Shame
                    By: Kevin McHorney

     The young amazon warrior looked around the small earthen hut 
that served as the tribe's meeting place at the assembled council
members.  Soap, the leader of the council, looked at her with stern
disapproval.  Soap had never been defeated in combat, much less by an
outsider or a male.  Now the young warrior could only stand in Soap's
presence with the shame of having lost her potential husband to 
another woman.  There may have been circumstances beyond her control,
things that could not be helped, but laws were laws, made to be 
followed, not ignored.  The young warrior didn't need to hear the 
lecture, she read it plainly in Soap's face.  She looked at the other
members of the council.  Comb, the council second showed no pity to 
the young warrior. The lecture was absent from her eyes, reflecting
only the young warrior's shame.  Standing next to Comb, Gel's eyes
reflected pity back to the young warrior.  Gel faced a similar 
problem, but the man who defeated Gel is now married to her, making
the young warrior's failure sting all the more.  The twins, Peroxide
and Listerine looked at the young warrior with disinterest.
They both knew the outcome before the young warrior had even set foot
inside the meeting hut.  Perfume, the youngest of the council,
looked almost bewildered.  The young warrior could see in her eyes
that Perfume couldn't understand how an amazon could possibly fail
in so easy a task.  Especially when facing non-amazon opponents.
Finally, almost reluctantly the young warrior looked at the eldest
council member, her kinsman.  There she saw everything from the 
others, pity, shame and resolve twisted around a core of anger.  
Anger for the shame brought to their family.  The young amazon could
meet their eyes no longer and looked at the floor.
     The Amazon council looked down on the young warrior.  Soap 
stepped forward and said, "you have brought shame to your tribe.
You were defeated by a male outsider and failed to make him your 
husband."  The young warrior hung her head in shame.  "Do you have
anything to say before we pass judgement on your shame?"
     "I couldn't have won him, even if I killed the one he loved.
I would have to kill him or he would kill me.  I had no option but to
fail.  I stand in shame before you, awaiting your decision."
     Perfume spoke, "Why did you not kill them both then?"
     "I.." her voice trailed off, unable to find the words.
     Help came from an unexpected quarter, Gel laid her hand on 
Perfume's shoulder, "She couldn't have killed him.  She loved him."
     Soap nodded and the council members returned to their places.
She looked the young warrior in the eyes and in a low voice said,
"From this time until the seasons have turned once you are banished."
The young warrior shook as if hit from a blow.  Soap continued,
"you will leave the village, you will not find any rest or aid here.
Your name means nothing.  For one year you will be as a ghost, not 
seen, not heard.  After the year passes you will have purged your 
shame and may return to your place in the tribe.  The council has 
spoken."  With that Soap turned her back on the young warrior.
One by one the council members turned until only her kinsman and Gel
faced her, then with a tear in her eye her kinsman, her own 
grandmother turned her back.  Gel made a motion for the young warrior
to exit.  Gel followed her to the edge of the village.  Of all the 
other members of the village only one, the young warrior's childhood
friend, tried to say anything, but one look from Gel stopped him, and
he went back to his farming.  At the edge of town Gel turned to the
young warrior, "Be strong young one, a year passes quickly, and then
you can come home.  We will be waiting."  With that she also turned
and walked back to the village.  Cologne, the young warrior, took a 
last look at the village and walked down the road.  As she walked
she made an oath to herself, "I don't care if I have to live for five
hundred years, the next time this happens to one from my family the
amazon will get her man."

Authors notes: Since one-hour stories seem to be gaining popularity
once more I thought I'd resurrect this one.  That and I have an idea
on how to turn it into something larger.  I thought I'd toss it out
for comments.  I just wanted to give a Cologne more of a reason than
simply following laws for getting Ranma and Shampoo together.
C&C are always welcome.


Kevin McHorney

Rest In Peace Brian LaForce, 1975-1999

AOL Instant Messenger: Garou628
ICQ: 28137315