Bonded

A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic
by Doug "daneel" Torneden
We all know who created the series but thanks and credit still
goes to the goddess Takahashi for creating it.

Chapter 3

It was late afternoon when Ranma and Akane left the Tendo Dojo by 
the front gate.  The day was bright with no clouds in the sky to be 
seen.  Akane began to walk down the street while Ranma leapt to walk 
along the fence.  His walk was just a step short of a skip as he 
joyously hummed to himself.  Akane watched him with amusement as he 
barely kept from running to the temple in his excitement for a cure.  
She smiled as she hoped he wouldn't be disappointed again.  Her 
smile quickly faded though when she heard the chiming of a bicycle's 
bell.  Ranma was too busy dreaming to hear the quickly approaching 
bell until just before the bike skidded to a halt on top of the 
fence.  

Akane glared towards the bike as her jealousy flared up to full heat.  
The bike was still perched atop the fence but the owner was not to 
been seen on there and neither was Ranma.  Looking down now at the 
based of the fence she saw Ranma leaning against the fence breathing 
hard with Shampoo attached tightly to his right arm.  Shampoo's 
well-shaped body was pressed firmly against Ranma.

"Nihao Ranma, you take Shampoo to date now," she not so much as 
asked him as was telling him.

"Sham-Shampoo," Ranma weakly uttered as he felt her body 
pressing into his.  "I can't go on a date with you now, me 
and Akane are ... ummmm...," he stuttered as he looked over at 
Akane and saw the first signs of his imminent death if he 
didn't dislodge Shampoo from him quickly.  "You see we're 
uhhhh.... we're busy right now," Ranma stalled as he quickly 
ran out of ideas in his head.  He was concentrating more on 
trying to pry Shampoo's iron grip off his arm while keeping 
his head tilted away just enough to prevent her from placing 
her lips on his.  At the mention of Akane and him being 
together though stopped her advances.

"Violent girl force husband into date with her?  Shampoo 
defeat Akane so Ranma take Shampoo on date," Shampoo stated as 
she stepped in front of Ranma as he struggled to his feet.  
Shampoo easily slipped into a fighting stance and watched to 
see what Akane would do in response.

Akane stood firmly facing Shampoo with her fists clenched by 
her side.  Shampoo could easily tell that her last barb that 
was thrown at Akane struck her well.  Akane tried hard to 
contain her anger but broke quickly.  "WE ARE NOT ON A DATE!" 
she yelled back at Shampoo.  "And I'm not the one who's always 
tricking Ranma into dates or trying stupid love potions to get 
his attention," she lashed back at Shampoo.  She was pleased 
that her anger had cooled enough for her to think of a way to 
slap back at this amazon.

Shampoo's confident smile faded from her lips as Akane's words 
brought back all the failed attempts to ensnare Ranma.  She had 
tried so hard and still hadn't won his heart like he had won 
hers.  Her honor and standing in her tribe was at stake and 
everything she had tried until now had failed miserably in part 
due to this unworthy girl in front of her.  If there was anyone 
in the world that Ranma deserved it was Shampoo, not any of his 
other suitors.  A fighter like Ranma deserved an equally strong 
wife and Shampoo knew that was her.  She knew she was the best 
fighter in her village and definitely among her husband's 
suitors.  Why he hadn't realized this yet was frustrating to 
her.

A look of determination settled on Shampoo's face as she turned 
her attention back to her greatest obstacle to her fulfilling her 
honor.  Akane warily took a fighting stance to defend herself 
against the girl staring back at her.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute Shampoo.  It's nothin' like that.  
We're just on our way to see Ryouga, that's all," Ranma said as 
his brain was straining to think of a way to defuse the situation 
before it got out of hand.  He was too late to stop the fight 
however.  Shampoo quickly closed the distance between her and 
Akane.  She feinted a strike to Akane's right to get her to move 
to block it then aimed a spinning leg kick to Akane's head from 
the left.  The blow never landed though as Shampoo had to break 
off her attack to leap back.  Where Akane and Shampoo both stood 
were several small spatulas sticking up out of the cement of the 
street.  Both girls turned to face the new attacker.

Ukyou stood on top of a wall looking down at the trio.  She stood 
there legs slightly apart holding a giant spatula in the ready 
position across her body, on the wall next to her was a 
take-out/delivery box.  "If you two think I'm going to letting 
you fight over Ranchan without me you're sadly mistaken."  Ukyou 
then leapt to land on the road below her.

"Winner of fight gets Ranma?  Shampoo agree to that," she replied 
as she changed her stance to watch both girls.  She was more wary 
of Ukyou and her Battle Spatula than of Akane without the help of 
any weapons.  She reached behind and pulled out her bonbori from 
nowhere.

"Wait, I don't have time for this.  I have to get to that temple.  
Ryouga is waiting for me," Ranma said in frustration.  All three 
girls glared at each other but no one made the first move.  Finally 
Ukyou backed up and leapt to the top of the wall.  She strapped the 
Battle Spatula to her back and picked up the box.

"I've a delivery to make so we'll have to postpone the fight till 
later.  I will be back for you later Ranchan.  I'm sorry to have 
detained you," Ukyou apologized to Ranma as she ran off to make the 
delivery she interrupted when she spotted Ranma.

"Spatula girl right, this not finished," Shampoo said to Akane while 
replacing her bonbori back to the secret place she hid them.  She 
turned and bounced her way over to Ranma grabbing his arm once more.  
"When Ranma done he take Shampoo on date."  She hugged him without 
receiving a response then jumped to her bike which was still 
mysteriously standing upright on top of the fence.  With a ring of 
the bell she pedaled off waving to Ranma as she left.

Akane looked around surprised that both Shampoo and Ukyou left so 
quickly.  She didn't trust those two.  They gave up too easily.  They 
had to be up to something.  "Ranma, do you think those two seriously 
think we would fall for that?  You know they have to be waiting in 
ambush somewhere."

"I don't know Akane, they seemed to be awful busy right now.  I'm sure 
they're gone for now.  Now let's get to Ryouga and that temple," Ranma 
replied trying to ease Akane's concerns.

Akane was slow to let her guard down.  Looking around again to search 
the surrounding landscape, but she saw the signs of no one around.  The 
street was barren except for her and Ranma.  Reluctantly she gave up 
her caution and joined Ranma to continue their journey.  She could still 
feel her senses heightened from the rush of the expectation of a fight.  
She could hear the slow steady beating of her heart as it slowed to a 
normal state.  She could sense the blowing of the wind.  Akane's senses 
told her that she was being watched though she saw no one.  She was 
going to tell Ranma about it but she knew he would just dismiss her 
concerns again.  He was too distracted by Ryouga's promise of a cure to 
notice anything.  She shelved her worries as they started off again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

"So it's agreed then Spatula girl?" Shampoo asked Ukyou who was 
crouching next to her from behind the bushes as they watched the 
retreating figures of Ranma and Akane.

"Yeah, a truce between us while we break up this little date of theirs, 
then we fight for Ranma again," Ukyou nodded in agreement.  "If Akane 
thinks she can sneak off with Ranchan by herself she's wrong." *And once 
Ranma sees how bad of time he has on a date with Akane he'll see I'm his 
best choice,* Ukyou thought to herself.

*After Ranma have bad date with Akane, Shampoo will be there to show 
husband Shampoo is only choice,* Shampoo thought to herself at the same 
time as Ukyou.  Both girls quickly leapt from behind their cover and 
carefully followed the other two from a discreet distance.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

The temple rose from the surrounding trees as Ranma and Akane 
approached.  Each pondered why a temple so large was not as obvious to 
the citizens of Tokyo.  It was distinctive from a distance due to the 
black and red coloring of everything surrounding the temple.  The 
temple showed on no maps they had looked at before leaving and no one 
seemed to remember ever hearing of a temple existing in this area.  It 
was almost like the temple didn't exist, but yet there it was in front 
of them.

"Well, Ranma, looks as if your search for a cure is about to end.  Are 
you ready?" Akane asked while sure she knew the answer.  She looked 
over at Ranma to see the excitement written on his face.

"Are you kidding, the sooner we find Ryouga the sooner I can be cured," 
Ranma stated as he refused to take his eyes off the temple.  They began 
to walk down the path again to the temple when a sound in the bushes 
caught their attention.  Both being trained martial artists whirled 
around to the noise and took a protective fighting stance in unison.  
"Whoever you are over there you better come out if you know what is 
good for you," Ranma shouted hoping to get their unseen observer to 
come out into the open.  Slowly a figure stepped out from behind a tree 
but was still shrouded in the shadows.  The only distinct shape to the 
figure was a broad shape strapped to the figure's back.  There was 
tension in the air as the figure pulled the object off its back and 
held it as a weapon.

"Akane, you're mistaken if you think I'll just stand by and let you 
sneak off and wed my fiance secretly.  Prepare to defend yourself!" the 
figure shouted as she stepped out of the shade hiding her.

"Ukyou?" Ranma asked shocked to see the young girl standing there with 
a fire in her eyes.  After a few seconds her words finally seemed to 
reach Ranma's brain as it began the task of processing the words.  
"Wedding?" Ranma asked stunned again.  His brain was caught off guard 
and was sputtering along.  Realization finally dawned on Ranma and his 
temper began to flare.  "What gives you the idea I was going to marry 
this uncute tomboy?" he snapped back without thinking who was next to 
him at the time.

"Yeah, who said... Ranma you jerk," Akane said as Ranma's words began 
to sink in, "here I go helping you find your cure and all you do is 
insult me.  I shoulda..." Akane began but didn't have the time to 
finish as her senses warned her of danger coming at her from behind.  
She tried to move out of the way but it seemed she was a little too 
slow.  Ranma too sensed the danger but moved quicker than Akane.  He 
leapt towards Akane, picked her up, and dove away from the incoming 
danger.  Looking back Akane saw a Bonbori zoom past where she was 
standing before Ranma interfered with her fight.

Ranma put Akane back on her feet and spun to face Shampoo who stuck at 
Akane from behind while Ukyou had drawn their attention to her.  Akane 
was facing Ukyou prepared to defend herself from any attack from her.  
She was feeling irritation with Ranma for thinking she had to 
constantly rescued.  It was yet another insult to her pride that Ranma 
so easily dismissed her skills in the arts.  She ignored the fact that 
if he hadn't moved when he did she would have been struck hard by 
Shampoo's attack.  

"Akane try to steal Shampoo's husband.  You must pay!"  Shampoo yelled 
as she glared at the back of Akane where Ranma was protecting her.

Ranma knew it was time to try to cool down the situation before a major 
fight broke out.  A fight would definite delay him from getting to the 
cure.  "Alright everyone stop this right now," Ranma shouted angrily.  
"All this fighting's holding me up from my chance at a cure.  If any of 
you care as much about me as you claim then you'll stop this stupid 
fight."

Each of the girls blinked as if slapped by Ranma himself.  Shock 
registered on Ukyou's face as she heard his words.  Her anger 
evaporated quickly as the hope of Ranma finding a cure sunk in her 
mind.  "Ranchan?" she uttered quietly, "Is there really a cure at 
the temple?"

Relaxing a little as all his fiancees seemed to cool down after his 
rebuke he turns to face Ukyou, "That is what Ryouga says in his 
letter.  I don't think he would lie about something like that."

"Husband really can be cured?" Shampoo asked as she too put her guard 
down due to Ranma.

"Ranma is NOT your husband," both Ukyou and Akane shot back together.  
They both looked at each other a little surprise at the quick and 
identical response.  All three girls looked at each other trying to 
figure out what the other is thinking.

"Until we find out if this cure for Ranchan works I am willing to call 
for a truce among us all.  Will you agree Akane?"  Ukyou asked for the 
benefit of Ranma.

Surprised by Ukyou's attempt to appease Ranma, Akane felt she could do 
no less.  "If only for Ranma's sake I will agree." She looked over to 
Shampoo, "what about you, Shampoo?"

"Shampoo willing to wait for Ranma's cure before fighting," Shampoo 
simply stated but leaving a promise of resumption of hostilities for 
later unspoken but understood.

Ranma not wanting to wait any longer looked to the three girls, "well, 
let's stop wasting time."  He started off for the temple at a brisk jog 
with his fiancees pacing him.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

end of chapter 3

in the next part the cure is revealed to Ranma's horror.

Author's notes:  each part seems to be taking me longer and longer to 
get out.  Unfortunately I haven't been myself and had trouble making 
time to work on the story.  To make my wife happy I kept working at it 
and I hope will have the next part done shortly, but we will see.  The 
next part should finish up to the part of the cure and then the 
following part will be the ramifications of the so called cure.  C&C is 
always welcomed though I have had trouble making the time to answer 
back thanking those that have I do appreciate your input.

-- 
Doug "daneel" Torneden
daneel@flash.net
"see honey, I'm writing as fast as I can. <BAP> lkjadfojopiajdf;ljk.  
<Oooowwwww>"