Mousse was not much of a troublemaker growing up, a bit of a schticler for the rules in fact. But something about Japan had made him... care less. Something named Ranma Saotome.

"You sicko, how dare you come here and touch Shampoo!" He threw bowls swiftly.

"She was the one touchin' me dammit, you know this, Mousse!" Ranma ducked. "I just wanted to eat!"

"Excuses!" Mousse exclaimed though his rant was cut short by a certain Chinese girl with a bucket of water.

"Aiya, Mousse, you always get in way." Shampoo grabbed him by the feet. "Never let Shampoo have time with Ranma."

The duck squawked as it tried to get out of the Amazon's grasps, as if trying to argue with her. Of course, Shampoo argued back, not like she could understand him but rather did it to let off some steam. The two went back and forth as Ranma took his chance-and food- to hit the road, though it wasn't long before Shampoo had noticed her missing fiancé.

"See what you do? Now he gone for good, thanks to you." Shampoo tightened her grip as she heard Cologne call her name, business approaching, she grumbled. "Now I no have time to get him!"

The duck flailed, screaming as she sighed.

"You never let Shampoo have nice thing. I move to Japan, you follow. I find husband, you interfere. Everything, you get in Shampoo way." She threw him out the window and yelled. "You no comeback until I forgive you."

Shampoo glared down as Mousse, gripping at the windowsill as she closed it down letting the whole building shake with it. The duck-boy stood before waddling off in search of hot water. Gosh, how on earth am I gonna reason with Shampoo to get her to see the light. That I'm the better option, rather than that stupid half boy-girl.

Mousse stopped and looked across the street, finding Akane and Ranma in a typical scene.

"You were totally in their to see Shampoo, weren't you?" Akane huffed.

"You always assume the worst, if I wanted to see her I would've stuck around." Ranma smiled as he held up his food, pride in what he had done. "I wanted food and so did you, it's just like with those guys I swindle."

"You do understand how that makes you a bigger asshole than you going to see another woman?"

"For me to see another woman there would have to be a main woman." Ranma corrected as his leg was met with a soft kick. "Ay, it's okay no need to get so angry. Plus, don't you want any?"

Akane glared, though her soft smile gave away her good mood as she swiped the food. "Well you were quick, I'll forgive you today."

The two laughed, and an idea ran through Mousse's head. I can prove it to her, all I have to do is get those to be official. Then Shampoo will come running to me heartbroken, and I will swoop in, the hero.

Mousse let out a maniacal laugh, though to those around, a very deranged duck.

Ranma felt a chill run up his spine, he could feel something bad coming to ruin lunch. I've been too lucky lately, this is gonna be sinister. He looked around, what could it be. Ukyo is with her friends, Shampoo should be dealing with the lunch rush, Ryoga's at home, the Kuno's are on a family vacation, and Akane is with me. Who could it be this time?

"You look like a total idiot, what are you looking at?" Akane caught his attention. "We get a day to safely eat lunch outside and your acting like someone is out for your head... well I wouldn't be surprised."

Ranma rolled his eyes. "You're actin' awfully calm for someone who knows that we get attacked all the time. I got a chill, like something bad's about to happen." The hairs on his back stood as he said that, his head whipping back to see a certain familiar Chinese boy. A sigh escaped him. "Never mind, it was just Mousse. Man I was gettin' worried."

"See, maybe your senses are dulling or something." Akane prided, finally passing an acknowledging glance at Mousse who was smiling like an idiot. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, nothing, just stopping by to see my favorite friends." Mousse plopped in between them. "I brought you two something to drink."

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "We're friends? Since when."

"The when is unimportant, Ranma, what is important is that anyone who isn't interested in Shampoo is off the bat on good terms with me."

"Weren't you, like 4 hours ago throwing plates at me because you thought I was interested in Shampoo?"

"Well yeah, but a change of heart has occurred within me when I saw you two this morning." Mousse picked a piece of food off Ranma's plate and relaxed his posture. "You two were very clearly flirting and no pair would do that unless interested in each other."

"We were what!" the two exclaimed.

The unfazed Amazon boy remained smiling. "Flirting, and so I came to the conclusion that Ranma has no interest in Shampoo. So, why not make it official so Shampoo can move on? Leading her on when you have a girlfriend is cruel, Ranma."

Akane stood up, throwing her chopsticks down. "I am not his girlfriend, we aren't like that. You must've been missing your glasses because if you saw a lovey dovey couple it certainly wasn't us." She stomped off.

The two sat dumbfounded before Ranma frowned. "See what you did? You and your observations aren't exactly welcome, idiot." He reached to grab over the food in an attempt to leave but was stopped, his wrist in Mousse's grasps. "What are you doing? Scram."

"Please, Ranma, at least for pretend. I need you to let Shampoo know you're 100% not interested in her, break her heart, tear it out." Mousse pleaded. "This seems cruel, but please, the sooner you do it the sooner we leave."

Ranma rolled his eyes. "Now why would I do that, I'm not a monster." He attempted to pull his hand away but was pulled in closer.

"You can benefit from this too, aren't you interested in Akane? You can use it as an excuse to get closer to her so maybe you two can date for real."

Ranma stopped, pausing to think as he relaxed his body. I could. He avoided eye contact. "Well... not saying I'm interested in her but..."

"But you can stand to gain something, Shampoo and I would be out of the picture. Think about it, us gone and back to China."

Ranma pulled his hand away and shook his head. "No, wait, stop, I can't. As nice it would be I have too much to do. Plus, what's to say she wouldn't just beat the crap outta us." He waved his hand dismissively. "And since when does Shampoo give up, me and Akane dating ain't gonna do none of us any good."

Mousse frowned. "Can't we at least try?"

"We have, the wedding thing. She made sure to do anything to stop it." Ranma stood up, bento's in hand. "I gotta go see if Akane's cooled off."

"But this is different." Mousse stood, getting closer as Ranma began to be backed into a tree. "I know so, if you just manned up and paired off with Akane a lot of these problems would be solved."

"Get outta my face, dude." Ranma tensed. This is getting annoying.

"Come on, we all know you're like in love with her so why not knock out 2 birds with 1 stone." Mousse pressed. "I know you're a stupid coward but-"

And with that Ranma had had enough, a quick piece of onigiri was enough to shut him up.

"I have to get back to class, enjoy the food, freak." He walked past.

"At least consider it!" Mousse huffed but was only met with indifference. He scratched his head, what to do what to do.

Think, Mousse, how can I get him to agree? He paced for a moment before pausing. Wait... He smiled, a for sure plan had occurred.

A shiver ran up Ranma's back.

"So you got the invites?" Ranma asked.

"Sent out." Kasumi replied.

"The cake is ordered?"

"Did it just this morning."

"Mom's making the food?"

"You could say we got the whole meal planned."

"Are my clothes stain free?"

"Shining, one could say."

Ranma relaxed into the kitchen chair, everything was going smoothly. Too smoothly. He sat back up and looked around the room. Someone.

"What's the matter, dear?" Kasumi approached.

He stood, walking over to the entryway and jumping out as if to catch someone. No one.

"Weird, I thought someone was here." Ranma turned around, searching for anything that was out of place. His eyes landed on the window over the sink. "I'm usually pretty keen on these things."

He slammed the window open and looked over, a startled Nabiki staring up at him. Ranma sighed. "I knew it, I recognize your insidious aura anywhere, Nabiki."

"And I recognize your shitty scheming anywhere." She patted herself down, her typical poker face had made it's way back on her. "I want to know what you 3 are plotting and I want to help."

Ranma raised an eyebrow as Kasumi curiously walked over. "You wanna... help?"

Nabiki put her hands on her hips. "That's right, I know you 3 are planning something for Akane and I know you'll make a fool outta yourself and make her hate her birthday more than she already does."

He scoffed. "We're doing fine as the masterminds for your information, we don't need you're help until the party day." I also don't need a debt to you.

"Yes you do, trust me I know so." She smirked. "Listen, I know you're doing this because you wanna prove you're not as much as a narcissist as Akane claims, well at least that's what you say it is, everyone here knows the real reason." Nabiki raised a sneaking eyebrow.

"You wanna get to the point or keep suggesting off topic subjects?" Ranma rolled his eyes.

"Fine, but listen, the best way to do this isn't by doing what you think is right, but by letting someone who knows Akane to help you out."

"Yeah, I did that, her name's Kasumi." He pointed towards her, she beamed.

"Psh, Kasumi may be out oldest sister but she's also like our parent. She knows only as much as we let on and she can figure out... No offense, sis." She waved dismissively. Her older sister felt a bit irked but didn't show. "Anyway, I'm Akane's closest sister and I am me, so that means I know things that you couldn't even imagine about her."

"How convincing, Nabiki."

"It's true! We were like inseparable growing up, and even now we're still close. I'm even wearing one of her outfits right now, you don't see Kasumi doing that."

"Cause, Kasumi doesn't steal things. You can help on Saturday for set up." Ranma began to close the window.

"Wait!" Nabiki stopped him, slamming the widnow wide open and peering in, closing in on Ranma's face. "I wanna help, no games."

Ranma stared, both him and Kasumi shared a glance, curious.

"I'm serious, listen," She sighed. "I know she hates her birthday, and yeah I'm kinda a monster sometimes but at the end of the day I want her to be happy. I'm her older sister too."

"Are you serious?" Kasumi stepped in. "Do you want to help us get her to love her birthday?"

"Why would I hurt Akane like that?" Nabiki replied.

"Woah, okay slow down." Ranma intervened, pausing to look straight at Nabiki. She has no tells when it comes to lying. He crossed his arms. "We need someone to figure out a good gift for her. And Nabiki, since you claim to know her the best, you can figure that out for us."

"I can totally do that." She backed off. "I'll come back to you by tomorrow with an answer, see ya!" Nabiki waved off.

The teenaged boy grumbled, after all he felt a bit stupid for giving in like that. Kasumi rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder, pumping a soft fist up in support.

"She seems genuine, I wouldn't worry much. Come on, let's get dinner ready."

Ranma sighed, a smile resting on his face as he felt his body relax. "Yeah, she didn't use her usual tactics, maybe you're right."

The two walked off, Kasumi finishing dinner and Ranma setting up the table. While on the other side of the house, things were not as peaceful.

"99...100! Done!" Akane flopped onto the floor. "Can we go eat now?"

Ryoga looked at the clock. "We should wait for them to call us in for dinner. Until then we should get in a few stretches is so we aren't too sore tomorrow."

Akane groaned and sat up, running a hand through her hair. She looked down on herself, despite it only having been 4 days she felt a lot stronger. Feeling just as confident as she was sore, though even she could tell you nothing had really changed. Akane had no new muscles, no new scars, but she did have new fighting techniques and had seen her endurance improve in such little time. Well, at least that's what she thought. Maybe I'm just choosing to see it.

"Ryoga, do you think I'm getting better? You know with all this working out and stuff?" She began to reach for her toes.

"Well it'll take time to see muscle improvement but technique wise yeah, you pick things up quickly." He followed in suite. "I'm sure eventually you'll be good enough to take on Shampoo or Ukyo, you weren't too far behind in brute strength."

Her eyebrow twitched in irritation, they moved onto the next stretch. "Yeah, I've been told that I'm a bit of a brute when it comes to how strong I am." Akane sighed in anger. "Even after I stopped hitting him he still calls me stuff like macho chick, or brick, no matter how much I change."

"That's Ranma for you, always insultin' others, even for things he has no reason for makin' fun of."

"Yeah, like he calls you a pig all the time even though you haven't done anything worth the nickname. Totally infair." She huffed. Next stretch.

Ryoga felt a droplet of sweat form. "Yeah, what a lowlife." He looked over at her, admiring her even at such a disheveled state. Even angry she's still cute. "Well, once we're done with you're training we'll show him, that you ain't no brute."

Akane chuckled. "I think if I get more muscular he'll just increase those insults."

"Maybe, but he won't be able to deny you being a good martial artist. After all, a genuine martial artists can't be a brute."

They laughed shortly, Akane smiled at him. "I guess." Next stretch, now they were on their feet.

The pair stood in silence for only a moment as they got adjusted for their next set of stretches.

"So, Ryoga, I have a question. What made you decide to stay here for so long? You don't usually stay for much."

Ryoga stiffened. Just play it cool. "Well, I thought about it for a while but I decided to stay for a bit 'cause I missed being around people. Since my folks get lost easy like me I can't exactly go home to a family, so I come here for that feeling of family. I wanted to feel stable for a bit and even thought about practicing with Ranma while I was here but training you seems to be better for my overall health. You're more gentle than him." He chuckled.

Akane pursed her lips. "Really? I thought you were here because you were scheming with Ranma. I had no idea you wanted to feel stability for a while, and with us of all people."

Ryoga felt his attitude falter. "Yeah well, sometimes you guys do feel like a family in weird way. A real twisted but one at the end of the day." he stopped. "That's a little strange, yeah? Sorry."

"No not at all, you're a good family friend. Even if we don't have any relation we're still here, ready to take you in when you find your way back to us." Akane stopped and shared a look with him, staring into his eyes ever so intently as if to convey something without words. "If we feel like family, then I'm glad."

Ryoga felt his heartstrings pull at his chest. Maybe it was guilt for lying about everything, maybe it was because she gave him the warmest smile, but maybe, that lie had some genuine feeling to it after all. "Thank you, Akane, that means a lot."

She giggled and punched his shoulder lightly. "Of course, anytime. Now, let's go eat, I don't think it's worth it to wait for them to call us in."

"Yeah, sounds good." Ryoga led the way, opening the dojo door, feeling the afternoon breeze set in and hitting his face feeling it cool him down after the afternoon. "How nice, feels like summer."

"Mmm, yeah it's almost that time a year." She breathed in. "You know it's almost my mom's birthday, it's around this time a year."

"Really?" Ryoga asked. "Interesting, do you guys do anything to celebrate it?"

"No, makes us all a little gloomy. I'd rather not remind my dad of it, makes him all sad and stuff." She sighed, staring off into the distance before returning to her previous mood. "I wonder what Kasumi made for dinner, I hope it's something that isn't too hot."

"You're sister is real good at cooking, it's nice. Con of training on the road all the time is that you end up eating the same thing everyday."

Akane chuckled. "That's another reason you should stop by more often, you'll get to eat real food." She opened the kitchen door and they entered, eventually finding their way to the dining room were the other 3 were waiting. Kasumi smiled.

"Oh good, you're back, I was about to send Ranma to go get you two." She took a closer look and frowned. "Goodness, you two look like disasters. Akane this is no way for a bride to act, I'm worried about all this training you're doing."

"It's fine, I'm getting better so what's the big deal if I look a little messy, it's just sweat at the end of the day. But if I really look so bad I can go get cleaned up-"

"No it's fine, you can do that after you've eaten." she dismissed. "I made your favorite." Kasumi began to serve the bowls of rice. "You two sit down, then you can get washed up."

"You sure that's a good idea, Kasumi? They could stink up the whole room and I'd rather not spend dinner wondering who's the main offender." Ranma play gagged before Ryoga swiftly punched his head.

"Oh would you shut up, the only one here capable of ruining dinner more than us is you." He took a seat next to him, diving Ranma and Akane. "Let's just eat please."

Ranma rolled his eyes and poked at his food as they began to eat, setting his eyes on both Ryoga and his fiancée who had promptly avoided talking to him since entering the main area of the house. He looked away, avoiding eye contact.

"So, how's training going, 'Kane? Having fun with this lil ol' pig boy as your teacher." Ranma picked at the assorted steamed vegetables.

"It's going fine, Ryoga's a much better teacher than you so I'm glad I asked him to help me." Akane took a bite. "Even if he was a real pig, he'd still be better than you at the end of the day."

"Not what his face says after I beat him every time he asks to fight me." Ranma scoffed. "You're just saying that 'cause he's the only one here outta his mind enough to teach you."

Akane finally looked up, glaring at him as they both completely ignored Ryoga, who was in between them. He felt uncomfortable but decided it was best to avoid intervening. I think I'm understanding them better these days.

"You may be a stronger fighter than him but at least he acts like a real martial artist most of the time. You know? Humble, patient, kind. All of these things that you aren't."

"Oh bull, he only does that when you're around and you know it." Ranma set his chopsticks down, Akane followed. "He has a big fat crush on you and is using this all to get closer to you."

"What are you talking about? Ryoga's here cause he feels lonely!"

"Lonely my ass, if that's what he told you and you believed it than you really are stupid."

"Stupid because I have empathy for Ryoga? Sorry I'm not a heartless fiend like you!" She stood up, looking down at Ryoga who had wanted to disappear the second they mentioned him. He stopped mid bite as she continued. "Today during training he told me he was here because we reminded him of family, isn't that right?"

Ryoga began to back up. "Listen, I know better than to add gas to a flame so I'm going to go get washed up. Thanks for dinner, Kasumi."

"Oh of course, I'll lead you to the bathroom I'm all finished up here." She lied as they both stood and left the room.

"Yeah, you two can continue this weird little fight, I'll just finish eating in my room." Nabiki followed.

The two stayed in silence before Akane returned to her previous anger.

"See? You did ruin dinner not me or Ryoga. Just you being you as per usual." Akane rolled her eyes as she sat back down, picking at her food.

Ranma groaned. "God, you are so annoying. You turned it into a fight and didn't even get to prove your point 'cause you even drove away the main subject."

"He only left because you can't help but try and embarrass him in front of me." She scoffed. "Cause you can't handle me actually being close to another boy and actually enjoying hanging out with him."

"You know he likes you right? How can you actually enjoy his presence when you know that?" Ranma finally took a bite of his food.

"Because he has a girlfriend and I know for a fact that he would never try anything with me because of that. And you're one to talk, you still hang out with Uyko even though she's making no effort to move on from you." She picked up her chopsticks but merely stared into her food. "You are such a hypocrite."

"I am not!"

"Are too. No matter how you spin it, angle it, or look at it from every line of reasoning you are a hypocrite." She began to pile food on top of her rice. "What I do with Ryoga is completely up to me as well. If I want to hang out with him outside of training, that's for me to decide. If I want to treat him like a friend, that's for me to decide. Even if I wanted to take my relationship further with him, that is, again, for me to decide." Akane took one big bite as Ranma stared at her in silence.

"You suggesting you wanna date him? Didn't know you'd stoop so low." His stare turned into a glare. "Goin' out with that little freak."

She looked away as she chewed her food, his frustration rising.

"He's real stupid you know, he gets lost all the time. You see how Akari is, just waitin' for him to pop on by so she can actually do fun stuff. You'd have to have a heart of gold or be incredibly desperate to date him. Wonder which one you'd fall under."

Akane swallowed the last bit of her food. "You know why he has a girlfriend and you don't? Because he cares. He calls her all the time and always spends the time he has with her to the fullest. Sure he may not be the prettiest but at least he has the charm that makes things last, unlike you who burns any potential of long term love the first chance you get." She leaned in as he began to back away, she went on. "At the end of the day, you're getting out done by a 'pig' in terms of genuine connection. Only you of all people are capable of that."

Her words stung, echoing in the room as they left her mouth. Ranma felt a knot in his throat, wondering what he could say. This conversation had turned into a real argument without him really realizing it, he felt all the smoothness of the week had finally caught up to him.

"I can be genuine, I just have no one to be genuine with." He finally spoke as he leaned in closer, not daring to raise his voice to try and keep this as private as possible. "Sorry that you're not the one to get to me, I know how much you'd like that."

Akane glared, what to say next wasn't coming to her mind. Her initial reaction was to hit him, slap him and send him across the room and storm off. But she knew that wouldn't solve the problem. She so desperately wanted to solve the problem between them, she knew that they had almost solved it before and knew she could figure it out. Akane kept her voice low.

"And I know you'd like it too, you're just too much of a coward to admit to any feelings that can make you seem weak." She relaxed her posture as much as possible, though she glowered, nonetheless. "I'm a bit of a coward too, I get it."

Ranma shot back, he felt the lump in his throat get bigger. "Why do you keep being so patient with me? When I say things that used to get you so riled up, you just walk away."

"Because I want our relationship to grow up with us. Platonic or romantic I don't want us to keep being like this... so... so childish." She sighed and calmly placed her chopsticks down. "Ranma, I don't know what exactly you've been doing lately but I want to believe that it's you being nice to be nice, that's why I've been ignoring all the suspicious plotting you've been doing lately."

"Plotting? What ar-"

"Oh come on, I'm not stupid I just don't know the details. Ranma, I'm choosing to believe that whatever you're doing is because you care about me and not just to prove a point as much as you'd like others to believe." She stood up and patted her shirt down, she still felt sticky from the workout and wondered if Ryoga had finished up already. "Goodnight, before you finish could you clean up? Thanks."

Ranma sat dumbfounded, silently turning to where she had sat. Just like him, she hadn't actually eaten much from what he could tell, he could assume that the argument had left her without much of an appetite just like him. His back relaxed and began to think. Usually he'd be pissed, seething after an argument but tonight not really. He felt more embarrassment than anything but wasn't quite sure what was the specific source. His see through plotting? Losing an argument? That she had read him so well? Maybe it was the subjects they argued about? Ranma wasn't really sure. One of her chopsticks rolled off onto the table as he watched.

"This feels nauseating." He spoke softly. "What do I do?"