Ranma 1/2 : A Mothers Resolve
Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is property of Rumiko Takahasi and Viz Media respectivly, and I lay no claim to their ownership. This is purely a work of fiction written for personal and public entertainment and published only on . Please do not repost.
Chapter 4 : Plans and Preparations.
Kimiko hated Happosai. This was not really suprising, as it was very hard to find a marginally attractive woman who did 'not' hate Happosai. However, Kimiko hated him for other reasons, at least in addition to the origional reasons of course. She remembered some of the worst moments of her life, such as when she first met the letch 300 years before. The letch had ended up stealing some of her research material in order to make his own harem. It forced her to leave the country for a good century before she could return. Since then, Kimiko had tried countless attempts to kill the little troll, only for them to end up with either him getting away, or groping her. That was part of the reason she liked Genma, regardless of how inept of a parent he was. Anyone who could get rid of Happi, even temporarily, was good in her books.
Kimiko thought back to the failed wedding in disgust and irritation. Genma and Soun had ended up trying to use the nannichuan water to convince Akane to marry Ranma. The disaster mostly was rooted to her middle child, who was currently munching on a carrot in a cage. Nabiki had managed to draw enough chaos to the estate that it nearly got Akane cursed. The disgust was at the chaos, the irritation was at the fact that when Happosai intercepted the nannichuan water and drank it, he ended up saving her youngest from being cursed herself. She quietly remembered her mentor, who often said "everything and everyone has value and purpose", a lesson she never believed until she watched the pervert intercept that water cask. She finally understood the value of the lesson, even though she didn't like it.
It was not as though Kimiko though that Akane should remain uncursed, far from it, but she wanted her daughter to choose to accept the curse willingly, rather than being forced on her. Most people would be wondering why any normal mother would want their child cursed, then again, a normal mother in Nerima was abnormal. Akane was not angry with Ranma as many would believe, but rather, she was jealous. The jealosy stemmed from three things. The first was how much mental control, since most people would have gone Kuno level crazy with all the issues Ranma had to deal with in his life, and akane wished she had even a tenth of that control. The second came from Ranma's level of martial arts, as Akane knew that she wasn't even in his league. The last came from how Ranma seemed to just be generally happier as a girl, most likely due to Genma and his idiotic views on a man's place in the world. Kimiko hoped that Nodoka could help correct that last part.
Kimiko had sent a letter to Nodoka around the same time as Cologne. It took a bit longer for Nodoka to read it, however, in no small part to having to wait for the fathers to drink themselves unconcious. Nodoka frowned at the sight of a panda with Shogi pieces on it's belly, drunk and passed out. She often wondered how the man that locked away Happosai for two decades had become that blubbering mess. She ignored the obscure sight before her and opened the letter she was waiting to read, and promptly recieved the first of many shocks to come in the following months. The letter was from someone she helped bury just after Genma and Ranma left for their training mission.
"It has been too long since we last contacted each other Nodoka, and for that I apologize. I know that my body failing caused you and my family grief, but I assure you that I will not remain ethereal for much longer. I must first address the issue of your son and his curse. There is no safe procedure to remove his transformation, and any such procedure would only leave him with permanent damage to his mind and spirit. If any consolation can be given, you should be able to alter his curse trigger by following the instructions of the next page, but he will always have an additional body.
"The second issue I have to tell you will be about a package that is due at the Tendo eastate. It has instruction for Akane, however I fear that others may seek it out for themselves. The package is nannichuan water, and it is ultimately a choice for Akane to make for herself. You have to make sure that Ranma becomes aware that the curse is unbreakable and help him come to terms with it. I intentionally set that jynx up on the springs, making it so there would always be a disaster that derailed the idea that the springs were the answer to the problem. I don't neet to tell you that you cannot heal a sword wound by slicing of the limb.
"One last thing before I end my letter. I think you should know this before I tell anyone else, I know that my daughter marked a spring in Jusenkyo, called the Spring of drowwned Akane. I find it a bitter irony, as once long ago, 1500 years to be accurate, I too marked a pool. That was one of my greatest follies, as the pool I marked was none other that the same pool that cursed your son. I regret to tell you that it was my carelessness in research that led to your son getting cursed, but there is nothing I can do for now. I know you don't like using magic, but I fear that your son will need your help in future affairs. I also know that using magic will break that 'Normal Mother' facade that you put up, but come on, when is ANYTHING normal in Nerima.
Yours, Kimiko Tendo.
P.S. Make your husband sweat a bit for me will you?
Nodoka couldn't help but shake her head a bit, Kimiko was just as active as ever, an impressive accomplishment, considering she was dead. Genma was already charmed with the garment charm, but then again, Genma already knew about her gifts before they married and asked if there was something that she could do about his predicament. Nodoka was worried about how Ranma would react. She knew that he had a bad history with magic, be it trinkets, ghost cats or even magic shampoo, it always seemed to go badly for him in the most chaotic way concievable. She would have to think about how to approach it him before droping this into his lap.
Nodoka was also glad that her husband had not woken up yet, and she planned to make sure Akane got to make her choice. She really couldn't blame the girl if she accepted, considering that her son never had a hope for a normal life, especially since he was the son of a mage and the most clever martial artist of that generation. She shook her hear, clearing her mind of the nostalgia she was experiencing. She needed a clear head do deal with the events that were to transpire. One thing was certian in her mind, and that was the she was going to help her son, even if that meant breaking her facande.
"Akane, I hope you are ready for this. It isn't often that someone drops such a choice in your lap, especially when it is coming from the dead." Nodoka said to herself. She knew that thing were just going to get more chaotic in the near future, and she prayed that she had the willpower to keep up. She did have a small smile on her face when she read the last line however, and she planned on showing the panda just how much she appreciated the 11 years that she was alone, preferably with a few 'sparring matches' later on.
