Thank for your patience, mina-san. Right after I began part 29 I
was struck by my annual September depression and was unable to
continue. Fortunately, I seem to be over it now, and you can
expect the next arc (a two-parter about the Golden Pair) next
week.
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| `--. / /_ ,. . =======
`---. |/ ) ( `----'.` .---.
.---' / /-. `-.`------' (_.-. |
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.'.'_
Ranko 1/2 (_____)
Part 27
"Who is this woman?"
Akane is walking down a shopping street in the town, window
shopping. She is standing before a clothier's shop and admiring a
beautiful, but expensive dress, when a reflection in the glass
catches her eye. It looks like Ranko's face, seen among the many
other pedestrians, that hurry down the street.
Akane: [thinks] Oh, what's Ranko doing here? [turns, out loud]
Hey, Ra...
She stops in mid-word, when she realizes that the face she saw is
not Ranko's. It belongs to a beautiful middle-aged woman, who is
standing on the other side of the street, in conversation with a
street vendor. She seems to be asking for directions or something
like that. Akane looks more closely at her.
Akane: [thinks] Well... She certainly *looks* a lot like Ranko,
But she's older than her. Tsk. Good that I didn't call
out.
She looks at the stranger for a while, then turns back to the
window and resumes her shopping.
~*~
Some time later, Akane arrives back at the Tendou home, with her
shopping basket filled.
Akane: Tadaima!
Kasumi: [from the living room] Welcome home, Akane.
Ranko: [coming downstairs] Hi, Akane!
Akane: Hi, Ranko! [laughs] Ha, that reminds me. You'll never
guess what happened to me today.
Ranko: Somebody annoyed you and you *didn't* beat them halfway to
death?
Akane: [slaps her over the head] Baka, I'm serious.
They walk into the living room together, where Genma is sitting in
the corner, playing Shogi against himself - he appears to be
losing, but it's hard to determine with both sides cheating so
much.
Akane: I was looking at a display in a shop window and suddenly I
thought I saw your face reflected in the glass.
Ranko: Nah, can't be. I was here all the time.
Akane: I know, but I *thought* it was you and turned. I almost
called out your name. [giggles] I was so embarrassed,
when I saw in the last moment, that it wasn't you at all.
It was a woman of... father's age, perhaps. She just
*looked* completely like you, only that her hair wasn't
braided in a pigtail but at the back of her head. She was
carrying a long bundle and asking someone for directions.
Ranko: [pats her shoulder] Perhaps you should consider buying
glasses, if you start to confuse me with older women.
Akane: [punches Ranko playfully] Perhaps *you* should consider
buying beauty cream, if you start to resemble older women.
They continue their friendly bickering. Neither of them notices
that Genma has jumped up, when he heard Akane's description of the
woman. He is pressing himself against the wall, as if he fears
someone storming in at any second. Quickly he runs back through
the door, and to the guest room.
Kasumi comes in with a tray of tea.
Kasumi: Mr. Saotome, I've made you some tea... Oh, where is he?
Akane: Hmm? Oh, I thought he was sitting there. I didn't see
him leave.
Ranko leans over to her, so that only Akane can hear her.
Ranko: [whispering] Glasses!
Akane punches her a little harder this time.
Ranko: Ouch! [rubs her arm] Did I hit a nerve?
Akane raises her fist threateningly.
Akane: Funny that you should mention "hitting"...
Ranko: [cowers in played fear] No, Akane! Help!
Kasumi lightly embraces her little sister from behind in a
motherly way. She knows this game by heart.
Kasumi: Why can't you two be less rough on each other? Fianc�s
should be gentle.
Ranko & Akane: We're not fianc�es!
Nabiki is coming in on her way into the kitchen and has heard
their last sentence. She grins mischievously.
Nabiki: [teasingly] Oooh, I wonder how much Kunou-chan will pay
for that piece of information? He'll love to hear that
you are both free.
Ranko: [snorts] Not that our "engagement" ever hindered him from
proposing to us. If the choice is either Kunou or Akane,
I think I'll go with our fathers' plan. Akane may be a
tomboy, but at least she doesn't think that affection is
best shown by violence.
Akane: [whacks her] Who's a tomboy?!
Ranko: [rubs her head] Urrh... I think I'll take back that last
sentence.
Kasumi prepares to break up a brawl between the two, but it never
happens. Before Ranma and Akane can begin exchanging blows, Genma
comes barging in and splashes Ranko with a bucket of water. After
she changes, Ranma turns towards him.
Ranma: Oy, what're you up to?
Genma: Take your bundle, son. We have to go on a trip.
He is carrying two traveling sacks, one of which he is handing to
Ranma. Ranma crosses his arms.
Ranma: What's with the sudden hurry? Have you done something
again?
Genma: [presses the bundle to Ranma] We have to go! Nodoka is
in town!
Ranma: Oh. [reluctantly takes the sack] She found us again, eh?
Akane is astonished.
Akane: You're going with him?! Who is this "Nodoka" person that
he is so afraid of?
Genma: Nobody! Let's go.
Genma tries to pull Ranma after him, but the boy just punches him
in the head, making him fly out of the room into the garden, then
turns to Akane. He scratches his head.
Ranma: Um, well. On our travels and training trips, we have
always been followed by this woman: Nodoka. She is after
us for some reason. [leans nearer] I've never gotten
much info out of Pop, but as far as I know it's a matter
of family honor. [snorts] I guess that Pop is really the
guilty party in this conflict, but he assured me that I am
in as much danger as he is. And he's always been honest
about *that* at least. Anyway, I wouldn't want to see him
hurt, either.
Akane: [looks at him curiously] And so you always ran with him.
How long has this been going on?
Ranma: [scratches his head] I dunno. Hmm, the earliest time I
can remember was ten years back. I remember it because I
was just becoming friends with a local boy and suddenly
Pop came and said we had to leave. I was just six and
pretty upset, so he told me a little and we went off. I
imagine that it has been going on for longer, though.
Akane: And who is this woman? What does she look like?
Ranma: I have no idea. Pop always hid me, when she found us out,
and disguised himself.
Flashback to Ranko's childhood.
A scared-looking Genma is pushing a small two-wheeled cart with a
large wicker basket on it. He is wearing a large, round straw hat
and a cloak. He pulls the hat deep down over his face and keeps
his eyes to the ground, as he passes a figure coming the other
way.
Inside the basket sits little Ranko, no more than seven or eight
years old. She is peering out and can vaguely see a shadowy
female figure that strides down the street, carrying something in
her hand. Slowly the figure vanishes from Ranko's field of
Flashback ends
Ranma: He's pretty scared, I can tell, so she must be very
dangerous.
Genma comes in, dripping wet and in panda form. He holds up a
sign.
Genma: [signs] You bet she is! Now take your bundle and scram!
Ranma shoulders his bundle and gets ready.
Ranma: Bye, Akane - I'll come back as soon as possible. Give
Kunou a kick from me. [smiles]
Akane: Wait! *Where* are you going?
Just in that moment Souun enters the living room. He overhears
Akane's question and sees Ranma and Genma in traveling gear.
Souun: Going? You are leaving us, Saotome-kun?
Akane: [pointing to Genma] He says they must run because some
woman called Nodoka is looking for them!
Souun: Ah, Nodoka. I remember...
Genma: [energetically waving a sign] Shhhhhh!!
Souun: [ignoring Genma's sign] Say, Genma my old friend...
<BOSHI, BOSHI, BOSHI>
Genma is repeatedly whacking Souun on the head with a sign,
desperately trying to stop him.
Genma: [signs] Shut up! Shutupshutupshutup!!
Souun: [continues unabashed] ... is your wife still as
beautiful as she was, sixteen years ago?
Genma freezes and anxiously looks over to Ranma, who is also
frozen. Slowly - *very* slowly - Ranma turns to look at his
Ranma: [emotionless] Your wife? [pause] For all these years we
have been running... from my own *mother*?
Genma: [sweating, thinks] Uh-oh!
-- End of Part 27
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Continued in part 28.
Sebastian