Subject: [FFML] [fic][R.5]Le Plus Ca Change Prt.6 [FINAL REPOST, I PROMISE!!!]
From: "Dave Menard" <deibu_kun@sympatico.ca>
Date: 7/19/2000, 10:00 AM
To: "FFML POSTING" <ffml@fanfic.com>

    This is the last repost, I swear. Really. Honest.

    Formatting problems should be (knock on wood) 100% fixed, as well as
some revisions to the Shampoo/Ranma scene based on criticism from list
members; hopefully, this version will seem a little more balanced.

    Oh yeah, and those damn ellipsises? (ellipsi?) trimmed down to a more
managable number.

LE PLUS CA CHANGE...
Gods above, it's another damn Ranma 1/2 fanfic
By Dave Menard

DISCLAIMER:Original characters and situations 100% owned and
operated by Rumiko Takahashi and her designated licensees. Me?
I m just borrowing them for a while. Don't worry, I'll have
 'em back by midnight...

WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE: The year is 2015, and the children of
the Ranma 1/2 cast are the stars of the show. Kobuta Hibiki,
the son of Ryoga and Akari, has just met his iinazuke, Sachiko
Tendo, youngest daughter of Ranma and his late wife, Akane.
Things didn't go as well as their folks hoped, but about as
well as could be expected, given their ancestries.

     Meanwhile, Ti-Pi, niece of Shampoo, Matriarch of the
Amazons, has just gained Kobuta as her Airen, and is going
home with him to meet the family.

     While this triangle of sorts develops, other suitors,
kith and kin begin to seep out of the woodwork.

Previous Chapters Available at http://spghome.tripod.com/

CHAPTER SIX

***************************

     The air was thick with unspoken tension. From the
outside, it might've appeared to be a proper Japanese gathering.
Ryouga, Kobuta, Sachiko and Ranko knelt politely at the table,
Ti-Pi knelt slightly behind her Airen's father, massaging his
broad shoulders. The half-amazon girl's face gave lie to the
untroubled setting; a strange mix of worry and anticipation
flitted across her kawaii features as she glanced in the
direction of the dojo.

     Ryoga grumbled, bearlike. "They've been in there a long
time..." the big man muttered.

     "Aiyaa..." Ti-Pi breathed, nodding. "Honoured Father-in-
Law speak truly; Ti-Pi not know that Auntie have Airen."

     "What's keeping them, anyway?" Sachiko muttered. she was
dressed in a red dress that barely concealed her petite form,
her planned date-from-hell forgotten. She glared across the
table at her so-called-fiance, the one who was, to her mind,
the author of her father's current misery.

     "Hey, don't look at me, Sachiko-san. It's not like I knew
what I was getting into. I didn't _mean_ to- ah, er-" Ti-Pi
looked up at that, giving Kobuta a hurt look. He gave her a
sickly, apologetic smile. The girl's face brightened slightly,
and she winked back.

     "Would you two quit flirting!" Sachiko muttered. "Some of
us are trying to digest dinner here."

     Ranko yawned. "All I know is that this'd better
finish up soon. I need to hit the sack. Don't wanna win that
tournament tomorrow with bags under my eyes; how'd _that_ look
in the papers?"

     "There's a tournament tomorrow?" Kobuta asked, eager for
conversation unrelated to his current troubles.

     "Yep-ers. Annual King Of Fighters tournament. Gonna sweep
the women's under-thirty division _again_. S'good publicity
for the dojo, don'cha know."

     "Hey Dad, howcome you didn't enter me in the tournament?"
Kobuta asked.

     "Well, we Hibiki's aren't tournament fighters, son."

     "Whassamatter, not good enough?" Ranko smirked.

     "No, that's not it at all!" Ryoga grumbled. Just like her
Father, this one. "We, er... don't get invited anymore."

     "Why is that, honoured Father-in-Law?" Ti-Pi questioned.

     Ryoga muttered something unintelligible.

     "What was that?" Ranko teased.

     Ryoga sighed. "I _said_, the committee said I was too
destructive. It's not my fault the stadium fell apart. Damn
substandard workmanship..."

     "Oh." Kobuta mumbled. "Darn. Would'a been fun to compete.
I could've shown you girls my stuff."

     Sachiko snorted. "Martial arts. Phooey."

     Ti-Pi smiled sympathetically. "Is okay, Airen. Ti-Pi
already know you worthy husband."

     "Well..." Ranko mulled, "Registration doesn't close until
the first match starts. Why'ncha sign up? I ain't interested
in marryin' ya, but I wouldn't mind seeyin' what yer gonna be
teachin' my eventual nieces an' nephews."

     "Ranko!" Sachiko yelped. "We're not getting married!"

     "Oh, so you're gonna have a litter outta wedlock, are ya?
Very progressive of ya, 'tochan," she teased. Sachiko turned
purple.

     "Umm," Kobuta interjected, "Pigs don't actually _have_
litters-"

     "You shut up!" Sachiko snarled. "You don't have to
encourage them!"

     "Sachiko be nice to Airen!" Ti-Pi warned. "Or Ti-Pi have
to put shield-hand wife over her knee!"

     "I m am NOT your wife, and you wouldn't dare!!!"

     The table descended into mayhem at that point, leaving
Ryoga, fortunately, on the outside. The big man shook his head
wearily. What the hell was keeping Ranma?

******************

     The arrival of the Amazons hadn't gone as badly as it
might have, considering. What made a potential disaster into a
mere crisis was, as usual, the influence of Kasumi.

     Sachiko was in the middle of berating her father and
potential father-in-law for fighting in her kitchen (No, Mr.
Hibiki, I _don't_ believe it was Daddy's fault. Daddy, quit
sticking your tongue out at Mr. Hibiki!) when the vidphone
rang.

     "Darn it! All right, then. You two-" She pointed
meaningfully at the supposed adults, "-get to work cleaning
this mess up! I'll get the phone. I _heard_ that, Daddy, and I
am _not_ bossy!" She reached out and toggled on the vid-
phone's voice-only option. "Moshi-moshi, Tendo-ku, Sachiko
desu... Auntie Kasumi! Hi!"

     "Hello, dear," Kasumi said pleasantly. "Is your father
home?"

     "He's, ah, he can't really come to the phone right now,
Auntie," She paused to glare at her father. "Can I give him
a message?"

     "Oh, well, yes. If you could tell him that Shampoo is in
town, and that she'll probably be dropping by before long."

     "Shampoo? Someone's delivering shampoo?"

     Kasumi sighed. "Just tell your father, dear. I've got a
housecall to make, so I can't really chat. Give my love to
your sister, and tell her that Tofu, Keiichi and I will be
cheering for her tomorrow."

     "I will, Auntie. Take care."

     "You too, dear."

     Sachiko hung up the line and turned, frowning. "Father,
Auntie Kasumi said to tell you something about shampoo being
delivered, or something like that, anyway..."

     "Shampoo?" Ranma blinked. "There's plenty in the ofuro, I
didn't order any..." She paused as a light dawned. "Wait, did
she say someone was _delivering_ shampoo, or did she mention
someone _named_ Shampoo?"

     "I'm not sure, I guess it could have been... You know
someone named Shampoo?"

     Ranma and Ryoga exchanged awkward glances.

     "Err, yes?"

     "Shampoo.. Shampoo..." Sachiko thought aloud. "Now where
have I heard a name like that... Hey! Isn't Chugoku's Dad
named Mousse? What, is this person from the same part of China
as him?"

     "Err... Yes?" Ranma temporized.

     "This isn't another unpleasant moment from your past that
come back to bite you in the rear, is it, Daddy?"

     "Errr..."

     "Terrific." Sachiko muttered. "It's a day for
revelations. This'd better not be another fiance, Daddy..."

     "Not one of yours, no..." Ranma sweated out, after a
moment of thought.

     "WONderful. You're SUCH a comfort, Daddy..."


********************

     The kitchen and environs had been returned to a
serviceable state by the time the doorbell rang.

     "Well, that must be this Shampoo person..." Sachiko
stood, going over to the engawa.

     "I don't know, Sacchi," Ranma (once again in his natural
form) interjected. "Shampoo's usually not one for doors."

     "She generally makes her own." Ryoga clarified.

     Sachiko groaned into her hands. "Mother, if you're
watching, don't let me kill Daddy..."

     Muttering imprecations under her breath, Sachiko answered
the door.

     "Hello, welcome to the Tendo dojo-" She noticed Kobuta
standing there sheepishly, only peripherally aware of the two
women. "Oh. It's _you_..." Her voice dripped ice.

     Shampoo glanced speculatively down at the girl who had
answered the door. So this was Ranma's daughter. She strongly
resembled his girl half, except for her hair colour and style.
Were it not for the scandalously tiny dress she was wearing,
she might have taken them for the same person; but not even
the mirror-generated Onna-Ranma had dressed that brazenly.

     Kobuta noticed The Dress. You could tell he'd noticed
because his nose was geysering blood at an alarming rate. That
is, it was, until he passed out from sensory overload and
collapsed in a heap in the doorway.

     "Well, it's nice to know it would have worked... "
Sachiko muttered.

     Ti-Pi witnessed the display with trepidation. This little
sex-bomb was to be her co-wife? Unconsciously, she drew
herself up a little taller, thrusting out her chest. Two could
play at this game!

     Shampoo cleared her throat, and Sachiko remembered her
manners.

     "Oh! I'm sorry." She looked up... and up... at the
statuesque violet-haired Amazon. "Hello..."

     Shampoo and Ti-Pi bowed politely. "Hello, Saotome-san. I
am Shampoo of Joketsuzoku. It is an honour to make your
aquaintance."

     Ti-Pi mimicked her elder's motions. "Nihao!"

     Sachiko's eyes slid from one to the other. "Um, Nihao.
It s er, Tendo, actually. Saotome is my father s family s
name."

     "Ah." Shampoo nodded. At least Akane had done something
right and not ceded her family name to a male. "Forgive us,
Tendo-san. I am an old friend of your father. May we come in?"

     "Of course, please." Sachiko waved them in, tugging them
hem of her skirt down self-consciously. "This way..."
Sachiko stepped lightly over Kobuta s prone form into the
hallway.

     Ti-Pi sighed as she looked down on her Airen. "We is
going to have to break you of this, Airen. Ti-Pi cannot be
carrying you everyplace."

******************

     Shampoo was unprepared for the maelstrom of emotions that
nearly overwhelmed her as she laid eyes on Ranma.

     Goddess, she thought to herself, he's still so damn sexy!
Age had recast Ranma's boyish features into handsome, manly
planes. His steel-blue eyes were careworn, but still soulful
pools a woman could drown herself in. Her earlier fear that
his body might have degenerated into the slothfulness of his
father was completely dispelled. Despite the gulf of years, it
was almost all she could do from charging across the room and
taking him in her arms, so powerful were the feelings his
presence stirred.

     Yet the memories of that day, twenty years ago, when he
had made his choice, were still present, keeping her from
acting the fool. Mentally, she steeled herself. This man had
rejected her, had loved another. The cold ache of that fact
settled into her stomach, allowing her to regain her
composure.

     "Ranma..." Shampoo said, bowing formally.

     Ranma sucked air through clenched teeth, his eyes wide. The
Amazon's girlish beauty had blossomed into the form and figure of
a warrior queen. Her violet locks, once done up in maiden's
braids and buns, hung long, loose and vibrant to her knees. She
was tall, easily 200 cm, at least a head taller that he. At
sixteen, he had thought her figure lush, her features cute. How
things had changed! Now that the fullness of womanhood was upon
her she resembled nothing so much as a goddess out of myth.
Simply put, she was stunning.

     "Shampoo. It's... good to see you."

     Ryoga looked back and forth between his two old allies,
their mutual admiration obvious. This, he thought to himself,
was an unexpected development.

     The big man noticed the younger Amazon enter, carrying
his son. "Urhm..."

     Shampoo tore her gaze away from Ranma. "Ryoga? Is... that
YOU?" A smile spread across her face. "LOOK at you! You're
so... so..."

     "Porky?" Ranma interjected, unable to restrain himself.

     Shampoo tactfully ignored the comment. "... husky! Akari
must be taking good care of you!"

     "Um, yes, Akari's wonderful, I... Excuse me, but what is
that young lady doing with my son?"

     Ti-Pi smiled and drew herself up. "Greetings, Honoured
Father-in-Law! Am Ti-Pi, warrior of Joketsuzoku. Ti-Pi is too-
too happy to meet her new family!!"

     "Oh, no..." Ryoga moaned. "He didn't... He isn't..."

     "Oh yes. He did, he is." Shampoo said, stepping forward,
all smiles. "Welcome to the family, Ryoga."

******************

     Sachiko, as might be expected, took the news quite well.

     "Hey, congratulations, Kobuta. Couldn't happen to a nicer
fellow."

     "Er, gosh, Sachiko-san, I m glad you re being so broad-
minded about this..." Kobuta said, surprised.

     "Yes, Ti-Pi very glad to see everything go so smoothly!"

     "Hey, forget it!" Sachiko said jubilantly. "I want to
wish you two a long, happy life together! All the best,
really."

     "Frankly, I m amazed!" Kobuta quipped. "When Ti-Pi told
me, I thought you'd hit the roof! Ha-ha! Silly me, huh?" He
rubbed the back of his head. This was almost to good to be
true! He wasn t a pervert, (or at least, no more perverted
than the average seventeen-year-old) but he wasn t about to
look a gift horse like this in the mouth!

     "What's all the hullabaloo?" Ranko called from upstairs.
"I'm tryin  to make an early night of it, ya know!"

     "C'mon down, Oneechan!" Sachiko called. "Kobuta s here,
and he's introducing us to his new fiancee!"

     "New fiancee? Oh, I gotta see Pops' face!" Ranko appeared
in the space of a heartbeat.

     "Er- " Ti-Pi interrupted. "Ti-Pi is sorry to interrupt,
but think 'fiancee'  is not right word, maybe."

     "No?" Sachiko asked, a little worried.

     "Ti-Pi is Airen s wife!"

     "Hey, even better!" Sachiko was inwardly jumping for joy.
Her problem was solved. She was rid of the pig for good!

     Ti-Pi leapt forward and hugged the shorter girl
effusively. "Ti-Pi is so happy! Sachiko and Ti-Pi will be such
good friends! Make Airen too-too happy!"

     "H-huhn? Uh, sure... We can be friends..." Sachiko
squeaked from the hug.

     "Ti-Pi is so glad Sachiko agree to be shield-hand wife!
Ti-Pi sure we be like sisters in no time!"

     Ranko blinked. "Shield-hand wife? What s that mean?"

     Ti-Pi broke out of the hug, maintaining an arm over
Sachiko s shoulders. "Is Amazon law! If Amazon's Airen have
already claim on hand, then Amazon must either kill rival girl
or accept as shield-hand wife. Ti-Pi so glad that Sachiko
marry Ti-Pi! Is so much nicer that way!"

     The import of Ti-Pi s words slowly penetrated Sacchi s
mind. Wife? Marry? A GIRL?!

     "NANI?!?!" Sachiko and Ranko chorused.

     "Yeah, that was my reaction at first," Kobuta said, "but
when Sachiko-san agreed so readily... Well, who am I to
complain? I admit, it'll be difficult, providing for all three
of us, but I promise I'll take care of both of you." Kobuta
struck a righteous pose. "Fear not! I, Kobuta Hibiki, will be
the best husband I can be!!! I- UKRK!"

     Sachiko elbowed him in the gut. "Knock it off, Casanova!
And _you_," she whirled on Ti-Pi, "You... Hussy! I'm not
marrying ANYBODY!!!"

     "Who you call hussy?" Ti-Pi chirped. "Ti-Pi not one who
is wearing itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny-red-as-fire-engine fuck-me
dress!!!"

     Things degenerated from there.

     As Ranko and Ryoga struggled to pry Sachiko off Kobuta
and Ti-Pi, Shampoo calmly strolled up to Ranma.

     "We need to talk, Ranma," the tall Amazon said softly.
"Privately, if possible."

     "O-of course..." Ranma stuttered, looking up at his
guest. "We'll talk in the dojo."

     "Fine," Shampoo nodded. "Ti-Pi?"

     "Y-yes honoured Auntie?" Ti-Pi yelped, trying to extract
one of her braids from Sachiko's nigh-foaming mouth.

     "Play nice with your new Airens, now."

     "Yes, honoured Auntie!"

**********************

     "She's a cute kid. Yours?" Ranma mumbled, searching for
something to break the ice. Shampoo shook her head, smiling
softly.

     "My niece. Ti-Pi is a lovely girl, and one of our best
warriors. She'll make a fine bride for the Hibiki boy. Your
daughter..."

     "Sachiko is... very much like her mother, sometimes.
she's stubborn, willful and set in her ways."

     "Sounds more like you than Akane."

     "Oh?"

     "Well, maybe a bit like both of you. She doesn't seem
like much of a fighter, though. Oh, she's very fierce, but..."

     "She doesn't practice the Art, if that's what you mean.
Not for ten years, anyway. Ranko is the school's heir."

     "Your eldest?"

     "Yes. She's very talented."

     "She has the carriage of a warrior. She'd make a fine
Amazon, Ranma. I..." She sighed, shaking her head. "This is
very awkward."

     "That's an understatement."

     "I've missed you, Ranma."

     "Have you?" His voice and expression were unreadable.

     "Yes, I have... Airen."

     "Please don't."

     "What?"

     "Don't call me that. Akane was my wife, not you."

     "By Amazon law, we were married from the moment I gave
you the Kiss of Marriage-"

     "You know I-"

     "That doesn't change the fact that it's true. As far as
our laws are concerned, you are still my husband."

     He sighed. "Let's not do this again. We went over this
twenty years ago."

     "Very well." Shampoo breathed. "About Sachiko..."

     "I heard what your niece said." Another sigh. "I... I'm
putting my foot down this time, Shampoo. I won't have a child
of mine go through the same misery I did."

     Shampoo's eyes went wide. "Misery? You call what YOU went
through MISERY? You arrogant, self-centered BASTARD!" Her voice
caught on that last syllable. She whirled, not willing to let
Ranma see her tears.

          "Shampoo..." He reached out, hesitantly, to offer
comfort. Even raising two daughters through a tumultuous
adolescence hadn't inured him to a woman's tears.

     With a sob that almost sounded like a snarl, she swatted
his hand away. "Don't touch me! Don't you DARE! You gave up
that right a long time ago, when you took another woman as a
wife!"

     "Shampoo..." He sighed. "Shampoo, I loved her..."

     The matriarch spun, tear-filled eyes blazing. "And you
held nothing in your heart for me, is that it? Not even
FRIENDSHIP?! Damn you, I would have DIED for even THAT much
from you! But instead... Instead I was the Chinese Bimbo! The
Gaijin WHORE who could be used up and then thrown away like
some piece of... of  GARBAGE!" She slapped him, hard, across
the face. He took it unflinchingly. Shampoo scowled and spun
away from him. "You... were... my beloved husband, Ranma."

     "I never agreed to-"

     "It doesn't MATTER!! It doesn't matter whether you agreed
or not, I WAS YOUR WIFE!! Don't you understand what that
MEANT?!"

     "It was just some stupid law, Shamp-" He was cut off by a
powerful right cross that sent him to the floor of the dojo.
In a twinkling, Shampoo was in his face, her red eyes blazing.

     "MAN," she spat the word like it was an expletive, "I am
the Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku. I represent 3000 years of
unbroken traditions, a culture that ruled an empire while your
race was wallowing about in the mud in Korea. We have resisted
invasion, escaped genocide, weathered the fall of of the
P.R.C... Don't you EVER presume to tell me our laws are
stupid!"

     "That may be..." Ranma said, coming to his feet
uneasily. He'd been unprepared for her strength, after his
years of complacency. "But I didn't want to marry anyone who
wanted me because of a _law_. I married Akane because _I_
wanted to! Not our parents, not inheritance law, not honour,
but BECAUSE I WANTED TO! I loved her, Shampoo... I'm sorry
that hurts you, but..."

     "Ranma..." Shampoo breathed, her voice almost a whisper.
"I loved you in spite of the law, not because of it." She
gazed down at the smaller man, her voice taking on a distant
tone. "The life of an Amazon warrior is never easy, Ranma. The
life of a Matriarch, even less so." She looked away. "Since I
was old enough to hold a weapon, I have been trained, groomed
for the role I was to play in my tribe's destiny. Aside from
the lessons of a warrior, my Great-Grandmother taught me that
a Matriarch cannot stand alone, she must have a worthy mate.
'Behind every great woman, stands a great man.' That's what
she used to tell me. Did you know," she turned to face him.
"That my Great-Grandmother's greatest regret was that she was
unable to rule alongside the one warrior who had bested her?"

     "You mean... the old lech?!"

     "She claimed he was not always so bad, you know. Personally,
I think she was full of it, but that is neither here nor there.
Suffice it to say that at one time, his qualities apparently
outweighed his vices. I find myself in a similar predicament. The
man I loved proved unworthy of me, despite the fact that I
showered him with all the love in my heart. It was a sad lesson.
For their sakes, it is one I hope your daughters need never
learn."

     "Hey... Wait a minute. Who're you calling unworthy?
Just because I didn't love you is no call to-"

     Shampoo's gaze was haughty and cold. "You proved unworthy
because you didn't care about the consequences of your
actions. A better man would have bothered to try to minimize
the pain he caused a woman who loved him. Do you know what my
failure cost me, Ranma?"

     "Wait just a damn minute. I thought you'd already been
punished with the-" he grimaced, "c-c-cat curse. You mean they
did something else?"

     "Oh yes," she chuckled humourlessly. "My failure cost me
more than a little face, or some silly curse. It cost me my
freedom!"

     "What?"

     "When I returned without your head or your hand, I was
disgraced. That, I tolerated." She laughed ruefully. "After
chasing you for two years, I had little dignity left to me.
For a daughter of the ruling house of Joketsuzoku, however,
the punishments are more severe. I endured the trial by combat
at least, so I was not given to the Musk as a brood mare.
Instead, I was given over to a rival family as a bondswoman
for ten years..."

     "Bondswoman?"

     "Slave, if you prefer... I was stripped of my name, my
warrior's rank; everything I had left."

     "Mousse never said anything..."

     "He didn't know. Men are not kept appraised of the secret
rites of our tribe."

     "If Mousse didn't know, how the hell was I supposed to-" He
swallowed the rest of his retort. He could see that Shampoo had
to get this off her chest. Maybe she was right, maybe she was
wrong, but for now he'd hear her out. There'd be time enough for
rebuttal when she finished. "Look, if you were a slave, how come
you made it to Akane's funeral?"

     "A parole, if you will. When word of her death reached my
Great Grandmother, I was given the opportunity to reclaim my
honour by taking back my husband if I could. But I couldn't,
not with Akane still warm in the ground. You were a ruined
wreck of a man, hardly the Ranma I remembered... Do you recall
the rather large women who accompanied me to the service?"

     "Yes, vaguely. I assumed that they were warriors under
your command."

     "Warriors, yes. They were my jailers, not my troops. A
year after that, I challenged for my freedom and won it by
force of arms. By that time, Great-Grandmother was very ill.
My mother was effectively running the tribe in my absence.
When I regained my name, I regained my title, and mother
stepped aside. She'd never wanted the office, you understand;
she wasn't a warrior by inclination..."

     "I can't believe they did that just because you couldn't
get a husband..."

     "Not merely that. I had failed to win the hand of a
powerful warrior who would have brought new blood to the
tribe, but worse, I left him in the hands of a woman who he
claimed to despise..."

     "It was just our way! I didn't mean it, I was just a
scared, stubborn kid."

     "Was it that simple? I have no idea. You certainly didn't
_seem_ to like her... I remember a few times Great-Grandmother
and I had to patch you up after you fell through the roof of
the restaurant. Again and again, you said you wanted nothing
to do with the 'uncute tomboy'. Even under the influence of
magic or drugs, you still steadfastly denied any feelings for
her. What was a lovestruck, naive girl to do, refuse to help
the man she loved escape from such a horrible woman?"

     "Oh sure, I really appreciated the help." Ranma said
snarkily. "Didn't the fact that you had to bribe, threaten or
drug me to date you clue you in to the fact that I didn't like
you that way?"

     "And what else was I supposed to do? Being friendly didn't
work. It didn't work for ANY of us. Was I supposed to go smacking
you around with mallets? That seemed to turn your crank-"

     "What're you suggesting?" he asked angrily. "Are you
suggesting I'm some kind of pervert? Are you suggesting _Akane_
was some kind of pervert? 'Cause if you are, I-"

     "Oh, please. You reacted to her only marginally better
than you did to Kodachi. Am I to take it you loved her as
well?"

     "No, I didn't! But it's apples and oranges, you can't
compare them..."

     "Really? That's what it looked like to me. I suspect if
you asked the spatula-girl she'd tell you the same thing..."

     "Dammit! You can't tell me that my love for Akane was a
lie! I loved her, for Kamisama's sake! She gave me two
beautiful children and the best years of her life!"

     Shampoo seemed to wilt slightly. It was all happening the
same way it did all those years ago. If she was to have a chance,
she'd have to extend an olive branch."I'm not suggesting that
your feelings for her were lies, Ranma, nor... hers for you. All
I'm saying is that they certainly weren't apparent to a lonely
sixteen-year-old girl fresh off the boat from China..." She
sighed, melancholy. "And now the cycle repeats itself. My beloved
niece, it seems, is destined to suffer the humiliation of losing
a husband to a girl of the Tendo clan..."

     "I don't know what to say to this, Shampoo. Am I supposed to
feel guilty for marrying the woman I loved? I understand that
what I did hurt you, more than I could have known, obviously. But
don't you see? People were going to get hurt no matter WHO I
chose. You can't blame me for the harshness of your people's
laws, especially if I didn't know about 'em. It's not like you or
the old ghoul made any effort to fill me in on the situation..."

     "I wanted you to love me, Ranma. Not pity me, I... Oh,
hells. This is stupid. I've been stewing on this for two decades
now, and I'm still going around in circles." She sighed, and
essayed a rueful smile. "This isn't exactly how I pictured this
reunion, you know."

     "Oh really? Weren't planning a shouting match, were you?"
Ranma replied, a wry grin tugging at his mouth.

     "Hah! If I'd wanted that, I'd've stayed in the village,
where I always win them. No one out-shouts the Matriarch."

     "I'll bet."

     "No, I was hoping I could find Ti-Pi a nice husband, then
visit you, with no duties or obligations hanging over our heads.
Now I'm just the interfering Amazon all over again."

     "Well, you could always back off on the whole three-way
marriage thing. That'd help."

     "I can't do that, Ranma. The tribe needs strong new blood,
and I barely managed to get the amendments to the marriage laws
passed, even with my standing in the village. You should be
thankful I did, you know. Otherwise, Ti-Pi would be forced to
give your daughter the Kiss of Death..."

     "And you wonder why I'm opposed to this." Ranma snorted with
disbelief.

     "Amazon society is changing, Ranma. I'm _making_ it change;
slowly but surely. Your daughter is in no danger from Ti-Pi or
myself, I promise you." Ranma still looked skeptical. "Look, this
is a win-win situation here, Ranma. No one's disputing Sachiko's
claim on Kobuta, we just want to stake a _joint_ claim. You can
still join your schools, that _is_ what you're after, isn't it?
Please, Ranma. Say you'll relent. Say you'll let me talk to your
daughter. Trust me not to harm one who could have been my
own..."

     "I don't know, Shampoo... The old ghoul..."

     "I am not my Great-Grandmother, Ranma, anymore than you
are Happousai." There was a double meaning in that, she
thought. Unlike Cologne, she would not give up on her husband.
Nor did she think Ranma was beyond salvage...

     Ranma considered her words. The idea that the carefully
planned marriage he and Ryoga had arranged could fall through
worried him, yet how could he, in good conscience, doom
Shampoo's niece to ten years of slavery for loving
unfortunately? But Sachiko...

     "I'll speak to Sacchi. She's not a cruel girl, really."
He laughed self-consciously. "To be honest, she's not terribly
fond of young Kobuta herself... yet. I will not promise that
she'll agree, however. I had hoped that my daughter would have
an easier time of it than I did, though."

     "The fates are seldom so kind, Ranma." Shampoo said,
smiling softly. "Thank you, Ranma Saoto-, Ranma Tendo. You
have made Ti-Pi's path easier."

     "I wish..." Ranma whispered.

     "What is it?"

     "I wish that I had known. Back then. I don't know if I'd
have done anything differently, but I didn't wish you harm,
Shampoo, I hope you know that..." He reached out to touch her
shoulder, but withdrew, remembering her earlier reproach.

     The Matriarch reached out and took his hand, squeezing
gently. "I know. That is why I do not, cannot hate you. You
are not an evil man, Ranma. Frustrating, yes. Insensitive,
definitely. Foolish, certainly. But not evil."

     "Gee, thanks..." Ranma muttered. Shampoo squeezed his
hand again. "Heh. So... Where are you staying?"

     "Oh, I was thinking that this benighted ward needs a good
Chinese restaurant..."

     "Hmm... Well, Ucchan's serves ramen, now that Mousse is
co-owner-" the squeeze suddenly became a lot less gentle.
"Hey now! It's not the same." He smiled kindly as the
pressure lessened. "It's not like you used to make..."

     "That's better." The Matriarch smiled.

     "Yeah," Ranma muttered teasingly, "no weird Chinese hug-
me herbs..."

     Shampoo's eyes went wide, then she caught the teasing
tone and grinned fiercely. "Oh, is that so..? Well, I need no
herbs for _that_, little man..." With a quick jerk on their
still joined hands, she brought Ranma to her chest. "See?"

     "Aha, umm, er..." Ranma stumbled, excruciatingly aware of
Shampoo's hard, warm body pressed up against him.

     "What's the matter, Ranma..?" Shampoo whispered huskily,
her sweet breath tickling his lips. "Cat got your tongue?"

     "Ah, no, no..." Ranma sputtered. She was so close, and so
beautiful... and it had been ten years and change since...

     "Well, she's certainly about to..." Shampoo breathed as
she leaned in towards his unresisting mouth...

     "ALL RIGHT!" A voice yelled from the doorway. "That's
ENOUGH of THAT!!!"

     Ranma spun, practically leaping out of Shampoo's embrace.
Shampoo merely sighed and rolled her eyes. Of _course_ they'd
be interrupted, how foolish of her to imagine otherwise...

     Sachiko stood in the doorway, and outraged frown on her
face. "You get the heck away from my Daddy, you... you... "

     She was cut off by a quick hand over her mouth. Ranko
popped up behind her and wrapped her up in a half-nelson with
her free arm. "Aheh. Pardon us. Go back about your
business..."

     Sachiko wriggled out of her sister's half-hearted hold
and stalked forward. "Now listen here, you! You leave-"

     "No, YOU listen here, young lady." Shampoo said firmly.
"It's very rude to eavesdrop on people, not to mention
entering a room unannounced. Now go back out, knock, and wait
to be admitted."

     Sachiko goggled. "WHA-AT?!"

     "You heard me." Shampoo stated plainly. "It's a sad day
when a gaijin like myself must lecture proper young Japanese
ladies on etiquette..."

     "I WON'T!" Sachiko yelled. "Daddy, tell her..." She
stared hard at her father, who simply looked dazed.
Exasperated, she spun on Ranko. "Well?! Aren't you going to
say something?!"

     "Yep." Ranko said, grabbing her sister and tossing her
over her shoulder like a sack of rice. "We're goin'. Now." She
turned and nodded at the adults. "Pops. Lady. We'll be waitin'
in the house. Take your time, but we're gonna expect an
explanation, alright?"

     Shampoo nodded. This one would be a worthy pupil. "More
than reasonable, Miss Tendo. Your father and I will join you
momentarily."

     "Good. Just make it soon, Okay? I got a tournament in the
mornin', an' I need ta sleep. Oh, an' Pops?" She looked over
at her dazed father, and flashed him a thumbs-up. "S'about
time, y'old goat. See ya back at the house." And with that,
she left, carting her thrashing sister along with her.

     "Remarkable girl." Shampoo muttered, sweatdropping.

     Ranma could only nod mutely.

     Regaining her composure, Shampoo chuckled. "So, shall we
pick up where we left off?"

     Still dazed, Ranma mumbled an affirmative, before coming
to himself. "Wait, now." He gently pulled away. "This is...
happening too fast. We hardly know each other anymore. We
can't..."

     "Why not?" Shampoo said quizzically. "We're both single
adults... Your eldest has given her blessing..."

     "It's not that..." Ranma said thoughtfully. "I just don't
think I'm ready to... Well, especially not here. This place
was Akane's, long before it was mine. I-"

     "I understand, Ranma." Shampoo hung her head slightly,
resigned. I suppose it was a bit much to hope we could cast
all those years aside..."

     "Well, I'm not saying that I'm not... Well... Perhaps, we
could have dinner together? Away from the kids?"

     "That..." Shampoo's voice held a breath of hope. "That
would be nice."

     "Good, I'm glad." Ranma smiled. "It _is_ good to see you
again, my friend."

     "Thank you... friend." Shampoo smiled. Friend, and
hopefully, eventually... Maybe something more.

************************

     Across Nerima, young fighters lay their heads down to
sleep, the better to rise refreshed for the tournament on the
morrow.

     At the Kuno mansion, Kin lay in her vast four-poster bed,
visions of endorsements and championship titles dancing in her
head. Oddly enough, though, her last thoughts before drifting
off to sleep were of a certain diminutive ninja...

     Down the hall, her cousin, Burakuro Taro, dozed as well,
exhausted from his labours. His unwanted bedmate curled under
his arm.

     "Bura-sama..." Lina sighed happily, lost in her dreams.

     In the apartments above Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, Chugoku's
mother and father tucked her in, a gentle kiss on her forehead
from each.

     "Sleep tight, sugar." Her mom smiled. "You're gonna need
your rest."

     "I'll make you guys proud tomorrow, I promise..." Chugo
sighed happily.

     "We know you will, honey," her father whispered, turning
off the lights.

     At the modest home of the Gosunkugi family, Hikaru pulled
his attention away from the vidscreen and turned to his wife.

     "Darling?" He asked absently. "Where's Lina?"

     "She's over at her friend Kin's."

     "Oh." He went back to his talk show.

     In his bedroom above the Tofu clinic, Keiichi
doublechecked his alarm. He'd be up, out of the house, and at
the tournament before his folks even woke up. Once he'd shown
them he could handle himself, they'd forgive him...

     In a small bungalow near the uncleared rubble that once
was Tomobiki High School, a brown-haired half-oni girl curled
up, dreams of the myriad studmuffins she'd see at the
tournament tomorrow tantalizing her senses. All those big,
strong boys, getting all sweaty... their soaked dogis
straining against bulging pectorals, biceps and... Oooh!!!

     Supaaku Moroboshi giggled to herself. It was gonna be a
great day!

     In a strange crystalline spacecraft in the outskirts of
the solar system, a black haired girl floated, her artificial
tail lashing.

     "Myaaah!" The spacecraft chirped.

     "Bedtime already? Aw, c'mon Ryo-Oh-Ki! S'only.. what,
eleven o' clock on Jurai?"

     "Myah, Myahh..."

     "Yeah, yeah. I know, thruster-lag. Yeesh." She shook out
her spiky mane and hovered over to the acceleration couch that
doubled as a cot.

     "Myah!"

     "Huh? Incoming call? Who from?"

     "Mya-ah..."

     Sigh. "Okay, I'll take it." A viewscreen flickered to
life, displaying the regal (and annoyed) features of the Co-
Empress of Jurai. "Hiya, Auntie Ayeka."

     "Don't you 'hiya' me, young lady! Where do you think
you're going?" Ayeka huffed. "You've a marriage meeting in two
solar cycles! You can't go... gallivanting around the colonies
now!"

     "Listen, Auntie. The only guy I wanna marry's waiting for
me back on Earth."

     "The Hibiki boy? The pig farmer's son? Are you mad?"

     "And what's wrong with him? He's honest, and brave, and
handsome, and fun..."

     "HE'S A PIG FARMER!!!"

     "So? Dad was a carrot farmer..."

     "Your father was the crown prince! Gardening was merely a
hobby!" Ayeka looked distraught. "Please, Achika! What will
your mother think? She left you in my care while she and the
Emperor went on vacation!"

     "Ryo-Oh-Ki already checked. Mom says she doesn't care, so
long as I don't get knocked up, and remember to bring her back
some sake."

     Ayeka was speechless. Achika signed off with a jaunty
wave. "'Bye Auntie! I'll say hi to Grampa for ya!"

     Back on Earth, all across Japan, warriors touched down,
or disembarked, or checked into their hotels.

     Shauna Masters checked into the Tokyo Hilton penthouse
suite with her Daddy's credit card.

     "Sure'll be good to face Tendo again. This year, I'll
really give her a run for her money!"

     Several floors down, another blonde girl, this one with
an almost silver mane, flopped down on her bed and sighed.

     "Tournament Fighting. Bleah. Oh, well, at least I'll get
to see my little Ranko-chan again!" She giggled to herself and
began to unpack, bouncing excessively. Ichino Bogard had
arrived.

     A lone cloaked figure disembarked from the proverbial
slow boat from China. (Actually, in this day and age, it was a
slow hovercraft, but the spirit was the same.) The regal
figure's eyes flashed yellow-green as he smiled, showing a
hint of fang. A customs agent held out his hand.

     "Passport?"

     The cloaked figure handed over his documents.

     "Huh. What kind of a name is 'Hemlock', anyway?" the
customs man chortled.

     His laughter was cut short by a choking grip on his
throat. "It is a Musk name. It is _Prince_ Hemlock, worm. You
would do well to remember it."

     At Giants Stadium in downtown Tokyo, the preparations
were already underway for the greatest fighting extravagaza in
history...

     Won't you join us next time, for the main event?


***************************************************

     Whew! Next up: The King Of Fighters Tournament!

     Comments? Questions? Betting odds? Contact
deibu_kun@sympatico.ca, or respond to the FFML


Dave Menard
-------------------------------------
Fanfiction page:
http://spghome.tripod.com/



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