The old woman felt the weight of her age while stacking a wooden crate up onto her cart lined with ancient herbal mixtures and imported spices. She sighed to herself, set her jaw in determination, then continued about her work. Without any warning, she found herself sprawled against the pavement, searing pain shooting through her left arm the precious herbs lying on the ground around her. A young man stood above her, rummaging through her cart looking for something of value, sparing a moment to glare down at her shouting for her to stay where she was if she knew what was best for her.

Waving a hand to his high school chums, Ranma turned the corner, then froze at the sight before him. The old woman stared blankly up at the thief, not a single soul in the market place turned in their direction. A flash of anger sprang up inside him and was at the boy’s side in seconds clutching his left arm in his right, a stack of bills clutched in his hand.

“Drop it.” He said simply giving the older boy a look of annoyance. The boy threw his right arm out to strike at Ranma as a reply, but found his arm caught in the air above his left.

“Fine, if you want to do this the hard way that’s ok with me.” Ranma pulled the boy forward and sent him flying into a mound of garbage on the other side of the street. The boy scrambled away as fast as his fumbling steps could take him. Ranma shook his head at his escape then turned his attention to the elderly woman. He lifted her to her feet careful to be gentle with her bruised arm, handing her the wad of money.

“Thank you young man, your bravery is greatly appreciated.” Together they bent down to pick up her trampled stock.

“It was nothing, you sure you’re ok? I can walk you to the doctors if you like.” The old woman just smiled and assured him she was in top condition for one in her seventies. Wordlessly they continued to clean up the area around her cart.

In the distance, Ranma heard giggling and turned his head up to look at a group of girls leaving the ice cream parlor a short distance down the street. A brilliant smile held his attention, the young girl’s eyes danced at whatever caught her fancy. He fell into a sort of trance; if only she gave that smile to him he was sure his life would be complete. A hint of sorrow passed across his handsome features and he was caught in a memory of the fight they shared that ended with her storming off to school without him. His heart was caught in a vise grip until the old woman spoke, shattering his little world.

“You’d like to make love to her.” The old woman said cryptically.

“What?!” Ranma shouted, shocked out of all comprehension.

“I would like to repay your kindness by filling your hearts desire.”

“Look, I don’t go for any of those love potions, they just aren’t real.” Ranma sobered up quickly and was looking at the elder woman skeptically.

“I will send her to you in a dream, there is no dishonor in enjoying such a fantasy, correct?” She smiled at him as if he was her own child receiving his first present.

“I guess not, I’ll see you later.” Ranma ran off shaking the old woman’s words off as utter nonsense.

Ranma sank into his bed feeling the fatigue of the day wash over his body, laziness consuming him. His mind clouded over in his subconscious into a luscious fog. He saw himself in his pajamas standing in the middle of nothingness idling wondering when his dreams might begin when he saw her approaching.

Slowly Akane slipped into his mind’s eye dressed in thin yellow pajamas that flowed across her body as if teased by a nonexistent breeze. Her eyes found him almost immediately and he was filled with an all-consuming desire. She was now standing in front of him her eyes brimming with wonder.

“Ranma? What’s going on? Where are we?” She moved her head to look around, but was caught in his eyes unable to break their invisible bond.

“I don’t know.” He whispered without giving the questions any thought, cupping her face in his hands looking down at her with adoration. His lips found hers in a passionate hunger trying with all his strength not to become overwhelmed. Her body seemed to melt into his, a soft moan escaping her lips.

The thin veil of sunlight peeked through the vertical opening in the curtains of her window. Turning away from the intruding luminescence, she stretched her body reveling in the feeling of her taut muscles. Every nerve in her body tingled from the leftover sensations of last night’s dream. The soreness and lingering heat in her body felt as if it had been real and was not some sweet erotic dream. She blushed to herself, she had never had a dream like that before, not even about Ranma. The attraction was obvious and he had visited her dreams on numerous occasions, but never had he been so forward. Most of her pleasant dreams consisted of him saving her or declaring that he liked her.

In her recent dream, he swore his undying devotion while pressed contentedly to her bare bosom. Again her body trembled remembering his hands all over her, his warm breath on her skin and the smoldering look in his eyes. Never in her life had she felt so beautiful as when she saw herself reflected in those glimmering blue-gray eyes.

Akane continued to walk in a lovely dream strolling down the hall downstairs to the bathroom where she cleaned herself up and dressed for the coming school day. She sat at the table for breakfast smiling at her family feeling as happy as she thought possible and wanting to share it with them. She felt soft cotton brush against her exposed ankle and looked to her smiling fiancée sitting beside her. He shinned before her, as he did in the dream, and she couldn’t find it in her heart to be embarrassed. She was wrong, she could feel happier.