Kon'nichi wa minna! Gomen, nasai for taking so long in getting this out, demo, I hit a bit of writer's block, and then I got busy orienting and filling out paperwork for my new job and I didn't really get a chance to sit down and write until now. I'm done training now, though, so I should be getting more time off. For me this means a chance to finally go see Disney's Atlantis. For you, it means another new chapter every week again. Anyway, enough of my ramblings, you've waited for this long enough. Tanoshimu.

~~~~~ indicates a flashback

^^^^^ indicates passage of time, but same scene

***** indicates a scene change

----- indicates same scene, different point of view

Italics indicates thought or emphasis

Chapter 3: Atsumeru Tomodachi*

Usagi led Akane to a restroom where she washed her face before they went to meet Ranma in the food court. Just as Akane had predicted, he was sitting at a table with a rice bowl in front of him. Akane was about to make a sharp comment about his eating habits when she caught Usagi's eye. Her friend simply tilted her head a bit, her eyes questioning and a bit sad. Akane hesitated before turning to her erstwhile fiancee, her cheeks showing a bit more color than they had a moment ago.

"Ranma... I ... uhm ... that is ..."

Akane looked down, about ready to bury herself under the tiled floor. She was sure her face matched Ranma's shirt by now. Chancing a glance at his face, she saw that he was just looking at her, apparently confused as he waited for her to finish. Overlooking his bewildered expression, she felt old habits kick in and anger rise in her, quickly washing away her discomfort.

Oooh, how could that jerk just sit there staring like that? He was actually enjoying her embarrassment, wasn't he? Well, she'd show him.

As her body began to manifest a dim glow, she lifted her hands and waited for the familiar wait of Mallet-sama to release her anger on it usual target. Just as her weapon of choice began to form, she felt a small hand rest on her shoulder.

Turning, her anger dispersed as she gazed into a pair of crystal blue eyes that seemed to reproach, pity, sympathize and mourn with her all at once. What was it about those eyes that could calm her so easily?

----- ----- -----

Usagi watched as Akane opened her mouth to say to say something, and judging by the exasperated expression on her face, it wouldn't be very nice. Holding back a sigh, she managed to catch the girl's attention. Tilting her head slightly, she let her eyes ask the question she dare not speak aloud.

Would you throw away the love of a lifetime over a petty comment?

Seeing her hesitate, Usagi breathed a silent sigh of relief when she blushed and turned back to the boy she loved, a determined and somewhat nervous expression showing.

"Ranma... I ... uhm ... that is ..."

Usagi silently encouraged her friend to continue. If she didn't finish now, there was no telling how long it would take her to build up the courage to face him like this again. Glancing at Ranma, she saw him waiting, obviously confused by Akane's behavior. She was grateful that he was at least keeping his peace and not making this any harder on his fiancee.

Seeing him starting to get rather nervous, she turned back to Akane, only to see a dim blue glow appear around her. Unsure of what she was doing, she thought for a moment that she had been possessed by a youma. Since she wasn't cackling about 'worthless humans' she dismissed that thought. When she saw Akane raise her arms as if to strike with some sort of invisible weapon however, a sixth sense born of nearly three years as a warrior told her that, if she let those arms fall, it would destroy the girl's chance at cultivating her engagement.

Quietly stepping up behind her friend, she simply lay a hand on her shoulder to get her attention. Catching her gaze once more, she smiled as she saw the girl relax and decided to step in.

"Ranma, I think Akane would like to tell you something rather important." Smiling at the couple, she gave Akane's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I'll just let you two talk while I get something to eat. And Ranma, do try not to stick your foot in your mouth while I'm gone. Just listen to what she has to say." Ignoring Ranma's growing confusion, she leaned in to Akane's ear and whispered.

"Try to hear him out before you get angry. He's probably been just as confused about his feelings as you have." With that she walked over to the nearest food stall. An American burger sounded pretty good about now.

----- ----- -----

Akane followed her retreating form, grateful she was going, yet at the same time wishing she was still there to help her say this. Looking down at her feet and taking a deep breath, she turned back to Ranma and squared her shoulders. Maybe if she just said it all at once and got it over with, it would be easier. Like removing a band aid. Fast and easy. She took one of his hands in hers, trying to stop their trembling, and looked him straight in the eye.

"Ranma, I lo-"

"Violent pervert girl leave airen go."

Akane nearly fell flat on her face. One of these days she was going to kill that interfering Amazon bimbo. As though conjured by her less than kind thoughts, the amethyst tressed warrior was suddenly standing in a ready position between Ranma and herself, breaking their contact, both physically and visually.

"What you do Ranma?" she demanded, glaring at Akane, who responded in kind.

"Nothing, cat. We were just talking." Noticing Ranma's bulging eyes, she sought to allay his fears. "I was talking about Shampoo, Ranma, there aren't any cats around. Yet." she finished with a mutter as he calmed.

"Shampoo no believe pervert girl. She always do something hurt airen."

Akane couldn't help but wince as the young Chinese spoke, her words ringing with a sickening truth. Had she really been that horrible? Did she really treat him as badly as everyone believed? The blood drained from her face as the answers came. She barely heard Ranma ask if she was feeling alright. Did she deserve Ranma after everything she had done? Arranged or not, did she have a right to marry him?

The world blurred with her tears as she fought to bury the truth behind her usual wall of anger. This time however, the anger wasn't there. All she felt was an overwhelming sense of loss. Loss of something she never really had. She turned to run from Shampoo and Ranma, only to run headlong into Usagi's outstretched arms, where she collapsed into silent, heaving sobs.

----- ----- -----

Usagi calmly led her back to the table before turning to a very confused looking gaikokujin.

"I believe I heard you call yourself Shampoo? May I ask why you feel you have a claim on Ranma, and what right that gives you to so rudely interrupt our afternoon?"

The girl in question simply glared at the newcomer, debating the level of threat that she possessed. Judging by her calm, confident demeanor, she was either very stupid or very skilled. Summoning her favored weapon, she took a ready stance, one bonbori covering her opponent, the other covering Akane. No sense in taking any chances.

"Shampoo, no! Usagi's not a fiancee!" Shampoo looked around, confused.

"Shampoo no see rabbit. What airen say for?" Usagi hung her head for a moment.

"Usagi is my name. Tsukino Usagi. And I'd really like to know what it is I've done to anger you. After all I've only just met you."

"You no get Shampoo airen." she replied, resuming her position.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't met anyone in Nerima that I'd consider dating yet, much less your husband."

"Stupid girl. Ranma Shampoo airen. You no try take like others."

Usagi's gaze travel between an angry Shampoo to Akane, who's head was bowed, her shoulders trembling a bit as the occasional tear fell onto her lap. Finally her gaze came to rest on a visibly upset Ranma. He seemed to be torn between worry for Akane and exasperation over Shampoo's antics. She turned back to the amazon and shook her head.

"If you ask me, it doesn't look like he considers himself your husband. If anything, he seems rather annoyed with your behavior."

"Stupid girl quiet! No know what talk about. Airen love Shampoo!"

Usagi glanced at Ranma's increasingly annoyed expression before shaking her head sadly at the girl. She obviously believed what she said. Whether or not it was true seemed to be irrelevant at the moment.

"Last I was told, he was engaged to Akane-chan already."

"Pervert girl no deserve airen. Always hit." Usagi frowned.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd stop calling her that. Say what you want about me, but she's my friend, and I won't let you insult her."

"Shampoo say what Shampoo want. Stupid girl let go pervert girl so Shampoo kill. Wait long enough."

Usagi gently pushed Akane out of her arms and stepped in front of her, taking a ready position of her own. Neither Ranma nor Shampoo recognized the stance. Shampoo shrugged it off and growled low in her throat before she attacked, a battle cry tearing itself from her throat and drowning out Ranma and Akane's screams.

"No, Shampoo, she's not involved," Ranma screamed, even as he leaped to intercept the blow that would surely kill his new friend.

"Usagi," Akane screamed in fear, praying that Ranma would make it, knowing she could never stop an attack from the obsessed amazon.

Usagi simply stood there, silently calling on the powers of Saturn to create an invisible shield similar to the Silent Wall. Shrinking the shield, she brought it as close to her body as she could, almost creating a second skin. When the double headed mace landed its blow, it almost seemed to bounce off Usagi for a moment before disappearing in a cloud of dust. It took everyone a moment to realize that the dust was the remains of the weapon. The mortal weapon never stood a chance against the power of the cosmos.

Everyone stared in shock, alternating between Usagi and Shampoo. Shampoo simply gaped at her hands, where the handle of her bonbori had disintegrated. Only Usagi seemed unfazed by what had happened, though closer inspection would have revealed a small bit of sweat that had gathered at her temples.

Phew, she's stronger than I thought. I almost had to use the ginzuishou to reinforce the shield.

After a moment of waiting, the incognito senshi released her connection to the ringed planet and smiled at everyone.

"Well, now that that's settled, what do you say to a chocolate milkshake, Shampoo. My treat."

Everyone fell flat on their faces at the abrupt change in attitude. Was this girl for real? Just as Ranma was about to make a crack about nutty crosses between Shampoo, Ryouga and Kasumi, when a stone bench exploded next to him, drawing his attention, and a groan. Geez, not again.

"Saotome Ranma, for making Akane cry, I will see you punished. Shi ne!"

Ranma proceeded to dodge a series of blows from Ryouga's overly heavy umbrella as the three girls looked on with varying degrees of interest. Shampoo wondered why Ranma always insisted on tiring the pig boy out instead of just killing the him. Akane started to get depressed and a little angry. Everyone was getting in the way, and now Ranma had once again done something to hurt the poor lost boy. Usagi simply watched in mild fascination. She had thought that only the senshi could move that fast.

"Geez, Ryouga, what is it this time. I'm kinda busy. "

"You've insulted Akane for the last time, Ranma. Prepare to die. Aaaaaaaaargh..."

Ranma dodged another blow and several ki-charged bandanas as he tried to steer the fight out of the mall and away from innocent shoppers. This really wasn't turning out to be his day. All he needed now was to have Kodachi and the old lech show up and his day would be a perfect failure. He was so engrossed in his fight with his sometimes friend that Ranma failed to notice a rather odd silver tinted blue glow coming from the girls' direction. Had he noticed, he would have been just as surprised as Usagi was at the moment

*Bringing Together Friends. (Rough Translation)

gaikokujin - unabbreviated version of gaijin

I know, I know, I'm just horrible leaving you hanging like that, but I'm still a bit stuck in the writing department. I promise it'll be longer this time. I usually try to make each chapter as long as the one previous, but like I said, I'm a little stuck. Well, now that I'm back to my old schedule, I'll see you all next week. Ja