After returning to the base, Asuka wearily flopped onto the couch, exhausted by his traumatic experience.

This earth is messed up, Asuka thought. He pulled his left foot up onto his lap and gently rubbed the dirt off of his now raw skin. Explicit material in kid's shows, masseurs who sexually harass their customers . . . what next?

Just then Ranru burst through the door. Asuka quickly threw his foot off his lap. "Ranru! This isn't what it looks like!"

"Asuka?" she exclaimed, walking over toward him. "Look like what? Is everything okay? You've been acting really weird lately. And what happened back there? You just ran off right in the middle of your massage."

Asuka's cheeks reddened, and he turned away in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. Ranru sat down on the couch next to him.

"Asuka, it's okay. You can tell me, whatever it is."

"It's just . . . everything is just really weird here," he admitted. "I'm not used to living like this."

"Oh," she said softly. "I see. You're not acclimated."

Asuka nodded.

"Well, don't worry, Asuka. I'll do my best to help you feel at home here. How about I give you a massage? Your feet could use it, after you ran like that." She smiled at him.

Asuka's eyes widened in horror. "What? You want to massage my feet?!"

"Um, yes," Ranru said quizzically.

"But, Ranru-san, I just met you!" he cried.

Ranru sighed. She could see that she was going to have to be very patient with Asuka. "Asuka," she said calmly. "On this world, it's okay for me to give you a foot massage. As a friend."

"Really?" he asked.

"Of course."

Asuka shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Finally, he burst out, "I can't do it! I'm sorry, Ranru-san, but I'm a married man!" With that, he took off running, in the direction of his room.

Ranru stared after him, feeling both confused and saddened by what she'd seen. What does he mean, 'a married man'? She wondered. Is he that self-conscious?

Just then, Ryoga and Sanjyou came in. "Hey, Ranru," Ryoga said in his usual cheerful manner.

"Hey," she returned, her tone fully conveying her distance.

"Is everything okay?" Ryoga asked.

She sighed. "I'm worried about Asuka."

Sanjyou rolled his eyes. "Did he hear the garbage disposal and faint again?"

Ranru narrowed her eyes at him. Sanjyou could be so unsympathetic sometimes. "No. He's been acting strangely lately, saying he's a 'married man' anytime I want to do something with him."

"Who knows?" Ryouga said. "Maybe it's just a Dragon Person thing."

"I don't know. He said he wasn't used to it here."

"Maybe he's just having a bad day," Sanjyou offered.

"Maybe," she said. "Still, I think we should be a little extra nice to Asuka. Make him feel welcome here. After all, he's so stressed out all the time. It's the least we could do."

"Okay," Ryouga said enthusiastically.

"I guess," Sanjyou said. "Whatever it is, he'll probably be back to normal by tomorrow."

"I hope so," Ranru said. She looked at the door Asuka had just slammed, and then said under her breath, "I just wish I knew what was bugging him so much."