Let's see how far I can get on this tonight...


	"Well then, you can just be a girl--"
	SPLASH
	"And find a *real* man to marry!"
	BOOT
	The observer's eyes narrowed.  She'd missed the first part of the 
quarrel, but it didn't really matter.  Cold water turned Ranma female.  
Still unnoticed, the observer softly stepped in the direction of the 
Dojo.  Ranma would go back there, eventually.
		*			*			*
	"I wonder...maybe she isn't so much mad I kissed her...as that I 
don't remember doing it?"
	The observer nodded.  Hot water restored Ranma to male.  
Everything was as it was supposed to be.  Her heart ached to join him, 
but no, the plan was all.  She reluctantly turned away.
		*			*			*
	Ranma ran down the street towards Fuurinkan High.  Akane had left 
early, probably still angry at him.  He tried to come up with some sort 
of explanation that wouldn't land him in more trouble.  
	If he only had a friend he could trust to advise him on dealing 
with girls...Pops and Mr. Tendou would just tell him to marry Akane.  
Nabiki would charge him for advice, and then just tell him things he 
already knew.  Kasumi...well, maybe, but it was hard to tell just how 
"with it" she was.  Hiroshi and Daisuke had even less experience with 
girls than he did, and Ryouga would prefer him dead.  Not a very good 
selection.  Doctor Toufuu, maybe?  Then Ranma remembered how the 
physician handled *his* love affairs and shook his head.
	He pulled into the gate, and noticed Kunou lying on the ground.  
That didn't make sense.  The only other person who could take the 
Upperclassman was Akane, and she should have been here a long time ago.  
Kunou would have recovered by now.
	Then Ranma noticed a girl in a school uniform waiting near 
Kunou's twitching form.  That long purple hair looked familiar... 
	"Nihao, Ranma!"
	"S-Shampoo!?"
	What was *she* doing here?
	"Shampoo student here now!  Learn modern things!"
	Okay, that answered that unspoken question...
	"Why here, Shampoo?"
	"To be near hus--er, Ranma!"
	"Um...I'm not sure that's such a good idea..." He remembered the 
last time he'd seen her.  She'd been trying to kill him or marry him, 
depending which form he was in at the time.  She'd attacked Akane, and 
he'd finally had to reveal his curse to get rid of her.  Actually, he'd 
had to lie, too...
	"Shampoo...sorry...for before.  She not understand Japanese 
customs, Ranma not understand Amazon laws.  Can Shampoo 
be...friends...with Ranma?"  She smiled prettily.
	Shampoo could be so cute!
	"Well, I guess, if you promise you're not gonna attack Akane and 
me, and you understand I'm not marrying you."
	"Shampoo promise she not attack anyone she not have to."
	She raised her arms as if to give Ranma a hug, but shook her 
head, a little sadly.
	"Shampoo not force Ranma to marry anyone he no want to...."


				SOFT SELL
			by Scott K Jamison
			(Takahashi disclaimer)
			      Chapter One

	"So, uh, what class are you in?" asked Ranma, praying she 
wouldn't say "1-F."
	"1-F, same like Ranma!"  It was official.  The gods hated him.  
"Ranma show Shampoo where is?  She not sure."
	Ranma sighed.  "I guess I can show you where it is, but we're not 
going in together."
	"Ranma no want be seen with Shampoo?  Ranma no like Shampoo?"  
She sounded hurt.
	"It's not that!  It's just that..I can't!  Okay?"  
	"Oh-kay" replied Shampoo sadly.
	Ranma led Shampoo to the right hall and pointed out the correct 
door.  He waited for a full count of ten before following her in, just 
barely beating the bell.  The teacher was looking at Shampoo's paperwork, 
so Ranma was able to slide into his seat without being noticed.
	"Good morning, class."
	"Good morning, teacher."
	"We have a new transfer student from China today, a Miss...Shan 
Puu?" 
	"Please, call Shampoo!"  She didn't bow, since it wasn't the 
custom in her part of China.  Some of the students didn't know this, and 
were a little offended.  Most of the male students reacted in their usual 
hormone-crazed manner, restrained only by the threat of hall bucket 
duty.  Akane looked to be in shock.
	Fortunately, the only open desk was well away from him or Akane, 
so there wasn't an immediate explosion.
	While the teacher droned out the morning's English lesson, Akane 
passed Ranma a note.  [What's *she* doing here?]
	[Not sure,] replied Ranma.  [She claims to be here to get an 
education, but she still seems to have a thing for me.  Be careful.]
	Between classes, Shampoo walked straight up to Akane.  "Shampoo 
apologize for trying kill Akane.  Shampoo not understand Japanese 
customs.  Can Akane and Shampoo be friends?"
	Akane seemed to struggle for an answer.  Finally, she said, 
"Well, we don't have to be enemies..."
	"That good enough for now.  Ranma and Akane come to Nekohanten 
later?  Meet Great-Grandmother."  She handed Ranma a flyer for a 
restaurant with that name.  He stiffened a bit.  Anything named after 
cats was probably bad for him.

more later!
SKJAM!