That was enough to cause Ranma's passenger to wake slightly. "Wha?"
Michiru glanced at Setsuna, but the elder senshi didn't need the prompting. She simply glided over toward Ranma, forcing herself between Haruka and him. "Come on, Hotaru-dear. Let's get you to bed." She then took Hotaru from Ranma's arms and carried her to the girl's bedroom.
Michiru turned to Ranma. "Those are the groceries?"
He nodded, not exactly sure what was going on. Was he in trouble again? It didn't seem like it, but that wasn't they way things usually went around him. He'd been expecting Haruka's reaction, actually. In fact, he had expected the others to yell at him as well, but he was glad they weren't, even if he didn't understand why not.
Michiru smiled, but it looked somewhat strained. "Follow me. I'll show you where you can put them."
Haruka could only watch, rooted in place, as Michiru led Ranma into the kitchen. For the next several moments all Haruka could hear was the sound of the groceries being put away in the kitchen, and the light conversation between the pair.
"... a lot of dry foods?" Michiru questioned.
"Wasn't sure how big your refrigerator was. This stuff stores better and longer." Ranma's voice, deeper in pitch, carried to the stunned senshi better than her lover's voice did.
"How long ... last?"
"Should last a week, maybe a week n' a half, if Hotaru's appetite doesn't pick up like I expect."
"How'd she do?"
"Better than I 'xpected. She's recovers quicker than I'd'a expected for someone with as little endurance as she's got. If it carries over ta buildin' up muscles, she should be able to keep up with others kid her age in a couple 'o months. Month after that I hope ta have her runnin' a four-minute mile."
As the conversation sunk in, Haruka stumbled a bit at the thought. She could do a four-minute mile, and that made her one of the fastest runners in school. Getting someone as sick as Hotaru tended to be up to doing a four-minute mile in three months would be nothing short of miraculous.
As she came out of the kitchen, Michiru asked, "How often have you done this sort of thing?"
Ranma shrugged, still following. "Uh, this is the first time I'm doin' it for someone else, actually. But I've been in a body cast two or three times, and so have done it for myself a couple of times."
Michiru raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything more on the subject. Instead, she shook her head, and said, "Well, why don't you turn in for the night Ranma? You have to wake up to prepare breakfast for us pretty early, you know."
Ranma sighed, but took the hint to get lost, leaving Michiru and Haruka alone in the room. Michiru just silently glared at Haruka, waiting for Setsuna's return.
The elder senshi entered the room a moment later, motioning for the Haruka to go into the kitchen, in hopes of not having Hotaru or Ranma listen in to the conversation.
Michiru began as soon as she was sure they were safe from unwanted listeners. "What the heck was that about, Haruka?!"
"What?" Haruka defended, not quite sure what she had done wrong.
"Attacking Ranma like that," Michiru stated as an answer. "It was perfectly innocent; his hands weren't anywhere near places they shouldn't have been. And I thought we agreed to help Setsuna get them together?"
"Well, yeah, but..." Haruka responded.
"He needs no more discouragement," Setsuna stated. "He has had several admirers in the past, and has learned to be very wary of any physical contact with a woman already. When it comes time for romance, Hotaru will have to lead him through it, because he absolutely will not do anything remotely improper unless she initiates it."
Haruka wilted a bit at that. "But, I, uh..."
Setsuna looked Haruka dead in the eye, her stoic expression speaking of utter seriousness. "I'll have your word, Uranus, that you will make sure Hotaru does not have to worry about any of the inner senshi making a pass at her fiancé. You will personally make sure of it."
Haruka sighed, still not quite sure what she had done wrong, but positive her teammates held her to blame for it anyway. "Yeah, sure. I'll make sure they don't bother him too much."
Setsuna nodded, accepting her word.
Michiru glanced at Setsuna and saw the mischievous twinkle in the elder senshi's eye. She didn't know what Setsuna had planned yet, but she knew Haruka was in for it. Still, she had to mete out her own punishment. With a frosty glare at Haruka, she stated, "You're sleeping on the couch tonight," before walking off to her bedroom.
Setsuna followed Michiru's lead to her own bedroom.
Haruka grumbled, seeing Michiru all but slam the door in her face, as she made her way to the closet for extra blankets.
Read the comments on this episode
See other episodes by Brian Drozd
(Posted Sun, 17 Aug 2003 04:27)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.