1
I’m not subscribed to the list! Please C&C through private
email to
<7ahw@qlink.queensu.ca>
############################################################
############
V I L L A G E T A L E
A Ranma ½ fanfic by Adrian Wong
All relevent characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi and some
others that I don’t know of.
The story belongs to me and me alone, legally ^_^
Japanese dialoges in “ “
Chinese dialogues in [ ]
Thoughts in < >
Illusory sounds / /
Prelude:
New beginnings and Old Ends
It was night.
Seated within an oriental-looking restaurant was an
extremely beautiful young girl with free-flowing violet hair
that spilled all the way down to her thighs. Half leaning
on a table from her seat, she stared at the boy eating
ravenously across the table form her with a tender smile on
her face.
“Ranma want more? Shampoo made extra just in case.”
Shampoo asked.
With his stomach full and his mind finally coming back
to focus, Ranma looked somewhat guilty as he rubbed the back
of his had bashfully. “Thanks but no thanks, Shampoo. I’m
quite full already . . . ” The sound coming from his stomach
cut him off as he blushed.
Shampoo shook her head with a smile, purple tresses
waving beside her face. “Ranma . . . always act like child.
If want food just say!” She went up to the boiling pot to
obtain another bowl of steaming noodle.
Ranma stared at her beautiful figure from behind, it’s
shape enhanced by the modest but well-fitted Chinese cloths
that she wore. The female portion of Ranma’s class had
often put down Shampoo’s scandalous choice out outfit
(behind her back) . . . when they all wore clothes a
thousand times more revealing than the traditional Chinese
wardrobe . From an objective point of view, it was really
Shampoo’s gorgeous curves, instead of her clothes, that are
giving her the sex appeal that boys love and girls envy. As
Shampoo tossed her hair back to avoid it dipping into the
noodles, Ranma was rewarded with the sight of the violet
strands flowing down her back in a rich fountain. He began
wondering how on earth he would have managed to resist such
beauty in the past.
And despite what the others may think, Shampoo is
extremely perceptive and intelligent. Sure, her gestures
suggest playfulness, but this playfulness is a personal
charm on her part, thus has nothing to do with her being any
less intelligent.
For example, she is the only fiancée of Ranma who
Nabiki hadn’t managed to corn money out of yet (manga
perspective). With her pointing out to the other fiancées
that they don’t really need to pay Nabiki for a date with
Ranma (manga 17), the little mercenary had suffered one of
the very few failed dealings that she ever had. Shampoo
was definitely not one to be underestimated when it came to
the brain department.
Playful, smart and occasionally crafty, Shampoo was
exactly a human version of a feline: a quality that used to
send irrational chills up Ranma’s spine in the past.
Somehow, his fear of cats had begun to drop somewhat
after the fateful events of this day: events that led him
too finally come to appreciate the other side of the cat
girl. She may not be perfect, but like a warm kitten
cuddling against one’s skin, she knew how to be pleasantly
attentive when she really wants to.
And now was the time that Ranma needs the most
attentiveness from somebody . . . anybody to himself from
drowning in his misery.
Just then, Shampoo walked back with two bowls of
noodles. “Watching Ranma eat make Shampoo hungry again,”
she explained with a giggle, “if stay with Ranma too long,
Shampoo’s figure be in trouble.”
Setting down Ranma’s bowl in front of him, she began
eating her own. She stopped as she realized that Ranma
wasn’t eating his.
“What matter” she asked.
Ranma simply stared at her. “You know, Shampoo, if you
used to act as moderate back then as you do now, maybe . ..
maybe I would have chose differently . . .”
Shampoo stared back at him, then began laughing much
to Ranma’s surprise.
“Sha . . . Shampoo?”
“Ranma, Ranma . . .” Shampoo’s body shook as she
laughed, making her even more tantalizing than before. “You
still no get it after all time?! You foolish man!”
“What?” Ranma asked as he frowned boyishly.
“Shampoo the way she was cause she idolized Ranma!
Ranma seemed strong, flawless . . . perfect. There plenty
good warriors in China, but many of them . . . not good
looking. It not everyday she gets to meet boy who look cut
and fight well same time. That why Shampoo chased Ranma
with such . . . vigor ever since first saw Ranma’s boy form.
Seemed other girls same view as Shampoo, and panicked.
Shampoo too eager to impress Ranma, scared you off instead.”
She laughed. “Now Shampoo had seen that even Ranma not
all almighty. . .” Realizing what she was about to said,
she trailed off in mid-sentence.
Ranma’s face dimmed up visibly. “Even you think I’m
pathetic now . . .”
“NO!” Shampoo cut him off, shocked that Ranma would
even suggest such a thing. “Shampoo no will think Ranma
pathetic for breaking down at wedding! If anyone pathetic,
it be evil Kuno and cowardly Tendos that betrayed Ranma!”
Ranma’s shoulders slumped. “We shouldn’t be angry with
them, it isn’t like they had a choice. Our world will not
permit them to be tainted by someone like me-"
Shampoo grabbed Ranma’s hands as she stared intensely
into his eyes. “Listen to Shampoo: Ranma may no be perfect,
but you man with good heart, always trying to help when
others in trouble. You NO will taint nobody: people should
feel lucky for knowing Ranma!”
Ranma smiled back sadly at Shampoo: “You don’t have to
lie to me, even if you meant well. Even you have admitted
that I failed to live up to your image of me . . . like how
I’ve failed to lived up to the Tendo’s . . . and Mom’s.”
“That’s NOT what Shampoo meant. Shampoo said Ranma not
all almighty cause she now see Ranma as someone who could be
crushed, could have tears in eyes after being hurt . .
.Ranma could be one who need other’s help, instead of always
other way around.”
Ranma looked confused. “So?”
Shampoo smiled tenderly at him. “That means Ranma
human, just like us all. It makes Shampoo see Ranma as
person instead of symbol . . . makes Shampoo feel closer so
that she no have to go fanatic in tempting Ranma.”
Ranma sighed, and finally began eating his noodles
again. “Shampoo, you’re the only one who will ever want to
feel close to me again.”
Shampoo smiled playfully. “Shampoo not sure. After
arrive at Village, cute boy like Ranma will probably be dog
piled by girls! Besides . . .” her smile turned tender
again, “Ranma’s now wounded man, Shampoo no can give bear
hug to Ranma till you healed up inside.”
Ranma smiled gratefully at Shampoo, grateful that he
had a friend like her to rely on at a time like this . . .
. . . at a time when all that he had was cruelly
crushed under the prejudice of his world.
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
Western music was permeating the inside of the
cathedral.
Colored paper and ribbons, launched by a sea of guests,
were flying around in the air.
The second wedding between Ranma and Akane was to
take place within minutes.
Inside the backroom of the chapel, Genma and Soun were
fussing over the tuxedo what the groom was wearing.
“The bow tie needs to be straightened up like this . .
.”
“And the shoulder pads for the blazer needs to be
adjusted like that . . .”
“And the belt really shouldn’t be so high up . . .”
The groom, meanwhile, has a slightly troubled look on
his otherwise smiling face. Genma noticed this and asked.
“What’s the matter, boy?”
“It’s Shampoo and Cologne.” Ranma said. “We
shouldn’t have excluded them from the guest list, not after
all that we’ve been through together.”
“What are you talking about, boy?! Those Chinese
Amazons had utterly destroyed the first wedding! We can’t
risk them showing up to ruin this one.”
“Dad, it was a COMBINED effort that destroyed the last
wedding! Kuno and Happosai were the main causes of trouble
that last time, and Kuno is invited. And besides, Cologne
didn’t do anything to disrupt our wedding , while Shampoo’s
Nuki-men were only flash bombs. Also, Shampoo didn’t know
that wedding was of my free will the last time. Now that
she does, I am sure that she won’t . . .”
“Son-in-law.” Soun cut him off with a close-eyed
smile on his face. “Kuno, despite all his unpleasantness,
is still the heir to the Kuno School of Kendo, his presence
can brighten up this wedding. And thankfully, the Master
hadn’t insisted on coming. Things are going smoothly right
now, and we have no reason to invite those two.”
“But still, Cologne has taught me all those techniques.
It would be kind of an insult not to invite her. Besides,
Shampoo is my . . .”
“Your old girlfriend.” Ryoga, who was now the “best
man” at Akane’s request, said with a bored expression as he
leaned against the wall. Even since he had finally admitted
his love for Akari, his hatred for Ranma had dropped
considerably . . . up to the point that he no longer wishes
to actually kill him. “I’m SURE Akane would have loved to
have her come.”
“That’s the problem, my boy.” Genma said. “You know
how . . . delicate Akane’s feelings are. We can’t risk
having that Chinese hussy anywhere near this ceremony till
it is over.”
Ranma protested. “But she’s my . . .”
“Listen to you father, son-in-law.” Soun said in a
firmer tone of voice. “Besides, we don’t want to have
people associating us with those uncultured Chinese
barbarians: it isn’t good for the image of our clan. ”
“ . . . friend.” Ranma whispered, his eyes lowered as
the fathers continued to fix him up for the wedding .
“Stop worrying, Ranma.” Ryoga said. “The most
important thing right now is to make sure that this wedding
can make Akane happy. You can always make it up to Shampoo
later . . . some way or another. ”
Ranma wasn’t so sure about that. He could still
remember how his other fiancees had reacted towards his long
delayed “confessions” that Akane is the one for him.
############################################################
############
“It’s true after all . . . you do choose her out of
your own free will.” Framed by the sunset, Ukyou's
beautiful face was decorated with such heart-breaking
weariness that it hurts one to look at it. A cool breeze
blew by, obscuring her profile with strands of dark hair.
“I guess I should have known after the first wedding
that I was a fool for thinking that you would ever love me.”
She eyes began to tear as she continued. “It’s inevitable,
isn’t it? After all, she is the one that gets to live
together with you; to practice the art together with you; to
go onto those adventures with you that I didn’t know about
thus can’t accompany you . . .to inherit the school of
Anything Goes Martial Arts together with you. How could you
possibly settle for a mere girl who had nothing to offer you
but a tiny restaurant and distant memories long forgotten?”
Staring Ranma straight in the eye, determination
settled onto her features, turning her into a tower of
strength. “But I’ll survive, Ranma. I have been through so
much heartache in the past that this is like nothing to me,
NOTHING. I too, can put the past behind me. I shall start
over, and make somebody of myself so that I don’t need to
EVER rely on you or anyone else to live a life. You served
only to bring me fleeing happiness but lasting pain . . .
even though you never did mean to. So long, Ranma. For
the sake of getting on with our lives, we shall not meet
again till we can . . . till I can truly put this behind us.
For now, I wish you happiness . . . as an old friend.”
With that, she sprinted up onto a rooftop and into the
sunset without turning back.
############################################################
############
“Hmhmhmhm . . .” Kodachi, her eerie glamour glistering
under the moonlight, laughed lightly as she turned away and
stared off into space. “So, you have decided to choose that
. . . girl over the Black Rose, even after all that we have
been through together.” Twirling around in an elegant
motion, she leaned forward towards Ranma’s face, reminding
him of a hissing serpent studying its prey. “You mind IS
set . . . isn’t it? I can tell . . . even though I didn’t
really want to. Looks like I can’t very well force you to
choose otherwise after all. Guess the old saying is true: a
battle is not always to the strong, nor a race is to the
swift.” She pulled back from him as a taunting but sultry
smiled blossomed on her face. “Very well then, have it
your way. Kodachi Kuno WILL NOT brood over the loss of a
mere man, for she had dozens to chose from. The Black Rose
WILL survive!!! Farewell, Ranma, YOU shall miss MY beauty!”
With that, she bounded over a rooftop and into the
night, leaving a trail of rose petals behind.
############################################################
############
After going though those two experiences, Ranma
couldn’t possibly bring up his courage to confront Shampoo
face to face about his up coming wedding with Akane . . .
especially not after how Mousse had finally realized the
futility of his pursuit and left her to start over in Japan.
So Ranma waited, and waited . . . till several days before
the wedding to send her a letter regarding the wedding.
A day later, he received the following letter from her:
Ranma:
Mystery finally unsolved, and the bet over: Shampoo no
can call you Airen now.
If Ranma still think of Shampoo as friend, please give
invitations to Shampoo and Hiba-chan to wedding: this way,
Shampoo know Ranma still like Shampoo enough to trust her no
disturb wedding.
Shampoo
He would have done anything to prevent himself from
losing his only remaining friend . . . should it not for the
look he got from Akane, the scolding from his Pop, and the
demon head demonstration of Soun when he had mentioned
Shampoo’s request.
And so, Ranma was left with no choice but to send a
letter to Shampoo, telling her that her request could not be
fulfilled.
He hadn’t heard from her since, and he didn’t dare to
go to the Nekohanten directly..
Just then, Kasumi came into the room, smiling that
warm, close-eyed smile as always.
“Father, Akane-chan is ready.”
Soun immediately went after Kasumi for the position of
the Father of the Bride with happy tears sparkling in his
eyes.
“C’mon.” Ryoga urged Ranma out of the room and into
the hall. Countless guests are there, ranging from his past
rivals to his acquaintances to Akane’s friends, all smiling
approvingly at him. Even Kuno was smiling . . . even though
the smile doesn’t reach his eyes. At the front row, Genma
is nodding approvingly as Nodoka was gently shedding tears
of happiness. The atmosphere of joy was so overwhelming
that for a moment, Ranma’s guilt toward Shampoo was
completely forgotten. Ranma and Ryoga took their places
at the front of the altar and waited.
It was then that he saw through the chapel gates to the
distant figure sitting on a tree outside. Strands of violet
were flowing across her pale face, partially obscuring a
pair of particularly bright eyes.
Ranma felt a sharp jab of pain in his heart, for he
knew that those eyes were bright with the effort of trying
to hold in tears. The last friend that he had remaining . .
. and he wasn’t even able to grant her one, simple, harmless
wish.
God, he loathed himself for always being this passive
when it comes to anything that has to do with his life. If
he could fight against those that he had been placed
against, why couldn’t he fight against those who placed him
to fight on their behalf in the first place?
<Cause I have honor . . .> he told himself, <and can
never go back on what I have been brought up with. Besides
. . .>
At this point, Akane, accompanied by her father, her
sisters, as well as Akari, the bridesmaid, stepped into his
line of vision.
Wearing a startlingly simple but elegant white grown
that served to make her shapeless built appear slender, the
tomboy was transformed into a Princess. A piece of large,
half-translucent veil flowed down from above her tiara,
giving her seemingly slender frame an illusory feel. The
veil was designed in such a way that it trailed behind her,
and Akari was holding up it off the ground for her from
behind. Kasumi and Nabiki, meanwhile, were tossing flower
petals from beside Akane, making her entrance even more
dramatic and breath taking. Seeing Ranma, she flashed the
I’m-blessed-with-the-happiness-of being-a-bride smile at
him, forcing him to blush.
<. . . I do love the kawaiikune tomboy. Sorry,
Shampoo. I can’t risk throwing away my only goal in life
for you. I hope you can someday forgive me.>
Forcing himself to ignore the sight of Shampoo, Ranma
focused his attention on the girl that he had been placed in
a position to love. Waking up to him so that they were now
side by side, she captivated him with a melting smile. The
promise of love, family, and a dojo to inherit all combined
in one . . . the girl was everything that he could ever have
dreamed of.
That was definitely the moment of his lifetime.
At that moment, the priest spoke up.
"If there be any here present who know of good and just
cause that
these two should not be joined in the bond of Holy
Matrimony, let
them speak now, or forever hold their peace."
All was silent in the cathedral hall. Ranma stared
worriedly out the chapel gates: will she interfere?
But the Chinese girl simply lowered her head and wept.
Guilt rushed over Ranma as he silently chided himself for
doubting her.
The priest casually went on to say, "Do you, Saotome
Ranma, take this woman to be your . . . "
Suddenly, a vortex of printer sized paper showered down
from the corners of the cathedral supports as the guests
murmured in surprise. Fearing some unforeseen danger, Ranma
immediately gathered Akane into a protective hug. Outside,
Shampoo stopped sobbing and blinked.
The guests began picking up the paper and reading it,
as they did so, their expressions turned incredulous as they
stared back up at the couple. Akane looked scared as she
cling on closer to Ranma, while Ranma was annoyed yet
chilled by their reactions. He turned over to look at Soun,
who was going through several interest shades of color as he
read the paper.
“What’s the matter, Father-in-law ?”
“Ranm . . .Ranma-san . . .” Soun looked back dumbly at
Ranma. His eyes seemly came into focus as he saw how Ranma
was holding Akane in his arms. A scowl came onto his face.
“Get your hands off my daughter.”
Ranma nearly jumped. “What?!”
“Get your hands off my daughter!” Soun repeated in a
firmer tone this time.
Akane was shocked and angry at the same time. “Daddy!
What are your talking about?! Hey!!”
By then, Soun had already dragged her away from Ranma
and behind himself. Akane winced at the amount of force
that her father had used. Seeing that, Ranma’s anger
fired up.
“Are you crazy?! Me and Akane are about to be
married!”
“Not anymore.” Soun replied stiffly and turned towards
the priest. “Father, I ask of you stop the ceremony right
now.”
The priest looked slightly troubled, but did as he was
told.
“WHAT?!” Ranma and Akane exclaimed in union. Just
then, Nabiki walked over with a bored expression, and tugged
on Akane’s arm.
“C’mon, sis, the fun is over. Change back, go home.”
Meanwhile, Kasumi walked up to the front of the altar.
Facing the guests, she spoke up with a polite smile on her
face. “On behalf of the Tendo Clan, we apologize for the
inconveniences that this misunderstanding had caused all of
us. But there is no wedding for today. For now, I hope you
all go home in peace.” With that, she bowed, and all the
guests, having read the papers, immediately took the hint
and piled out of the chapel. Meanwhile Akari whispered
something in Ryoga’s ears, and his eyes quadrupled in size
as he turned toward Ranma.
Ranma was stricken and angry at the same time. “Can
somebody PLEASE tell me what the hell is going on?!”
Nabiki gave him a sideways smile and tossed one of
those pieces of paper at him.
Ranma took a look at the paper and paled as the words
on it assaulted his mind like daggers.
He could vaguely hear Akane’s gasp as he turned away
from the paper and turned to his parents. Genma had his
head down, while Nodoka had a look of disbelief on her face
as she stared at him in horror.
“All this time . . . and you never did tell me about it
. . .” she said in a shaky voice.
“Well, it isn’t exactly what you’ll admit to others . .
.” Genma mumbled with his head down.
“WELL AT LEAST YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME BEFORE WE HAD
RANMA!! HE DOESN’T DESERVED TO GO THROUGH THIS!!!! Is it
not bad enough that you are . . . but to taint my son as
well . . . ” Nodoka took out her bundle from nowhere and
unsheathed her katana to his horror. “And to think that
I’ve suffered for ten years for a selfish, worthless, lying
piece of garbage like you . . .”
“Now, No-chan, I’m sure that we could come up with . .
.”
“DIE!!!!!”
With that, Nodoka chased Genma out of the now almost
empty cathedral as Ranma stared after them dumbly.
Meanwhile, Ryoga and Akari took the distraction and silently
sneaked away as well. Standing outside the cathedral, Kuno
bowed a whistle, and a dozen ninjas dropped down from
whatever dimensions that they were previously hiding in and
kneeled before him.
“Master Kuno! We did as you told!” they reported.
Kuno smiled a smile that could rival Nabiki’s in
deviousness. As a samurai (wannabe), he knew all too well
how one must know an opponent well in order to defeat him.
So ever since their first confrontation, he had been sending
out people to “check up” on Saotome’s weaknesses, so to
speak. The quest had been futile at first: all that his
resources could have given him were that Saotome was somehow
able to impersonate his pigtailed goddess: typical of one as
perverse as him, Kuno told himself. When the investigation
had taking a turn to explore his past, however, something
shocking was revealed.
Kuno, despite his actions, still believed that he was
an honorable person, and had hoped that Saotome would have
been smart enough to back off instead of driving him to
reveal his secret shame. After all, during their
confrontations, he had always taunted Ranma about his lowly
birth, hoping he was smart enough to get the hint.
But he wasn’t, and the Blue Thunder just can’t tolerate
the thought of such a lowly creature tainting his precious
huntress. Actions must be carried out.
And he didn’t regret it one bit.
“You’ve all served me beautifully, loyal servants. The
cowardly Saotome’s shame has finally been revealed. ” Kuno
said. “After this day, the beauteous Akane shall be mine
and mine alone.” Idly looking through the cathedral gates,
he saw his beautiful huntress went through a complete
breakdown. He was secretly enjoying the sight: it served
her right for rejecting one as magnificent as himself for
that lowly creature. But Kuno believed that in the end,
Akane’s “nobility” would overcome her strong-headedness,
thus wasn’t particularly worried about her decision this
time.
“For now I shall depart: after all, the fair lady does
need time to heal from Saotome’s dark influences.”
* * * * * *
Outside of the cathedral, Shampoo’s heart was
shattering as the wedding went on inside. Cologne had told
her to spare herself some pain and just forget about Ranma
for good, since he obviously didn’t care for her even as a
friend now. She said that the sight of the wedding will
serve to do nothing but to hurt her further.
And her Hiba-chan was so right . . . as usual.
Not only did Ranma not return her love, he didn’t feel
incline to spare her some sign of friendship either.
Not when it comes to choosing between her friendship
and Akane’s love.
As she stared at the happiness radiating from the
bride, who was dressed in so many layers of drapes and veils
that she looked like a moving mass of whipped cream, Shampoo
couldn’t help but felt bitter. She had put in so much of
her own emotions in making Ranma hers. Even after his
rejection, she had been graceful enough to offer herself to
continue being his friends.
Could that woman in the wedding dress have done the
same should she be in Shampoo’s shoes?
But then again, had it not been for the shock that
Mousse had given her, she wouldn’t have wanted to stay as
the friend of the man who had dumped her either.
Even now, the memory had hurt . . . badly.
############################################################
############
Packing up with automatic motions that were unnerving,
Mousse had kept a neutral expression as Shampoo stared at
him with detached interest from the door.
[So you’re finally going back to the village after all.
Glad to see that you have finally accepted the fact that I
don’t love you and never will. Auntie (Mousse’s Mom) will
be happy to see you, considering how long you have left
her.]
[I’m not going back, Shampoo.] Mousse stated simply as
he tossed the last of his weapons into the luggage.
[What?]
Mousse closed up his luggage with a slam and spoke up
with an even voice. [I said, I’m not going back.]
Shampoo was a bit taken back. [But . . . where are you
going then?]
Mousse stood up and walked past Shampoo and out of his
room. [To some other part of Japan, where I’m sure that I
won’t ever have to see you again.]
Shampoo was silent. She knew that she could seem to be
rather uncaring toward Mousse, but that was only because of
the fact that he was obsessed with making her his girl. If
she didn’t say firm enough, she really might be trapped in a
one-sided relationship.
But still, she didn’t intend for it to come to such a
bitter ending.
[Mousse . . . I . . .]
[Save your breath, Shampoo.] Mousse snapped. [Time
after time I’ve tried my damned best to show you that I’m
the one who really do love you . . .]
[And I’ve always known.] Shampoo said.
Mousse looked as cold as ice. [And STILL you refused
me. Goodbye, heartless girl: we’ll not meet again.]
Before Mousse could have walked out the door, a staff
blocked his path, forcing him to stop.
[Mousse, I know you are upset that Shampoo doesn’t love
you back . . .] Cologne said in a calm voice. [But would
you rather have her string you along and give you false
hopes?]
Mousse looked even angrier than before. [Out of my
way, old woman. What do you know about love? What do know
about the torments that I had been through because of my
love for her?! You don’t know how I am feeling now: you’re
so old that you can’t possibly know.]
[Believe it or not, I was young once . . . and I had
loved. I know it is hard for you to overcome your
bitterness, but think about it this way: Shampoo had never
asked of you to love her. She only wanted a friend in you,
and you forced yourself upon her.]
[Hiba-chan, please, don’t say that to him . . .]
Shampoo said worriedly as she saw Mousse tensed up.
Cologne ignored her. [And now, you hold her
responsible for your suffering. Is this hatred of your even
justified? You are, of course, free to leave if you want.
But I am hoping that you won’t come to hate my great-
granddaughter: she deserves better than that.]
Mousse’s eyes were flashing fire as he crunched his
fists so hard that his knuckles turned white. With a look
of defiance on his face, he stiffly walked past Cologne. [I
don’t need this.]
With that, he was out the door and out of Shampoo’s
life for good. Shampoo stared after him with disbelief
while Cologne looked tired and disappointed.
############################################################
############
That experience had given her a painful lesson: people
who are important to you, who you thought will be by your
side forever, will turn away from you if you don’t know how
to handle your relationship with them properly. Real
friends are hard to find in this world, and Shampoo would be
damned if she would lose Ranma too.
And now, he was testing her endurance, forcing her into
the realm of bitterness . . .
Before Shampoo’s thoughts could have gone any further,
a strange happening in the present had managed to distract
her.
Something seemed to have happened inside the cathedral.
Pieces of paper were showering down, and soon afterwards,
the father of her rival dragged her rival away from Ranma as
Shampoo blinked.
<What the hell is going on?>
Even more shocking was the fact that people were now
piling out of the cathedral hastily, as if the ever act of
having been there had brought them shame somehow.
It was then that she saw Kuno and his ninja troop right
beneath the tree that she was on, and overheard what they
said.
Immediately, she leapt down from the tree and landed
right in front of him.
“What Kuno talk about?” She asked with a steely edge to
her voice.
Kuno looked a bit startled at first, but he quickly
composed himself.
“What don’t you go in and find out yourself?” Kuno
said as he causally walked away with his ninja troop
following close behind. Shampoo was about to go after
him, but thought better of it and ran into the cathedral
instead to see what had happened.
Once inside, Shampoo was shocked to see that Ranma
had sank to his knees on the marble floor, his eyes obscured
by unruly bangs. Before Shampoo could have gone up to him,
an anguished wail stopped her in her tracks. She
immediately recognized that voice as Akane’s.
Akane was pleading with her father as Kasumi stared at
her disapprovingly while Nabiki looked at her with
impatience and disgust.
“An entire year, Daddy!” Akane wailed as tears steamed
down her eyes. “Me and Ranma had spent AN ENTIRE YEAR
trying to overcome our differences and to open our hearts to
each other! How could you possibly try to separate us
now?!”
Soun, for once, was a mask of sternness. “I did not
know about the truth then . . . I do now, and while it is
nothing personal against Ranma-san, I WILL NOT ALLOW THE
BLOODLINE OF THE TENDO CLAN TO BE TAINTED BY SUCH . . .
DIRT!”
Shampoo gritted her teeth at hearing that. This man
that had schemed for so many times to manipulate Ranma into
marry his daughter is NOW calling him DIRT?!
“What you talk about?” Shampoo asked in a loud enough
voice to make her presence known. “Who you call dirt?!”
Soun turned toward her with much contempt. “Go home
and play with your Chinese potions, girl. This does not
concern you!”
Kasumi spoke up in a cool, calming voice, “Now, Father,
you shouldn’t talk to Shampoo like that.”
Nabiki stared sideways at Shampoo as a taunting smile
crept onto her face. “Especially not when she is the only
one left who can get that Ranma off Akane’s hands.”
Shampoo’s eyes widened in size as she heard NABIKI said
that. “WHAT?!”
“Ranma is mine!!” Akane turned violently to Nabiki as
the latter looked vaguely amused. Kasumi sighed as she laid
a hand on Akane’s shoulder and spoke up.
“Akane, please control yourself. Nabiki was just
trying to help you to get over your . . . misplaced feelings
and to make the right choice. You don’t have to shout at
her.”
Not used to confronting the calm and loving Kasumi,
Akane could only mumble, “I . . . I am making the right
choice . . .”
Kasumi looked pained. “Are you? Did you remember what
Mother’s dying words were? She wanted us to grow up healthy
and to marry well so that we can each pass on a part of her
in our bloodlines.”
“Mother . . .” Akane’s moral defense shattered at
hearing that, while Shampoo simply looked puzzled. At this
point, Nabiki spoke up with a smile so relaxed and playful
that it looked scary under the circumstance.
“I can just envision Mom now, up in the heavens,
smiling ever so tenderly at the sight of her little Akane
placing her lover boy above the reputation of her family.”
She chuckled as she turned toward Akane. “I’m sure that
she’ll be SO proud, ne? ”
“I LOVE HIM!!!” Akane was forced to shout out her
true feelings before her decision changed. “Doesn’t that
count for anything?!”
“Love . . .hahahahaha.” Nabiki laughed tauntingly. “I
see, because of your love for this man, you are willing to
accept a life of being looked down upon. That’s all very
touching, little sis. But have you EVER consider what I
will have to go through shall you choose this . . . person?
Just listen to this: I, Nabiki Tendo, 18 years old, a
schoolyard opportunist who nobody want to do business with
no more cause she is living in a house together with a guy
considered unsanitary by social standards. And also, she
can’t extort money from her dates no more, cause those damn
jocks now suspect her of being unclean as well.” Nabiki’s
laughed even harder . “I’m telling you, it’s funny! My
little sister gets to play the heroic romantic while
everybody else have to suffer for her sake!”
Kasumi held a hand to her cheek as she stared at Akane.
SAre you really going to do that to your own family, Akane-
chan?”
Akane was so angry that she could barely contain her
voice. “You . . . you two . . . Fine, we won’t want to be
where we’re not wanted! Me and Ranma can leave the dojo and
survive on our own somehow!”
Nabiki shook her head as she stared at Akane with a
tired smile on her face. “As you wish. But as a sister, I
should remind you that even if you two can leave the dojo,
you two would still be in Nerima. Even if you two can leave
Nerima, you two would still be in Tokyo. Even if you two
can leave Tokyo, you two would still be in Japan. Stuck
with a man that can’t possibly make anything of himself in
Japan, how can you two *lovebirds* possibly survive? Get
real.”
“We . . . I . . .” Tears began steaming down Akane’s
eyes as she broke down and sobbed. “Oh, God . . .”
“Akane?” Shampoo was getting seriously worried now as
she tentatively approached the crying girl. “Please tell
Shampoo what wrong with Ranma? Why all people suddenly
treat Ranma like disease?!”
Akane looked down, as if she didn’t want to extract the
effort to deal with Shampoo at that moment. With a shaky
hand, she took off her tiara and dropped it onto the floor
with a clang. Afterwards, she turned away form Shampoo and
back to her family.
“Let’s go.” she whispered.
Together, they walked off the Cathedral under a heavy
and slightly eerie atmosphere.
“AKANE!” Shampoo shouted after her, frustrated. “Why
not answer Shampoo?!”
Akane turned back and stared sadly at Ranma, completely
ignoring Shampoo. “Goodbye, Ranma. I . . . I can’t. I’m
sorry. I . . . I wish you happiness, and that . . . you’ll
remember me . . .” she pressed down a sob, “without
bitterness.”
This time, she followed her family and left without
turning back.
Just when Shampoo thought she couldn’t get anymore
shocked and confused, she heard a strange sound from behind
her. Turning around, she came face to face with the most
formidable sight she had ever seen in her entire life.
Curled up into a ball, Ranma, the most macho teenage
boy alive, was crying like a lost child. Sure, she had seen
Ranma cry before. At Mount Phoenix, when he thought Akane
was dead in his arms, he had shed anguished tears in front
of Shampoo. But never had she seen him crying with such . .
. hopelessness before. It was almost like he was no longer
a top martial artist, no longer a man . . . no longer a
human being. Shampoo moved toward him with cautious
steps.
“Ran . . . Ranma?”
Ranma stared up at Shampoo with his now teary and
slightly swollen eyes, and spoke up with some effort.
“Shampoo . . . you looked . . . surprised . . . at
seeing me . . . cry . . .”
Shampoo knelt down beside him, her expression a mixture
of nervousness and concern. “Ranma, Shampoo . . .”
A sad smile could be seen on Ranma’s tear-stained face.
“But . . . I don’t have the strength to keep myself from
crying . . . not anymore . . .”
“I mean . . . men can’t cry . . . boys can’t cry either
. . . nor do strong willed girls like yourself and Ucchan .
. .”
“But . . . I . . . can cry now . . . I can now make up
for all those years that I wasn’t allowed to . . . cry . .
.” a look of utter despair could be seen on his face. “. .
.for a burakumin can never be strong anyway . . . ”
With that, Ranma’s crying renewed with renewed vigor.
Not knowing how to handle such a situation, Shampoo did the
only thing that she could think of: she hit his sleeping
point and carried him back to the Nekohanten.
* * * * * *
[Hiba-chan, what is burakumin?] Shampoo, now back in
her own bedroom, asked her Hiba-chan in Chinese as she
pulled up the covers for the sleeping Ranma. [That’s what
Ranma called himself.]
[So that’s why the Tendos discarded him like this.]
Cologne said as she stared at the boy’s sleeping face with
pity in her wise eyes. [Burakumin, sometimes called Eta,
are the descendants of Japanese who did ‘unclean’ jobs
during the Tokugawa period.]
[Unclean jobs?] Shampoo asked. [You mean . . .
prostitution? But in ancient times, those jobs were forced
upon women! That was why we set up the Joketsuzoki in the
first place: to provide a place for oppressed women to turn
to! So how . . .?]
[Not those kinds of unclean jobs, child. We are
talking about ‘unclean’ as in
animal slaughter and disposal of the dead.]
Shampoo frowned. [But those jobs are needed by the
society: it has nothing to do with being unclean.]
[The culture that Ranma is brought up in, that we’ve
moved into for so long, certainly thinks it has.] Cologne
said dryly.
[So what if one of Ranma’s ancestors is a Burakumin?
That was over a century ago anyway. Why were the Tendos so
upset to find out? Do people make fun of Burakumin saying
that they are dirty? Seems kind of childish for people of
this day and age . . .]
Cologne sighed. [Shampoo, obviously you still don’t
understand the full . . . seriousness of how the Japanese
view the Burakumin.]
[Well, how do they view them then?]
[Let’s just say that the most common job for a Japanese
PI is to check for evidence of Burakumin ancestry.
Companies often refuse to hire people with burakumin blood,
saying it would give the corporation a "dirty" image.]
Shampoo was outraged. [You . . . you mean that people
won’t hire Ranma for work because they see him as
unclean?!?!?!]
Cologne continued. [Not only that, teachers and
students will often refuse to eat or associate with
burakunim. Not only will it be impossible for Ranma to get
a job after he comes of age, but it is very likely that he
won’t get to finish high school either. In Japan, Ranma
will not be considered as anything more than a humanoid rat.
Whatever hopes and dreams that he once had will remain as
nothing above hopes and dreams: and the same goes for his
future descendents as well as his relatives. That’s why the
Tendos had abandoned him so utterly: they wouldn’t want him
to “drag them down”, so to speak.]
Looking at Ranma’s sleeping face, now momentarily
spared from that agonizing look that will surely return once
he woke up, whatever left of Shampoo's bitterness was gone,
replaced by sympathy and sympathy alone.
A boy, brought into this world not out of his own free
will, was now to be the scapegoat of ancient prejudices that
had somehow managed to persist in this so called “modern”
country.
And such a country dared to label her and her great-
grandmother barbarians? Fire flashed in Shampoo’s large
eyes, making her look like an enraged feline tensing to
strike.
Cologne, seemingly reading her thoughts, patted her on
her shoulder (while supported by the height of her staff).
[Every culture has its own drawbacks along with its glory,
child. It is not in our place to condemn others’ cultures:
for that way leads to racism and madness.]
Shampoo bit down on her lower lip. [I understand. Oh,
Hiba-chan, if only we don’t have to go back to Joketsuzoku
so soon, maybe we can actually stay and help him somehow . .
.]
Cologne studied her expression. [So, Shampoo, you
still have feelings for him, even now.]
[Hiba-chan! Ranma and I have been through so many
battles together. Of course I . . .]
[Do you still want him to be yours? After how he had
turned down even your friendship for the sake of Akane?]
Shampoo looked away. [It would be so easy to just have
him as my own, now that that other girls have all turned
away from him.] Reaching out her hand, she gently ran her
hand through Ranma’s unruly bangs, savoring the sight of his
handsome face. [He’s just so . . . beautiful . . .]
Cologne sighed. [Beauty fades with time: I know this
better than anyone.]
Shampoo lowered her eyes. [That’s true. Besides,
Ranma obviously doesn’t love me now, and I’ve already mailed
back to the village, saying that he had refused me after
all. But still . . . I won’t ever forgive myself if I
abandon someone who was once so close to me in his time of
need. I still want to be his friend . . . and I don’t want
to lost him like I did Mousse: I can’t afford to lose any
more of my friends.]
Cologne smiled at Shampoo. [Well done, Shampoo. You
have finally managed to learn to give love even when knowing
that it can’t be reciprocated: even I couldn’t have done the
same at your age. This extended stay in Japan isn’t for
nothing after all.]
Shampoo smiled as she blushed in a slightly kittenish
sort of way. [So what do we do now?]
[Leave that up to me, Shampoo. I need to have a little
chat with Ranma here first before I can decide on anything.]
* * * * * *
In a world that was a mixture of stale green and dim
yellow . . .
Ranma was falling, falling blindly through the turgid
medium that he was trapped in, as voices echoed in his mind.
/. . . hands off my daughter . . ./
/. . . didn’t tell me . . . before we had Ranma . . ./
/. . . will not allow the bloodline of the Tendo Clan
to be tainted . . ./
/. . . I hope you will remember me . . ./
/. . . by such . . . dirt . . ./
/. . . without bitterness . . ./
With that, his surrounding shattered into pieces as he
screamed out in horror.
His horror quadrupled as he came face to face with a
withered being that was staring down at him.
“YaAAAAH!!”
“Calm down, Ranma. It’s just me.” Cologne said.
Holding a hand to his chest as he gasped for breath,
Ranma scrambled to reorganize his thoughts as he spoke up.
“What . . . how did I get here?”
“Shampoo brought you back here after you had . . .
collapsed at the Cathedral.”
Ranma looked shame-faced as he heard that. After what
he had done to her . . . and now . . .
Cologne hardened her face as she continued. “You’ve
hurt my great-granddaughter a great deal, young man, a great
deal.”
“I . . . I’m sorry.” Ranma mumbled. “I shouldn’t have
gone along with them to keep you two from coming . . . ”
“I’m not finished yet, Ranma. It isn’t easy for a
rejected lover to put aside personal bias and continued in
being a friend to his or her beloved. Even Mousse, of whom
I have such high hopes for, had turned away from Shampoo
after FINALLY admitting to himself that Shampoo doesn’t love
him the way he wants her to. In Shampoo’s case, your
rejection is even harder for her to handle, for she had
promised our village to return with you as her groom. Your
rejection of her serves to give her a failure mark in the
village’s eyes.”
Ranma’s eyes widened after hearing that.
“But for your sake, Shampoo had managed to endure her
heartache to continued in trying to be your friend. I don’t
want to sound like I’m magnifying my own great-grandchild’s
heroic dimension, but the sacrifices that she had made for
you . . . were enormous.”
“And I threw them back on her face . . . for the sake
of my own happiness.” Ranma breathed out.
“Yes you did.” Cologne said.
An uneasy silence fell over the room. Finally, Ranma
spoke up again as he turned to Cologne.
“If . . . if I am to marry Shampoo, will that make her
happy?”
Cologne simply stared at him wordlessly.
“If it can save her from dishonor, and that . . . she
would still tolerate me, I’ll do it.”
“But you didn’t love her . . . did you?” Cologne
asked.
“I can make her feel loved . . .” Ranma said, “in time,
I can grow to love her . . . like I did with Akane.”
“And if you can’t?”
Ranma looked weary. “Then I might need one of your
potions to aid me in loving her.”
“Why are you doing this, Ranma?”
“Because she is the only one left for me now. All the
others were driven away by myself . . . even Ucchan.” A
stab of pain entered Ranma’s heart at remembering that.
Only Shampoo was willing to keep on being my friend: I will
not let my only remaining friend suffer dishonor because of
my lack of consideration for her.”
“But what about Akane? Isn’t she the one that you
truly do love? Shampoo had told me that she would have
continued in loving you had her family allowed her so.”
“Now that my family secret had been known, she would be
better off without me.” Ranma said as he stared into space.
“She’s strong . . . she’ll get over it.”
“So, you do care about Shampoo more than your own
happiness then . . . if not more than Akane’s.”
“I care for her as much as I can for a friend.”
A smile formed on Cologne’s face. “Good, I’m glad that
Shampoo’s willingness to sacrifice isn’t entirely one-sided.
>From this day on, you, Saotome Ranma, will be an official
member of Joketsuzoku.”
“Thank you, Cologne.” Ranma said with a sad smile.
Cologne looked slightly indignant. “I was hoping that
you’d call me Honored-Elder or something along the line . .
. oh well. Go look for a change of clothes in the drawer
over there: Mousse had left them here and I have modified
them to fit Shampoo’s height. You’ll probably look bad in
them but they are the only men’s clothes that we have till
we can get you new ones in China. After you have changed,
go down to the restaurant area: Shampoo was cooking for
you. Afterwards, you two will pack up for our trip back to
China.”
Ranma nodded. Cologne turned and head out of the room.
She stopped at the bedroom door, startling Ranma somewhat.
“And Ranma?”
“Yes?”
“You don’t have to marry Shampoo: her dishonor isn’t so
great that she would have to settle for a loveless marriage.
I was only testing how far you would go to make up for
hurting her.”
Ranma looked incredulous. “You mean you were just
joking about how I am now a member of the Joketsuzoku?!”
“Will I joke about such thing?” Cologne asked back
with a smile.
“But you said that I ain’t marrying Shampoo. . .”
“Many boys from our village won’t get to marry Shampoo
either. So what’s the point?”
Ranma was puzzled. “You mean . . .?”
“I’ve declared you an official member of the
Joketsuzoku: not through marriage to Shampoo, but through
the approval of the village elder herself. Tomorrow, I will
try to use my connections in obtaining Chinese citizenship
for you.”
With that, she closed the door behind her, leaving a
very astonished young man behind.
Him, Ranma SAOTOME, is turning himself into a Chinese
citizen?
He stared out the window, looking over the sea of
households around the neighborhood. The sight of kimonos
stringed up to be dried, the faint murmur of Japanese Pop
songs leaking out from distant radios, the scent of Sakura
trees . . . all that signified the typical, stable Japanese
household . . .
. . . all that he never could enjoy in the past (he had
spent most of his life wandering with his father), and not
likely to enjoy in the future.
Had he even had a chance to become a normal Japanese
teenager in the first place?
If he is to put all of this behind and start anew in
China, could it possibly be any worse than living once again
on the roads? Like it or not, Japan obviously couldn’t
tolerate him . . .
What about the people that he cared about?
His parents couldn’t cope with this situation
themselves, much less help him to cope with it. Besides, he
doubt if his ultra-conservative mother could even stand the
sight of him, now the truth has been revealed, and he knew
HE couldn’t possibly stand the sight of his father now.
Ucchan said she wasn’t ready to see him again till she
can put the past behind her, and his new status wasn’t
helping much either.
Kodachi will probably just scorn him with distaste.
Ryoga . . . would be very unlikely to be sympathetic to
his situation: he even chickened out at the wedding.
Akane . . . strong but fragile Akane, he can only wish
the best for her now.
Opening the drawer, he pulled out a set of Chinese
robes and pants. He hesitated: even though he was used to
wearing Chinese clothes, this time, it would be for real . .
.
. . . and possibly forever.
The image of Shampoo, teary eyes glistering like
diamonds on her ivory pale face, stabbed into his mind.
/ The sacrifices that she had made for you . . . were
enormous./ Cologne’s voice echoed in his mind as tears
dropped down from the image-Shampoo’s eyes.
With that image in his mind mind, Ranma shed off his
tux and slowly changed into the Chinese robes.
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
Washing off the bowls and pots, Ranma has a thoughtful
look on his face as he stared out the restaurant window.
“Shampoo . . .”
“What?”
“Cologne had told me that once you go back to the
village, you will face . . . dishonor for not marrying me.
Is that true?”
Shampoo looked embarrassed for some reason. “Lets no
talk about it . . . it not that big deal.”
“If . . . if me marrying you can help you avoid this
dishonor, I . . .” Before Ranma could have finished his
sentence, Shampoo tapped a finger on his lips, cutting him
off.
“Ranma no have to marry Shampoo: it better if we just
friends for now. But Shampoo happy that Ranma considered
doing this.” Shampoo smiled. “But Shampoo now more grown
up than before: she no trap Ranma against your will.”
Ranma smiled back at Shampoo. <And if you do trap you
now . . . maybe . . . maybe it won’t be against my will
after all.> “By the way, where is Cologne?”
“Hiba-chan didn’t say too much . . . something about
seeing old friend for last time before leaving.”
* * * * * *
Up on top of a particularly high roof, two people who
had lived too long and seen too much were now getting
together for possibly the last time.
“Ah, so you are going back to your village after all.”
Happosai said as he took a long drag from his pipe. “I
shall miss yo . . . your great-granddaughter’s beauty.”
Cologne smiled. Somehow, unlike her, Happy’s
personality didn’t seem to have been altered by the passage
of time. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that she had
chosen to live her life as the Grand Matriarch of the
Joketsuzoku, while Happy had chosen to continue living his
life as he did in his younger years.
But despite his youthfulness at heart, Happy was just
as wrinkled and shrunken as she was. Time took its toll on
everybody. While she had often told people of how ugly
Happy was in his youth just to spite him for raiding her
village for jewelry, she knew the truth. But then again,
nobody could have believed that once upon a time, this old
troll was vital, tall, and even somewhat handsome, if a
lecher even then.
“I’m sure you will, Happosai.” Cologne said.
“Shampoo is my jewel and my pride.”
A moment of silence followed.
Cologne spoke up again: “So, I understand that you are
rather . . . upset by the entire wedding disaster?”
“Upset ain’t the world, Cologne. I have known Soun
long enough to know that he had always wanted to get rid of
me for fear of me bringing shame to the dojo. I deserve
that: I love panties and bras and I won’t quit, and that
annoyed people. It’s just the way I am, old gal, and I
won’t change my ways just so that people can respect me.”
Happosai took a puff on his pipe and continued. “But Ranma
didn’t do nothing to deserve his rejection.”
“What he had or hadn’t done is of no importance to the
Tendos: they just aren’t willing to be dragged down for the
sake of his . . . status.” Cologne said as she eyed
Happosai with a raised eyebrow. “You surprised me today,
Happosai. I always thought that your students are but free
slave-labor for yourself.”
“Ah, that they are. But Ranma . . .” Happosai’s
expression suddenly turned comical as he bounced around,
“his cursed form is the best babe I’ve ever laid eyes upon!
How can they possibly do this to my little sweetheart?!”
Cologne simply stared at him with a lopsided smile on
her face.
“ . . . you ain’t buying none of this, are you?”
Happosai asked with a hint of embarrassment as he stopped
his act.
Cologne shook her head.
Happosai sighed as he composed himself again. “You . .
. woman, always shoving the ugly truth in my face . . .
alright then. I’ll be honest. After those incompetent
fools’ attempt to banish me to the end of the world had
failed (see manga 19), the boy was the one who convinced
them to let me return to the dojo. Of all the students I’ve
had so far, I’d say he is the best of the lot. Mind you,
the little brat can be arrogant, insensitive to others, and
annoying as hell . . . but still, there is enough goodness
in him to make up for it all. Your “pride and you jewel”
isn’t chasing after him for no reason other than his looks
and skills, y’know.”
A slightly amused smile formed on Cologne’s face at
hearing that. “Actually, after today’s events, the tides
had begun to turn.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Now that he is finally given the chance to appreciate
the side of Shampoo that he seldom appreciated in the past,
Ranma will very likely be the one after Shampoo from this
point on.”
Happosai laughed. “Now THAT’S something I would have
to see to believe, considering the boy’s low-hormone
levels.” His face turned slightly wistful as he continued.
“But seriously, I wish it can work out between them.”
“Oh? And why should you of all people care about their
relationship?”
Happosai took another drag from his pipe again as he
spoke up in a tired, old voice. “Because I’m getting old .
. . and I would like to see the promise fulfilled before my
days are over.”
Cologne eyes widened: she wasn’t counting on someone
like him remembering that.
Starring up into the stars as old memories flooded over
him, Happosai talked of a tale that was long forgotten .
“Once upon a time, back at Jusenkyo, a pair of foolish,
strong-headed young people had once made a promise under
these same stars: a promised that they were certain they
were going to fulfill.”
Cologne hesitantly continued the tale for him as she
looked up at the stars as well. “Youthful pride had . . .
blinded their eyes. The foolish, strong-headed children had
thought that they deserved better than each other, thus
refused to gave in to their true feelings and be the couple
that they should have been.”
“Together, under the stars, in the land of a thousand
springs . . .” Happosai said.
“. . . they made a promise . . .” Cologne continued.
“. . .that once they had each spent their youths in
enjoying all the lovers that they could have had . . .”
Happosai’s voice was beginning to show signs of emotions.
“ . . .they would come back to Jusenkyo, and drenched
themselves with the cursed spring of youth . . .”
Cologne’s eyes were actually shimmering with tears.
“ . . . and spent their remaining existence together
till eternity.” They said in union.
Happosai turned to stare at the woman who was once the
only true love of his life. “Fools, both of them.”
Cologne stared back at him. “Yes, they were fools to
think that the passing years wouldn’t have turned them into
complete strangers worlds apart.”
Happosai smiled sadly. “We’ve changed so much, and are
now both old and broken. But . . . my Ranma and your
Shampoo are both still young . . .”
Cologne sighed as she turned away and began walking off
the roof. “They’re not us, Happosai: they will do whatever
they want with their relationship.”
“Wait.”
Cologne stopped.
“I ask of you as an old . . . friend: take good care of
Ranma, and help him to be the man that he could never get to
be back here in Japan.” Happosai laughed humorlessly. “It
is funny, isn’t it? In my youth I had studied the art in
hopes of changing the world the way I see fit. More than a
century of training later, with my years numbered, and STILL
I can’t do a simple thing like getting my favorite student
accepted by his own country.”
“People can hardly change the world, while the world
has no trouble in changing people.” Cologne said with a
heavy voice as she continued to walk away.
“Wait.”
Before Cologne could have turned around in annoyance,
Happosai had darted forward . . .
. . . and hugged her tightly from behind.
“Col-chan . . .” Happosai buried his face in her white
hair as he breathed out in a voice crackling with age.
Tears steamed down Cologne’s wrinkled face. At that very
moment, she genuinely despised the knowledge that her 118
years have given for: the knowledge that this moment was
purely impulsive, a product of the mere ghost of what they
once had.
“Your Col-chan was long since gone,” Cologne said in a
soothing voice as she tried to hold back her emotions, “and
so was my Happy. They are now up on the stars, enjoying
their remaining days together . . . within our fondest
dreams.”
Suddenly, she felt something cool sprinkling over her,
soon followed by a strange sensation. She looked behind .
. .
. . . and saw a wavy-haired young man flamed by the
stars, just as he was in that night a century ago.
“Instant spring of youth . . .” The young man, who
seemed to be stretching his ninja robes to a limit, said as
he stared into Cologne’s once again beautiful and heavily
lashed eyes. “Something that can give us . . . a temporary
dream.” He traced his hand across her now ivory smooth
cheek as he brushed off the pearly tears off her now
strikingly beautiful face.
“Happosai, you hopeless old dreamer . . .” Cologne
wanted to tell him that what was gone was gone, and that
they shouldn’t dwell on faded dreams. But the sight of
Happi, looking exactly like the night he was at Jusenkyo,
had robbed her of the strength to voice out the truth.
“I live on dreams: panties, bras, a feel of beautiful
women . . . but Col-chan remains to be my ultimate dream.”
Happi said with a light tremor to his voice. “I don’t have
much time left, Col-chan: don’t let this broken old man left
this world without even a night of living out this dream.”
Those same kind of words again . . . those beautiful,
flattering words that had given her such short-lived
illusions from so long ago, is now coming back to offer the
same thing a second time.
One night of illusions . . . just one night . . .
Surrendering to her now unleashed emotions, Col-chan
turned around and rested her face on Happi’s shoulder. A
particularly strong breeze blew over, tossing her mile-long
dark tresses all over the two of them, encasing them in a
web of shared fantasy.
Framed by the illusory silver of the star-dotted sky,
Col-chan and Happi savored their fondest dream for the first
and most likely the last time. The morning will come, and
the dream will fade. But for now, their bodies were young
and the night was deep.
And dreams are irresistible at night.
* * * * * *
Inside her bedroom, Shampoo stared out her window at
the stars outside. Soon, very soon she would be back at her
village, reuniting with friends and relatives that she
hadn’t see in over a year.
. . . just as Ranma would be leaving all of his friends
and relatives behind.
Shampoo reflected upon the events of the day and
sighed: it felt like ten years had past by in between the 24
hours. Ranma had just been struck down mercilessly, and she
had to force herself to grow up if she was to be there for
him.
And the effort of glowing up has been worth it: Ranma
was now put in awe of her concern for him, and is beginning
to look at her with genuine emotions in his eyes.
She could almost hear him asking himself: how can that
childlike girl have the strength to stay as my friend while
even my best buddy Ucchan had ran off from me?
The answer was quite simply actually, but it was one
that she didn’t think Ranma could have handled at the moment
of his ego collapse.
Ukyou had run off because she was hurt: hurt by the
fact that she was still in love with Ranma despite his
confession.
Shampoo didn’t run off despite the fact that she was
hurt: for her love had already been successfully shattered
by Ranma’s confession. All that was left was the heartache
of a friend turning away, something that she had already
been prepared for.
Shampoo still admired his good nature, and was still
attracted to his looks. But Shampoo was no longer in love
with Ranma Saotome anymore. Right now, she just wanted to
be his friend. For the first time since they had known each
other, Shampoo wished that Ranma would continue to see her
only as a friend as well.
Somehow, the look in his eyes had told her that might
not be the case anymore.
Closing her eyes and turning away form the stars, the
emotionally exhausted girl fell into a deep, dreamless
sleep.
END PRELUDE
Nov 2, 1997.
Special thanks to Susan Doenime for her work Poison, without
which I won’t even be writing this fanfic in the first
place. Also, she had given me some valuable info on the
burakumin situation for the story, for which I am eternally
grateful.
Also, thanks to the people on the FFML who had C&C on this
fic’s original version: they have all helped me in making
this version a little bit better than the original one.
Till next time.
Adrian Wong