Ranma CMO Post

[nerdietalk]

(Source)

Stupid 90s aesthetic romance central.

Comments

[hououji]

Everyone has secrets they don't want others to know about. I can respect that.

But I hope one day, you'll trust me with that, too.

[fluidgender]

[Ack.]

My secrets aren't the kind that I worry about trusting others with.

[She just worries about anyone trusting her again.]

[hououji]

Then why would it be a good thing I know so little about you?

[fluidgender]

My record isn't impressive with the fates of people who've gotten to know me.

[hououji]

That’s was under a different house. We do our best to keep everyone safe…

[fluidgender]

S'why its better that I'm a new person here. The Curse of the Saotome House can't follow.

[hououji]

You aren’t cursed from that household. You’re free from them. You don’t have to be afraid of that anymore.

[fluidgender]

I'm not afraid. [Its automatic, trained.] Its just strategic.

[hououji]

The wheel of fortune is always spinning. You could be you and bring all of us great luck. Nothing is set.

[fluidgender]

If nothing is set, you'd have any choice for the future, right? So what's yours?

[hououji]

A happy one. Where my people are safe and prosper.

[fluidgender]

[She glares.]

That’s the country’s future, not yours. What’s the future you want for yourself?

[hououji]

Those are intertwined now. If the country does well, I will too. I’ll be the head of the kingdom…

It’s still a new idea to me. For now, that’s what I have to focus on.

[fluidgender]

That's the problem. If future isn't set, you don't have to rule it. But it sounds like its your only choice. And that's not a choice.

[hououji]

Then… I’ve made the choice not to run away. This is my responsibility.

[fluidgender]

Its your responsibility. But is it what you want?

[hououji]

I want the people around me safe and happy. And if I abdicate the throne, that won’t happen.

It’s the only way for me to be at peace.

[fluidgender]

So the family into which we are born decides everything after all.

[hououji]

I don’t think that’s it. If I wanted, I could turn my back on my family and responsibilities.

But I don’t want to do that.

[fluidgender]

So saying no means hurting your family…

[hououji]

Saying no means hurting people I love. And that’s something I try not to do.

I know what it is to regret things undone.

[fluidgender]

[Intellectually, she understands that her family experience is unique in bad ways.

But she doesn’t know what good parenting looks like and it’s hard for her to recognize it in the Queen.]

Lady Saotome said that disobeying the family was a lot like killing her and her husband. Saying no was a knife in her heart.

[hououji]

That’s awful! How manipulative…

[fluidgender]

I don't think... anyone in the Saotome house was used to thinking that there was any other decision to make. Until it was too late.

You should have options too.

[hououji]

You must understand… this is what I choose. I’m happy to do this. I want to be a good ruler—no matter what that means.