[Episode 219812] [Episode 219812]With a deep sigh of relief, Nodoka walked slowly through her front door and flipped on the light. Completely inventorying the stock in her antiquities warehouse was never fun, but it had to be done regularly. At least it was over. Considering her upbringing, it was usually fairly easy work, and at least it slowed the decline in her finances.
Changing into house slippers, she flipped through the day’s mail. Nothing from the investigation agency — no surprise there, their last report was that they’d lost track of Genma and my son when they left Japan for China months ago. They’re going to have to reacquire the trail all over again whenever they get back, and then probably only when Genma once again brings himself to the attention of the police. But at least while Genma’s in China he won’t be adding to the stack of bills from creditors and victims of his scams.
Turning from the mail, Nodoka headed for her bedroom, where she changed from her business attire into clothes suitable for a workout and headed to her own private dojo. She performed some warm-up exercises and then took up a bokken and started her nightly practice in Kendo and Kenjutsu.
As her body relaxed into the familiar rhythm, flowing from one kata to another, her mind followed its own well-worn pattern, remembering her time with her son and the man she’d loved. What happened to you Genma? The training trip was going so well, you were calling regularly, you’d been back home three times in the first year, well within the agreed-to visit every three to six months, you were drawing money from our bank account as needed, and then … nothing. No contact, no visit, no money being withdrawn … and then the visits from the police looking for you for petty thefts and scams, and the lawyers of the victims looking for compensation, not to mention the families of all the fiancées wondering where the boy promised to their daughters had gotten to. It’s as if the good man almost ruined by ‘Master’ Happosai, that I helped recover and rebuild from the wreckage, never existed!
Finally tired enough that she’d probably be able to sleep through the night, Nodoka cleaned up and had a small evening meal, then paused on the way from the kitchen to the bedroom to open the glass case in the hallway. She ignored the trophies from her tournament victories it contained and instead focused on the photograph in the center, above an envelope containing the shredded remains of a seppuku contract. The picture was of a younger Nodoka and a six-year-old Ranma holding a kitten, both smiling for the camera — only remnants of Genma were visible, the rest cut away.
Reaching out a shaking hand, Nodoka gently touched the photograph. Soon — soon the ten years for the training trip will be over, and Genma will have to bring my son back to me, or my investigators will catch him. He can’t keep running forever. And when we do meet he had better have a very, very good explanation for why he broke his word and returned to his old ways, or he will regret it for the short time he survives!
Sighing, she closed the case and headed for her bedroom, hoping that the night would be one of the good ones, with dreams of the happy times a decade earlier, or of the hoped-for future to come. Soon, my son will return. Soon. Please, God, let it be soon!
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(Posted Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:42)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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