AKANE'S HEART
by Aurora A. Valenzuela


	"Ranma! I have a formal letter of challenge for-"
	"-me?" Ranma snatched the piece of paper from Akane. "Boy, these letters grow more and more each week - huh?" He broke off when he found her giving off a red battle aura.
	She was clearly annoyed. "Unless you've also changed your name to Akane Tendo, it's not for you."
	He read the name at the top. "Oops. Here," he said, throwing it to her.
	Akane raised an arm and caught it.
	"You better hang on to that one, Akane," Ranma advised as she scanned the note. "You get so few nowa- Woof!" he cried as she hit him with her mallet.

	"Yoohoo! Akane I've come to return the book I've borrowed." Sayuri paused when she saw the expression on her friend's face. "What's wrong?"
	"Nothing. This came in the mail though." Akane handed the letter to her.
	"A formal letter of challenge? Shouldn't you be giving this to Ranma?"
	Akane shook her head. "Not you too, Sayuri."
	She was chagrined to read who it was for. "Sorry." She glanced at the rest of the note. "Shizuko Kimura? Who's she?"
	Akane shrugged. "I thought you would know."
	Sayuri was puzzled. "Well...let me think." She stared into space, thinking deeply.

After an hour  (Akane's hair is standing on end)

	"I've got it!" Sayuri exclaimed at last. "Remember in third grade, there was a chubby girl with dirty blond hair? cropped up real short? She used to sit behind you in class."
	Akane thought for awhile, then her eyes lit up. "Of course! Shizuko Kimura!" She stopped as a thought occurred to her. "But why would she challenge me?"
	Sayuri shrugged. "You know, she had a big crush on Miko Ishikawa."
	"Miko Isikawa?" Akane exclaimed. "The conceited creep? What does he have to do with me?"
	Sayuri answered by asking a question. "When's the date of the showdown?"
	"Tomorrow."
	"Then I guess that's when you'll find out."

	The nest day, Ranma and Akane were waiting at Furinkan High's vacant lot. The letter had said that was where Shizuko would meet her. Akane was wearing her gi and a troubled look. She didn't want to fight when she didn't even know the reason why. Ranma had his arms folded across s his chest, indifferent to the goings-on or the lack thereof. Where is she? Akane wondered.
	As if on cue they heard a yell, and a girl wearing a drab brown gi came crashing through, her leg aimed right at Akane. Akane stepped back and raised an arm as Shizuko attempted to punch her. During that space of the moment, Akane had observed that she had let her hair grow to her shoulders but it was still limp and oily. She was a few inches taller than Akane and her watery blue eyes shone with determination.
	"W-W-Wait a minute," Akane cried in protest. "Can't I at least know what this is all about first?"
	Shizuko continued thrusting. "Three words. Miko Ishikawa."
	Akane frowned as she counted the words in her head. "What about him?"
	"Have you so many men under your belt that you don't remember?!" Shizuko exclaimed. She flew into a succession of kicks with a passion.
	Akane dodged and jumped, speechless.
	"Let this refresh your memory!!!" Shizuko jabbed her right shoulder viciously. Akane let out a cry of pain.
	"Oh no! Akane!" Ranma shouted in concern. He stopped himself and looked around self-consciously. "This is a little too weird for me," he muttered. Suddenly insecure, he put his hands in his pockets and lowered his head.
	Meanwhile, Akane had recovered and let out a feeble kick which Shizuko jumped away from. This girl is good, Akane thought.
	Shizuko began to kick and punch alternately, her movements pained. "Third grade. It was our first boy-girl party and Miko-kun asked you. Do you know how that made me feel?!?!"
	"Shizuko..." Akane struggled to remember.
	"You made him hate me!!!" Shizuko screamed. "You ruined me in his eyes!!!"
	"B-But I refused him," Akane whispered raggedly.
	"It didn't matter!!!" Shizuko launched a high kick before her emotions got the better of her. She crumpled up, sobbing as if her heart were breaking. She gasped out, You bewitched him! You bewitched all of them! There was no one left for me!" Tears streamed down her cheeks.
	Akane crouched down next to her, her eyes sympathetic. "I know what you're going through."
	Shizuko turned to face her furiously. "You! What would you know about what I'm going through???"
	Akane smiled bitterly, thinking of Dr. Tofu. "Believe it or not I do. Miko Ishikawa isn't the man for you. You don't deserve him...he's the scum of the earth. He wouldn't know a nice girl if he was standing right in front of him." She frowned. "Wait, that didn't come out right."
	Shizuko's eyes lit up with hope but they immediately grew sad again. "You're just saying that to get out of the fight."
	"No, I really do care for you." Akane laid her hands on her shoulders. "I want to be your friend."
	Shizuko turned her face away. "No one wants to be my friend."
	Akane laughed lightly, although she didn't find the situation at all funny. "Then you're wrong. I want to be your friend and I mean it." She watched as Shizuko's face began to glow with happiness.
	"You do?!" she cried out ecstatically. "I've never had a friend before. Does that mean we can go to the mall and shop and watch movies and pig out and talk about boys..."
	Akane feebly nodded to every suggestion Shizuko made about how they'd have fun together. A huge perspiration drop ran down her face. Oh boy, she thought. 

	Ranma and Akane were walking home together after the fight that didn't happen. Ranma had his arms behind his head while Akane was absorbed in her own thoughts.
	"Akane," Ranma hesitantly began. "I just want you to know that if I was in your place I'd have bashed her head in before making friends with her."
	Akane turned on him, angry all of a sudden. "What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded hotly.
	Ranma backed off. "Nuthin'. I meant it as a compliment and you take it the wrong way. As usual." He looked away in disgust.
	They walked on in silence. After awhile, Akane smiled and said, "Thank you, Ranma."
	He was still troubled over something, however. "So..." he mumbled. "Is this Miko Ishikawa someone I should know about?"
	Akane gaped at him, aghast. She felt the insane urge to laugh. "You're joking, right?" The expression on his face told her she wasn't. "Honestly! You're ridiculous!!!" she cried in disbelief.
	Ranma sulked.
	Akane watched him out of the corner of her eyes. "Baka," she muttered affectionately.