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 precision.  He could not for the life of
him figure out how he could have fought the battle any differently.  Even
if he did 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 at him 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 in anger.

	"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 against her?"  Ranma
scoffed at him.

	"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 I could teach you a trick or two."  Happosai, dropping his
knowledgeable master act, threw a pail of water at Ranma and glomped onto
him.

	Ranma immediately punted the pervert into LEO.  "I should've know
better than to listen to you."  However, Ranma did think 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 he used.  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 started
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 trying 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 could 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 could not win.  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 particularily 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, 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.  "Alright 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 bigsweated.  "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 any of you have any suggestions."  This started off
another round of arguing.

	Nabiki cleared her throat.  Everyone in the room immediately
stops.  Time seemed to stand still as Nabiki slowly held up her note pad.
Written on it was a clearly printed number: $50,000 yen.  Thoughtful looks
were on every ones faces as they pondered on it.  Nabiki smirked as
everyone agreed 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 wanted you to know that 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 jumped up onto the log and
awaited the fight to begin.

	Their battle with each other has become a dance.  They would weave
in and out of each other's way.  At one moment one took the lead, at the
next the other.  They communicated 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.

			* * * * *

**flash back**

	Shampoo remembered her first meeting with Ranma at the village
and her subsequent meetings with him while chasing him all through China.
When Shampoo was first defeated by boy-type Ranma, a feeling a happiness
overwhelmed her.  Being the best in the village, meant a very lonely life
for her.  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.
True, he had saved Akane many times before, but he had never been
scared of his adversary.  She told herself, that Ranma loved her best
because he had gone through his worst nightmare by fighting with the
ghost cat.  But now looking back on it, Shampoo couldn't help but think 
it had all been a matter of pride.

	Ranma also remembered his encounters with Shampoo.  She had been
so cute when they met as boy and girl.  When she left him for the first
time, he was sorely tempted to go after her.  She and Ukyo had been the
only other people that wanted to be friends with him since his infamous
first meeting with Akane as a girl.  Though Akane and others thought of
Shampoo and Ukyo as bimbos, he knew better.  It took him a while to
realize that both Shampoo and Ukyo acted the same way he did when he
pretended to be a girl.  We didn't grow up like your average child and
probably had the same stereotypical views on what a japanese girl behaved
like.  At times, he felt close to Shampoo and Ukyo due to a mutual 
childhood life. Funny, it took a battle between friends for him to
understand certain things in life.  He laughed at himself bitterly.

**end flashback**

			* * * * *

	They both stopped the fight to rest a bit.  They briefly smiled at
each other.  Both had yet to land a blow on the other.  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
hundreds of 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 slowly glanced towards Ranma and
gasped.  He was standing on all fours, meowing.  Ranma-neko's eyes were
caught by Shampoo's own.  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 Ranma's next attack.  It came.  Ranma licked her eyelids and
her face.  Shampoo opened her eyes to see Ranma-neko's worried face as he 
purred 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.  They soon tumbled against each other with their
limbs wrapped around the other.  Akane, Ukyo, and Mousse were glowing blue
as they punted Ranma-neko into LEO.

	Cologne suddenly appeared from behind them and cackled 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 Ranma in the same situation that he 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 Shampoo to be 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."  They stare at each other for a while, before they
both relent.  Sounds of a mob could be heard outside.  They both laugh as
they see Ranma running away from the usual mob of people.  The usual mob,
except one that is.  Shampoo had a tear in her eye as she looked at Ranma
behind the counter, "Wode airen, Wo ai ni."

			* * * * *

To be continued...

C&C welcomed.  Flames not.