This is the sixth chapter of an alernate universe fic based on the idea of Ukyou arriving in Nerima before Ranma. So far she's befriended Akane Tendou and ended her feud with Ranma. However, neither of them know her true gender. Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma 1/2 or any of the ideas associated with it. Rumiko Takahashi and Shogakukan, Inc. do. Rights in North America belong to Viz Communications ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter 6 Ranma raced into my restaurant, letting the door slam behind her and then vaulted over the counter, ignoring the few patrons that still lingered over their food. She usually wasn't that enthusiastic about her entrances even on the days when she was working. "Ranma, what are you doing," I asked as she crouched down beside me. "Never mind that. You've got to hide me," she whispered. "Ranma-." Before I could finish my sentence the door was almost torn off the hinges as a longhaired Chinese girl wearing a leather breastplate and brandishing a long, slender, double-edged sword stormed inside. "Where Ranma?" she demanded in broken Japanese. Now, I'm not on the best of terms with Ranma all the time, but I got the impression that she had something fairly irreversible in mind. "I'm sorry, but I haven't seen him." Her eyes narrowing in suspicion, the intruder announced, "Shampoo looking for girl!" "Sorry, but Ranma sounds like a boy's name to me. I could be wrong though." I shrugged helplessly and spread my hands to demonstrate my innocence. With a curt nod to show she understood, Shampoo turned on her heel and stormed back out, fortunately with slightly less force. The frightened customers weren't far behind and some of them didn't pay, although I can't say I blame them. That girl was scary. "Thanks, Ucchan," Ranma said, rising to her feet. "I was a little worried there." "I have just one question. What did you do to her?" A sudden suspicion crossed my mind. "She's not the girl that Ryouga mentioned, is she?" "No! I already told ya, I ain't taken advantage of any girls. Ranma waited for a moment and then seeing I wasn't going to interrupt continued, "She's from this village close to Jusenkyo. The guide took Pop and me there the day after we got cursed. Anyway, they were having this tournament and Shampoo was fighting this other, um, I'm pretty sure it was a girl. Anyway, we didn't watch fer long cause we were really hungry." I winced and slapped my hand against my forehead. "You stole food from her? No wait, that doesn't make any sense." "We sorta ate the banquet for the winner of the tournament. Anyway, I challenged her and won so that wasn't a problem." "Really? I'd hate to see what you think is a problem." "Turns out it was a village of Chinese Amazons and they have some stupid law about having to kill any outsider who defeats them." Ranma snorted in disgust. "They're nothing but a bunch of sore losers if you ask me." "Just wait a second. You can tell me the rest of it while I close up." Ranma shrugged eloquently. "It all started while I visiting a shrine with Nabiki..." ================= Ranma smiled happily. So far things had gone according to plan he'd developed after talking with Ukyou. Nabiki had enjoyed the scenery, they'd prayed at the shrine and he was about to buy her a cute but inexpensive souvenir. Best of all, there weren't any signs that it was turning overly romantic. "I'll take the little cat, Ranma." Nabiki leaned over Ranma's shoulder to indicate the correct figurine. Ranma sighed and reached for his wallet. Nothing was ever perfect. "So I suppose you're planning on studying now," Nabiki commented as they began walking towards the shrine's exit. "What for?" "The test? Yuo know where they try to figure out how much you really know? Oh, never mind. I don't think even a prayer will help you if you don't study." "Ah, it's not that important. I'm a martial artist anyway." "So you think martial arts are all you need," Nabiki asked, raising one eyebrow. She moved fractionally closer to Ranma as the two stepped onto the bridge that crossed the shrine's small stream. "I am the best," Ranma confidently stated, his chest swelling slightly. "Really?" Nabiki abruptly leaned hard against Ranma, sending him flailing into the water. "Maybe you need to work at that as well." A small smirk escaped her as she looked down at the small girl sitting in the gently flowing water. "Very funny," Ranma grumbled as he reached upwards to take Nabiki's hand. After an almost imperceptible pause, she allowed the taller girl to pull her from the water. "Maybe I-" Whatever else Nabiki was going to say went unheard when a nearby tree exploded, splinters of wood spraying them and the upper portion of the trunk narrowly missing the bridge they were standing on. "Ranma! I kill!" Holding two outsized bonbori, Shampoo, charged forward, ignoring the shock of the others who had come to the shrine. "Oh shit! S-shampoo." Without thinking, Ranma danced aside from a thrown bonbori and scooped Nabiki into her arms and set off running. Moments later she realized that carrying her fiancee was both slowing her down and putting Nabiki at risk. Unfortunately with Shampoo close behind Ranma couldn't slow to set her down. "Put me down!" Nabiki shrieked, having a clear view of their pursuer. Shampoo had somehow produced a sword from within her rather baggy clothing to compliment her remaining bonbori. A sudden intake of breath from Nabiki warned Ranma and she darted to the right just in time to see Shampoo's second bonbori flash past her. A burst of speed opened some distance between her and Shampoo and Ranma was quick to take advantage. Leaping to the roof of one of the first houses she passed, Ranma set Nabiki down and then jumped to the ground in order to lead Shampoo away. ================ "...Anyway I lost Shampoo a while after that and headed back to the Tendous'. She spotted me again when I was passing by outside and you know the rest." "She chased you all the way across China? It sounds like she's going to be persistent." I commented. "Ya don't think? About the only thing I can do is avoid cold water ant that's not working so good." "Maybe not, but you only changed because Nabiki splashed you. If you explain what's going on to everyone, they can help out." I paused thinking for a moment. Shampoo's behavior seemed remarkably similar to Ryouga's. Maybe there was something useful there. "Anyway, you'd better wait here while I get you some hot water." Ranma looked around quizzically. "Akane isn't coming for a cooking lesson today?" he asked. "No, she's busy with schoolwork. Maybe you should try it sometime." "What is it with everyone? First Nabiki and now you." Ranma threw her arms up in the air in disgust. "Sorry, Ranma, but I'm running my own business and I keep up." I took a quick glance around the restaurant. "If you'll help me clean up afterwards, I'll fix you some food. Things goe a lot quicker with two people." "I guess so, all that running works up an appetite." Ranma smiled slightly. "I guess things aren't so bad." ================= It rained that night, which was a surprise considering the how pleasant the day had been and it continued the following day. I had to avoid puddles of water while walking back from school, but I'd had the foresight to bring an umbrella. Somehow, I wasn't surprised to find a small black pig huddled forlornly in the doorway. "I guess you can come in," I said, scooping the small animal up, "you'd better keep out of sight though. People don't like animals in places where food is being prepared." "Talking to yourself, Ukyou?" Ranma asked, water dripping from her sodden clothes. "Don't do that!" I yelled as I nearly dropped P-chan in surprise, but managed to tighten my grip at the last moment. "Whatever. Come on and open up. I don't want to stand around out here where Shampoo could see me." I grumbled a bit at Ranma's impatience, but I could see his point. "You haven't got rid of her yet?" "You've got to be joking, Shampoo is one stubborn chick. She even followed Pop back to the Tendous'. Now she thinks I'm hiding myself from her." "You are." Chuckling at Ranma's rolled eyes was probably bad form. Business wasn't good that day. Normally I get a fair amount of walk-in traffic, but with the bad weather even some of my regulars didn't come. When closing time finally arrived, I was hoping that Akane would find the time for her cooking lesson. That worried me a bit for some reason, but by the time Akane showed up I'd pushed it to the back of my mind. "Hi, Ukyou, sorry I'm late." Akane said, closing the bright pink umbrella she'd used to shield herself from the rain. "I was hoping the rain would let up a bit." "That's fine." "I think I'll stay here for a while," Ranma said flatly. "That's right, Shampoo's probably still waiting for you." Akane grinned smugly. "I already took care of that. I told her if she wanted to know about the girl she was chasing she should ask Kunou. The two of them deserve each other anyway." "That should-." Before I could finish, the front wall of my restaurant exploded inward. Even through the dust and flying debris I could make out a slender form holding two spherical objects. "Ranma, I kill!" Shampoo snarled, sounding dishearteningly fierce. Ranma immediately tried to make herself as small as possible in a vain effort to escape detection. Beside me, I felt Akane slip into a fighting stance and instinctively stepped in front of her. Unfortunately, that left me clutching a small cooking spatula when Shampoo shouted something in Chinese and charged towards me. In desperation, I hurled the spatula towards Shampoo. The Amazon had just started to sidestep the projectile when suddenly she pitched forward and crashed headfirst into the counter. "What happened?" Ranma asked as Shampoo slumped limply to the floor. "Bwee!" P-chan proudly proclaimed from where he stood by Shampoo's feet. "That certainly was brave of you." P-chan struggled briefly as Akane took hold of him, seeming almost embarrassed. "Never mind that," Ranma said, pointing at the fallen Amazon, "what are we going to do about her?" "I don't know, but we can't leave her on the floor." Bending over, I picked Shampoo up and placed her on a cleared section of the counter. I was considering whether tying Shampoo up would be a good idea when her eyes slowly fluttered open. For a second she stared into my eyes and then she spoke. "Airen." Reaching upward, she pulled my head down until my lips met hers. "Whoa! It wasn't like that when she gave me the kiss of death." Stunned into immobility, I remained in position until Akane grabbed hold of my ponytail and jerked me out of Shampoo's grasp. "Just what are you doing?" Akane's voice was frosty, but the gaze she was directing at Shampoo burned with anger. Unconcerned, the Amazon swung her legs off the counter and stood. Producing a small book, she opened it and pressed it into my reluctant hands. "An Amazon who is defeated by an outsider male must marry him?" I could hardly believe my eyes, but Shampoo was nodding happily. I knew my disguise had drawbacks, but this was one that had never occurred to me. "Ukyou wasn't the one that beat you, it was P-chan here," Akane said sadistically, while patting her pet lightly on the head. "You're lucky he's a guy pig. The two of you will make a great couple." It was only the split second that Shampoo spent clutching for her absent weapons that let me grab hold of her before she reached Ranma. "Hold it! I'm not going to let you wreck anymore of my restaurant. How are you going to pay for what you've already done?" Shampoo abruptly relaxed, just before she would have managed to slip free of my grasp." "Shampoo work. Stay here." "Shampoo, I don't think that's a good idea. I really wouldn't be proper for the two of us to stay under one roof, especially since we don't know each other." "Amazons pay back debt," Shampoo explained nodding happily. "I really don't need any help right now so-." I jerked my body backwards as Shampoo started to run her fingers down my chest. "You're not listening are you?" "Don't worry Ukyou, if you want her to stay here she can," Akane said calmly and from far too close a distance for my comfort." "I don't want that." I looked around for support, but Ranma seemed to have left while I was distracted. "I'll just leave P-chan here to make sure nothing happens. You'll do that, won't you, P-chan?" Holding her pet up so she could stare into his eyes, Akane smiled when P-chan nodded. ================= "A lady can trust you to keep her secrets, can't she P-chan?" I smiled as the pig nodded again. Akane must have taught him to do that. "This has been a really strange day." That was no more than the truth, especially with a pig for a chaperone. I'd taken some bedding down for Shampoo and gotten her settled into a spare storeroom. However, I still wished I had a lock for my bedroom door or at least some heavy furniture I could move in front of it. Attending an all-boys school I hadn't had much experience with other girls, but the Amazon's intentions were painfully obvious. "Turn around now, I'm going to change into my pajama's." I don't know why I bothered, but P-chan obediently turned to face the wall. After considering it, I decided to leave my breasts bound. It probably wouldn't help if things went that far and it would be uncomfortable, but it could pay off. "Okay I'm done." Setting my battle spatula and the bandoleer of throwing spatulas within reach of the bed, I turned off the light. Moments later I was lying in bed with P-chan's small warmth curled up beside me. ================= The sound of splintering wood jerked me to awareness. My eyes opened just in time to see my dresser collapse, while one of Shampoo's bonbori gouged a crater into my bedroom wall, barely missing a small black blur. I blinked and the blur resolved into P-chan facing Shampoo from across the room. "Get out!" Bringing my hands down, I sent a spray of spatula shuriken across the room, one of them pinning several of Shampoo's hairs to the wall. By the time I could grab my larger spatula, those hairs were the only trace of Shampoo remaining. Unfortunately, I could tell she'd been here. Grumbling, I rolled out of bed, while P-chan took up a station guarding the door. I quickly donned my school uniform and then glanced into the small mirror hanging on the wall. Satisfied that I was at least marginally presentable, I started down the stairs. When I arrived, I found Shampoo sitting at the counter, almost radiating depression. "What were you doing?" I demanded angrily. "Shampoo try to make Airen happy," Shampoo explained turning soulful eyes my way. "What? Never mind." I took a deep breath to calm myself and then started again. "Shampoo, you can't stay here," I began, carefully keeping my voice steady, "I can't afford this kind of damage." "Shampoo know." Her depression had lifted slightly, but she was still far more subdued than the night before. If she hadn't destroyed half my restaurant, snuck into my room while I was sleeping and tried to kill one of my friends, I might have felt sorry for her. Almost. "It's not that big a deal. You can go back to China or find a job somewhere else," I explained. "Shampoo not give up. You see strength of Amazon woman." With those final words, Shampoo pushed her way past the tarp hanging over the hole she'd created and walked off. ================= Since it would be a couple of days before the workmen would finish repairing all the damage and I could reopen, I decided to stop by the Tendos' after school and visit Akane. I approached the front gate, I heard voices speaking. Out of curiosity, I slowed and decided to listen. "Understand some Chinese ... Western style ham and eggs..." The first voice was a man and sounded familiar, but it was too faint to identify. "I understand, Ryouga. You telling me this is a real help." The second voice was definitely Akane and she'd identified the first speaker for me. Rounding the corner, I caught sight of them a moment before they saw me, but neither of them seemed very surprised. That probably meant there was nothing between them, but the thought gave me an idea of my own. "Hi, Akane, Ryouga." "Hello, Ukyou. Nice day isn't it?" Fortunately, Akane didn't seem concerned about last night, although Ryouga was more reserved for some reason. "Ryouga, do you think you could do me a small favor?" I asked, after nodding to Akane. The bandanna wearing martial artist shrugged noncommittally. "I guess so, if it's not to much trouble." "Great! I'd like you to take somebody out on a date." "D-Date?" I'd expected him to be a little shy, but his expression of utter shock caught me off guard. "Sure. You haven't meant her, but she's cute and very...um...spirited." Now that I thought about it, telling someone as shy as Ryouga too many details about Shampoo might be counterproductive. A lot of guys might find her personality a little terrifying. "D-Date? I mean- Sure! I'll be there." Ryouga laughed hysterically and nervously crushed a handful of stone from the Tendous' wall. As I watched him, I decided that I'd leave out a few details for Shampoo as well. The two of them would be perfect for each other though. Now I just had a few minor details to arrange. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Akane asked. "It's worth a try." End Chapter 6 Kent Hyam