By Tai
Author's Note: This story moves quick, and I probably could have developed it more, but it got the point across.It starts right in the middle of an argument, making it more of a "scene" instead of a whole story. The setting seems to be at a campsite or something up in the mountains. Anyway, I wanted to see what the characters' reactions, Ranma's mostly, would be if one of the characters died. There is a part two.. but it's kind of different from this, Part 1. I may put it up. Please email me with feedback.
Ranma stood between Akane and Shampoo.
"Ranma, you choose which one you love now! Akane, or Shampoo?" Shampoo coaxed.
Akane looked annoyed and slightly nervous. Shampoo looked almost desperate. Ranma was definetly nervous.
"Hey you, why are you making me decide this?" Ranma whined.
"Ranma, you can no love both me and Akane! Now you choose!" Shampoo smiled and touched up her long, silky purple hair.
Ranma had to think of something. His eyes shot back and forth.. What could he do? He sighed and got ready to dive mentally forward- head first.
"Shampoo..." He said, walking to her. Akane eyes widened, and she yelled, "WHAT?!" Shampoo squealed with glee, when suddenly Ranma continued, "I'm sorry."
Shampoo stopped and stood staring at him, her turquoise eyes filled with curiosity and abandonment. Akane stood transfixed, breathing heavily. "But... I can't hide my true feelings.." Ranma was saying. Akane's eyes softened, she went into kind of a surprised trance. "It's Akane I-I..."
But Shampoo did not want to hear anymore.
"Oh.. so!" Her eyes swelled with tears. She turned and started running. Akane still stood there, unable to move for surprise.
"Oh great.." Ranma muttered, "I hurt her feelings." He felt slightly bad. "Shampoo, wait!" he yelled and ran after her.
"No!" Shampoo turned on him, suddenly fierce, "You no like Shampoo! You- you go back to Akane!" Her eyes were streaming freely with tears.
"Look Shampoo, I'm sorry.. It's just that-"
"You no love Shampoo, so you leave Shampoo ALONE!" She hit him hard on the cheek and turned, running.
Akane was still standing, watching them with a dazed expression. "Ranma..??" But he was running off into the forest after Shampoo.
Shampoo was breathing hard. She stopped in a small clearing, at a lookout over the valley far below. She stood near the cliff, leaning against a sign reading "PHOTO OP". Ranma stepped up to her. "Shampoo.." She said nothing.
He walked up to her carefully. Gently as possible, he slid his hands around hers. Their eyes met, and for a pure second, the afternoon sun bathed them and everything was perfect for Shampoo.
What happened next was but a blur to Ranma. He slowly said her name, and she cried, "No!!" and wrenched herself away from him. As she turned, her foot slipped and she fell. Rolling, she went towards the edge of the cliff, unaware.
"Shampoo!" Ranma yelled, "Look out!" But it was too late. Her small body disappeared.
"Aiyaa!! Ranma!!" Ranma ran to the edge, and saw Shampoo's figure, hair billowing, rapidly falling to the depths below.
"Shampoo!!!!"
Ranma flipped off the cliff, half running, half sliding down the steep, rocky slope. "No! Shampoo!"
Soon he reached the bottom and, clutching an injured leg, he hurried to the river's edge. Then he saw her.
"Oh, God.." he choked, "Sh-Shampoo.." He felt dizzy, a wave of horror swept over him. He vomited and fell to the ground, shaking horridly and crying.
He finally stood and walked slowly to her. She was draped over a large rock, her eyes closed and her mouth slightly open. There were small rips on her outfit. She had countless cuts, and a large wound made her neck and shoulders a crimsom red. A trickle of blood was running from the corner of her mouth.
Ranma slid his hand around to her back, wondering what had happened when she hit the hard rock in that position. When his palm brushed her spine, he winced. Even through her shirt, he could feel the disarray of broken bones. "Oh God..." Ranma muttered. as he brought his hand away, he heard a tiny whimper.
"Shampoo?!?!" He whipped up. Her eyes were slowly sliding open. They were still a beautiful turquoise, sparkling and shimmering. They filled with tears and those tears silently fell to the ground to mix with a pool of blood that was forming at the base of the rock.
"Shampoo! I'm s-so sorry! Please, please don't die!" He grabbed her slightly bloody hand.
Shampoo's tears flowed freely from her starry eyes.
"O-Okay... so.." she whispered, her eyes becoming cloudy.
"Shampoo! No! Don't close your eyes!" Ranma choked, hardly noticing the tears flowing from his own eyes. But she had, her thin hand going limp. Ranma trembled, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Ranma's eyes blurred. "Damn it all!" He let his head fall onto her body. He shuddered all over. "Shampoo, wake up! I'm so sorry!!"
And so he knelt in front of her lifeless body, still holding her small hand, his tears flowing freely against the girl who he had so thoughtlessly cast away all those times, the girl who would have changed her whole world just for him...
"Shampoo..."
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