Honorable Father: Prologue by David Eddy Last updated 2-Jan-03 A fan fiction based on Takahashi Rumiko's Manga series, Ranma 1/2. The characters of Ranma 1/2 are the property of Takahashi Rumiko and her licencees. Nodoka looked at the pledge, with its pathetic palm print from a young Ranma, then back at Genma, horror in her expression. "Husband, you cannot do this thing. Clan honor will not permit it." "Rubbish!" spat Genma contemptuously. "What does a frail old man know about-" "Husband!" shouted Nodoka, overriding him, steel ringing in her tone. Genma cowered in fear and shock. Where had his compliant, traditional wife gone? "I know you, Husband. I have not gone through eight years of marriage to you to be surprised by your actions. I know it is your dream to train Ranma to be your catspaw against that evil old man. "But you forget your place, your duty to the clan Saotome! A heavy duty has been laid upon us by my father, and his father; I will not have you force yourself, myself, and our children to the sword simply because you are too short-sighted to see beyond your own desires!" Genma knelt on the floor, cringing at this demon who had replaced his wife. Nodoka had never before directly opposed him in this way; she had always suggested alternatives or simply gone along with his wishes like a proper traditional housewife. But now... Now Nodoka smiled a conciliatory smile. "However, I do not see why we cannot both fulfil our duty to the clan, *and* follow your desires. It is not a large compromise I ask you to make, Husband. "You wish to train Ranma to be a superb martial artist, presumably to gain revenge on that evil old man you call your master. Clan duty requires us to ensure that Ranma - or another son - is brought up to be an acceptable mate to one of the Tendou girls... and since Ranma is the same age as the *youngest* of those girls, even if we had another son he would probably be too young. "So, Husband, it falls to Ranma. I propose this: You may take Ranma on the training trip you propose. However, in addition to training him in your arts, you must also train him to be a manly man, and to be a fit husband for a Tendou girl." Genma perked up and stood, smiling a gleaming smile. "Well, that's no problem. I mean, with me as an example, how could he fail to be attractive to the ladies?" Nodoka said nothing for a long moment, then turned to a nearby bureau and extracted five blank sheets of paper, a brush, and some ink. She laid the sheets side by side on top of the bureau and then stood motionless, head bowed, thinking. Genma waited while Ranma played nearby, cute in his tiny gi. Eventually Nodoka looked up and turned to Genma once again. "I shall rephrase, since you do not appear to have understood me. If you will do this thing, then in addition to being a manly man, Husband, I will also require you to pledge on your honor" - and with this Nodoka gestured at the paper, all ready to be used for formal calligraphy - "that you will ensure Ranma is properly brought up in the traditions of this clan." "Meaning?" "Education, both traditional and modern. Duty. Politeness. Forcefulness. Decisiveness. Compassion. Modesty. Public Service. These are the characteristics of nobility, and the tradition of the Saotome clan... and it is these that will expected of Ranma when he goes to meet the Tendou girls. Do you really think you can do all that on your own, on the road?" "Bah, I know Souun; he is-" "It is not your friend Souun who matters. Even if what you say is true." "I... alone?" "Do not forget, *Husband*, that there are other branches of our clan, some of which have sons around Ranma's age. He is simply the first in line to fulfil the clan duty, because I am the eldest daughter; if he fails or is... regrettably eliminated... there are others that can serve." Genma blanched. So self-absorbed was he that he did not see the tears shimmering in Nodoka's eyes. With a gulp, he looked away. "What do you suggest, then, Wife?" * * * The men faded out of the darkness like wraiths, and Genma jerked to a halt. With flashing eyes he scanned them and their formation, but in that same moment he knew that there was no escape... the layered formation and deceptive stances showed that they knew their business. That, and the well-used look of their still-sheathed weapons. It was a perfect ambush. At least the boy knew enough to stop by his side, not saying anything. A man stepped forward to easy conversational distance and cleared his throat. "Saotome Genma, your wife craves the indulgence of your presence. Please come with us." A sharp wooden rapping of a closing shoji door sounded, making Nodoka jump. She looked around to see a man in his late fifties, salted black hair draping neatly over the back of his midnight blue yukata in a thick rope. "Father!" said Nodoka. "Please come in." Nodoka's father nodded at his daughter in greeting as he made his way to a nearby zabuton and sat neatly on top of the large cushion, his legs crossed. He rested his palms on his knees, a confident but serious pose. A gentle, warm breeze entered the room through the open shoji which led to the outside. "Daughter. Have you spoken with young Ranma?" Nodoka sobered. "Yes. Father, I fear I must beg your advice. I am... concerned." He nodded. "As you well should be, Daughter. After three years, at an age when Ranma should be completing his first year of school, I can find no evidence that Genma has taught the boy anything but how to fight and how to steal. I fear that were the pledge to be assessed today, things would go badly." Turning her head away from her father, Nodoka watched Genma and Ranma at the other side of the compound through the open shoji. Ranma was climbing the rough stone compound wall as Genma watched and periodically called up instructions to him. Her father continued, "I must say, what that man has done, he has done extremely well. I have had Ranma assessed by a competent instructor, and he reports that the boy's abilities are astonishing." Nodoka turned back to face her father, her expression somewhat angry. "Father, I confess I don't know what to do. Why you stuck me with him, is beyond my understanding! He has no concept of honor, he is so self- centered it's amazing he hasn't forgotten Ranma and lost him." She paused to pull a snow-white handkerchief from a sleeve and dabbed at one eye. "However I would gladly put up with him if he would only return Ranma to me. I miss him so... my son." Saotome Hayao cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, as for that, it was a matter of clan duty, the fulfilment of a promise. I regret that you have not found love in your marriage, Nodoka, but I still feel that your marriage to Genma has been successful, for young Ranma appears to be everything we might have hoped he would be. Or rather, he could be," he finished, muttering darkly. Outside, Ranma had reached the top of the fifteen- foot high stone wall, jumped down with cat-like agility, and was now scaling a much more difficult wall of smoothly fitted basalt blocks. "I have a solution," said Hayao. "Ranma will reside here for two months of every year. He will accompany his father for the remainder of the year, and during that time he will be enrolled in a correspondence course with a top school. We will of course audit the results. As for Genma, Daughter, you have my apologies but I have decided that if he is incapable of holding to a sworn pledge, he is not the kind I want around here. He will remain married to you so that our honor is not sullied, but he must never set foot on our domains again. We get the best of both worlds - Ranma trained in martial matters by a true prodigy in the field, the boy gets an education, and during his time here we can teach him about traditional matters. And as for enforcement..." Hayao paused, and grinned unpleasantly. "We will simply have to put the fear of Saotome into him." Nodoka joined her father in a shark-like smile. "Thank you, Father. Thank you very much." "And I think we'll formally adopt that girl Ukyou. Would you like to take her under your wing, Nodoka? After all, it was Genma who made the original betrothal offer... it seems appropriate. Perhaps Yumi and young Michiko will enjoy having an older sister." "Of course, Father."