There were a few areas where things got a bit crazy, but mostly the people just ignored the odd parts and got about with their life - Japanese stoicism and endurance at work.
The Tendo family was a bit unusual even for Nerima. Everybody knew that his real wife had up and left him, saying he was a blubbering crybaby with no self control, but everyone also shared winks and knowing smiles about the manly Soun - it was his relations with OTHER women that drove Mrs Tendo off.
Why you only had to look at all the illegitimate kids he had to see the man was really some sexual juggernaut. Or at least really damn fertile. Some of the men folk were always looking when Soun was out eating to see what the heck it was he was putting on his plate, so they could have a go at it and see if it helped.
Tabloid magazines had gone ahead and run the story with pictures every few years or so. Scandalous it was. Also pretty damn fascinating. All sorts of speculation on darn near every aspect of it, from how Soun had fathered the kids to their current situation. Most of it was completely wrong, of course, but it was accepted as "conventional wisdom" or the real story by the locals.
Soun Tendo had gone on a training journey to learn the martial arts and had developed his marital arts skills as well. At nineteen, his oldest was when he'd been confronted by a slavering demon summoned up by his dreaded Master - and he'd managed to seduce his way out of having the demon eat his liver. Tired the poor thing out, as Mrs Yamani noted. Demons not having time to raise kids, the demon mother had sent the child to go live with her father thereafter. Morrigan was out late a lot, clubbing and such. Quite an acrobat too - when she was in high school she'd led the Furinkan Rhythmic Gymnastics Martial Arts teams to victory three years running.
Setsuna and Honey? Why those two were from mothers as different as night and day. Setsuna was clearly Okinawan in heritage, she tanned fairly dark but looked kind of aristocratic - obviously from a welloff parent there. Sent here to avoid a scandal amongst her family. Honey was a different sort altogether. Obviously from a literal Western-style angel, one that could shapeshift. Took after her mother too.
Haruka was so boyish. Hardly a proper girl at all, but could you really blame poor Soun for raising a tomboy when he had so much on his plate? HER mother was probably lower class. Dockworker or something, most people thought Hokkaido.
Michiru was another story altogether. Obviously well bred. Old Soun must have charmed someone quite high up on the social ladder. Artist type. Had quite the following amongst the music lovers and artists. Very modern in other respects.
Felicity? Well, she looked a bit scary at times, but she was right friendly. Enjoyed dancing. People said she couldn't help herself when Michiru started playing that violin. Old Mrs Soichi was always finding her perched on the Tendo compound wall, taking a nap during the hotter afternoons in the summer. You heard about the time she was nine and the weather was cold - she started turning up under people's table heaters. Obviously some sort of cat-spirit was her mother. Soun must have rubbed her fur just the right way. (Nudge nudge, wink wink.)
Nuku Nuku, Atsuko was her real name you understand, was just a bubbly if slightly stupid young girl. Just don't let her hug you. When old man Tetsumaki's delivery van got stuck she got the wheel out of the ditch by herself. Her mother was another catspirit, or maybe the same one who'd given Soun Felicity. Debate was still going on that one.
Rei was a spiritualist who helped out at a local shrine. Psychic powers. Mother was likely a miko or shrine maiden that Soun had tumbled into his bed.
Ami was a student who was one of the national high scorers. Gonna be a doctor someday. Learning all those pressure points and such. Already helped out that young Doctor Tofu down the street. Pity the doctor gets all hot and bothered over Setsuna, not that she'll ever get a clue about his attentions. Most thought that her mysterious mother was a doctor or scientist type. Definitely Japanese though.
Minako and Usagi - twins that mostly looked like each other. Usagi just used that weird hairstyle so you could tell them apart. Said she got the idea watching this TV special about this village of Chinese Amazons and liked the "dumpling" hairstyle. Hardly ever without it now.
Minako studied abroad for a year, some sort of contest she won when she was nine. Made friends and she's like as not to go visiting if she can ever get the airfare. England - does real good on English, she's just horrible on almost every other subject.
Usagi, well, she's got this young man she's fixated on mostly. College age type, Lolita complex. Probably dump her when she gets out of high school, poor thing. Her grades are pretty poor, and only girl they know who can trip over her own shadow. Some say its just a phase though and she'll be a real princess sort when she gets past the awkward stage.
As for Makoto - she was a tomboy like that Haruka but a lot better at the feminine arts. Besides, any girl that can cook and clean for THAT crowd, well - she had to be not only good but DAMN good. All that and was her father's heir in the martial arts. Primary one of her father's school anyway. Shame she was so tall, otherwise she'd be a lot more popular with the boys.
That brought it to the youngest. Hotaru. Such a sweet child. Sickly though, frail constitution. It was a problem from when she was younger, some sort of accident involving a fight between the various siblings. Memories of that are what keep the peace over at that house more than anything else. Word was out though - don't do anything mean to her. Anything. Her sisters, particularly Morrigan and Haruka were VERY protective towards their youngest sister.
At one point one of the local boys had bopped Hotaru on the head with his bokken. Most of the neighborhood would wince when remembering what had happened to Tatewaki Kuno thereafter. Mrs Yamani's dog would go so far as to cross himself. Conventional wisdom was that if you deliberately hurt Hotaru, you were best off leaving the country.
As for the Art, well, they were all into martial arts. To some degree. That was one thing old Soun had managed, at least.
Mrs Yamani kept a scoreboard so she could refer to it while gossiping on the phone.
Which was the state of affairs on a rainy day in March, when a panda was seen dragging a young girl off. Everyone knew if this was happening it had to be heading towards the Tendo place.
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(Posted Sun, 08 Aug 2004 09:56)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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