Hello. Just so you know... this fic is in the same universe as my other
fanfic the Dragon's Dawning. Though it is a part of the series of fanfics I
am writing you don't NEED to have read the series in order to understand
this one until Episode 5 (when the new characters come in), but it may help
clear some things up.

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Ranma 1/2: Shampoo's Quest
Part of the Dragon's Dawning Fanfic Series
by Wesley Bridges and Samuel Gonhue
based on the characters by Rumiko Takahashi
Dragon's Dawning Archive: http://members.xoom.com/Souldrake/ranmadrag.htm
Shampoo's Quest Archive: http://members.xoom.com/Souldrake/shampooquest.htm

Episode 1: Shampoo Leaves For China 
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	The Nekohanten was doing quite a bit of takeout service in the
	early afternoon, but Shampoo didn't mind at all. Ever since 
	Mousse defeated Ranma twice, he'd been trying to get her to go
	on a date with him. Shampoo had given in once, and even had to
	admit it was fun, but her heart still went out to Ranma. She
	was determined to get him back.

	She rode her bike quickly to an old antique shop that had placed
	an order for 4 bowls of top ramen, and got off the bike. She
	walked in the door and saw the merchant begin to pick up the
	phone, but put it down when he saw her come in.

Shampoo: Here your ramen.

Merchant: Thank you. Here is your payment.

Shampoo: Have nice day.

Merchant: (picking up the phone again) You too.

	Shampoo was just exiting the door when she picked up some of 
	what the merchant was saying.

Merchant: Hello? It's me. I've located some material on the Tear of
	  the Golden Heart that you wanted.

Shampoo: (thinking) Tear of Golden Heart? Shampoo remember old legend
	 that say is amulet that make feelings of whoever wear it be
	 felt by whoever see person put on. If Shampoo get amulet,	
	 Shampoo get Ranma back!

Merchant: Uh-huh, sure I got it. The escavation will begin in about 
	  two weeks then. Alright, I'll be waiting.

Shampoo: (thinking) If Shampoo going to get amulet before whoever 
	 man talking to, Shampoo better hurry. Great Grandma should
	 have book on legend.

	Shampoo carefully went out the door and raced back to the 
	Nekohanten. As she came back Cologne was just finishing another
	order.

Cologne: Shampoo, just in time. Another order came in.

Shampoo: Great Grandma, you bring book of amazon legend with you, yes?

Cologne: Of course I did, child, but why ever do you ask?

Shampoo: Shampoo want read Legend of Tear of Golden Heart.

Cologne: The Tear of the Golden Heart, eh? Why now are you so interested
	 in that old legend?

Shampoo: No reason. Shampoo just like story.

Cologne: It should be in the back room, go and...

Shampoo: (rushing to the back room) Haiya! 

	Mousse enters from outside seeing Shampoo as she head in the 
	back.

Mousse: Shampoo, wait!

Cologne: Well, if it isn't Mr. Part Time. Go deliver this ramen order 
	 to the apartment building across town.

Mousse:	But...

Cologne: Now, you can talk to Shampoo AFTER you make the delivery.

	Grudgingly, Mousse takes the order and walks out the door on
	his delivery run.

Shampoo: (thinking) According to legend, Tear of Golden Heart located
	 in remote area of central China. If Shampoo remember right...
	 Aiya! Here is directions to location!

	Shampoo looked at a strange map of central China with landmarks
	she had never remembered seeing or hearing about anywhere but
	from the legend. She took a pen and some paper and copied the
	map in as much detail as she could, writing notes to remind
	her in case she forgot.

	Shampoo packed a backpack full of items for her journey into
	China, she packed light knowing she could take more once she
	reached the tribal grounds. She took the backpack and wrapped
	it in a box and addressed it for Joketsuzoku, China. Then took
	an envelope, enough yen for postage and headed to mail her 
	package.

	As she was just leaving the Neko Hanten, a weary Mousse entered.
	Seeing Shampoo, he perked up anew.

Mousse:	Sha.. Shampoo.. where are you going?

Shampoo: Shampoo have important journey in China. No time for Mousse.

Mousse:	Wait, I'll go with you.

Shampoo: No, you stay here.

Mousse:	But...

	Shampoo splashed Mousse with a pail of cold water turning him
	into a duck. Mousse quacked in protest, and Shampoo picked him
	up and put him into a pot and closed the lid, then ran out the
	door.

	At the Nermia Yuubinkyoku (Post Office, wasn't sure if that was
	*really* what it was or if it was an equivalent), Shampoo approached
	the counter and mailed her parcel. She then walked around the
	corner and wrote a letter and attached it to a neck chain with
	the remaining yen she brought. 

	Making sure no one saw her, she splashed herself with cold water
	changing to cat form and put her head through the neck chain and
	returned to the counter.

Man:	What's a cat doing in here?

	Shampoo nudged at the letter.

Man:	What's this? (reading) Please send cat to address written here.
	Here is money for express delivery. Parcel from Shampoo, Neko
	Hanten, Nermia, Japan. (to the cat) Alright little one, let's
	get you on your way.

	Shampoo was glad to discover she did not weigh any more than she
	did last time, in fact she weighed a little less. The man placed
	her in a box with holes in it and wrapped it loosely, then sent
	the package into the express mail section.

	Back at the Neko Hanten, Cologne let Mousse out of his makeshift
	cell and poured hot water on him to change him to his male form.
	
Mousse:	Great Granny! Shampoo's gone to China!

Cologne: So that's where she went off to. I suppose you'll be wanting
	 to go after her.

Mousse:	Of course. It is my duty to allow no harm to her! I must go!

Cologne: Alright then. I suppose it has been a while, hasn't it? You
	 go on ahead I'll catch up with you.

Mousse:	She said something about a quest, do you know where she's going?

Cologne: Hmm... my guess is she's trying to find the Tear of the Golden
	 Heart. I thought her interest in that legend seemed so sudden.
	 She must have made a copy of the map within the legend to follow.
	 I'll make you one so you can find her.

	Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung stepped into their small home after a 
	rigorous early morning exercise with mother Shileng. They made
	some tea and watched the sun rise over the mountians. As they
	looked out, they saw a strange man walking toward the village.

Man:	(thinking) Why do I get all the dangerous deliveries? Is it too
	much to ask not to deliver a package to a village of Amazons?
	I hope no one's up yet...

	He trudged on carrying his two packages further.

Man:	(thinking) At least these are light. Last time I had to carry
	some one hundered pound box up the Himalayan mountain pass to
	some hut at the summit of one of the mountians, but at least I
	didn't have to fear my life.

	Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung watched the man as he kept approaching.
	He was now almost fifty feet away.

Ling-L:	What you think he want, Lung-Lung?

Lung-L:	I no know. Maybe I find out, yes?

	Lung-Lung walked out trident in hand to meet the strange man.
	The man seemed to get nervous as she walked toward him.

Man:	(in Chinese) Aieee! Don't hurt me, I'm only here to deliver a
	these packages, please don't hurt me....

	He huddled up as Lung-Lung kept coming nearer. Lung-Lung picked
	up the boxes and walked back to the house. 

Lung-L:	(in Chinese) You can go now.

Man:	(getting up; in Chinese) Huh? I'm outta here!

	The man ran away as Lung-Lung went back inside.

Ling-L:	Who packages from?

Lung-L:	They from big sister Shampoo!

	The package containing Shampoo ripped itself open as Shampoo
	clawed her way out. They opened the other package to find 
	Shampoo's traveling gear.

Ling-L:	Why big sister Shampoo send cat and her traveling pack, Lung-Lung

Lung-L:	Don't know. Maybe she come for visit?

Ling-L:	Maybe. I make tea now.

	Shampoo followed Ling-Ling as she got water from the village
	well and set a fire with a kettle and poured the water in the
	kettle. As Ling-Ling poured the hot water into a cup, Shampoo
	jumped up and spilled the water on herself changing back.

Both:	B... big sister Shampoo?!

Shampoo: (Putting on a robe from her travel pack.) Nihao, Ling-Ling,
	 Lung-Lung.

	The two ran up and hugged their big sister.

Ling-L:	Big sister, Shampoo, answer question...

Lung-L: How you turn to cat?

Shampoo: Shampoo telly you later. Right now is on journey to find item
	 for Airen.

Ling-L:	You want us come too?

Shampoo: No, Shampoo must go alone. Shampoo can handle self, yes?

Ling-L:	At least you stay one day and rest before journey?

	Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung looked expectantly at their big sister,
	who looked back and forth between them.

Shampoo: Alright, I stay. But only till tomorrow, ok?

Both:	Jingrende!

	Later that night, Shampoo looked over her map and tried to 	
	determine where her journey would begin on the map. Looking
	on the map she sketched from the book, the starting point was
	called "The Head of the Dragon". Shampoo took out her map of
	present day China to compare the two.

	After a long search, Shampoo discovered a small city within
	a day's walk from Joketsuzoku. She drew a line from her present
	location to her next destination.

	In the cargo hold of a mail ship, Mousse pondered over the 
	same predicament. The ship's hold was dark and dank, but he
	managed to use the emergency lighting system in order to see
	the maps. Determining the best route to intercept Shampoo, and
	make up for the possible day or two delay the ship would cause
	him, he marked his map and prepared himself for the long 
	journey ahead.

	The next morning, Shampoo was almost tied down by her sisters
	and forced to eat a hearty breakfast before departing on her
	long journey. If Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung weren't coming along,
	they were surely going to see that their big sister had everything
	she needed to make her journey successful, but not necessarily
	swift.

	Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung pestered her to take almost a full 
	weapons compliment for a small army including swords, tridents,
	nunchau, polearms, bonbori, and throwing knives. Shampoo took
	only a small ammount of the arsenal offered in order to keep
	her load as light as possible.

Ling-L:	Zaijian, big sister.

Lung-L:	Dao mei!

Shampoo: Shampoo return soon with amulet for Airen!

	Shampoo left the village and began her journey to the town 
	known as "Dragon's Head".

	The ship arrived at its final destination in mainland China. 
	Mousse took a small glass of water which he collected from a 
	small drip in the cargo area's ceiling. He poured it on himself
	changing into his duck form, and flew to his packaged gear and
	tested its weight. It was light enough for him to carry.

Mousse:	(thinking) Good. If I can fly through most of the journey I
	can make up for the time I spent on this ship.

	The doors to the cargo hold creaked opened and light poured in
	from the outside. Two men entered and began moving the crates
	and other postal packages from the hold.

Man:	Hey, what's that duck doing in here?

Man2:	The boss won't be to happy with us if he finds out.

Man:	Right, let's get him out of here quick.

	Mousse took the conversation as an invitation to get out as 
	quickly as he could. He grabbed his package and flew as fast
	as he could out of the hold, barely getting away from the 
	clutches of the men.

Man:	He's stealing a parcel!

Man2:	Someone stop him!

	Rocks and other light objects began flying past Mousse as the	
	docking staff tried to keep Mousse from getting away with his 
	parcel.	Slowly, but surely, he gained altitude making the 
	projectiles easier to dodge. A moderately sized rock hit Mousse's
	parcel almost causing him to drop it in his attempts to dodge
	the other rocks, but after that he was soon out of range and
	heading for the small Chinese city known as "Dragon's Head."

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End Episode 1

Preview Episode 2: 

Ling-Ling: Lung-Lung.
Lung-Lung: What Ling-Ling?
Ling-Ling: Someone leave strange story on doorstep.
Lung-Lung: What it say?
Ling-Ling: It say: "Trailer for Episode 2"
Lung-Lung: And it have us tell someone what happens to big sister!
Ling-Ling: I go first, yes?
Lung-Lung: Ok!
Ling-Ling: Big sister Shampoo reach first landmark with strange duck	
	   following close behind her.
Lung-Lung: Aiya! Big sister Shampoo go into dangerous ancestrial shrine!
Ling-Ling: Big sister Shampoo come out alright, yes?
Lung-Lung: Don't know. Doesn't say.
Ling-Ling: Maybe we find out in Shampoo's Quest Episode 2: The Shrine
	   of Lost Tears. Zaijain.

Notes:

Zaijain:  Chinese for bye.
Dao Mei:  Chinese for Good Luck
Airen:	  Chinese for Husband or Wife, also means Sweetheart.
Aiya:	  Chinese expression of surprise. Equivalent to oh dear, oh
	  no, or any other similar exclamation.
Jingrende: Chinese for wonderful.
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Souldrake