(Note: This episode is inspired very much by Howard the Grum's Finding An Anchor, though I threw in a couple twists.)
"I can't thank you enough for this."
"It amazes me that you're willing to do something like this, Nodoka-san. You realize..."
"I know," Nodoka sighed, relaxing in her chair. "But what's more important? My son's continued happiness or maintaining a blind adherence to traditions which only now serve to cause pain to everyone involved?"
The man seated across from her nodded understandingly. "True." A wicked smile then crossed his face. "Still, it is ironic, isn't it?"
"I suppose," she conceded. "Then again, after hearing about how Souun threw my son out of the house to force him to track Nabiki-chan down, it seemed the right thing to do. Despite all the things Nabiki-chan did to him, my son does care for her. He would've been more than happy to track her down without being cocerced like that." A deep breath, then, "And it angers me that Akane-chan wasn't allowed to go out with my son to track her own sister down..."
"Tendou-san's just being a concerned father, Nodoka-san..."
"Oh?!" her voice sharpened as an eyebrow arched. "As I recall, my foolish husband's agreement with Tendou-san stated that the two schools of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu were to be united. From what I've seen and heard, there practically IS no Tendou-ryuu. Tendou-san has done nothing to gain new students since his wife passed away. Even more, Akane-chan does nothing more in the Art save to keep herself in good physical shape. And they honestly believe that they can force my poor son to take up the whole burden of guiding the Art into the future?" She closed her eyes, shaking her head. "They can think again."
"Fair enough," her host conceded, then he glanced at a wall clock. "They should be getting the message anytime now..."
****
"Special message for Genma Saotome. Sign here, please."
"Hai," Kasumi took pen in hand and jotted her signature at the appropriate place.
As he takes the clipboard back from the elder Tendou child, the deliveryman perked on hearing moaned wailing echoing from the living room. "Still no news about your sister, Kasumi-san?" he softly inquired.
Kasumi blinked on hearing his question, then shook her head. "Iie, nothing yet."
He gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it, Kasumi-san. Ranma-san should get her back soon enough."
"Hopefully," she nodded as he turned to leave. "Arigatou."
Closing the front gate, the elder daughter and matriarch of the Tendou household walked back inside. Sitting beside the shogi board is Souun, he looking more frail than what was normal for the nominal head of the Tendou-ryuu. In his usual place across from his friend, Genma seemed poised to bolt and run in case Souun's Niagara Falls-scale wailing doused him enough to trigger his curse. Currently, Akane was off with her friends. It had been hard to convince Souun to allow his youngest a chance to try to have a normal day, Kasumi mused, then she called out, "Oji-san, there's a message for you."
Genma looked over, then nodded as he took the envelope from her. The glazed look on Souun's face instantly sharpened. "Is it from Ranma-kun?!" he demanded, leaning close to his friend.
Scanning the delivery instructions, Genma shook his head. "No, not from the boy...! Eh?!" he perked. "Ichirou Yamaguchi?!" escaped his lips as patches of sallowness started to dot his skin.
"Who is Ichirou Yamaguchi?" Kasumi demanded.
"A friend of my wife's..." Genma ripped open the envelope, then draws out a small pile of papers. Noting the covering letter, he quickly scanned through it. At the end, he blinked, then read it again more slowly, his skin paling even more. "No..." he hissed, sweat breaking out over his head as the implications of this started to sink in. "They can't do that..."
"Do WHAT?!!" Souun, already on the brittle edge because of what might have befallen Nabiki, shrieked.
Silence responded, save for the low thump! of the package slipping from Genma's numb fingers. Kasumi leaned down to pick it up, shifting the covering letter around so she could read it. One glance at the words written there made HER freeze, her eyes going wide. "Oh, my...!"
"WHAT?!?!" Souun exploded.
Kasumi was unaffected, though her eyes had started to tear. "Ranma-kun..." she sniffed. Was it because of something SHE did? Did Ranma know about this? Did he...? Approve? "He..." her voice caught on the lump in her throat, then she blurted out, "He's no longer a Saotome!"
All movement froze as Kasumi's words echoed through the living room, then Souun's eyes began to flood. "Wh-what...?" he hoarsely gasped.
Kasumi quickly scanned through the papers accompanying the covering letter. "Ranma-kun was just stricken from the Saotome family register, Father. He is now listed as Ranma Masaki. That means..." the strength in her body began to fade.
Niagara Falls. "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!! NOW THE SCHOOLS WILL NEVER BE JOINED!!!!"
****
What now...?
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(Posted Fri, 12 Sep 2003 06:01)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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