Her Ranma was getting older, and her feelings for him had shifted along with them. He wasn't changing the person that he was, but she wanted to match what he was becoming. This was the young man who could have had her reprogrammed and rebuilt to fit any desire he'd had, and he'd not only respected her, but had been concerned about her wishes and well being. Instead of the 'little sister' or 'old toy' syndromes others might have put her into, he'd been generous and kind in treating her like an equal.
Not that she was trying to come up with something that he'd find appealing at the moment. It was her wonderment about that whole 'growing process' that she had going. She'd come up with a body frame design that looked like what she'd be if she aged as humans did. The hair was soft and feminine, the legs were shapely, there was a definite cleavage line, and it wasn't short height wise. But just for kicks, she was constantly using that as a base for other designs, seeing how they might come out. It was simply amazing to her that with just a simple shifting of 'musculature' and styling issues would garner a body that looked to be athletically attractive. If she went another way, and added full breasts, pouting lips, and legs that begged for a slit skirt, she could get a knockout form that men would drool over, and something that she'd be constantly blushing in.
However, it was not something that she wanted to exactly do. Her wish was to create something that would preserve her, though the idea of trying out new designs and parts was appealing. With her programming being her 'soul', she could be in whatever body she wanted, and it would still be her. Yet, she found herself wondering if she could find a way to make a design that would be instantly recognizable as her, but still give off the more adult image that she wanted.
The fact that Ranma might see it as appealing was a bonus of course.
A little too embarrassed to admit that fact, she settled down and tried to figure out just the perfect bustline to put on a more 'adult' version of herself... if she ever wanted to do something like that.
Behind Nodoka's desk was a gorgeous panoramic view of the city, but she wasn't looking at it. Tokyo would still be there the next day, and the day after that, unless God decided to act, and so she had the time to do other things. After all, there were more important concerns weighing in on her at the moment.
She had to figure out what to do about her son's lovelife. Ranma was getting older now, and soon enough he'd not only have to take up his position in the company, but would need to marry and settle down. As a mother, she wanted her baby to be happy, and she knew that her might be able to have that if he had a wonderful girl in his life. And he could give her grandchildren to coo over.
Of course, he was rather manly, and already had garnered feminine attention. However, he was not one to do much about it, and likely needed a subtle push in the right direction. He was already doing well with Miss Tendo, but there was more that needed to be done, and that was where she would come in.
It was a mother's prerogative, after all.
A long time spent puzzling over the problem had left her with a simple realisation. Pushing things too hard would likely mean that they'd blow up in her face, and she did not want that. With two girls interested in him, that could be adding fuel to the fire, and she needed to act intelligently. Fortunately, Hotaru was artificial, and she could be a mistress while Akane became his wife. Or if they wanted to reverse that, she had no problem with it. For all she knew, one might not want to share, and he could wind up with only one significant other.
But she had to give them the chance. She had to make certain that they were close together and in a position to move in the direction that she wanted. Then they could seek out what they wanted within the relationship, and find what they wanted. If nothing else, it would give her son the opportunity to eventually be very manly with them. All she'd have to do would be to let them be in contact more often...
Just then, she remembered that Miss Tendo was a servant, and put that together with Ranma's status. He was getting older, and would eventually have responsibilities heaped upon his shoulders. That wouldn't be such a problem, given that he had his own marionettes to call upon, in addition to the company assets. However, there were places where marionettes could not go, and times when they might not be able to help him.
That was where Akane Tendo would come into the picture. As an employee, she'd already proven to be a hard worker, but there were duties that she simply could not do. Yet, she would be a rather good choice for an assistant, personal maid or something similar to Ranma. It would be her job to do what he told her, within reason, and he'd get the help he needed. With her lithely built form, she was certainly an attractive young woman, and given the proper attire and training, she could project the proper 'air' that such a position would entail. Her fighting skills and power already made her a good choice for a bodyguard, and she could be trained to be even better. She might have to do menial tasks for him, or get stuck with little to do, but they'd get used to each other. She couldn't be a full time worker until she got out of high school anyway, but she could get time to feel her way into the job, and once she was ready, she could be given the proper training.
At the same time, Nodoka would be able to work with Hotaru, perhaps bringing up the designs she'd been coming up with. A little mention here or there would not be a bad thing, and she could suggest all sorts of 'enhancements' that the marionette might find interesting. She'd never had any trouble connecting with marionettes herself, and was certain that she could bring the gentle Hotaru out from her shell of shyness.
Approaching them would be a tricky thing though. They could not be allowed to know the true reason for her actions. Were they to learn that she was being a meddling mother, they might take it the wrong way. It would have to be explained logically, and with great care, so that no misunderstandings could occur. A raise in salary and a request in trying to let marionettes design themselves might just let Akane and Hotaru respectively latch onto excuses that would free them to act on their other drives without losing any face.
And it'd leave the door open if she found any other girls who found her little boy attractive.
Giggling to herself, Nodoka set upon acting on her plans while:
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(Posted Mon, 11 Apr 2005 01:02)
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