Author's Notes (3/4/05):
Sorry
this is not an update just some minor spelling and grammar editing. I
would like to thank the people who pointed out my misspelling of
Nodoka's name. I would really like to thank DelShalDar for taking the
time to edit my story. I will be updating as soon as I get back into
the mood to continue this story. I been watching to many anime lately
that have been making me sad (Chrono Crusade and Saikano). On a good
note (or bad if you really really want me to update) I got some new
anime to watch (Pita Ten and Futakoi). Hopefully they'll put me in a
better mood, so I can continue this story.
Only you...
By TsunamiSaotome
Nodoka woke from a near restless and disturbing sleep. Just like all of the others she had, since she had found out about Ranma's choice. She had become very happy that Ranma had finally chosen, only to be surprised when she found out that he had chosen not one of his fiancées, but Kasumi. She smiled as she recalled how happy Ranma looked as he talked about Kasumi. Her smile quickly turned into a frown as she recalled her son's following words and actions. She remembered as her happiness had changed into shock as Ranma reveled that he would not try to pursue Kasumi. Stating that even if Kasumi did hold feeling for him they would be placed behind her family. She just stood there in shock as her son left. Shock had changed in to surprise as Kasumi spoke from behind her, while Nodoka watched Kasumi leave her surprise melted into depression as she realized Kasumi had confirmed Ranma's words. Confused and depressed, Nodoka had fled back to the Saotome estate. The next day Nodoka decided that she would have Soun and her husband transfer the engagement from Akane to Kasumi. As she was leaving she saw a picture that was recently taken of herself and her son. In the picture Ranma had a hesitant smile on his face. The picture reminded Nodoka of a memory from the night before. It was similar to the smile he had when she started to talk to him. Ranma's mother then realized that her son had decided to trust her, something she had not done anything to deserve. With that thought in mind she walked back and collapsed on a chair.
"Nearly a week and I still can't come up with anything." Nodoka sighed as she was on her bed. Realizing that all this worrying wasn't doing her any good; she decided to get dressed, and go over to the Tendo home.
"At the very least I can give Ranma a bit of a break, and be able to spend some time with him." With a course determined Nodoka started to get ready.
Ranma was having a bad week. His rivals and fiancés were still the same; they were still trying to kill and/or kill him. No, his problems came from the other women in his life. His mother had not returned since his confession to her. This led him to believe that he had done something to hurt his mother. The thought of him hurting his mother had distracted him so much that it was getting harder and harder to concentrate on his day to day life. Then there was Kasumi, over the past week she seem to become colder to him. She was still nice and smiled at him, but the smile was somehow vacant and devoid of warmth. The little things that would get him through the day were becoming fewer and farther between. Small things like personally handing his meals to him, personally seeking him out to greet him or something as mundane as a quick look and smile, as if to give him the strength to continue, were less frequent. Without those little bits of hope to help him, the stress of everyday life was becoming more and more difficult to cope with. He knew that if he didn't find someway to relieve all the stress bottled in him, he was going to do something drastic and most likely, life-altering. At first he was going to talk to his mother or Kasumi about what he had done wrong, but as much as he hated to admit it, he was afraid of the answers that he might be given. So he had continued to play ignorant, hoping that he could find another way to relieve the stress by himself. At first he had tried to train beyond his extremes, but when became exhausted his emotions and fears returned with a vengeance, and because he was exhausted he wasn't able to control them, leaving them to become much worst. He had no one to go to because the two people he had hoped to rely on were the main source of his turmoil. He sighed as he heard a knock at the door.
"Coming!" Ranma yelled as he remembered that Kasumi had left earlier to go buy groceries.
As he opened the door a sense of apprehension washed over him. He stopped and took a step to the side to allow his mother in. As soon as she entered and passed him he blurted out the first thing that his mind came up with.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?" Surprise evident in Nodoka's response.
"For making you sad…" At this point Ranma's gaze was focused on the floor.
"Ranma" Nodoka said in a tender voice, "I'm not sad at what you told me, just frustrated." Nodoka saw Ranma look at her in a confused manner and decided to continue. "You found someone you may love then decided that you would not try for your own happiness. Over the last decade I have done nothing to see you happy. I have done nothing to deserve a son like you. I finally see a chance for to be happy, and I can't do anything to help. I can't do anything to see my son happy. I'm a horrible mother!" by the time Nodoka finished she had tears streaming down her face.
Ranma had panicked as soon as his mother had started to shed tears. As she continued to speak, Ranma searched his memory for a way to stop her tears. He had never been good at this stuff before, and have almost no memories of what to do. As he searched his mind, a stray thought came to him. He remembered watching a couple of guys holding girls when the girls were crying, and after a few moments the girls had calm down. He hated seeing any girl crying, but when it was someone who he cared for as much as his mother the feeling was much more intense. With his mind made up he slowly enveloped his mother in a awkward, but tender and emotional embrace.
Nodoka's silent tears turned into heart-wrenching sobs as she used her son to release years of pent-up frustration, pain, anger, and loneliness. At first Ranma was tense and silent, but as the tears continued to soak his shirt, he started to whisper comforting words to his mother. He was telling her that she was a great mother. His voice was soft and comforting as he told his mother that he was here now, wouldn't leave her, that he loved her, and no matter what he would always be her son.
Unknown to mother and son their reunion was witnessed by another. Kasumi had returned from shopping, and had witnessed the entire conversation. With a tear trailing down her face, she left Nodoka and Ranma to their own personal and private moment.
After a few minutes Ranma noticed his mother had calm down a bit. When she started to pull away he spoke.
"Mama."
Ranma waited till his mother looked at him to continue. "Ummm..." he saw that her eyes were red and puffy from crying, but he also noticed a slight smile on his mother's face.
"Yes, Ranma?"
"There was some stuff I like doing with you..." Ranma paused as he bowed his head in an effort to hide his coloring cheeks.
Nodoka sat patiently watching her son, waiting for him to finish.
"ummm... I liked cooking with you and... and was thinking that we could try again together."
Ranma's mother smiled at the request and stood up.
"Mama?"
Ranma stood as his mother grabbed on of his hands, and started to lead him into the kitchen.
"Kasumi?"
Kasumi was a bit surprised, but quickly hid it under her mask and answered.
"Yes aunty?"
"Could we help you with dinner tonight?"
Kasumi took a moment to study Nodoka then Ranma. She grabbed a cup, and filled it with cold water then replied as she hand the cup to Ranma.
"I would love to have the two of you help, Aunty."
Around dinner time everyone started to gather, led by the walking stomach Genma Saotome. One by one Nodoka and Kasumi appeared carrying food, each person they passed started to drool at the delicious scents that they inhaled. When Ranma exited the kitchen, there was a bounce in her steps as made her way to the table. Anyone who bothered to look could tell she was very happy by the way the smile on her face seem to light up the room. Akane saw the way Ranma was, and started to scowl. Instead of taking his usual seat next to Akane he sat between his mother and Kasumi. Of course this only served to receive a growl from Akane. The only one to notice this was, like always, Nabiki. Although she chose to file the action away for another time, and just for the moment, enjoy this better then average supper in front of her. For the first time in her chaotic life Ranma was feeling happiness and acceptance. She ignored everything else around her, and was savoring this new, and welcomed sensation that had blossomed within her, and was flooding her entire being. Well, his mind was ignoring everything, but he is a Saotome, so his body was on auto pilot eating his food at a slow pace (for him anyways). Soun sat there trying to turn the dinning room into an extension of the Koi pond because his eldest daughter's dinner was better then usual. Nodoka sat there basking in the happy aura her son/daughter was radiating. She let a small smile grace her features as she knew she had made the correct decision. Genma sat there and ate as he normally did, except he was fuming inside because he couldn't take any of his son's food, since Nodoka was there. Akane was busy diluting herself, and building her righteous anger at her fiancé.
Kasumi sat there, with her mask firmly in place, showing nothing of the internal conflict raging in he mind and heart. Ever since she had inadvertently heard Ranma's confession a week earlier her emotions had been at odds with each other. Her mind demanded that she stay as the mother of her family, to forget about her feelings for Ranma, and not to betray Akane. Her heart pleaded with her to give up her duty, and take a chance with Ranma. Her heart knew that Ranma cared for her, and it felt something within itself that was very powerful for the pig-tailed boy. Kasumi had really enjoyed her time with Ranma and his mother in the kitchen today, and it only fanned the flames of her internal debate.
Love or duty?
Ranma or her family?
Herself or her mask?
Near the end dinner Akane's aura was akin to a raging bon fire. Amazingly, she held herself back in order to eat, and decided she would punish Ranma after dinner. It was then that Soun decided to compliment Nodoka and Kasumi on a better than usual dinner.
"Kasumi that dinner was excellent, and the fish was…was to good for words." after finishing his compliment he proceeded to try and finish his earlier project, bursting into tears as he remembered how good the fish was.
Snapping out of her internal debate Kasumi replied, "Thank you father, but I did not make the fish. Ranma did."
'How dare people compliment Ranma on his food!' Akane thought while screaming out "Ranma you pervert!".
She leaped at him with her mallet ready to send him to Osaka. As she began her swing she saw a flash of silver. When she finished her swing she noted that Ranma was still sitting there, and the familiar weight of her mallet was a bit lighter than usual. Then with a loud -THUD-, Akane found out why her mallet seem so light as the severed mallet head was introduced to her own head. When Akane regained her senses from her malleting she saw Nodoka standing in front of Ranma with her Katana in a ready position to defend against another unprovoked attack against her son from Akane.
"Why are you attacking my son?" Nodoka snapped off in a cold and harsh voice. The rest of the household was frozen in shock because of Nodoka's retaliation against the youngest Tendo.
"Uuhhhh…" was Akane's elegant reply as she stared cross-eyed at the tip of Nodoka's katana.
Nodoka stood there in a ready stance waiting for Akane to attack her son again. Then tensed as she felt a delicate hand touch her arm. She spared a look at the hand, and fallowed it to its owner where she saw her son-turned-daughter looking at her with pleading eyes, asking her to stop. She turned to Akane, and started to glare as she put her katana back into the sheathe. Without the katana in her face Akane regained her courage and stubbornness, and answered Nodoka's question.
"He was being perverted and insulted my cooking!" was Akane's angry retort.
"My son did nothing of the sort!" Nodoka snapped back, "All he did was spend some time with me helping Kasumi make dinner and enjoying it."
As soon as Akane heard Nodoka deny her words. She stopped listening, and started to glare at Ranma. Anyone who didn't agree with her was obviously wrong. Nodoka watched as Akane started to ignore her, and turned to glare at her son. This insult enraged Nodoka, maybe it was that she was able to release her pent up frustrations earlier or maybe she was she was finally fed up with the abuse her son had to endure, but she voiced her true thoughts on the Tendo/Saotome pact.
"If this is the best this school has to offer then I should disavow this stupid pact. It is obvious that my son is not happy. Maybe I should kick my son out of the Saotome clan, so that he has to leave this horrid place. I will not watch my son marry a spoiled brat that would kill him in a matter of days after their marriage. I would gladly declare my son a ronin then have her as my daughter-in-law." Now that Nodoka had started there was no stopping her, "All she does is beat my son for the pettiest of reason, or even for no reason at all. Every time she is slighted, wronged, disagreed with, or proven wrong it is my son who is hit. She believes the words of any stranger as long as it fits into her own demented little world. She doesn't listen or even care even a bit about anything my son says. She does not trust him no matter what he does, or even what she sees. There is no ways in heaven, earth, or hell that I would approve this marriage."
Soun, by now, had filtered every word that Nodoka said. All he realized was that his baby girl was being insulted. "I will not allow you to insult my daughter. Apologize now or you will never be allowed to enter this house ever again." he screamed.
Now bow at the combined might of Soun and Genma's stupidity overrode, as it overrode one of the greatest senses on this world, Genma's survival instincts causing Genma to start to speak. "Foolish woman all that matters is the art! The school's must be joined! You are nothing, but a useless piece of trash that has already served its purpose, and has been tossed away! Ranma will marry Akane and the schools will be joined!"
When Genma started to speak Ranma watched Akane develop a smirk as she watched the women, who defied her a few moments ago, being verbally abused. When Ranma saw the smirk form on Akane's face, anger blossomed within Ranma's entire being. As Genma continued to degrade his mother his anger grow exponentially. Just when Genma was about to continue his tirade, Ranma snapped.
BOOM-
When everyone heard the noise all of the attention focused on to Ranma. Ranma had his head tilted down so no one could see her eyes. She had arcs of ki dancing all over her body; the flames wildly lashed out looking for something or someone to consume. Her red mane had broken from its restraint, ki coated each strand of hair turning them into living flames. When Ranma looked up everyone, except Nodoka who was in shock, flinched. Her hardened blue eyes appeared to pulse red. It was as if her eyes had froze, and behind those frozen eyes waves of anger crashed into that barrier hoping to breakthrough, pleading, painfully wanting to be voiced, and acted upon. As she spoke his word paralyzed every one they touched.
"The day I marry her is the day I slit my own throat."
With those words she stood up, and turned only to stop when her eyes met those of Kasumi. She stared at her, and etched her into her memory. As Ranma continued to stare Kasumi started to feel self-conscious. Ranma's eyes had changed. Behind those blue orbs there was something else trying desperately to be freed, something she could not have. Kasumi could feel part of herself savagely trying to claw its way through her own barriers. It was so close, but she couldn't; she just couldn't. She tore her eyes away from his, and squeezed them shut, frantically trying to ignore the anguished screams of her heart. As he walked away she griped the table to keep herself from getting up, and chasing after him.
"Please.."
"Please.." by now Nodoka was holding one of Kasumi's hands.
Kasumi looked at Nodoka, and was amazed. Nodoka looked so sad, tears filled her eyes threatening to fall, but were held. Here was a women who was told that she used just to make a child. Someone who found out that she had a husband, who she waited for dutifully for all these years, did not love her, and was never planning to return to her. The man she pledged her life to had thrown her away. Yet, here she was, minutes after finding out the truth, trying to be strong, trying to make her son happy. Kasumi turned away pulling her hand free, got up and started to walk away.
"NO No no.." Nodoka broke, and finally started to sob.
Everyone ignored the sobbing wreck that was Nodoka Saotome, and went off to deal with this on their own. Genma had chosen to follow Ranma. The results were a sickening crack, followed by a girlish scream, and a load thump. Soun had acted like he always would, and was trying to turn the Tendo dinning room into a lake. Akane had stormed up to her room muttering curses about a certain pig-tailed boy. Nabiki sneered as she watched Nodoka suffer for insulting her sister. Then wandered to her room trying to figure the best way to exploit what happened. Nodoka laid there sobbing till a strong hand grasped her shoulder. Looking up she saw her son nearly shedding tears as he watched her. When anguish overwhelmed her again she dove at her son, and hugged him with all of her remaining strength. Ranma, as he had done only a few hours ago, held her mother as she cried. It could have been moments or hours later, but to Ranma it didn't matter. Her mother had finally stopped her tears. As soon as she stood up he heard his mother whimper. He bent down, and whispered to her.
"Lets go home."
At first the words confused Nodoka. She lifted her tear streaked face to look at her son. The first thing she noticed was that her son was wearing his backpack, and had a gentle smile. She was still a bit confused, but focused on his backpack.
'Lets go home.' she thought 'He asked to go home with me. He wants to live with me again!' When she realized what her own thoughts meant, she grew a heart-warming smile, and nodded not trusting herself to speak. As Ranma was helping his mother up he heard a growl. Changing his face to a neutral expression, he turned to the beast.
"YOU WON'T LEAVE!" Akane screamed. Her aura flared out around her like a inferno, and kept growing as she spoke. "YOU ARE MINE, AND I CAN DO WHAT EVER I WANT TO YOU. I WILL NOT LET SOME SNOBBY PEICE OF TRASH TAKE YOUE AWAY." With her little rant said she charged with her mallet held high.
Ranma was pissed.
'I failed my mother once, I will not fail again! No one will ever speak like that to my mother again.' his thoughts raged as he got into an offensive stance fully intending to hurt Akane.
As Akane approached Ranma suddenly shifted into a defensive stance, as he felt someone rushing at him from his right. When he glanced to his right his jaw dropped along with his guard. He watch fascinated as the scene in front of him played out in slow motion. He was apparently in awe as Kasumi's fist touched Akane's jaw. He watched as the expression on Akane's face from anger to surprise to shock then finally settling on pain. Time resumed its normal pace as Ranma heard the familiar sound of flesh hitting flesh. Ranma looked on as Akane's body spun out of control only to stop when her back met the wall making spider-web-like cracks along the wall. Akane struggled to stay conscious, her eyes were clouded in disbelief and betrayal as they focused on who their attacker was. Ranma's attention switched to Kasumi as her body moved in between his eyes and Akane. Ranma noted that Kasumi was very tense, her arms were lowered to her side, and her hands were clenched so tightly that that her knuckles were turning white. Her head was tilled down far enough that some of her hair was dangling in front of her. He watched as a set of tears fell, followed by another, then another, then many more. He stood there holding his breath, waiting, waiting for whatever that is going to happen next.
"I will not let you hurt him, not again!"
Kasumi walked over to Nodoka and bowed.
"I'm sorry."
Nodoka sat there wide eyed, still stunned from Kasumi's earlier actions.
"Mama?"
Snapping out of her daze, she looked over to her son. She saw him holding up a second backpack. She looked at Ranma with a confused and questioning gaze, only to see her son's eyes flicker to Kasumi. Ranma's mother's eyes widened as she realized the answers to her unvoiced questions. Nodoka motioned for Ranma to come to her. She grabbed her son's hand along with Kasumi's hand causing both to look at her in uncertainty. Nodoka intertwined Kasumi and Ranma's fingers triggering blushes on both faces. After placing her hand on top of their intertwined hand she said, "Lets go home."
Ranma and Kasumi looked at their hands then into the eyes of each other, making their blushes deepen, and nodded. With Ranma and Kasumi's hands still intertwined, all three stood up, and left the Tendo home with the young couple trailing Nodoka as she led them to their new home.
Author Notes:
Nothing I can thing of at the moment, except no pre-reader was used. You can leave a review or e-mail me a comment at:
tsunami(underscore)saotome(at)yahoo(dot)com
Oh and flames will be tossed into Akane's cooking. Then when they're alive be force fed her cooking to die a slow, painful death.