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Chapter Nineteen: Happy Birthday to Me....
The morning finally came, and with it, the rapturous feeling of joy that was always difficult to describe. Shampoo, rising from her bed, could scarcely believe it. Today was the day of days. Shampoo got up and stretched, scarcely noticing that she was so tired that she'd gone to bed wearing her clothing from last night. It mattered little, anyway. Yesterday mattered as of nothing, today; it paled against today's glee.
Today was her eighteenth birthday.
Today, she'd get the chance to have that party of hers, and to wear that dress, and to have her friends come over: Ranma, Ukyo, Akane and Mou--
She paused.
Mousse wasn't coming. Mousse was still in a coma, lying in a bed at the hospital in Tomobiki. Likewise, Ukyo, still in a catatonic mourning state of Konatsu, would also miss the party. She knew it was set for the afternoon, so she at least had time to go see him--
*SLAM!!!!* The door to Shampoo's room was thrust open and in strode a very disappointed, very angry Cologne. "You'll want to know that I cancelled your party, Shampoo," the elderly woman said, staring at her great-grandchild with a look that was part disappointment, part shame. Cologne began in Chinese, her voice easily displaying the conflicting emotions she was trying to convey to her descendant. "I had set it up as a wedding...and you failed me. This was the easiest, surest plan, and you let it slide from your grasp! I did not raise you to be a fool, Shan Fu!"
"But Grandmother," Shampoo pleaded, unsure of what was going on, "You didn't see what happened! Please, let me--"
*"THERE IS NOTHING TO EXPLAIN!!!!!!"* Cologne roared, uncharacteristic for the woman. "Shan Fu, not only did you fail to gain your husband, but you nearly caused the destruction of the world and, worst of all, you gave your heirloom to Saotome Ranko as though it were some simple bauble! What were you thinking?!?! For the last two weeks I have been thinking about how much you've dishonored myself, the clan, your ancestors--"
"But Grandmother, please, let me explain!"
"Explain what? How you've dishonored the clan? How you've failed the Amazons? How your incompetence nearly killed Mousse? How you've disgraced yourself and me and everything that Joketsuzoku stands for? How can you--"
*"BECAUSE I'M NOT AN AMAZON ANYMORE."* Shampoo simply blurted out the words that were coming to mind, without the fact that she wasn't really thinking about things--such as, how did Cologne know about Mousse's condition? "In order to save Muu Tsu's life, I cast away my alliegance to fight Sung Pai Chan--the Outcast. Now I am outcast as well. How does that feel?" The words rolled easily from her mouth, as though she'd bottled it up inside, as though this was something that needed to be said. Her stance took on a wildly defiant posture as she spoke clearer and more firmly. "How do you think I feel? The Amazon Princess, the scion of the elder of the Amazon tribe--as much a pariah as the woman who tried to kill me five years ago! And why am I outcast? Because I had to join her status to save Muu Tsu's life. I beat her, and I saved Mousse, but in the end, she won. I am nothing to anyone. I have no legal fianc�, only the hope that Ranma will accept me for who I am. My closest friend is slowly dying in a hospital, because I didn't move sooner to counter Sung's tricks--attacks *YOU* taught her. That is why I willingly quit the Amazons! And if all that there is to your anger is the fact that I've disgraced the tribe, then maybe you don't want me around anymore!" Shampoo was clearly reaching the point that she was not thinking about what she was saying. "If you think that the fact that I've betrayed the tribe is more important that the fact that I've disappointed the person who raised me, well, then think again! You just don't need me here! *And if you don't need me here, THEN I GUESS I SHOULDN'T BE HERE!!!!"* Shampoo dived out the open window, ignoring Cologne's calls to come back into the house this minute, young lady!
Shampoo raced on with no particular method to her maddness; not caring what she looked like, or the fact that her hair was a mess or her clothing was rumpled and reeked. Today was her birthday--and apparently the first day of the rest of her life. It was out in the open, now--she was no longer an Amazon. She no longer had a claim on Ranma, hoping against hope that she could win his heart today, that maybe somewhere above, her ancestors
({{who you've betrayed and turned your back on, Shan Fu}})
would give her the strength and courage to win the heart of the man she loved. She was doing this for herself. She was doing this for Miss Kitty. She was doing it for Ranma.
She was doing it because there was nothing left. And in that moment, a part of her mind realized that Ukyo was a closer friend than she'd thought, because all they had left in their lives was a male Japanese martial artist with a penchant for wearing Chinese clothing.
* * *
The crowd gathered on the engawa: Soun, Kasumi, Tofu, Nabiki, Kurumi, Mai, Natsumi, Genma, Ranko, Shiva, Ryoga, Akari, and of course, Akane. All were waiting for the word that had been mentioned this morning at breakfast, as Shiva and Genma were sparring; Ranma had an announcement to make to them all, and that it was very important. It was a shame that some of the most important members of the family couldn't be there. Nodoka insisted on taking Ukyo for a walk, tending to the girl's trauma with the good grace that only a mother could show. Hinako was at Furinkan High, assisting in the relief efforts there. Kasumi was taking a day off from her assistance in the relief efforts; Natsumi would only be present for the morning, as she would then join the remaining Ghost Wolves--pretty much just her and Mist and a handful of others, now--in assisting in corralling the looters and criminals that had surfaced with a vengeance in the last week or so.
Helping both Shiva and their father out of the koi pond, Ranko commented cheerfully, "Shiva, the objective is to punt Pop in the pond without getting drenched yourself!" She gleefully hugged her sister, never mind that she was getting wet as well. The redhead smiled inwardly; only she and Ranma having any clue of what was about to transpire here in a few minutes.
"Sorry, onnesama," Shiva replied, "but I'm still just beginning to learn our family school. Kenpo is a lot different from what I was taught." She glanced down at your clothing. "I'm also sorry that I ruined your shirt." For emphasis, Shiva peeled the wet purple tang off her skin, as it showed the budding curves of a girl in the beginning stages of puberty.
"Naah, don't worry about it, Shi-chan," Ranko proffessed. "At least you dunked the old man. If you hadn't, I would've thought something was wrong."
The Panda barked indignant tones, holding up a sign that said it all. [[AAH, MY CHILDREN. THOSE LOVING, UNGRATEFUL WRETCHES.]] He shook his dense body for a second, then continued, bringing a new sign that said, [[NOW MY FUR'S GONNA TAKE FOREVER TO DRY.]] He gave Akane his darkest look as she began to giggle.
Ranko momentarily saw the signs, then executed a lightning-quick snap kick that knocked the Panda back into the water. "Stupid old man," she snorted. Turning back to Shiva, she said, "Look, I'm half-soaked, too. Tell ya what. After oniichan makes his speech, we'll go in and change, 'kay?" As the girl nodded eager approval, Ranko turned to Kurumi. "Akane-chan, can you get us some towels, please?"
"Sure, Ran-chan. I'll be right back." Akane giggled again as she saw the all-too-familiar sight of a soggy Panda rising from the water with the grace of a sluggish dolphin.
"That's not going to be necessary, Akane," a voice said as it stepped out of the house, carrying two towels. "I had a feeling that these would come in handy."
Akane looked at Ranma, not knowing what to say. This was the first time in nearly a week that they'd said anything to one another. She wondered what was going through his mind--since the split between Ranma and Ranko, Ranma seemed so much more confident--not vain, but confident--of who he was and where he was going. During that week, he spent enough time with Ukyo that a year or two ago would have driven Akane to insane levels of jealousy.
But there was something a little different about her Ran-chan that she couldn't read, as though he'd cordoned a part off from her forever. She'd heard something vague about Ranma confessing his love for Ukyo, but that couldn't be right--he'd always said Ukyo was his best friend, like nothing more than a sister. She must've misheard, misunderstood those rumors. There's no way that this could be his announcement, could it?
Nervously, she looked at Ranko as Ranma passed the towels to his sisters. Ranko's face was something that she'd learned to read, knowing it as well as Ranma's own. There was something amiss here, something that somebody wasn't telling her, and from the looks of things, they weren't telling the rest of the family, either. It was something that only Ranma and Ranko knew, and weren't planning to tell anyone until Ranma was ready.
Akane was still spinning from the events of last night. Everybody was acting as though they knew the redhead, as though she'd come with Ranma and Genma that first day, so long ago--in fact, even Akane, if she thought about it, could see in her mind the day that twin redheads and a panda showed up on their doorstep...in addition to the original day. Ranko told her that some kind of magic was involved, but didn't say exactly what, instead asking not to be asked on that issue. She idly wondered for a second if others felt the same way that she did--Nodoka knowing Ukyo and Ryoga since they were children? Natsumi and Kurumi lived their whole lives here at the dojo? Worse, it seemed that she had dual sets of memories--like she'd lived in two different timelines simultaneously--and she wasn't sure which ones were real anymore.
"Um, Akane...are you okay?" He came back to her side, his attitude something she'd never seen before. "I need you to stay here with me because what I have to say involves you directly." Ranma's eyes were neutral, even as his voice was. It was though he was asking about the weather, or some other relatively useless topic. He'd never done anything even remotely like that since their early days together. What was he trying to tell her, trying to say? What was the meaning behind it all? Did he still love her? Did his separation from his sister cause his feelings for her to slide away into nothingness? He looked at her again. "You absolutely sure you're okay?"
She found she could say nothing, so she nodded her head, slowly and nervously. Something in her told her to flee like a rabbit, to run and hide from what was to come next, but she was effectively trapped by the fact that everyone was here. There was nothing she could do except hold on and brace for impact. She would be brave and face whatever it was that her Ran-chan had to say.
Assuming he was still her Ran-chan.
It was time. Ranma called out, "Everyone gather around, please. I have something that I have to say. Something that needs to be said. I also need you to promise that you won't speak until I've said my piece, ne?" As everyone nodded their agreement--some very reluctantly--he started. "As many of you may have heard, I confessed my love for Ukyo. Well," he replied as he brushed some strands of his hair away from his face, "that is true. I do love her. I love her, and I'm tired of denying it. So I won't. Not anymore."
Everyone's gasped in breath. Soun's eyes glinted with a dark light. Ryoga began to form fists, feeling betrayal from their conversation from last night.
A bit on the concerned side, Ranma continued. "I do love Ukyo. I love her in the same manner I do either of my sisters, or the other Tendo sisters. In short, she's one of my two best friends--she's very much family to me. I have no romantic feelings for her whatsoever, so you can calm down, all of you. I said I love yer--I never said I was in love with her." Seeing their faces, and the fact that they still had not calmed down, he looked to Ranko for advice.
From where she was, she said nothing, but there was nothing needed to be said, verbal or mental. Her look said it all--that she was behind him entirely on this issue, since she had suggested it in the first place. Although he wouldn't get the same precise response from Shiva, he looked into her eyes nonetheless. The girl's emerald eyes registered a bit of confusion, but more so the fact that she would be by his side no matter what occurred.
Ranma took this as the sign of what he must do, and what, in all honesty, needed to be done, so long ago. He looked at Akane and said, "I have to do this, Akane. I'm sorry. I'm breaking the engagement that our parents made for us."
There were no words to describe the looks on the faces of the crowd. There was nothing but silence, as the group was far too stunned to even think of a word, much less utter it. This was Ranma and Akane--a couple who truly loved each other, though it had taken them forever to realize it. Now, they were no longer together. Why?
Akane's heart dropped. She couldn't believe what he had just said. She loved him, and she was sure he loved her, and yet he had just severed his relationship with her. Why? Would this be where they would end up? Was this how it would be after all her struggling to gain back the one person she loved most in life? Was this how it was destined to end? Where was the fairness in it? Where was the happily ever after? Where was the love that he was supposed to have for her? What had happened to him? Was this really even him?
She found that she couldn't get angry with him, as she had done so many times throughout her life. Instead, she felt as though her life was slipping away. He was an integral part of her, and in severing their bond, he may have as well cut out her heart, because she felt that was what it amounted to.
Love, after having fought so long to find it, was now killing her.
Ranma looked at the crowd. They were still very stunned by his announcement. Akane's visage was a mask of pain that cut him to the bone--he never wanted to see that look on her face, and yet there it was. Everyone would hold this stunned static display for a few minutes more before his words truly sunk in and all hell broke loose. The look on Ranko's face, once again, spoke volumes without one single word of communication: {{tell them now before the shock value goes away, Ranma. Tell them before it's too late.}}
Ranma faced Akane, looking straight into her eyes. "Akane, I had to do this. It was unfair of our parents to decide our fate. It was wrong of them to push both of us into a situation that we were never prepared for. To leave the situation as it stands is wrong, unmanly and dishonorable. Please don't be angry when I say this, Akane, because this has been something that I've been thinking about for the longest time--I've just never worked up the courage to tell you the whole truth about it.
"I had to break up our parents' engagement between us...because I wanted us to have our own, one that we decided upon." He took her hands into his left one, his blue eyes calmly staring into her confused brown orbs. His right hand descended into a pocket in search of something. "Akane, you have no idea how long I've wanted to do this...on my own." He looked at her, his eyes now growing warmer with a feeling of something akin to absolute courage. From the pocket emerged his hand--holding an unnaturally expensive-looking ring. Ranma took a second to glance at his sister in gratitude for the ring. When she recovered it from the Temple's treasury--the only thing they managed to salvage--she passed the item to Ranma during their stay in Nekonron, and last night had finalized the details.
This was it.
This was now.
Ranma took Akane's hand, and slipped the ring on, saying the words that Akane, for so long, ached to hear with every cell of her being. "Akane, I...I love you. I want to marry you, to be with you forever as your husband, and to be the father of your children. I want us to grow old together, in each other's arms. Say you will." Not waiting for her answer, he leaned forward and kissed her.
This kiss was a rushed, wet, and sloppy attempt at a first kiss, but never before had there been so much love placed into that one first passing of the lips. Romeo and Juliet, Tristam and Isolde--the finest couples in the world, in their minds, couldn't pass the touch of two souls that finally connected upon that moment.
Once the kiss was over, Ranma backed off and awaited the response of his one and only love.
Akane stared, in stunned silence, as did the rest of the crowd. She'd just been dropped into the very bowels of hell, and now--now this? This was too good to be true, the proverbial dawn that followed the darkness. No, this was better, far better--this was Ranma, her truest and only love, telling her the words that she'd so longed to hear.
She snapped to immediately, crying out, "Yes! Yes! Oh yes, Ranma, my love!" and pulled him into a heady, desire-filled kiss. She wasn't his fianc�e now because of their parents, but because *he* wanted it. *He* did, because *he loved her.* She broke the kiss just long enough to lean her forehead against his, looking at him with all the love she could ever give him--and it would never be enough. Still, as she pulled him into another kiss, she swore that she would forever devote her life to ensuring his happiness.
As for the kiss, the minute Akane broke hers, the spell of bedazzlement amongst the others was broken as they erupted into a cacophony of cheers and shouts of joy. The two fathers jumped and down with the absolute thrill of their schools on the track to final union, though it would never be mentioned that their own efforts were not the cause of this. Akari took Ryoga's hand in hers as she leaned on his shoulder and sighed in contentment as Ryoga caressed her face; Mai followed suit, although Natsumi's response was to roll her eyes and sigh in exasperation. Tofu looked at Kasumi with a glance that was inquisitive, while Kasumi's response was the slightest shake of the head that indicated she had no idea this was coming. Shiva smiled and hugged Ranko in joy. Kurumi and Nabiki immediately pounced upon Akane to see the ring and wonder where Ranma got this from, since he couldn't obviously afford it--nor could Nabiki, for that matter.
Ranma pointed at Ranko, explaining how she'd come upon the ring and she wanted them to have it for their engagement. Nabiki stared at Ranko in surprise, absolutely stunned that the bitch would even consider giving up Ranma to her mortal enemy, unless she had a plan...or all the others were right about the redhead. As for Kurumi, she smiled at Ranko, telling her that it was quite a find. She then stared at the happy couple, sighing and wishing that one of her many dates would work up the nerve to be her steady boyfriend. She finally snuck a glance at Ryoga and Akari, then turned away, as the scene was too much for her.
The crowd began to filter away as Kasumi flittered off to the kitchen to make snacks appropriate for the celebration, though she didn't have much time, since she had her paramedics course at the hospital in an hour. Soun took the time to momentarily congratulate Ranma and Akane on their greatest achievement, while the others looked on, smiling that the pair finally got what they truly deserved. Kurumi went off to find Nodoka and tell her of the news, and was also trying to think of the best way to break it around Ukyo. Mai stared longingly at Natsumi and asked when they were going to get formally engaged. Ryoga and Akari decided to take a romantic stroll around to the nearby park--but only if Akari would navigate. Within minutes, save for Nabiki sitting down to her daily routine of reading the business pages on the engawa, the couple were entirely alone, left to their own devices.
Ranma broke off from another strong kiss, gasping for air. "Akane, I...." Her kisses were getting far more passionate than he'd expected. He knew that her desire for him had been lit long before his (which wasn't), but how to explain his feelings on sex? "Um, Akane, I-"
She wasn't about to let him get away this time. He'd finally taken their relationship to the level that it should have been so long ago, and now was her opportunity to engage in a little wish fulfillment. She took his hand and began to haul him up the stairs, kissing him hurriedly, unbuttoning his shirt, and not giving a damn about who saw or what was thought. "C'mon, dummy, we're gonna do something that I've wanted to do for the longest time!"
"But Akane!"
"No 'buts,' Ranma! I love you, and I want you *right now!"* She kissed him once more, the voracious desire blooming in her as calmly as an inferno. She tossed him into her room, strode in like a mighty lioness, ready for her prey. She turned back once more to the door, giving a scowl that made everything clear: anyone who disturbed them would be met with her absolute, sexually frustrated fury. She then closed the door and locked it. No one stepped near the door--in fact, not a soul even bothered to go upstairs.
From her view of the scene at the foot of the stairs, Kasumi let out one of her trademark "Oh my!" commentaries, adding, "But they're both so young! And that's something that one should save for marriage!" Secretly, though, she looked at Ranko with the slightest glance that signaled her approval. Ranko returned that split-second gaze before wryly saying, "Ah, my brother. Ladies man, he's not. Didja'll see the way he fought her tooth and nail on the way up there? Methinks his Romeo reputation's quite a bit overrated."
"Feeling a bit left out, 'Ranko'?" Nabiki said, cattily, unable to resist a jibe at the bitch.
To Nabiki's surprise, Ranko replied, "No. As long as he's happy, then that's all I want for him. My joy will come eventually." She would've clarified further, but she heard the rapid patter of light footfalls against the roof. With lightning speed, she bolted off the engawa and onto the roof, just in time to see a lone figure tearing off into the distance, purple hair trailing behind her like a comet scorned of its rightful orbit, her movements that of a person with nothing more to lose in life.
"Shampoo," Ranko said dully, staring at the disappearing figure.
* * *
{{*He chose her! HE CHOSE HER!*}} Shampoo's mind was running a full dirge of pain and sorrow, her grief becoming the core of her world. She had no idea what to do now. Everything that was the center of her world was now gone: her great-grandmother hated her, Ranma completely chose Akane, and Mousse was probably dying in the hospital, despite what Tofu said. Her world was not meant for greatness, or even for mediocrity.
Her ballcap (which she'd just bought in order to hide her hair) came off, and her hair sprayed to the four winds, purple streamers of human follicle flying in every tangent imaginable. She didn't care. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing at all. Nothing would stop her tears, nothing would stop her sorrow, nothing would remove the aching emptiness that now lodged in her heart. All that was left was a dull, sorrowful void that meant nothing to no one and no way to stop it.
Shampoo raced off in a random, senseless, abstract direction, not knowing where she was heading or where she would end up. To her sides, the ever-present animals were moving in an absolute frenzy in an attempt to keep up with her. Her world had just collapsed, and someone--even if not entirely human--needed to see that she would survive a day that should have been the happiest day of her life...
...that had now become a senseless, hellish nightmare.
* * *
Nabiki watched the look on Ranko's face, a sad look that drove a sliver into the heart of the Ice Princess. {{Why would she give a damn about Shampoo? I mean, wasn't Shampoo partially the one that put her away the last time she walked the earth? Furthermore, Shampoo always swore that she would kill "girl-type Ranma", and now that there is one....}}
Nabiki's shoulders suddenly sagged with the tome of truth. {{Unless she's not the one, unless she's entirely different. But she just has to be the one! She has to be! She's gotten so close to Ranma, so damn close!
{{She's close to him because she loves him like the younger sister he claims her to be,}} a voice of reason sparked within Nabiki's mind. {{If she was the one who was here last time, why be concerned for Shampoo's welfare? Why happily give Akane to Ranma? Why didn't she just say, "Come to me, my love," and blast everyone else to smithereens? Why?
{{You know why, Nabiki. You know why. She's Ranko, not the vampire that was here last time. She's Ranma's clone, just as she said, but this one wants something different from him. This one's concerned with living her own life, and as for Ranma, he's involved in her life at the level that she should be at.}}
Nabiki's inner voice faded away just in time to hear the voice of the redhead herself speaking to her. "Nabiki, hey, you 'kay? Look, I know ya don't like me an' all, but I've gotta follow Shampoo. But 'fore I do, I wanna make sure you're okay. Family comes first." The voice of the redhead was a bit slurred, as though she was distracted by something...something physiological.
Nabiki pictured the Ranma-chan of old in her mind, then the person that stood before her. She began to realize that every minute that the former spent on the earth, it was an existence that consisted of nothing but pure love and unbridled passion, of incestuous longing and unholy desire. The latter, however, showed herself to be her own person, courtesy of her brother and someday-to-be sister-in-law--but more important, because she was no slave to dark magic.
"Look, if you need someone to talk to, you know where I am." Nabiki watched the other girl walk away, around the corner of the dojo.
A minute or two later, Ranko sat down on the engawa, unsure if she should try to force the onslaught of emotions from her mind, or go to her room and surrender herself to that feeling of absolute lovemaking. She obviously had no one to do it with, but.... She put the thoughts out of her head. This was a tender and touching moment that her brother was having, and not only did she not want to cheapen it with her own base desires, she also didn't want him to know that he was sending it.
Of course, that meant that she would have to continue in this way until Akane tired him out, or them out, as the case was. She only hoped that no one would look at her too directly, lest they get the wrong impression.
In the interim, the redhead raced for the nearest shower. Cold, preferably--if she was going to do what she had planned in mind, then she would need to have a little clearer head than she had at the moment. Once that was done, then she could sit down and work out in her head just what the hell was going on.
* * *
Hours later:
Shampoo watched the steady beat of the machine that Mousse was connected to. The monitor kept in synchronicity with his pulse, matching the variation of the blue trace of light to his heartbeat. To the girl as she watched, she thought it was a small sign that showed that Mousse wasn't completely finished yet, that he might still come out of his coma and be by her side in a moment.
The tears that rolled down her face told her a different story. {{Dream on,}} she imagined they would say, {{keep trying to fool yourself, Shan Fu. Go ahead and lie to yourself. Keep telling yourself that Ranma will be yours. Keep telling yourself that Mousse will be at your side again. Keep telling yourself a million things, none of which are true.}} Her tears taunted her still as they ran down her face, betraying her to the world that she was in her own personal hell, one she deserved.
Watching her from their seats on the bed were Miss Kitty and Muu-muu-chan. The duck and the cat looked at her, then at Mousse, then at her again, then finally to each other. The duck stared at the cat for the longest time. The cat then did a feline sigh that Shampoo missed, nodding a confirmation to the duck's unspoken question. Miss Kitty then went over to Muu-muu-chan, briefly rubbed against the duck in a loving manner, then lay down and continued to watch her other self go through hell. As for Muu-muu-chan, his glasses fogged up with both rapturous joy that his greatest wish had been answered, and yet it would never be complete, since the chasm between him and his love had changed into something worse--that of species.
Muu-muu-chan waddled over to the still form of who he had once been, and stared at him with a glance that was part pity, part envy, part fear, and part hope. Pity, that he would find himself in this manner; envy, that it would be Muu Tsu--the one that was still human--that would finally have Shan Fu; fear, that Mousse would never wake up; and a hope that the two would end up together someday.
The three visitors were so lost in their own somber thoughts and dark moods that they never heard the door open, nor did they hear the sound of someone pull up a chair next to them and embrace the young girl.
Shampoo snapped out of her sorrowful reverie just to see Kasumi release her and smile. "Hello, Shampoo," the older girl said. "It looks as though you needed a hug, and a friend."
The Chinese girl glanced at the oldest Tendo daughter, noting that she was not dressed in her normal "happy homemaker" outfit. Kasumi's hair was currently done up in a practical pigtail ala the Saotome style, and she was wearing a somewhat loose-fitting pair of coveralls. Over that, she was wearing a weather-jacket made of the same fabric as the coveralls, embroidered with her surname, ONO, in English and kanji.
Seeing Shampoo's reaction, Kasumi smiled. "Oh, I guess you didn't know. Before Mother died, I wanted to be a doctor. Since I married Tofu, he needs help at the clinic, so I've begun to work on a certificate as a paramedic. I can work on my full medical degree later, and still help him around the clinic. It was my turn to work my volunteer shift here at the hospital; I'm on my break." Kasumi smiled sunnily, then added, "You looked like you could need a hand yourself. Tofu-chan told me all about his conversation with you yesterday. Are you alright, Shampoo?"
Shampoo, to her credit, waited a half-second before responding. "Shampoo fine, Kasumi. Shampoo...bit tired from problems. Still, thank you."
Kasumi grinned a genuinely cheerful smile that was very out of place for the prim-and-proper woman. "You're quite welcome, Shampoo. You are a friend of Akane, Ranma, and Ranko, after all." Moving from her location, Kasumi then went over to the head of the hospital bed, checking up on Mousse. "Poor dear," she responded in a somber breath that seemed to speak volumes. She caught herself before the tears would come; she instead looked at Shampoo, eyes glistening with sorrowful moisture, speaking in soothing tones. "I'm sorry that this had to happen to such a nice person, Shampoo. He was always quite the gentleman. Perhaps my husband will be able to save him." She nodded her head to one side, then added with another sweet smile, "Yes, I'm sure of it."
Shampoo looked at Kasumi, for what seemed like a sliver of eternity. Here was the embodiment of hope, the woman that no matter what the odds, looked at the world through the legendary rose-tinted glasses, because that's all she would ever see. There was no concept of despair in Kasumi's heart, there would never be. It was as if when she willed something good to happen, it would. It might not come immediately, but there it would be. Shampoo began to believe, if for no other reason than the fact that it was Kasumi who said so.
Someone else agreed with the Chinese girl as well. Miss Kitty leapt towards Kasumi, eagerly into the arms of the woman. She sat there, feline eyes looking into human ones, and saw something more tangible than a housewife who also doubled as a paramedic. She saw a woman who also doubled as a living Sword of Damocles, a person who strode the fence between darkness and light, between life and death, and many other things.
Something in Miss Kitty saw something in Kasumi, and a bond of sorts was reached between the two. The cat was somehow mature than the human, and so could see beyond what was veiled. There was an understanding reached in those few seconds, and though neither being did anything to signal the other, it was clear that there was unity between the two.
Kasumi broke the contact between the pair and looked at the human Shampoo, saying, "This is a very nice cat, Shampoo. She looks just like your other form, too. Did you get in China?"
Shampoo looked at Kasumi with partial skepticism. Surely, Tofu failed to mention her change, else Kasumi would not have said that! Shampoo looked at the girl calmly and said, "Is Shampoo. Cat is Shampoo. Two halves now, cured by magic."
"Oh my! Really? How good for you!" Kasumi held the cat closer to her, and the feline responded with a contented purr. "I wasn't aware that had happened to you. Does that mean that the duck over there is Mousse's duck form, brought to life?" Shampoo didn't answer; instead, Muu-muu-chan nodded his head and quacked a verbose yes. "How delightful! Now there's more of you two to enrich people's lives with."
Shampoo had to grin at that comment; despite her sorrow, Kasumi gave her a new level of insight that she'd never thought of previously. "Arigato, Kasumi. Shampoo appreciate. Shampoo appreciate very much."
Miss Kitty then decided it was time to make her own fate. There was something about Kasumi that intrigued her, something that in some small way called for the cat to decide her life should be spent with the happy homemaker-and-paramedic. Jumping from Kasumi's arms, she landed over to Shampoo, mrowing in the manner that told Shampoo that she wanted to be picked up. Shampoo did so willingly.
Miss Kitty nodded her head in the direction of Kasumi, and mewed a simple statement that Shampoo easily understood: <I've made my choice, Shan Fu. I want to be with Kasumi.>
Shampoo held the cat close to her face as she whispered in Chinese in the cat's furry ear, "I thought you would always live with me and Muu-muu-chan!"
<Sometimes, things don't work out as well as we hope,> Miss Kitty replied in a purr. <Sometimes, it's better to move on to the next stage and expand upon that. You've lost Ranma to Akane. But that doesn't mean that you can't gain him back. As for the reasons why I wish to remain with Kasumi, well, she's one human that can understand me, she and her husband.>
Shampoo nodded her head sorrowfully. Even her other self was abandoning her in her time of need! "I just don't understand," she sobbed. "Why must you leave me, when I need you, now?"
<Look at it this way, Shan Fu. If you gain Ranma back, I will always be an impediment. If you do not, there may come a time when you will not need me to stand by you. Great-grandmother will not live forever. If Muu Tsu were to come out of his coma, initially, he'd be overjoyed to have me, but then his love would eventually turn to hate since he could never have me. Kasumi took care of us when our secret was still hidden.>
"Are you sure about this, Shan Fu?" Shampoo asked Miss Kitty. "If you believe that this is for the best...."
<I do. Trust me.> The cat then looked briefly at Kasumi, then back at Shampoo, then back towards Muu-muu-chan. The duck nodded solemnly, understanding what course she must take in life. The duck knew that the cat must go the way that she must go. As for his life, his would remain with Mousse or Shampoo, no matter what. If Miss Kitty's led elsewhere, so be it.
In any event, it was not his life that was being decided in the current situation. Shampoo held the cat once more, then looked at Kasumi with a mixture of both sorrow and envy. She held the cat to Kasumi, saying, "Here. Miss Kitty should be with Kasumi. Miss Kitty want be with Kasumi."
"Oh, Shampoo--you don't have to!" Kasumi said, waving off the young woman. "I mean, she should stay with you! You two are the same, and it would be wrong of me to break up a matched set."
"Kasumi, it's the only way," Shampoo said in her native tongue, then continued in Japanese. "Miss Kitty want live with Kasumi and Tofu." To punctuate the point, the cat leapt from Shampoo's grasp, and easily onto Kasumi's shoulder, where she sat as though she were impersonating a parrot.
"If you're sure about this, Shampoo," Kasumi said as she reached up gently and rubbed underneath the chin of the cat. The cat purred contentedly and nipped the earlobe of the woman.
"Shampoo sure," she said in a tone that told the world that she obviously wasn't. "Only promise Shampoo that Shan Fu will not become pet. She may be cat, but she truly human. No pet."
"Okay then. I give you my word, Shampoo. I won't treat Miss Kitty as a simple pet. You have my word." Kasumi smiled gently. "I'll promise to take care of her always." Kasumi then looked at her watch. "Hmmm. Break time's over. I have to be getting back to my shift, Shampoo. I will talk to you later. In fact, please come by my home sometime for lunch, okay?"
Shampoo nodded solemnly as Kasumi and Miss Kitty wandered out to do their own thing. Shampoo was left alone with Muu-muu-chan and Mousse. The duck watched Shampoo as the sadness and malaise of the last few days claimed her once more. She collapsed on the side of the bed, tears beginning to stream from her cheeks once more as she cried, "I'm so sorry, Muu Tsu. I'm so sorry."
This was another event that set the candle on the birthday cake...or set another nail in the coffin of the present day. Her world was imploding right before her very eyes, and dragging her straight down into hell. There was nothing left in her world now, and it showed simply by the fact of the young man dying in the bed before her.
Shampoo cried a mournful sob of, "Mousse, please come back. Come back to me," then raced from the room, tears streaming from her face. She didn't care who saw her leave, she didn't apologize to the person she bowled over in her mad dash to the door. She didn't care about anything, anymore. Nothing mattered.
Muu-muu-chan saw her race out the door. The next thing he saw was her outdoor dash, headed towards nowhere in particular. Muu-muu-chan raced out the window, headed airborne to follow his friend, former would-be-lover, and mistress. He would follow her to the ends of the earth and beyond, not only because she was still a part of her life, but also because Mousse would want it so.
The two were in such a hurry that they never saw the momentary increase in the life sign display, nor did they see the faintest trace of a smile come to the lips of the young Chinese man.
* * *
Nabiki hung up her phone, her mind reeling from the shock. Ranko had been telling the truth. Furthermore, the world itself had been somehow changed to fit the entry of the redhead into their lives. From the research that the Tendo daughter had been doing the past few hours, all points had proven to be the same thing. The only thing.
Ranko had a birth certificate-born on 6:52 AM, June 23 1972. Her legal residence for the past two years was here, in the dojo. She was a better student at Furinkan then Ranma was, but had less friends than he--in fact, the only ones she had, apart from her family and mutual friends, were two girls named Yuki and Rei. Nabiki remembered those two as being loners, themselves.
Despite what Nabiki knew to be gospel, it was cold hard fact that the Hibikis, the Kuonjis, and the Saotomes had lived next to each other all their lives. Ryoga's parents hadn't been seen in ten years, despite the last time he remembered seeing them. Ukyo's family lived across the street from the Saotome home; they never owned an okinomiyaki cart that Genma would steal, but instead had a thriving restaurant in the entertainment district of Osaka. Ranma's engagement to Ukyo resulted from Nodoka and Ukyo's mother--best friends for life--wanting to unite their families.
According to her financial ledgers, Ranko was better at paying Nabiki back than Ranma was, though Nabiki knew the reason behind Ranma's delays. Ranko was also more prone to go out and get a job when times turned lean at the dojo. Ranko also was severely opposed to pictures being taken of herself, though Ranma was the one that was photographed more often; pictures of the two were easily discernable, if one paid attention to detail.
Ranko had dated Daisuke and Hiroshi a couple of times, but nothing more serious than that. Ranma's secret was not well known at Furinkan, and that was mostly because people thought that the aquatranssexual was simply his younger sister. Ranko and Kurumi were in the same classes at school, and although Kurumi didn't mind wearing the school uniform, it was clear that Ranko *did.* Second, when it came to Furinkan, Ranko was a better student than Ranma, but also had a worse reputation with the school faculty, despite her (supposed) popularity with the students. In actuality, her popularity stemmed from guys constantly trying to ask her out, and girls harassing her for her gaijin looks.
Ranko this, Ranko that. In any event, it all pointed to the same thing: she was a person, here and now, regardless of what her true origins were. Ranma and the rest of the family treated the redhead as though she deserved to be there, just as much a Saotome as Nodoka or Genma or Ranma. The signs pointed to that.
The signs pointed to her being a human being.
All people deserve a second chance. Even if that second chance was technically, her first.
Nabiki lay on her bed and tried to think about how to apologize to the redhead...and more importantly, how to welcome her into her life.
* * *
Ranko smiled lazily. Her brother and Akane were sleeping, at least for the moment. Kurumi and Natsumi had decided to take a look around the neighborhood and familiarize both Shiva and Mai with the location. Her father and Tendo Soun were probably still downstairs cheating at their first game of shoji in a while. Hinako was most likely still at the school. Ryoga and Akari were still out (who knew where, if Ryoga was leading). Uc-chan and her mother were probably at Ukyo's home, packing up some clothing for her to stay a few more days at the dojo. Aside from the lovers and the game players, the only ones still at home were Nabiki and herself.
Ranko checked her calendar for the umpteenth time, then counterchecked it against her organizer. Small wonder Shampoo was crestfallen when the redhead had seen her run away. Today was her birthday. Yet, there was little for her to celebrate about. She'd just been through three weeks of absolute hell. The man that she loved was in the arms of her greatest rival. Her childhood friend was dying in a hospital, with little chance of recovery. The girl was standing on the precipice of the abyss, staring down and wondering why there was any reason to go any farther. There was no reason to go any farther. None at all.
The redhead knew that to be wrong, of course. Down the path of sorrow lay madness. Shampoo had traveled down that path many a time in her life, and all it caused her was grief, grief, and more grief. Now, she was so consumed by it that it would become a mantra for her, a song of the drowned that would cause her no end of pain, something that Ranko wasn't sure that she wanted to see the Chinese Amazon go through.
A thought suddenly occurred to her. Why should she give a damn of what Shampoo was going through? The girl still held the Amazon vow to kill her. She still wanted to see Ranma and Akane broken asunder, and to have Ranma for her own. She was still set in obsolete, treacherous ways that on one would ever hope to change her from. She tended to be slightly loose in her morals at times, and there was no end to the tricks she pulled. So why should Ranko give a damn about the Chinese girl?
{{Because my brother considers her a friend, despite her antics,}} Ranko admitted to herself. {{Because I do too, if for no other reason than he does. Because I understand what it's like to be misunderstood. I guess, in a sense, she's a kindred soul, with much more in common with me than with Ranma.}}
So, someone had to do something to brighten up her miserable birthday. That would be the redhead. There must be something to do in the area, something that did--
Her mind lit up with something she'd never thought of before. There was something going on tonight, down at the Budokan, and maybe there was still a chance for her to get tickets. It was, admittedly, a longshot, but what the hell, right? That's what friends were for.
She bolted off the bed, and using her momentum, made a beeline for the door...
...and right into Nabiki.
"Nabiki," Ranko said, tonelessly. This was not what she needed right now; she was not in the mood for another confrontation with the one person in the house that hated her. Maybe later, but not now.
"Look, um, Ranko," Nabiki began, her tone obviously sheepish and embarrassed.
{{"Ranko?" She called me by my name! What the...?}} Ranko tried not to look condescending as she spoke to Nabiki--the kami knew that she'd done it to Ranma enough times. "Yes?"
"I, um, I...I wanted to say...I'm sorry, Ranko. About the way I treated you. I was wrong. You're not that oversexed monster I thought you were--you're just Ranma's younger sister. Gomen na sai, Ranko-chan. You're part of my family, and I should treat you better than that."
Ranko's mouth split in a genuine grin. She hugged Nabiki, saying, "You don't know how much that means for me to hear you say that, Nabiki."
Nabiki smiled back as the redhead held her. In a way, it was just like the rare hug she received from Ranma, but no longer any less welcome. "Hey, that's what family's for, ne?" Nabiki then continued. "Hey, I noticed you were apparently on your way to do something. If I was interrupting...."
"Oh, no...not at all," the redhead replied. "I just remembered that there's the big charity concert going on tonight at the Budokan, and I wanted to see if there were any tickets available. I was thinking about calling the record store down the street and see if they have any. I hope so...." There was a flash in the girl's eyes that wasn't really natural for her.
Nabiki, however, read the emotion perfectly. Ranma would get that look in his eyes whenever there was a situation that was generally out of his league. It would thus, then be only natural that Ranko would manifest the same look in her eyes. In fact, truth be told, it should be expected. "Ranko, did you need some help with the ticket search?"
Ranko crossed her fingers in a feminine manner that Ranma never would have done; there was something different about this girl, after all--she wasn't just a carbon copy. "Um, I don't want to put you out of your way...." It was Ranko's way of gently explaining that she really didn't want to pay for the assistance.
Again, Nabiki looked at the girl, understanding her meaning completely. "I hadn't planned on charging you, Ranko. You know I'm not like that--" Nabiki's words kicked her in the face. Nabiki herself had changed, and wasn't the same person that she was when this whole fiasco had started. Why should anyone believe that she had changed? They would believe because she would show it, and they would have to take it on faith, just as she would have to do for Ranko. It was ironic that somehow, the redhead and the Yen Cobra had ended up as two sides of the same coin.
Nevertheless, Nabiki continued, buoyed by her own personal epiphany. "I've changed since the last time you and Ranma encountered me. I'm not the money-hungry woman that I appeared to be. The true me--what Ranma saw--is how I am to everyone else, now. I'm not going to charge you, Ranko. Don't worry. But why do you need those tickets?"
Ranko faced Nabiki and spoke truly. "Today's Shampoo's birthday. No one's remembered. Today, she just witnessed the man she loves forever barred from her. Her childhood friend is hospitalized, with no immediate chance of recovery. Shampoo was in really bad shape, from what I glimpsed of her; her hair was a mess, and her clothes weren't ironed--she may have been kicked out of her home. Someone has to try to brighten her day."
Nabiki was pleasantly surprised. When taken in context from her actions this morning, it seemed that Ranko thought of Shampoo as a friend. The question was, did it mean the same in reverse? "Ranko, may I remind you that this is a girl who's sworn to kill you?"
Ranko giggled. "Never happen. I'm too fast, and plus, I'm a girl, right? That means I can fight against girls, now. I'm not going to hold back, even though my brother does." Her voice grew serious again as she said, "I do have to try though. You know Ranma would, even though he's tied up right now. Ranma helps them all, because they're his fianc�es. I have to help them...because they're my friends."
Nabiki nodded. "Well, if you feel that strongly about it...."
Ranko's smile lit up like the sun. "You mean it? You'll help me?"
"Like I said, that's what family's for, ne?" Nabiki pulled Ranko out of her room and pointed towards the bathroom. "Go get ready. You only have about three hours to get ready for the concert, get to Shampoo's house, then get to the Budokan. You don't have any time to waste. I'll take care of the tickets for you. Sato, down at Taiyo Records, is a client of mine, and he owes me. You'll get the tickets. Front row seats good enough for you?" Nabiki's smile was a mixture of her predatory grin and a genuine smirk.
"Daijobu! Hai, domo!" Ranko raced towards the bathroom. "Thanks again, Nabiki! I don't know how I'll make it up to you, but I will!"
From her back pocket, Nabiki produced her small 35mm. Humming a cheerful tune to herself, she snickered. "Oh, don't worry, Ranko. I'm sure I'll think of something." She then descended the stairs in order to position herself outside the bathroom window for the usual photo session.
She, however, was interrupted by the buzz of the phone. Annoyed that she might miss the only opportunity to recoup some of her recently depleted funds, she picked up the phone. "Moshi moshi. Tendo residence."
"The sun clearly has its hold within your sultry tones, Tendo Nabiki-san," a familiar voice said, the cheerful and friendly tones ambient in every word spoken by Kuno Tatewaki. "How have you been this fine day?"
"It's been a rather boring day, to be honest, Tatewaki-kun," she replied, as she twiddled with the phone cord, similar to Kurumi's telephonic theatrics. "How goes your house hunting?"
"Quite well, I guess. The family has decided to rebuild the manor, and are working on it today. Father and Sasuke intend to live there, but was none too pleased to discover that Dachi-chan and I never intend to return. Truth be told, though, neither she nor I give a damn about what he thinks. I told my grandfather about it, and he says it's the smartest move that I've made in the longest time."
"So where will you two live? You can't live in a hotel forever, y'know." Nabiki then slapped her head and groaned at her own mistake. {{Of course they can. They can buy the damn hotel if they feel like it.}}
In answer to her words, there was a short laugh, followed by, "And who says I can't? Seriously, though, I think it's about time that I learn how to be self-sufficient. I've been so used to having Sasuke at my side, sometimes it seems that I cannot do anything on my own. I'm going to have to learn how to live life as a normal person. So, I found my sister and I an apartment that we can share." There was a ruffling of papers, followed by, "It's in Yokohama. Admittedly, a bit of a distance, but like I said, I have to get used to living like a normal person, ne?"
Nabiki had to laugh. The Kunos, living as normal people--that in itself would be an adventure! "So da ne. So, why'd you call? Not that I mind, but...."
There was a pregnant and unusual pause on the other end of the phone as Tatewaki collected his thoughts. "Well, I do have to admit that there was something that I did want. I've been thinking, Nabiki. There's something that I've been wanting to say, and--"
Nabiki cut him off gently but firmly. "I'm sorry, Tatewaki, but her mind's made up. I'm not going to pressure Ranko into going out with you. She doesn't love you, and it would be unfair of me to try to force you two together." Inside, her heart sank, and now she understood why. Her feelings for Kuno were blossoming. Three weeks ago, they were the same basic acquaintances that they'd always been; that is, not much. In the ensuing adventure, both people had let down their guards, letting each one see the other as they truly were, as they would be. Nabiki found friendship in the heart of Kuno Tatewaki. Now, she realized, that she just might want something more.
There was a small laugh at the other end that shocked Nabiki. This comment was followed up with, "Nabiki-chan, you misunderstand me. I didn't want to ask the Pigtailed girl--Ranko--out; I understand how she feels about me now, and I'll have to learn to live with it. But there is someone I wanted to ask out. You."
Her heart pole-vaulted the Pacific Ocean even as she said, "You're kidding, right?"
"Never before have I been so serious. I have a pair of tickets tonight to the showing of the Kirov Ballet at the Yokohama Amphitheater. Would you care to join me?"
Her eyes lit up, as she murmured, "Yes! Yes, I'd love to!"
"Okay then. Shall we say, eight, at your place?"
"Without a doubt!"
"Okay, eight it is then. By the way, Dachi-chan sends her regards. Until then, fair Nabiki. Taa." The phone disconnected on the other side, went through a second of silence, then dropped back into the ready tone. Through all this, the young woman failed to notice. A second later, a smile grew upon her countenance that went from ear to ear as she dialed up the record store. She set down the camera, wistfully thinking that, oh well, there would be other days. Picking up a pen and a sheet of paper kept by the phone, she got to work. She'd have to move fast to get these tickets for Ranko, then get ready, herself. What to wear, what to wear....
* * *
It was evening, and Cologne sat in her chair in the main room of the residence section of the Neko Hanten. There really had not been much to do all day; with both Shampoo and Mousse not present, the restaurant had remained closed. It had been a quiet day--and that disturbed the Amazon elder. Today was supposed to be a day of sight and sound, one of music and color. It was supposed to be her great-granddaughter's happiest today. Instead, it seemed that it might be the last day that the young girl would live under this roof.
Noises sounded upstairs. Shampoo was back--but possible only temporarily; the creaks in the upstairs floorboards were muted, which signified that she was trying to be quiet. If that was the case, she would most likely pack a bag, then be off to the rest of her life, ancestors only knew. That was something that Cologne could not abide. Despite whatever heated words were said this morning, the two Laos were all that the other had, and that had to count for something in this world--and it did. Cologne rose from her chair, intending to mend things with her only great-grandchild before the damage became irreparable.
A spilt-second later, there was a soft knock on the door. Cologne turned from the stairs, to attend to their guest--it wouldn't pay to be rude. Hopefully, she could dissuade any visitors in time before she lost the most precious thing in her life.
It was done. A few days worth of clothes, some money that she'd saved up, a cherished item or two, and her last set of bonbori--that was all that she'd packed; all that she would need, she felt. Shampoo lay in the darkness of her bedroom, cheeks moist and slick with tears, her hair, face, and clothing still a mess. The ballcap she wore was cocked to one side, having seen better days. Muu-muu-chan sat a respectable distance from her, torn that she was so inconsolable, but obviously unable to do much about it. She morosely glanced at the Ryoga-sized pack, loaded with all her truly important possessions. The rest could be left behind, as it was all so much junk, after a fashion.
Tonight would be the last time she spent here. Tomorrow, she would run away forever. There was no more reason to live where she was clearly not wanted. The only problem posed was, where to go now? Back to China--no way. Hong Kong, maybe--or until she could get a British passport. Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia were also possibilities; ehtnic Chinese lived there in fairly well-to-do communities. Maybe somewhere in America, or Canada. She'd heard that places like Los Angeles or Vancouver were pretty nice places to live. Then, there was also New York, or Toronto. Hell, maybe even Europe, especially if she got that UK passport from Hong Kong. Australia or New Zealand, were also two places that she could add to her list--chiefly Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, or Wellington.
All she knew was that somehow, this little place, this little slice of Tokyo was no longer her, though it never really was. But in truth, it was more her now than where she was from. She'd lost everything today, everything that had meaning to it. China, now that she was no longer an Amazon, was also no longer a venue of possibilities. Her mind briefly flitted on the irony that she kept complaining how much she hated it here amongst the steel and concrete of Japan, amongst the "Holier-than-thou" attitudes of the locals who railed against her because she was an immigrant. Now, looking back on her life in the village, and what it really meant, she was surprised to realize something: all those years, she'd turned a child's eye to things, then the haughty attitude of the Amazon Princess--she was on her way to becoming as bad as those who maligned her here. And in that truth, she now know that this was now her home. Born of the woodlands, she was now a child of steel and glass.
There was a world out there, waiting for her arrival. The arrival of Lao Shan Fu the person; not Lao Shan Fu the Amazon. Now, she would have to face it. Alone. Alone, but at least a little wiser.
It was a shame that these realizations did nothing to mend her shattered heart and dreams.
There was a knock on the door, followed by a small, elderly woman strolling into the darkness. Although her face couldn't be seen, Cologne's tone was clear enough to set the pace. "Shan Fu," she said, in her gentlest Chinese, "I'm sorry. Child, I didn't know about the whole ordeal that you had gone through. All I saw was your failure to see Ranma wed to you. I didn't know you were just witness to his willing proposal to the Tendo girl. I was far too rough on you, child."
Shampoo didn't bother to answer or turn around. She moved her head slightly, barely discernable in the light, to indicate that she was listening to the wizened Amazon elder, vice ignoring her.
Cologne, seeing that she had Shampoo's attention, "Shampoo, were you serious when you said that you severed your ties to the tribe?"
There was no way that the young woman could ignore that query. "Yes, Grandmother. I had to, for some reasons that you would understand, and some that you would not. I am sorry that I disgraced you, and made a mockery of the tribe. But I could not, in good conscience, sacrifice Mousse for the sake of tribal honor. He may be stupid, and a blind fool, but he's..." the words momentarily trailed off as she paused to ponder the words, tasting them on the very tip of her tongue, "...he's my friend."
"Shan Fu, my child, you have no idea how much I've been waiting to hear you say those words," was the old crone's heartfelt reply. Shampoo immediately flinched. This was not the response that she was expecting; in fact, she halfway expected to be damned to one of the seven hells or worse, since Cologne did have the other Lao gems, after all. The fact that Shampoo willingly admitted that she just blew off generations of Amazons before her and then to be met with a cheerful response was not something that she'd hoped for, much less wanted. Yet, here it was. The fact that Muu Tsu was also mentioned in her words probably didn't make matters better, either.
A second or two later, Cologne responded, "Child, I don't believe that for one moment that you would relinquish your ties to your ancestral home. You did so under duress, while trying to save Mousse's life, worthless as it is." The tone in Cologne's voice was one that Shampoo was neither comfortable with nor familiar with, either--it was the elder of the village trying to rationalize the impossible. "I realize that Mousse is a friend to you, but I don't believe that you did it entirely for that--I believe that you felt it was a psychological attack against your opponent, the Outcast. I therefore conclude that you weren't serious about your decision to leave your heritage.
"What I am proud of is your strength to make that kind of choice. Child, it means that you aren't the young girl that left here three weeks ago in search of your airen. What it does mean is that the Amazon strength is within you, and will allow you the resolve to make the kind of choices in the future that you may have to. Wherever your future lies, the village is within you. Whether you end up with Ranma or not--remember, he is only engaged to Akane, not yet married--your future will always be a strong and glorious one.
"Shampoo, in the end, you are not just an Amazon, nor just the 'Amazon Princess', you are a Lao. You have a heritage and birthright that is far more important that just that of the village. Your ancestors have been the Emperor's Chosen One. That, for a woman in outer China, is amazing enough, but for the fact that this has been occurring for generation upon generation, is simply put, fate itself. It tells us that we are better than we can seem to be, Shan Fu. You have taken that first step towards that.
"I do not believe, nor accept your 'resignation', since it was due to trickery. But I do accept your womanhood with a glad smile to know that I can be proud of you, my jewel of the village."
Unspoken, Shampoo thought, {{No, Grandmother. There may have been some stress involved, but thinking back on it, I did the right thing. The fact that you won't say a thing is either something you'll never admit to--or the fact that you're secretly applauding my choice.}} Still, Shampoo said nothing on this issue, instead deciding to take this whole conversation form one-way to two-, and also to change the subject. "Thank you for your kind words, but why did you come in here to get me? It is clear that you're not here to try to cheer what's left of my destroyed birthday. You cannot win Ranma's heart for me, nor can you bring Mousse back. You cannot rid me of the blame for the carnage that is everywhere. My heart is heavy, and it can't be lightened. So, dear Grandmother, why did you come to see me?"
Cologne smiled in the dark, though the younger woman could not see the toothy visage. "You have a visitor, young one. Someone has come to visit you for your birthday."
"Who would come see me? No one remembered my birthday today, and...." Shampoo turned around to face the door, her eyes squinting from the light. Her voice was the epitome of disbelief.
"I did." A silhouette moved into the light, that of a young lady. There was something about this woman that Shampoo knew all too familiarly. The girl wore what appeared to be Chinese clothing, and had her hair in a pigtail. Her figure was short, but very well built. Combined with those two facts, and that she was speaking Chinese, there could only be one person who it could have been. Especially since she was carrying a cake (with fiery candles atop), and the addition of something else in her hand, which Shampoo could not identify.
"Girl-type Ranma," Shampoo said, tonelessly and in Japanese. Her sworn enemy, the sister--the clone--of the man she loved.
The only one who remembered her birthday.
"You know, Shampoo, I have a name. I wish you'd use it," Ranko said in Japanese, a bit annoyed.
To her side, Cologne chuckled at the scene. "I salute you, young Saotome. You and Shampoo have hated each other since the day you two first tangled in the village. She sees you as an obstacle because you've always defended Akane and your brother; and as a rival, since you're the only one who's ever beaten her. Yet, you are the only one who remembered her birthday."
"You're wrong, as always, old ghoul," Ranko commented, sans the usual sardonic strain in her tones. "Ranma woulda come, but he's, um, somewhat occupied. And for the record," she said, taking her eyes of the ghoul, and fixing them to Shampoo. "I don't, and have never, hated Shampoo. She's the only one, 'cept for my brother, who understands me; I'd consider her a friend, if she wouldn't hold that 'Amazon Death Kiss' stuff over my head an' all. It's a shame that we have to be enemies, but that don't mean we can't be friendly--she even considers *Akane* a friend, so why not me? 'Honored enemies,' 'n all that stuff."
Cologne's answer to that was to shake her head in bemusement and leave the room.
The two girls stared at each other across a gulf of a meter-and a chasm of personality.
"So, why redhead come to visit Shampoo?" she began crossly. "Shampoo and Girl--"
"Ahem," Ranko intoned.
"--Ranko enemies. Ranko come make fun of Shampoo, no?"
"No, Shampoo, I ain't gonna make fun of you." Ranko went to the closet and grabbed something out of it, tossing it at Shampoo. "Get dressed. I've come to take you out for your birthday."
"Why should Shampoo go with enemy redhead?" Shampoo sounded like someone who was going to be ornery for no other reason than that she wanted to be.
Ranko sighed, her features clearly showing in the glare of the candlelight. "Shampoo, I may be your enemy, but you're not mine. Part of the reason I exist is because of the Phoenix Eye." At the mention of the gem, it pulsed a bright red. "You gave it to me for that reason. Shampoo, something tells me that you don't want to be my enemy. Put away the old hatred, since you've abandoned the Amazon ways--that's the only reason you have to have me as an enemy."
"Why should Shampoo believe you?" Clearly the violet-tressed girl was now grasping at straws.
"Because I'm your friend, Shampoo. I may not be one of yours, but I consider you one of mine." Still holding the cake, Ranko stepped out of the doorframe and back into the hallway. "I'm going to put this in the kitchen and wait for you there; maybe talk to the old ghoul for a while. It's your call if you want to go, Shampoo." With that, Ranko stepped from view, even as she could be heard descending the steps towards the kitchen area of the Neko Hanten.
Shampoo looked at the item that Ranko had tossed to her. It was her birthday ensemble, the item that she wanted to wear today. "Friend." She said the word aloud, as though it were some mystical verbiage. Magic was more than what she'd seen in the last three weeks. Magic was more than spells and hocus pocus. It was also your worst enemy wanting to put an end to the madness. It was the magic of growing up and making the right choices for yourself.
Shampoo traced her fingers across the embroidery of the golden phoenix, hoping for a sign.
* * *
The clock on Akane's desk read midnight. The young girl was asleep in his arms; the warmth of her body pressed against his. He could feel the swell of her breasts against his own chest, could feel every inch of her body cuddled up to him.
Akane. His fianc�e, by his choice. Uc-chan and Ryoga, his childhood friends. His youngest sister, Shiva. And last, but never least, his clone, his twin, his other self--his sister, Ranko.
The life of Saotome Ranma had been changed forever in the last three weeks. It had been derailed, placed on a brighter track, and was now headed for a destination that not even her could foresee. But that didn't matter any more. All that mattered to him was the young woman that he held in his arms as the moonlight washed over them, blessing the two lovers with its purity.
He planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "I love you, Akane. I always have. I always will." Seeing her smile again, he leaned his own head back, dreaming of that smile and the love that came behind it.
The future was theirs, now, completely and utterly. The future that belonged to Saotome Ranma and Saotome Akane.
* * *
"Ryoga-sama," Akari said sweetly, "I told you I'd let you lead, but you know what happens every time you get in charge of the directions, dear."
Ryoga had the good grace to look sheepish. "Yes, love. I'm sorry, but I'm just trying to improve my direction skills."
Akari leaned her head on his shoulder. "I know, love. Wherever it takes us, I just want you to know that I'll be there with you."
The couple looked on from the hill that overlooked the city. From this distance, covered in the moonlight, it looked like a string of diamonds, or a small galaxy of stars.
Nagasaki never looked more beautiful.
* * *
"That was good concert. Shampoo like very much."
"I'm telling ya, Hayashibara Megumi's gotta be one of the best singers around! Plus," Ranko commented, with a conspiratorial air, "that Thomas Dolby guy's kinda cute, too."
Shampoo, despite her heartbreak, had to nod in agreement. "Definitely."
Ranko stopped at the intersection, then looked around. "Hmmm. That Yoshinoya's gotta be around here someplace, and even *I'm* not desperate enough for MOS Burger, yet...." Turning the corner, she decided that it must be in this direction.
At the moment, the pair were walking down the streets of Shinjuku. Neither girl wanted to go home just yet, and they were really enjoying the other's company. Shampoo was finding that the things that she loved about Ranma worked just as well in his clone, while Ranko found a whole new side to the Chinese girl. The pair definitely were comfortable with each other, and it seemed that they could, indeed, learn to be friends.
{{Just one change in my life,}} Shampoo realized, {{but there's something missing. I'm sure it'll come to me, though.}}
No sooner than she had said something that life intervened for her again, calling to her to make the change. She stopped, looking at a sign that seemed to beckon to her, to call her.
{{You belong here,}} it seemed to say. {{Your life begins anew here. Come to your life.}}
"Yes," Shampoo whispered. This was it. This was the sign. This is where the next phase of her life would take her to. She didn't know how long it would take, nor how she would go about getting to that stage; she only knew that she would end up there. There was no other choice. It would be there, or not at all.
"Shampoo?" Ranko's voice cut through the mist. "You okay? You've been staring at that sign for the longest time, and--"
"Shampoo okay, Ranko," she pronounced, her old self creeping back into her voice with a confidence that she'd not felt in days. "Shampoo definitely okay. Let's go get food, ne?"
"Sure," Ranko said as her counterpart walked away from the window, a beatific smile on her face. Speaking to herself, Ranko said, "I just don't get it. What's so important about that sign, anyway?" She turned away from the sign, a picture of a red bridge enshrouded in fog. The caption on the sign said: YOU BELONG HERE. YOUR LIFE BEGINS ANEW HERE. COME TO YOUR LIFE. At the bottom of the sign, there was a logo, followed by the words, SAN FRANCISCO TOURISM BOARD.
The two stepped away from Takahashi's Travel Agency, both girls aware that something in their world had just changed--but unsure of what it meant.
