Nodoka's Lessons - Chapter one

Nodoka’s Lessons
A Ranma One Half lemon fan fiction by Michael A. Ivins

Ranma, along with his family and friends are the property of Rumiko Takahishi and I use them without permission. I am creating this story mainly for my own amusement and hopefully the entertainment of others. I’m doing it for fun and make no money off it, so please don’t sue me.

Timeline note: This assumed to be more or less in the canon Ranmaverse and happening after the failed wedding. For the sake of the story I needed a place for Ranma and Nodoka to be alone together. I am assuming that the fiancé battle that destroyed Nodoka’s house did take place, but she had the place insured. The summer break from school is coming up and Ranma will be free for a whole month.


Chapter 1
Minimizing Distractions

A beautiful middle-aged, auburn haired woman stepped into the genkan of the Tendo home and called out, “Tadaima.” She doffed her outdoor shoes and put on slippers that were thoughtfully provided for the purpose. From the kitchen came Kasumi’s voice, saying, “O-kaeri.”

As Saotome Nodoka entered the kitchen the eldest of the Tendo daughters greeted, “Hello, Auntie Nodoka. You seem excited. Did you hear some good news today?”

Nodoka positively beamed as she replied, “Yes, Kasumi-Chan, I did hear some good news. The contractors report the construction of my house is complete. There is a little finishing work to do but it should be ready to move back in by Friday. It is on Friday that they will move in the furniture that survived from the old house along with the new furniture that the insurance paid for.”

Kasumi smiled in return. “That is wonderful news. I do think we will miss you here when you go, though.”

The older woman explained, “You needn’t worry on that score. Now that I have Ranma back in my life, I will come to visit often. On that subject, do you know where Ranma and Genma are?”

Kasumi paused to think. “I think uncle Genma is playing Shogi with Father and Ranma is in the living room watching television.”

In the living room Ranma was watching Dragonball Z. Not for the first time he was wondering if there was a way to do a ki attack like the Kamehameha wave that Goku used. From what he had seen it should be possible, but he had to wonder if he had enough ki reserves to carry it off. Oh, well. It was something to consider for later.

At that moment his mother walked into the living room. She asked, “Ranma could I speak to you for a moment?”

Ranma used the remote to turn off the TV. “Sure, Mom, no problem. It’s a re-run anyway.”

She smiled. “I need to talk to your father at the same time.”

Ranma shrugged and followed her. As they approached the Shogi table they could the hear the voice of Saotome Genma announce triumphantly, “Aha, got you this time Tendo.”

The Tendo patriarch just said, “Humph.”

The bald martial artist was about suggest another game when he heard his wife’s voice speak. “Dearest, how fortunate that I caught you just as you finished a game. Now I don’t have to interrupt.”

Genma somewhat nervously looked and noted that the silk wrapped bundle of the Saotome honor blade was tucked under his wife’s arm. In a tone of joviality he didn’t feel he said, “No-Chan, how nice to see you. Did you wish to talk to me?”

“Yes, dear,” Mrs. Saotome confirmed. “I just got word today that the house is almost finished and should be ready to move into on Friday.”

“Ah,” said Genma. “I guess I should have my stuff packed and ready by that time. I don’t have much to move.”

The smile disappeared from the woman’s face and a serious expression replaced it. “Actually dear, that is part of what I wanted to talk about. I would greatly appreciate it if you would delay moving back into our house for a while.”

“What? What are you talking about? That house is as much mine as it is yours. Why shouldn’t I come to live in it?”

A frown now came to the woman’s face. “’As much yours…’ You haven’t contributed to the upkeep of that house in more than a decade. This new house was paid for completely by insurance that I took out. You had no hand in it at all.”

“But I’m your husband,” he protested. “Why don’t you want me moving back in?”

She shook her head. “I’m not saying that you can never come back. We still have some issues to resolve between us, but that is something to talk about in private. I am only asking that you delay moving back in until the end of the summer school break.”

“The school break?” The bald martial artist was now confused. “What does that have to do with anything?”

She explained, “After an eleven year absence I finally have Ranma back in my life again, but I barely know him now. When the two of you left he was a little boy and now he is a man. I want a chance to have access to him without the constant distraction of the craziness of his life here in this house.”

She paused a moment then said, “I mean no offense to you, Soun. However, you will have to admit that Ranma’s life tends to be chaotic with all of his fiances and rivals who come here all the time to woo him or challenge him. I was hoping that we could have time to get to know each other away from all of that.”

Soun considered this for a time. True, it might be nice to not have all of the destruction from Ranma’s fights for a while. “That’s all right Nodoka-san. I take no offense.”

Now angry, Genma demanded, “You aren’t going to be buying dresses for his girl form and teaching him how to be ladylike are you?”

Her tone had steel in it. “That was not my plan. However, now that you mention it, that might not be a bad idea. Even if I did do that I don’t see that it is any of your concern.”

“Damn it, woman!” Genma exclaimed angrily. “I won’t have you undoing all the work that I put in on the boy.”

“Undoing all your work? If he were to gain a little more modesty in his female form, would that make him any less of a martial artist? If he were to learn to speak like an intelligent, educated man instead of a savage raised in the woods, he would be no less of a man. If Ranma agrees to this, I will allow no interference.” She let the silk drop from her katana and grasped the hilt.

“But No-Chan…”

Ranma spoke up, “Pop, I want to do it. I’ve missed mom a lot. There was a long time when I even thought she was dead (no thanks to you.) I think it would be nice to get to know her without a lot of outside distractions.”

Frowning, the bald martial artist tried a new ploy. “Don’t forget that Kuonji and the Amazon girl both know where the house is. Do you really think they will leave you alone just because you want it?”

Nodoka responded to that. “They might be willing to stay away if they are asked politely by the right party. Ranma and I will go talk to Miss Kuonji after the dinner rush at her restaurant.”

The man with the glasses grumbled, “It sounds like you already have your mind made up. I don’t know if I even understand why you came to me to discuss it.”

With that same hint of steel in her voice, Nodoka told him, “I didn’t come to discuss it. I came to tell you of my decision and to warn you not to interfere.”

Not completely willing to give up on it, Genma asked, “If I can talk the boy out of it, will you agree to call off this foolish idea?”

She conceded, “I suppose I could agree to that. You must promise no threats. You must not badger him. You must not knock him out and carry him away. If you do try something like that and I find out about it, know that I will make your life a living hell when you come back.”

With ill grace he agreed, “Very well, wife. I will just try to reason with the boy.”

Ranma resisted the urge to snort at that. He had seen some of his father’s past attempts at “reasoning.” Hadn’t his father learned by now that by taking that kind of approach he was virtually guaranteeing that Ranma would do what his father didn’t want?

Later, as Ranma and his mother walked into Okonomiyaki Ucchan’s a young man who looked like a very pretty girl waitress in a kimono came to greet them. He bowed and said, “Ranma-san, Saotome-sama, welcome. Did you wish to have the specials?”

Ranma returned the bow and replied, “Actually Konatsu-san I was wondering if Ucchan had a moment to spare to talk to my Mom and me.”

The male kunoichi said, “I’ll check. I think she’s caught up on orders right now.”

A few moments later Ukyo came out of the kitchen. She was wearing her chef outfit and had her bandolier of throwing spatulas on but had left the giant battle spatula in the kitchen. She said, “Hello, Ranchan…Mother.”

The temperature seemed to drop all around the Saotome matriarch. When she did speak it was in cold tones and formal language. “Thank you for your greeting, Kuonji-san. I would prefer if you did not address me in such a manner. You have not earned the right to call me ‘mother’.”

“But…”

Nodoka replied, “Throwing bombs made of exploding food was very dangerous, Kuonji-san, and not just to your intended targets. My son has forgiven you for your behavior at the wedding. That is more of a testament to his kind and forgiving nature than anything else. I have not forgiven you yet. People could have been hurt.”

Ukyo’s manner became more serious. “I don’t know how many times I have to apologize for that.” She paused. “Very well, Saotome-san. Konatsu said you wanted to talk to me. What can I do for you?”

Her manner still formal but not quite as cold, Nodoka said, “As you know the summer break from school is coming up. My house has finally been re-built and I will be moving back to it from the Tendo home this Friday. I have asked Ranma if he would come stay with me for this coming month so that I may have a chance to get to know him again and he has agreed. He can also have a chance to get to know me.” Nodoka didn’t feel it necessary to mention the part Ukyo herself had played in the destruction of the old house.

Ukyo digested that then said, “I guess I can understand that. You missed out on a big chunk of Ranchan’s life when he was on the training trip with the idiot panda.”

The auburn haired mother nodded. “It was my hope that my son and I could enjoy some quiet time together away from the distractions of what he once referred to as the fiancé brigade.”

Ukyo winced at the designation. “Are you saying I can’t come over to visit?”

“I would prefer if you didn’t,” Nodoka confirmed. “I have already told Akane about this. For someone who supposedly loves Ranma, she seemed almost pleased to spend a month without him around. Our next stop will be the Nekohanten to try to get Shampoo to stay away. Please keep in mind that I am only asking that you refrain from visiting Ranma for one month, starting this Friday.”

With a pleading expression, Ukyo looked at her fiancé. “Ranchan, are you Ok with this?”

The boy nodded. “Ucchan, you’ll have to admit that things can get crazy when you come to visit, especially when Akane or Shampoo are there too. It’s even worse if they’re both there.”

She began to protest, “But I don’t start…”

Ranma held up a hand to cut her off. “You are probably the most stable and sane fiancé I’ve got. Shampoo is just crazy and Akane is angry most of the time. It’s only a month Mom is asking for. You know you’re going to be busy here with school out.”

“Well, that’s true,” the chef conceded. “So you won’t be coming by to get any free food?”

Ranma grinned. “I’ll miss that, true, but I’ll survive. Mom’s a great cook, maybe better than Kasumi. I won’t go hungry.”

Ukyo wasn’t happy with it, but she had to admit that the request wasn’t unreasonable. “Oh. Well, I guess I’ll at least see you at school before then. When I do see you there, let me know if Shampoo agrees. If not I’ll have to come by to protect you from her.”

Mother and son left and headed to their next destination.

As they walked through the door of the Nekohanten Shampoo rushed forward to glomp Ranma, exclaiming, “Airen!” She pulled up short when she noticed that Ranma was in the company of his mother. She bowed to the older woman and said, “Welcome to the Nekohanten, Saotome-San.”

Nodoka returned the bow and asked, “Is your great grandmother here? I’d like to talk to both of you.”

They all heard the thumping sound of the elderly Amazon leader pogoing in on her stick. “Did I hear that you wanted to speak to me?”

“That is correct, Elder Kho-lon. I have a request to make. It is not a terribly difficult one.”

“Really.”

The Saotome matriarch explained about her newly rebuilt house and her wish to spend some quality time with her son. She went on, “My getting to know my son would go better if we could spend that time without a lot of distractions.”

The tiny old woman nodded in understanding. “I see. You feel that Shampoo coming to visit or to bring ramen would constitute a distraction. Is that correct?”

“Yes,” the Saotome matriarch agreed. “I know that Shampoo knows where I live. I’m asking that for one month she refrain from visiting my house and from doing all the other things that she does to my son. I’ll never understand how she believes crashing her bicycle into him is proper courtship behavior. If my son were not the martial artist he is he might have suffered serious injury by now.”

The old woman nodded, “I suppose you are right about that, but it is unlikely that Shampoo would be pursuing the boy otherwise. He would not have defeated her in battle if he were not a skilled martial artist.”

Nodoka pressed on. “While that may be true it is avoiding the issue. If it is any help, I’ve already spoken to Tendo Akane and Kuonji Ukyo and both have agreed to stay away for the month. It wouldn’t be like Shampoo was surrendering her claim to either of the others, just postponing it.”

The elder nodded. “Under those conditions I don’t think I have any objection. Shampoo are you willing to agree to stay away from son-in-law for a month?”

“Will crazy girl stay away?”

Nodoka looked confused. “Crazy girl?”

Ranma supplied, “She means Kuno Kodachi. Shampoo likes to make up descriptive nicknames for the people she knows. She calls Kasumi too-too nice girl.”

The auburn haired mother nodded again. “I will make the same request of her as well. I feel that it is not an unreasonable request.”

The purpled haired Amazon warrior thought about it. “If crazy girl agree, Shampoo will stay away too. You come back and tell Shampoo what Crazy girl say.”

The older Saotome agreed and they left the restaurant. Ranma commented, “I’m not looking forward to visiting the Kunos. Tatewaki wants to date my girl side and thinks my male side is an evil sorcerer. Kodachi wants to date my male side and kill my girl side.”

Nodoka said, “Hopefully, my presence will help to keep things calm.”

“I sure hope so.” He thought, “I wish I could feel as calm about this as Mom appears.”

When they got to the gate of the Kuno mansion Ranma pressed the button on the intercom mounted in the gatepost. They waited for a while with no response, so Ranma pressed the button again. He explained, “I’m not going in the gate without an escort. They have all kinds of traps all over the place and it’s dangerous. If I was by myself I’d go, but I don’t want to put you at risk.”

At that time a voice Ranma recognized as that of Sasuke, the ninja manservant, came from the speaker. “Greetings. May I ask who has come calling?”

“Sasuke, is that you?”

“Saotome?”

Ranma confirmed, “Yes, I’m here with my mother, Saotome Nodoka. We’d like to speak to Kodachi if she is at home right now.”

“Yes, she is home,” the ninja informed. “I’m sure she will be delighted to receive you. I’ll be out shortly to lead you in.”

“Thanks.” The speaker went silent.

A short while later a small man dressed in a dark outfit complete with a hood that covered all but his face came to the gate. The ninja bowed before opening the gate. “Mrs. Saotome, I believe this is your first time visiting here?”

Nodoka nodded.

“Welcome to the Kuno Mansion. Miss Kodachi is currently in the greenhouse tending her roses. Please follow me.”

The mother and son followed the ninja in silence. At one point the small man warned not to go out to the courtyard with the pool because of the alligator named Mr. Green Turtle.

Finally they arrived in the greenhouse where there were dozens of bushes bearing black roses. Kodachi herself was dressed in simple, sturdy clothes for her gardening. She said, “Ranma darling, Mother Saotome, how nice of you to come.”

Although Nodoka didn’t feel any more comfortable having this young woman call her “mother” than she did with Ukyo doing it, she decided not to make an issue of it at the moment. She was somewhat put off by the girl’s reputation for crazy behavior. Certainly she had been wild enough at the wedding.

Quickly Nodoka gave the general outline of the plan to move into the new house with Ranma and her request that all of Ranma’s suitors stay away.

“You want me to stay away from my Ranma darling?”

“It’s only for a month,” the older woman said in a pleading tone. “My husband took my son away for ten years. Until recently the only memories I had of him were as a little boy. I would like the month of the school break to properly get to know the man he’s grown into.”

Something of the emotions of the formerly abandoned mother must have communicated themselves to the unstable gymnast. Kodachi had been prepared to argue the point but simply said, “Your request is not unreasonable. I will leave the two of you to your privacy for the requested month.”

* * *

Ranma and his mother arrived at the Saotome home late on Friday afternoon. They had stopped on the way at Ucchan’s to pick up take-out dinner. The construction was complete, the painting done and furniture delivered, but the place was a mess. There were stacks of boxes everywhere. Some of the boxes were new merchandise that was purchased to replace things lost with the damaged old house and some were the personal belongings, clothing and such things that had been salvaged.

Nodoka needed help getting her new bed assembled. While she was putting on sheets and blankets, Ranma went to the guest room and set up the futon he would be using. While they were working at their various tasks Nodoka resolved that the next day they would have to go shopping to get some items to decorate the house along with some groceries. While she had salvaged her clothing and personal belongings, none of the food from the old kitchen had survived. She had salvaged some of the pots and pans, but the dishes had to be replaced.

The next morning after breakfast they went out shopping.

After the mother and son had visited several shops, they walked past the front of a curio shop. In the window was an assortment of knick knacks and various oddments. On an easel just behind the usual window display was a painting of a peaceful scene. The image depicted a small shrine in a forest.

Nodoka looked on that painting and felt it evoke a feeling of peace and serenity. The artistry was beautiful. She noticed the price tag and was pleased to see it was something she could afford. She called Ranma over.

The teenaged martial artist stepped up and looked in the window. He was stoic in his acceptance of his role in this shopping expedition. That was the role of pack mule. He was already carrying several bags and he reflected that they hadn’t even started looking at food for dinner yet. He suppressed the urge to sigh.

“Yeah Mom, What did you want me to look at?”

“Ranma, look at that painting,” Nodoka urged. “Don’t you think that it would look great on the wall in the dining room?”

He looked at the painting through the window and agreed that it was a pretty picture. It was a quiet scene and he had come to value quiet times when he could get them. Finally he said, “Yeah, it looks good.”

Nodoka happily opened the shop door and was greeted by the sound of a bell that announced her entrance. The shopkeeper looked up from his position near the cash register and waved at the new customers. “Welcome to my shop. How can I help you?”

Nodoka said, “I am interested in that painting you have in the window. I find that it awakens in me a feeling of serenity and peace. I think it would look wonderful in the dining room of my new house.”

“An excellent choice,” approved the shopkeeper. “If you are interested I have a little sheet that gives some of the history of the painting. Sometimes between customers I do research on the internet on some of the pieces in my shop.”

He paused, “You are moving into a new home? You might find some of the other items in my shop will help to decorate it.”

Nodoka paused then, not sure why she was telling this to a stranger, “My old house was damaged in an… accident. The insurance company said that repairing the old house and bringing it up to meet the current building codes would cost more than just building a new house on the old site.”

The shopkeeper nodded. “A new house in the same location as the old one? I see. Did you salvage much from the old house?”

She answered, “I saved a few pieces of furniture, most of my clothes and my personal belongings. I was able to salvage some things like pots and pans from the kitchen, but had to get new dishes.”

The shopkeeper started looking back and forth between the woman and the boy and after a moment commented. “I can see a definite family resemblance between the two of you. Is he, perhaps, your brother?”

Nodoka laughed. “Oh, you flatterer! No, he’s my son.”

An expression of astonishment was evident on the shopkeeper’s face. “Surely not. How could a woman as young as you have a son this age?”

She smiled and colored slightly at the compliment. “I was rather young when he was born, but not that young.”

The old man smiled and said, “If you say so.” He returned to his effort to sell the painting. “There is a story that a martial arts master sometimes used that painting as a focus for his meditations.”

Ranma’s face took on speculative expression.

Nodoka smiled happily. “I think it will be just the right feeling to have in that room.” She paused and sighed.

Noting the expression, the shopkeeper asked, “Does something trouble you?”

The mother replied, “It’s an odd coincidence you mention how a martial arts master used the painting. My son is a martial artist. His father took him away on a ten-year training trip. I missed most of his childhood. I am taking the current school break to try and get to know him again after all of that time.”

The shopkeeper again looked back and forth between the mother and son. Among other things he was something of an old pervert and seeing the lovely, young looking mother and the handsome, athletic looking son was giving him an idea. He said, “Could you wait here for a moment.” He rushed into the back and returned shortly with a lacquered box of a dark wood.

The old man set the box down next to the cash register then went off to the front where he fetched the painting from the easel. He set the framed picture on the floor in front the counter on which the cash register sat. He said, “I’ll tell you what. For such a lovely lady as yourself I make this offer. If you agree to purchase this painting at the price on the tag I will throw in the box and its contents as a housewarming gift, no extra charge.”

Nodoka opened the lid of the box and looked at the object contained within. It was a carving in some kind of bluish green stone. It was about the height of two average fists. Something about the carving was compelling and the woman had trouble taking her eyes off it.

Considering the craftsmanship and artistry of the piece maybe it was more accurate to call it a sculpture than a carving. Rendered in exquisite detail were two figures. One was the figure of a nude woman who looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties while the other was the nude figure of a male who looked to be a teen or possibly preteen boy. The two figures were in an embrace.

The figures were rendered in exacting detail. The nipples on the woman’s breasts were plainly visible. So beautiful and tastefully done was the piece that it was erotic without being pornographic.

Nodoka thought to herself that she wasn’t sure the subject matter of the carving was appropriate to put on display in her home. Yet there was something about the piece that caught and held her attention. She glanced up and looked at Ranma and was struck by a thought on how handsome and manly he looked. While it was certainly true, she wondered what had made her think about it right at that moment.

The mother looked over to the shopkeeper and asked, “Do you know anything of the history of this piece?”

The old man paused a moment as if considering how to phrase it. After a time he finally said, “It is said that this carving can bring joy into people’s lives if fate decrees that it be so.”

Intrigued, Nodoka asked, “What if fate doesn’t decree it?”

The shopkeeper shrugged. “Then nothing happens other than you have something of beauty to grace your home. If the stories are true something wonderful will happen within a month of you displaying this in your home. Oh, that’s right, you must display it. It won’t work if you leave it in the box.”

Nodoka stared at the carving a while longer before saying, “While I’m not completely comfortable with the subject this depicts, it is such a beautiful piece that I don’t think I can reject it even then. The fact that you are so generously offering it for free makes it something I can’t refuse. I’ll take it.”

The shopkeeper rang up the purchase of the painting. He then put the painting into a bag to protect it. Ranma picked up the bag with the painting and did a little juggling to get it settled with the other bags he was already carrying. The wooden box he held in his hands.

As the two left the shop the old man said, “I wish you well in getting to know your son again.” He smirked to himself. If the stories about that carving were true, by the end of her month with her son, she would know him intimately.

Nodoka looked at how burdened Ranma was getting and decided to take pity on the poor boy. She promised him they would get groceries for dinner and head home. They did stop to grab a quick bite to eat for lunch before taking their purchases home.

When they got back to Nodoka’s house she took the carving of the two nude figures from its box and put it on a shelf in her bedroom. Somehow it seemed an appropriate place given the theme of the carving.

That afternoon she put Ranma to work. Although her furniture had been delivered she was not happy with where the delivery people had put things. She had the teenager moving things around to places that fit better with her own sense of aesthetics.

They also needed to unpack boxes that held the things salvaged from the old house. It was a busy afternoon. One of the last chores for the day was for Ranma to pound in a nail to hang the painting they had picked up that morning. While Ranma had been working on that Nodoka had started dinner. She eyed the painting critically and advised her son to raise one side to make it look more even.

Finally she was satisfied and Ranma stepped down from the chair he had been standing on. On a sudden impulse Nodoka threw her arms around her son to give him a hug. She exclaimed, “Thank you, Ranma. I am so glad to have you here this month.”

At first flustered at being on the receiving end of such an affectionate gesture from his mother, Ranma put his arms around his mother and returned the hug. It actually felt pleasant to get hugged this way. It was certainly a lot nicer than being hit with a mallet and the feeling was definitely different than a glomp from Shampoo.

After a moment Nodoka seemed to shake herself out a reverie and said, “I have to get back to cooking.”

Ranma offered, “Do you need any help?”

Nodoka paused, “I’m not sure that would be a very manly thing to do.”

The pigtailed martial artist countered, “Some of the best chefs in the world are men. When Pops and I were on the road I did all the cooking because he was too lazy to do any himself.”

Why didn’t it surprise her to learn that Genma had dumped the housekeeping chores onto his son?

Ranma did want to spend time with his mother. He decided to try a different approach. “Look Mom, if it would make you feel more comfortable about it, I could change to a girl first.”

Nodoka stopped still as she considered this. She had been making such a fuss over the whole manliness issue and thanks to a magic curse her manly son was also her lovely daughter. Perhaps she should loosen up about the curse. It wasn’t like it was her son’s fault. Maybe she should also be trying to build a relationship with her daughter as well as her son.

Finally she answered the question, “Since you are cursed to change into a girl part of the time maybe it would be appropriate for you to change into that form to help with the cooking. It may be that this month I need to get to know my daughter better as well as my son.”

Ranma paused a moment as well. “Your daughter…”

He walked into the kitchen and took a glass from the cupboard. After getting water from the sink and pouring it over his head she said, “I guess maybe I am your daughter too. I’ve kinda been fighting the idea. After the thing with the cask of Naniichuan water at the wedding didn’t work out I guess I should just get used to it.”

“From what Elder Kho-Lon told me afterward you may be ‘stuck with it’ for a long time. If that is the case perhaps you should do more than ‘get used to it’.”

The red haired girl looked apprehensive as she asked, “What d’you mean ‘more’?”

Nodoka studied her daughter’s face for a while. Finally she said, “I know the idea seems to enrage your father but I wonder. Since you are cursed to be female some of the time maybe you should embrace your femininity.”

“Do I even have any femininity to embrace?” She thought. “Uh, why would I want to do that? I’m a guy.”

She gazed at her daughter for a while and reflected on what a beautiful young woman she was. In many ways she looked like Nodoka herself at that age. Ranma’s female form was even more beautiful than Nodoka had been. Perhaps it would have been easier to cope with if her female form had been plain or even ugly. As things stood, being so attractive as a female and receiving male attention had to be sending messages that her male mind didn’t know how to handle.

This was a situation that could cause her child to have emotional problems. Getting Ranma to embrace her female feelings was the only thing Nodoka could think of that might help. Before taking any action it would be best to try and get Ranma to talk about his/her feelings to get a better idea of where her child stood.

She thought back to a conversation she had had with Elder Cologne just after the failed wedding. The tiny woman had told her, “I can tease and torment son-in-law but I can’t do that to his mother. Having been a mother myself, I understand your feelings all too well.”

The elder went on, “The chance of Ranma getting a cure to the curse is very poor, almost non-existent.”

Nodoka had pointed out, “But he’s been so close.”

Cologne explained, “The curse is not a living thing but behaves like it is. The curse doesn’t want to be cured and will work to prevent a cure. It doesn’t mind the victim being teased with a possible cure, but will never allow one to actually work. Something will always happen to prevent it.”

“Are you saying it’s hopeless?” Nodoka demanded.

The elder replied, “Nearly so. The chance of a successful cure is something like one in ten thousand or worse, maybe as bad as on in a million. Basically it’s possible but nothing to build a life on. He had better resign himself to changing gender for the rest of his life. If he tires of that, the only other option that is certain to work would be to get locked in female form. It is not what he desires, but many feel that to be one thing all the time is better than changing back and forth. It’s not much of a choice for those cursed to turn into animals, but for Ranma to be locked might be preferable. He should give it some thought.”

That was for later. For now it was time to get back to work on the cooking. From the time Ranma had masqueraded as “Tendo Ranko” she knew her child had an aptitude for cooking. That was pretty clear when they got working together. The meal that resulted was delicious.

End of Chapter 1

Author’s Note: Ok, this chapter was setup for the sex that will come in Chapter 2. The way I feel about writing I can’t just have characters jumping into bed together if they wouldn’t normally do that. There has to be some explanation. It has to make sense.

With my previous lemon fic that I posted I never intended to write more than just the first chapter. The only reason it was expanded to a longer story was that people gave favorable reviews (hint). On this story I don’t plan more than two chapters, but I am considering them. What I have written so far was an idea I couldn’t get out of my head until I wrote it down. Whether or not I write a third chapter or more depends on how well people react to these first two chapters.

Is anyone reading this Blog?