Well, here's Part Two of the next episode!!  This is, as
with the previous Series, based heavily on events and
situations from the preceeding stories, which are
available on my Web Site:

http://www.geocities.com/coutuva

As always, C&C is anticipated, accepted, and appreciated.
All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright
Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.

**Note:  This story was actually written a while ago, but then
rewritten just recently, which has left some of the event
references dated.**

Please Enjoy.
Coutuva.



As Long as You Love Me - Part Two
-----------------------------------------------------------------


	Shampoo didn't even wait until the dust from the
the girls' taxi had settled.  She immediately raced to the phone
and hastily dialed a certain number.
	Her fingers actually trembled as she waited for the
overseas call to connect, certain that the party she was
calling would be able to make her scheme a success.  The idea
had come to her as she showered that morning, and she had
been anxious to try it ever since.
	Finally, the call went through, and her heart almost
jumped at the sound of the voice on the other end.
	"Moshi, Moshi," the other party's voice answered, familiar
despite being a bit distorted by the cell network.
	"Ohaiyo, Kuno Nabiki-san.  It is Shampoo calling," the
Amazon stated, trying to control the nervousness in her voice.
She knew that contact with Nabiki could prove to be a double-edged
sword, and wanted to chose her words carefully.
	"Ano...  Shampoo?  Where the hell are you?  Everyone's
been wondering!" Nabiki sputtered, taken completely off-guard by
the call.
	"I am in Canada, but no one needs to know that.  I have
my reasons," Shampoo responded, keeping her voice serious.
	"Huhn.  Now that's what I like.  A woman with clear
goals.  So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Nabiki replied,
bemusedly.
        "I need to find information about someone.  Are you still
doing that?"
	"Yes, but I'm keeping it quiet these days.  Social
pressures, if you know what I mean.  So, who's the victim?"
        "Her name is Okimiyaki Kikyo.  I think you know her."
        The phone went very quiet in her ear, and for a moment,
she thought she lost the connection.  Just as she was about to ask
if Nabiki was still there, Nabiki herself spoke.
	"Just a minute," came a terse response, followed by the
clack of computer keys in the background.
        Shampoo smiled to herself, her suspicions confirmed.
Nabiki was still upset about Kikyo, which meant she would get
exactly the kind of information she wanted.
        "Eto... Okimiyaki Kikyo.  28 years old, black hair, brown
eyes, 137 pounds, born in Kobe, emigrated to Canada in 1991, former
elementary school teacher, Weapons Expert, last major occupation
with the Canadian Armed Forces.  Honorably discharged in 1995,
now working at Hiroshima Daycare, Toronto Ontario.  Father
and Mother both deceased.  She also shows as burakumin, which
is probably why she left Japan," Nabiki recited, still tersely.
"What do you want to know about her?"
        "I want to know when you gave her the orders to find Ranma."
the Amazon explained, hoping Nabiki wouldn't push for details.
        Nabiki didn't respond for a second, then Shampoo heard her
huff into the phone.
        "I don't know what you're doing, Amazon, and I really don't
want to know, but I think I like it," Nabiki responded, wicked
amusement threaded through her voice.  "Okay, here's the scoop. She
was first given those orders about two or three hours after the
accident -- right after I found out.  She was sent a complete file,
including pictures within the month, and I talked to her on her cell
phone a few times in there, too," Nabiki indicated, the sound of
amusement still in her tone.
        "Arigato, Nabiki-san.  I have what I needed," Shampoo
smiled, excitedly.  "If you ever need a favor, you call Shampoo.
Just don't tell that I called you, or where I am."
        "Daijobu desu.  Anything to help a friend get someone.
Especially *that* someone," Nabiki responded, smugly.  "Well, good
luck, Shampoo...  you must let me know how this turns out.  Oh, and
I may just take you up on that offer one of these days.  It just
so happens that I need a new Operative in that area.  Caio!" Nabiki
continued, and broke the connection.
	Setting the handset on the hook slowly, Shampoo smiled
wickedly, unable to believe her luck.  She had thought it would 
still take some convincing to get anything out of Nabiki, even 
though she had reason to want to get back at Kikyo.  Instead, she 
now had everything she needed -- with only one major exception.  
	She still needed some kind of physical evidence, just in 
case.
	Sitting back on the couch, she thought over what she had
discovered, realizing that she was now in possession of a ticking
bomb, and wanted to handle it appropriately.
        It had occurred to the Amazon that since Kikyo had been one
of Nabiki's Operatives, she must have known about Ranma/Hitomi long
before Mu Lin told everyone.  That would mean that she deliberately
withheld that information from Hitomi, for what were probably quite
selfish reasons.  Making matters worse, at the time Kikyo first met
her, she would have thought Hitomi was actually Ranma, and was well
aware that *he* was wanted in Japan.  That also meant that Kikyo
probably knew that he had a wife and children there, and again kept
that from Hitomi.
	The wicked smile spread further over the Amazon's face.
Knowing how Hitomi loved children, it would devastate her to think
that two very young ones had been left dangling in Japan, all
because of Kikyo's dishonesty.  This, coupled with the fresh memory
of Kikyo knowing Hitomi's true origin and having not told her until
recently, added up to a major betrayal.  Shampoo knew that if there
was anything that would upset someone as forthright and trusting as
Hitomi, that would be it.
	Shampoo suddenly realized that all she had to do now was
be able to prove it, and her plan could actually succeed.  The
concept was so shocking that the Amazon actually had to let it sink
in for a few minutes.
	




	Hitomi walked slowly around the yard, surveying the lay of
the land for the Japanese Garden she planned to put in come the
spring.  Smiling, she pictured the Koi pond before her, surrounded
by lush plantlife and delicately sculptured pathways.
	Pulling out one of the stakes she carried under her arm,
she pushed the tip into the earth and lined it up with the tree
a small distance away.  Placing her hand on the top, she grimaced
briefly from the effort required to push it a good ways into the
ground.
	Nodding her approval of its location, she continued to pace
off and mark the area, ending up with most of the side and rear yards
earmarked for the transformation.
	After placing the last stake, she stood up and brushed off
her jeans, quite pleased with the results.  As she was bent over
dusting her knees, she heard familiar strides approach behind her.
He suspicions were confirmed as she felt a warm hand on her back and
a gentle sigh from the person who owned it.
	"Well, what do you think?  Won't it be beautiful?" she
asked, rising to face Kikyo, who was looking over the project.
	"Hai, anata.  I think it's going to be gorgeous.  I
can't wait for you to finish it," her girlfriend sighed,
wistfully.
	Hitomi stepped forward and hugged her happily.
	"Neither can I!  I've been dreaming about putting in a
real garden since we moved here, and I've finally decided on
the design.  Just wait till the spring -- you'll be impressed,"
Hitomi gushed, her large blue eyes dancing with excitement.
	"I'm already impressed.  I just want to see what kind of
a gardener you are," Kikyo smiled, winking at Hitomi teasingly.
	"Baka ne.  Come on, Okaasan.  I want to tell you all 
about it," Hitomi deflected, happily taking Kikyo's hand and
leading her into the back yard.
	Shampoo stood in the large window, partially hidden
behind the curtains, watching intently as Hitomi stood
gesturing about the yard.  Kikyo stood alongside, resting
her head on the redhead's shoulder.  In the depths of her heart,
she was still fighting the urge to quit while she was ahead, but
her warrior spirit wouldn't let her off that easily.  She thought
to herself that she had begun a mission, and couldn't stop till
it was complete, whatever the outcome.
	Still, she felt slightly sad for what she was about to do
to the only two people that she really cared about, but reconciled
herself with the fact that if she let the chance get away from her,
she would regret it for the rest of her life.  As well, if she
succeeded, she would end up with what she desired most, and if she
failed, then she would know that Hitomi and Kikyo were indeed mated
by the Fates, and that she was destined to a life of failure and
loneliness.
	Sighing loudly, Shampoo looked down at the crumpled pieces
of paper in her hand, and shook her head.  Copies of pay stubs, a
cell phone bill, and the second page of a fax detailing the urgent
orders to find Ranma.  Everything she needed to utterly destroy
Kikyo's credibility, and thereby Hitomi's trust in her.
	Shampoo was still surprised by how easily she had found
them, stuffed in an old box in the back of the girls' bedroom
closet.  She concluded that Kikyo was not expecting anyone else to
know her dirty little secret, so she had made no serious effort to
hide the evidence.
	Because of this, Shampoo was able to take comfort in the
fact that a wrong actually *had* been done.  And she could justify
her actions based on that premise, should the need arise.
	Folding the papers and stuffing them into the top of her
dress, she sighed again and turned from the window resignedly.  It
was time to start supper.




	"Arrgghh!  You *would* have to force me up in Spades,
wouldn't you?" Kikyo snarled, tossing her last card to the center
of the table.
	"But I had the left Bower, Ten and Queen.  I took a chance
you wouldn't be void," Hitomi explained, shrugging.
	"Feh.  The dummy hand had more than I did, see?" Kikyo
responded, flipping the hand over to reveal the King.  "And you
gave me a nine!" she added, shaking her head.
	"And now I have two more points!" Shampoo grinned, moving
her scorecard to reflect the fact.
	"Just deal the cards, Lin-san.  I'm beginning to regret
teaching you two this game," Kikyo smirked, rolling her eyes.
"I still can't believe you wanted to play alone for the whole game."
	"Cheer up, Kiko-chan.  I like it," Hitomi prompted,
anxiously awaiting her cards.
	"Hai... I do too," Kikyo admitted, her face softening.
"I used to have a lot of fun playing cards on Base."
	"Okay -- it's a diamond," Shampoo injected, flipping up
the King of the aforementioned suit.
	"Pass," Hitomi responded, looking across to Kikyo.
	"Pick it up, Lin-san," Kikyo ordered, smirking.
	Hitomi's eyebrows raised imperceptibly, hoping Kikyo could
back up her move.  Glancing down at her black 'alone' hand, she
sighed very quietly.
	As soon as Shampoo picked up the card and slid her discard
away, Kikyo smiled broadly and laid the Ace of diamonds and both
Bowers firmly on the table.
	Hitomi sighed out loud, and Shampoo's jaw dropped.
	"Aiyah -- I knew she had something..." the Amazon
commented, tossing out three cards.
	"I hoped she did," Hitomi added, shaking her head.
	"Feels good to finally get one.  Okay anata, you lead."
Kikyo grinned, gathering her tricks.
	When all was said and done, Hitomi happily moved her
scorecard to reflect the four points.  As she picked up the deck
to begin shuffling, she noticed Kikyo's eyes looking heavy.
	"Kiko-chan?  Are you getting tired?" she asked, her face
reflecting her concern.
	"Hai...  It just hit me.  What time is it?" she replied,
reaching for Hitomi's watch.
	"Almost ten o'clock.  Want me to take you to bed?"
	"Iya.  I'll go now, but you can when you're really ready,"
Kikyo countered, waving Hitomi's concern off.
	"Kiko-chan, when you're ready, I'm ready," Hitomi
insisted, rising to accompany her girlfriend.
	"No, Hitomi!  I don't need you worrying about me like
this.  I can handle it!" Kikyo abruptly snapped, stunning the
redhead.  "You stay here till you're actually tired," she added,
turning and heading toward the bedroom.  "Oyasumi, anata," she
added, firmly.
	Hitomi sank back to her seat, stunned.  Kikyo had never
raised her voice to her in all the time they had been together,
and she didn't know quite what to do.
	Shampoo had to fight to supress a delighted grin.
        "Eto...  She's being awful mean, isn't she?" the Amazon
commented, shaking her head.
	"Ano... Hai," Hitomi replied before thinking about it.
"She's been having mood swings though," the redhead added,
quickly.  "That's probably it," she continued, looking up the
hallway.
	"I hope so for your sake," Shampoo indicated, gathering
the cards.
	Hitomi could only nod numbly, still looking up the hall.
Inwardly, she hoped the same thing.
	Shampoo packed the cards back in their box, all the while
glancing at Hitomi to see how she was taking things.  The Amazon
couldn't believe how Kikyo was 'helping' her, and decided to make
sure the opportunity was not lost.
	Setting the box aside, she rose from her seat and walked
over to Hitomi, her face concerned.
	"Are you okay, Hitomi-san?" she asked, innocently placing
a hand on Hitomi's shoulder.
	Hitomi sighed heavily and shrugged resignedly.
	"I guess so...  I'm just surprised.  Kiko-chan has never
done that before.  I didn't even know she could," she remarked,
shaking her head.
	"Aiyah...  If you would have seen her when you were taken
over by Mu Lin, you wouldn't have any doubt.  She's deadly,"
Shampoo noted, eyes widening for effect.
        Hitomi turned to face the Amazon, jaw gaping.  "Ano...
you mean...?"
	Shampoo nodded sadly.  "Hai," she added, softly.
	Covering her mouth with her hand, Hiomi could only shake
her head in disbelief.
	Shampoo smiled reassuringly and patted Hitomi's shoulder,
then stepped away again.
	"Daijobu desu.  Kikyo-san will be fine when she's had her
rest," she assured, winking at Hitomi.  "I think I'll go to bed
too, as I am tired also.  Oyasumi, Hitomi-san," she waved, then
bowed and headed off toward her bedroom.
	"Hai...  G'night, Lin-san," Hitomi responded absently, her
mind elsewhere.
	A few days later, with the incident largely forgotten,
Hitomi rode home with Kikyo after taking in the Big Ben Challenge
at the Royal Equestrian Show.  It was a long ride back from the 
CNE, and Hitomi noticed that Kikyo seemed preoccupied.
        "Nee, Kiko-chan...  Didn't you like the show?" she asked,
worried that she had dragged her girlfriend out against her wishes.
	"Hai -- I liked it okay.  I just didn't know you liked
horses.  You've never said anything about it," Kikyo replied,
snapping out of her daydream.
	"Well, I used to live with one before I met you, and I 
just have this 'feeling' that I like horses anyway.  It must come
from my 'alter ego'," Hitomi replied, flashing a silly grin.
	"Ano...  Lived with one?  You mean...  No; not her, too?"
Kikyo responded, a bit surprised.
	"Hai!  Elysse was cursed as a horse.  If she got wet, 
she'd change into an Arabian mare.  Imagine that cooped up in a
bathroom!" the redhead chuckled, remembering the time fondly.
"Y'know, I wonder what she's doing these days.  I've never heard
from her since she took off."
        "Why?  Do you miss her or something?" Kikyo abruptly shot
back, leaning forward a bit.
	Hitomi stared back numbly, face fallen.  Kikyo continued
to glare at her for a moment, then huffed and turned away.
	"Kiko-chan?" Hitomi ventured weakly, reaching toward
Kikyo tentatively.
	"Don't worry about it," Kikyo deadpanned, not moving her
eyes.
	Hitomi settled back in the seat and bit her lip.  She
felt bad about upsetting Kikyo, but also knew she hadn't meant
anything by her remark about Elysse.  Glancing back at Kikyo
worriedly, she sighed and laced her fingers together in her lap,
thinking it best to just let it go.
	Looking out the window, she noticed that they were coming
up to the ferry dock, and noted sadly that there was a long, quiet
ride still ahead of them.
	When they arrived home finally, Hitomi jumped from her
seat and raced around to open Kikyo's door, then offered her hand.
Kikyo looked at her like she was from another planet, and waved off
the assist.
	"I can do it myself," she remarked flatly, stepping out
of the car.
	"Gomen.  I didn't mean..." Hitomi bowed quickly, only to
rise and see Kikyo's back heading toward the house.  Biting her lip
again, she tossed the driver a Fifty and headed after her girlfriend.
	Once in the house, she noticed Shampoo sitting on the couch
with a curious look on her face, and that Kikyo was nowhere to be
seen.  When Hitomi looked back at Shampoo questioningly, the Amazon
pointed to the hallway.
	"She's in the bathroom.  What happened?" Shampoo blinked,
cocking her head slightly.
	"Ay...  I wish I knew," Hitomi replied, defeatedly.
"Lin-san...  I'm going to change.  See if you can talk to her, ne?"
the redhead asked sadly, stepping out of her shoes and half-footing
her slippers.
	"Hai, Hitomi-san..." Shampoo replied slowly, both
surprised and delighted by the interesting situation she now found
herself in.
	Hitomi wandered to the bedroom slowly, her mind full of a
frame by frame re-run of the cab ride.  She knew that Kikyo seemed
a bit out of it when they left the CNE, but she assumed it was just
from being tired.   She recalled that during the show, Kikyo
seemed to be enjoying herself, even getting excited when a rider
ran a 'zero-fault' circuit.  Because of that, she couldn't make
it add up.  She noted that it was like Kikyo went from her normal
self to cranky in the blink of an eye, and Hitomi knew that
wasn't like her.
	As far as Hitomi was concerned, that left only one
possiblilty.  She had somehow upset Kikyo, but was still at a loss
to figure out why.
	Once in the bedroom, her 'little green dress' came off over
her head in a single motion, and landed on her side of the bed.
Walking toward the large mirror on the outside of the wardrobe,
she flipped her now backside-length braid over her shoulder with
a quick toss of her head, and methodically untied it.
	As she stood running her fingers through the long, shining
tresses to separate them, she had to smile at how she looked with
her rather voluminous head of hair free.  The braid had left it with
a tight crinkle, and when she leaned forward and shook her head
vigorously, she ended up completely enclosed in a crinkle-textured
red tent.  Reaching up and parting the hair in front of her eyes,
she had to giggle at how silly she looked in the mirror.
	Gathering the red tide together from the center, she pulled
it carefully back over each shoulder, then took a long ribbon from
the pile she had earlier left on the floor.  Tying the ribbon up
about even with her shoulders, she glanced at herself again, and
before she could stop it, the thought flashed through her mind that
she could ask Kikyo brush it out.  Her face abruptly saddened.
	Playing with her hair, the feature of herself she was most
proud of, had happily distracted her from that sad business, but
thinking about Kikyo had brought it all back.
        Looking around for an outfit of some kind, she resolved to
go and have a chat with her lover and find out what she had done to
have upset her so much.  It was bad enough that lately, Kikyo had a
short fuse, but what was worse was that there was no reason for
what had taken place in the cab.  At least, none that Hitomi could
see.
        Face taking on a determined set, Hitomi slid off her arm
band and the rest of her jewelry, then, in order not to upset Kikyo
any more, hung up her dress.  It wasn't made of silk like her
Chinese styles,  but she still couldn't just leave it out.  Kikyo
always gave her trouble about that.
        When she finally dug out one of her many kimonos, she threw
it on quickly, leaving it looser than normal.  She knew Kikyo liked
her in them, especially if it hung open a bit.  This time, she
hoped it would help her calm her lover down.  Satisfied, she stepped
out the bedroom door and looked toward the bathroom, hoping Kikyo
was finally out so she could use it.  As she had discovered over
the course of the evening, a girl can only hold so much tea.
	In the livingroom, Kikyo regarded Shampoo questioningly.
	"What do you mean, she doesn't understand?  Feh, I sometimes
wonder about that girl," she stated, shaking her head.
	"Well, you know she hasn't been around for very long.
maybe that's it.  Thinking about it, she's only about a year old,"
Shampoo suggested, blinking at her own observation.
	Kikyo shot the Amazon a lazy smirk.
        "Huh.  In this form, maybe.  Don't forget...  She's got
most of the mind of a 30-something man.  I used to know exactly
how old he was, but I don't have the info any more," she
indicated, thoughtfully.
        "The info?" Shampoo pounced, straining to both hide her
shocked delight and sound legitimately curious.
	"Hai.  I used to have a file on that Saotome Ranma from
shortly after I met Hitomi."
        "Eto...  Why would *you* have a 'file' on Ailen?" Shampoo
prodded, acting as if she knew nothing about it.
	Lowering her voice to a whisper, Kikyo leaned toward the
Amazon before replying.
        "Don't you remember?  I worked for someone in Japan both
before and during my first few weeks at the Centre.  Finding
Saotome Ranma was my last assignment.  I was sent a file
describing him, and it was from that file that I discovered
who Hitomi was -- or, who I thought she was," she explained,
regarding the Amazon questioningly.  Shampoo couldn't believe
her ears.
        "Ano...  You mean it told about his curse, too?" the
Amazon gasped, feigning shock.  "Who did you get that file from?
Not everyone knows about that."
        "A woman -- a really unpleasant one named Kuno Nabiki.
She was my boss," Kikyo stated, thoughtfully.  "I'm glad I
don't work for her anymore," she added, emphatically.
	"Aiyah...  That woman is Ailen's sister-in-law!  I know
her!  And she is unpleasant -- even Ranma and Akane's children
don't like her," Shampoo noted, shaking her head.
	Kikyo's face dropped as she heard a slight rustle from
behind them, then she jumped to her feet and looked down the
hallway.  She relaxed as she noted that nobody was there, and
breathed a huge sigh of relief.
	"Ay; I thought Hitomi-chan was there.  Didn't you say
she was changing?"
	"Hai, she was.  I wonder what keeps her?" the Amazon
answered, turning to look up the hall.  Inwardly however, she
was absolutely delighted.  She had also heard the rustle, and
her trained warrior's ear had already told her that her efforts,
minimal as they were, had been sucessful.
	

==================================================================
END  As Long As You Love Me - Part 2  A Ranma1/2 FanFic By Coutuva


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