Disclaimer:  The characters portrayed in this story are the property of
Rumiko Takahashi and co.

Ranma and Shampoo

by

Donny Cheng

Part 8

	Cologne looked thoughtfully at Mousse's prone body.  She had
examined Mousse's head and found that someone had used a few shiatsu
memory techniques on him.  She looked gravely at Ranma.  "I'm afraid that
whoever used the technique on him is an amazon.  I'm pretty sure I know
who she is.  It must be Lotion.  She had always coveted my position in the
village.  If she is actively taking part in your life, it must mean she
knows you relationship to me."

	"What?!  I don't have any relationship to you.  I don't have any
interest in older women.  And I mean absolutely no interest at all."  
Ranma shuddered as an unwilling daydream popped into his head.

	Cologne bopped him on the head.  "I don't mean that kind of
relationship, you idiot.  She must know that I'm training you to be my
martial arts successor.  Don't give me that look.  You mean you really
didn't already know that I've taken you in as my heir?  You're even more
dense than I thought possible.  Why do you think I've taught you so many 
amazon martial arts?"

	Ranma stared at Cologne.  At first he thought that Cologne trained
him to get him together with Shampoo.  Now that he looked back on the past
year, he knew it couldn't have been true.  Shampoo was not even mentioned
when Cologne helped him with the shishi hokodan.  She again helped him
learn his most powerful attack, the hiryu shoten ha, without mentioning
Shampoo.  There were countless other times where he went to her for help,
with her asking nothing in return.

	Cologne looked at Ranma evenly.  "My whole life had been dedicated
to making Shampoo my heir to both my position in the village and to my 
martial arts.  That is, until you came along.  Imagine what I felt when I
heard Shampoo had lost to a female outsider with just one blow.  Shampoo
had been the best warrior of her generation.  My belief in my martial arts
skill took a severe blow.  When martial artists reach a certain point in
life, they usually feel the need to pass on their techniques.  They may be
part of the best in the world now, but who will remember that when they 
pass on.  It gives a them a sense of immortality to have someone succeed
them in the same way parents gain immortaility from children.  When I
later found out that the outsider was in reality a boy, I was elated.  My
new son-in-law would be an acceptable student.  It was then I found out
that you had no intention of marrying Shampoo.  I couldn't let an
opportunity for such a good match for her go to waste, so I tried to
blackmail you with the full body cat tongue.  It had been after you beat
me with the nekoken that I decided to teach you my arts, even if you did
not become my son-in-law.  I knew that you would never formally become a
student of mine, so I just tried to teach you whenever I can.  Whether
that be me attacking you once in awhile or you asking me for help.  Don't
get me wrong.  I would and will still try to get you to marry Shampoo.  I
do think that she and you are destined to be together."

	Ranma tried to digest all that information in.  He had always
thought himself to be the heir of the Anything Goes style and had trained
his whole life for that honor.  He had never had any dreams or thoughts
about doing anything else with his life.  Here was Cologne telling him
that she also considered him to be her heir to her amazon style.  He knew
it must have been difficult for Cologne, an amazon, to accept him, a male,
for an heir.  Making up his mind, he knelt before her.  "I know it's a
little late, but it would be an honor to be your student.  Don't get me
wrong. It doesn't mean I'm marrying Shampoo or that I'm giving up the
Anything Goes style."

	Cologne coughed and walked away.  "Yes, well that will be all.  I
have some other stuff to do.  I must think of a plan to deal with Lotion."

	Shampoo was not fooled.  She could see the smile that lit up on
her great-grandmother's face.  This was the first time she had ever seen
Cologne so happy.  On an impulse she glompped onto Ranma.  Tears streamed
down her face.  "Ranma, thankyou."  Ranma awkwardly hugged her back.

			* * * * *

	Lotion watched as Rouge and Taro flew off to fight Ranma.  She
should have known she couldn't trust Mousse and that other boy to deal
with Cologne's pupil, even if they have become more powerful.  Ranma knew
all of their weeknesses very well.  Let's see how he and Cologne handles
Rouge and Taro both at once.  She didn't have to enhance their human forms
since no matter how much they improved, they would still be no match for
their own cursed forms.  Instead she just brain washed them into helping
her achieve her goals.  She smiled to herself.  Even if Ranma wins, she
still had a trump card up her sleave.

			* * * * *

	Ranma was out of breath.  Rouge and Taro had crashed through the
roof of the Neko-haten and started to attack him.  At the moment he was
fighting Taro and Shampoo was fighting Rouge.  It didn't look too good.
Taro was much stronger than him and Rouge had the powers of a god, so even
Shampoo's limited form of the nekoken was of no use.  What he couldn't
understand was why Rouge was working with Taro.  They hated each other.
He just hoped that whoever sent Rouge, didn't know about her weakness.

	"Shampoo, let's switch partners.  You take Taro on and I'll fight
Rouge.  With your nekoken you should be able to win.  Don't worry about
me, I can handle Rouge."  Ranma dodged all the fireballs thrown his ways.
He got past Rouge's defences and went around to her back.  With six arms,
Rouge's cursed form relied on back pain relievers to stop back strain.  He
then used his katchu tenshin amaguriken technique to remove the patches
and hit every nerve point on her back.  Her back gave out and Rouge
collapsed.  Ranma looked over to see Taro being knocked unconsious.

			* * * * *

	Cologne had then come out of her room to see what the commotion
was all about.  She looked over the bodies of Rouge and Taro and
discovered their minds had been wiped.  Shampoo reversed what had happened
to them with her own technique.  Rouge and Taro soon came to their senses.
Taro looked at Ranma in confusion.  "What happened?  One moment I was in a
the custody of Jusenkyo Guild and the next I'm here all battered and
bruised."  Rouge also looked to them in askance.

	Cologne is startled.  "Did you say the Jusenkyo Guild?  So Lotion
had teamed up with them.  It must be more serious then I thought.  I must
go back to Joketsuzoku to find out what is going on.  I suggest you and
Rouge hide out in Nerima for awhile.  The guild won't send anyone after
you here with so many powerful martial artists."

	"There is no need for you to go back to the village," cackled
Lotion who has just appeared out of nowhere.  She looked exactly like
Cologne except with shorter hair.  "I have told the council about you and
your great-granddaughter's ineptness.  You have also taken a non-amazon
for a pupil, a male one at that.  And no he is not part of the village, 
for I have heard that his mother had annulled his marriage to Shampoo.  As
the matriarch of her family, she has the right to do so.  If you go back
to the village, it will be in shame and I will request for your
banishment.  Hahahahaha!"  Cologne looked flustered at what Lotion had
said.

	"Wait!"  Ranma's yell cut through Lotion's evil laughter.  "I can
get my mother to revoke her command.  That means that Cologne and Shampoo
will not face shame if they go back.  Since I am part of the village, 
Cologne can take me up as a student."  Ranma hoped he quessed right with
that assumption.

	It was Cologne's turn to smile evily at Lotion.  "As you see, I
have not disgraced the village in any way.  However, you have.  Attacking
my son-in-law for no reason and talk of treason against the matriarch of
Joketsuzoku is reason enough for me to have the council put you to death.
However, since you have served me and the council for many years, I will
not punish you with death.  Your position in the council will be stripped
from you."

	Lotion was furious at this turn of events.  With as much dignity
as she can muster she left the Neko-haten.  She had reports of the way
Cologne and Shampoo often used tricks and spells on her pupil.  It
appeared to her that the boy didn't like Cologne very much.  It had not
occured to her that the boy would help Cologne out despite all the things
she had done.  Lotion would have her revenge on the boy, named Ranma.

	Shampoo immediately glompped onto Ranma.  "Does Ranma mean it?
Shampoo now Ranma's bride?."

	"Hey!  No..uh ah."  He stoppd as he saw Shampoo's aura began to
darken.  "I just said that to help out the old ghoul.  I didn't mean
anything by it."  Ranma, quite unsuccessfully, tried to reason with
Shampoo.

	Cologne bopped him on the head.  But she is smiling as she does
that.  "I thankyou Ranma, whatever your reasons."  She left Ranma and
Shampoo alone.

	Shampoo looked at the flustered Ranma.  He was still trying to
explain to her.  He looked too adorable, for her to mad at him for long. 
Unable to resist, she glompped onto him.  She didn't know how he did it.
Somehow he just did and said the right things that made her love him.
"Shampoo understand."  She then thought of something and smirked.  "If
Ranma want to live healthy life, Ranma better tell mother-in-law to
validate Akane and Ukyo's engagement."

	Ranma slapped his forehead.  He had forgotten about his other two
suitors.  Boy, will they be mad when they heard about his 'proposal' to
Shampoo.  He looked at the cute figure glued to his arm.  Again, he
couldn't help but think the beating might be worth it.  He felt the need
to explain what he really meant.  "Um..ah.  Shampoo look.  I don't think 
I would mind terrible spending the rest of my life with you."

	Shampoo said nothing and just snuggled closer to Ranma.  That was
the closest she was going to get Ranma to admit that he cared for her.
She didn't care.  She was happy.

			* * * * *

The End.

I am well aware that they're not really married, but I thought this was
close enough.

C&C welcomed.  Flames not.