This is yet another glimpse into the lives of the other people in
Ranma's life.  My stories can now be found at
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Ginza/4537

Disclaimer:  All characters portrayed in this story are the property of
Rumiko Takahashi and co.

This story takes place after volume 38 of the manga.  It draws ideas
from the anime also.

This is another part of the Prelude and Interlude series, which in turn
is a part of my crossover series, Life and Times.

C & C welcomed.  Flames not.

Preludes and Interludes:  Shampoo

By

Donny Cheng

Present day...

	Shampoo wearily plopped down on one of the restaurant's plush chairs. 
It had been a particularly trying day today.  Mousse hounded her the
entire time.  Those lecherous boys for Furinken high came by again,
also.  She hated being cheerful to the male side of the species, other
than Ranma.

	"Hey!  Shampoo, how about some service?  You guys are still open,
aren't you?"  A male voice called out as the door of the Nekohanten
opened.

	Shampoo blinked with surprise.  It was Ranma.  "Airen!"  She
immediately glomped on to him.

	"Cut that out Shampoo.  I just want to get some food.  Akane's has been
cooking again.  I tried to eat as little as possible of the food.  I'm
starving right now."

	"Poor Ranma.  Shampoo get groom food right now.  Don't worry, it on the
house."  She happily went into the kitchen to cook something up for
Ranma.

	Ranma watched Shampoo as she left for the kitchen.  The old ghoul had
been right.  Shampoo did look lonely the past couple of days and she did
look sad when he caught her off guard right now.  Maybe it wasn't much,
but if a little visit made her feel better, then Ranma was glad to
help.  After all, he did owe Cologne and Shampoo for some of the help
they've given him over the past year.

			* * * * *

	Shampoo could not wipe the smile off her face as she prepared to go to
sleep.  Maybe today hadn't been a total loss.  She had no friends in
Nerima other than her great-grandmother so she cherished every moment
she spent with Ranma however fleeting.  Just before sleep claimed her,
she wondered what it would be like to have Ranma by her side in the
future.

			* * * * *

Three hundred years in the future...

	Ranma stood at the gravesite with a sad expression.  He paused to give
a moment of silence for a dear departed rival.  It was then that he felt
something brush against his legs.  It was a cat.  Ranma immediately
froze in terror.

	The cat seemed to sigh at Ranma's expression.  The cat walked away from
Ranma to behind some bushes.

			* * * * *

	"Hello, Ranma.  Long time no see."  The short aged woman said to a
still stunned Ranma as she emerged from the bushes.

	"Shampoo."  Ranma said her name out softly as he recovered from his
shock.

	"Ranma, I can't believe you.  You're the most powerful martial artist
in the world.  My cat form is toothless and old.  What could I possibly
have done to you?  Gam you to death?  Suffocate you with my shedding
hair?"

	Ranma chose to ignore those comments.  He looked at Shampoo angrily. 
"What are you doing here?  I thought you didn't care for the big lug."

	"I don't.  At least, not in the way that he wanted.  However, he did
stay by my side for over a hundred years before he finally died.  It was
the least I could do to visit him on the anniversary of his death."

	"I'm sure he's crying for joy in heaven right now."

	Shampoo could hear the bitterness in Ranma's voice.  "You're still
angry after about what happened after all these years."

	"Why, Shampoo?  He asked you a simple question just before his death. 
Why couldn't you do it?"

	"I think you know the answer to that question.  My heart had already
belonged to another person then and still does to this very day."

	Ranma knew who that person Shampoo was talking about.  "You could have
lied."  The words sounded wrong to his own ears.

	"You wanted me to lie?  I remember a person long ago who had once had a
fight with Mousse.  The fight was for me, if I remember correctly.  That
person, although he said he did not love me, chose not to throw the
fight in favor of Mousse, who did love me.  He told Mousse that it
wouldn't be right for him to accept such a dishonorable way of winning
me.  Wasn't that the same situation, when Mousse asked me if I loved him
or not?  I told him that I loved him as a friend, nothing more.  Would
it have been fair to him, had I told him otherwise?  I'll have you know
before you stormed out of the room, Mousse had died happily knowing that
I did love him at least a little."

	"I didn't..."  Ranma did not know what to say.

	"No, you didn't know and I didn't tell you.  The truth was I wanted you
to misunderstand.  I wanted you away from my life.  And you know why? 
It was because at that time, I discovered my first wrinkle.  True, I had
still looked like I was in my late twenties, but I knew that age was
creeping up to me, albeit very slowly.  I kept you away from because of
vanity.  For two hundred years, I lived with the knowledge of you being
angry with me for such a silly reason.  I pity myself at times."

	"Why are you telling me this now?"

	"I'm dying, you idiot.  Your skills should be able to tell you how low
my chi has fallen.  I think that I may have only a couple of years left
before I go.  I just wanted some of the skeletons out of the closet,
before the time comes."

	"I could have had Urd use her magic to keep you at a young age forever
like she did to me."  Ranma was saddened with the knowledge of another
friend leaving soon.

	Shampoo winced at the mention of that hussy.  "Her magic only worked on
you because the template of your curse was specifically that of a young
girl.  She just tied your male side's life span with that of your
female's side.  My template was just that of an ordinary house cat.  It
ages as I age.  Besides, who ever said that I wanted to live forever? 
And do you think I would let that bimbo lay a finger on me?  I'm so very
tired, Ranma.  All I want to do these days is rest my weary bones."

	"I understand.  Sometimes, I wish I could just settle down a have a
good long rest."

	"But we both know that you won't.  I happen to know there are a few
girls that would be terribly interested if you happened to die.  I don't
think the Almighty would be happy having another war between heaven and
hell for your soul.  Also, the call of the art is too strong for a
martial artist like you to ignore.  I have turned a deaf ear to the
call.  I would rather leave my descendents to answer them.  My
great-granddaughter is worthy enough to be my successor."

	Ranma's head perked up at the mention of the girl.  "How is Ranko by
the way?"

	Shampoo smiled knowingly.  Despite her differences with Ranma, he still
visited the village once in awhile to see the children of the village. 
"She misses her Uncle Ranma, of course.  She would like to see you
again."

	Ranma smiled at Shampoo for the first time in many years.  "Mind if I
escort you back home then?  I want to see the little bugger again too." 
For some odd reason, Ranma felt close to the girl with his namesake.

	"Of course not, Ranma.  It'll be a date."  Shampoo smiled wanly and she
hopped aboard Ranma's backpack.  It was a much better mode of travel
than her cat form.  Ranko would be happy to see Ranma again.  Too bad
they didn't know they didn't know they were great-granddaughter and
great-grandfather.  However, it was all for the best.

			* * * * *

A few years after present day...

	The amazon guards nodded at Shampoo once and let her through into the
sacred hut.  The only person that could enter was the matriarch of the
amazons.

	Shampoo slowly walked in, basking in the aroma of old books and
spices.  This room was her great-grandmother's.  Inside were books on
ancient lore and martial arts.  All of them were now hers, after Cologne
and Happosai had disappeared during Second Impact.  Both the old masters
had waited three hundred years before they could finally find someone
worthy enough to pass on their skills to.  Her and Ranma.  Shampoo
glanced at the books with sadness.  Tears slowly fell down her eyes. 
Her great-grandmother was gone.  For the first time in her life, Shampoo
felt totally alone.

			* * * * *

The End. (maybe)