Child of Innocence

By Lord Overon

Part V

It was morning in the district of Nerima in the city of Tokyo. A place that was called by many as the economic capital of the east while condemned by others as not. Still the sun rose as it had for the millions of years before and in a very quiet room it peeked through the windows onto a woman in a semi-sleeping state. She was not in bed though. She adorned a plush chair at the side of the bed. Her head hung loosely perched on her shoulder as she slept. It would seem as if any moment now, her head would fall into her lap but it had not for hours and so it would not later on. She had a long crease on the other side of her face where it had lain before on the handle of the chair; a crease that began at her forehead and disappeared somewhere near her chin. One of her hands balanced her precarious position while she was sleeping as it had while she had been forced to train under one of the older practitioners of the Anything Goes School. She had learned just why it was ‘anything goes’. The other clutched something tightly between them something she had been honour bound to fulfil.

In that hand held the letter that Tiempara had given her. It was creased and worn with oil stains from her sweat but the seal was still there. No doubt the owner of those hands, one Akane Tendo, had been pondering if it was time to open the sealed letter and no doubt her mind had rejected the offer. It lay still within her possession, its contents hidden.

The room began heating up from the cool of the night making the covers uncomfortable for Nodoka. She coughed and pulled off the covers as she awoke, the cooling air massaging her feet and refreshing her senses slightly. Akane was not oblivious to this. Training under Genma had her awake at the sound of movement. It was an unconscious thing that had taken her months to master. Ranma had, according to Genma, learned it almost subconsciously. He was so adept that he only awoke when he felt dangerous auras from people he was not accustomed too.

Akane stifled a yawn and seeing the letter in her hand she stuffed it away from prying eyes before they saw it. No words were exchanged as the two descended to the kitchen for a mild breakfast. Cereal and toast was all they had and when Nodoka moved to go back to her room to change Akane told her it would be best for her to stay home for the day. Nodoka just stared at her for a second before she understood and sat back down at the table watching the birds as they sang while they fed from the trough hanging outside the kitchen window. A legacy started by Kasumi and continued by Akane.

They changed and returned to the steps by the koi pond. They knew what they were looking for and Akane knew it was best not to say anything at the moment. She knew Nodoka needed her space. Nodoka had cried on her shoulder last night and that was the comforting part. Now came the battle for acceptance or denial, a part that was infinitely more difficult, especially so since they were not sure if anything at all had happened to her mother. One day was not a long time and it had not even been a day but Akane had seen what situation they had left Tiempara in and she knew that even the most optimistic outcomes did not seem at all convincing. Akane was not sure just what the woman was capable of but Nodoka’s worrying did not make the situation any better. Nodoka knew her mother’s abilities and if she was worried, Akane knew something was not right. Tiempara was a bit more than a friend now to her after that time in the waste. The woman was nice. Secretive and cautious but very friendly. She heard a faint knock at the door which was rather strange since most people announced themselves when they came by. Akane went to answer the door.

The first thing about the person that brought back memories was the brilliant red Chinese shirt, then the black pants, even the hair was pulled into a pigtail. Akane stood there in disbelief for a few seconds until the person asked her if she was okay.

"Um yes, fine," she answered. Then after a few moments, "How can I help you?" He was so much like Ranma that he could be mistaken from afar as a twin. True he did not have the same facial features as Ranma, his eyes were a deep brown and his hair less glossy plus Ranma never had the dark outline of a moustache that this boy had but…just the way he was dressed almost made her sweep him off his feet in a crushing embrace.

"I’m looking for Nodoka?"

"Nodoka?"

"Yes."

Akane nodded as she wondered why exactly he would be here for Nodoka. She did not question him more though as she led him to those particular stairs on which Nodoka was sitting. He walked up to her without invitation and sat with his back on the beam of the stairwell facing her. Then he bowed his head. Nodoka, as she stared out to the koi pond, barely noticed his presence. Akane watched for a little while then sat on a chair and began to read a book that she had not finished where she could observe the two. The boy might be crude in his behaviour. She had certainly not invited him to sit or stay, but Akane was not sure if that was a good or a bad thing. She began to read but the words did not really register in her mind but bounced off the surface of her consciousness.

After what seemed ages, Nodoka took her eyes off the koi pond and when she glanced around she was startled to see the boy there. He was the same one who had fought her the other time. It was the longest match she had fought but she had won the match in the end although grudgingly, he had his chances. He still looked very much the same form the last time she had seen him. His eyes were down as if he was sleeping so she reached out to shake him. Before she could though, he raised his face and stared at her.

"Hello, it seems we meet again."

Nodoka gulped as she stared into his face again. It could almost take away her pain from what she thought had happened to her mother, almost.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"The same reason you are here. Auntie has gone missing and I came to help."

"How did you get here?" she asked. "You’re not from this dimension."

"I’m not from any. I asked a favour from a god I helped and he dropped me here."

"How…how do you know my mother?"

"She…she saved me when I was little. She gave me to a group of monks and visited often. I always remembered when she came. She would always bring me something to play with or something to do. Then she trained me when I was small after I asked her too. She was like the mother I never had. She…"

"Shut up! Just shut up and leave me alone!" shouted Nodoka all of a sudden much to Akane’s and his surprise.

He stared at her and slowly got up and walked out into the yard and then into the Dojo. Akane just watched him leave and then stared hard at Nodoka’s back as she returned to staring at the pond. Nodoka lay her head on her knees and locked her hands around her legs. Akane’s anger soon melted away once she realised what had happened. All those thoughts about her mother must have brought back some memories that she had been trying not to think of. Akane could remember losing her mother when she was young but from what Tiempara told her, it seemed that Nodoka’s whole life basically revolved around her mother. Tiempara had seen her do everything had taught her almost everything. Akane did not know what Tiempara’s father did but from their conversation Akane knew the Tiempara could almost be convicted of spoiling her daughter.

Akane sighed. She knew what Nodoka must feel like to have most of her world ripped away from her in a second. She could not help the girl more though, unless Nodoka asked or came to her. She had reassured Nodoka enough the day before and that morning and saying something else might just push her over the edge.

After some time staring at the pond, Nodoka gathered herself and headed for the Dojo followed by Akane who kept a safe distance and stayed near the open door of the Dojo on the pretence of doing some gardening. Inside, Nodoka walked in while the boy just sat there in a yoga position that few knew. That was when Nodoka knew that he had been speaking the truth. That particular position was only known by a few and the only few that Nodoka knew who knew that form of yoga were high up in the mountains of Kashmir where barely anyone visited or had been training at some time with her mother. It was an excellent form for bringing relaxation to a troubled mind.

"Could you…could you tell me again about my mother?" she asked softly, barely a whisper from the doorframe.

His hand just motioned to the floor in front of him and she sat where his hand patted the ground.

"My mother stayed with me until she died when I was ten. She made Auntie Koma promise to take care of me until I was old enough. Your mom carried me to a monastery and they looked after me when she wasn’t there. She…she was almost like another mother to me when she came. She couldn’t bring me here, to your dimension, but she did her best to live up to her promise."

"Yes," sniffed Nodoka, "She always kept her promises. (pause) How…how did you know to come here?"

"She…she was very apprehensive yesterday when she visited me and then she disappeared all of a sudden… I…I was worried and when she didn’t come back, I used this to come here."

He showed her a small crystal that enclosed a white stone.

"A wishing stone! How did you get that!" asked a surprised Nodoka.

"Unlike you," he smirked at Nodoka, "I have to go on adventures for my training. This is something I picked up along the way as a gift." He handed it to Nodoka who stared at it expectantly. It did not glow in the middle though so she knew the wish had been spent.

"Could you…could you tell me what happened?" he asked.

That however was not the best question he should have asked. The heat returned to Nodoka’s face and she turned around as she began to cry, too proud to let her rivals see her in a weakened state. When he placed a hand on her shoulder though, she could not resist the instinctual urge and cried on his shoulder.

After a few minutes her sniffling stopped and she semi-jokingly laughed to relieve her embarrassment and worry.

"Here I am crying on your shoulder and I don’t even know you name."

"Sano, call me Sano."

"Thank you Sano."

"You are very welcome Nodoka-san," he replied as he released her. "I know what will make you feel better."

"Hnn?"

"How about a little match?"

"No, I’m not feeling like sparring."

"What are you saying that you give in? Wow, I’ve defeated you already?" he added mockingly. "You’re not so tough as people say you are. Your mom gives you too much credit."

"What!" shouted Nodoka as she got to her feet. "Take that back!"

"Nope," he replied as he shook his head. "Not unless you spar with me."

"Then I’ll wipe that smirk from off your face."

"I’d like to see you try," taunted Sano.

Akane chuckled as she watched the pair. Maybe he was here to help Nodoka. The letter was still in her hand though and thoughts of opening it still flittered across her mind.

The two battled until late when Akane stopped them. She herded Nodoka off to dinner after forcibly throwing the both of them into the koi pond. Akane still wondered how she managed that feat. The two soaking teens glared at each other while they ate much to Akane’s delight. The controlled animosity in the room was a lot better than the withdrawn depression that had rested around the house earlier that morning. Nodoka kept trying to shovel the food into her mouth and Akane constantly had to remind the girl about her table manners.

Nodoka finished her dinner way in advance of Sano but Akane’s glare prevented her from challenging the boy, instead, Akane asked her to wash up the dishes afterwards. Nodoka fumed for a second but reluctantly gathered the dishes and carted them off to the kitchen. Akane wondered if the boy was both intrigued and a little frightened by Nodoka’s sudden intensity of anger. Before Nodoka could ready to challenge Sano again though Akane ordered her to bed in such a way that stated she would not take no for an answer. Nodoka pouted but Akane held firm.

Akane was not worried too much about Sano as she tucked Nodoka into bed and sat in the chair to watch her. She objected strenuously but when Akane exerted her sensei privileges, she quieted down and soon she was sleeping though her dreams were very disturbed. Akane made sure to give Sano a bed in one of the guestrooms. She might not know him too well but he just might be the ticket to keeping Nodoka’s mind away from her mother.

Nodoka awoke earlier that morning and exited the room quietly so that Akane would not hear her. Softly she made her way to the other rooms and peering inside each of them, she found no one. Reluctantly she headed to the Dojo alone. It was in fact the only place she could think without feeling overwhelmingly depressed and worried. Martial arts was the only thing at the moment that offered her a release from all those emotions she felt were pent up in her. She noiselessly made her way to the Dojo and slid inside.

As she slid inside the dark enclosure of the Dojo, she felt a presence and as she turned around she covered her mouth to prevent her gasp from waking the person. Sano was there, sleeping on the ground, his hands behind his head. Nodoka froze there for a few minutes before she eventually sat down away from him, watching.

She didn’t know what it was but just sitting there in silence, watching him brought her a strange sort of peace. It brought her a strange centre and calm. She was still worried about her mother but that bounded across her thoughts and did not penetrate as she sat. It remained in the back where it did not bother her other thoughts about the boy in front of her.

While they had been battling she had not really observed him, she became one with the art and fighting was all that encompassed her attention. He had given her a good workout and there were only a few people she knew who could do that. She saw why he could do that too. She could see some of the moves and combinations her mother had taught her in his attacks and he had incorporated a solid defence as she had an attack. Her defence was not sloppy but she preferred to be more aggressive while the boy in front of her tended to be more laid back and selective in his attacks. She was for the first time seeing him as she had less than a year ago.

He had grown, she could tell. He had also filled out more as she could see from the muscle formation from his hands and feet. She remembered clothes like that, indeed she wore them all the time during training. They were comfortable and afforded unrestricted movement while still being stylish. If you didn’t have style, you shouldn’t be fighting. Plus she liked looking good. He was still as handsome as he had been then, maybe even more so.

She wondered how her mom had met him and why she had not mentioned any of this to her before. That was when she first felt it, a pinprick in her mind but strong enough for her to know what or who it was. With that little sensation, her whole demeanour changed and her eyes lit up.

"Mom!" she shouted and sprinted out of the Dojo. She knew her mom was okay; she knew it from the beginning. She clenched her fists ready to give her mother a good mouth to mouth battle. If there was one thing she may have had a chance winning, it was a verbal battle with her mother although that too was slim. Her mother had the experience advantage on her.

Nodoka was all and out sprinting as she headed towards the area that she felt that little pinprick in her mind. She jumped over a few walls leaving dazed expressions on those who saw her in her ki-powered state. Houses too did not matter since they were just obstacles to be jumped over and on. She had been in such a great rush that it took her a few seconds to realise she had overran the signal she was getting. Determined to find her mom quickly, she jumped down off of the roof and onto the street, following that small little signal at the back of her mind.

She was still sprinting since her stamina was not like that of a normal person. She stopped though when she saw a small park ahead with a stream running through it. She shouted her mother’s name but got no response. She slowly surveyed the area, that little pinprick had served its purpose but it had its limits and this was one of them. She knew her mother was around here somewhere, now why was she hiding. Nodoka spotted a flailing white cloth in the wind behind a tree and excitedly ran towards it, when she turned towards the tree though she froze.

Sano was following a trail and as he had in so many adventures, he relied on the abilities and gifts he had been given during his trials. Auntie Noma had been there to help him though, she had appeared from time to time to give him words of advice or show him a particular technique. She had been his mother and his teacher for so long after his mother died. That was the reason he was here, yes, that was the reason. He hadn’t even known that Auntie Noma had a daughter until a year ago and he had been anxious to see if she was better than he was. He had after all trained and had all those benefits from his adventures. Wallowing in his pride though, he had forgotten to take the most important thing into account: the girl was Auntie Noma’s daughter! And, could she fight!

If he had thought she would have been a walkover from her lack of real adventures he was wrong. Auntie had taught her well and when they had fought he realised she was better than he was.

He was still able to hold his end and get a couple of hits in but she, she was something else. He had held her off for a long time as he wove in and out through her attacks, most of them missing by mere micrometers. Damn she was good, he had had to rely on all his speed to dodge her and when she did get an attack in, it may not have been precise but the strength behind it was…

He was still following the trail with the senses that he had. He had been granted the gift to track people and animals by following their ki patterns. He could still see Nodoka’s pattern as it faded while he ran. He was here to help Auntie; that was why. And to defeat the girl. He knew something had happened and he owed, respected and loved Auntie Noma too much to stand around and do nothing. He was here for her, not that proud, tomboyish girl who beat him. No, that was not the reason why he was following.

Why had she come to the Dojo anyway, and why had she sat down? She thought he had been sleeping but he had not been. He had learned a special sleep technique from camping out all over the place. You could always tell if someone was trustworthy by how they acted while they thought you were asleep. From years of practice, he had his breathing control down cold and he could make his aura resemble that of a sleeping person while he was lying down, but he was not sleeping though. It was a kind of semi-hibernation and was extremely useful.

She had sat there and had watched him at a distance. He had not reacted until she had shouted and bounded out the Dojo. A crash came from inside the house but instinctively he knew that the action would be with Nodoka and he had grown addicted to action.

The trace led him outside a small park. Nodoka had only been there less than a second ago and he thought he had heard her call her mother though when he was on the trail, he had a tendency to blank out every other sense perception. He looked around and easily spotted her from the red streaks in her and the white blouse she had chosen to wear as it shone like a small beacon in the dim light. It was strange that she was not moving and realising that something could be wrong, he sprinted towards her. When he reached by her side though, he never expected what he saw before him.

He had seen many things in his adventures but he was not prepared for what was in front of him. There, propped against the tree was his beloved aunt, and she was bleeding. Her breath came in ragged gasps and he could not tell if she was conscious or not. He bent down towards her body and examined her clothes. There were red blotches in some places and no one needed to tell him what to do. He gathered her up in his arms: probably the worse thing to do when someone was injured but he doubted that if they didn’t get her help in time that she would live. He did not know where the nearest hospital was but he did know one person who would be able to help them. Nodoka still stood there watching, her face frozen in time. He knew she was in shock.

"Nodoka, come!" he shouted.

No response.

"Nodoka come with me!" he shouted again.

She moved slightly.

He had no time for that though. He needed to get Auntie Noma help and with her in his hands he ran out of the park.

At full speed he ran to the Dojo and he was glad to hear the sounds of someone following him. He only knew one person who could catch up to him and that meant that Nodoka had snapped out of her shock. He would have never thought that running would have taken so much out of him and he could feel Nodoka’s presence as she gained on him but he knew this was a race against something even he had no control over.

He bypassed the house and ran directly into the dojo laying her on the Dojo floor. He had a bag with him and he was hurrying to find something in it to help his Aunt. That was when Akane popped into the Dojo.

He had expected her to be as shocked as Nodoka was but she wasn’t instead she rushed towards Tiempara and began assessing the situation.

"Nodoka, go get some rags and hot water from the kitchen. Sano go to telephone and ring up Dr. Tofu, his name is in the address book," she ordered. Hearing no movement she stared at the two. "Didn’t you hear what I said," she scolded. "Now move!"

That seemed to do the trick as the two teens scampered out of the Dojo to fulfil their tasks.

Akane had been trained in first aid under Tofu and Kasumi’s insistence and had to use that training several times in emergencies before. She had been asked by Tofu to help him and Kasumi at times when the clinic was full. She had seen the worse things that could happen to people. Someone had chopped off a finger while cooking another had been stabbed in his feet by glass when his windowpane fell right at his feet. Through all that she had kept her calm and her detachment but it was hard to do that with the woman in front of her. Akane knew Tiempara from their long talks in the waste and she knew Nodoka. Tiempara was more than a friend to her, almost a sister. It was hard staying detached. It was hard holding back the tears.

Akane could see the red blotches on what had been before pristine white clothing. Akane knew she had to see the damage and finding the seam in the cloak, she made a hole with her finger and started tearing it apart. A wet bloody hand stopped her from tearing it too much though. Akane peered up and knew that Tiempara was awake. The woman still had that aura about her where Akane could not make out the woman’s features but Akane knew she was awake.

"Akane…" she whispered hoarsely.

"Yes, I’m here…"

"Call, call No-chan, and…"

At that point the two had returned but seeing Tiempara clutching Akane’s hand, they ran and knelt at her side. Nodoka grasped her other hand tightly.

"Ma!"

Tiempara smiled at her as Nodoka gazed down where Akane had torn the cloak. There was blood there, a lot of blood but for Akane to tear the cloak meant…

"My time is coming," spoke Tiempara softly

"No!" shouted Nodoka, "You’re going to…"

Tiempara squeezed her hand and smiled again.

"We’re all human daughter. My time is coming…yours will too some day."

Tiempara raised her other hand with some effort and grasped Sano’s hand. "Your mother asked me a favour when she was dying now I ask the same of you. Watch over my daughter…"

"Mom!"

"Shh…No-chan…still stubborn to the last." She held both their hands and brought them together. "Take care of…of each other." Then she turned her head towards Akane with great difficulty and smiled at her. Pain was etched on Tiempara’s face and she was visibly concentrating to hold her own. She needed to tell Akane something and that drew Akane closer to her mouth where she had the chance of hearing what the woman wanted to say to her. "Don’t forget…" she whispered

Then, her grip on her two children slackened and her head lolled to the side slowly.

"Mom! Mom! Wake up! You can’t die on me! Mom!" shouted Nodoka as she held her mother’s hand fiercely and tried to shove her awake.

"She’s gone Nodoka," whispered Sano.

"No she’s not!" shouted Nodoka as she beat her fist against his chest. He caught her the second time and the second time she wrapped her other hand around him and she cried mercilessly into his shirt.

Akane watched the two of them as Nokoka wept loudly at the passing of her mother and as Sano shed silent tears. His flowed down his face freely in silence as he held Nodoka and comforted her while comforting himself at the same time.

Akane pulled out a sheet and covered Nodoka’s face. She had seen people die before and it was never easy. She too allowed a few tears to escape as she crept to the bathroom to wash her hands. Her hands were covered with blood and she watched as the water turned red before it disappeared down the drain. She always hated seeing someone die. She had not been there when her mother died. She had seen other people die though. They had been in clinic and nothing could be done for them. It was always a sad and sombre occasion. This time though she felt a little part of her go too. She had known this woman more than the others. Tiempara had told her a lot over that period of time. There had been a lot of talk about Nodoka, Tiempara had practically given her the whole of Nodoka’s life-story. It was as if the woman was expecting this to happen. It was a possibility…

Akane sighed and looked for the towel to wipe her hands. Finding none, she wiped her hands in the trousers she was wearing and heard a familiar crinkling of paper. She reached in the pocket and pulled out the paper. She hurried to the Dojo to give it to Nodoka but when she got inside, Sano was still comforting her and Nodoka was still staring at her mother and holding her hand.

Akane knew she should not disturb them and silently she made her way back to the living room with the letter in her hand. She remembered that the letter was for her to read. She used her nails to break open the seal and began to read. Her hands began to shake uncontrollably as she read the letter and her soul wrenching ‘no’ shattered all the glass in the room.

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