I’ll bet he hasn’t even kissed Akane yet.

“Hey, Ucchan!” The object of her thoughts poked his head in the door. “I’m early for school. I thought I’d pop in for a bit.”

“What’s wrong?”

“What’cha mean?”

“You’re never early for school. At least not unless something has happened.”

“Okay, okay. Kasumi is off to a neighborhood meeting, so…”

“Akane’s cooking?”

“Yeah. And it’s too early in the day to die.”

“One okonomiyaki coming up.” She smiled her best cute fiancée smile before getting to work. She decorated it carefully then expertly tossed it to his plate. “There you go, Ranma honey.”

He mumbled a quick thanks, opening his mouth for the first bite when Akane walked in. “Hello, Ukyou.”

Ranma swallowed hard. This did not look good for him.

“Hello, Akane. What brings you here?”

“Well, I had to run some errands this morning and Kasumi’s out, so I thought I’d get some breakfast.” She sat down next to Ranma at the counter. “Didn’t even check to see if I was cooking, did you?”

“Better safe than dead.”

Still with a calm smile on her face, Akane punched him, causing him to fall off his stool. “Smells great, Ukyou. Say, have you finished that history project?”

She watched Ranma get up, amazed at Akane’s calm. Why does he bother with her? She’s so nice to everyone but him. “Yeah, did you?” She slid the plate of food in front of her rival. Apparently as long as Nerima’s most dangerous couple were eating here, there weren’t going to be any other customers.

“Sure did.” She ate in silence after that, ignoring Ranma beside her.

“Have either of you seen Ryouga?”

Akane started coughing, prompting Ranma to slap her hard on the back. His face was also a little red. “No.” Her voice squeaked.

“We fought yesterday, but I haven’t seen him since. Why?”

“He left one of his backpacks here at the shop. He’s probably looking for the place now.”

Akane placed her money on the counter. “Thanks, Ukyou. It was great as always. I’m going to head for school.”

“I’m done here. We’ll walk with you.” Ukyou swiped the grill she’d cleaned and pulled Ranma to his feet. “Let’s go, Ranchan.”

Ranma walked on the fence above the two girls who were talking about their history projects. He was about to ask if he had one due as well when they reached the school gate and a mob of guys.

“Hey, Saotome! We heard that you proposed to Ukyou yesterday. Does that mean you’ve given up Akane?”

“No no no! It was a joke! We were playing a joke on Shampoo!” He looked at Ukyou’s disappointed face and Akane’s angry one. Damn. How did everyone find out?

“Actually, yes it does.” Akane stepped forward, taking the arm of one of the horde. “Would you escort me to class?”

“Akane…” his next words were cut off by the bicycle balanced precariously on his spine.

“Nihao! Shampoo know husband no leave for spatula girl.”

“Shampoo! No! I am the one who loves you!”

Nabiki looked at Mousse for a second before dropping his glasses onto his nose. “Hello, Mousse.”

“Nabiki Tendo, what have you done with my fair Shampoo?”

She spun him around to face the violet haired girl. “Go get her, tiger.”

“I’m a duck.”

She shook her head, listening to the hubbub. Had Ranma really proposed to Ukyou? How on earth had she missed that? That would explain Akane yesterday afternoon, but not last night. Unless…Nabiki smiled a smile, much like the grinch when he got a wonderful, awful idea. Apparently Ranma and Akane had made up somehow. And that meant…

“A fair morn to you, Nabiki Tendo.” Kunou bowed deeply. “May I escort you to class?”

“You hear Ranma proposed to Ukyou? That means Akane is free again.”

He twinged slightly, “Your sister must be quite upset.”

Her eyes widened. “Are you okay?” She got up close to him and stared into his eyes. He didn’t appear ill. She shrugged and took his arm. Heading for the school building, she got her thought back on track. How had Saotome gotten her little sister to forgive him? She stopped abruptly when a male body - the guy Akane had gone into the school with - landed at her feet.

“You….you pervert!” Akane’s scream echoed through the hallways. Everyone looked up to see her sad, angry face framed in the window.

“Can…I…carry….your…books?” The body in front of Nabiki whispered. It twitched several times then lay still.

Nabiki reevaluated. However Ranma made up to her, it wasn’t what she was thinking.

Akane sat alone at lunch, trying not to notice how everyone was looking at her and whispering. Since Ranma had come into her life, she had grown used to it. Today, it hurt. Today wasn’t ‘Poor Akane. I can’t believe she puts up with that pervert Ranma. Three other fiancées and he changes into a girl.’ No. today it was ‘Poor Akane. Ranma dumped her.’

She chewed slowly, staring straight ahead. Even knowing that it wasn’t true…wasn’t supposed to be true, everyone was treating Ranma and Ukyou like a couple.

A single tear slid silently down her cheek and into her rice. Damn it, Ranma, why do you keep hurting me? She thought back to the previous night and smiled a little. You finally admit you love me and everyone thinks you’re with Ukyou now. Especially Ukyou.

She looked over to see Ukyou holding tightly to Ranma’s arm. He couldn’t seem to hold still. He was like a caged animal. He looked up from the ground and caught her eye.

The apology was in his gaze, causing her to smile. She winked and mouthed “pervert” at him.

“Tomboy,” he replied silently.

“Stupid.”

“Sexy.”

“…” she didn’t’ have a reply other than her deep red blush. She closed her lunch tin and stood up. She walked over to the couple talking to several friends. A hush fell over the group as she approached. “So. Ranma, Ukyou, when’s the wedding?”

“It’s a misunderstanding.” Ranma looked pleadingly at his old friend. “It was all a joke we played on Shampoo.”

Ukyou caught his look and sighed. She decided to put him out of his misery. “That’s true. We just decided to see who would believe it. You guys are so gullible. I can’t believe you’d think Ranma-honey would actually make a choice.”

Ranma gave her a grateful smile. “Jeez, guys.” He laughed for the first time that day until the look on Akane’s face stopped him.

“You tricked me?” A mallet appeared from nowhere. “You JERK!”

He took off for the trees near the school, Akane hot on his heels. Everyone sighed. Everything was back to normal at Furinkan High.

Everything was decidedly not normal at Furinkan High. Kunou hadn’t paid any attention to either Ranma or Akane this morning. And he was staring at Nabiki like some love-sick puppy. Something was seriously wrong.

“Kunou?” He was standing near her, frowning at anyone who came near. “You’re bad for business, Kunou-baby.”

“I beg forgiveness. That such effrontery in thine eyes I should perpetrate. My soul cries out for your sufferance. With a kind word my world spins into view, a balance of joy and harmony. A cruel word cuts like ice, diamond hard, and as cold as the ashes of my broken heart.”

“Just sit down okay?” She openned her lunch and ledger in a smooth, well practiced motion. A freshman trainee walked up.

“It was a joke. Ukyou confirmed in front of witnesses. So far Akane hasn’t caught Ranma yet. There’s some talk of Akane having to run the gauntlet on Monday.”

She nodded briskly. “Excellent. Keep your ears open about Monday. And spread the word that people can start paying when Akane catches him.”

The girl walked away and Nabiki looked at Kunou out of the corner of her eye. He seemed calmer sitting down, but he looked like he anticipated some attack. He looked…worried.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh! That I have troubled thee!”

“You haven’t. You just seem a little pre-occupied.” She looked down at her ledger. “You’re all paid up.”

“Sasuke was to supply a small repast, yet I see him not.”

“You’re hungry?” She pushed her lunch tin between them. “Help yourself. Kasumi always packs too much.”

“Oh! To share a meal with you….”

“5000 yen.”

“Ran….ma…slow….do…wn.” Akane gasped for air and stopped running. She leaned against the concrete fence and waited for her blood to stop pounding.

“I’d think a tomboy like you could keep up better.” He jumped down off the fence, nimbly landing in the path of a tossed scoopful of water. “Damn.”

‘I have to get back to school.” She looked around to get her bearings. “At least you ran in a circle. We’re not too far away.” She walked a short ways before realizing she was alone.

Ranma stood still, her head bowed. “I’m sorry, Akane.”

“Sorry?”

“That you got hurt twice. It truly was to try and get rid of Shampoo.”

“I believe you, Ranma. I know that you’d never hurt me intentionally. We both had a role to play today and we did it. Sure, it’s hard sometimes, but I think it’s worth it in the long run.”

“Nothing is worth seeing you cry.” Ranma walked up and took her hand. “I’ll make it up to you somehow, Akane.”

“I’m counting on it.”

“Wh…what?”

“Only six more days until our duel. I’m hoping by then that you’ll have a lot to make up for.”

“Pervert.”

“Complaining?” She reached out to take her hand. “C’mon, my fiancé. We’ve got to find you some hot water.”

“Gah! I was sayin’ all that as a girl? Man, I’ve got the worst luck.”

“You’ve still got me.”

Ranma smiled. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

Shampoo heard the soft flap of wings behind her and sighed. She hopped off her bicycle and headed for the restaurant, deliberately letting the door swing shut on Mousse’s beak. “Stupid Mousse,” she muttered as she made her way into the kitchen. “Great-grandmother, I home.”

“How did it go with son-in-law?”

“He lie about Spatula girl. Pervert girl all upset.”

“He is narrowing the field for you Shampoo. We must strike soon.”

“Shampoo go see husband tonight?” She looked hopefully at the old woman. “Maybe use magic spice?”

“No. Tonight we must prepare. I have something quite special in mind for son-in-law this time.” She turned away from Shampoo to grab a book off the shelf.

“Great-grandmother…”

“Shampoo!” Mousse burst into the room, slightly soggy. “I love you, my Shampoo.”

“We have no time for distractions.” Cologne’s hands seemed invisible as she quickly gathered ingredients around her. “Take him outside and keep him from interrupting us.”

“Okay. Come with Shampoo, Mousse.” She took his hand and led him outside behind the restaurant.

“Oh, Shampoo! I knew someday you would consent to be my bride.”

“Mousse, Shampoo challenge you.” She picked up her bonbori, charging at him. She steeled herself not to meet his blue eyes as her first blow struck.

“Shampoo…oh.” He started to reach into his voluminous sleeves for some of his arsenal, but realized he could not attack her. “I love you, Shampoo.”

Shampoo walked into the restaurant kitchen, grabbing the ever-present kettle off the stove. Stepping back outside, she poured it over Mu-Mu chan then refused to look at Mousse’s badly beaten body. He hadn’t even tried to defend himself.

“Will he stay out of our way, Granddaughter?’

“Yes, great-grandmother.”

“Then come. I’ll need your help. This is quite a spell.”

Mousse slowly, painfully pulled himself to his knees and attempted to crawl around the restaurant. He heard voices and tried to cry out, but collapsed and found himself coughing up blood.

“Is someone there?’ Akane peered around the corner. “Shampoo?”

“Akane?” His voice was barely above a whisper, thick with blood.

“Mousse?” She moved around so that she could see him. “Oh my!” she gasped when she did. “I’ve got to get you to a doctor.” Without a second thought, she picked him up gently and made her way quickly to Dr. Tofu’s.

“Oh, hello, Akane. What’s wrong with Ranma now?”

“No, Doctor. It’s not Ranma. It’s Mousse. Can you help him?” She lay him carefully on the examining table and backed out of the doctor’s way.

He quickly began work, stopping the bleeding and restoring some of his chi. “Who did this, Akane?”

“I don’t know. I told Kasumi I’d stop by and pick up some ramen at Shampoo’s. But before I went in, I heard and found him. Will he be okay?”

“With rest he should be fine. Do you think perhaps he could stay with your family?”

“Oh yes, I’m sure he could.”

“Fine. I’ll walk you home and carry him.” With the utmost care, he picked up the injured boy and followed Akane out of his clinic.

“Kasumi?” Akane opened the door and rushed to find her sister before the doctor saw her. “Nabiki?”

Nabiki came out of the kitchen munching on a cookie. “What’s up Akane?”

“Find Kasumi. Keep her out of the main room for a bit, please?” She turned back to Tofu. “This way, I think.”

Dr. Tofu settled Mousse on the low sofa and made him comfortable. He was standing up as the entire household walked in.

“Oh, hello, Dr. Tofu.” Kasumi smiled and bowed.

“Um…er…hello.”

Nabiki took a good look at her sister, concern in her eyes. “Akane? Are you bleeding?” She pointed to the front of Akane’s school uniform.

Ranma rushed over. “Are you okay? What happened? Who did this?” He ran his hands quickly over her body to check for wounds.

“Stop that. Now.”

He looked at her then at his hands resting lightly on her breast. “Er…sorry.”

“Move it.”

*gulp* “Sorry.”

“It’s not me. It’s Mousse. I found him in an alley, severely beaten. Dr. Tofu fixed him up, but he needs a place to stay. Can he stay here?”

Everyone clustered around the Chinese boy except for the doctor who was shaking hands with a door.

“W…where?” Mousse slowly opened his eyes and found himself staring at Akane. “Akane?”

“Ssh. Rest Mousse. You’ve been beaten pretty badly. You need to rest. We’d like you to stay with us.” Akane smiled. “Unless you’d like to go back with Shampoo?”

Memories of her brutal attack flitted through his mind. “No. Here would be fine, if I’m no imposition.”

“None at all.” Akane took his hand in her own. “Get some rest and we’ll fix up a room for you.”

“Ranma, I want you to sleep with Akane.”

“What?”

“Huh?”

“Excellent idea, Tendo!”

“I’ll get my camera.”

“Oh, father!”

Soun held up a silencing hand. “We are out of extra rooms. As this is their home, I don’t believe my daughters should be put out and have to move, so therefore, since you and Akane are engaged, I expect you to share a room.”

“I am not going to sleep in the same room with that pervert!”

“Who’d want to sleep with a unsexy tomboy like you? You probably snore.”

“Why you…”

“Father, are you sure this is appropriate?” Kasumi’s brow was slightly wrinkled. “I’d hate for anyone to gossip about the family.”

Nabiki laughed. “Kasumi, I think you’re a little late to be worrying about that. Besides, with all their other admirers, I doubt Ranma and Akane will be spreading the news.”

“I could just move in with Kasumi or Nabiki. Really Daddy.”

“No. It is decided. Move your things son.”

“Exactly.” Genma nodded sagely, earning him a one way trip into the pond.

“I’m not marrying nobody, so I can’t sleep in Akane’s room.”

“Then Mousse will stay with her, we’ll get them engaged, then you may have either Kasumi or Nabiki.”

Ranma turned and marched off to his room. Akane headed for hers to straighten up. Well, at least he hadn’t chosen one of her sisters. Kasumi, with a slight frown, headed for the kitchen.

Akane sat on the edge of her bed, trying desperately to stay still. Ranma knocked then pushed the door open. He stood in the doorway, backpack in hand, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot.

“Come on in.”

He stepped inside and lay the pack on the floor. “Where should I put my things?”

“I made some room. I’ll let you get settled.” She fingered the jumper of her uniform. “I’ve got to change so Kasumi can wash this. I’ll be a while.” She took a step toward the door, but stopped at the touch of his hand.

“I was scared you were hurt.” He refused to look her in the eyes, instead staring at her hand. “I…”

She squeezed his hand in hers. “I know. I know.”

Mousse lay on the bed they had fixed for him and sighed. He was alone. Shampoo had clearly decided to get rid of him once and for all. Why she hadn’t killed him, he didn’t know.

“I have no life without you Shampoo.” He tried to sit up but couldn’t manage.

“Mousse?” Akane poked her head in the door and smiled at him. “I found your glasses.” She walked in and settled them on his nose.

“I appreciate this, Akane Tendo. But I am too much of a burden. My Shampoo has forced me out. You should have left me to die.”

“Absolutely not! Don’t talk like that Mousse.”

“I love her, Akane. And this is how she repays that love.”

Akane stared at him for a long moment. She had the hardest time believing that Shampoo could do this to anyone, much less Mousse. A niggling of guilt at all the times she’d hit Ranma with her mallet played on her mind. “Mousse, sometimes people can’t see the love that’s right in front of them.”

“Like you? And Ranma?”

“Maybe you being gone will help to show her she can’t live without you.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

Akane shrugged, a sad smile on her face. “Maybe it will show you that you can live without her.”

Ryouga ran his hand through his hair and brushed yet another gallon of the soft white sand out. “Oh, Akane.” He thought. “I am so sorry I left you. I had the best intentions leaving you to talk to Ranma, but I never meant to leave you.”

He looked around, dark shapes moved quickly from tree to tree, but his sense of danger told him not to worry. “I’m trying to find my way back Akane. I won’t let him hurt you.”

He thought briefly of her naked body poised above his, then pushed the thought away. Time for that later. Right now, she was dealing with Ranma alone. A hard wave of depression caught at him.

Suddenly, a group of extremely tall creatures stood in front of him. A quick chi blast cleared the way, and he continued walking, Akane the only thing on his mind.

Nabiki sat on her bed, thoughtfully playing with her abacus. She was trying to think of what could possibly be going on with Ranma and Akane. At least, that was the plan. What she actually kept doing was daydreaming. She closed her eyes and pictured Kunou in her mind. He had shared her lunch and was typically effusive about Kasumi’s cooking. But he had kept stealing glances at her. She’d studiously ignored them, but now, alone in her room, she kept playing the afternoon over in her mind. She’d known Kunou ever since she’d started school, had called him Kunou-baby - much to his dismay - almost as long. But suddenly, she was seeing him through new eyes.

“Nabiki, your friend is here.” Kasumi called from downstairs.

She shook her head to clear her mind. Friend? She wasn’t expecting anybody. “Thanks, Kasumi, I’ll be right down.” She left her room, running into Ranma coming out of Akane’s. “Hey, Ranma.”

He jumped at her voice. “I…I wasn’t doin’ nothin’. I’m stayin’ on the floor!”

“I know. I was there.” She smiled. “What’s up with you two?”

“What?” He started walking down the stairs, trying to avoid her probing stare.

“You’re almost being nice. And she was in a good mood last night.” Nabiki’s eyes narrowed.

“All right! She heard about the mess with me and Ucchan. Then I called her an uncute tomboy who was built like a mule and almost as sexy, who can’t cook and would kill any man stupid enough to let her trick him into marrying her.” He stopped abruptly as he ran into Kunou. Noticing Nabiki’s interest was no longer on him, he continued. “Um…er, but I apologized and forced down one of her cookies.”

“The day pales next to your beauty.”

Ranma looked down at his chest to make sure he was male then looked around for Akane. “Huh?” Then he saw the blush creeping up Nabiki’s cheeks.

“Hello, Kunou.” Her cool voice belied her flushed face.

“Well, I’m gonna find Akane.” Ranma backed away, his gaze going back and forth between them.

“I hope I do not impose upon thee.”

“No. What brings you here?”

“I thought perchance we could compose a work of wit and intensity.” He looked slightly nervous. “Our joint endeavor claims our attentions most expediently.”

“Sure. Do you mind working here?” She headed for the main room. “Go ahead and have a seat. I’ll go get my notes.”

“Nabiki Tendo?”

She turned back around at the question in his voice. “Yes, Kunou-baby?’

He head out a huge bouquet of red roses. “They do you no justice. You are like the pure sunshine that causes the bloom of love.”

She walked back and took the flowers from him. “Is this some sort of practical joke?”

“To joke of love is to make mockery of such innocent emotion. I do not joke of love.”

She looked into his eyes. “I’m sorry Kunou. I’ll be right back.”

Mousse lay on the futon and held onto Akane’s hand, squeezing it whenever there was a flash of pain. The doctor had just finished his examination. “Four broken ribs, as I expected.” He sighed. “She certainly wasn’t fooling around.”

“I can’t believe Shampoo would do this to you. She’s violent but never without some strange reason.”

“Perhaps she has one.”

He sounded so sad, she stroked his cheek, “Oh, Mousse.”

For Ranma, who had just appeared in the doorway, the scene was too tender. Too reminiscent of the previous afternoon. “What the hell is going on here? Wasn’t Ryouga bad enough? I mean he’s injured, Akane. Can’t you control yourself at all?”

She froze, her aura flaring around her briefly before it crumbled she ran out of the room in tears She ran past him, brushing him viciously out of the way.

Ranma walked up to Mousse, “I’m sorry she was so…”

“Shut up.” A knife flew past Ranma’s face, cutting his cheek, drawing blood. “She was trying to comfort me because Shampoo has finally driven me away. I can’t fight her, so I have lost. Akane understood and was trying to be a friend. You are the same insensitive fool I have always taken you for.” Mousse lay back, “Go away, Ranma. I always believed you didn’t deserve Shampoo, but I believed you loved Akane. For her sake, I hope I was wrong.”

Akane ran past Nabiki and Kunou, out the door. Her heart ached. She should have known. Ranma didn’t love her. He was using what she did with Ryouga as a way to sleep with her, then obviously he was going to follow through on his threat to tell her family. He believed she could admit to him finally that she loved him then casually try to seduce Mousse.

Tears blinded her, so she stopped running. She leaned against a tree and let her sobs overtake her. “Damn you, Ranma!” She punched the tree and sank down onto the ground.

“Akane?” Ukyou slowly walked up to her. Sinking down next to her, she squeezed her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Ukyou.” She brushed her tears away angrily and stifled her sobs. “What are you doing out? I thought you’d be at Ucchan’s.”

“Too many people came by asking about Ranchan and me. I got tired of laughing it off.”

“Did you two really think you would fool Shampoo?” Akane looked down at her hands. Why not? They’d fooled her. Fooled her enough to…

“Akane?” Ukyou’s face was worried. “You in there?”

“Sorry.”

“I don’t know. Ranchan doesn’t always think things through, and I may have been a little overanxious to help.”

Akane didn’t respond. She thought back to the afternoon before. If she and Ranma hadn’t talked, today would be a completely different story. Not that it still couldn’t happen.

“Ukyou, I think you should know something. It’s kind of important.” She swallowed hard. “I know how you feel about Ranma and I think he deserves someone like you who loves him and who he can trust. He doesn’t trust me anymore, so I am breaking our engagement.”

“What?”

“Take care of him Ukyou. Please?”

“Your father isn’t going to agree to this, Akane.”

“Don’t worry about my father. I have that handled. Just promise you won’t let Shampoo have him.”

“Akane…”

“Stop it, Akane.” Ranma’s voice was stern as he looked down at both girls.

“Go away, Ranma. You’ve shown me how you really feel. I’m not going to live like that.”

“All I showed you was that I’m insensitive, insecure and a jerk. I thought you knew all that already.”

She shook her head. “I’m not going to live having to watch everything I do or say.”

“I was jealous, Akane.”

Ukyou followed the conversation like a tennis match, a little amazed that the two were actually talking and there was no mallet in sight. Ranma’s comment brought her eyes to his. Jealous?

“You don’t have anything to be jealous of.”

“Tell my heart that.” He looked shyly at her. Sinking to his knees in front of her, he took her hands. “I’m sorry. I’m not always reasonable. I’m in love.”

“What?” Ukyou’s voice was cold. She quickly flung a flurry of small spatulas, pinning Ranma to a nearby tree. “What did you say?” “Um, uh. Hi, Ucchan.”

“You…you love her?” Her voice seemed to shrink as she slumped to the ground. “Why? How? She’s violent. She can’t cook, she’s…Damn it! I’m the cute one!”

“I’m sorry, Ukyou.”

“Sorry! Sorry! She doesn’t love you like I do. She can’t. I gave up everything for you. I…”

“Ucchan. You’re my best friend. But that’s all you can be. I love Akane.”

“Fine, Ranma. But you’ll be sorry. She’ll never love you like I would have!” She stood up and ran from the park.

“Oh, Ukyou…” Ranma sighed and dislodged the last of her spatulas. Squeezing Akane’s hands, he helped her stand. “I’m so sorry, Akane.”

“How could you think that Ranma? Mousse is a friend. That’s all. He was upset. I won’t live with you questioning my every move. You have to trust me.”

“I’m scared, that….that you’ll find someone you like who…who doesn’t turn into a girl.”

“Much better that he turns into a pig or a duck? Let’s remember who’s the pervert here.” She squeezed his hand. “All kidding aside, Ranma, I think Mousse really needs a friend right now. And I want to be there for him.”

Shampoo stared out the window as she stirred the potion her great grandmother was making. Where Mousse?

“Shampoo, is it boiling yet?”

“No, great-grandmother.”

Cologne looked up from her scrolls at the sad tone of Shampoo’s voice. Perhaps now Shampoo was dealing with her feelings for the duck-boy. She would have no definitive success or failure with son-in-law until she did so.

“Is boiling.”

Cologne hopped to the stove and threw in some ingredients. “Now cover the pot, child. We have a day or two to wait. Shall we open the restaurant tonight?”

“Tomorrow please? Shampoo need go see husband.”

“Certainly child.” The old woman watched the young girl leave through the back door. Quickly skimming the recipe again, she smiled. This time they’d have son-in-law for sure.

Shampoo made her way slowly to the Tendo dojo. She studiously avoided looking at the trail of blood that led off in the direction of Dr. Tofu’s. Her mind was swimming with images of Mousse. He’d been her friend since childhood, despite his persistent pursuit of her. When Cologne hadn’t needed her, she’d searched Nerima looking for him, constantly coming up empty. She’d even stooped to asking Ukyou. And she was too ashamed to ask Ranma. She stopped in the park, sinking onto a bench. She wouldn’t see Ranma tonight. Her guilt at hurting her friend was too much. Tears filled her eyes as she stared up at the stars. Where are you Mousse? Will you forgive me? Will I forgive myself?

Nabiki balanced her pencil on the tip of her nose. Kunou had been polite all afternoon, working hard the entire time. Their project was almost done, but that hadn’t stopped him from casting an occasional flirtatious glance her way. The project was done, Kunou was flirting with her, there had been no interruptions…things were going well, if she did say so herself.

“Hey, Kunou-baby.”

“Yes, fair Nabiki?”

“Would you like to stay for dinner?”

“I would be overjoyed.”

“It would mean eating with Akane and Ranma.”

“I am happy they seem to have resolved the turmoil that has plagued them. As betrothed they must learn to embrace the small moments of joy amongst the agony of misunderstanding.”

“The pig-tailed girl may show up.”

“I am so glad that Saotome allows her to socialize.”

The twitching was barely noticeable now. “Kunou-baby, what’s going on?” Her voice had a defeated tone in it.

“I know not of what you speak, lovely Nabiki. I know only this. I love you. I have secretly for so long. Will you date with me?”

She snapped the pencil in two. “What?”

“I have put away the childish pursuits of yesterday. I seek fulfillment. I seek passion. I seek beauty and love. You are the embodiment of that which I desire. Nabiki Tendo, will you date with me?”

“Nabiki? Are you and your friend staying for dinner?”

Nabiki stared up at her sister, flabbergasted. “Oh my.”

Dinner was a quiet affair. That, in itself, was unusual, and everyone seemed to notice. Akane was helping Mousse. Ranma was trying not to be jealous by imagining her feeding him. Of course, that caused other sorts of problems. Kasumi was talking quietly with her father and Genma. And Nabiki simply stared at Kunou. As he finished both the meal and praising Kasumi, he finally returned her gaze. “I will give you time ,Nabiki Tendo. Good evening.”

She watched him walk away. “Excuse me. I’m exhausted. Goodnight.”

Ryouga stood still amid the tall trees. He stared up at the stars, allowing himself to think of Akane - her body poised over his, his name on her lips. His body shuddered with excitement. “I’m on my way back to you Akane. Ranma won’t hurt you anymore.”

Ukyou swung her spatula in a wide arc, finally connecting with the telephone pole that had been following her the entire day since she’d left Akane and Ranma in the park. “Go away, Tsubasa, you pervert!”

She slammed into Ucchan’s and headed for her room. Throwing her spatula onto the bed, she began to pack. “Akane! Fine Ranma Saotome! You love that stupid violent girl, then you’re welcome to each other. You won’t have Ukyou to play with anymore.” She slung the bag and spatula onto her back and left the restaurant. Slapping a sign reading “CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE”, she headed out of town.

Shampoo tossed and turned, trying desperately to get to sleep. She could smell the potion simmering in the kitchen, but that shouldn’t be keeping her awake.

Cologne’s soft snoring echoed down the hall, but again, that was a common occurrence. She sat up. Why couldn’t she sleep?

She walked through the restaurant and their living quarters to reassure herself that everything was locked up. “No. Everything okay, Mousse.” She replied to the question he asked every night. Every night but this one.

Shampoo returned to her bed, curling herself into a fetal position. “Oh, Mousse, why you leave Shampoo?”

Ranma walked out of the bathroom, slowly making his way to Akane’s room. He was far more nervous than he cared to admit. He’d almost stayed in girl form, but then thought Akane might take it wrong. Not that she couldn’t just as easily take the fact that he was male as a threat.

He stared at the duck nameplate gathering his courage as though it were chi. He’d been in far more dangerous battles than this. He took a deep breath and knocked.

Akane opened the door, his same fears mirrored in her eyes. She was wearing her blue and yellow pajamas and looked as cute as he’d ever seen her.

“Well, sleep well, Ranma.” She went to her bed, quickly crawling under the covers. He followed her lead and climbed into his own makeshift bed.

“Goodnight, Akane.”

She turned to face him. Smiling at him with just a hint of mischief, she leaned closer to him. In her softest, most sultry voice, she breathed, “Goodnight, Ranma.”

He rolled onto his stomach with a moan. Akane smiled. Perhaps this could be fun after all.