I decided to get back to translating this series.

I'll be doing this for most of the day while I work on some other
projects. 

***

A Son's Duty. 

A fan fiction based on Takahashi Rumiko's Manga series, Ranma 1/2. 

Saotome Ranma, Saotome Genma, Saotome Nodoka, Tendo Akane, Tendo Soun,
Tendo Kasumi, Tendo Nabiki, Tendo Ranko, Kuonji Ukyou, Hibiki Ryouga,
P-chan, Shampoo, Mousse, Kunou Tatewaki, Kunou Kodachi, Kurenai Tsubasa,
Tofu Sensei and Hinako Sensei are copyright 1987, 1995 by Takahashi
Rumiko. 

Publishing rights: 

Japan:		Shogakukan Inc. Tokyo 
Hong Kong: 	Jademan (Holdings) Ltd.  
North America:	Viz Inc. 

Chapter Seven: 


The Deities knew how long this particular question had been coming,
especially given all the small coincidences and comments that had been
made over the last few months.  Still, no one could actually prepare for
it, nor could one prepare for the reactions and consequences that would
occur because of it.  For the three young people to whom the question had
a direct meaning, it could well mean a tragic ending. 

Turning around, Ukyou, Akane, and Ranko looked at Saotome Nodoka, nervous
about what might happen.  In all of their efforts to keep the truth from
people, they had never guessed this would happen, at least not so soon. 
If they couldn't deflect Nodoka's inquiries, then Ranko would have to
commit Sepuku. 

Nodoka for her part was now quite aware of how nervous the three of them
were about her question.  It hadn't made sense that the youth who was out
cold on the ground was calling Ranko by her sons name, and she had
intended the question to ask how well the boy was.  The reactions of
Akane, Ranko, and her suitor, Ukyou said that there was more here than met
the eye.  Walking up to the three of them, she held out the Bento boxes. 
"Here Ranko, you forgot these this morning." 

Ranko looked flustered and mechanically took the Bento, her nervous and
slightly scared eyes never leaving Nodoka's face.  There was so much that
she wanted to tell her mother, so much that she wished she had the nerve
to do, but she couldn't stand the thought of breaking her mothers heart. 
It wasn't the shadow of Sepuku that kept Ranko from telling her mother who
she really was, it was the fear of the pain that confession would cause
that kept her silent.  "Th-Thank you, Auntie Saotome.  I-I should have
looked for them before I left the house." 

Nodoka looked at the young girl who she considered her daughter.  For the
first time in her life, she started recalling the comments people had
made, from Nabiki at the dinner table, to sales people when she had taken
the girl shopping.  Except for the hair, Ranko really did look a lot like
she had at the girls age.  She began to wonder if it was natural or
something that the young girl had deliberately done.  "Ranko, would you
like to talk about what is bothering you?" 

***

Hitomi

Ichinohei Hitomi
Hitomi@terminal.autobahn.mb.ca
http://204.112.189.3/~hitomi
"The beginings of wisdom is the ability to always ask questions."