Julia took a moment to glance around the area. Wreaths of flowers littered the front of this particular house, many with pictures of the boy at its center, all arrange with great care and respect for what it represented.
She turned to her daughter, and sarcastically bit out, "You think?"
Gina chuckled nervously, "Yeah, I guess it was kind of obvious."
Julia smiled good naturedly, before steeling herself. Reaching out and knocking on the door, she stepped back beside her daughter and waited for some one to answer.
Sooner than expected, a rather beautiful woman with red hair answered the door. She was dressed in a kimono that meshed well with her slightly tanned complexion and dim blue eyes. "Yes? Can I help you?" For a woman who lost her son heroically, she didn't seem all that sad. Julia noted this as she bowed politely.
"Greetings Saotome-san. My name is Julia Diggers and this.." she motioned towards her daughter, who was awkwardly bowing as well, "Is my daughter Gina Diggers."
"Nice to meet you." the woman returned the boy politely, before continuing as any traditional Japanese housewife would. "Would you like to come in?"
Julia nodded, grateful for the invitation. "If it wouldn't be an incontinence to you, Saotome-san. My daughter and I have some.. questions we will like to ask you concerning the where abouts of your son."
Nodoka frowned thoughtfully. It was no secret her son was believed dead, despite the truth she knew, which just begged the question of what the woman meant by 'Where abouts' of her son. "I see.."
***
Julia noticed a few things right off about their hostess. One, she didn't look anything like a werecheetah in human form. That could be for numerous reasons; maybe she just died her hair? Maybe her genetics allowed for an easier time in hiding the truth of her lineage? Or maybe, and she hoped it wasn't so; she was actually a were-smilodon in human form. She really didn't want to deal with a pissed off smilodon who might just find out her son is being hunting like a ravenous animal on jade.
"What blend is this, if I may ask Saotome-san?" Gina asked, sipping her tea curiously. She wasn't a big tea drinker, but every now and then she would indulge herself.
Kneeling by the table, Nodoka waved the question off, "Typical store-bought brand." Effectively ruining Gina's misconceptions that all tea served by the Japanese were of 'Special blends'
"I see.."
"Mrs. Diggers? You said you had some questions about the whereabouts of my son? Correct?"
"Ah, yes Saotome-san. First... we want you to know we saw your son go into his Hybrid form." Julia started, watching Nodoka for any signs of recognition.
Nodoka wasn't some stupid third-rate idiot. She knew how to keep her emotions in check, and well hidden. After all, being married to a bastard like Genma all theses years gave her a lot of time to practice feigning indifference. "Hybrid form? Are you referring to his curse?"
Julia and Gina blinked. Did the woman refer to the fact he was a were-creature as a curse? It would make sense, somewhat, considering their understanding of the Japanese social order. Still... "What curse is that?" Julia asked curiously.
"His Jusenkyo curse. The one that causes him to turn into a girl." Nodoka explained. She knew full well they weren't talking about that curse, but by feigning ignorance she hoped to turn the advantage over to her side in this conversation.
"Ah.." Julia began, perplexed. The boy had a curse that turned him into a girl? Unbelievable. "No, that's not what we meant."
Nodoka adopted an extreme confused expression, "Then what do you mean by Hybrid form?"
Julia groaned when Gina opened her mouth and said, "His werecreature Hybrid form, Saotome-san."
Nodoka grinned inwardly. Ah, youth. So trusting, so impatient, so stupid. "I see you know more about Ranma's kind then you let on at first."
Julia spared Gina a glare, said girl just chuckled nervously. "Yes, obviously."
Nodoka nodded, taking a sip of her tea before responding, "Well then, before I answer anymore of your questions, I'd like to know how either of you two are related to my son and his whereabouts. How do you know what he is?"
Gina opened her big mouth again; Julia was seriously contemplating getting a muzzle for the girl. "My moms the Armsmaster of Jade! That's how."
"Armsmaster? What's that?" Nodoka asked curiously.
Pinching her daughter's leg before she could once again open her mouth and give away more information, Julia turned to answer the woman's question with a smirk. "Its a title reserved for the best of the best on Jade. Martial arts, weapon styles. Ect. Ect." she was happy the woman made no pretense to being oblivious about Jade's existence.
"I see." Nodoka nodded, "Very well. How is my manly son?"
"He's.. about as expected." Julia replied, cryptically.
"Then he?" Nodoka bit on her lower lip tersely, seemingly excited about something.
"Ah.. possibly."
"WAI! MY SON IS SO MANLY! GRANDBABIES! WAI!" Nodoka started dancing around with streamers in her hands, confetti appearing out of nowhere in the air as the aging Saotome Matriarch danced around.
Gina and Julia sweat dropped, the same thought echoing in their heads as they watched the woman dance. "Where did this come from?"
***
"So.. you are a werecheetah?" Gina repeated the statement.
"Hmmhmm. Yes dear."
"How did you survive the massacre!?" Gina screeched.
Nodoka blinked, "Massacre? What are you talking about, dear?"
Julia sighed. Well, this wasn't what she was expecting. She spared Gina a glare before answering Nodoka's question, "A little over twenty years ago the majority of the werecheetah clan were killed, they were betrayed by the leader of the werewolves and slain before they could make the trip to Jade. Many werewolves and cheetahs lost their lives that night, and both species suffered under the insane werewolf leader's betrayal."
"What.. that.. that's absurd!" Nodoka nearly lost her cool at that. "What proof do you have? No! Cyan! Xerses! Your saying they are all dead?!?"
Julia shook her head sadly, "Not all dead. There was only one survivor of the massacre, the baby of the were-cheetah leaders."
"Cyan and Xerses baby..." Nodoka whispered in near shock.... "Then all that's left is Cyan's child, me, and my son?"
Julia winced at the way Nodoka said that. If she took the shock of the near eradication of her clan this bad, how would she feel when she found out her son is all but dead on Jade? She didn't think he would survive much longer, not if he went after the weapon masters and herself like her son had planned.
BZZZZZZZZT
Gina sighed, whipping out her cell phone before giving Nodoka and Julia an apologetic look. "Gina here, what's up?"
"Ah, Saotome-san.. I know this isn't the best time, but.. your son is in danger."
Nodoka snapped right to attention, glaring at the woman, "What? My son is on Jade, Digger-san, what would he have to fear there?!?"
"Ah.. your son is a smilodon as well, right?"
"Yes..."
"Well, on Jade, a smilodon is considered a boogey-man. An unholy creature that consumes the souls of the innocent, children supposedly being it's favorite. Your son.. has.." Julia cursed inwardly; this was really going to suck. "Your son has been hunted since the day he arrived there, set upon by angry mobs of people who want to see the threat of a smilodon ended. He.."
Nodoka scowled openly, "WHAT! YOU MEAN MY BABY BOY IS BEING HUNTED DOWN LIKE SOME DERANGED KILLER?! YOU TELL ME THERE GOING TO KILL HIM?!"
"We don't know he's going to die. At the moment no one can get near him before he attacks." Julia sighed, wondering idly what the hell was taking Gina so long to finish her damn call. "Look, some one is using your son to get at the Weapon Masters of Jade, which includes me as the leader of the group. I want, no I need your help to stop your son before its too late."
"You.. you want ME to help you KILL MY OWN SON?"
"No!" Julia swore, this wasn't the way she had planned things to go. "No! We want you to calm him down! Make him see reason! He hasn't done anything but defend..."
"Mom!" Gina interrupted loudly. "Mom! Grandpa's been hurt!"
Julia blinked, "What?"
"It was Saotome-san's son! He confronted Grandpa and hurt him really bad!" Gina blabbered out, lacking a lot of tack considering Nodoka wasn't five feet from the girl. "Dad said he's not going to die, he was just hurt really bad and left tied up in a public place for some one to find."
"Well... he HAD just defended himself until now, that is." Julia drawled. "Still, we don't want him killed. We don't think your son is behind everything that's happening, but while your son is out causing trouble there isn't anything I can do to help him."
Nodoka tried to make sense of it all. She had always been told Jade was a place of mystical beauty, a land of tolerance and indifference. This woman however admitted her own son was being hunted down like some common criminal. Hell, he's been fighting for his life for over nine whole months! Added to the fact she had just learned that she, a girl she had never met since she was a baby, and her own son were the last of the werecheetah bloodline? Oh, today just couldn't get any worse.
"Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuckity fuck fuck." Nodoka ranted, Gina blushed at the sight of the older woman cursing, temporarily forgetting this woman's son had kicked her grandfather's ass, while Julia just raised an eyebrow at the woman.
"Ah.. Saotome.. I don't mean to be rude.." Nodoka glared, Julia ignored her and continued, "Will you help us save your son before.. before permanent harm befalls him?"
Nodoka once again grew silent for a long time. She stiffened slightly, before nodding, "Yes, I'll do what I can to see my son safely home."
"Good."
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(Posted Mon, 26 Jan 2004 22:37)
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