“No, what happened?” Soun asked. He’d met Nodoka before she had married Genma, and they seemed like a vibrant, happy couple.
Genma took a deep breath before telling his old training partner about what happened.
“It was three years ago. I’d just returned from work, when I saw Ranma standing over Nodoka in the kitchen, trying to wake her up. I called an ambulance, when they arrived, they told me she’d been dead for two hours.”
“Oh my,” was all Reiko could say.
“That’s not the worst of it,” Genma said sadly. “Ranma was there from when she collapsed until they took her away. They told me that it took an hour for her to die on the floor, so it turns out that Ranma spent three hours trying to wake her up.”
“My goodness,” Reiko said as she started to tear up.
“That Ranma is in such high spirits is a testament to your skill as a parent,” Soun added.
Genma shifted uncomfortably. “Well, I will admit that a recent incident made me rethink our pledge to unite the schools.”
“Pledge to unite the schools?” Reiko asked. “Care to explain?”
“You didn’t discuss this?” Genma asked.
“Well, I was waiting for the right time,” Soun tried to weasel his way out of sleeping on the couch.
“How about now?” Reiko demanded.
“Ok,” Genma said after wetting his whistle with tea. “The one thing that kept us through the dark days of our training was the dream of uniting the schools of Anything Goes. The best way to do that is the heir to the Saotome School marries the heir to the Tendo School.”
“That makes sense.” Reiko nodded. “However, don’t you think that our children might want some say in who they marry? Family honour is important, but I don’t want my babies to be unhappy.”
“Neither do I,” Genma replied. “All I have left is my son and the family style. Yesterday, in the pursuit of excellence, I did something that I wish I could undo. I feel so bad about it that the only thing keeping me from seppuku is Ranma.”
Soun was shocked at his old friend’s attitude. Genma was the equal of the master when it came to deflecting blame and responsibility away from himself.
“I shan’t ask for details, Saotome-kun, but what is it you think that we can do for you?” Soun asked, as he comforted his wife.
“Please, raise Ranma if something happens to me,” Genma pled with sincerity. “Don’t arrange a fiancée for him unless he asks for it.”
“Why not?” Soun asked. “And what about the Pledge?”
Genma sighed. “Nodoka always dreamed that Ranma would be able to find himself a “suitable bride” by himself. That’s why I’m not asking you to adopt him. If he and one of daughters become involved, then it’s less awkward for them.”
“So if they want to be more than siblings it’s ok, but if they want to remain just that, then that’s ok too,” Reiko nodded in understanding.
Soun was about to say something else about the Pledge, but was nudged in the stomach by his wife. “Yes, that’s the best course of action.”
(Posted Sun, 23 Oct 2005 12:09)
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