Chapter 2: Strength in Numbers

   Shampoo ran through the streets of Nerima in tears, and in shock. 
She couldn't believe what her great-grandmother was going to try to 
do. She decided she had to do something.
   But how was she going to stop Cologne?
   Telling Ranma about it might work. Shampoo shook her head. That 
was a stupid idea. When Cologne got her hooks into Ranma, it wouldn't 
matter if he knew about it or not. Shampoo knew what the old woman 
was truly capable of, and it scared her. If she said she was going to 
turn Ranma into a Niichieju, she was damned well probably going to 
succeed. 
   Shampoo needed help. Allies. Strength in numbers.
   Slowing her run, she realized she had neared Ucchan's Okonomiyaki. 
"Well, this good enough place to start. Spatula girl care about Ranma.
 She be willing to help, if believe Shampoo."
   The weary teen stepped into the restaurant.

   "What's this about, granny?" Ryouga asked as Cologne gave him a 
bowl of ramen.
   "Why, I just need to talk to you for a few minutes," Cologne said.

   Ryouga frowned. "About what?"
   Cologne sighed wearily. "Ryouga...you know how old I am, right?"
   Ryouga nodded.
   "Well, I'm running out of time. Old women like me can't afford to 
dawdle, you know, and pretty soon, I'm going to need my heir to take 
my place among the leaders of the Niichieju." She frowned. "But of my 
two granddaughters..."
   "TWO!?" Ryouga shouted. "I thought you only had one..."
   Cologne chuckled dryly. "No, there are two. Unfortunately, only 
one is fit to carry on in my place." She sighed. "Shampoo may have 
some skill, but there is no way I will ever consider her worthy of 
leading the Niichieju. She doesn't have the right kind of spirit, the 
right ambition. She lets her training lapse for long periods of time.
"
   Ryouga realized that Cologne's voice was sounding a lot more 
interesting to him, and his eyelids felt a little heavy. But he 
didn't let it bother him. He continued to listen.
   "I can't afford to let Shampoo be my heir. But my other 
granddaughter--she's perfect. The only problem is, she's too perfect. 
Finding a husband suited to her isn't an easy task."
   Cologne bore her eyes into Ryouga's. "You, boy, are the only man I 
know of who comes anywhere near granddaughter's level of skill. So, 
I'm going to ask something of you..."
   Ryouga listened intently.

   "Shampoo? What're you doin' here?" Ukyou asked.
   Shampoo plopped at the counter, and sighed. "Spat...Ukyou. There 
is much big trouble. Shampoo not know how to handle. Come to you, 
maybe you help Shampoo."
   Ukyou smirked. "Not likely, but I'l l listen anyway." She began 
making an okonomiyaki for Shampoo out of habit.
   "Great-grandmother...she doing something terrible."
   "Oh?"
   "She disown Shampoo as heir. Say Shampoo weak, Shampoo no good 
fighter, Shampoo no have potential. She kick Shampoo out of 
Nekohanten, tell not come back."
   Ukyou gasped. "That's pretty mean," she agreed. "So, you're 
looking for a place to crash for a while, is that it?"
   Shampoo shook her head. "No. There more. Great-grandmother have 
insane plan. Shampoo not sure if grandmother still have all marbles, 
but she still smart and very powerful. Shampoo afraid...Shampoo 
afraid maybe she manage to do what she plan..."
   "Back up here, sugar. What's the old ghoul got cookin'?" 
   "Great-grandmother choose new heir. Strongest heir. And pick 
husband for heir."
   "Yeah? So?"
   "She choose Ranma as heir."
   Ukyou blinked. "She..." Ukyou laughed. "Shampoo, your granny's 
lost it."
   Shampoo shook her head. "Grandmother very powerful, more so than 
let on. She very certain of herself. When grandmother this certain, 
she know what she doing...and she have good chance."
   Ukyou frowned. "You mean to tell me, that you think Cologne can 
somehow get Ranchan to agree to being her heir, and marrying some guy?
"
   Shampoo nodded. "Shampoo think if great-grandmother want it happen,
 it happen." She frowned. "But Shampoo fight it until Shampoo die. 
Wretched old woman already destroy Shampoo life. Shampoo no let her 
destroy more people life."
   Ukyou nodded. "I'm with you on that one. So, you came here to ask 
me to help, right?"
   "That right. Shampoo know Ukyou no like Shampoo. But ask anyway. 
Maybe forget past, work together. Save Ranma from great-grandmother.
"
   Ukyou nodded, then frowned. "When we stop the old woman, you won't 
be chasing after Ranchan anymore will you?"
   Shampoo shook her head. "Shampoo no is Amazon anymore. No have 
place to call home, no have anything but what she wearing now. 
Shampoo no can ask Ranma to marry her when she have nothing to offer 
him."
   Ukyou smiled gently at Shampoo and served her an okonomiyaki. 
"Well, it's going to be a moot point if we don't stop the old bag." 
She frowned thoughtfully. "Say, you said she's already got a husband 
picked out for Ranchan. Who is it?"
   Shampoo blinked. "Shampoo not know. She no tell Shampoo."
   "Well, that's helpful," Ukyou smirked. "If we could find out who 
he is, and get to him in time, we'd have a better chance of 
succeeding."
   "That right."
   "And telling Ranchan would be a good idea to."
   Shampoo sighed. "It no would matter. Ranma very good, but 
grandmother have many trick. Even if Ranma know what going on, she 
get to him."
   "Well, doesn't hurt to try," Ukyou suggested. "Now, we need to 
figure out who the husband is..."
   "It have to be very strong man. Grandmother take only best."
   "Hmmm...and it'd probably have to be someone from around here, too,
 right?"
   "That right. Nobody from village come close to strong as Ranma."
   "Well, there's a few people it could be..." Ukyou mused.
   "Shampoo no think it Mousse, or stick boy." 
   Ukyou laughed. "Probably not. I don't think she'd stick Ranchan 
with Mousse, and Kunou..." she shuddered.
   "Hmmm...who it be then?"
   "We need to look at this logically," Ukyou offered. "It's probably 
someone that can fight Ranma to a standstill, or come close."
   "Hmmm...Shampoo only think of four like that, and only two would 
count."
   Ukyou thought about it. "I think I know who you're talking about. 
It'd have to be either Tarou or Ryouga, right?"
   Shampoo nodded. "That right. And Tarou...he not likely to fall for 
any trick of great-grandmother, if she even find him. He too nasty."
   Ukyou's eyes widened. "But Ryouga's very gullible, and easy to 
manipulate."
   "Aiyah! Must be Ryouga then!"
   "Shampoo, we gotta find both Ranma and Ryouga and warn them."

   "So," Cologne said, eyes intense as she held Ryouga's gaze. "You 
understand then."
   Ryouga nodded. "I think so." He frowned. "But...but what if she...
what if she doesn't want to have anything to do with me?"
   "She will. She'll like you. It'll be perfect."
   "Perfect..."
   "You'll have a wife who loves you, a family to call your own, the 
respect of an entire village."
   "Love....family...village..."
   "So, son-in-law, are you with me or against me?"
   Ryouga's eyes became intense. "I'll do it. I will gladly marry 
your granddaughter."
   Cologne cackled. "Good boy."



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Ryodachi Kouma
"The Eternal Lost Lurker"
squn29a@prodigy.com
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no da.