By Lord Overon

Part 2

"Nodoka, I’m very impressed by the way you were training those children," announced Akane.

"Training? What do you mean? That was how Mom and Dad always used to play with my friends and I when we were younger."

"You mean that how you normally play!"

"Yep! Was a lot of fun too! Especially when mom started to tickle us. For some reason we could never get away from her. She would always find us, even when we hid. I remember one time we were in the forests and she began to tickle us. Me and Tama hid behind a really thick thicket. We were so excited that we only kept looking in front where she had been. When she crept up on us and started tickling us it had been too late to stop her."

Akane listened amusedly as Nodoka continued her tale. The girl loved to talk but Akane did not mind. There were not that many people she knew who liked to talk and tell tales just for fun. Many of her high school friends had got married and moved away, or their lives had become filled with children and other responsibilities. When she was younger, she had not wanted to get married at such a young age, now, she wondered what it would have been like.

"Hey Akane-sensei?"

"Hm…"

"You looked a bit lost there."

"Oh I was just thinking about something you said."

"Really…"

"Oh my, we’re here already."

"Where?"

"This building, this is Ucchan’s."

Nodoka gave the four storey building an appraising eye. She really had to meet this Ucchan. Walking through the revolving doors, Nodoka could not help but feel that the person who owned the restaurant really had to be swimming in it. The tables were packed with patrons ordering what looked like Okonomyaki and some other dishes that she was familiar with. Akane gave the guard at the elevator a smile. He smiled back and opened the elevator for them with a lever.

Inside the elevator, which was lined with red carpet, Akane pressed the fourth floor and soon they were rising. With a loud ding, the door opened and Nodoka was quite surprised to find Akane being hugged tightly.

"Akane you’re a demon you know. You haven’t visited me in over a week."

"It’s only been six days!" exclaimed Akane.

"Well yeah," replied Ukyou. "But it felt like a lot longer. You idiot sister says that I have to be more independent of her services and has me swamped with all this business work that she knows I hate to do."

"Nabiki’s actually stopped giving her your services!"

"Well no. But she wants me to do more managing. She says that she had other things to do with her time."

"Well you know my sister. A second wasted is a yen gone."

"Who doesn’t…hey, who is the cute girl you have with you?"

Nodoka could not help but blush.

"This is Nodoka, she’s a new student I’m teaching."

"Really. Well Nodoka, Akane is a very capable teacher. My name is Ukyou, Ukyou Saotome and since Akane only comes here to raid my restaurant for free food…" She shot Akane a half serious glare. "I’m sure you wouldn’t mind staying for lunch."

"She won’t mind, but I’m sure you would," continued Akane with the friendly banter. "She eats just like Genma and speaking about him, how is the diet going?"

At the last question, Ukyou burst out in laughter.

"You should see him. I’ve never seen him cower like that. Never thought that mom was omnipresent but anytime he tries to take something from the kitchen she’s always there with the katana in tow. She’s taken to carrying it sheathed now without the wrapping. She says it is easier for her to use if she has too. You should have seen his face when she said that. He couldn’t even finish the little bit of food she had given him."

"So where is he now?"

"He’s out somewhere with your dad. You know that they are always together. Mom made your dad promise not to buy him any food before she let them go."

"Figures, that’s the only way she’ll let him out of the house."

"You know, Nodoka looks a little bit like you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Every bit the tomboy you were at that age."

"Oooh!"

Ukyou just laughed.

Akane and Nodoka were now sitting in the middle of a large living room. Nodoka noted that though it was very large, the furnishings were not as expensive as she thought they would be. In fact, there were only a few necessary pieces of furniture and a couple of pictures to grace the walls. The room was quite simple.

Her thoughts focused on Ukyou and the small grill before her, the next thing she knew a plate with steaming food was headed straight for her. Instinctively, Nodoka reached up and grabbed the plate pulling it out from the air. She was about to shout something that was not pleasant when she read something etched onto the Okonomyaki that was on the plate. ‘Tell me if it tastes good.’

So this was how Ukyou served food? This might be fun after all! Nodoka took one bite of the dish and soon her plate was empty. She was delighted when another sailed through the air and landed perfectly on her plate.

That too was finished quickly as well as the others that arrived on her plate. After about…Ukyou, Akane and Nodoka had lost count…Nodoka lay back and patted her stomach.

"Mmm…good," was all she said.

"Akane, it seems your student has an appetite. She reminds of some people before they had to take a diet."

"Ukyou-san, that was really good," interrupted Nodoka. "Mom used to make stuff like that, but she never made them very often. I can certainly say that these are the best Okonomyaki I have ever eaten."

Ukyou blushed lightly.

"Why thank you Nodoka and please feel free to call me Ucchan. I’m not the formal type and about the food, I’ll have you know that I am one of the best Okonomyaki martial arts chefs."

"She’s developed a bit of an ego over the years," whispered Akane to Nodoka but loud enough that she knew that Ukyou overheard.

"Hey, I’ve earned that!" responded Ukyou. "I’ve won the martial arts cooking competition for four years in a row. Not even Shampoo’s ramen was able to defeat me."

"Okay, okay, you’re a good cook," relented Akane. Then as a bit of mischief she added, "So when are you going to start teaching me how to cook?"

Ukyou visibly got a bit disturbed and sweaty. She started searching around with her eyes, looking for a possible escape or a possible answer.

"Well Akane, I’m ah pretty busy as you see with ah all this work and with mom and ah father’s diet."

Akane started to laugh as Ukyou fell directly into her ploy.

Ukyou was first relieved and then became gradually annoyed as Akane continued laughing at her. After she regained her composure, Akane began to speak once again.

"It’s okay Ucchan. Kasumi took me aside the other day and told me that my, how did she put it…talents…yes that was the word…my talents are not in that area. I know I can’t cook and I can’t say that I miss cooking much. I never actually liked cooking so it isn’t much of a change for me."

"You mean, all this time I’ve been trying to stay out of your way in case you did ask me and you were never going to?" responded Ukyou with a hint of anger.

Akane held her hands up.

"Hey, I wasn’t the one hiding and I wasn’t the one complaining that she does not see one of her best friends that often."

Realising the implications, Ukyou sagely decided to keep her mouth shut in case she started to mutter other things that she did not want Akane knowing, especially things about her husband. Also as a change of subject, Ukyou turned her attention to her new guest.

"So Nodoka, where are you from?"

Nodoka who had been silent for awhile had to bring herself back from la-la land before she could answer.

"Well, that’s a pretty hard question. Mom travels a lot and she tries to carry me wherever she’s going, but mostly we have a little house up on the mountains in Hokkaido. Can’t actually remember the name of the place since a lot of people call it different names and I really haven’t been down in the village for a while. Anyway, mom says that my dad was from Nerima so I figured that I’d come and find out who he is."

Akane was a bit surprised at this turn of events. She didn’t know that Nodoka had other reasons for coming to Nerima then she remembered that she had never asked her girl the reason she had come to Nerima in the first place. Akane figured that Nodoka had come purely for the martial arts.

"Doesn’t your mom know who your dad is?" asked Ukyou and Akane almost simultaneously.

"Yeah, she does, but she can’t tell me. She’s bound by a promise not to tell me. It’s not that bad though. I mean, it’s not every day you get to play detective and it is sort of exciting trying to find out who your dad is. Mom did give me a few clues and I figured out some stuff by myself. Since mom and I are that good in the art, I know that dad had to be a martial artist of some sort cause mom said he was strong and had a lot of potential. She also said he was really stubborn but really, really cute."

"Hmm…well good luck," replied Ukyou. "If there’s one thing Nerima is famous for, it is the number of super-powered martial artists it attracts."

"Well, I don’t have to go anytime soon since mom enrolled me in school here…" Nodoka added a touch of resentment to the last part. "So I have a lot of time to figure out who he is and to meet him"

At that point, the alarm clock on the table sounded and Ukyou looked around frantically for it. When she saw the time a scream of indignation came up from her.

"Arghhh…it’s two and I haven’t gotten anything done yet!"

Wisely, Akane ushered herself and a slightly recalcitrant Nodoka out of the living room and to the elevator. She had seen Ukyou this exasperated before and thankfully it only happened when she had to handle business papers.

The two of them walked out into the bright sunshine and instead of going to the Dojo, Akane decided to show Nodoka round the town and show her where the school was. The afternoon class was mainly for students so she still had a couple of hour’s time before she had to get back home.

As they approached the school, Nodoka kept scanning the area for something. Akane did not think it would be polite to ask but Nodoka’s constant shuffling while she walked was proving to be a great irritation. Although Akane had worked very hard on her patience, Nodoka was wearing her thin.

"Nodoka, what are you searching for?" asked Akane.

"Hm…oh, I think I’m feeling a familiar ki signature but I can’t figure out where it is coming from."

"You can tell where a person is by their ki?" asked Akane incredulously.

"No, not really. Most martial artists usually keep their ki so low that they cannot actually be detected among normal people, but I am currently feeling one that is tainted and one that isn’t."

"So how come you can’t tell where they are?" asked Akane.

"It’s because they are moving around too fast!" replied Nodoka exasperatedly. "Every time I get a fix they disappear again."

"Oh so who do…" In another lifetime, Akane might have been able to finish the rest of that sentence but in this lifetime, that was asking too much. In this lifetime, she was assaulted by not fists or weapons or anything of that sort, but by a weapon that can be described of as the most heinous in all of the Ranmaverse. One that can drive all potential challengers away. One that struck the hearts of even the greatest warrior…bad poetry.

"Hark but 'tis not the presence of the fair Akane Tendo doth grace the eyes of someone as noble as myself…" Kuno was about to continue but someone turned around in the middle of his speech and her face was of such beauty to freeze his thoughts for that moment. Indeed, Kuno began almost to stutter before he regained his composure.

"Indeed the gods have blest a noble warrior such as myself this day. For not only do I vision the purity of Akane Tendo, but also the very essence of beauty that is her companion. But how unkind of me not to introduce my magnificence. I am the rising star of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, and the undefeated champion of the Tokyo Kendo Club...Tatewaki Kuno."

There was a flash of lightning somewhere but it did not bother Nodoka one bit. The only thing that bothered her was the use of poetry or the lack thereof. She could not believe how this person had mutilated something that was part of one of her favourite literary eras in human history. If Shakespeare could hear this big-mouthed fool now, she was sure that she would arise from the grave for the sole purpose of smiting the bigot.

Nodoka was about to introduce herself when Akane started to speak on her behalf. Nodoka then realised that Akane had actually saved her from making a really huge mistake. She knew she liked a lot of pomp when she introduced herself, but the intro she had been planning would have brought unwanted attention upon herself. Some of her friends were excruciatingly childish sometimes and she did not want them pulling pranks on her new sensei.

"Kuno, Nodoka-chan is my student and guest, I would appreciate it if you do not try to woo her."

"Ah...you hide your intentions well my tigress. Surely you want me for yourself but my prowess can easily be shared between two. Oh how I rue the day the foul sorcerer Saotome completed his spell on my beloved Osage-no-onna."

Nodoka would have kept her mouth shut, but the mention of a goddess brought fresh ideas into her head.

"Ah Tatewaki-san could you describe your Osage-no-onna?" asked Nodoka with a slight bit of guile in her voice that she knew would entice most men to do her wishes.

"My fiery goddess, how I lament that I could not save her from the evil sorcerer’s clutches. She was the fiercest tigress I have ever met and her beauty was unmatched by none except the fair Akane Tendo. Oh how I long to see her scarlet tresses blessing my eyes once again..."

As Kuno ranted, Nodoka was continually taking notes in her head. This one might know something. She would have to find out later. First she would interrogate him, then she would avenge Shakespeare’s name.

Nodoka was so caught up in her mini-reverie that she almost shouted when Akane grabbed her and took off in a sprint that left the ranting destroyer of all prose and verse in their wake.

"I’m glad we got rid of him," spoke Akane as they slowed from their sprint. "It takes me longer every time I meet him to get away unless I knock him out first. Can’t understand why he doesn’t give up. I’ve refused his advances every week for the past five years and still he won’t give up."

"My parents said that sometimes a person is persistent because no one has ever shown them better or that they really are dedicated towards a goal which in this case would be to have your hand in marriage. So why don’t you want to accept? Besides spouting bad poetry, he doesn’t look that bad a catch. Dad always said that no one’s perfect."

Akane was about to answer that when recent memory brought to light a fact that she had overlooked for the past couple of minutes. There was a great disparity between Nodoka’s conversation with her now and the one they had had at Ucchan’s. Not to mention that this question would shift the attention away from a topic that had given her many sleepless nights.

"Nodoka, you said you are here searching for your father and that your mother won’t tell you who he is right?"

Nodoka nodded.

"Then how come your father was able to give you advice!" demanded Akane. If there was one thing Akane could not stand, it was being lied to and this had the beginnings of a very deep lie.

Nodoka’s eyes bulged. She could not tell Akane the whole truth. Maybe she could just disguise it a bit.

"Well uh ah…how to put this…ah…well my dad is kinda not really my real ah father…"

Nodoka was trying to think of something else to say, but Akane, her anger waning, decided to complete it for her.

"…but because he was always there while you were growing up, you decided to call him father."

"Hey, that’s right!" exclaimed Nodoka. She would have had a torrid time trying to explain that to someone. Explanations somehow did not come naturally to her and she always had problems when she tied up her words. She was glad that Akane had been able to explain it as easily as that.

Before they could continue though, another person approached Akane and Nodoka. Luckily this was not Kuno but unluckily, this was another of Akane’s hapless followers.

"Hello Hikaru-san," greeted Akane.

"H..hello…Ak…Akane-san," replied Hikaru between a stutter and the attempt to put on a brave face.

Nodoka had to hold in the sensations that were prompting her to burst into laughter. That had not helped her in the past when boys asked her out. His face was almost a mirror image of their faces. Slightly blushing, eyes switching between the ground and the girl’s face, trying to make conversation and trying to sound authoritative while actually not sounding like what he intended to sound like. It helped that he was wearing the uniform of a police officer but he really needed some work to pull off that kind of job.

Nodoka could see from Akane’s reaction that this was nothing new to her. In fact, it seemed that this kind of thing happened to her all of the time. Maybe she should talk to Akane about things like that. Nodoka knew that she attracted boys like bees to honey. For some reason, her unique hairstyle with the streaks of red -that were natural by the way- combined with the body she had inherited from her parents, and the natural cheerful mood that she had also grown accustomed to showing, proved almost irresistible to boys her age and to men a lot older than her. She was lucky that her mom always popped up when she was in trouble and if there was anything in life to fear, it was her mom when she was angry. She remembered hearing stories about one of the lesser gods making rude passes at mom, what had happened afterwards set an example for the rest of them. Gods were by nature, able to heal themselves against physical attack but what her mom did was rumoured to have taken as least a month to fully heal.

"So Hikaru-san, what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Ah…I…ah just wanted to warn you about the series of kidnappings that have been occurring during the last few weeks. Sensei said that I should tell you in case we might need some help."

"Of course," replied Akane. "Just remember to tell Tamaka-san that I don’t train his men for free and if he wants extra lessons, he will have to pay for them. Now if you would excuse me Hikaru-san, I have a class to teach."

"C...certainly Akane-san," bowed Hikaru.

As they left the thin and obviously smitten man, Nodoka thought that she saw him faint after they turned the corner. Nah! No one’s that bad!

They wandered around Nerima some more, with Akane pointing out some of the more interesting stores and which stores were better for shopping. Akane however, had never expected Nodoka’s reaction towards the use of that word and was amazed as the girl pulled her into one of the larger stores so that she could do some ‘selective window shopping’ as she put it.

Two hours later, Akane had to forcibly drag Nodoka away from the business district of Nerima. There was only an hour remaining before classes started. School was already out and the streets were littered with schoolchildren. Akane carefully watched her student as the boys started paying more attention to her as they passed by. However, she acted as if she did not see their stares nor did she react when one of them bumped into her, of course, when she tripped the boy afterwards it seemed like an accident, but the pure look of embarrassment on the boy’s face was enough to make her giggle.

Finally, they made it back to the Tendo House. When they entered another surprise greeted them.

Inside the house, a very beautiful and stunning woman was sitting next to Soun Tendo, Akane’s father, and serving him tea. This was not a surprise to Akane but Nodoka was very surprised. The woman looked to be in her late thirties to early forties, Nodoka believed the latter but her physical appearance alluded to the former. She was really a good looking woman and had womanly virtues in all the right places. No man could go wrong with a woman like that for company and she began to think that Akane's father was a very lucky man. Nodoka decided to go with her hunches and bowed respectively at the two inside.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Tendo, I am Nodoka, Akane-sensei’s new student."

The results of that statement were not what Nodoka expected. She did not think that the man would faint nor did she think that the woman would start blushing a furious red. Akane-sensei was the only one to act normal except for that ‘oh my’ phrase. Suddenly Nodoka found herself being ushered upstairs while the woman she thought had been Mrs. Tendo tried to revive the fallen Soun. When Akane closed the door of the guestroom she rest her back against it and started to snicker, then she started to laugh uncontrollably. Nodoka just stared at her as if Akane had just become an alien from some distant planet intent on taking over the universe using laughter.

Between stifling sobs from her laughter, Akane tried to apologise to Nodoka.

"Sorry…so long…haven’t…had no idea…oooaaahahhaahhah…"

When Akane finally calmed down the cacophony of words that she tried to say were more easily understood.

"I’m really sorry Nodoka-chan, It’s just that we’ve been trying to give hints to dad for almost a year now that Hinako-san wants something more than a close friendship and I think your outburst just confirmed on her face what we have been trying to hint at to dad. The look on his face was too good to be true."

"So that’s not your mom?" asked Nodoka.

"No, my mom died when I was very young and we’ve been trying for the longest time to tell dad that we don’t mind if he remarries. I have to admit that his devotion to mom is very comforting though."

"Yeah, my mom’s the same way. She has not been with my dad since she had me and she's rejected any offers from any other person. I wish she would though. Every time she sees a married couple walking and holding hands, she gets this contemplative look and I can see the sadness on her face. She always tries to hide it from me but I know her better than anyone else."

"So how does she deal with it," asked Akane genuinely interested for personal reasons moreso than for anyone else’s sake.

"Mom just watches cherry blossoms. She said that every time she sees one fall it calms her and brings back memories of the good old days. She also hums sometimes. I like to hear her hum. She has a really nice voice and it always calms me when she sings."

Unknown to Nodoka, Akane committed most of those words to memory since she had a certain ache at night that she knew she could do nothing about and that no doctor could cure.

School for Nodoka had been a major waste of time if you asked her opinion and after three days of it, she had been fed up. The teachers were too boring for her tastes and much of what they taught, she already knew. She caught herself falling asleep many times during her classes and had to find things to keep her occupied. Sometimes it had been a losing battle and she had to stand in the hall, although that only happened once.

She didn’t mind the attention she got though. She played a sly game with most of the boys in school. She had declined the advances of the really forward boys but the shy ones captured her interest. The shy ones were sometimes the better of the lot just because of the thrill of trying to get them to open up.

One of her best friends who happened to be about three years older than her had just got married to a boy that she had met a year before. Yangu was not in any way a stunningly handsome person nor was he extremely strong or brave or any of the things that were normally associated with good catches in men. In fact, he never spoke much to anyone and preferred instead to play with his pets- a huge bear among them. Tealis strangely got lost while they had been in the forest and had stumbled upon his house just outside the village. She had been really hungry and when he invited her to stay for lunch she readily accepted.

During lunch- which she said was one of the best she had ever tasted- she learned that he was an orphan and lived out there because he disliked the noise and bustle of the town. The next thing she knew, she had stayed there for the whole night just talking to him. She had returned over and over, claiming that they were just friends but Nodoka had seen the gaiety she exuded after being with him for a couple of days. Nodoka confronted her and she said that he had a way of just making her laugh and feel important. The next thing Nodoka knew, Tealis stayed by Yangu’s house for a week and ending up making it her permanent residence.

Those were the kinds of things she thought about while in class but a sudden commotion from outside brought her back to the world. She tugged lightly on the new silk skirt she was wearing. She just liked the skirt for some reason. The deep maroon colour appealed to her tastes and it went well with the floral design on the blouse she was wearing.

Nodoka waited at the entrance to the house and to greet the guests as they entered.

"Hello Nodoka-chan. How are you? And where is that sensei of yours? I hope she hasn’t tried to cook again today. I don’t think that Kasumi and I can spend all our time here cleaning the kitchen."

"Hello Ukyou…" A mock glare reminded her. "Ucchan, I’m okay and Akane-sensei is waiting for you in the kitchen."

"Has Kasumi arrived?"

"No, they’re running late. Something about Tomo."

Ukyou smiled and entered the house bringing another woman into view. Her auburn hair and kimono fashionably highlighted her good looks and reduced her age remarkably.

"Hello Nodoka-chan, I hope your studies are going well and I see you’ve met my daughter. I’d be very happy if you would call be Auntie Nodoka."

Nodoka was surprised to say the least but caught herself at the last minute to the nodding approval of the woman in front of her.

"Yes Auntie, I’m sure Akane-sensei would also like to see you. She’s in the kitchen."

"Very well dear, and don’t mind my husband, he has some training to do."

Mrs. Nodoka Saotome entered the house allowing Nodoka the view of a bald man in what appeared to be a suit of some sort but which bulged at the waistline a bit too much. This, suspected Nodoka, was Mr. Saotome, the one who was recently put on a diet. Nodoka could see why. Carrying around that kind of weight could not be good for anyone least of all a man who was past the prime of his life. What she did not expect was for him to drop all the things he was carrying with him and stare at her when he was finally able to see her face.

He stared at her for a long time…a very long time. His stare made her very uncomfortable. She fidgeted in her clothes and on more than one occasion, she had thought of beating the man for staring at her. However, she was a guest and she did not think her sensei would appreciate if she beat up one of the other guests.

After a while, the man caught himself and started to pick up the strewn luggage murmuring muffled apologies as he brushed past her.

Nodoka knew she would be keeping a careful eye on that one from now on. She was about to turn and head inside when she heard footsteps from the pathway. She looked out and immediately she darted outside to greet two people. The man wore a pair of slacks and a dark shirt while the woman wore a very conservative kimono. That however was not what captured Nodoka’s interest. The little bundle in the woman’s hands was what captured Nodoka’s attention. She could still see the little one squirming within her mother’s gentle hands.

Kasumi could not be described as anything other that the acme of motherhood at that moment. The popping up of a teenager right next to her son issuing cooing noises startled her, but when she saw who it was she recognised the person from her sister’s description.

"Nodoka-chan, I heard that you are Akane-chan’s new student."

Nodoka stopped her cooing for a little while to nod her head.

"Well why don’t you carry Tomo in while I escort my husband to the door."

Kasumi smiled as she saw the girl’s eyes light up as she held the baby in her hands. Kasumi was sure that Tomo was safe in that girl’s hands. The girl almost radiated with love.

"Kasumi-chan!" cried Akane pulling her sister into a tight hug as she entered the room. "How have you been and how is little Tomo?"

"I’m feeling very well Akane-chan, Tofu-chan carried us to this nice little resort he knew about near to Nofuno. It’s very lovely. Maybe you should go there on your next holiday."

Coming from Kasumi, it was more of a demand than a request. Kasumi knew that her little sister hardly left the house except for something dealing with the Dojo or with Martial Arts. She really wanted her sister to be happy but she could see the strain on her sister’s eyes every time she saw Tofu and her together, or Ukyou-chan and her husband. Everyone knew why Akane disliked weddings and why she always cried at them when she had to go to one as a matter of honour. Kasumi knew she would have to get her sister a boyfriend somehow.

"I saw some very handsome men when I was there, maybe you should go."

"Later oneechan, I still have to train Nodoka."

"Why don’t you take her with you? I’m sure she won’t mind a holiday," countered Kasumi in a sweet n loveable voice that really got to you when you were trying to win the argument.

"I’ll have to ask her mother first. Maybe she might want to come along. I heard that she has also applied for a vacation."

"That’s wonderful!" replied Kasumi. "I’ll give you a list of the restaurants you should go too. I’d be very grateful if you could get your sister to go with you. Between her business and her arrangements with the Kuno’s, she hardly ever goes out."

"I’ll try Kasumi-chan…"

"Oh Kasumi, how are you, and where’s that little bundle of joy?"

Akane was grateful for Auntie Nodoka’s save. If she had spent any more time talking to Kasumi, she would have given her a list of all the available bachelors in Nerima and the surrounding districts and probably would have made her promise to go out with some of them. It was not that she did not mind her sister trying to help her personal life, the problem was that after 21 years, she had still to find a way to say no to Kasumi without feeling bad about it.

The four women who gathered in the kitchen to cook were Kasumi, Nodoka the elder, Ukyou and Akane, although it would be unfair to say that Akane was cooking. She was the person who did the cutting and mixing. The real culinary arts were left up to those who would not make another sentient being bent on human infestation from the simple ingredients in a normal household-if the Tendo’s could ever be called normal that is.

Nodoka was left to tend the little child in the living room while Soun and Genma were playing Go or more accurately trying to out cheat each other in a game of Go. Every so often, Nodoka would find Genma’s eyes on her. He would turn away quickly, but she knew he was watching her intently from where he was sitting. Obviously of course, he was losing the board game to Soun.

Nodoka really wanted to thrash the man. She wanted to beat him to a pulp. She knew he had to be a pervert of some sort. She was accustomed to people watching her, but no one dared to look at her the way he did. It was as if he was looking for something in her.

She continued to hum softly to the little baby in her hands. It was the said little baby that caused her enough calm to prevent her from bashing the old pervert. That was until a little voice called to her in her head. She knew who was calling her and with athletic grace, she leaped with bay in tow, over the couch and table and bounded off to the gates of the Tendo Dojo. There, she met another person and smiled.

"Hi mom! Don’t you think he’s the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?"

"I don’t know No-chan. I remember some pictures of when you were smaller. Remember the one where you said your diaper was itching and you decided to crawl around the house naked and eventually ended up sleeping with Akai."

Akai was her pet panda.

Nodoka blushed.

"But he is a very cute child," agreed Tiempara.

Putting a hand into her robes, Tiempara pulled out something that resembled a miniature globe except that the globe glowed with a soft light and changed colours frequently, with one colour phasing into the next. Nodoka smiled, she remembered having one of those.

The child reached for it and it came to her hand. However, it did not stay there, it hovered over the child’s line of vision and he began to clap his hands as if some invisible instrument was playing.

Tiempara smiled, then she handed her daughter a small dish.

"I heard that there was supposed to be a family get together, so I made something for your new sensei."

Nodoka did not want to ask how her mother knew. There were certain plusses to being employed by Father Time.

Her mother then kissed both her and the child lightly on the cheek.

"I heard your Uncle is somewhere around here. Be sure to tell him that I’d like a match. It’s been ages since I’ve had a good workout."

"Okay mom…I’ll see you tomorrow?"

"Maybe, I’m still trying to get that holiday."

With that said, Tiempara disappeared again.

Nodoka returned, singing a short tune she had learned from her mother while carrying the babe and her mother’s dish. She did not mind having to see her mother only once everyday. Nodoka knew her mom was near invincible and she had promised to be there for her always. If there was anything she knew about her mother, her word was her bond.

By the time she returned to the house, to the tribute to the cooking skills of the chefs on hand, lunch was completed. Nodoka could tell from the aromas originating from the kitchen. Hopping into the kitchen lightly, Nodoka handed off her parcel to Akane with a quick word that it was from her mom. Akane blinked but did not ask any questions.

At the table, everyone was seated while Auntie Saotome brought the food. The other women there had offered to help but the Saotome Matriarch would hear nothing of it. Kasumi however had left for one of the bedrooms since it was feeding time for Tomo. All of the occupants of the house commented on the uniqueness of Tiempara’s present for Nodoka but when Akane told them about Nodoka’s mother disappearing in front of her eyes, a kind of mutual recognition passed between the members of the household. Nodoka did not want to pry but she asked why they were not alarmed by Akane’s frankness. The answer she could was equally disturbing as it was enlightening. They were accustomed to strange things happening!

She knew her father had to be living somewhere among these people. If the abnormal was normal for this family that meant her father had to be around somewhere. She knew from her mother’s own mouth that her father was a unique person. All she had to do was assemble the pieces together and form the puzzle. Only now, she had to find the pieces.

Lunch was devoured by the family gathered there and many compliments were made on Tiempara's dish. Mrs. Saotome had gone as far as to ask for the recipe. Nodoka however had to admit to the women gathered there that she did not know the recipe of the dish but promised to ask her mother when next she saw her.

Nodoka again had the pleasure of babysitting the cute little Tomo while the other women gossiped about wedding arrangements for one of the more distant Saotome cousins who was getting married later that month. Even Akane joined in but not with the fervour normally associated with women and their weddings. Maybe Akane just needed a bit more physical excitement than all that gossiping? Nodoka shrugged at the thought. Her wanderings around the house eventually brought her to the Dojo. Inside though she was shocked to see someone there waiting for her.

"What are you doing here!" spat Nodoka. She really was feeling to hit that man.

"I was waiting for you," he replied.

Was he trying something perverted? She hoped he would, then she would have an ideal reason to pummel him.

"I have something for your mother. You look a lot like her. I should have given her this a long time ago but anyway, here it is, and if you see her again, thank her for saving my heir."

The man bowed and left the Dojo quietly, leaving only a few pieces of paper tied into a bundle with string. Nodoka thought she had to change her opinion quickly. If that man knew her mother, then all the pieces of the puzzle could be found out tonight. He might be able to give her the solution too! She grabbed the bundle with her free hand and rushed off to her room to prepare her questions. Tonight, she would have to question a certain Genma Saotome.

 Archive of the Child of Innocence Scrolls