Disclaimer:
The characters, locations and the history on which the fan fiction is based are creations of the fabulous Rumiko Takahashi.
Any similarities with other FFs are pure coincidence.

"...spoken..."
* ... thought ... *
'... stressed ...'

* - * - * - * - * - * - * - *

It was a morning as described in a picture book.
The birds twittered, the trees rustled gently to the morning song of the wind, the sun shone carefree from a bright blue sky and the air was filled with the scent of flowers.

It couldn't have been better ... except for the fact that that day was a school day.

The Tendo house was busy for a long time.
Kasumi stood in the kitchen and hummed a song while the breakfast was being prepared. At that very moment Nabiki shuffled down the stairs and tried to persuade her half-sleep open eyes to wake up completely. As she passed, she grabbed her coffee mug and held on to it for the next ten minutes, fighting the overwhelming sleep, as she did every morning.If she should manage to get out of this state, the newspaper with the purse section was already on the table next to her, ready to be read by her.

And the head of the family, Soun Tendo, was also among the Awakened.

Only three residents of the house were missing who were not present in the kitchen or living room, in a more or less awake state.

Akane's room had been awakening some time ago and she was now getting dressed for the day.

What followed was the morning routine.
She went into the bathroom, took a provided bucket, filled it with cold water and then made her way to the room of the two Saotomes.
As every morning, Akane first tried the friendly method to wake Ranma. She shook his shoulder and told him in a loud tone to wake up please.
Needless to say, this method never worked.Now the bucket of water came into play. After the unsuccessful attempt to 'gently' wake Ranma, she put the bucket in position over Ranma's head and quickly but firmly tipped it out.

Just as integrated into this morning routine as the bucket of cold water was Ranma's morning lecture, Akane could please think of another method to wake him up and her obligatory answer that something else would not work.

Then a very angry and soaking wet Ranma-chan made her way to the bathroom.

This was the normal morning routine at Tendo.

* - * - * - * - * - * - * - *

On the way to school...

Ranma snorted. "You could really try something else to wake me up."

They had this conversation almost every morning.

Akane was visibly unimpressed by his angry tone.
"I've really tried everything now. What can I do for it if you sleep so deeply?"

Ranma didn't give up. "You could at least use warm water.I just don't like waking up every morning as a girl. "

Akane sighed in resignation. She knew this argument, which the two of them fought almost every morning, was going nowhere.
"I'll try. But don't think that would work."

Ranma hoped at these words and it became quiet between the two of them.
It was an unfamiliar silence that almost intrigued promised disaster.
So it happened.

Ranma-chan: "Aah, not again!"

Suddenly a wet Ranma-chan stood on the sidewalk. Furious, she turned to the smiling elderly lady with the ladle.

Ranma-chan: "Ms. Watanabe, can't you be careful where you pour the water?"

Unfortunately, the old woman was already somewhat hard of hearing and did not hear Ranma-chan's loud complaints. When she noticed someone was standing next to her, her face lit up and she said hello to them both.

Akane greeted politely and tried at the same time to calm the enraged Ranma-chan."Come on with Ranma. There's no point in accusing Ms. Watanabe of that anyway."

So she pulled the grumbling Ranma-chan with her and waved goodbye to the old woman again.

* - * - * - * - * - * - * - *

The next day on the way to school.

Ranma: "Well, the old woman won't catch me today. No, not today!"

He was determined to avoid the entrance gate of the Watanabes today, where every morning the good woman was to be found and shed her water.

But when the two fiancés got there it was a little different than usual. Mrs. Watanabe was not there.

Akane: "Well, she's always here. Maybe she overslept ... or she had to see a doctor."
Ranma: "Maybe she just went away or she doesn't feel like watering me today. I don't care. In any case, I'll arrive at school dry today."

* - * - * - * - * - * - * - *

Akane: "Tell me Ranma, don't you think it's strange too! We haven't seen Mrs. Watanabe for three days.That's strange. "

Ranma: "Oh well, she'll show up again."

His lighthearted answer may have reassured Akane for the moment, but it didn't seem like that to him. It was kind of strange not being sprinkled with water by the old woman every morning.
Yes, even if he didn't want to admit it, he was beginning to worry about the old lady's whereabouts.

* - * - * - * - * - * - * - *

Akane: "This is no longer normal. We haven't seen her for a week and haven't heard from her. I'll go to Watanabes and inquire."

Ranma rose from the living room floor, from which he had been watching the worried Akane for the past few minutes, and nodded to her.
"I come with."

It was an uncomfortable day. He hadn't had the pleasant charisma like the days of the previous week.
It was getting cold. The wind whistled through the streets and the sun hid behind low-hanging dark clouds.

'Ring, ring'The doorbell sounded shrill. The melodic ringing that was otherwise inherent in it seemed to have hidden somewhere along with the beautiful weather.
Ranma and Akane heard someone moving in the house and soon the door was opened for them.

Old Watanabe's daughter stood in the entrance. Although she was no longer the youngest, she always had a certain smile on her face that made her appear younger.

But at that moment, that day, each of her years seemed to have overtaken her.
Her face was wrinkled, her eyes were red and slightly watery, the skin was gray and rough as leather.

Watanabe: "Oh, hello Akane and Ranma. What's up?"
She tried to smile, but it was an agonizing expression of what it should be.
Her voice sounded infinitely tired.

Akane did not miss the condition of the otherwise vital woman.
"Hello. We wanted to find out where her mother is. We haven't seen her for at least a week."Something changed in the woman's expression. He was kind of ... in pain.
"Please come in."

Following the invitation, they took a seat at the table in the living room. Ms. Watanabe joined them but did not look at them. She put her arms on the table and folded her hands. Her head rested heavily on them.
She began to speak softly.

Watanabe: "Unfortunately, I have no good news. About a week ago my mother's health deteriorated rapidly. Even Dr. Tofu couldn't help her. We took her to the hospital ... but it didn't get better ... before two." .. two days she ... died. "

Her words died with sobs.
Ranma and Akane sat rigid.
The shock of the message did not let go of her. They even forgot to breathe.
Slowly, after they had the feeling that they had been sitting there for a few minutes, soft breathing noises could be heard from them again.
Only now did the meaning of this message sink into their minds.Akane whispered. "Mrs. Watanabe is ... dead? But ... she was in the best of health. How ...?"

Tears ran down her cheeks.
Ranma didn't say anything. He didn't move either.
He just sat there and stared into space.

The older woman's sobs grew lower. She struggled noticeably with self-control.
"It was her age. The doctors said she died of old age. They couldn't help her. Ultimately, she died in her sleep. Her heart had stopped beating. She was so peaceful in the end."

Everyone was silent for a few minutes. Only Akanes weeping softly and the ticking of the wall clock could be heard.

With an endless effort, Ranma released himself from his stupor. He didn't even know where he got it from.
He looked at his weeping fiancée next to him. He never thought he would do something like that, but at that moment it seemed the most natural thing in the world.
He put his arm around Akane's shoulder and tried to comfort her. She gratefully accepted the offer and still leaned against him, wailing.But the tears just wouldn't stop.

Ranma: "When is the funeral?"

His voice sounded strangely empty.

Watanabe: "Next week. You are welcome to come. Mother always said she would like you two especially."

Akane's sobs grew louder.

Ranma: "Maybe we should go. Come on, Akane. Let's tell what happened at home."

She just nodded silently and let him lead her to the front door.

* - * - * - * - * - * - * - *

Akane: "We're back."

She had caught herself again on the way to the Tendo Dojo. Ranma hadn't withdrawn his arm from her all the way home and he was holding her now. It gave both of them an extra sense of self-control.

Kasumi came running up, beaming with joy, to greet the two of them, but when she saw the faces of the two fiancés, the smile immediately gave way to worry.

Kasumi: "What happened?"

Ranma looked down at the girl in his arms. Akane stared at her sister with glassy eyes, but it seemed as if she was staring into space.She probably wouldn't be able to tell.

Ranma took a deep breath. Bringing such news and being affected by it was harder than any struggle.

Ranma: "Kasumi, did you notice that the old woman Watanabe has not been seen for a long time?"

Kasumi was surprised by his question, but she briefly sifted through the events of the past few weeks. Her forehead frowned.
"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen the good old woman in a few days. Sometimes I meet her when I go shopping. But lately ... I assumed she was away."

Ranma: "Akane and I noticed that too. We visited her daughter today and asked about her mother. She ..."

"She is dead."

Akane had cut him off, weeping quietly. She had now finally lost control of her emotions. She continued with