Disclaimer:  All characters portrayed in this story is owned be Rumiko
Takahashi and co.  Please don't sue me. 

Ranma and Shampoo

by

Donny Cheng

Part 1

	Cologne was tired.  Perched, atop her staff, she began to meditate
and reflect on the events that were now happening beyond her control.  
This is all son-in-law's fault.  If only he would make a decision and let
everyone get on with their lives.  She laughed at herself for still
considering him to be her son-in-law.  If Ranma were to make a decision on
who to marry, she highly doubted he would choose Shampoo after the wedding
fiasco.  Yes, it was time to admit defeat and return to the village in
disgrace.  Sighing, she goes to tell Shampoo of her decision. 

			* * * * *

	<No!>, cries Shampoo.  <I will not leave Nerima.  I won't leave
without Ranma.  Great-grand-mother please don't make us return.  I have
confidance that I can win Ranma's heart.>
	<Do you, Shampoo?>  Seeing Shampoo's confidance start to break and
openly weep answers her question.  <There is no shame in admitting defeat,
Shampoo.  You are still the best warrior of your generation.  No one will
dispute your honor if you go back without killing or marrying Ranma.>
	<I don't care what the other's will think.  I don't care if Ranma
doesn't marry me.  I just want to be with him.>  She gasps and quickly
holds her mouth shut, staring wildly at Cologne.  Her secret was out.
	<So, Shampoo, you truly have fallen for him.  The hunter has
become the prey.  I understand.  I will not make you leave.>  Cologne
shakes her head sadly as she leaves Shampoo to cry.
	Damn that Ranma, she thought to herself.  The object of many
girl's desires.  Hunted by many, yet never losing his heart to another.
He leaves all who chase him, victims of their own passions.  How many more
hearts must he break before he finally makes a decision.
	Well, no more.  I will find out if holds any feelings for my
great-grand-daughter at all.  She smiles grimly as she thinks up a plan. 
For the first time today, Cologne feels optimistic of the the future. 

			* * * * *

	<Shampoo, come over here.  No, don't start crying again.  I said I
would not make you leave.  This is another matter entirely.  You see, ever
since we came to Nerima, I've noticed that you have not practiced the art
enough.  So, for the next few weeks, you and I are going on a training
trip.>
	<But, what about the restaurant and what about groom?>, Shampoo
asked as she calmed down now that her fear of being taken away from Ranma
was placated.
	<I've asked Ranma to help Mouse out at the restaurant for the time
we will be away.  It seems that boy is in debt up to his neck with Nabiki.
So, you don't have to worry about Ranma not being watched while you're
gone.>
	<Okay, I could use the practice.  Ukyo and Akane are catching up
with me faster than I would like.>

			* * * * *

	Ranma belted another customer that made a pass at him as he
waited on the tables at the Neko-haten.  Man, there sure are a lot of
perverts who come here.  Idley, he thought of the training Shampoo was 
going through and that she might come back better than him.  His ego
quickly squashed down that notion.  He broke out of his reverie as Cologne
followed by Shampoo entered the restaurant.
	Shampoo immediated glompped onto Ranma upon seeing him.  "Did groom
miss Shampoo, while Shampoo away?"
	"No, uh.. ah yes.", he said half-heartedly as he saw Shampoo
getting angry.  Damn it.  Why am I such a soft hearted fool.  The plant
beside him was suddenly hit with a barrage of chains, as Mousse descended
upon it.
	"Saotome, you wretch.  How dare you try and molest my beloved
Shampoo when she gets back?"
	"Stupid Mousse, Shampoo right here.  Groom can do anything with
Shampoo."  Soon their year long argument begins anew.
	Ranma steels himself away from the bickering and is confronted by
Cologne.
	"Son-in-law, er.. I mean Ranma.  I have found out how you defeated
Shampoo in your male form.  Knocking her out while she was engaged in a
fight with another is not honorable combat.  Therefore, it is within my
rights as her legal guardian that your marriage to her be anulled.
However, if you would like your marriage to resume unhindered you will
have to defeat her in combat.  I am going to hold a martial arts
tournament starting tomorrow for Shampoo's hand in marriage.  Attend it,
if you think you can beat her in fair combat."  This last sentence she
says with a smirk.
	Mousse immediately breaks his argument with Shampoo when he hears
this.  "Is this true you old ghoul?  Can even previous losers
participate?"
	Cologne bops him on the head for that remark and answers again
with a smirk, "Any can enter if they think they can beat her."
	Shampoo also bops him on the head as she glomps onto Ranma, "Groom
will try and win back Shampoo, right?"  She looks at him earnestly as she
goes in for the kiss.  "Wo da airen."
	Ranma has recovered from his wits at hearing that he was now rid
of Shampoo.  "Er, gee look at the time.  It's quitting time already.  I
guess I better be going."  He escapes from Shampoo's clutches and vaults
atop various buildings home.
	Shampoo absently licks her hand as she sees the man she
loves leap away.  Ooh!  That Ranma.  He got away again.
	Whoohoo! I broke up with Shampoo without hurting her.  Though,
part of his mind nagged at him for something Cologne had said.  She had
insinuated that he could not beat Shampoo in a fair fight.  No, the other
part of his mind said.  She's just goading you into another scheme.  His
mood was went downhill as went home thinking.

			* * * * *

	"Ranma-kun, I heard you were dumped by Shampoo.", Nabiki smirks in
that infuriating way of hers as she counts her money in front of him.
	Ranma twitches slightly, "She did not dump me.  Our marriage was
anulled.  Arrgh!  No I didn't mean it like we were ever married or --" 
Ranma is now lying in pain as Akane withdraws her hammer.
	Nodoka smiles as she hears this, "That is good my son.  I know
you did not want to hurt Shampoo in any way."
	"So, Ranma are you going to go and try to win Shampoo's hand in
the tournament?  I heard that everyone who has participated today has lost
to her.  Mousse has lost about ten times already."
	This caught Ranma off guard.  He thought that Mousse, if given
another chance, could beat Shampoo.  Akane takes his lack of response
badly and punts him into LEO.
	"Fine, if you want her so much, goto her you pervert."
	"As if I'd want you, you uncute tomboooyyy!"

			* * * * *

	Ranma sat atop a roof, nursing the his sore head, thinking.  He 
had to know for sure if Shampoo was now much stronger. He couldn't trust
Mousse to actually hit anyone he couldn't see half the time, much less,
loved.  He had to find someone close to his own abilities that should not
have trouble beating Shampoo.  He then caught sight of a familiar lost
boy.

			* * * * *

	"Shampoo happy to see Ryoga.", the purple haired girl gushes at
him.  "Shampoo wanted to tell Ryoga, Shampoo have been always in love
with Ryoga."
	Ryoga stutters and nosebleeds at the close proximity of a girl in
skin tight clothing.  He puts a hand at the back of his head and starts
to shake nervously.  "But I love another girl and what about Ranma."
	"What about him?" asks Ranma as he takes off his wig and gives him
an inane grin.
	Ryoga immediatedly goes into a blind rage.  "Ranma, again you toy
with my feelings.  Because of you, I've seen hell.  I swear, today you
die."
	"Nyaa, nyaa.  You can't catch me."  Ranma puts on his wig and runs
towards the place where the tournament was being held.

			* * * * *

	Shampoo was panicking.  She hadn't seen Ranma all day.  The day
was also coming to a close.  Nobody had even come close to beating her. 
Hundreds of people were in the lines waiting to fight her, except the
man she most wanted to see.  She was shocked at the ease at which she
bested all. The training she had gone under couldn't have helped her
this much.  All she did while training was eat, sleep, and play.  Her
hopes lifted immediated the moment she saw Ranma running towards her.
	In her happiness, she did not notice Ranma was dressed like her in
female form nor did she notice an enraged Ryoga behind Ranma.

			* * * * *

	Ranma immediately hid in the crowd, waiting their turn for a
shot a marrying Shampoo, the moment he and Ryoga neared the arena.  He
smiled and stood back to watch the fight unfold.  True to form, Ryoga
thought the person on the log arena was Ranma and jumped into fight
Shampoo.  Ranma's joy turned sour as he saw Ryoga get pummeled.  Fear
gripped his stomach as he watched Shampoo use the nekoken.
	Though he has never seen the art itself.  There could be no other
way to describe the way Shampoo was mauling Ryoga.  After she was done,
she started to lick her hands clean.
	"So Ranma, you recognize the technique Shampoo is using.", croaked
Cologne as she appeared out of nowhere.
	Startled, Ranma began to shake with rage.  "You mean to tell me
you dumped your own great-grand-daughter into a pit of hungry cats.",
he shuddered.
	Cologne bops him on the head.  "No, you idiot.  Do I look stupid.
I merely let her play with a litter of kittens for a few weeks in both
her cat and human form.  During the time she was playing with them, I
would use a few memory techniques on her.  I was therefore able to
ingrain cat characteristics into her sub-conscience.  Shampoo is now
faster and stronger than ever before.  She also knows the nekoken to a
limited degree.  I'm afraid even you can not defeat her now."  Cologne
cackles at the sight of Ryoga being dragged off the log."
	Ranma just stares at Shampoo.  His mind was in a whirl.  The only
thing he can think of was that he can not allow a implied challenge to be
ignored.  With a determined face he jumps onto the log, thankful that he
was already in his female form.

			* * * * *

	Shampoo's hope turned again to despair as she saw Ranma battered
and bruised looking at her grimly.  At first she couldn't understand why
Ranma was so slow and weak in his attacks against her, even with his
tendency to hold back.  It slowly dawned on her that maybe it was her
that was different.  She was now faster and stronger than everyone at the
arena with the exception of her great-grand-mother.  Ranma again came at
her with a flurry of punches and kicks.  She felt hopeless as she easily
dodged his slow attacks and again sent him back with kick to the
midsection.  She couldn't stand it anymore.  When Ranma attacks again, she
will let a hit get past her defences and knock her off the log.  No!  The
amazon within her yelled.  Where is your pride?!  Where is your amazon
honor?  I don't care, she told herself.  Without Ranma, I have nothing to
live for anyways.

			* * * * *

	Ranma was breathing hard.  His attacks seemed to be useless
against Shampoo.  He had various bruises all over his body.  Shampoo was
not even hurt in the slightest.  What could he do to win?  His conscience
wouldn't allow him to use his special techniques against her.  However,
his training in the Anything-Goes style also will not allow him to lose to
anyone.  Pounding the ground in frustration, Ranma makes a decision.  He
will try not to hurt Shampoo to much.  Leaping at Shampoo, Ranma launches
his katchu tenshin amaguriken technique, making sure to pull his punches.
He sees Shampoo prepare to block and then suddenly lowers her defences.
Flipping through the air to avoid her, Ranma lands on the ground with a
thud.  He has lost.
	"Shampoo, if you do that again, I will never speak to you again.",
Ranma grimaces.  He runs away before anyone can see the tears in his eyes.
	Shampoo allows the tears on her face to flow freely as she watches
Ranma flee.  She secretly hoped that tomorrow Ranma would win.  Though, in
her heart she knew that Ranma would never try his hardest against a girl
that was not his enemy.  Combined with the nekoken she now knew she was
using, Ranma would most probably never win. Her tears never stopped
flowing that night.

			* * * * *

	Akane was angry.  She had heard about Ranma's fight with Shampoo.
So, he did go and fight for her hand.  Him and his egotistical macho
attitude.  She then heard the dojo doors open.  Well, he's finally back.
He's probably going to gloat now.  Fuming, she goes to pound the hell out
of Ranma.  However, all thoughts vanish as she sees the state Ranma is in.
His clothes are ripped in some places.  There were cuts and bruises all
over his body.  What scared her the most was his face.  His faces was
gaunt and his eyes had a haunted look about them.  "What happened Ranma?",
her voice worried.
	"I.. I lost to Shampoo.", he stammered.  He could still no quite
believe it.
	That got Akane fuming.  That was his big problem?!  "I thought you
didn't want Shampoo as your fiancee.  You should be happy she's out of
your hair without you even having to hurt her."
	"I lost."  Seeing Akane's uncomprehending face, Ranma let out a
sigh.  "I not the best fighter anymore."
	"So you're still second best.  I don't see what's wrong with
that."
	"You just don't understand.  I don't think you've ever understood
me."  With that, Ranma turns and goes to his room.
	Akane looks at him leave, with a frown on her face.  I'd better
get Auntie Saotome to look in on him.

			* * * * *

	Ranma was lying on his back staring at the ceiling, when his
mother came in.  "Ranma, there is something troubling you.  Would you like
to tell me what it is."
	Ranma turned towards his mother.  "I lost a fight today.  I don't
have confidance in ever winning this one without going all out and hurt
a friend in the process."
	"Ranma, you can't always go through life expecting to never lose.
Is it so very bad that Shampoo defeated you and you are now not the best?"
	"Yes!  Yes it is very bad.  I've trained my whole life in the
Anything Goes style.  Everything I know and believe in was taught to me by
the art.  I cannot ever back down, give up, or lose.  The only thing I
have in the world are my martial arts.  My training has cost me my
childhood, my friends, and my time with my mother."  This last part has
him almost in tears, but he continues on.  "To break any of my principles,
is for me admit my whole life has been a waste of time."
	Nodoka stares at her son for a moment.  She too breaks down and 
starts to hug her son.  "Do what you will.  I will not stop you.  I just
want to ask you one question.  You now have everything you said you have
lost. Will you give it all up in the pursuit to be the best."
	Ranma is silent as he hugs his mother closer to him.

to be continued...

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