{Part 13- Spirit Sorrows}
Tofu: "I'm sorry, Mr. Tendo, but I can't seem to understand why Ranma's in such bad shape. You
say he won't eat, he won't sleep, he sits on the roof all day and all night, and the only thing he ever
does is mutter Akane?"
Soun nods sadly. The loss of Akane has hit him badly, but inexplicably, he doesn't feel too much
about it. Neither does anybody else in the group feel that badly about losing Akane.
Tofu scratches his chin as he looks up at the roof of the Tendo Dojo and at the scrawny, shabby
figure sitting on it.
Tofu: "Just what did happen to Akane anyway?"
Soun: ".... I.... I don't know. She said she couldn't go home, and.... disappeared."
Tofu: "You said you were on some island?"
Soun: "Yes."
Tofu: "Any details?"
Soun: "I....... can't..... remember!"
Tofu 'hmmms' while pondering the answer, then Soun gestures towards his house.
Soun: "But where are my manners, Tofu-sensei? Come, come, sit first. Ranma isn't going
anywhere anyway.... and it's rude to keep a guest standing around."
Tofu: "Thank you, Mr. Tendo."
Tofu enters the house and sits down with everyone else, while Soun personally serves the tea,
Kasumi having gone out shopping. As Tofu sips the tea, he looks at everyone gathered around the
table. It's been a week since everyone returned from the island, and Nabiki's looking much
healthier now than a week ago. Putting his cup down, Tofu looks around. The house seems so
much emptier without Akane around, so much quieter with Ranma doing nothing at all.
Tofu: "What you're all telling me is, none of you can remember what happened just a week ago,
save you were stranded on an island and Akane didn't....can't come home with you?"
Soun, Genma and Nabiki nod. Tofu looks up for a moment, then back at them.
Tofu: "I would put that down to a case of severe shock then. People tend to forget under stress.
Maybe I should go and find someone else to interview first...."
Voice: "Is Ranchan feeling better?"
As everyone turns to look, Ukyo comes walking up the stone path leading to the house, looking
up at something.
As she reaches the porch, she looks at the assembled group.
Ukyo: "Hm.... looks like Ranma-honey's still pining.... poor boy. He must be lovesick."
Stepping into the house, Ukyo sits at the table along with everyone else. She sees Tofu and gives
him a slight bow.
Ukyo: "Ah, konnichiwa, Tofu-sensei. Have you come to see to Ranchan?"
Tofu bows back, and nods.
Tofu: "I am at that. But... so far nobody's been able to remember anything."
Ukyo looks thoughtful at the hinted sentence, and nods.
Ukyo: "I remember a little, but not much...."
Tofu: "Oh, shall we-"
Cute Voice: "Nihao! Nekohanten delivery!"
Everyone turns to look, and Shampoo appears with a delivery box in hand. Trotting up to the
house the same way Ukyo did, looking up at the roof, Shampoo sighs.
Shampoo: "Aiyah.... Ranma still crying over stranded Akane?"
Everyone nods as Shampoo joins the group, setting her box away from Genma. Tofu looks at
them all, and is about to start before a few more voices interrupt him. Soon, the house is filled
with everyone who ever went on the trip, and Tofu has his hands full with them.
-=-=-=-=-
Ranma:
Looking skywards, as he has been for the past week, Ranma sighs again. Hunger and thirst
inconsequential, all that Ranma can think of is Akane and how they parted. Oh, sure, getting
home was a wonderful relief from the discomforts of the island, but things slowly became hell.
Everywhere Ranma looked, he thought he saw Akane. Phantom voices in the air made him think
of Akane. In dreams he kept dreaming of Akane. It wouldn't end. Oh, sure, the attention lavished
on him by Ukyo and Shampoo was great, but it wasn't.... true. And the worst thing was, nobody
seemed to remember very much about their incident on the Dark Isle. Well, Ranma remembered it
every step of the way, and everything that lead back to Akane. In fact, even as he stares at the
clouds, he imagines he's seeing Akane's face, smiling at him, up in the clouds. He smiles back, but
knows it's just an illusion.
-=-=-=-=-
Sekki: "Akane dear, you have got to stop pining over Ranma. It's already been a week, and you're
still thinking about him?"
Akane sighs sadly and nods. Flicking away a small beetle crawing on the stone besides her, Akane
rests her chin on the back of her hand as Sekki ponders the situation. The two are by the lakeside,
lying on some left-behind beach blankets, getting a very complete tan. Sekki shrugs.
Sekki: "Akane, you know he won't be coming back to you. Not now, not ever. Forget him. He'll
be dead long after you're 20 by our reckoning of age."
Akane sighs sadly again, then closes her eyes for a moment.
Akane: "But.... it's so hard not to think about him. It seems almost as if everywhere I go, I hear
his voice, see his face. I can't stand it, Sekki. Sometimes I think I'll go mad."
Sekki: "Succubi and demons don't go mad. They're either born that way or not. Akane, don't
worry.... you'll get used to the loneliness."
Sekki reaches over to stroke Akane's shoulder, but Akane pushes it away and gives her an angry
glare.
Akane: "And how would you know anyway!? You've been one since you were born!"
Sekki: "Akane, it doesn't mean succubi can't have feelings. Heck, all demons have them, just a
little warped. Let me tell you about one man I cared about the most.... a long time ago."
-=-=-=-=-
While Tofu listens to the bits and pieces of the story told by everyone, he nods approvingly as a
piece here makes someone remember a piece there. Slowly, their memories return as more and
more things are revealed. Finally, somberly and soberingly, Tofu nods in understanding as
everything is revealed.
Tofu: "I see. I never thought it was true... demons were supposed to be rather rare, I never knew
there were so many."
Ryouga: "Well, we found an entire island full of them. And I got a shirt to prove it. Now that I
remember it.... the woman called Sekki told us about what she did with Akane...."
Tofu: "Really? I never heard that part before."
Ryouga: "Well, Akane also told me this, so here goes....."
-=-=-=-=-
Sleep steals over Ranma like a shroud. Without warning, without mercy. Ranma feels himself
getting more and more weary as he sits on the roof, and is unsuccessful at keeping his eyes open.
Finally, he gives himself over to the embrace of sleep. A cold, dark sleep.
Darkness falls over him.
-=-=-=-=-
A few hours later, Ranma wakes up. He is under a warm blanket, with a roof over his head and
several concerned people looking at him. First and foremost is Ryoga, who is the first to notice
his stirring. He quickly calls to the rest of the group sitting in a corner, talking.
Ryouga: "He's awake! Ranma's awake!"
In a rush of excited and relieved voices, the group clambers over to Ranma's futon. Placing
themselves around him in a circle, Ukyo sits opposite Ryouga. Ranma turns his head to look at
her.
Ranma: "Hi, Ucchan...."
Ukyo: "Ranma-honey, you look like you got your soul sucked out."
Ranma: "Feel like it...."
Ranma is a pitiful sight. Redefining the terms "Bag of bones", Ranma is so skinny and weak Ukyo
has to force feed him some high-energy soup and help him swallow it down. Looking on, Ryouga
sighs.
Ryouga: "Ranma, you stupid fool, you just had to let yourself waste away like that, didn't you?
You're damned lucky I was there to catch you when you went tumbling off the roof unconscious."
Ranma just looks at them tiredly, eyes barely opening for want of strength. The rest of the family
joins them and they begin fussing over Ranma. Nobody notices Ryouga leaving the crowd and
wandering into the hallway of the Dojo, deep in thought.
Ryouga :
-=-=-=-=-
Akane : "......ah? You what!?"
Sekki : "Why not? Why couldn't I? He couldn't leave anyway."
Akane : "Aw, but did you HAVE to?"
Sekki : "No, I didn't, but I didn't care then."
Akane shakes her head and sighs as Sekki giggles amusedly at her expression.
Sekki : "Aw, come on Akane. Can't I kiss a priest?"
Akane : "A PRIEST! And he looked like an APE for goodness sakes! Couldn't you find someone
else better looking!?"
Sekki shrugs, feigning ignorance.
Sekki : "Well, he was attractive in almost every sense of the word.... and he did subdue that Jakou
no oni...."
Akane : "Well, he's gone and you have one heck of a reminder. How's that for memories?"
Sekki shrugs again, this time genuinely and with real ignorance behind it.
Sekki : "I don't know. I really don't. But I miss him now and then.... and I was the one who
helped him defeat Kuriimu the first time 'round."
Akane : "No wonder Lina was so angry. That... and well....."
The two look at each other for a few moments, then lean back onto the blankets and stare up into
the sun. A few minutes later, Akane rolls onto her front and leans her head on her arms.
The warm heat on her bare back and soft sand underneath her slowly lull her into an embracing
sleep, one filled with dreams of Ranma.......
Akane : I wish you were here, Ranma.... I'm so lonely....
-=-=-=-=-
As Tofu ushers everyone away from Ranma, he takes Ranma's pulse. Weak, but steady. No fear
of dying here.
Tofu : "Now, Ranma. I know it's hard on you, but you must get your strength back, understood?
You won't do anyone any good dead. Now, drink up the prescription soup and get some sleep."
Getting up from Ranma's side, Tofu dusts his hands and walks towards the group, where
everyone is anxiously waiting for his prognosis. As everyone leaves the room on Tofu's advice,
Ranma eyes the bowl of soup besides him.
Ranma :
He weakly rolls over to reach the bowl, and drinks down the sweet liquid in a single gulp. Feeling
much better already, he lies back down on his futon and stares at the ceiling as a warm sleep
overtakes him.
Ranma :
-=-=-=-=-
Time passes....
Five days go by in the summer holidays rather uneventfully.
This is the sixth day.
Over the course of a few days, Ranma gets better. Much to the delight of Ukyo and Shampoo,
who of course, fuss over him with all possible care while keeping the rivalry between them very
much alive. One such day during his gradual recovery, Soun watches as Ranma works himself out
in the dojo while sipping a cup of tea. Genma-panda is sitting besides him, chewing on the tender
leaves of a bamboo shoot.
Soun : "Saotome-kun?"
Genma (C) : *bwoark* "Yes, Tendo-kun?"
Soun : "Now that.... that Akane's gone..... what do you intend to do with Ranma?"
Genma (C) : *bworkok?* "Why, find him a wife as soon as possible of course, Tendo-kun!"
Soun : "Any wife?"
Genma (C) : "If there's food, sure. Ukyo's a good choice. So's that chinese girl."
Soun : "............"
Soun's eyebrow twitches dangerously as Genma continues snacking on the bamboo, oblivious to
the warning signals from Soun.
*ring* *riiiiiiiing*
Soun hops aside, still in his sitting position, as a bicycle lands on the back of Genma's head ridden
by a purple haired amazon. Ranma stops his training as he turns to watch Shampoo dismount the
bike, step on Genma's head once to retrieve the delivery box from the back of the bike, then steps
on his head again walking to Ranma.
Genma (C) : "Ouch. Ouch."
Shampoo : "Nihao, Ranma! How is Shampoo Ai Ren today?"
Ranma : "Fine, fine....."
Shampoo : "Shampoo bring Ai Ren beef noodles! Still hot, make speci... sp.. for Ranma alone!"
Ranma watches tiredly as Shampoo pulls out a steaming bowl from the box, the smell of it not
eliciting any of the usual responses from him. Shampoo looks rather concerned at this, but covers
it up with a false smile.
Shampoo : "Ai Ren eat! Shampoo feed?"
Ranma : "No-"
Voice : "Okonomiyaki for Ranchan! Is he there?"
Shampoo's smile dies on her face as she hears the voice of her current most eligible enemy, and a
frown creases her face. Eyebrow twitching, Shampoo turns to look at the source of the voice.
Shampoo :
"Aiyah! Pizza girl come again!?"
Ukyo comes trotting into the dojo, cardboard okonomiyaki delivery box in hand. Her eyes thin
down into dangerous slits as she spots Shampoo already there with Ranma-honey, and Shampoo
returns the favor.
Ukyo : "Well, you're here already? Forget it, Ranchan will eat only my food alone because he
cares for me more, right, Ranma honey?"
Shampoo : "Pizza girl talking hot air! Shampoo food best, Ranma like Shampoo cooking more!
Right, Ai ren?"
Ukyo : "He does not!"
Shampoo : "Does to!"
Ranma tiredly walks away from the two as welding sparks cross between the two and out the
dojo, hands undoing his gi's belt as he heads for the bathroom.
Ranma :
Stripping down in the changing room and stepping into the bathroom itself, Ranma nods in
appreciation of Kasumi's forethought to fill the tub with lots of hot water before his entrance.
Ranma :
Stepping into the hot tub straight away, Ranma sighs as it loosens some taut and tense muscles
around his shoulder blades and abdomen, the first effective hot bath in quite a while. In fact, he
feels so relaxed he begins to drift off into an unsure slumber, not even aware of the fact himself.
Tofu: "I'm sorry, Mr. Tendo, but I can't seem to understand why Ranma's in such bad shape. You
say he won't eat, he won't sleep, he sits on the roof all day and all night, and the only thing he ever
does is mutter Akane?"
Soun nods sadly. The loss of Akane has hit him badly, but inexplicably, he doesn't feel too much
about it. Neither does anybody else in the group feel that badly about losing Akane.
Tofu scratches his chin as he looks up at the roof of the Tendo Dojo and at the scrawny, shabby
figure sitting on it.
Tofu: "Just what did happen to Akane anyway?"
Soun: ".... I.... I don't know. She said she couldn't go home, and.... disappeared."
Tofu: "You said you were on some island?"
Soun: "Yes."
Tofu: "Any details?"
Soun: "I....... can't..... remember!"
Tofu 'hmmms' while pondering the answer, then Soun gestures towards his house.
Soun: "But where are my manners, Tofu-sensei? Come, come, sit first. Ranma isn't going
anywhere anyway.... and it's rude to keep a guest standing around."
Tofu: "Thank you, Mr. Tendo."
Tofu enters the house and sits down with everyone else, while Soun personally serves the tea,
Kasumi having gone out shopping. As Tofu sips the tea, he looks at everyone gathered around the
table. It's been a week since everyone returned from the island, and Nabiki's looking much
healthier now than a week ago. Putting his cup down, Tofu looks around. The house seems so
much emptier without Akane around, so much quieter with Ranma doing nothing at all.
Tofu: "What you're all telling me is, none of you can remember what happened just a week ago,
save you were stranded on an island and Akane didn't....can't come home with you?"
Soun, Genma and Nabiki nod. Tofu looks up for a moment, then back at them.
Tofu: "I would put that down to a case of severe shock then. People tend to forget under stress.
Maybe I should go and find someone else to interview first...."
Voice: "Is Ranchan feeling better?"
As everyone turns to look, Ukyo comes walking up the stone path leading to the house, looking
up at something.
As she reaches the porch, she looks at the assembled group.
Ukyo: "Hm.... looks like Ranma-honey's still pining.... poor boy. He must be lovesick."
Stepping into the house, Ukyo sits at the table along with everyone else. She sees Tofu and gives
him a slight bow.
Ukyo: "Ah, konnichiwa, Tofu-sensei. Have you come to see to Ranchan?"
Tofu bows back, and nods.
Tofu: "I am at that. But... so far nobody's been able to remember anything."
Ukyo looks thoughtful at the hinted sentence, and nods.
Ukyo: "I remember a little, but not much...."
Tofu: "Oh, shall we-"
Cute Voice: "Nihao! Nekohanten delivery!"
Everyone turns to look, and Shampoo appears with a delivery box in hand. Trotting up to the
house the same way Ukyo did, looking up at the roof, Shampoo sighs.
Shampoo: "Aiyah.... Ranma still crying over stranded Akane?"
Everyone nods as Shampoo joins the group, setting her box away from Genma. Tofu looks at
them all, and is about to start before a few more voices interrupt him. Soon, the house is filled
with everyone who ever went on the trip, and Tofu has his hands full with them.
-=-=-=-=-
Ranma:
Looking skywards, as he has been for the past week, Ranma sighs again. Hunger and thirst
inconsequential, all that Ranma can think of is Akane and how they parted. Oh, sure, getting
home was a wonderful relief from the discomforts of the island, but things slowly became hell.
Everywhere Ranma looked, he thought he saw Akane. Phantom voices in the air made him think
of Akane. In dreams he kept dreaming of Akane. It wouldn't end. Oh, sure, the attention lavished
on him by Ukyo and Shampoo was great, but it wasn't.... true. And the worst thing was, nobody
seemed to remember very much about their incident on the Dark Isle. Well, Ranma remembered it
every step of the way, and everything that lead back to Akane. In fact, even as he stares at the
clouds, he imagines he's seeing Akane's face, smiling at him, up in the clouds. He smiles back, but
knows it's just an illusion.
-=-=-=-=-
Sekki: "Akane dear, you have got to stop pining over Ranma. It's already been a week, and you're
still thinking about him?"
Akane sighs sadly and nods. Flicking away a small beetle crawing on the stone besides her, Akane
rests her chin on the back of her hand as Sekki ponders the situation. The two are by the lakeside,
lying on some left-behind beach blankets, getting a very complete tan. Sekki shrugs.
Sekki: "Akane, you know he won't be coming back to you. Not now, not ever. Forget him. He'll
be dead long after you're 20 by our reckoning of age."
Akane sighs sadly again, then closes her eyes for a moment.
Akane: "But.... it's so hard not to think about him. It seems almost as if everywhere I go, I hear
his voice, see his face. I can't stand it, Sekki. Sometimes I think I'll go mad."
Sekki: "Succubi and demons don't go mad. They're either born that way or not. Akane, don't
worry.... you'll get used to the loneliness."
Sekki reaches over to stroke Akane's shoulder, but Akane pushes it away and gives her an angry
glare.
Akane: "And how would you know anyway!? You've been one since you were born!"
Sekki: "Akane, it doesn't mean succubi can't have feelings. Heck, all demons have them, just a
little warped. Let me tell you about one man I cared about the most.... a long time ago."
-=-=-=-=-
While Tofu listens to the bits and pieces of the story told by everyone, he nods approvingly as a
piece here makes someone remember a piece there. Slowly, their memories return as more and
more things are revealed. Finally, somberly and soberingly, Tofu nods in understanding as
everything is revealed.
Tofu: "I see. I never thought it was true... demons were supposed to be rather rare, I never knew
there were so many."
Ryouga: "Well, we found an entire island full of them. And I got a shirt to prove it. Now that I
remember it.... the woman called Sekki told us about what she did with Akane...."
Tofu: "Really? I never heard that part before."
Ryouga: "Well, Akane also told me this, so here goes....."
-=-=-=-=-
Sleep steals over Ranma like a shroud. Without warning, without mercy. Ranma feels himself
getting more and more weary as he sits on the roof, and is unsuccessful at keeping his eyes open.
Finally, he gives himself over to the embrace of sleep. A cold, dark sleep.
Darkness falls over him.
-=-=-=-=-
A few hours later, Ranma wakes up. He is under a warm blanket, with a roof over his head and
several concerned people looking at him. First and foremost is Ryoga, who is the first to notice
his stirring. He quickly calls to the rest of the group sitting in a corner, talking.
Ryouga: "He's awake! Ranma's awake!"
In a rush of excited and relieved voices, the group clambers over to Ranma's futon. Placing
themselves around him in a circle, Ukyo sits opposite Ryouga. Ranma turns his head to look at
her.
Ranma: "Hi, Ucchan...."
Ukyo: "Ranma-honey, you look like you got your soul sucked out."
Ranma: "Feel like it...."
Ranma is a pitiful sight. Redefining the terms "Bag of bones", Ranma is so skinny and weak Ukyo
has to force feed him some high-energy soup and help him swallow it down. Looking on, Ryouga
sighs.
Ryouga: "Ranma, you stupid fool, you just had to let yourself waste away like that, didn't you?
You're damned lucky I was there to catch you when you went tumbling off the roof unconscious."
Ranma just looks at them tiredly, eyes barely opening for want of strength. The rest of the family
joins them and they begin fussing over Ranma. Nobody notices Ryouga leaving the crowd and
wandering into the hallway of the Dojo, deep in thought.
Ryouga :
-=-=-=-=-
Akane : "......ah? You what!?"
Sekki : "Why not? Why couldn't I? He couldn't leave anyway."
Akane : "Aw, but did you HAVE to?"
Sekki : "No, I didn't, but I didn't care then."
Akane shakes her head and sighs as Sekki giggles amusedly at her expression.
Sekki : "Aw, come on Akane. Can't I kiss a priest?"
Akane : "A PRIEST! And he looked like an APE for goodness sakes! Couldn't you find someone
else better looking!?"
Sekki shrugs, feigning ignorance.
Sekki : "Well, he was attractive in almost every sense of the word.... and he did subdue that Jakou
no oni...."
Akane : "Well, he's gone and you have one heck of a reminder. How's that for memories?"
Sekki shrugs again, this time genuinely and with real ignorance behind it.
Sekki : "I don't know. I really don't. But I miss him now and then.... and I was the one who
helped him defeat Kuriimu the first time 'round."
Akane : "No wonder Lina was so angry. That... and well....."
The two look at each other for a few moments, then lean back onto the blankets and stare up into
the sun. A few minutes later, Akane rolls onto her front and leans her head on her arms.
The warm heat on her bare back and soft sand underneath her slowly lull her into an embracing
sleep, one filled with dreams of Ranma.......
Akane : I wish you were here, Ranma.... I'm so lonely....
-=-=-=-=-
As Tofu ushers everyone away from Ranma, he takes Ranma's pulse. Weak, but steady. No fear
of dying here.
Tofu : "Now, Ranma. I know it's hard on you, but you must get your strength back, understood?
You won't do anyone any good dead. Now, drink up the prescription soup and get some sleep."
Getting up from Ranma's side, Tofu dusts his hands and walks towards the group, where
everyone is anxiously waiting for his prognosis. As everyone leaves the room on Tofu's advice,
Ranma eyes the bowl of soup besides him.
Ranma :
He weakly rolls over to reach the bowl, and drinks down the sweet liquid in a single gulp. Feeling
much better already, he lies back down on his futon and stares at the ceiling as a warm sleep
overtakes him.
Ranma :
-=-=-=-=-
Time passes....
Five days go by in the summer holidays rather uneventfully.
This is the sixth day.
Over the course of a few days, Ranma gets better. Much to the delight of Ukyo and Shampoo,
who of course, fuss over him with all possible care while keeping the rivalry between them very
much alive. One such day during his gradual recovery, Soun watches as Ranma works himself out
in the dojo while sipping a cup of tea. Genma-panda is sitting besides him, chewing on the tender
leaves of a bamboo shoot.
Soun : "Saotome-kun?"
Genma (C) : *bwoark* "Yes, Tendo-kun?"
Soun : "Now that.... that Akane's gone..... what do you intend to do with Ranma?"
Genma (C) : *bworkok?* "Why, find him a wife as soon as possible of course, Tendo-kun!"
Soun : "Any wife?"
Genma (C) : "If there's food, sure. Ukyo's a good choice. So's that chinese girl."
Soun : "............"
Soun's eyebrow twitches dangerously as Genma continues snacking on the bamboo, oblivious to
the warning signals from Soun.
*ring* *riiiiiiiing*
Soun hops aside, still in his sitting position, as a bicycle lands on the back of Genma's head ridden
by a purple haired amazon. Ranma stops his training as he turns to watch Shampoo dismount the
bike, step on Genma's head once to retrieve the delivery box from the back of the bike, then steps
on his head again walking to Ranma.
Genma (C) : "Ouch. Ouch."
Shampoo : "Nihao, Ranma! How is Shampoo Ai Ren today?"
Ranma : "Fine, fine....."
Shampoo : "Shampoo bring Ai Ren beef noodles! Still hot, make speci... sp.. for Ranma alone!"
Ranma watches tiredly as Shampoo pulls out a steaming bowl from the box, the smell of it not
eliciting any of the usual responses from him. Shampoo looks rather concerned at this, but covers
it up with a false smile.
Shampoo : "Ai Ren eat! Shampoo feed?"
Ranma : "No-"
Voice : "Okonomiyaki for Ranchan! Is he there?"
Shampoo's smile dies on her face as she hears the voice of her current most eligible enemy, and a
frown creases her face. Eyebrow twitching, Shampoo turns to look at the source of the voice.
Shampoo :
"Aiyah! Pizza girl come again!?"
Ukyo comes trotting into the dojo, cardboard okonomiyaki delivery box in hand. Her eyes thin
down into dangerous slits as she spots Shampoo already there with Ranma-honey, and Shampoo
returns the favor.
Ukyo : "Well, you're here already? Forget it, Ranchan will eat only my food alone because he
cares for me more, right, Ranma honey?"
Shampoo : "Pizza girl talking hot air! Shampoo food best, Ranma like Shampoo cooking more!
Right, Ai ren?"
Ukyo : "He does not!"
Shampoo : "Does to!"
Ranma tiredly walks away from the two as welding sparks cross between the two and out the
dojo, hands undoing his gi's belt as he heads for the bathroom.
Ranma :
Stripping down in the changing room and stepping into the bathroom itself, Ranma nods in
appreciation of Kasumi's forethought to fill the tub with lots of hot water before his entrance.
Ranma :
Stepping into the hot tub straight away, Ranma sighs as it loosens some taut and tense muscles
around his shoulder blades and abdomen, the first effective hot bath in quite a while. In fact, he
feels so relaxed he begins to drift off into an unsure slumber, not even aware of the fact himself.