'Over the Clouds'
Nodoka wasn't sure what to expect when she approached the small cafe. The young lady on the phone said it was a matter of great importance that they met in person, that it was something that both of them needed greatly to talk about.
The divorced woman felt a great deal more hesitation settle over her, as she stared at the glass window of the restaurant front. She didn't want to be around people now, particularly a crowd. And though there wasn't much of one in there, it was still enough to make her feel clausterphobic.
She kept her head bowed, not wishing to make eye contact with anyone, as she entered. She didn't know who she was looking for, and after an internal debate, she brought her eyes up to scan the room. Right as she did so, a waiter placed himself right in front of her.
The man ignored the startled jump Nodoka made at his seemingly sudden appearance, "Are you Saotome Nodoka?"
Nodoka closed her eyes, and turned away. Before she was about to leave, she answered, "No, I'm not."
The waiter blinked, puzzled. There weren't many Asian women with such deep, coppery hair, and she was of the description the young lady gave him. Fortunately, the voice that came from behind him clarified things.
"Then, if you're not, what should we call you?"
"I am no longer married with Genma Saotome," Nodoka replied with a quiet voice.
"Please, let's go take a seat," Nabiki asked with a gentle, concerned tone. Nodoka turned to find a girl she had never seen before, and found her concern growing. What did this girl want with her? How did she know her? Her plethora of questions quelled her timidness under their sheer weight, and she followed the other girl.
Nodoka froze, when she saw the long-haired girl that lead her to the Tendous last night, Akane Tendou, sitting at the table looking at her with a concerned expression. Still standing, Nodoka asked, "What is this about?"
"Please, sit," Nabiki urged, sitting next to her younger sister. The middle Tendou daughter kept a very businesslike expression, which brought a great deal of suspicion to Akane. Nabiki was trying hard to school her emotions, apparently.
Begrudingly, Nodoka sat, looking at the girls in front of her with curiosity. After several seconds of silence, Nabiki spoke again, "What should we call you, Auntie?"
Nodoka felt a slight tremble pass through her, when the young woman spoke an addressment of respect for her; it wasn't something she deserved, not at all. "Nodoka is fine, just Nodoka."
"Alright then, Auntie Nodoka," Nabiki replied, folding her hands in front of her, "I understand that you've had a difficult life."
Nodoka frowned, as Akane raised an eyebrow towards her sister, "What are we doing, Nabiki?"
Nabiki gave Akane a glare to silence her, before turning her attention back to Nodoka, "I'm sorry about your recent divorce, Auntie. It wasn't something you obviously deserved."
"What makes you believe that?" Nodoka asked with a mild curiosity. Obviously this girl did not truly know her.
"Well, what was it you did that you think deserved to have whatever man leave you, as unfortunate an idiot he is?" Nabiki enquired, keeping a solid expression.
Nodoka bowed her head, feeling the granite weight of guilt press back at her like Sisyphus's boulder. Nodoka mused at that, if she were not allowed to die, perhaps her penance would be to constantly face her sin, just as the boulder that would roll back down the hill once it reached the top. She could never overcome her task, it would stay with her eternally.
"I abandoned my son, what greater reason for a husband to leave an uncaring wife?"
Nabiki reached over, and wiped a tear that was trailing down Nodoka's face. "You love your son, don't you?" Nabiki asked, allowing a little emotion to slip into her tone.
The tears continued to fall, but Nodoka nodded, as she was unable to voice her reply.
Nabiki sat back in her seat, and folded her arms across her chest, "It doesn't sound like you abandoned your son at all, Auntie."
"What do you mean?" Nodoka enquired, the reply startling her out of her despair. Akane looked at her sister, also anxious for the answer.
Nabiki tilted her head to the side, before replying, "Auntie Nodoka, I want to ask you something, and I want a simple yes or no answer."
Nodoka nodded, hoping the young woman would get to the point soon, "Alright, but only if you explain yourself."
"Did you in any way say that you wanted nothing to do with your son? That your former husband was to take him away from you?" Nabiki asked, grasping for straws.
"I... yes... I did," Nodoka replied, turning away in guilt.
Nabiki frowned sharply, as Akane's own eyes narrowed. Akane suddenly felt a slight bit of disgust raise against the woman. What quelled it was the fact the woman sincerely was sorry for what she had done. "Could you possibly tell me what you said exactly to your former husband?" Nabiki asked, hoping she could at least find a spin to work with.
Nodoka could remember the event clearly, as if a spectator viewing the past in drama, "I... I asked them to commit seppuku... that was more than enough reason."
Nabiki's frown suddenly turned into a slight, ever so slight smile, "But you didn't ask him to take Ranma away, did you?"
"I..." Nodoka stopped, and gave Nabiki a glare, "What does it matter?"
"Auntie Nodoka," Nabiki began, "Ranma was taken from you. You never abandoned him."
________________________
Kasumi watched Ranma through the window, as he 'played'. She couldn't help but feel empathy towards Ranma for an emotion he didn't even feel, and endearment towards him as if he were someone she had pledged to devote her life to.
Last night gave the eldest Tendou daughter a great deal to think about. There was so much he missed out on, the greatest being a mother figure. It was a task she had handled much already, and though Shampoo did very well in the duty, there was a certain... something she lacked. Possibly experience, perhaps intuition, Kasumi wasn't sure.
Having nothing to do at the moment, Kasumi decided to go out back, and talk with Ranma. "Hello, Ranma, how are you doing today?"
The pigtailed boy turned to Kasumi, "I'm okay! Did you make something to eat?"
"Ah, not yet," Kasumi replied, "I'll begin dinner soon."
"Okay," Ranma replied, a bit disappointed. He blinked, before turning back to Kasumi with a smile, "You want to play?"
Kasumi's head lifted in surprise to the question, before her smile returned, "Play? Play what? I'm afraid I don't know much about martial arts to be any fun for you."
Ranma's smile never dropped, "We can play one of Pop's favorite games... TAG, YOUR IT!"
Ranma quickly leaped onto the dojo, then onto the roof of the house, and then to the front yard. Kasumi blinked, still trying to comprehend what happened, before a wry smirk appeared on her face, "Ranma-chan, that was far from fair..." She strode with a harried pace to the back door of her home, with the intent of finding the shortest route to the front yard...
________________________
"What are you talking about, Nabiki?" Akane demanded, rising slightly from her seat.
"Shut up, Akane," Nabiki commanded tersely, before turning back to Nodoka, "Genma didn't ask for your permission to take Ranma away, and you were obviously under a lot of duress. I'm guessing this had something to do with Ranma's 'condition'?"
Nodoka nodded, but remained where she was. She felt both trapped, and rapt with attention for what the young woman was saying to her.
"Listen, Auntie, what happened wasn't your fault," Nabiki continued, only to be interrupted by her younger sister.
"But she demanded they kill themselves!" Akane stated incredulously, drawing more attention to the three.
"Shut UP Akane!" Nabiki gave Akane an angry glare, allowing the younger girl to see the tears building in her sister's eyes.
"Na...Nabiki?"
"Genma had no right to do that. It was inexcusable to take your ownly child away from you, it's not right that Ranma won't get to know his mother!"
More than a little emotion now colored Nabiki's voice, as an audience focused on her, "Do you know what WE..." she pointed to Akane, then herself, "Would give to see our mother again? For her to know that we're all doing well, to let her know how much we missed her?"
"But I..."
"No!" Nabiki cut Nodoka off sharply, "There IS no 'buts' about it! Genma failed miserably as a father, even if he 'thinks' he was the moral superior!"
"Nabiki... you're gathering a lot of attention," Akane warned, nervously.
"I SAID SHUT UP!" Nabiki shouted at her sister, quelling her. Akane immidiately obeyed, not recalling any moment her sister had actually shouted back at her. Nabiki quickly gathered as much control over herself as possible, before sitting back into her seat, interlocking her hands in front of her propped up on her elbows, and bowed her head before them, sheilding her eyes from Akane and Nodoka's view. "I... if you want to do what's right, you won't let Genma stop you. He's your son, and he deserves to know you, and let you know he loves you, regardless..."
Akane watched her sister, feeling her own tears ready to flow. Nabiki's gesture was well known to her; it was one she used when she was despairing, or feeling overwhelmed with grief. She doubted that Nabiki was aware that she had such a habit.
They all missed their mother, but she never knew the extent of such, until now. Nodoka looked at the older girl with her own shame, but no longer shame for actions she had done so long ago, but actions she had not done so recently.
________________________
Kasumi entered the house, giggling to herself, and drawing her father's attention. "Kasumi, what's so funny?"
At the sound of her father's voice, Kasumi immidiately snapped to attention with a nervous expression, "Ah.. I'm afraid that dinner's going to be a little late tonight..." Kasumi replied in a flustered tone, before she quickly rushed to the kitchen.
Soun followed his daughter with his eyes, puzzled, "I wonder what has gotten into her?"
Nodoka wasn't sure what to expect when she approached the small cafe. The young lady on the phone said it was a matter of great importance that they met in person, that it was something that both of them needed greatly to talk about.
The divorced woman felt a great deal more hesitation settle over her, as she stared at the glass window of the restaurant front. She didn't want to be around people now, particularly a crowd. And though there wasn't much of one in there, it was still enough to make her feel clausterphobic.
She kept her head bowed, not wishing to make eye contact with anyone, as she entered. She didn't know who she was looking for, and after an internal debate, she brought her eyes up to scan the room. Right as she did so, a waiter placed himself right in front of her.
The man ignored the startled jump Nodoka made at his seemingly sudden appearance, "Are you Saotome Nodoka?"
Nodoka closed her eyes, and turned away. Before she was about to leave, she answered, "No, I'm not."
The waiter blinked, puzzled. There weren't many Asian women with such deep, coppery hair, and she was of the description the young lady gave him. Fortunately, the voice that came from behind him clarified things.
"Then, if you're not, what should we call you?"
"I am no longer married with Genma Saotome," Nodoka replied with a quiet voice.
"Please, let's go take a seat," Nabiki asked with a gentle, concerned tone. Nodoka turned to find a girl she had never seen before, and found her concern growing. What did this girl want with her? How did she know her? Her plethora of questions quelled her timidness under their sheer weight, and she followed the other girl.
Nodoka froze, when she saw the long-haired girl that lead her to the Tendous last night, Akane Tendou, sitting at the table looking at her with a concerned expression. Still standing, Nodoka asked, "What is this about?"
"Please, sit," Nabiki urged, sitting next to her younger sister. The middle Tendou daughter kept a very businesslike expression, which brought a great deal of suspicion to Akane. Nabiki was trying hard to school her emotions, apparently.
Begrudingly, Nodoka sat, looking at the girls in front of her with curiosity. After several seconds of silence, Nabiki spoke again, "What should we call you, Auntie?"
Nodoka felt a slight tremble pass through her, when the young woman spoke an addressment of respect for her; it wasn't something she deserved, not at all. "Nodoka is fine, just Nodoka."
"Alright then, Auntie Nodoka," Nabiki replied, folding her hands in front of her, "I understand that you've had a difficult life."
Nodoka frowned, as Akane raised an eyebrow towards her sister, "What are we doing, Nabiki?"
Nabiki gave Akane a glare to silence her, before turning her attention back to Nodoka, "I'm sorry about your recent divorce, Auntie. It wasn't something you obviously deserved."
"What makes you believe that?" Nodoka asked with a mild curiosity. Obviously this girl did not truly know her.
"Well, what was it you did that you think deserved to have whatever man leave you, as unfortunate an idiot he is?" Nabiki enquired, keeping a solid expression.
Nodoka bowed her head, feeling the granite weight of guilt press back at her like Sisyphus's boulder. Nodoka mused at that, if she were not allowed to die, perhaps her penance would be to constantly face her sin, just as the boulder that would roll back down the hill once it reached the top. She could never overcome her task, it would stay with her eternally.
"I abandoned my son, what greater reason for a husband to leave an uncaring wife?"
Nabiki reached over, and wiped a tear that was trailing down Nodoka's face. "You love your son, don't you?" Nabiki asked, allowing a little emotion to slip into her tone.
The tears continued to fall, but Nodoka nodded, as she was unable to voice her reply.
Nabiki sat back in her seat, and folded her arms across her chest, "It doesn't sound like you abandoned your son at all, Auntie."
"What do you mean?" Nodoka enquired, the reply startling her out of her despair. Akane looked at her sister, also anxious for the answer.
Nabiki tilted her head to the side, before replying, "Auntie Nodoka, I want to ask you something, and I want a simple yes or no answer."
Nodoka nodded, hoping the young woman would get to the point soon, "Alright, but only if you explain yourself."
"Did you in any way say that you wanted nothing to do with your son? That your former husband was to take him away from you?" Nabiki asked, grasping for straws.
"I... yes... I did," Nodoka replied, turning away in guilt.
Nabiki frowned sharply, as Akane's own eyes narrowed. Akane suddenly felt a slight bit of disgust raise against the woman. What quelled it was the fact the woman sincerely was sorry for what she had done. "Could you possibly tell me what you said exactly to your former husband?" Nabiki asked, hoping she could at least find a spin to work with.
Nodoka could remember the event clearly, as if a spectator viewing the past in drama, "I... I asked them to commit seppuku... that was more than enough reason."
Nabiki's frown suddenly turned into a slight, ever so slight smile, "But you didn't ask him to take Ranma away, did you?"
"I..." Nodoka stopped, and gave Nabiki a glare, "What does it matter?"
"Auntie Nodoka," Nabiki began, "Ranma was taken from you. You never abandoned him."
________________________
Kasumi watched Ranma through the window, as he 'played'. She couldn't help but feel empathy towards Ranma for an emotion he didn't even feel, and endearment towards him as if he were someone she had pledged to devote her life to.
Last night gave the eldest Tendou daughter a great deal to think about. There was so much he missed out on, the greatest being a mother figure. It was a task she had handled much already, and though Shampoo did very well in the duty, there was a certain... something she lacked. Possibly experience, perhaps intuition, Kasumi wasn't sure.
Having nothing to do at the moment, Kasumi decided to go out back, and talk with Ranma. "Hello, Ranma, how are you doing today?"
The pigtailed boy turned to Kasumi, "I'm okay! Did you make something to eat?"
"Ah, not yet," Kasumi replied, "I'll begin dinner soon."
"Okay," Ranma replied, a bit disappointed. He blinked, before turning back to Kasumi with a smile, "You want to play?"
Kasumi's head lifted in surprise to the question, before her smile returned, "Play? Play what? I'm afraid I don't know much about martial arts to be any fun for you."
Ranma's smile never dropped, "We can play one of Pop's favorite games... TAG, YOUR IT!"
Ranma quickly leaped onto the dojo, then onto the roof of the house, and then to the front yard. Kasumi blinked, still trying to comprehend what happened, before a wry smirk appeared on her face, "Ranma-chan, that was far from fair..." She strode with a harried pace to the back door of her home, with the intent of finding the shortest route to the front yard...
________________________
"What are you talking about, Nabiki?" Akane demanded, rising slightly from her seat.
"Shut up, Akane," Nabiki commanded tersely, before turning back to Nodoka, "Genma didn't ask for your permission to take Ranma away, and you were obviously under a lot of duress. I'm guessing this had something to do with Ranma's 'condition'?"
Nodoka nodded, but remained where she was. She felt both trapped, and rapt with attention for what the young woman was saying to her.
"Listen, Auntie, what happened wasn't your fault," Nabiki continued, only to be interrupted by her younger sister.
"But she demanded they kill themselves!" Akane stated incredulously, drawing more attention to the three.
"Shut UP Akane!" Nabiki gave Akane an angry glare, allowing the younger girl to see the tears building in her sister's eyes.
"Na...Nabiki?"
"Genma had no right to do that. It was inexcusable to take your ownly child away from you, it's not right that Ranma won't get to know his mother!"
More than a little emotion now colored Nabiki's voice, as an audience focused on her, "Do you know what WE..." she pointed to Akane, then herself, "Would give to see our mother again? For her to know that we're all doing well, to let her know how much we missed her?"
"But I..."
"No!" Nabiki cut Nodoka off sharply, "There IS no 'buts' about it! Genma failed miserably as a father, even if he 'thinks' he was the moral superior!"
"Nabiki... you're gathering a lot of attention," Akane warned, nervously.
"I SAID SHUT UP!" Nabiki shouted at her sister, quelling her. Akane immidiately obeyed, not recalling any moment her sister had actually shouted back at her. Nabiki quickly gathered as much control over herself as possible, before sitting back into her seat, interlocking her hands in front of her propped up on her elbows, and bowed her head before them, sheilding her eyes from Akane and Nodoka's view. "I... if you want to do what's right, you won't let Genma stop you. He's your son, and he deserves to know you, and let you know he loves you, regardless..."
Akane watched her sister, feeling her own tears ready to flow. Nabiki's gesture was well known to her; it was one she used when she was despairing, or feeling overwhelmed with grief. She doubted that Nabiki was aware that she had such a habit.
They all missed their mother, but she never knew the extent of such, until now. Nodoka looked at the older girl with her own shame, but no longer shame for actions she had done so long ago, but actions she had not done so recently.
________________________
Kasumi entered the house, giggling to herself, and drawing her father's attention. "Kasumi, what's so funny?"
At the sound of her father's voice, Kasumi immidiately snapped to attention with a nervous expression, "Ah.. I'm afraid that dinner's going to be a little late tonight..." Kasumi replied in a flustered tone, before she quickly rushed to the kitchen.
Soun followed his daughter with his eyes, puzzled, "I wonder what has gotten into her?"