Disclaimer:  All characters used are owned by Rumiko Takahashi and co.
Please don't sue me.

Ranma and Shampoo

by

Donny Cheng

Part 2

	Ranma was in the training hall practicing for his upcoming match
with Shampoo again.  He replayed his battle with Shampoo in his mind as he
performed the various katas with precise movements.  He could not for the
life of him figure out how he could have fought the battle any
differently.  Even if he did not not hold back, he didn't think he could
defeat a skilled fighter like Shampoo using the nekoken.  Though Shampoo
often got mad at him, he doubted she would get mad enough for the hiryu
shoten ha technique to work properly.  At the moment his confidence, was
not high enough for his moko takabashi to do much damage.  Shampoo was
too good a fighter for the Saotome-ryu tricks to be effective for long.  
He stopped his practice with yell as he proceeded to pound the floor.
	"Tsk, tsk, Ranma my boy.  Is that any way to treat the dojo?",
Happosai admonished him as he appeared behind him.
	"What do you want, you old lech.  Sorry, I'm not in the mood to
fight with you."
	"I heard about your battle with Shampoo.  I am ashamed of you how
could you, a student of Anything Goes, lose the one of Cologne's pupils."
	"Do you mean you could have done better.", Ranma scoffed.
	"But, of course.  One does not live a few hundred years without
learning anything.  You, however, do not have the experience to deal with
the most powerful martial art ever created.  I'm afraid the only way you
could win was if you use the nekoken.  Or, you could model a few bras for
me and could teach you a trick or two."  Happosai, dropping his
knowledgeable master act, throws a pail of water at Ranma and glomps onto
him.
	Ranma immediately punts the pervert into LEO.  "I should've know
better than to listen to you."  However, Ranma was thinking about what the
lech had said.  To beat the nekoken, he would have to use the nekoken.  He
then remembered the destruction he saw every time he woke up from the
trance caused by the nekoken.  Shuddering, he banished the thought from
his mind.  There was no way in hell, that he would use the nekoken against
someone who didn't even bear him any malice.  Sighing, he starts up his
practice again.

			* * * * *

	For the next week, Nerima was abuzz with the news of the fight to
win Shampoo's hand.  The news of an opponent that was impossible to beat
had every martial artist with any training tried to defeat her whether
they wanted to marry her or not.  After awhile, the number of people
wanting to challenge her dwindled to but two people.  Ranma and Mousse.
However, as great as Mousse's devotion was to Shampoo, the will of Cologne
was greater.  The Neko-haten needed Mousse to be there.  Pretty soon, the
battles between Ranma and Shampoo became what legends were made of. Battle
after battle, Ranma would be defeated at the hands of Shampoo, only to
come back again and again.  Watching one of their fights was like driving
a nail into your heart.  Akane and Ukyo can barely hold back their tears
as they watch the man they love fight against the odds every day. Both
combatants knowing full well there can only be one result, yet fighting on
the basis of one glimmer of hope.  Ranma's life meant nothing to him if he
lost to another.  Shampoo's life meant nothing to her if she could not be
with Ranma.
	 Ranma sank to his knees exhausted. Ranma cursed himself
under his breath.  Though, he slowly got better after every day, Shampoo
also improved with him as a constant sparring partner.  If things kept on
going the same way, it would be a long time before he could ever beat
Shampoo.  This fight had been very long.  It had lasted 12 hours
before any of them could gain any advantage.  He slowly got up and with
out looking at Shampoo in the eyes, he told her to rest the next day.  He
would be back the following day.

			* * * * *

	Arguing and bickering can be heard at Uuchan's as the day rolled
to a close.  "Allright everybody, quiet!  Yelling at each other won't get
us anywhere.", Ukyo said as she pacified the others.  "Now, even though
some of us here don't like the fact that if Ranma wins he will be
reengaged to that chinese bimbo."
	This of course prompted Mousse to attack the nearest stool
yelling, "Who are calling a bimbo?!"
	Everyone bigsweats.  "Anyways, I think we all know that for all of
us to get some piece of mind, Shampoo will have to lose.  The only reason
that she has not lost is because that jackass Ranma won't go all out on
her.  Now do you have any suggestions."  This starts off another round of
arguing.
	Nabiki clears her throat.  Everyone in the room immediately stops.
Time seems to stand still as Nabiki slowly holds up her note pad.  Written
on it was a clearly printed number:  $50,000 yen.  Thoughtful looks all
around as they ponder on it.  Nabiki smirks as everyone agrees to pitch in
for the sum.

			* * * * *

	Shampoo felt something was not right with the atmosphere.  The
mood around her was very tense, as if waiting for something to happen.
She looked up wearily at the log arena.  She silently hated it.  Every
time she got up on it, it resulted in her beloveds downfall.  She then saw
Ranma walking up to stand silently beside her.
	He eventually broke the silence, "You hate it too, don't you.  I'm
sorry to put you through this Shampoo.  I've never disliked you."
	"Shampoo understand.  Remember, Shampoo chase Ranma for half a
year because Shampoo lose."
	"Yes, I remember.  You're probably the only one that understands
what this means to me.  Thank you."  Ranma then jumps up onto the log and
awaits the fight to begin.
	Their battle with each other has become a dance.  They would
circle each other and weave in and out of each other's way.  At one moment
one takes the lead, at the next the other.  They communicate to each other
not with words, but with attacks and parries.  Through their battle they
relive every fight they've ever had either against each other or with
each other.
	Shampoo remembers her first meeting with Ranma at the village
and her subsequent meetings with them while chasing him.  When Shampoo was
first defeated by boy-type Ranma, a feeling a happiness overwhelmed her.
Being the best, meant a very lonely life for an amazon.  She hadn't known
when she had fallen in love with Ranma, just that even when she believed
him to be a girl, her heart ached for him.  She had believed Ranma cared
for her when he saved her from the Bakeneko.  But had it all been a matter
of pride?
	Ranma also remembers his encounters with Shampoo.  She had been so
cute when they met as boy and girl.  It took him a while to realize
Shampoo acted the same way he did when he pretended to be a girl.  Being
an amazon, Shampoo didn't grow up like your average girl and probably had
stereotypical views on the behavior of a girl.  He felt close to Shampoo,
Ukyo, Ryoga, and the others due to their mutual childhood life.  Funny, it
took a battle between friends for him to understand certain things in
life.  He laughed at himself bitterly.

			* * * * *

	They both stopped the fight to rest a bit.  They briefly smiled at
each other.  Both had yet to land an attack.  Suddenly, the hairs on the
back of Ranma's neck stood up.  Danger.  True to his fear, a horde of cats
came converging onto the log arena.  At the sight of the cats, Ranma
blacked out.
	Shampoo watched as Nabiki led a few hundred cats in her direction
and then just as quickly lead them away.  She quickly understood and both
hope and fear raised in her heart.  She looked towards Ranma and gasped.
He was standing on all fours and meowing.  Ranma-neko's eyes were caught
by Shampoo.  Shampoo got ready for anything that might happen now.
Ranma-neko arched his back and leapt at her.  He was too fast for her when
he used his nekoken, so Shampoo decided to be prepared for the worst.
	She was slammed backwards as Ranma landed on her.  She closed her
eyes fearing what Ranma's next attack.  It came.  Ranma was licking her
eyelids and face.  Shampoo opened her eyes to see Ranma-neko's worried
face as he continued to purr against her.  Something clicked in her own
mind and she too passed out.


			* * * * *

	"Hey I don't think that was quite what was supposed to happen.",
Ryoga said as the understatement of the year.  Ranma-neko and Shampoo-neko
were now play cat tag.  Akane, Ukyo, and Mousse were glowing blue as they
punted Ranma-neko into LEO.
	Cologne suddenly appears from behind them and cackles gleefully,
"When son-in-law comes to, tell him he is reengaged to my Shampoo.  He
has defeated her utterly and totally."

			* * * * *

Epilogue

	Nodoka and Cologne are sipping tea at the Neko-haten.  "So, you
risked everything to get in the same situation that Ranma was in before.
He still has three fiancees and a load of enemies."  Nodoka looks at
Cologne sternly.
	"True, Ranma had three fiancees before this mess.  But do you
think he ever did consider his bethrothed?  No, I thought not.  At least
now, Ranma knows Shampoo is a good match for him.  This will make his
decision all the more harder in the future, but I think he's up to the
challenge."  Nodoka and Cologne both laugh as they see Ranma running away
from the usual mob of people.  The usual mob except one that is.  Shampoo
has a tear in her eye as she looks at Ranma, "Wo de airen. Wo ai ne."

The end...(maybe)

C&C welcomed.  Flames not.