Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½

-XxX-

Misunderstandings

-XxX-

Chapter Three

Yusuke was well aware that the business of food delivery came with a lot of unexpected business. Hell, he's had people stripped down in nothing but socks come to answer the door, people training their lions to retrieve the noodles from him with their bare jaws, and even mothers attempting to hook him up with their daughters. He's seen it, survived it, and laughed about it.

But this?

He glanced at the blue-haired girl inches away, her arm linked around his as her head rested on his shoulder. He probably would have blushed if he wasn't so confused about everything. He gazed across the room at the pigtailed boy, his face twisted in pure grief. He honestly felt sorry for the poor stranger; he must have truly loved this woman.

He glared at her then, upset that she was lying and not being straightfoward about her feelings. He's known girls like this his entire life. They toyed around with men so carelessly, not worrying about the consequences of their actions. Well, he would put an end to this and set things straight– Yusuke Kobayashi was no ragdoll to be used by others as they pleased.

Breaking off their linkage, he stepped in front of the girl angrily. "Now wait a minute! Who is who's–"

Please.

She mouthed, and he instantly felt his breath fall short. In the mist of his anger, he failed to realize how goddamned beautiful this girl was. He gazed at her, a mutual understanding passing between the two. For now, he would pretend to be whoever she needed him to be, and do whatever she needed him to do. The questions could come later.

Turning around, he gazed back at this other stranger and bowed, remorse filling his entire system at what he was about to do. "I'm sorry for the abruptness of the news. But, I'm Yusuke Kobayashi, her boyfriend." He finished lamely. Pretending to be engaged and he didn't even know the girl's own name.

Shampoo gently grabbed his shoulder, motioning for him to rise. When he did, she gazed back at Ranma, and smiled weakly. "It wasn't easy falling out of love, Ranma," she reasoned, as she knew Akane would if she was to ever dump Ranma. "Not with Dr. Tofu... not with you."

Yusuke squirmed uneasily, making great effort to avoid eye contact with this so-called Ranma who was omitting anger and hatred toward him. Trying to lighten the mood and end the conversation, Yusuke stepped forward, offering his hand. "I don't want any hard feelings, Ranma," he began. "As her current boyfriend, I don't want this ending in a bloody turmoil. I promise I'll take care of her from now–"

Pain. The minute Ranma's fist connected with his mouth, Yusuke went flying and crashed into the nightstand poisitioned next to the hospital bed. His own instinct didn't even kick in yet before Ranma was on top of him, throwing fist after fist after fist.

"Ranma, stop!" Shampoo yelled, quickly glancing at the clock hanging above the door. Fifteen minutes. She had fifteen minutes before Akane was transferred back into her body and she needed at least five minutes to erase Akane's memory. She was running out of time. "Ranma, please! Stop it! Just stop! You're always like this!"

She lunged, gripping Ranma by the shoulder and throwing him off of the battered boy's body. Ranma faced her, and the sheer intensity of his gaze made her knees shake. "Ranma," she began, tears welling in her eyes. Goodness, if there was ever a moment Shampoo believed she should receive an award for acting, it was now. "You need to let me go. Go to Jusenkyo, find your cure... and let me go."

"Akane," he reached for her slowly, cautiously, searching for something that showed him she was still his. He watched her break off eye contact and tend to Yusuke's side. He grimaced, calling out to her one more time, saying the words that could possibly save him from his demise. "Akane, listen to me. I know I haven't been so honest with you but I–"

"I know," she smiled sadly. "But it's too late, Ranma. It's too late for you to apologize, and it's too late to fix what we hav– had. Please, could you go now? I'm sick and I really can't deal with this right now. I'm so tired, Ranma."

"I know you're tired!" He nearly screamed, the emotions inside of him erupting violently. "But you're telling me that you've fallen in love with with this guy when I've never even seen you with him at all! Not at school, not around the dojo... not anywhere! And suddenly you're telling me that he's the guy you've chosen?"

Yusuke opened his mouth to speak, remembered the beat down he received earlier, and closed his mouth again. Shampoo decided to speak in his stead: "I don't need to give you an explanation, Ranma. Stop being such a jerk and go!"

"Like hell I will! The least you can do is give me an explanation! Geez, Akane, I didn't know you were such a floozy."

"Now you're insulting me? Get this through your head, Ranma," Shampoo stood, attempting to give Ranma Akane's signature glare she's seen so many times. Who knew after witnessing all their arguments she'd become such a natural? "I don't love you, I want nothing more to do with you, and I want you out of my sight! Never speak to me again!"

"Akane–"

Without another word Shampoo grabbed him by his collar and threw him outside the door with all her remaining strength, sliding the door shut behind him. The minute they were alone, Shampoo glanced at the clock again and winced. Nine minutes! There was no time for this!

"Do you want to explain now?"

"You're hurt," she stated, untying his tangled mess of what was suppose to be bandage wrappings and rewrapped it properly. "I'm sorry for involving you into this. He's always like this." She smiled up at him, trying to resemble Akane's heartpounding smile she's heard so much about. "Thanks for covering me."

He blushed slightly, caught in the beauty of her smile. "Ye-yeah, don't mention it," he breathed in deeply clenching and unclenching his fists, wincing slightly at the pain. "You still haven't explained anything to me properly."

"That guy's name is Ranma Saotome, we've been engaged for a year up until now. It wasn't our decision, and we always argued and disagreed on everything. I'm glad that it's finally over though. I can finally move on," She headed toward the bed laid down befor closing her eyes. "Could you please leave now too? I'm sick and just so exhausted. Thank you once again for your help, and I promise to repay you some how."

"Of course!" He rose from the chair and as he slid the door open he glanced back at her. "You know, we never introduced ourselves properly. I just figured since we're dating and all." He laughed, and bowed in her direction. "My name is Yusuke Kobayashi, and I'm seventeen-years-old."

"Nice to meet you, Yusuke," Shampoo grinned. "My name is Akane. Akane Tendo."

He nodded, grinning as well. "I hope you feel better Akane. See you around." And with that, he was gone.

Once alone, Shampoo smiled, despite the queasiness she felt in the pit of her stomach. The Chinese potion sure had strong effects, she thought to herself as she grimaced. She spread her arms and legs apart drowning herself in her own praise. She had actually done it! There was no way Ranma would vye after Akane any longer, and Akane wouldn't question Ranma's behavior with her memories erased of Ranma save the horrible ones. But Akane should be thankful to her, she wasn't completely heartless and had left her with a rebound who, in her opinion, was quite compatible with Akane's personality.

By the time Akane awakens, she'll find that she's all alone. Two years. Two long years of plotting and now Ranma was all hers. With a few minor complications of defeating Kodachi and Ukyo, Shampoo was practically in the clear. She glanced at the clock once more, realizing Ukyo would be here any minute. She decided to revel in her achievement a little while longer until the brunette was finally here.

When she was, well, that's when the real fun begins...

-XxX-

"Ranma! Ranma hold it!"

Ranma ignored the black pig, now Ryoga in human form, as he chased after him. There was nothing he could say that could console him, so why listen? But Ryoga had always been damn persistent, and stood in front of him, blocking his path. Irritated, he responded: "What?"

"Is that all? We're just gonna leave Akane with that prettyboy?" Ryoga clenched his fists. "I won't allow it! I won't be the one to leave Akane all alone!"

"If it bothers you so much, then you go back and try to talk to her because I'm so done with this." He muttered, angrily brushing past him and continuing to walk down the hall.

"You're not going to do anything?"

"Didn't you hear her? This Yusuke-what's-his-face got her hooked. She wants him," he put a hand on Ryoga's shoulder before continuing, "Get it, buddy? She doesn't like either one of us. We lost."

"And her being sick?"

He paused momentarily before glancing at him nonchalantly. "Yeah, I know she's sick and Tofu's gonna take care of her. He already said it was nothing too major, so let's just go to Jusenkyo. Unless you wanna stay here, then that's fine too, bacon breath."

"As long as Tofu said she was fine..." Ryoga mumbled, and followed after Ranma. He would check on Akane once more before he left to the hot springs. They would only be gone a few days, anyway. And once he returned a full man, he can win Akane's heart back and do a little invesitgation on this Yusuke person.

Something just didn't feel right– and although one wouldn't trust Ryoga's sense of direction, they should always trust his gut.

-XxX-

"Okay, she's all here and unconscious," Ukyo glanced at the broken nightstand. "What happened here?"

"I'll explain later, we have no time," Shampoo dragged Akane and placed her on the ground before laying down next to her. "Okay, so any minute the potion is going to wear off and Akane will be back in her body. The minute she is, I need you to hold her down so I can press the pressure points on her head to erase the memories of Ranma."

"But, wait," Ukyo intervened. "You've done this before, haven't you? You used this shampoo or whatever and Akane lost all her memories but all it had taken was an insult from Ranma and she remembered everything again. If she remembers, Shampoo, Ranma will hate us for it."

"Calm down, Ukyo, she won't remember a thing. I've learned from my past mistakes and while you restrain her I have yet another potion I'm going to make her drink. Not only will this potion erase her feelings of Ranma totally, Akane will only remember being forcefully engaged to Ranma, them arguing all the time, and Ranma finally ending the engagement. Her mindset will be all the way back to when she first met Ranma. She will remember none of their experiences or falling in love, but only be filled with hatred and horrible occasions Ranma will have put her in. Delusions is the key."

"As long as we don't kill her, Shampoo."

"We won't, we won't. I'll slip the potion into her system and she'll begin healing gradually," she stated, her eyes popping out wide. "Ukyo... the transition... it's happening!" Shampoo claimed, feeling her spirit exiting Akane's and reentering hers.

Ukyo watched Akane's body stir momentarily and slowly she opened her eyes, looking around the room frantically. Their gazes locked and that's when Ukyo saw pure rage evident on Akane's face. Rage she has never seen before, and for a moment brief moment even she felt intimidated. Disregarding her own feelings she pinned Akane's weaken form to the ground, the sickness putting her at a great disadvantage. "Help m–!" Akane began, but Ukyo quickly silenced her by placing one hand over the girl's mouth.

"Ah, Shampoo back in own body. Such nice feeling," Shampoo smiled, wiggling her fingers and stretching her legs happily. "Now Ukyo hold Akane still."

"Yeah, I'm trying and it's not all that easy with her squirming and all so hurry up."

"Akane no feel a thing okay? Ukyo let go her mouth."

"But she'll scream." Ukyo protested.

"Is okay, no one left in clinic anyway. Tofu leave to check on Ranma and family."

Ukyo reluctantly released her hold on Akane's mouth, and instantly Akane began to speak. "What did you do to him?" She croaked, tears of frustration welling in her eyes. "Tell me what you said to Ranma."

Shampoo smiled. "Akane no need to worry, Ranma never bother Akane again. He say he never coming back," Shampoo's smiled broadened and in three swift movements, she hit all three pressure points surrounding Akane's head. "Ukyo, the potion."

Gripping Akane's chin, Ukyo tipped it upward and inserted the liquid substance into the girls open mouth. Ukyo watched in silence as Shampoo kneeled toward the dazed girl and whipsered inaudible words in her ear before watching Akane's pupils disappear for a brief moment before the girl slumped forward into a state of sleep. "It's over, huh? She won't remember her feelings of Ranma at all by the time she wakes up?"

Shampoo nodded, before gathering the materials they left behind and replacing the nightstand with one in Tofu's office. By the time they were done tidying, the room looked as it did when the girls first arrived, not a trace of evidence left behind. The minute they were finished, murmurs of voices could be heard coming down the hallway. The girls exchanged glances and simultaneously dashed for the window, closing it shut behind them.

"Look, daddy, Akane isn't even awake yet." Nabiki stated as they entered the room, pointing a finger at Akane's sleeping body. "You were worried for nothing."

"My poor baby!" Soun wailed, streams of tears running down his face as he dashed to his youngest daughter's bedside and watched her unmoving body. "This is exactly as her mother died! She lay in a hospital bed like this! And it was Tuesday just like today!"

Nabiki sighed. "Mother died on a Saturday, daddy."

"Oh, father, father, father." Kasumi added quietly, shaking her head from side-to-side.

"Where's Ranma, anyway?" Genma chimed in, glancing around the room. "Didn't he say he would come and see Akane? How ungrateful my boy is! To think he'd leave his sick fiancee laying here all alone!"

"That's weird though, considering both him and Ryoga left before any of us to go check on Akane."

"You know," Ranma began, entering the room suddenly. "I can hear you guys talking about me from a mile away."

"Did you–" Genma began.

"Yeah, Pop, I got the water for her like you asked," he replied approaching Akane's bed to place the bottled water on the nightstand next to her bed. He didn't want to be here but after his stupid old man complained and guilt tripped him about it all, he knew he didn't have a choice.

And to make matters worse, Akane was beginning to stir in her sleep.

"Hey, I think she's waking up!" Genma claimed enthustiastically, the entire family rushing around the waking girl's body.

"Akane! Are you okay? Don't die on your father now!" Soun all but yelled, leaning inches away from Akane's face.

"Ah, so loud," Akane murmured, slowly opening her eyes to be face-to-face with her father. "I'm not gonna die, dad. In fact, I'm feeling much better!"

That's a relief, Tomboy, Ranma thought, smiling despite all the misery he had just gone through. The minute Akane laid her eyes on him, he didn't really care about their argument moments ago. What he wanted most now was to simply talk her her as they always did, and try to pretend that the Yusuke incident never occurred. Maybe if he could just convince her...

"Why'd you guys bring him here?" Akane spat, her gaze turning ice cold and her voice hardening.

"Ah, don't be so shy, Akane," Nabiki teased. "We know you were simply dying to see your beloved fiance."

"Me? Miss him?" Akane scoffed. "I don't think I'm capable of mustering up those kind of emotions. I can't even stand him in the same room with me, what makes you think I could ever even love a guy like him?"

"Yeah, I got it the first time." Ranma laughing lightly. "I'm heading out any way."

"Did something happen between you two?" Soun and Genma asked in unison, their gazes bouncing between the two teens.

Akane opened her mouth to insult the boy once again, but he had already left the room, so she didn't bother. She just kept her gaze locked on the door as she answered her father:

"The ending is what happened."

-XxX-

A/N: Hey everyone! I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long... but here's the latest installment! I can't say I'm totally happy with the outcome, but I really just wanted to upload something and my inspiration just happened with this story haha.

I hope you like it and please review! I go on Thanksgiving break soon so maybe I can get another chapter out... but no promises! Haha sorry!

I hope you're all doing well and thanks for taking your time to read this... if you did. (though I doubt it haha)