The Reluctant Fianc�e.
Part 4
Shun meets Shampoo.
Cologne sat at the small flawlessly clean counter top in the newly
opened Yakitori restaurant and smiled as a cheerful looking girl greeted
her. "Hiya!"
"Hello there," replied the old woman with her best face. It still wasn't
pretty, but at least it was not completely unpleasant.
"What can I get for you?" asked the girl cheerfully, she of course
recognized the woman, but had thus far not had any reason to be wary of
her yet.
"I think I'll try the Sukiyaki," said Cologne staring at the menu on the
wall, several traditional Japanese meals were featured, she was surprised
that no Okonomiyaki was present on the menu though. It seemed like an
ideal food for the kind of place the girl was running.
"Sure thing," said the girl as she turned her back on the old woman to a
small stove behind her. The counter had a hot griddle behind it, but
another large stove sat along the wall with a few small frying vats next
to it.
"She is quite skillful" noted Cologne as she watched the girl work; it
would attract customers just to see the show she was putting on. The old
woman also noticed that there where no cutting utensils anywhere in the
small work area.
"So, you're from the Cat Caf�?" asked Shun lazily just before she placed
a steaming hot plate of food in front of her.
Cologne looked at the girl with wide eyes and said nothing ignoring the
question, after a moment she narrowed her eyes on the girl and frowned.
"Tell me girl, where did you learn the Katsutenshin amaguriken?"
Shun suppressed the urge to smile and looked at her blankly. "Huh? The
Katsu whatzit?"
"That technique you used on the rice pot," elaborated Cologne carefully.
"Oh, that? It's called the Gohan ken, I grew up in a monastery, learned
some martial arts there." She shrugged her shoulders and seemed to shrug
the question away.
"I see," replied Cologne as she relaxed slightly. Shun was eating a
handful of nuts while she spoke and crushed them in her palm easily. That
in itself would not have caught Colognes attention, if the girl had not
been subconsciously using the breaking point with the tips of her fingers
to do it. She ate her meal quietly carrying on small talk with the girl.
"So, come to check out the competition?" asked the girl with her cutest
smile.
"For business or Ranma?" quipped the old woman cheerfully.
"Take your pick," replied the girl.
Cologne did not show much surprise when she failed to ask what she had
meant by that. She had seen the new girl with Nabiki Tendo earlier and
probably got a basic understanding of the situation from her.
"Well, I feel I should warn you that you will not win easily," said the
old woman as she finished her meal and hopped onto her staff.
"That's good, I like a challenge!" said the girl confidently as she
winked at her and turned back to her work.
Cologne stepped out of the building and her face instantly changed into
one of concern. "Could it be? I wonder, this definitely bears looking
into."
Ranma walked along the fence top idly as he strolled home with a small
bag in his arms a few hours later. Looking at the card in his hands he
jumped down to the street and looked directly across the street noticing
the new restaurant. "What the heck," he said as he walked over. Kasumi
didn't need the soy sauce for at least another hour because his father
and Mr. Tendo would be gone for a while this evening.
Shun smiled as he walked in and indicated a seat. "Hey Ranchan, what ya
been up to?"
"I gotta bring this back to Kasumi," he said lifting the bag up so she
could see it.
"Oh, so you can't stay long then?" she asked cheerfully.
"Yea, uh...how ya been?" he seemed nervous and uncertain about
something.
"What's wrong Ranchan? You're acting weird," said the girl as she looked
back over her shoulder. A moment later she produced plate in front of
him. He fell on it like a starving chipmunk on the last acorn on the
planet.
"Nothin, it's just..." he trailed off looking guilty.
"You're worried cause I'm a girl huh?" she leaned forward over the
counter and noticed him glance away uncomfortably. She gave a small
giggle when she realized that she had left her shirt unbuttoned slightly
again and stood up. The heat from the griddle made the position
uncomfortable anyway.
"I donno, it just seems weird," he replied honestly.
"That doesn't mean we can't still be pals Ranchan," jumping over the
counter gracefully she landed neatly on the seat next to him and produced
a small cup of tea from behind the counter a moment later.
"I guess so," he said reluctantly.
"Come on Ranchan, we've got a lot of catching up to do! When do you
think we'll get some time to talk? I've got a few stories I want you to
hear and I'm sure you've got some of your own!" she slapped him across
his back and smirked.
The boy looked at her and found himself smiling anyway, the smirk is
what killed him in the end. No matter what she was now, she was still
exactly the same as he remembered her. "Sure thing, I'll try to come by
later." He stood up and walked to the door. "See ya later!" he rushed off
dramatically and Shun snickered to herself at the ridiculousness of it
all.
Several long boring hours of cooking and cleaning followed as she worked
often ignoring the chaos that ran by her door on occasion. Around closing
time she noticed a figure stagger into the door staring at the ground. It
was a young boy dressed in Chinese robes, his face looked bloodied and
beaten and he staggered over to the counter.
"You got any Sake?" he muttered.
"Sure thing," she replied as she pulled a bottle from behind the
counter.
The boy took his glasses off and laid them on the counter then
proceeding to hold his head in his hands.
"You look like hell! Wanna talk about it?" asked Shun carefully.
"Sure, the girl I love is engaged to another man and would rather kill
me than look at me," he replied bitterly.
"Sounds like a problem," she said nodding her head as she placed the
drink in front of him.
"Thanks," replied the boy brushing his hair over his shoulder.
"Just don't expect to get drunk, I know you're not of age yet. You look
like you had a hard time so I'll go easy on you," replied the girl
curtly.
"I wasn't planning on it, I just want something to kill the pain a
little," replied the boy with a smirk appearing on his face for a moment.
"Which pain?" asked Shun with her own smile appearing again.
"The one in my back, she got in a pretty good kick this time," he
laughed humorlessly and downed the glass quickly.
"Sounds like a real loving relationship," replied the girl earning a
momentary glare from him, he let it pass in the end though and simply
shrugged.
"I guess so, but I can't give up...it's the only thing that keeps me
going sometimes," he sat up straight and poured some more Sake into the
small glass again. She had given him a small bottle of it and he had a
few more shots left.
"You know, in America that's illegal, it's called stalking," she smiled
at him and relaxed in a stool she kept behind the counter for slow
periods.
"Bah, you wouldn't understand love would you?" he downed another glass
quickly.
"No one does, that's why it's love," Shun shrugged and looked at him,
she didn't have much pity for him though.
"Ain't that the truth," grumbled the boy.
"You're name is Mousse isn't it?" she looked over at him and looked the
boy up and down. He wasn't wearing his glasses at the time and was really
quite handsome. She didn't really understand how Shampoo could feel the
way she did about their relationship. Not that it really effected her in
any way; she was a boy after all.
"Yea, how did you?" asked the boy with a look of surprise in his face.
"I've heard stories about a Chinese martial artist in the area recently,
you fit the description. I think your boss was in here earlier today to
check out the competition." Shun pulled out a large ungainly looking
metal object and proceeded to scrape the griddle off.
"Oh, yea. That's me all right," snorted the boy as he stood up and
walked towards the door.
"Well, you're welcome here anytime, I know how bad a boss can be
sometimes." She smiled as he turned and looked at her blankly for a
moment.
"You don't know the half of it," he replied simply before turning into
the side of the door. He grunted and put his glasses on before correcting
himself and walking out of the door.
The next morning at school Shun greeted Ranma at the gates of Furninkan
and gave a cool sidelong glance towards Akane as she ignored the two of
them.
"Hey, what's with her?" she asked in annoyance at being given the cold
shoulder. "Don't tell me she's still mad about that is she?"
"That uncute tomboy? She can hold a grudge forever," snorted the boy as
he spared her a glance. Shun noticed that he didn't look angry or annoyed
at her either.
"Well, I'm sure she'll get over it. How ya been Ranchan?" Shun looked up
and noticed a familiar figure charging towards them.
"Ranma Saotome! I shall smite thee!" cried Kuno as he swung his bokuten
at the pigtailed martial artist from behind. Almost out of habit he
jumped upwards over the kendoist head, landing a few feet behind the boy
he turned around in a defensive stance. His eyes about bugged out of his
head at what he saw.
Shun was standing in a vertical splits kick with her left foot holding
Kuno's hands and bokuten over her head, her left arm was forcing his chin
up, with her right hand planted firmly in his stomach. "Watch it you
jerk! You almost hit me!"
"Fair maiden, the mighty Blue Thunder of Furinkan High would not hit
such a maiden as yourself. I have come merely to punish Saotome for his
transgressions." The words he spoke where strained and muddled, mostly
because she had her hand on his face, but also from the hard blow he had
taken to his gut. After she stepped back and allowed him to fall to his
knees he struggled to his feet.
"I apologize that I have frightened you so fair one," Ranma appeared
next to her and looked her up and down.
"Are you all right Shunchan?"
"This moron? I wouldn't have even felt a blow like that! He's too weak
to hurt me," she glanced back at him and noticed a dark cloud over the
older boy's head.
"Tell me, what is your relationship with Saotome?" he asked suddenly.
Shun was taken back by this. "That's my business, besides isn't it rude
to question a lady that way?"
Kuno seemed to calm considerably. "I see, yes I apologize for this. Now
it becomes clear that I must free not only Akane Tendo and the Pigtailed
Girl from the evil grasp of this boy but this young flower is in need as
well." He was promptly stopped in mid speech as Shun appeared next to him
with her fist implanted in his gut yet again.
"The only thing I need you to do is leave me alone!" she snarled as the
boy toppled like a felled tree. "Come on Ranchan, we'll be late for
class."
The boy nodded numbly and simply followed her.
"Who was that?" asked the boy groggily as he sat up.
Nabiki appeared by his side in an instant. "How much is it worth to you?
Are you interested in her?"
Kuno looked over at her as if she had just said the dumbest thing on the
planet to him. "Why would I be interested in such a brutish tomboy such
as this one?"
Nabiki just gaped at him in shock. Akane's most relentless pursuer had
just told her that this girl was too manly for him? Somehow that just
didn't sit right and she turned away. "Suit yourself Kunochan."
Shampoo jumped over the wall of Ranma's high school and squealed happily
when her target came into range. She rang the bell on her bicycle and
landed on his face. "Aiya! Ranma take Shampoo to date?"
Shun looked at the scene in mild shock and pushed the bike, girl and all
off of the boy. "Hey, Ranchan. You ok?"
The boy grumbled something under his breath and turned to see the
Chinese Amazon girl standing up and glaring at the two of them. "Who you
is?" cried the girl staring angrily at Shun.
"I'm Ranma's fianc�e, who want's to know?" retorted the girl.
"Aiya! Ranma is Shampoo husband!" cried the girl as she pulled on the
opposite arm from the one Shun was using to help him up. The girl
promptly let go sending both of them to the ground.
"I'm not going to get into a tug of war with you over this," she replied
simply looking at the pair of them on the ground. Shampoo stood up
leaving Ranma on the ground glancing around for an escape from the
situation.
The Amazon girl turned away from the newcomer and looked down at the boy
as he sat there between them. "Ranma take Shampoo to date today, yes?"
"What kind of idiot girl want's an ignorant husband? Ranma, we're going
to be late for class," retorted Shun as she turned away from the both of
them.
"Shampoo think enough for both!" snarled the Amazon with her fist at her
sides.
"Do you have any idea how stupid that sounded?" said the new girl as she
slowly and evenly gazed directly into the girl's eyes.
"She no be afraid Shampoo!" thought the Amazon carefully. "Must get rid
of this one!" The Tendo girl had some fear of her abilities and knew
better than to openly oppose her outright. She would stand her pathetic
attempts until Ranma saw that she was clearly the stronger wife. This one
was too confident for her liking, she moved like a good fighter too.
"Shampoo no let you talk to her that way!" snarled the girl a she
stepped forward deliberately.
"I don't have time for this right now, conditioner. I have other
obligations to attend to, and so does Ranma." The girl grabbed her
fianc�e by his arm and pulled him towards the school.
"So, you is afraid of Shampoo?!" taunted the Amazon with a wry smile on
her face.
Shun's only reply was to look back at her with a smirk on her face while
continuing towards the school. The look in her eyes was clear, no fear,
only a cold and calculating confidence.
"Shampoo need be careful, this one strong," thought the girl as she
shook with frustration. The girl would have to be removed, she could tell
that already. The only question was how Ranma would react to it,
especially after he protected the Tendo girl the way he did.
Shun sat in class and scowled to herself as the teacher talked. She was
realizing that she had just tread on dangerous waters, she realized that
at this time she could probably take Shampoo pretty easily. Especially
since she had the special moves to fall back on. At the moment she could
probably beat Ranma, but that would change pretty fast and she knew it,
but that was not her real problem. The last thing she needed was to get
on the bad side of the Amazons. She had to find a way to get out of this
mess and fast. Shampoo wasn't much of a problem, but Mousse and
especially Cologne could make her life here very hard to deal with. She
was fairly sure Ranma would help her out if it came down to that, but she
would rather avoid it completely.
"I've got to think!" she muttered getting a confused glance from Ranma
and Akane.
She offered the both of them a smile and winked at her fianc�e causing
him to blush. Akane growled and gave her an angry glare that turned her
smile into a genuine one. "She's fun to tease!" They all sat back and
enjoyed another boring day at Furinkan.
TBC...
Next time: More Nerima adventures from the pre-Happosai days of Ranma
1/2.
URL: Http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/fountain/3203
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com