Ranma stretched as he debarked from the train. He traveled from Nerima, through Suginami and Setagaya, and into Kanagawa, just to be with the only person he wanted to spend his life with.
‘Which way from the train station, Mo-chan?’
While Motoko wasn’t too busy earlier, it took time for Ranma to get there from Nerima and now she was busy with the other tenants of her all girls dorm. As such, she could not be there to meet him at the train station, something she really regretted. ‘I should be there, what kind of girlfriend am I?’
Ranma sent soothing feelings over the bond. ‘Stop being so silly. We’ll meet soon enough and then we’ll have the rest of our lives together. Don’t rush for me, enjoy the time with your friends.’
Motoko sent back feelings of gratitude and love, along with directions to the Hinata Inn.
On the way out of the train station, Ranma bumped into an older boy carrying a book bag. “Excuse me,” Ranma apologized to the young man.
The young man jumped awkwardly in shock and fell into a defensive position. Not a martial art’s one, just the posture of someone used to being bullied. “*He, he, he* It’s alright.”
As the man turned away once again to resume walking slowly, and looking around as if lost, Ranma frowned at the retreating back. He knew the signs of someone being henpecked, bullied, and in general cast out by other kids. Ranma didn’t like it, growing up as he did. Ranma had so few friends, he appreciated the value of friendship. Ranma never could understand the concept of cliques or how there was always the one the other kids enjoyed picking on; it seemed to him like one less friend a person could have, and as such a loss.
‘You and strays, you and strays,’ Motoko told him with humor and a laugh.
“Hey, wait up,” Ranma called after the guy. Ranma made up his mind to show the man a little kindness. The guy turned and looked at him in confusion and a hint of suspicious fear. “I’m new to the area and trying to find my girlfriend’s place.” Ranma smiled, hoping to set the other man at ease. “You wouldn’t, by chance, be able to help?”
The other man stammered shyly, “Well, I was four or five when I was here last. I’m actually trying to find my grandmother’s place. I think it is this way, but I don’t trust my memory enough to give you directions if I even recognize the address.”
“Visiting family? How nice! I wish I got to know my own family better. It was just me and Pops all my life. Hi, my name is Ranma.”
“Keitaro.” They shook hands, Keitaro relaxing more. “Well, I was hoping Granny would let me stay with her. My parents threw me out.”
“Oh? Sorry, man.”
Keitaro waved it off. “It’s alright. They wanted me to spend more time helping with the family business. They own a bakery, make a lot of sweets.”
Ranma nodded. “And you didn’t want to go in the family business?”
Keitaro sheepishly studied his feet. “I been trying to get into Tokyo U. I’ve been a ronin for the past two years.”
“Why do you want to go to Tokyo U.?” Ranma followed Keitaro as he walked through town.
“Once, many years ago, when I was last at the Hinata Inn, my grandmother’s place, I had a friend. She was the only person who was ever nice to me. She said that when two people who love each other go to Todai together, they’ll stay together forever. I promised I would see her at Todai when she was leaving. I haven’t seen her since, but I promised her...”
“Wow ... that’s just ...” Ranma was impressed.
‘Very commendable,’ Motoko agreed with Ranma.
“Stupid, yeah I know. That’s what everyone tells me.” Keitaro sighed sadly.
Ranma shook his head. “Then they are all wrong. I think that’s really something special. After all these years, working to keep a promise. We’ll just have to make sure you succeed.” Ranma said the last part with strong conviction and confidence.
‘Yes, we will. Such dedication is sadly rare.’
Keitaro smiled. “Thanks, but I don’t want to be a bother.”
‘But, he is rather wishy-washy. He just screams ‘victim’. Nothing Hell Week couldn’t cure by putting a little iron into that noodle backbone of his,’ Motoko then ranted. She still had some hang-ups over weak males.
‘Now, now, Mo-chan. We all can’t be martial artists.’
“No bother ... wait a minute-” Ranma quickly replayed in his mind what Keitaro had said.
‘He did say that, didn’t he?’ Ranma queried his soulmate.
Ranma stopped Keitaro with a gentle grab to the arm. “Did you say the Hinata Inn?”
Keitaro nodded. “Yes, Granny Urashima is my grandmother. She runs an inn here in town.”
‘Oh no!’ Motoko exclaimed. ‘He doesn’t know it’s an all girl’s dorm now? But if he is related, shouldn’t he know? What if this is a ploy of some sort?’
‘Apparently. He has been away a long time. I was going to try hiding as a girl, but ... poor guy. And he has no place to go if his parents kicked him out.’
“What is it? Something wrong?” Keitaro noticed the change of expression on Ranma’s face.
Ranma chuckled sheepishly. “Well ... I’m not sure how to say this. I was on my way there myself.”
“Great, we can look for it together, it’s a large building on top of a mountain of stairs.”
Ranma looked at Keitaro sadly. “No, that’s not the problem. It’s no longer an inn. It’s an all girls dorm now.”
Keitaro eyes sprung wide open. “It is? But why are you going there?”
“Visiting the girlfriend, remember?”
“Oh yeah.” Keitaro seemed to deflate. “I guess that’s it then. I’ll have to give up on my dream and the promise girl and go work for my parents.”
‘He sounds sincere,’ Motoko remarked, still looking for an angle to a ploy. ‘And he gave up rather easily. Like I said, just another weak male. Shame this girl had made a promise with him, he’ll never get in with that attitude.’
Ranma felt bad for the young man. “Why don’t we go look, anyways. Maybe something will turn up. You could always ask Haruka Urashima, she must be family right?” ‘Never know what a little belief and support and help could do, my Love. Give him a chance.’
“Haruka?” Keitaro smiled. “Yeah, she’s family. I haven’t seen her in ages. I didn’t know she was still at the Hinata Inn.”
“Actually, I think she owns the teahouse near it. Come on, lead the way. We can go find the Hinata together.”
‘Ranma, Granny left to tour the world’s hot springs. Or something like that. I think she wants to see the world while she’s still able to. He won’t even be able to see his grandmother.’ Motoko stated plainly, not being overly sympathetic to the poor man’s plight.
“You know, I think I remember in one of the letters my girlfriend wrote me, she said something about her landlord going on a trip around the world. Granny might not even be there, but I bet Haruka is in charge.”
Keitaro looked pole-axed. “Granny isn’t even here? This day just keeps getting worse and worse. Now what will I do?” Keitaro nearly wailed out loud.
Ranma put his arms around Keitaro in a friendly manner. “Maybe you can find work with your aunt? And still have time to study? I’m in the same boat myself. I decided to move into town to be closer to Motoko. I’ll need to find a place, but I don’t have any money. And she wants me to go to school, bleh. What you say, we help each other? Now let’s go find this Inn and your destiny!”
‘Yet another stray ... You’ll probably get there before us. The place may be empty when you arrive.’ Ranma could feel her regret at not being able to see him as soon as possible.
‘I’ll wait for you, no need to hurry. It’ll be nice to be able to relax quietly, for a change, before meeting your friends.’
Motoko giggled, causing some of her friends nearby to wonder at what she found amusing. ‘Seeing as I haven’t mentioned having a boyfriend yet, it very well will become quite loud once you do.’
As the duo approached their destination, Keitaro pointed off to one side. “I think it’s over this way.”
Soon, the boys found themselves at the base of an extremely long flight of stairs. Climbing up was tiring and hot work for Keitaro. Ranma, even though his pack was larger and heavier than Keitaro’s shoulder bag, didn’t break a sweat.
Walking into the inn, Keitaro mentioned to Ranma, “Yep, this is the place.”
“You recognize it?” Ranma asked politely.
Keitaro nodded. “Yeah, a bit. Hello! Anyone here!”
“Shouldn’t we go find Haruka?”
Keitaro shrugged. “I’m not too keen on telling her I been kicked out and still haven’t gotten into Tokyo U. yet.”
‘May I remind you, you probably shouldn’t be wandering around a girl’s dorm,’ Motoko advised sternly.
‘Well,’ Ranma replied, ‘I could use a soak, that was a long train trip.’
‘I guess using the hot spring would be fine.’ Motoko reluctantly agreed. ‘Just put up a sign and I’ll try to think of something to tell the girls. I don’t want to see that wuss’s thing, and none of the girls should either. And I don’t want any of the girls, especially Kitsune, staring at your thing. And please try to get out before we get home.’
“How about we go find us a furo and have a soak before going to look for Haruka?” Ranma suggested to Keitaro.
“Actually, I think I remember there being a hot spring here, maybe. Let’s go look.”
Ranma and Keitaro chatted amicably as they entered the hot spring area. Keitaro looked at Ranma oddly as he looked around for something. “What are you doing?”
Ranma didn’t pause in his search as he looked in every nook and corner. “Looking for a sign to put up so none of the girls here walk in on us.”
Keitaro thought that over for only a moment before looking for one himself.
‘What sign? There’s nothing here but a pile of towels.’
Ranma could feel Motoko’s sufferance. ‘Why would a girls only dorm need a sign? I meant for you to get some paper and make one.’
‘Oh!’ Ranma paused and turned to Keitaro. “Maybe we’ll need to make our own? Got any paper?”
Keitaro got up from where he stooped to look in a low locker. “Yeah, back in my bag we left by the front door.”
Ranma sighed. “How about we go find your ... What relation is Haruka? How about we go talk to her first. Maybe she’ll have something we can use for a sign.”
“Haruka is my aunt ... no wait cousin ... yeah cousin.” Keitaro chimed merrily.
Ranma gave Keitaro a look of disbelief. “How can you not remember your own family?”
Keitaro looked away, embarrassed. “I was just a baby when Haruka’s mom, my aunt, passed away; I never knew her. There’s enough of an age difference that when I was small, she was old like an auntie instead of my age like a cousin. So I would call her auntie, because she was older. I just haven’t thought about it for more than a decade, is all.”
Ranma shook his head. He could feel Motoko’s exasperation over the link.
“Come on,” Keitaro beckoned with a shrug. “Seems like no one is here, let’s forget the sign and just soak.”
“I got a bad feeling about this,” Ranma muttered to himself. ‘I hope Mo-chan warns her friends.’
The two began to chat again about less personal subjects. Sitting on stools, they prepared to wash off before entering the spring. It wasn’t until Ranma dumped the bucket of cold water on his head that he remembered his curse; he had been distracted by his conversation.
“Wha- wha- what?” Keitaro stammered out as blood leaked from his nose. With an eruption of blood, he fell backwards off his stool.
Ranma sighed. “Sorry ‘bout this. It’s a curse I picked up in China. Cold water gives me the body of a girl, warm water returns me to my normal body.”
“Oh! Uh ... So sorry to hear that?” Kietaro wasn’t quite sure what was the polite thing to say in such a situation.
“Don’t worry about it. Come on, lets get scrubbed down.”
Ranma began to soap up. Keitaro was slow to begin washing up, as he was staring at Ranma in mostly shock alternating with looking away, blushing. Soon both scrubbed and rinsed off. Entering the hot springs, Ranma changed back to a guy. Keitaro tripped when he witnessed the change.
“You alright?” Ranma asked him.
“Glub blub blub,” Was Keitaro’s underwater reply.
Ranma sighed and shook his head. “Stop goofing off already. If the girls who live here catch us in here, there may very well be hell to pay.”
Keitaro shot up. “Oh crap! I didn’t even think of that.”
Ranma sat down against a rock. “Are you always wound up this tight?”
“Huh?” Keitaro sat down so he could mostly face Ranma. “What do you mean?”
“You need to learn to go with the flow better. You’re not doing your stress levels any good by freaking out over everything. You can’t change everything, so don’t stress the petty stuff.”
“I suppose ... “ Keitaro hemmed and hawed. “But, what about the girls? If they come in and -”
Ranma cut Keitaro off. “We will worry about that if it happens, no point ruining a nice relaxing, hot bath if it doesn’t happen.”
Keitaro nodded. “You have a point there.” He then leaned back and relaxed, letting the water soak the stress right out of him.
Ranma sighed. “This is the life. Man, how I’ve missed a hot soak.”
“Oh?” Keitaro wondered if there was a story there. “Why is that?”
“Been roughing it for a long while now. Pops and I were on a training journey. Which was fine, when I was younger, when we stayed in a lot of cities or went to some of the larger temples. But recently, he decided to go to China. And without any paperwork, he avoided all of the cities and urban villages. We were in the more out of the way parts, spending the majority of that time camping. The only bathing was in rivers, and a lot of them were down right filthy. Only the mountain top streams had any semblance of being clean, and those were icy.”
“Oh,” Keitaro hummed as he pondered at what that lifestyle would be like. “Sounds harsh. What kind of training would make your father do that?”
“It was all for the family Art.”
“You mean, like drawing and painting? Is he a landscape painter?”
Ranma shot Keitaro a funny look. “Martial Arts. Dad was training me in the family style.”
“Ahh,” Keitaro sang in revelation. “I remember Granny trying to teach me the Urashima family style a long time ago.”
“Long time ago? Why did you stop?”
Keitaro couldn’t meet Ranma’s eyes. “I was too clumsy. My mother was afraid I’d only hurt myself.” Ranma could here a bit of disappointment tinting Keitaro’s voice.
“If you want, I could show you a few moves.”
‘Yes!’ Motoko crowed. ‘Hell Week, here we come.’
‘Let’s not overwhelm him right away. Plus, he’ll need time and energy to study if he is trying for Tokyo U.’
Keitaro stopped rubbing his chin in though. “OK, I guess. Why would you want to?”
Ranma shrugged. “It might do you some good. I can’t say that it’ll help you get into school, that you’ll have to do on your own. But maybe we can make you a little less clumsy.”
Keitaro beamed a brilliant smile. “I would like that. I’m tired of falling down all the time. Especially when I fall into someone.”
“Let’s first work out what we’re going to do for a place to live.” Ranma then looked towards the sliding doors. It wasn’t like he could see anything beyond the rice paper, but he thought he heard a sound.
‘Ack! Get out now. I tried to tell the girls to avoid the hot springs, but Kitsune weaseled out of me that I was expecting my boyfriend and told him to use the bath. Now everyone is trying to see what you look like and I can’t stop them all.’
“Crap, I think they’re home. Quick, we gotta get dressed or something.”
Keitaro shot up to follow Ranma out of the hot springs. “How can you tell?”
“I just ... Ooof.” Ranma got the wind knocked out of him when Keitaro tripped at the lip of the hot springs and fell into Ranma, pushing him towards the showers where Ranma collided with the tap and activated the cold water shower.
“Sorry, so sorry,” Keitaro begged, stricken with guilt.
“Ah!” Ranma scrambled to turn the water off. “Where’s our clothes?”
Keitaro pointed towards the doors. “Other room.”
Ranma grabbed Keitaro’s hand. “No time then, quick we’ll go over the fence.”
“What?” Keitaro asked in surprise, stepping back in his shock. His left foot found a rinse bucket and Keitaro went down, pulling an off-guard Ranma on top of him.
Just then the door slid open and a gaggle of gasping girls stared or glared at them.
Ranma could see a tall beauty palming her face in disappointment. He figured that had to be Motoko.
“Wow, Motoko’s guy is a lot scrawnier than I expected. I guess she likes the weak type.” This was voiced by an ash-gray, blonde.
Another girl was doing the glaring. “You two timing pervert! Bringing another girl into the baths while visiting Motoko.” With a scream, she launched herself at the pair.
Ranma quickly raised up enough to deflect the incoming blow, then shot up to his feet in a dizzying turn as he redirected the attacker towards the hot spring. A splash of water rewarded his effort a mere moment later.
“*He he*,” Ranma chuckled awkwardly. “I’m Motoko’s boyfriend. Sorry ‘bout this.”
The inn grew quiet but for the sputtering of a wet Naru.
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See other episodes by Errol Peregrinus
(Posted Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:51)
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