Well here is a third one for you all. I've gotten names for all the kids
now so I will be re-posting number 1 fairly soon.
===========================================================================
2033 0200 hours
Akane return to the present for a moment while she sipped her tea.
She was thinking about her final rival for Ranma now. At least
Shampoo's attempts had gotten sloppy, at least until the earthquake,
then they had stopped all together. I wonder why?" she said out loud to
herself.
"Because Me tell Grandmother and Village Elders big lie" came a soft
reply. Akane instinctively whirled and threw her now cold tea at the
figure.
The expected change happened.
Then she detected an second presence. It was Moose. "You have
gotten better. Here." he produced a thermos bottle from his robe,
"We expected something like this to happen." He left the bottle on
the floor. Then he addressed the small cat "I'll be waiting at the
inn." Then he affectionately scratched the cat's head, who purred.
"All she wants to do is talk."
Then silently he was gone.
Akane looked down. "You promise all you want to do is talk?" The
cat nodded. "OK I'll change you in the kitchen."
"So what do you want to tell me?" Akane asked after the change had
occurred and Shampoo was once again dressed.
"That now you free under Amazon law."
"I've told you ..." Akane began.
Shampoo held up her hand, a frown of concentration appearing on her
face. "That Amazon law has no power here in Japan. I know. But this
way Great-Grandmother can't use it as an excuse to pursue you."
Akane was shocked at Shampoo's now near-perfect Japanese. "How did
you ..."
Shampoo smiled. "Me have funny disease, Nabiki discover. She call
it 'Foreign Speech Dyslexia'." Shampoo had badly mispronounced the
last three words. "Unless me concentrate me always talk like this if
me not talking Mandarin." She looked at Akane. "Can use in
negotiations real good, they think Shampoo stupid, fall in traps."
Akane shook her head. * First the dream about Ukyou now this. What
a strange night. * "So what is this lie, and why are we now free."
"Akane remember how me kept after you after .. first wedding" Akane
nodded, it was one of the things that had made the rest of high
school so ... interesting. "But did Akane notice," Shampoo's frown
returned for a moment, "that the level of attacks were less, once you
got into college? That you had an easier time dealing with them?"
Akane thought back. "She's right!! In fact I remember telling
Ranma that Shampoo must have been getting desperate, they were so
easy to avoid."
"That because Nabiki make up good plan. Get help from American
Friend too."
"Stewart? He never said anything."
"You no ask."
"Oh."
======================================================
1999
<What do we do now Great-Grandmother? Ranma and Akane are now
married!! We might have stopped them if those American mercenaries
hadn't interfered>
<I know Great-Granddaughter, and we will make plans just as soon
...> Cologne suddenly threw a glass of water into the rafters.
Where the splash caught Moose. < as we take care of any spies>
They had just finished netting the duck when a figure blocked the
door.
"We closed today. Must make plans, come back ..." Shampoo
recognize the figure now, "Tomorrow?"
Cologne turned. "You!!!"
"Hi!" The one speaking had a very gravelly voice. "You not planning
to spoil things again are you?" Taking in the netted duck with
glasses. "Guess you are. When are you going to give it up."
Cologne was livid. "Get out of here!!"
"Why afraid I might screw up your plans again?"
Cologne advanced, her staff at the ready. The man grabbed something
off his belt and threw it at her. Disdainfully she batted it aside.
"I expected that, do you think I was not watching your test with
Shampoo? I will... not... be.. tricked?"
Shampoo had expected to see the grenade to shoot out wires, just as a
similar one had done once to her. Instead a sticky foam was
spreading down the staff from the impact point. A sticky, _heavy_
foam based on the way Cologne was trying to control it. "Bah, the
staff is just a tool, I will teach you manners hand to hand!!"
The figure laughed. "Got to find me first!!" He shimmered and
disappeared from view. Shampoo saw a brief shadow in the door, then
it disappeared into the room. "Hah, I do not rely on sight alone! I
can hear your movements!!"
"I know," came a disembodied voice, "Let's correct that."
The bang that followed almost deafened Shampoo and Moose. As it
was centered on Cologne it did deafen her. The ancient Amazon was
even more livid than before. The figure shimmered back into view.
"Losing it Old Ghoul?" She couldn't hear his comment, but she
understood the gesture he made with the remark. The one finger
gesture. With a roar Cologne charged the man, who retreated out the
door. Cologne followed and the battle sounds could be heard going
down the street.
"What that about?" Shampoo asked the duck, who quacked his
confusion.
"A very well planned and thought out diversion." Nabiki said as she
strode into the restaurant.
"What you want?"
"Several things. 1) While your antics were amusing and profitable
before the wedding, I will not have you trying ruin things now. 2)
After a year in college I realize how small time I've been, I have
plans and I want to include you in them and 3) to do that I've got to
help you be stronger."
"Shampoo already strong!!"
"Oh? Then why don't you stand up to Cologne?"
"You talk nice about Great-Grandmother!" Moose quacked Disdainfully.
"Cologne has been manipulating you forever Shampoo, because of what
she wants. Which is power and prestige.
"You take that back!!" Shampoo shouted, partially to be heard over a
distant explosion"
"Nope, it's true. Do you have your Amazon rule book memorized?"
"Ahhh. No." Shampoo admitted grudgingly.
"Well you can bet Cologne has. I've also done some reading on it.
Both a translated version and" suddenly Nabiki switched into Mandarin
<from book itself. But me as bad in it> "as you are in Japanese" she
completed.
Nabiki continued, "It appears that there are several honorable ways
that both your marriage issue and the 'Kiss of Death' with Ranma
could have been resolved. The easiest would have been to have make
Ranma a honorary member of the Tribe."
Shampoo sat down on the floor in shock. *<That's right. If either
Ranma had been made a member of the Tribe, the outsider rule would
be voided.>*
"Or Akane could have been made an honorary Amazon. That way
Daddy's and Mr. Tendo's arrangement would have precedence. And be
honest Shampoo, Akane would make a good Amazon, wouldn't she?"
Shampoo thought back to several of the girls in her village, some of
them friends. *< She's not as good as me, but she could beat several
of the girls at home. And as much as it hurts me to admitted it, I
can't fault her courage.>* She snickered some to herself *<There's
even one who cooks worse than she does.>* Then she looked up at
Nabiki and nodded.
"Cologne knows that as well. She wants the prestige of you bringing
back such an excellent fighter and the power that comes with it."
Shampoo thought of how her Great-Grandmother virtually ruled the
village, despite there being a council. Nabiki continued to press
her case.
"She's over 300 years old Shampoo. If I could see it, if Stewart
could see it after only a few days, don't you think Cologne would
have seen it as well? That Akane and Ranma are in love, and have
been for quite a long time? That they just had too much stubborn
pride to admmit it right away?"
Shampoo folded on herself and began to cry. "What me d..do now?"
"We get your life back for you."
"Why you do this?"
"I told you I have plans, some of them involve fast food and others
trade with China. I think a Chinese Amazon cook would work quite
well with both sets.
===================================================
2032 0300 hours
"So Stewart lead Cologne all over town until Nabiki was finished?"
"Yes, they both have radio. When Nabiki done she tell him. He
escape."
"And Nabiki help plan your attacks while we where in college?"
"Yes but we have second excuse as well for let up. Me tell
Great-Grandmother that because husband," Akane frowned at the word
"go to big school, Shampoo need to go too. That me hire Nabiki to
get exams right, then to help me get in big school. Part about exams
and getting in school true."
"What did you study Shampoo?"
"Me even more dangerous now than before. Me now lawyer."
Akane dropped her cup.
"But how did you get rid of Cologne?"
"We send message back home, careful to only hint that
Great-Grandmother might be loosing, edge. Maybe get soft so long in
Japan. She get word of trouble at home. Go back to fix. Still
there most of time still. When she leave me tell big lie that still
try hard to get husband from" Shampoo almost looked apologetic
"Violent Girl. Me still make play tries just in case
Great-Grandmother come back."
"Until Kano '25"
"Yes, me tell that Ranma missing, but that me keep searching, first
Mega-Tokyo, then all over Japan. Tell that Nabiki Job give me money
to look and excuse to look all of Japan."
"So what is the part about being free."
"Me can say in truth that me no see 'husband' for seven years, as of
this night. Marriage no count after that much time. Even if Ranma
walk in village today, nothing Great-Grandmother can do. Law the
Law."
"And you and Moose?"
"Moose say he be happy as consort. Law say member of Tribe can
have husband or wife and many consorts, if can support all. Me and
Moose finally get happy together. We have almost as many children as
you Akane."
"What?"
"Me have two boys and two girls, but me beat you at one thing."
"What?"
"Me going to be Grand-mother before you. Baby come next month"
"So that's it?"
"No." The frown of concentration came back. "I'm not sorry or
ashamed of what I've done. The girl I was then was acting as she was
raised and taught. The woman I am now knows that girl was fooled.
But one thing I know now, that in the Battle for Ranma, you were a
most excellent foe. I don't think we can be friends, not like you
and Ukyou turned out. But I do honor you."
With that she turned and slipped out the back door, into the night.
====================================================================
Ben L. Harrison - HM1(FMF)/USN/RET
Harriso3@ix.netcom.com
====================================================================
Anime Excuse #212: Went on a mission with the Lovely Angels
Anime Excuse #213: Tried to help Linna start her car