticed that Nabiki were in only a very few of them, and of the ones she was in, she was always seemed to be standing next to Ranma.
As they ate, Kasumi talked about how she, with Ranma's help, were able to improve the garden and the general state of the house, even with the damage his fights occasionally caused. Her own stories of Ranma were almost domestic; it was as if they spent long hours together talking and working.
Nodoka learned of Ranma's resourcefulness and willingness to help the family from Nabiki. The middle daughter seemed to be keeping a few secrets, but it was clear that the two of them worked together frequently.
Akane's description of life with Ranma was adventuresome and full of wistfulness. On one side of the coin, it appeared that Ranma had many fights, often in defense of Akane. On the other side of the coin, Akane told of good times when the just talked or the occasional date.
As they ate, Nodoka kept listening to what the three girls were saying about her son. Each of the daughters told a different side of her boy. He was a complex young man that obviously defied simple explanations. She was feeling very proud of her son and her husband. From all appearances, her son is the man she wanted to return home, but she had yet to hear his own word about his relationships with woman. She was certain that Ranma held a special place in the hearts of these three girls, but she had to know if there was anything special between them.
When she heard Akane's concerns about Ukyou (a man's name? Oh dear!) and Shampoo, she became alarmed.
"Who are Ukyou and Shampoo?"
Nabiki sighed. The answer was going to open the door for many questions. "Ukyou thinks she's Ranma's fiancee. And Shampoo thinks Ranma is married to her."
"You sound disappointed." Nodoka was very happy to hear how Ranma has attracted two girls. She was also very relieved to hear the female pronoun.
"They don't have a claim to him! One is a deluded cross dresser, the other is a Chinese bimbo!"
Akane's ire was proof to Nodoka that the young girl felt something for her son. "Oh, given what you've said tonight, I would say he has enough love for you as well." Nodoka was smiling with visions of a very large family in the future. When the table went and stayed silent, Nodoka knew she touched on a subject that was sensitive.
It was Kasumi that spoke first. "Mrs. Saotome, are you aware of an agreement between our father and your husband?"
"No. What agreement?"
"That the two families were to be joined."
"So one of you is married to my son?"
"Not yet."
Nodoka turned to Nabiki. What do you mean by 'not yet?'"
"Ranma has shown a little reluctance to get married."
"I'm not marrying that pervert!"
"Nobody said you had to."
Akane stared at Kasumi.
"So why do you get so jealous when Shampoo gets so friendly?" Nabiki had to needle her sister when the opportunity presented itself. Akane sat and fumed.
"So who has Ranma chosen?"
There was another silence at the table before Nabiki spoke with disappointment in her voice. "Actually, he hasn't picked anyone."
Confusion played on their guest's face for a moment, then a realization dawned upon her. Her manly son, Ranma, was engaged to all three of these lovely girls! What joy!
It was then that Nodoka realized the late hour. With an ease of years of practice, Nodoka thanked the girls for their hospitality and gave them her phone number in exchange for a promise to call her when Ranma returns to the house.
After watching Nodoka turn the corner, the three girls gathered in Kasumi's room to discuss Nodoka Saotome. Nabiki observed how Nodoka was so concerned about hearing and seeing how masculine Ranma was. "I just hope we didn't over do it."
"I don't think we did. It's not like we lied or anything. Does anyone think that we can stop Mrs. Saotome from being too upset when she finds out about his curse?"
"I don't know. And there's no way that we can hide it from her. You know how he attracts water."
They all agree that to ensure a happy reunion between Ranma and his mother, that they would have to keep Genma at bay. They stay up another hour plotting the reunion, but question of how to delicately introduce Ranma's sex change to Nodoka went unanswered. Ranma's curse seems to defy all logical means to control it, so each of the girls decided to let fate take its course.
It was early the next afternoon that Soun, Genma and Ranma returned home with the mission being declared a success, the three males tromped into the bathroom for long hot soak. While they worked the dirt and fatigue from their bodies, Akane called Nodoka and let her know that Ranma is now home and briefly explained the plan that the three sisters concocted the previous night.
Akane cornered Ranma while on his way to his room. Groggily listening to Akane rant something about a history test, he nodded and tried to go to his room for some sleep.
"Ranma, Nabiki is waiting for you."
Ranma looked at Akane and wondered how he could get away. Deciding that escape was not worth the effort, he finally gave in, and agreed with Akane, if for no other reason for the faint hope he could catch some sleep on Nabiki's floor -- assuming she would leave him alone.
Meanwhile, Kasumi found Genma and her father getting ready to play a game of shogi. She sweetly asked her father and Genma to go shopping for some groceries she had forgotten. After a small protest that was quenched when Kasumi mentioned that they were low on sake, the two elders trudged out the door with a mission that would keep them out of the house for at least a few hours.
It was just minutes after the two men left the house that Nodoka knocked at the front door. With Nodoka's arrival, the sisters put the plan into the next phase. Kasumi escorted Ranma's mother into the living room while Akane went upstairs to fetch the wayward son.
"Ranma, there's someone down stairs that you should meet."
"Do I have to?"
"Yes! Now get down there!" Akane wasn't allowing Ranma any room for maneuvering.
Ranma recognized the tone of voice, and pulled himself up off the ground. "I'll be back, Nabiki."
Nabiki could hardly surpress her smile. "Take your time, Ranma. These books aren't going to go on a ten year training journey."
"This isn't a challenge, is it?"
"No, Ranma. It's not a challenge." Akane giggled. "At least it won't be a fight."
When the two of them reached the tearoom, Akane opened the door to allow Ranma to see an auburn haired woman sitting at the table.
"Go on in."
Ranma walked in, and Akane followed, shutting the door behind her. After the two of them approached the table, Akane began the introduction.
"Ranma. This is Nodoka Saotome. Your mother." Akane took a half step back.
Ranma looked at the older woman, and then at Akane, wondering if there was a joke being played on him. It was Akane's eyes that told Ranma that she was telling the truth. He turned to look at the woman that could be his mother.
"Nodoka, this is Ranma."
The two Saotomes looked at each other's face, trying to find something to recognize. Ranma starts to scratch the back of his head when he saw the woman blink; that one action brought fourth a connection between a tattered photograph and the woman in front of him.
"Momma?" Ranma started to move him closer to his mother despite his struggle to maintain a sense of decorum. "Momma? Is it really you?"
A single tear started down Nodoka's face. She started to stand, but her legs weakened with emotion and she faltered, and started to fall forward. "Ranma."
Ranma moved forward and caught his mother. "Momma."
"I'm okay, Ranma." Nodoka slowly pulled away from her son, elated that he looked like the man in the photographs she had seen the night before.
"Son, is your father around? Is he here?"
"I don't know where Pops went. He probably went with Mr. Tendo to pick up some more sake or something."
"That figures. He was always a drinker." Nodoka nodded at Ranma, who embarrassingly poured two cups of tea and offered one cup to his mother.
"So, the girls tell me you've had an interesting life."
Ranma almost spit the tea out of his mouth. "Er, yes. That would be about right."
Nodoka took a slow sip from her cup and watched Ranma sit with a bewildered look on his face. "Have the Tendos treated you well?"
Ranma nodded his head vigorously. "Yep."
"You getting along with the three girls?"
Ranma started to fidget; he wasn't expecting such a probe into his personal life so quickly. "I guess so."
"You like them?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Any one of them more special than the others?"
"Well, um, uuh, er, you know, uh, that..."
Nodoka laughed at her son's uneasiness. She could see how he would be engaged to all three girls; his shyness makes him attractive. "I heard about your engagements. I suppose congratulations are in order."
Ranma slumped. "Mom, whatever you heard, it isn't what you think."
"Oh? You mean there isn't an agreement between your father and Mr. Tendo to join the families?"
"Well, there is that, but..."
"There's nothing to worry about. You marry one, and the other two can be your mistresses!" With a mischievous eye, Nodoka looked at her son. "Unless, of course, you'd rather try to marry all three."
"Wha!" Ranma backed away from the table and started windmilling.
"Something wrong?"
"It's not like that..."
"You mean you don't like them?"
"No."
"You do like them?"
"Yes!"
"Ranma, do you like them or not?"
"I like them."
"Well, they seem to like you. I don't see a problem."
"It's not like that!"
"Well, then, what's the problem?"
"There isn't one. It's just that I'm not ready to get married."
"No problem. I can wait."
"But..."
"Ranma, I know we just met, but I'm a woman, and woman can tell certain things. Right now, I know that those three girls on the other side of that door love you."
Ranma didn't respond, and the room was silent for a few minutes. Suddenly there was a soft knock on the door.
"Ahem." Kasumi peered through the door with a smile on her face. When she knew she had the attention of Ranma and Nodoka, she threw the door open, revealing Genma."
"Nodo... Nodo... Nodo..." Genma tried to flee the scene, but was tripped by Nabiki and Akane.
"So, Genma. I see you're trying to run away again." Nodoka smiled at her husbands' futile attempt.
"No, no, no. I'm, uh, just, uh..."
"Come over here!" Nodoka ordered Genma into the room. Slowly he walked in and stood in front of her. She looked him over, trying to see if he's still all there.
"You look good." Nodoka adjusted the belt around her husband's waist. "You've lost weight. Perhaps the trip was good to you."
Genma swelled at the compliment, but as soon as he was about to say something, she grabbed the collar of his gi and held him out at arms length.
"Why did you stop writing? And what's the reason for coming here instead of home?"
Akane and Nabiki sat Ranma down, and then took their places on either side of him. Kasumi, the hostess, was bringing more tea when Genma started to stammer his answer.
"You see, uh, it's a martial artists duty to uh, protect those that can't protect themselves, and uh, always train so that they can be, uh, the best they can be, and uh..."
Nabiki whispered just loud enough so that Ranma and Akane could hear her. "This ought to be good."
"Genma, you are hiding something. What is it?" Nodoka had unsheathed her sword from behind her back and had the sharp edge of the blade just a hair width away from Genma's nose.
"Nothing! Nothing! It's that uh, Ranma, that boy! We have to leave. Now!"
"What for, old man? I'm not leaving this place." Nabiki and Akane slid their arms under Ranma's, and sat closer to him.
"Training! I just remembered a secret technique! And I'm going to forget it if I don't teach it to you now!" With that, Genma tried to grab Ranma shirt and drag him out of the room.
"No way, Pop!" With the reflexes of years of fighting his father, he turned the hold into a throw, putting his father into the pond just yards away.
"Growlf!" The wet panda held up a sign, "Now you've done it! We're dead!"
Ranma sighed. "That, Mom, is what he's hiding." Turning to Kasumi, "Could you please get some glasses of hot and cold water."
With a smile, Kasumi turned around and placed a tray of three glasses of cold water and four small kettles of hot water on the table.
Nodoka sat without moving, her eyes wide open, looking at the panda where her husband should have been.
"Where's Genma?"
"Mother, it's a long story. That stupid panda is Father." Ranma shifted his weight a little to get comfortable. "It all started when Pops and me were..." Whap!
"Ranma..."
The hit on Ranma's head was Nabiki's reminder about grammar. "Sorry Nabiki," he apologized. He restarted his tale, "When Pops and I were in Chimmmmf!"
Genma grabbed his son and bounded out the door, over the fence, and down the street. It was a few seconds before a dust cloud arose in the distance that signified the fight between the father and son.
Nodoka stood; ready to give chase and stop her family from fighting when Soun stopped. "Don't worry Nodoka, they'll be fine. When Ranma wants to win, there is nobody that can beat him. Not even his own father. He'll be back in a short while, and probably will be dragging Genma along with him."
Nodoka looked at the man who is her husband's best friend. "You sure?"
"Certainly. I know it's been a long time since you've seen him, but your husband and son are as tough as they come.
"Now, please sit and enjoy the tea. Besides, there's much to talk about."
As soon as they started talking, they saw Genma be thrown over the fence, and then manhandled by Ranma. Only when they were in the living room did Ranma let go of his father. Kasumi handed the elder Saotome a towel to dry off with.
"Sorry about that, Mom. Sometimes he gets carried away."
As soon as they settled down again, a crash was heard.
"Nihao! Where husband!?" Shampoo came in through the engawa doors on her bicycle. "Ranma! You take Shampoo on date, no?" Shampoo wrapped her arms around Ranma, leaving him to struggle in her grasp.
"Let go of me, Shampoo! You're embarrassing me in front of my mother!"
Shampoo looked and saw Nodoka and suddenly let go of the pigged tail boy, dropping him to the floor. "Aiyaa! You Ranma's Mother?"
Nodoka leaned over to Soun and whispered, "This is one of Ranma's fiancees?"
Soun nodded.
Nodoka was gracious and nodded, happy that Ranma has attracted such a beautiful young girl. "Yes."
"I'm Shampoo. Ranma my husband. Grandmother will be so happy to meet you. She elder of tribe and has much to talk about."
"Wife? Tribe?"
"Yes. Amazon, from China. Very old."
"I see." Nodoka adjusted her kimono slightly. "Ranma, care to explain?"
Ranma sat down between Akane and Nabiki. "It's a long story. It all started out when Pops and I were in China. He had this book of legendary training grounds, and thought we should go to a place called 'Training Ground of Accursed Springs.'
"Pops wasn't too bright. He never read the stupid book." With that, he picked up his father and heaved his father into the pond. "You see, if you ever land into one of the springs, you are cursed to become whatever drowned there."
Genma came up from the water as a panda.
"Pops fell into Spring of Drowned Panda."
Genma rushed his son but Shampoo tripped him, causing him to knock himself out when he landed on edge of the table. Nodoka had a strange look on her face; it registered both confusion and horror.
"Don't worry, Mom. Pops is all right." Taking the kettle from Kasumi's hand, he poured its contents on the slowly waking panda. "You see, cold water triggers the curse, and hot water reverses it."
Nodoka looked at the tray in front of her, seeing two glasses of water and two small kettles. She took one glass of water and dumped it on her husband and watched him change into a panda. Smiling, she took one of the kettles, and poured it over his head, watching him turn back into a human.
"Oh, this is so funny!" She took another glass of water and poured it over his head and started laughing when he changed once again. "This is so perfect!" Taking the remaining kettle, she poured it over her husband's head, and after he changed one last time, she started to dry his bald skull.
"So, what does this have to do with Shampoo?"
Genma tried to get up and flee the scene when Nabiki stuck her leg out and tripped him again. This time his chin hit the floor hard, dazing him.
"Well, I was kind of distracted by this, and he attacked me. I, uh, fell in a spring myself." Ranma whispered the words, leaving no doubt that what was to come next was very distasteful to him.
Sighing, he takes a glass of cold water from a new tray that Kasumi brought into the room, and dumped the contents on his head.
"See? I fell into the pool of drowned girl." He then poured a kettle over his head.
Nodoka looked at her son, daughter, and then son again, not making a sound. Her face became a mask, not giving a clue to anyone what she was thinking.
Ranma continued his story. "Anyway, we were looking for a cure when we came to the Amazons. There was a feast on a table that was a contest prize, and Pops was hungry. So he proceeded to start eating. Naturally, the winner of the prize wasn't too happy."
Shampoo pointed proudly at herself. "My prize. Me champion Amazon!"
"Yeah. Anyway, to save our skins, I challenged Shampoo for the food. I won." Ranma didn't show any sign of gloating as he continued. "Shampoo gave me a kiss, and we, uh, were forced to leave the area.
"After we left China, we came here. We settled down, and thought we were safe. Somehow Shampoo tracked us and followed us from China. The next thing I know is that I'm being hunted, she was out to kill me. When I beat her again, she gave me another kiss. Now she thinks we're married."
Nodoka looked at her son and blinked. What she just heard confused her; it was beyond her sensibilities to comprehend.
Seeing the confused look on Nodoka's face, Shampoo tried to clarify matters. "Amazon law says if outsider woman beat tribe warrior, warrior must give outsider Kiss of Death. Amazon law also says if outsider man beat tribe warrior, warrior must give outsider Kiss of Marriage."
Nabiki attempted to further elaborate. "The Amazons are a matriarchal society. Their warriors are women, and the rules are eugenic in nature. By forcing the losing warrior to kill the winner, or dies in the attempt, the bloodlines are kept strong. Conversely, if the winner's a male, then the tribe wants the genes of the winner bred into the tribe with the hope of stronger and better warriors.
"When Ranma defeated her the first time, he was the red-headed girl you saw earlier. The next time Ranma defeated Shampoo, he was the male you see today, and she gave him the Kiss of Marriage.
"Am I making sense?"
Nodoka slowly nodded her head. This story was rapidly becoming more than she could handle.
"The Amazons know about the cursed springs, and when the Elder of the tribe learned that Ranma was a male, she revoked the Kiss of Death, as it doesn't apply to males." Nabiki knew she just told a white lie, but to tell the whole truth invited more problems.
Nodoka reached for her sword and started feeling its handle. "Genma, am I to take it that you knocked my son into a spring that curses males to become female?"
Genma was checking his mouth, making sure he hadn't lost any teeth the last time he hit the ground. When he heard his name called, he froze in place.
"It's a martial artists duty to make sacrifices to become the best!"
"You turned my son into a girl. You promised to make him a man among men! You do remember your promise, don't you?"
Sweat began to bead on his forehead. "Promise? What promise?"
Nodoka proffered a piece of paper to Genma. "This promise."
Sweat was now pouring off Genma's forehead. After shoving his glasses back high on his nose, Genma took a deep breath and sat up straight.
"Of course. That promise. I succeeded. Ranma never loses any fight he gets into."
"He turns into a girl! Girls are not men!"
Akane looks at Ranma, who was about to make some comment about "tomboys."
"Just a price to pay as being a martial artist!"
"You sacrificed his manhood!"
"Only temporarily."
"You failed."
Nodoka's eyes bore into Genma and he felt his life slowly bleed from his slit belly. Sucking up what little courage he had, he tried to place the blame where he thought it should lie. "He failed. He's the one that turns into a girl!"
By now everyone has had a chance to read the paper that Nodoka was wavering in front of Genma, and without exception, went into a state of shock.
"Mrs. Saotome, you can't be serious, can you? Seppuku?" Akane attempted to be the voice of reason, but her voice creaked with fear for her sister's fiancee's life.
"As a martial artists wife, I have to take honor seriously." She turned to face Genma, "I will take the role of Kaishaku."
"May I take a look at the promise, Mrs. Saotome?" Nabiki was curious about the strange ink marks on the paper.
"Here. It's quite correct, if you'll notice."
Nabiki looked at the paper, and saw little handprints all over it. "What's all these?"
"Oh, Genma had Ranma stamp the promise to show his agreement."
"These are Ranma's?" Nabiki tried to suppress a comment about cuteness given the severity of the situation in front of her. "How old was he when he did this?"
"Oh, three years old."
Nabiki's eyes widened at the age. Knowing that Ranma could barely ink the kanji for "seppuku" today, she knew that Ranma could not have known what he pounded his handprint on. "So you are going to hold him to a promise he made when he was three years old? He probably couldn't even say 'seppuku', much less know what it means."
"But Genma..." Nodoka was surprised by Nabiki's defense, for most of the time people deferred in her presence. She tried to continue, but Nabiki kept talking.
"Genma would have promised you anything to get him out of the house for training. Do you really think he thought you'd take it seriously?" Nabiki watched for signs of Nodoka acquiescing, but suspected that the elder lady would be very good at hiding clues.
Soun Tendo broke into the conversation. He knew that Ranma would commit seppuku if he was told to do so, and if he did so, it would be for the wrong reasons. "The girls have a point, Nodoka. To Ranma, that paper was nothing more than an exercise in finger painting."
"Mrs. Saotome, should Ranma be held to a promise he couldn't have made?"
Ranma's mother sat there, thinking about what everyone had said. Her memories were faded with age, but she did remember Ranma pounding on the paper with his ink stained hand.
"But Genma made the promise."
"And he succeeded." Kasumi's soft voice cut through the stress that permeated the room, and all eyes turned to find her eyes filling with tears.
The three Tendo sisters and Shampoo went on to list instance upon instance of Ranma's insistence of his maleness, of Ranma's fighting prowess, and of Ranma's honor. When Ranma, his father, and Soun attempted to put in a word, they were hushed and were asked to leave, and when they objected, Nodoka allowed the blade of her sword to glisten in the light, causing fear and a rapid evacuation by the males.
The most serious issue was the curse, and Nodoka asked many questions about how Ranma was affected, and whether or not he ever considered himself a girl. She was surprised to learn that although Ranma hated being a girl, he was not afraid to use his female form to his advantage. There were stories told of how Ranma would entrap Happosai by using his female form and of how Ranma would brazenly wrangle free food as a girl. When Nodoka heard some of the stories about Kuno and his attraction to the "pigged tailed girl", she laughed and remarked that Ranma was taking after her own youth.
At one point Nodoka was interested in the mechanics of the curse, so water was poured on Genma to turn into a panda and back again several times. Nodoka learned that no amount of willpower could overcome its effects - cold water always triggered the effect one way, and hot water triggered the curse the other. The discussion turned philosophical, they supposed that perhaps the curse was a correction of some karmic extreme in the afflicted one's life.
Then things turned emotional. One way or another, each of the girls admitted that Ranma changed their life. Near tears, Shampoo admitted that she was constantly surprised of his capability of forgiveness, and she sometimes felt unworthy of being his wife. Akane blushed when she said that she was proud of Ranma; not because he won fights, but rather because he speaks from the heart, and is very sincere in his good intentions. Nabiki was coy, teasing her listeners as she mentioned the person that she thought was a perverted dumb jock was actually a honorable, smart individual that forced her to plan harder to manipulate - something that was becoming more difficult with each passing day. Kasumi had a quiver to her voice when she blurted that Ranma was rapidly leaving his boyhood behind, and that he was maturing into very desirable young man. If Nodoka had known the story of how Akane became engaged to her son, she would have recognized Kasumi's quivering as a sign of the shame and embarrassment of not accepting the engagement when she had the opportunity.
By the time it was dark, Nodoka had been presented with enough evidence to thoroughly convince her that not only her son was a man, but also that he has risen above every one of his father's mistakes. And for the second day in the row, she was convinced that each of the girls wanted Ranma for their very own.
After the five of them had a chance to recover their composure, the males were allowed to return to the room. Genma and Ranma were wearing the white robes of Seppuku and had serious looks on their faces. After everyone was seated, Nodoka took her sword and moved to place on the ground in front of her.
Whack!
"Ow!"
Nodoka had hit Genma on his head with the sheathed sword. Genma began rubbing a large lump on his head while his wife started to wrap the sword and sheath in the silk covering. Without taking an eye off her husband, in a clear voice it was made known that she was not pleased.
"You idiot! You are coming home with me tonight, and you have a lot of talking to do. By the time I'm finished with you, you are going to wish I let you commit suicide!
"Ranma!" When she saw her son stiffen at his name, she softened. "Ranma. I had already decided that I couldn't hold you to your promise made when you were three years old." She smiled, and then looked at the girls at the table. "And these four ladies told me far more than I think they intended. You have nothing to fear."
With that, Genma followed Nodoka home that night and Ranma the next. And it was under a week when Shampoo, Kodachi and Ukyou managed to destroy the Saotome home, each trying to convince Nodoka that they were best suited to be Ranma's wife.
With their home destroyed, the Saotome moved in with the Tendos, setting up temporary housekeeping in the Dojo.