Ah My Goddess Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Twilight's Coming ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Nodoka Saotome considered herself a traditional Japanese woman. In most cases she was right, but when it came to what constituted manly behavior her viewpoint was far beyond the pale. And considering her choice of husbands it was definitely questionable.

 

In fact she was a highly oversexed woman who was never able to relieve the tensions which had built up over Genma's and Ranma's 10-year long training trip. Because fantasying about sex was so abhorrent to her she transferred her fantasies to Ranma imagining him in relationships with an infinite number of girls providing her with an infinite number of grandchildren.

 

Her reaction to seeing the tall, tanned, platinum haired woman sitting at the table was expected and obvious. Another fiancée, she thought. Which was quickly followed by another thought, grandchildren. But before she could go into a happy dance she noticed Ranma sitting at the table. Female….Wearing a dress….Nabiki playing with her hair….Nabiki!!!

 

“Ranma,” the disapproval in her voice was sharp like the blade of her katana. “Why are you dressed like that.”

 

“Mother,” Ranma said, his eyes turned toward the table top. “We…that is, I've…”

 

Urd looked on in confusion, her head swiveling from son to mother. “Is there something going on here that I should know.”

 

In Nermia it must be said that there is only one thing that is constant. And that is the chaos involving Ranma tends to grow at an exponential rate. Into this situation stumbled the loving fathers of Ranma and Nabiki. That is to say a giant panda stumbled into the door pulling the almost comatose form of Soun Tendo.

 

The panda seeing Ranma held up a sign. “Boy, why are you wearing a dress. Are you some kind of weak girl.” The sign flipped over. “Change back immediately.”

 

“That's it,” Urd shouted. “Everybody sit down and shut up.”

 

Genma pulled another sign out from whatever unmentionable place he stored them, but before he could hold it up, it was zapped by a bolt from a pissed-off goddess. A rather unfortunate side effect, unfortunate for Genma that is, was that there was now a toasted panda jumping to a place at the table.

 

“Oh my,” Kasumi said. “Now that he had coming.”

 

Soun receiving a disappointed look from Kasumi stumbled forward and face planted in the table next to Genma. Nadoka took the seat next to her husband and across from Ranma and Nabiki.

 

“Now that I have your attention,” Urd said, “Why are you upset with Ranma?”

 

“My son shouldn't dress like that,” Nadoka said. “And he shouldn't let Nabiki pay attention to him in that form.”

 

“Lady are you blind,” she said poking Ranma's chest. “Men don't have racks like that.”

 

“Can you please stop that,” Ranma asked. Nabiki giggled, remembering back to when Ranma first showed up, earning a glare from Ranma.

 

“Damn incomplete information,” Urd muttered. Thunder rolled with her words and Urd looked up, “Sorry, father.

 

“I'm trying to explain,” Urd said. “If everyone doesn't sit down and shut up then I'm going to toast more than a panda.” She looked thoughtful for a moment, “Speaking of which why is there a sign waving panda claiming to be Ranma's father.”

 

“That's my husband,” Nadoka said in exasperation, “I don't care what you do to him. I want to know what you did to my son.”

 

“Well, who is he then,” Urd pointed at Soun whose face was trying to become one with the table.

 

“He's the father of my son's fiancée,” Nadoka said.

 

Urd's eye started to develop a twitch as she looked at the toasted panda, the comatose Soun and the woman with the silk wrapped bundle. She sighed again, this was getting complicated. “Before I start, would someone please tell me why you refer to a panda as your husband, and an obviously well-endowed girl as your son?” She emphasized the point by poking Ranma's chest again.

 

The redhead, tears starting to come to her eyes, began to explain. But before she could speak Nabiki placed a finger over her lips and pulled Ranma over into her lap “Shush, let me tell them.”

 

Nabiki took a deep breath and began. With a hard glare at Nadoka she told everyone about the seppuka contract that allowed Ranma's father to drag him off on what would become a 10-year training trip. Then she went into every time Genma had sold Ranma for food, money or favors and explained the true story of Ukyo's engagement and the theft of the yatti.

 

Nabiki continued and told about the training trip and Genma's horrific training methods including the Neko-ken and its effects on Ranma. By this time everyone was glaring at the panda who held up a sign, “It was for the boy's own good.” Lighting was arcing off Urd's fingertips as she stared at Genma.

 

She told about Jusenkyo and the curses and how he was treated by everyone in the Tendo family not sparing her self and how she took advantage of Ranma and his honor. She finished by telling about Jusendo and how Ranma killed the immortal phoenix king to save Akane and his friends. Lastly, she told about the failed wedding and how things had progressed since then up until the events of that morning.

 

Nodoka, tears streaming down her face, moved from her seat to kneel in front of Ranma. “I'm so sorry, I should have never let him take you, I was such a fool. Can you ever forgive me.”

 

Ranma slipped from Nabiki's lap to kneel in front of her mother. “Mother,” she said tears streaming from her own eyes, “Of course I forgive you. “But,” she sniffed. “Can you love me as I am now, because I'm not sure if I can ever be manly again.”

 

Nodoka stood up, her eyes flashing in anger as she looked at the panda who had somehow managed to pull a tire from nowhere and was presently playing with it. “Nobody here but us pandas,” a sign read. She reached for her katana, but Urd stopped her.

 

“Let me,” she said, blasting the panda with another lightning bolt.

 

Soun, who had managed to wake up, sat up, blinked owlishly at the charred panda, sniffed the air and said, “Barbeque.” Everyone blinked and looked at him as his eyes rolled back into his head and fell forward, his face again becoming intimate with the table.

 

Urd rubbed her aching temples. “I said I would explain and I will tell you what I know. Hopefully, when my sister gets here she will have the complete file and I'll be able to tell you the rest.

 

“Right now, with what little information I have, all I can tell you is that this morning Ranma ascended and became a first class, category one, unlimited goddess at large.” The charred panda held up his head at the words earning another zap from Urd. “And does anyone have any sake. I really need a drink.”

 

“I'm sorry,” Kasumi said. “I believe the fathers have consumed it all.”

 

Nadoka wasn't paying attention to the conversion going on around her. She was stunned by Nabiki's revelations about the training trip and how Ranma had been treated by both friends and family, herself included. She looked at her so…no, her daughter still kneeling on the floor, her arms clutching herself tightly, tears still streaming and Nabiki, gently stroking her hair telling her that everything will be ok.

 

For the first time in more than ten years Nadoka felt the stirrings of motherhood. Like a tsunami it battered at her outdated concepts of manhood and honor. With a sob she hurled herself at Ranma and gathered the redhead into her arms, comforting her child in her time of need.

 

“Ranma, I wasn't much of a mother to my son. If you will let me, I would like to be more of a mother to my daughter.”

 

“Mom, I don't know what's happening to me or why, but I need you,” her red eyes peeked out from behind her bangs as she looked at her mother for the first time without any fear.”

 

Urd sat at the table drumming her fingers waiting for the love fest to end. Patience was never one of her virtues and waiting for Skuld to show was getting on her nerves. Hearing a faint stirring from Toasty the Panda, she zapped him again, amazed at how cathartic it was.

 

The sound of water splashing from the koi pond with Ranma still in the house caused everyone to look. A column of white light emerged from the pond. From within the light a figure carrying a magically shielded bag stepped out and onto the ground surrounding the pond. Skuld had arrived.

 

She hurried to the door knowing the old hag needed the file for their mission. As she rushed through the door a crispy panda rolfed, startling her, causing her to loose her balance, sending the bag and its contents, a crimson and silver sheathed katana hurling toward Nabiki.

 

Moving faster than thought, Ranma reached out to catch the katana at the same time as Nabiki instinctively reached up to protect herself.

“No, don't touch it,” Urd yelled at Nabiki. But it was too late. Both hands closed on the sheathed katana at the same time.

 

There was a flash of divine light and both Ranma and Nabiki slid to the floor. “Not again,” Nabiki thought as consciousness left.

 

Everyone blinked to clear their eyes. The single sword in the crimson and silver sheath was now two katanas, one in a crimson sheath and the other sliver. Nabiki clutched the crimson one tightly to her chest while Ranma did the same with the sliver one. But what surprised everyone, especially Urd and Skuld, were the markings now adorning Nabiki's face, a small horizontal blue diamond below each eye and a vertical blue diamond on her forehead.

 

“Whoa,” Urd said. “That is certainly surprising.”