Ranma 1/2: Shampoo's Quest
part of the Dragon's Dawning Fanfic Series
by Wesley Bridges and Samuel Gonhue
based on the characters by Rumiko Takahashi

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Previously on Shampoo's Quest:

Shampoo: What you doing here, Mousse? Go home!

Mousse:	Shampoo... after I came all this way to find you, defeated 
	Ranma after grueling training not once but twice for your
	affection, to come here and her you tell me to go home... I 
	can't stand it any longer!

	Shampoo hardly listened to his words until the dagger embedded
	itself a mere three inches from her in the alter. Shampoo looked
	up and for once saw the anger welling up in Mousse. She didn't
	quite know how to react.

Shampoo: Mousse, what you think you doing?!

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Episode 4: Let My Love Be Free.
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Mousse:	I am now paying you back for all the years of torment I went
	through!

	Mousse threw his chains at Shampoo. She jumped in the air and
	grabbed her bonbori as the chains smashed through the old alter
	that once held the Tear of the Golden Heart. Shampoo threw a
	bonbori only to have it blocked by Mousse. She landed and 
	quickly retrieved it.

Shampoo: What get into you, Mousse?

Mousse:	Nothing has gotten in me. I only realized what I have worked
	up all of these years. Ever since you fought me at age three
	I have wanted you to be mine. Now things are different. Now I	
	need to get my revenge for you making my life MISERABLE FOR
	FOURTEEN YEARS!

	Mousse fired a rain of daggers at Shampoo. Shampoo got out of
	the way, but one dagger embedded itself in her leg. Shampoo
	winced at the pain, but soon pushed it from her. If she wasn't
	careful, her life could be next.

	Shampoo threw her bonbori again, this time scoring a hit on
	Mousse sending him sprawling to the wall of the room with an
	audible crash. Mousse shook off the pain and continued his 
	assault with more daggers. Shampoo grabbed some of the broken
	alter and used it as a shield against the daggers. Mousse began
	a charge, and seeing an opportunity, Shampoo charged too. 

	As they neared each other, Shampoo prepared what speed she had
	to launch a fury of punches. Her speed wasn't anywhere near the	
	Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken, but Shampoo figured it would be
	faster than Mousse. When they were 15 feet away, Shampoo began
	her attack. Mousse countered with the move he had used to defeat
	the Chestnut fist before, the Fist of the Night Hawk. 

	With the momentum he gathered, and the lower speed of Shampoo's
	attacks, Mousse made a clear hit on Shampoo. The hit was so hard
	it knocked Shampoo near the ceiling before she knocked her head
	on the far wall of the room and once again on the floor. The
	Tear of the Golden Heart split into its three component parts
	as she hit the floor and lost consciousness. The instant the
	amulet split, Mousse's anger was suddenly replaced with love and
	affection. 

	Seeing Shampoo badly hurt on the ground, he rushed to her.

Mousse:	Sh... Shampoo! Wha... what happened... why was I... so... angry
	at you? Shampoo, speak to me!

	Mousse got no reply. He picked up the amulet and reassembled it.
	Then took Shampoo in his arms and carried her out of the temple.
	When he got out, Bruce was waiting for him.

Bruce:	(Tsurun translating) Awlright, mate, you have something that
	be very important to me. Hand it over, if you please.

Mousse: I have no intentions of giving Shampoo to you people!

Bruce:	I'm not talking about the Shela, mate. I'm talking about the
	amulet you got there.

Mousse:	Huh? Oh, take it. I have everything that will ever be important
	to me right here.

Bruce:	Really? Well ain't you the rioght ol' bloke! In return for your
	cooperation, how's about a drink with me and me men?

Mousse: No, thanks.

Bruce:	Awlright then, is there anything I can get for you?

Mousse:	Sh... She'll need some medical attention...

Bruce:	I've goit a medic on staff I'll...

Mousse:	No, she needs someone...

Bruce:	We'll take you tou a 'ospital then.

Mousse:	What I mean to say is, she needs to be home. You think you could
	take us to Joketsuzoku?

Bruce:	Sure, just show us the way, mate.

	Mousse showed them the location of the Village of the Amazons
	on the map of China. Within a few hours' time, they arrived.
	Mousse thanked them, and carried Shampoo to Cologne's home to
	get her some medical attention. Just as he began bandaging,
	Cologne entered.

Cologne: Well, they told me you were in here.

Mousse:	Great Grandma...

Cologne: Now, now. I know it was not your fault. The Tear of the Golden
	 Heart was the culprit in this mess. 

Mousse:	I...

Cologne: Hush up! You let me tend to Shampoo. Take a rest for a while,
	 you look like you could use one.

	Mousse paced nervously in the hall just outside of the bedroom.
	One would think he expected a child rather than Shampoo's
	well being. For hours there was nothing, no signs of life
	from the bedroom. Not even a request for more hot water or 
	herbs.

	Outside, worry grew from some of the amazons. Ling-Ling and
	Lung-Lung expressed their concern by waiting at the front door
	of the house where Shampoo was being cared for. They kept guard
	in a way, telling those who came by that they had heard nothing,	
	and that their big sister needed her rest to heal.

	Shampoo's consciousness came back to her after its long sleep.
	She had suffered a large head injury, and her first dream from
	her subconscious was a recap of her memories from childhood on.
	She saw images of her childhood, defeating Mousse at three, being
	chased after by him from there on, training with great grandma,
	then she came to a blank spot, after that, she found herself
	in the Temple of the Golden Heart flying backwards after being
	hit by someone... it was Mousse, but much older, and a much
	better fighter. He had defeated her in combat, the only time
	in her memory she'd been defeated.

	Cologne, sensing her consciousness return, fetched Mousse. 
	Mousse came in uneasily, and instantly went to Shampoo's side
	to be there when she woke up. He had to apologize to her somehow,
	he didn't mean for it to be this way. He loved her, and he was
	determined to tell her that, even though he had told her many
	hundreds of times.

	Shampoo opened her eyes to a bright world. Her eyes refocused
	and she looked around. Mousse looked at her with a relieved 
	expression on his face.

Mousse:	Shampoo! You're alright! I...

Shampoo: Mousse, what you think you do?

Mousse:	I... I wanted to... make sure you were safe... Shampoo... I

Shampoo: Is ok, you need be careful though.

	Shampoo stopped abruptly. That wasn't what she intended to say.
	Why did she say it? Shampoo couldn't sense why. She also sensed	
	something else... she was missing something. Not something she
	knew about, bust something that was once strong within her. She
	could not place it.

Mousse:	Shampoo... I'll let you rest now.

	Cologne enters with a pan of hot water and some towels as 
	Mousse leaves.

Cologne: Well, your awake. How are you feeling?

Shampoo: Shampoo is ok, but something no feel right. Shampoo not know
	 what wrong.

Cologne: When we get back to Tokyo and son-in-law, I'm sure that you'll
	 be feeling just fine again.

Shampoo: You mean Ranma, yes?

Cologne: Well, you are in love with him after all.

Shampoo: (after a pause) Shampoo know.

Cologne: Are you sure you're ok.

Shampoo: Shampoo just fine, great grandmother. Why you ask?

Cologne: Maybe its just my imagination, but why don't you tell me what
	 happened while searching for the Tear of the Golden Heart.

	Shampoo told Cologne all about her time searching for the
	landmarks, about the Shrine of Lost Tears, and the Australian
	who caught her. Cologne stood silent while Shampoo told her
	story, and grew slightly pale at her tale, but returned to color
	by its end.

Cologne: So... the legend is true after all.

Shampoo: What legend that be?

Cologne: Oh, nothing important. I'm sure once we get back to Tokyo
	 everything will be fine.

Shampoo: Shampoo think it will.

Cologne: I'm glad you do, child, I'm glad you do. Now get some rest.
	 You'll need to regain your strength if we're to return to 
	 Tokyo tomorrow.

Shampoo: Ok, great grandmother.

	Cologne exited the room and closed the door behind her. A long,
	and concerned expression drew across her face. She knew more of
	what was going on than she ever wanted to tell Shampoo.

Cologne: (to herself) So, the change is already underway...

Mousse:	(coming from the hall) What change is that?

Cologne: Huh? Oh, Mousse, it's only you. 

Mousse: Is something wrong with Shampoo? Does she need anything? Anything
	at all? I will more than gladly fetch it.

Cologne: Mousse, Shampoo is going to need a friend, and she is going to
	 need one soon. Only time will be able to tell what she goes 	
	 through and how hard she takes it.

Mousse: I'm not sure what you are saying.

Cologne: Listen, Mousse, you are going to have to stop acting like a 
	 love sick clown and more like a friend to her. You've known
	 her since childhood which makes you the most likely candidate	
	 to help her through this, and when the time comes she will need
	 a friend, not someone who's going to grope all over her.

Mousse: If it must be done for Shampoo... I shall most gladly do so.

Cologne: Shampoo's sleeping now, so you'd best get some rest yourself.
	 We have a long trip back tomorrow.

Mousse:	Very well, then. 

Cologne: (thinking) If that was truly the Spring of Lost Tears, Shampoo
	 mentioned, then nothing in the world can stop what's about to
	 happen. Not even the most powerful potions, or the strongest
	 of herbal concauctions can stop the true power of that spring,
	 and should something... (sigh) I hope that great granddaughter
	 of mine knows what she is doing when everything is completed.
	 I'll do my best to help her fight the power of the Spring of
	 Lost Tears, but somehow I doubt even that will do any good. 
	 I guess I'd better get to be too, before this keeps me up all
	 night.

	Cologne walked down the hall to her bedroom and made preparations
	for the early leaving trip back to Tokyo. Then, she stopped to
	think some more on Shampoo, but went to sleep before her thoughts
	were completed.
	
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End Episode 4

Trailer Episode 5

Ling-Ling: Lung-Lung, another strange story come.
Lung-Lung: Again? Who leave strange story anyway?
Ling-Ling: It no have return address.
Lung-Lung: What story say?
Ling-Ling: Big sister go back to Tokyo.
Lung-Lung: Why she do that, Ling-Ling?
Ling-Ling: She need go back to Ranma.
Lung-Lung: Oh, when she marry him
Ling-Ling: Don't know, Lung-Lung, story doesn't answer that one.
Lung-Lung: Hope it happen soon. Ranma fall for big sister when she come
	   back?
Ling-Ling: Don't know. Doesn't say.
Lung-Lung: Find out in Episode 5: Of Absent Hearts and Growing Bonds, 
	   yes? 		  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
	   		
Ling-Ling: That what story say.
Lung-Lung: Bye!

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Author's Notes:

Before everyone sends me thousands of e-mails saying Cologne is being way
too nice to Mousse, let me say things first:

1) Mousse has defeated Ranma twice in a scheduled duel for Shampoo's hand.
Only 1 rematch was allowed 
officially. This would give Cologne a little more respect for Mousse.

2) Mousse has new glasses and can actually see now.

3) Cologne's character and intentions will all be explained in SQ-7, I
hope. hold of your major criticisms until then, please.

4) If you want to flame me for getting Shampoo and Mousse together, which I
do intend, feel free, but please
save me the trouble of referring you to my argument page, and visit it at:

http://members.xoom.com/Souldrake/Ranma/shampmous.htm

You would also be wise to tell me why I suck with other reasons than me
getting Shampoo and Mousse together. Any e-mails with just "you suck" or
similar wordings are subject to replies.

Thank you all who have been reading and giving me real C&Cs and not flames.
I do appreciate the comments and polite criticism.

Souldrake