Nodoka Saotome (AST)

## Personality

Like her canon counterpart she is obsessed with her sons manliness. It is shown that whenever the subject of manliness comes up, woe be to anyone who challenges Ranma's in her presence. She is absolutely impossible on the subject, and of course Ranma always ends up in the middle of things.
While Nodoka held fast to, and took pride in, her honor as "a warrior's wife". That is no longer the case since Genma and Kasumi’s return. While canon Nadoka was so fixated on the concept of a "Man among Men" that she let Genma take a toddler Ranma away, despite literally fighting against it tooth and nail just moments before, all because Genma provided a two-part promise. This version refuses to allow Genma to train her son unless she is present and that includes training trips.

However her contempt for her husbands’ poor judgment is just a way of concealing her own guilt. As the adult is was Nodoka’s job to prevent the training trip from happening, yet she let Kasumi go any way, simply because she wanted to. Her fixation on honor caused her to agree with Genma when he insisted that she not go with them as she’d be to motherly. Nodoka hopes to at least prevent anymore disasters seeing that as the only way she could make it up to Kimiko for how much she failed her.

## History

When Genma went on the training trip with Kasumi Nodoka went to live with Soun at the Tendo residence to raise her son as well as to help Soun raise Akane and Nabiki. She debated on whether or not to make Genma a seppuku contract but decided not to feeling she had no right to dictate Kasumi’s life like that. Nodoka also acted as a mother figure for Kodachi such as helping her through her drug addiction.

Ranma commented that when Nodoka found out that Rippa was gay she nearly had a stroke.

When they returned Soun informed Genma how bad Akane and Ranma’s engagement was going. There plan on raising them together had backfired substantially Akane and Ranma saw each other more as brother and sister so were against Soun trying to force them to be together. Since it was essentially the same problem with Nabiki Genma suggested that they use Kasumi. Soun was enthusiastic about the idea. Nodoka however felt that it wouldn’t not work, but decided to keep quite.

When Kasumi returned and excited Soun and Genma and an apologetic Nodoka greeted Kasumi to tell her the news. Nodoka was getting a drink of water when she was a attracted by a noise in Ranma’s room and went to see if he was alright. The sight of a topless Kasumi straddling Ranma's prone form brought her through the door and completely into the room. Unaware that Kasumi had been trying to get a cursed Ukyo out of the room who was the one who ripped her shirt. Nodoka felt that Genma had been insufficient on teaching her the proper way for a lady to act. So after composing herself she told Kasumi to go and change so the two of them could have a chat over a cup of tea.

The two spent much of the night talking over what had happened; or rather Nodoka had talked while Kasumi could just listen and nod in all the right places. It didn’t help matters when Nodoka asked if she was a virgin her affirming it do nothing to end Nodoka's doubts. Her stress didn’t end there as the Nekoken was revealed the next day when C-chan wondered into the dojo and collapsed. After hearing about the training Nodoka could just rub her eyes in frustration at her husband’s irresponsibility.

Nodoka was getting ready for dinner wondering where everyone was and Kasumi, Akane, and Ranma should have arrived home long ago and her good for nothing husband was nowhere to be found. She went to wake up Nabiki who was taking a nap only to find her and sleeping with a curled up Kasumi. After getting over her shock she managed to stammer out their names. Nabiki ran out of the room in a panic while Kasumi just looked around in confusion. This led to another awkward conversation luckily Kasumi was rescued by the arrival of Ranma who confirmed Kasumi’s account of what happened.
This wasn’t the end of Nodoka’s stressful evening however as a little later Akane came to her with exciting news that Kasumi will let her keep C-chan. Needless to say Nodoka wasn’t happy that she agreed. Kasumi tried to play her decision off as practical stating that immersion therapy would help her overcopme her fear, but Nodoka didn’t buy it. So she admitted that she didn’t want her sister to resent her if the cat was put to sleep. Hearing this Nodoka also agreed to let the cat stay. This led to heartwarming and tearjerker conversation of Nodoka convincing Kasumi to stay when she mentioned she was thinking moving out. This naturally led her engagement to Ranma while neither really took it seriously; it brought back memories of Kasumi already being rejected for her curse. Kasumi didn’t tell Nodoka that it had been Shampoo just let her believe it was an old boyfriend. Nodoka assured Kasumi that she would find someone.

Kasumi left to tell Akane the good news Ranma came in with Ryouko. By this point Nodoka was done and just told Ranma that she was his responsibility. When Kasumi’s furniture arrived Nodoka set it up in her room while she was at school as a surprise. After shoeing off Artemis she informed Akane that it was probably time to get C-chan spayed now that tom cats were trying to sneak in.

When Cologne trapped Kasumi in her cursed form and formed Soun and Nodoka about her marriage to Shampoo. Soun started straggling Genma who had signed the marriage certificate while Nodoka argued with Cologne. Ranma, Akane, Kasumi (currently trapped in male form) and Shampoo would leave the adults to talk about this while heading off to rescue Ryouko (Ukyo in her wolf form) from Azusa. Nodoka expressed her frustration at Cologne forcing Kasumi into a marriage, only for her to explain how same sex marriages work in Joketsuzoku. Though she is an elder she is just as bound to the law as anyone else. Cologne was forcing Kasumi to remain male since it was the best interest of Shampoo.

Realizing that had been manipulated into looking like the bad guy Nodoka asked Genma to explain exactly what happened. Kasumi joined in when he returned with Cologne filling in the part that Kasumi memories were cloudy about. Hearing about how lonely and ashamed of herself for how unfeminine she was Nodoka begged Kasumi for forgiveness for not noticing how hard things were for her. Kasumi surprised at the guilt in her eyes tried to reassure her.

After they were finished with the situation not easily resolvable, it was decided Shampoo would stay with the Tendos in Akane's room. After Akane led Shampoo upstairs Nodoka comforted Kasumi again assuring her that everyone does strange things when drunk.

The next day, Shampoo would accompany Nodoka shopping and discuss matters, revealing some details of Joketsuzoku to Nodoka. On her way to bed while accompanied by Ryouko they stopped short when they heard the clatter from Kasumi's room. Only to find Kasumi struggling with a naked Kodachi when she went in to check on her. Aware of Kodachi’s usual antics she told her go to Akane’s room.

She more concerned with the various panties that lay scattered around so told Kasumi to wait in the kitchen so that they could talk about it. after preparing some tea Nodoka asked Kasumi about the panties who assured her that she had no idea how they got there. Believing her Nodoka decided to leave that mystery for later. With that out of the way Nodoka informed what she learned from Shampoo. The two talked for a bit more before Kasumi went to bed feeling a little better.

After being informed that she was taking up Mr. Hiro’s offer to watch over his restaurant. Nodoka tried to convince Kasumi that it wasn’t necessary, but Kasumi felt the need to get her own space for awhile. Her main concern was that Shampoo was going with her and she didn’t think it was wise for the two to be living alone together.

Some days later, Shampoo and Kasumi were at the Tendos for dinner when the topic moved to Kasumi’s recent training Ranma admitted that he had reached a slump. Genma offered to take Ranma on a training trip, but Nodoka refused to allow it to happen. He had already done enough damage to Kasumi and she wouldn’t allow him to the same with their son. There argument ended up leading to Soun bringing up the engagement.

While Ranma tried to deny interest in marrying Kasumi he more consciously tried not to hurt her feeling. This allowed the fathers to back him into a corner where anything he said would hurt Kasumi unless he just conceded the point. Kasumi herself could just bow her head at the two’s actions. Shampoo meanwhile repeatedly interrupted the conversation by breaks cups. Not that much later dinner had broken up, and everyone was returning to their regular activities.

When Kasumi and Shampoo were about to leave, Kasumi asked Shampoo to apologize, but she refused and left. Nodoka who had been there to send Kasumi off suggested that that she get Shampoo into school so that she could get more experience dealing with others. The three adults were horrified when Happosai suddenly showed up. Genma immediately jumped for the pond, while Soun proceeded to prostrate himself in front of the master. Even Nodoka's normal placidity was shattered. She was quick to change Genma back to true form, since if she and Soun had to deal with Happosai so did she.

Nodoka directed the others out of the room as Happosai focused his wrath on his two former students. She showed them a photo that was taken right after Soun finished building the dojo. Kasumi was shocked to see how tomboyish her mother was even initially mistaking her for a man. Nodoka informed them that there mother was martial artist as well. While Akane and Nabiki were surprised at this knowledge Kasumi was utterly devastated at this new. She looked like one of the fundamental pillars of her life had suddenly been removed.

She was brought out of it by Genma and Soun running in and presenting Ranma to Happosai to be his new heir. Nodoka initially became enraged at the thought of Happosai taking her son away, though she relented slightly told that he could train Ranma there. Ranma did impress Happosai with his durability after he slammed Ranma into the stone fence when he attacked him for his initial dismissal. Ranma managed to push through the pain, and went on the offensive again Kasumi seeing this offered herself as heir. Happosai refused, while impressed by her skill he believed that pretty girls should be cherished and not subjected to his training.

When Happosai learned of the engagement and Kasumi’s marriage to Shampoo he started questioning Ranma’s manliness. This caused Nodoka to insist on a date between Kasumi and Ranma, much to Shampoo's displeasure. After catching Kasumi in the furo with Shampoo she took Kasumi aside and told her that had already accepted that that she was gay, and she would leave it up to her to tell Soun. However Nodoka did want to stress that she hoped that Kasumi wasn’t just accepting Shampoo love merely on a basis that you believe she will get nothing more because of her curse. Realizing that after all her previous embarrassing situations there was no point in arguing Kasumi, decided to just concede the point, and focus on what Nodoka wished to know.

Nodoka agreed to let Herb stay at the Tendos and ended up starting the fight between her and Ranma when she revealed the engagement. When Nodoka went to clean Ranma’s room only to find it plastered with naken pictures of Kasumi and Shampoo, unaware that it was Happosai’s doing she began celebrating Ranma’s manliness.

As they were busy in the kitchen preparing dinner Nodoka noticed the unusual amount of attention Nabiki was paying to her work. Nabiki denied that anything was wrong when Nodoka asked her, and she was interrupted from inquiring any further by the arrival of Hidenori Kounji who wanted to warn Kasumi about something. Upon discovering that she wasn’t there he asked to spend the night. Nodoka agreed as she wanted to give him a talking to about the way he treated his daughter.

Hidenori ended up joining the family on their training trip. He warned Kasumi that Ukyo was attempting to learn their family's forbidden techniques. Gathering everyone together quickly annoying them with his attempts at being dramatic he explained the Kounji family history. Needless to say they were both amazed and horrified when he explained what those techniques could do. After Hidenori ended his tale Kasumi thanked him and began her training only for him to interrupt her again scared that she didn’t understand the danger she was in.

Kasumi explained she had little sway in Ukyo’s mind, and attempting to negotiate would simply infuriate her more. So all she could do is continue her training. Nodoka wasn’t swayed however and planned on confronting Ukyo herself , however Hidenori didn’t know where she was as she had taken the map to the shrine where the techniques were held. Everyone hung their heads at hearing this save Kasumi who felt that this fight was a long time coming, there was also the matter of her being an Amazon which meant that her losing would complicate matters even more. After Kasumi left to continue her training the others followed suit leaving Nodoka and Hidenori alone to continue the conversation they had the night before. She asked him how he met Genma and Kasumi.

Seeing how nervous Nodoka was at watching Ranma spar with his father Hidenori assured that while Genma may not be good for much, but he's an excellent trainer. However Nodoka didn’t avert her eyes. She confided in Hidenori that she felt guilty about what happened to Kasumi. Hidenori realized that she blamed herself, instead of confirming it she asked him what he planned on doing about Ukyo. However he didn’t know.

When the fight between Ukyo and Kasumi turned dangerous when a Neko Ken induced Kasumi started using the Hado Ken. Nodoka admonished her husband when he was hesitant in joining the others is rescuing Ukyo. After Ukyo defeated Kasumi Nodoka was involved in a heated discussion with Shampoo, Kasumi, and Cologne which would ultimately conclude with Shampoo stomping off, before Kasumi was forced to declare Ukyo her new wife.

Later Nodoka was about to chastise Ranma for attempting to go out with no explanation of what time he’d be back. Only to change her tune upon discover that Shampoo was going with him. Before the two left she discretely gave Ranma a pack of condoms.

Nodoka would advise Kasumi that she should tell her father about how much her and Shampoo’s relationship had advanced. While Kasumi thought about trying to hide it she immediately knew any such deception would be painfully transparent with her attempting it. Luckily Ranma had overheard the conversation and convinced his father to take the bullet.

Everyone got it into their head that since Herb was staying at the restaurant Ranma should to. Neither Ranma nor Kasumi really had any say in the matter, and while initially annoyed Ranma quickly decided to look on the bright side. They could do their morning practice in the pocket dimension left to Kasumi by Jasmine. Genma complained when Ranma brought this up, but Nodoka overruled him.

Kasumi and Shampoo told Nodoka about the Kimiko they met in Kasumi’s mind hoping that she could give them some questions to ask her that only the real Kimiko would know. Since Shampoo would be the one to ask her Kasumi left the two alone. Nodoka told Shampoo that her first question should be what the first thing Kimiko said to her when they met. She had more difficulty thinking of other questions sho she asked how things were going between Shampoo and Kasumi, given the whole Musk business.

Nodoka brushed off all of Kasumi’s other suitors for being men, she didn’t do so with Herb because of his curse, but her mentioning him not interested in assuming the form of a woman caused Shampoo to start thinking. Did Kasumi have little interest in being a man with her. Shampoo's thought was pushed aside as Nodoka brightened as another question came to her. When they returned to her later she confirmed that Kimiko had answered every question correctly.

After Palm attempted to kidnap Akane and Kodachi the rest of the Tendos and Saotomes were forced to move into the San Cheng Huang. Both Soun and Nodoka assured Kasumi that it wasn’t her fault as they made themselves at home. Soun even considered it to be a mini vacation. Though Nodoka didn’t wonder if it was wise to keep the restaurant running. Peach told her that while it probably wasn’t they should on principle. At the very least it would frustrate Palm. She did warn Kasumi to secure her employees’ safety.