Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma use it merely for entertainment purposes.
In a modest yet comfortable looking home in Itabashi Ward Tokyo, just one Ward to the North East of Nerima, a woman in her mid-thirties awoke with the first rays of sun. She was rather lovely woman with brownish-red hair and had an air of classic dignity about her. After a brief stretch she proceeded to dress in her usual manner, an elegant kimono that only enhanced her natural beauty. Once she finished dressing she made her way out of her room and into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her family.
Family, that was an uneasy word for her to use, especially now. For the people she lived with now were not her true family but a surrogate one that came together over the last five years after her accident. Her accident involved a terrible train wreck that left her in coma for months and a case of amnesia that lasted for three years. When she finally started to regain her memories she became desperate to find her family and began her search. After two years of searching, what she found tore her heart out: the lies, the cheating, the stealing and worst of all the abuse and disappearance of her Son. After finally gaining her identity and sense of self back that started from the blurry memory of a young child when she had amnesia only to find out that the child she loved most was gone cause a mental breakdown for the poor woman. After another six months of intensive therapy and support of the adopted 'nieces' she took in due to her husband's actions as a form of penance for her part in the hole mess.
Yes the last ten years for Suzuki Nodoka have been rough for the poor woman and without the two girls she now called her own she would probably still be in a mental limbo. 'The girls should be up soon,' Nodoka thought. 'I think I'll make something special for them for trying to help me last night.' Soon Nodoka got to work preparing the girls' favorite breakfasts filling the house with very pleasant blend aromas.
In one of the two other bedrooms in the house a teenage girl, a year older than the other, with long black hair and pretty face slowly made it to the waking world. The scent of her favorite morning food being prepared coming from the kitchen caused her to rise from her bed. As she stood she hoped her 'Aunty' Nodoka was feeling better than the previous night. Last night was the anniversary of the disappearance of her Son an incredibly difficult day for Nodoka. When Nodoka found her the girl was on a quest for vengeance. It was her father's last wish for her to seek revenge for the dishonor Genma brought upon them and recover what he stole. She was the last of an old Ninja Clan and Genma had stolen two Scrolls from them years ago that were incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands, like the fat bastard himself. Even worse the thief had the gall to claim the two scrolls were his own creation.
When the girl first met Nodoka she tempted to seek her vengeance on Genma through her. But when she heard Nodoka's tail she discovered the Genma had abandoned his own wife and took her only child. Nodoka went on to prove she was nothing like the dirty thief she foolishly married by offering her to take the girl in to help make up for Genma's actions. The girl took Nodoka's offer; even though she was sword to vengeance she was still only an eleven-year-old girl all alone in the world at the time and wanted to desperately have a family again. Over the years she came to love Nodoka like a real family member and began to despise Genma for what he has done. Now Ikari Meia, last of the Ikari Ninja Clan (she kept her original family name in honor of her father), swore vengeance on Genma for the crimes against both her old and new family.
"Meia," a teenage girl's voice said from outside her door called. "I'm done with the furo, it's all yours."
"Thanks Ukyou," Meia responded. "Tell Aunty, that I'll be down for breakfast as soon as I'm done."
"Ok," Ukyou replied.
Suzuki, formally Kuonji, Ukyou, the other girl Nodoka took in during her search for Genma and Ranma. And like Meia, Ukyou had also sworn vengeance on Genma but unlike Meia she swore vengeance on Ranma as well. Her reason was because Genma stole her family's yattai when it was suppose to be the dowry for Ranma and hers engagement and ditched her on the side of the road. Her father pretty much abandoned her after that saying that if she was unfit to keep her fiancé she was unfit for the family. That is unless she could kill Genma and Ranma or force Ranma to marry her and reclaim the honor that was lost in trusting Genma. Being a naïve little girl at the time Ukyou did not understand that her Father had a lot in common with Genma in that he was a coward and liked to avoid responsibility. After Nodoka took her in Ukyou gradually came to realize a couple of things. One, Ranma was not at fault for leaving her, if Genma could trick Ranma into leaving his mother then it was easy to see Genma tricking Ranma into abandoning her and two, if her Father truly cared about honor and his child he would have sought vengeance himself. After she came to the last realization she abandoned her old family name and took Nodoka's as she treated her like real family.
As Ukyou entered the dinning room she saw Nodoka busy in the kitchen cooking breakfast, "Morning Aunty. Meia will be down after she's down cleaning up."
"Good morning Ukyou," Nodoka greeted. "Have a seat, breakfast will be down in a few minutes." Ukyou complied as she noticed that the table was already set so all she had to do was wait for Meia to finish bathing and the food to finish cooking.
Not ten minutes later the surrogate family was eating breakfast and talking about what they had planned for the day. "What do you two plan to do after school?" Nodoka asked.
"I need to head to the library," Meia answered. "I've got a study session for a test later this week."
"I have a Club meeting after school," Ukyou said. "The Club President said we received a challenge for next week and we need to train."
"And whom has issued the challenge?" Nodoka asked.
"Some School over in Nerima," Ukyou answered. "St. Hebereke if I remember right."
"I heard about that School," Meia spoke up. "Rumor has it they like to play dirty but no one has been able to prove it yet. You had better keep on your guard Ukyou."
"Don't worry," Ukyou assured, "I will."
"What about you Aunty?" Meia asked. "What are you going to do today?"
"I have a Tea Ceremony to perform this morning," Nodoka answered. Part of Nodoka's therapy included the traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony. It's need for focus and precession helped with Nodoka's ability to recall her memories. Because she found she enjoyed the practice and became quite adept at it, after her amnesia was cure Nodoka turned her skills in the Ceremony into a carrier. She was now one of the best their District.
Conversation continued to be light for the rest of the meal. When they finished Ukyou noticed the time, "Oh we're running late! Come on Meia we have to go!"
"Right behind you Ukyou!" Meia exclaimed now noticing the time. A few minutes later the two girls were ready for school.
"We'll see you later Aunty!" Meia called out as she and Ukyou dashed out the front door.
"Have a good day!" Nodoka called out after them. After a few seconds Nodoka went back to the dinning room to clean up breakfast and then prepare for her day.
Late afternoon Nodoka was returning home. The Tea Ceremony took most of the day like it should. When she returned to her home she found a strange man waiting outside her home. As she approached she took note that the man was a Police Officer, or, if the uniform was any indication, a Police Officer trained to deal with people that could use one of the three powers. 'I wonder what this could be about?' Nodoka thought.
When she walked up the man turned around to greet her. "Ms. Suzuki formally Mrs. Saotome?" the Officer asked.
"Yes," Nodoka replied. "Is there something I can help you with, Officer…?"
"Shinomori," the Officer answered. "And I believe that we can help each other."
"Officer Shinomori, what is it do you wish to speak with me about?" Nodoka asked. If he was another person investigation about her Ex-Husband's whereabouts she would tell him just what she told every other Police Officer for the past five years, she had no idea where Genma was.
"May we discuss this inside, Ms. Suzuki?" Shinomori asked. "This is something that you may want to sit down for."
With sigh Nodoka walked past Shinomori and to the door, "Very well. Please come in." Shinomori bowed and followed Nodoka into the house. "Officer Shinomori would you like some tea?"
"Yes please," Shinomori answered.
"Please make yourself comfortable and I shall be right back," Nodoka went into the kitchen to prepare the tea. A few minutes later Nodoka returned with the tea and sat opposite of Shinomori and poured him some tea. "Now Officer, what did you wish to tell me?"
"Ms. Suzuki first let me say that I and a friend and associate have been looking for you for a years now," Shinomori started to explain. "After you accident and amnesia then your subsequent name change it became very difficult to track you down." Nodoka had to agree with that. In the past ten years she had switched her name a total of three times. After the accident she went under the name Megumi with no last name, then she regained her memory and went back to Saotome Nodoka, then she got a divorce and now went by Suzuki Nodoka. "Now the reason we have been searching for you for so long regards your Ex-Husband and Son…"
"Officer Shinomori," Nodoka interrupted. "I have not heard form Ex-Husband in years so I do not know where he is. The last I heard he skipped the country a few years ago."
"Yes I am aware of that," Shinomori replied. Before Nodoka could ask the question why he brought them up if he already knew Genma skipped the country Shinomori held his hand up. "I'm sorry I should have been more specific. I am here in regards to your Son."
"Ranma!" Nodoka exclaimed. "You know where he is? Is he safe? How is he doing? What happened to him?"
Shinomori held up his hand once again to stop the flood of questions coming from Nodoka. "Please calm down Ms. Suzuki." Nodoka took several deep breaths when she was calm Shinomori spoke. "Yes, I know where your Son is. He is safe and doing very well."
Tears started to build in Nodoka's eyes at the news about her Son, "W…Where is he? Where is my Son?"
"He is under the care of a friend of a friend," Shinomori answered honestly. Him and Kyoko only knew each other threw Shinomori's old partner Yamada so they were not true friends just acquaintances at best. "Her name is Amaki Kyoko and she has been taking care of Ranma since my old partner rescued him from a pit of starving cats."
"The Neko-ken," Nodoka all but growled out. Her feeling on the subject were quite clear; sadness, regret, guilt and anger all mixed together.
"So you know about that," Shinomori stated.
"Yes," Nodoka replied. "I learned about five years ago. After that I lost track of both Mr. Saotome and my Son. Ranma just disappeared, I had no way of finding him."
"That was actually our doing," Shinomori admitted. "We took Ranma away in order to keep him safe from your Ex-Husband, to help him recover and to teach him how to harness his Psionic Abilities. And as too where he is; he, a very close friend of his and Amaki Kyoko are living in Nerima at the moment."
"Ranma can use Psionics?" Nodoka asked.
"Oh yes," Shinomori answered. "In fact he is rated in the Advanced Range and a quite gifted one at that. He has also been training in the Martial Arts and in Chi usage. He has been to many Dojos and learned quite a number of styles and techniques, even some Amazon Techniques if I remember correctly."
Nodoka was practically breathless. For five years she had not heard about anything about her Son and before that she only heard things that would give her nightmares and now she was hearing not only was he alive and well but also a rather gifted individual. The news about Ranma cause the tears that were building from earlier were now flowing down her face. In a small voice Nodoka said, "Thank you. T…Thank you so much. Y…you ha…have no i…idea what this m…means to me." Shinomori handed Nodoka his handkerchief to dry her eyes with. Nodoka gratefully accepted the offer and to wipe away her tears.
When Nodoka was finished Shinomori took his handkerchief back and handed Nodoka a slip of paper. "This is their phone number and address," he informed her. "I hope everything works out for you and him." Shinomori stood up preparing to leave. He had done what he had come here to do. Make sure this was Ranma's Mother, see if she missed him, whether or not she was like Genma. Nodoka turned out to miss her Son terribly and was nothing like Genma if her reaction to the Neko-ken was any indication therefore Shinomori had freely gave out information on Ranma to her. If she were like Genma then Shinomori would have arrested her on the spot for abandonment of a minor. 'I just hope Ranma doesn't just forget about Kyoko, she loves the kid like he was her own and would be crushed if he did that.' Shinomori then remembered what kind of person Ranma was, 'Yeah right like he'd ever do that.' "Well Ms. Suzuki I must be going."
Nodoka just absently nodded she to caught up in her own thoughts to notice Shinomori was leaving. 'After all this time, I can finally see my Son again,' Nodoka thought. 'What if he hates me for letting Genma take him? What if hates me? What if doesn't want anything to do with me?' These thoughts continued to pass through Nodoka's mind until someone shook her shoulder. Jerking back to the present Nodoka looked around the living room until her eyes landed on Meia standing in front of her with a worried expression.
"Aunty are you alright?" Meia asked.
Nodoka gave Meia a smile that was a mix between sad and happy, "Yes Meia I am," Nodoka said. "When Ukyou gets home I'll tell you about what happened before you arrived."
"Ok Aunty," Meia replied worry still on her face.
Half an hour later Ukyou returned home and Nodoka immediately set her down and called Meia back to the living room. When the two girls were comfortable, Nodoka began to tell them what occurred when she arrived home that afternoon. Once she was finished Ukyou was stunned and Meia looked happy for Nodoka. "When are you going to call him?" Ukyou asked.
"Tonight," Nodoka said. She was dreading the call as much as she was looking forward to it.
"What are you going to say?" Meia asked.
"I'm not sure yet," Nodoka answered honestly. Truly what does one say to a person one has not seen in ten years.
"Don't worry Aunty," Ukyou said picking up on Nodoka's unease from the look on her face. "I'm sure Ran-chan misses you as much as you miss him. When he finds out you're calling him he'll be real happy."
"Ukyou's right you have nothing to worry about," Meia assured picking up the same thing Ukyou did.
"Th…thank you girls," Nodoka said as she smiled at their support. Taking a deep breath Nodoka stood up, "Now if you will excuse me, I have a very important phone call to make." The girls smiled as they saw Nodoka take the slip of paper that had Ranma's contact information on it and head into the kitchen.
It was early evening and Ranma, Akira and Kyoko were just about to eat dinner when the phone rang. Being the closest Ranma stood up and went to answer the phone. Picking it he said, "Amaki Residence."
"I…is Ranma there?" woman's voice asked hesitantly.
"Speaking," Ranma answered wondering what was going on. The woman sounded uneasy for some reason.
"I…I don't know how to say to begin so I'll just come out and say it," the woman spoke her voice shaky. The woman could be heard taking a deep breath in order to calm down, "Ranma, th…this is Suzuki Nodoka…your Mother."