How is everyone liking this so far? I'm not
lying when I say I haven't gotten much mail on
this. I don't lie. Ever. I have no earthly idea
how many people are reading this. Maybe I'm just
typing for my own good, but I like the way things
are currently going. Yeah, sure, go ahead and
call me crazy. Everyone does that anyway so I'm
used to it. I'm the girl who begs her friend
not to eat her compass and plans to elope with
her imagination. (We're always running away
together anyway so why not? I'm gonna wear Ni's
blue mousepad on my head during the ceremony. I
just hope I can find a good Elvis impersonator....)
Anyway, I'm going to shut up now.


Soulmate
Part 9



_______________________________________________________

    Usagi froze as the raven haired girl called
her a name she hadn't heard since she left Tokyo.
Not even Ranma had ever thought to call her
"Odango." It took her a moment before she noticed
she was choking on her ramen, and even then she
only noticed because Shampoo was hitting her
-rather hardly- on the back.
    "Ugh, thanks, Shampoo, I can handle it now."
Uh-huh, that would definitely leave a bruise. The
Amazon beamed, glad to have helped her friend,
even if the girl had stolen her "groom" from her....
    Rei and the other senshi were looking at her expectantly.
    "What? Just because you've come to ruin my
life a second time doesn't mean I can't stay and
enjoy my meal. Shampoo, did you put something new
in this?"
    "Yes, is new secret recipe Great-grandmother
buy from old friend. You like?"
    "Very."
    "We aren't here to ruin your life!" Minako
almost shouted, angry at being ignored.
    "And we didn't do anything the first time you
left," Ami put in in her quiet way.
    "Yes, you did. You did everything. I left and
now that you find out I can fight, you want me
back. Well, sorry, but no dice."
    "What?" Rei asked, giving her the all-too-familiar
'you're an idiot' look.
    Usagi met her eyes measuredly. "I am not
going back to Juuban."
    Mamoru had an idea. "Think of your family.
They must have been worried sick after you
disappeared."
    "Uh, no. They sent me here. I stayed with my
uncle, but now he's off on some trip and I'm
staying with Ranma and the Tendos. And don't you
dare give me that look, Mamoru. It's all perfectly
innocent."
    Ranma caught the name and his eyes narrowed.
So this was the Mamoru who had betrayed the love
Usagi so easily gave to him. He was the man who
had hurt Ranma's wonderful girlfriend. Because
of Mamoru, Usagi was a little afraid of love. To
this day she hadn't even admitted to loving Ranma
although he told her every chance he got. Don't
get me wrong now. Ranma didn't think of Mamoru as
competition. He knew Usagi loved him even though
she hadn't said it. She had tried, then burst into
tears and explained that she was afraid. No, all
he knew was that anyone who hurt Usagi didn't
deserve to live.
    "Why don't you just get lost," he suggested
in a voice so unlike his usual one, it made both
Shampoo and Usagi stare. He began to talk quietly,
but his voice rose along with his anger. "Usagi
doesn't want any of you around here. If she did,
she would have gone to Juuban and found you. Why
can't you just let her be, you uncaring morons?!"
    "Hey, none of this is your business," Mamoru
shouted back. "I didn't think you were the type to
fall for such a wimp, Usagi," he continued
sarcastically. "He even has a braid. Whatta sissy!"
(Uh-oh, never diss the pigtail, man!)
    Ranma jumped up from the table. "You wanna
fight, buddy? I can take you any day! I don't
usually fight with people weaker than me, but
this time I'll make an exception!"
    "Fine then. Let's go."
    "Please, take it outside," Shampoo said worriedly.
    "No." Usagi stood, positioning herself between
the two men. "You won't fight. Not here, not now,
not ever. You got that? If you do, I'll kick both
your tails into tomorrow! And don't think I won't
either." She looked at them both sternly before
turning and stalking out the door.
    It took the whole group a few seconds before
they realized she had left. Then they all followed,
Ranma and Mamoru leading the way, each ignoring the
other.
_________________________________________________________

    They found her walking on a fence not far from
the restaurant. She was making slow progress and
didn't seem to be paying much attention to her
surroundings.
    "Usa-chan!" Ranma said, finally reaching her.
Although she hadn't been far away, looking for her
had felt like forever just because he was worried.
She looked down at him and he could tell she was
very upset. There was something else, too. Was she
pale or was it his imagination?
    "Usako!" Mamoru called a few moments later as
he and the others caught up. "You have to come with
us. It's a life-changing choice, Odango. Us or him.
You have to choose us! You have to choose me, Usako!
Think of our future, our history."
    Usagi looked at Ranma who smiled crookedly. "You
do whatever you want, Usa-chan. I love you, and I'll
continue to love you no matter what choice you make."
    Her eyes filled with tears and she nodded with
resolution. "Fine then. There's nothing really to
think about."
    "Usa, you choose place make you happy, no?"
Shampoo asked. "No real friend force you to do
something you don't want. Shampoo is real friend."
    Usagi looked down, smiling softly. She was
definitely pale. "I know." Her eyes hardened as she
faced her former guardians. "I'm staying in Nermia."
    Ranma and Shampoo both smiled in relief and joy.
    "What?" Rei demanded. "You can't. Your duty is to us!"
    "No. You all were ready to drop me with everything
you saw me do wrong. You didn't encourage me, you didn't
try to help me unless it was to change who I am. You
didn't even try to find out why I was different when
I came back from China. My friends here...they do and
did. If you care about me, you'll let me stay where
I'm happy."
    The senshi were as speechless as their personalities
would let them be, which wasn't much. They all broke into
loud pleas and/or threats depending on their natures.
Usagi shook her head, trying to clear it, but the sudden
buzzing in her ears wouldn't go away. She somehow felt
both cold and hot at the same time and couldn't get her
eyes to focus properly. She swayed and her knees buckled.
She was noticed by everyone just as she fell off the fence
and was saved only by Ranma's quick reflexes in catching
her.
    This time, her old friends were silent. Black was at
the edges of her vision and moving in to claim her. She
could barely make out Ranma's face. He was shocked and
worried and even looked afraid.  She could feel him shaking, then she completely
blacked out.
________________________________________________________
To be continued.
Hope this was long enough. Um, there will probably be
one more part to this and maybe an epilogue. I really
didn't plan what just happened. My imagination just
does what it wants sometimes. Please e-mail me.