The Way of Human Emotion
The dark substance bubbled and churned in the bottom of the wok. The young Chinese girl hummed sweetly to herself as she added a few more spices.
"For flavor." She said in her angelic voice. It would be finished well before school was out.
Akane cleared the steam from the mirror above the sink. She adjusted the towel around her chest and started to comb her wet hair. All traces of the green dye were gone, she examined the length critically. It had been quite long, compared to her usual hairstyle and curling just slightly at the ends and around her face. Only the night before she had asked Kasumi to give her back the same bob she was forced to except over a year ago. It suited her better anyway.
Life was almost completely back to normal. Her and Ranma were back to fighting on a regular basis. She resumed wearing her school uniform with no convincing from Kasumi or Nabiki. Everything was the same, except she wasn't quite herself anymore. She brought her hand back to the mirror just grazing the surface with her fingertips. A determined look crossed her face, she shook the thoughts from her mind and busied herself with getting ready for school.
Ranma looked down at Akane from the fence, on their usual walk to school. He was silent and she was back to normal, after all that happened, she was acting just as before. He held his fingers up to his lips for a moment. 'So soft and sweet. Was it really her?"
"What's with the stupid look?" Akane said looking up at him. "Come on, hurry up we are going to be late."
"Hmph. I should have left you the way you were." He said only halfheartedly. He was glad she was back to normal, but she was being too normal. They ran together to school arriving on time for once. When Ranma reached the schoolyard he caught a glimpse of a yawning Ukyo.
"Hey Ukyo!"
"Ahh, morning Ranchan." She stretched a bit. "I haven't seen you around Ucchan's recently."
He straightened, she was right he had been ignoring everyone but Akane the past few days. 'What the heck was I thinking turning down so many free meals.'
"I was busy keeping Akane out of trouble." He shrugged.
"Oh." She said silently
"Hey what's wrong, you stay up all night or something?"
"Sort of." She said yawning again. "We had special reservations at the restaurant last night and they stayed forever. I was up half the night cleaning up, I got a really good tip though."
She thought to herself about the future when Ranma would be there to help her do such things. A grin past across her face and Ranma looked at her puzzled.
"Kuonji!"
"Huh?" Ranma and Ukyo said in unison as a small projectile was launched at them. It smashed into the ground between them exploding into a yellow smokescreen. They each jumped backwards from the smoke, putting a good distance between them. Ukyo looked up to see a young man standing on the stone wall surrounding the school. He was dressed in a white, chef's outfit.
"Sumatra." Ukyo whispered. He swung his left arm and then his right, releasing half a dozen sharp objects. She jumped back from the first three, sidestepped two more, and caught the last with two fingers. She examined it a little bewildered. "A garnishing knife?"
Her head began to pound from lack of sleep and she stifled down a yawn. Unfortunately, he noticed and became even more furious.
"Am I keeping you up?! Let me put you to sleep PERMANENTLY!"
"Huh?" He threw three smoke bombs, two to each side and one behind her. She was sent whirling into the air so disoriented she couldn't tell which way was up or down. Her mind reeled with what to do, when she noticed the world stopped spinning and it wasn't because she collided with the earth. A pair of strong arms were cradling her, and her head was buried in a muscular chest.
"Ranma?" She said weakly. The smokescreen was slowly dissipating as she could breath more freely. She could smell the soap on his skin, along with a soft aroma that mingled with it. She looked up to see the dark features slowly coming into focus. His strong jaw, dark brown hair held in place by his bandana…BANDANA?
"Ranma?" She asked again her brow furrowed at the boy holding her.
"Nope." The boy's eyes were completely fixed on the task at hand. While still holding her in his arms, he was spinning his umbrella in front of them forcing the smokescreen away from them.
"Ryoga!" Ukyo became rigid in his arms, felling incredibly uncomfortable all of the sudden. "What are you doing stupid, this is my fight."
"And you were doing a great job so far. Look, I was here to beat the heck out of Ranma, I figure this guys is good enough."
Ryoga lowered his umbrella putting Ukyo down before him. He began to rip off bandanas, looking around for the strange young man. He spun the bits of cloth in his hands in preparation.
"My battle isn't with you, it's with Kuonji." Six more knives rocketed toward Ukyo from nowhere.
"Ukyo doesn't appear to be in any condition to fight you at the moment." Ryoga moved in front of her, deflecting the knives with his bandana shurkins. "So, if you want to fight, you are going to have to fight me."
The young man jumped from the tree in front of them nonchalantly. Ryoga placed his arm behind him holding Ukyo's arm protectively.
"Well if you intend on protecting a friend like that." He motioned his hand violently toward Ukyo "Then you leave me no choice!"
The boy extended his right arm over his left shoulder and pulled out a ridiculous huge pair if tongs.
"Oh come on! What kind of martial artist uses things like that?!" Ryoga shouted his face faltering.
"This coming from a guy who once cut a tree in half with his belt." Ranma smirked from behind Ryoga.
"Shut up Ranma!" Ryoga shouted, hitting him over the head.
"Fight him not me stupid!" Ranma pointed for Ryoga to turn around. When he looked back at Sumatra his tongs were already around him, pinching his arms to his side.
"Ugh." The breath was being squeezed out of him. "Do you think… you can beat me… that easily?" Ryoga started to flex his muscles, forcing the boy's grip on him to loosen. He pushed with his arms, the boy's strength being no match for that of the lost boy's. Sumatra's face contorted with frustration and fear of his opponent's strength.
"Not even close." Ryoga broke free and lunged at the boy, head butting him into unconsciousness. Ryoga looked down at his limp form, slightly out of breath. "That'll teach you."
He looked up at his friends "I'm feeling better already, maybe I won't have to kill you after all Ranma."
Ryoga grinned as Ranma rolled his eyes. Ukyo walked in between the two, shooting a cold stare at Ryoga.
"You know, I didn't need your help back there!"
"Those bags under your eyes say differently and I stopped you from becoming one with the concrete. Some thanks."
"Look, Ranchan was right here if I needed help." All eyes turned to Ranma; he could feel Akane's look burning a hole through him. He felt he should make a statement, a statement that would set everyone straight.
"Uh…" was all he got out.
"Fine, fine whatever. Who was that guy anyway?" Ryoga said ignoring Ranma's stuttering and continuing the conversation, much to Ranma's appreciation.
"Just some guy from my junior high, who knows why he is mad at me." Ukyo shrugged, feeling another yawn coming on, she pushed it away making her eyes water. Akane noticed Ukyo's struggle to stay awake.
"Ukyo, you really do look tired, maybe you should stay home today."
"No, I can't, I'm already leaving earlier then usual to finish preparing for today's lunch rush." She finally let her body get the better of her and released a lazy yawn that racked her body with numbness.
"How about we come and help you." Everyone perked up to Ranma's suggestion. "Akane and I can help you get setup and Ryoga can be your bodyguard for this guy." Ranma started to point down to the unconscious boy, but he was already gone.
"Oh, where did he go?" Akane looked around the schoolyard.
"Ha, I wouldn't worry about him." Ryoga said cracking his knuckles.
"That's really nice of you Ranma. I'll come get you when I am leaving. Oh, you too Akane." Akane scowled at the retreating girl, then decided it would probably be a good idea to follow. She grabbed Ranma by the pigtail and dragged him off.
"Come on Ranma, we're gonna be late."
"Ugh, hey Ryoga see yah in a bit, don't get lost. Ow!" Ryoga watched their diminishing forms enter the building.
"Ok then, I'll just wait here." He held his arm behind his head looking around finally deciding to sit on the steps until his friends came back for him. Perhaps the weird young man would come back and he would have something to do.
As it turned out, he only had to wait for a couple hours for the to return. They proceeded to Ucchan's to help Ukyo prepare for her lunch crowd. Everything was going fairly well, Ranma had talked Akane into setting up the dining room, to keep her away from any comestibles. Ryoga was lugging heavy bags of flour, and other okinomyaki necessities to and from the storage area, which didn't leave a lot of area for him to get lost. Of course every once in awhile he found himself turned in the wrong direction. Ranma prepared sauces and diced vegetables, while Ukyo rested upstairs.
Ukyo was quite pleased that Ranma had taken over running the restaurant in her stead. When he became her husband they'd be a great team and the business would surely flourish. She let the fight with Sumatra drift from her thoughts as she welcomed the calmness of sleep.
Of course nothing goes as planned for long in Nerima, especially when certain martial artists are concerned and definitely if they are all together. Things started to fall apart when Ranma let out a derogatory comment about Akane's cooking ability. Which ended with Ryoga trying to beat him into a pulp for his insolence and Akane finally sending them both flying through the front door. Akane promptly walked off upset, stopping only to apologize to Ryoga.
Hearing the commotion, Ukyo awoke from her nap to find her dining room deserted and no sign of her helpers, except a pile of broken furniture. Ranma was already running to catch up to Akane, Ryoga followed close in pursuit.
"Ranma how dare you be so inconsiderate of Akane!"
"It's none of your business Porky."
"Ranma, I'll make you pay!" Ranma spun around kicking Ryoga straight through the doors of the Cat Café.
"Ranma stop picking on Ryoga!" Akane in turn sent Ranma flying through the doorway with a swift punch to the face. She followed the two boys' overwhelming entrance to find them both sprawled out on the floor.
"And I can stand up for myself Ryoga!" Her expression softened as she saw the hurt expression on the boy's face. "I just like it some much better when you two aren't fighting."
"I'm sorry Akane, I'll try my best not to let Ranma provoke me." She smiled at him sweetly, all evidence of her earlier violence gone. When suddenly Ranma was on his feet between them.
"Hey, how did this suddenly become my fault?"
"Because it's always your fault!" Ryoga and Akane both yelled, knocking him to the ground.
"Can I get you two love birds a table? We have a nice table for two near the window." Mousse stood before Ryoga and Akane holding two menus, his glasses on top of his head.
"Wh-what!" Ryoga turned every shade of red in the spectrum.
"Oh no Mousse. We were just passing by." Akane said, completely missing the couple remark, much to Ryoga's dismay.
"Well, since we're here and we did miss lunch helping Ukyo…" Ranma was fully recovered and his stomach was doing all of the talking.
"Oh Ranma, it's you." Mousse said unenthusiastically to Akane. "Follow me."
"I don't think…" Ryoga said, his hand behind his head, feeling a bit out of place.
"Come on Ryoga sit down and eat." Ranma put him in a headlock, dragging him struggling over to the table and into a chair.
Mousse grumbled to himself as he walked into the kitchen and retrieved two bowls of pork ramen, the special of the day. Mousse stopped at the third considering Ryoga's food dilemma, having a deep dislike for duck himself, and found a bowl of beef ramen already prepared near the stove. He brought the food out to his three feuding patrons and continued about his duties of cleaning up the dining room.
Ranma scarfed down his meal like a man starving and Ryoga beat him over the head for his rudeness in Akane's presence.
"Have you no manners at all."
"I just love eating pork. How about you Ryoga, you got some problem eating PORK?!" This time both Ryoga and Akane hit Ranma over the head.
"Quit it, Ranma!"
Shampoo bounced through the room bringing water to all her thirsty customers, when she spotted the group finishing their meal.
"Aiyah, Ranma come to date Shampoo." She cued holding her hands to her chest and began to bounce toward their table. She stopped mid-step as something occurred to her. "Shampoo almost forget."
She turned on her heal and leapt into the kitchen nearly knocking Mousse over in the process as he made his way to Ranma's table and started to clear away the empty bowls.
"AIYAH!" All eyes turned to the kitchen. Shampoo roughly pushed the door wide open, feverishly looking around the dining room, her gaze finally falling on Mousse and his task of gathering up dirty dishes. She ran up to him and grabbed him by the collar.
"Stupid Mousse, what you do with green bowl of ramen Shampoo make special?"
"You mean this?" He said sheepishly holding up a red bowl only to uncover the green bowl underneath. Shampoo dropped him roughly and looked at the green bowl with a grave expression.
"Ranma you no eat?" She looked at him worriedly thinking 'that all Shampoo need.'
"Ah no, I had the red bowl." She seemed relieved, but then realized that there were other people at the table.
"Akane you eat?" She glared at Akane with a similar look.
"No, I had a red bowl too."
"Good." Shampoo relaxed her shoulders and slumped forward holding herself up with her arms on the table. "That mean pig boy eat. Phew, Shampoo think there might be problem."
Shampoo gave a little laugh and Ranma looked at Akane confused, she just shrugged in return.
"Stupid boy thank goodness…oh no!" Ryoga was starting to get annoyed until Shampoo started to act strange again, looking at him intently. "Um, maybe Ryoga take Akane out, maybe to see Ukyo."
She grabbed Ryoga and Akane and started to usher the two outside.
"But, but?" Ryoga was getting more and more confused.
"No care where you go, just has to get away from Shampoo."
"Hey, I'm not going anywhere." Akane put her hands on her hips, glaring at Shampoo.
"What's going on Shampoo?" Ranma put his hand on the amazon's shoulder.
"Nothing-Ryoga has to leave and should take Akane with him. Ranma can stay." She figured this might be a good comprise, unfortunately Akane did not agree.
"How come he can stay and we can't?"
"Look, stupid girl, just has to go!"
"Who are you calling stupid!"
"You, Stupid!"
"Fine, Ryoga we are leaving."
"Huh?" Ranma straightened, frowning as Akane grabbed Ryoga by the hand, leading him toward the door.
"Keep hands off, Pervert Girl!" Shampoo yanked Ryoga away from her. The two girls glared into each other's eyes. Shampoo turned and looked at Ryoga, collapsing into the nearest chair.
"Shampoo told you to leave. Now look what you do, cute boy." She brought her hands up to her face frustrated.
"Huh? Are you talking to me?" Ryoga said pointing a finger at his chest.
"Of course, who else Shampoo be talking to? If you leave this no happen, not that I no happy you here."
"Shampoo, what are you talking about?" Ranma was beginning to get a headache.
"Shampoo make potion to make Ranma more attracted to Shampoo."
"So, I was supposed to eat it?"
"No for Shampoo to eat and then be alone with Ranma for a few minutes. Then you become more attracted to me. But Ryoga eat, now Shampoo and Akane attracted to him and who could blame us."
"What are you talking about. I'm not attracted to him." Akane turned red.
"If Ryoga go away might get better, but need to find a cure before it get worse." Shampoo looked up at Ryoga, stars in her eyes, not really wanting him to leave. She had to use all her strength to keep from hugging him.
"Well fine, come on Ryoga."
"No, has to stay away from Akane too." The two girls stared at each other waging an unseen battle.
"OK Ryoga, come with me, you two stay here." Ranma said.
"Wait, what if some other girl sees him and falls in love?" Akane said worriedly.
"No it ok, potion only work for a couple of minutes. Don't know how long it will affect Shampoo and Akane. I have to talk to great grandmother."
"Ok, say goodbye lover boy." Ranma grabbed Ryoga by the shirt and through him out the door. Ranma led him down to the end of the street, only to abandon him to get lost.
"Well, that takes care of that problem." Ranma said, irritated on many different levels. Things were strange enough with Akane at the moment, he didn't need any more complications. When he entered the Cat Café Akane and Shampoo were sitting back to back, arms folded, a blue aura emanating from them both.
Akane was quiet the whole walk home not giving into Ranma's usual taunts. Akane changed into her gi and headed straight to the dojo to try and work off some emotion. It'd been awhile since she last shadow boxed. Her mind was a jumbled mess of past memories and recent ones.
A particular memory of her kissing Ranma weighed heavily on her brain, but she continually pushed it from her thoughts. She just didn't have the emotional stability to contemplate everything at once. She was back to the old Akane that should have been enough. At least that was what she was desperately trying to convince herself.
At the moment she wasn't having as hard a time pushing these thoughts from her mind. For some strange reason her thoughts were constantly drifting to Ryoga. 'Was he ok? Was he lost? Or worse yet was he with someone else?'
She had never really thought much on Ryoga. He was a friend, but when he wasn't around she rarely noticed. Sometimes she barely noticed when he was. She continued to strike at her invisible opponent, wondering about her present romantic involvement with Ryoga, not even noticing Ranma watching her.
"I see you are back to your old style." He said with a twinge of disappointment.
"Ah, yeah." She stopped a little out of breath, not able to return his look.
"Hmph, just when you started to become a half decent martial artist."
"Hey! I have always been a good martial artist!"
"OK then, let's spar."
"Fine!" She ran at him violently with a single punch, which he dodged smirking at her.
"That was a lame attack. You can do better." Her body oozed with anger and she clenched her teeth at him. She made several punches and kicks that Ranma effortlessly avoided.
"Are you distracted or something?" Ranma made a silly face, sticking his tongue out at her.
"What are you talking about?!" Her battle aura flickered off and on.
"Lovesick over your darling Ryoga." He dodged left and right from her barrage of punches, making a sickly sweet face and dough eyes.
"I don't know what you are talking about! Don't be ridiculous. Ryoga is just a friend." Ranma vaulted over her head landing behind her.
"Yah know, I know you were effected by Shampoo's stupid potion. Why are you acting so dumb?"
"Ah…" Akane straightened 'Why AM I acting like this?' "I don't know, maybe it is an effect of the potion."
"Shampoo didn't seem to act any differently toward Ryoga then she would to me, except she was more subdued." Ranma continued to mull all this over in his head, his brow furrowed in thought.
"Alright so I am effected by this stupid potion, but Ryoga is just a friend and he is going to stay that way! I just have to keep it from distracting me." She folded her arms and looked away from him.
"Let's do some more training then."
"Ah, sure."
"This time you have to try harder. You weren't even trying some of your cooler moves. Why don't you try your dragon bullet."
"Um I don't know…I could hurt you or something." Akane said nervously pushing her index fingers together.
"Huh? I have been hit with Ryoga's full Shishi Hokodan and walked away-well stumbled away at least. You aren't going to hurt me." 'And this would be an excellent opportunity to develop a counter for it.' Ranma thought to himself.
"Well ok, if you asked for it." Akane closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. 'Alright all I have to do is focus.' Her mind was clouded with doubt, images of Ryoga and Ranma hung in her mind. 'Concentrate, keep focused. Focused on what?"
Ranma watched her struggle her eyes closed, hands out, but nothing was happening. "Come on! What are you doing?"
"I am trying my best, jerk!" She continued to concentrate.
"Well stop thinking all gooey thoughts about Ryoga and hit me!" Her eyes flew open still concentrating, her green aura flared, sparks emanating from her hands.
"I would love to hit you right now!" She suddenly collapsed to her knees out of breath. "But I don't seem to be able to at the moment."
Her eyes shot up at him, he could have sworn he saw a flash of green behind them for a split second. "And this has nothing to do with Ryoga. Don't be so jealous!"
She got up and started to walk away. "Hey, I am not jealous of a boyish girl like you!"
"Fine, whatever!"
"Ryoga can have you!" He slumped down to the ground into a sitting position, she was already gone. 'Not like I ever wanted you in the first place.'
Ranma arrived at the kitchen table alone. The rest of the family had already gathered for breakfast, except Akane was nowhere to be found. She hadn't even tried to wake Ranma up like she usually did.
Ranma began to eat at his usual speed when Akane sat down next to him. He looked over at her sleepy face, bags under her eyes, and her hair a mess. She fidgeted with the rice in her bowl.
"Jeez Akane, did you sleep at all last night?" Nabiki eyed her sister's disheveled clothes and worn expression.
"I had a hard time sleeping." Akane yawned, her eyes watering slightly. "I am not too hungry, I'm going to get an early start for school."
Ranma paused, his chopsticks still in his mouth, watching her leave the table. He quickly shoveled the rest of his breakfast into his mouth, grabbed his lunch from Kasumi, and darted out after Akane. She hadn't made it too far, walking slowly, staggering a bit. He took his usual position on the fence above her, walking a lot slower than normal.
"Are you going to fall asleep while walking?" He crouched down to look at her.
"Hmm? Oh sorry." Ranma straightened. 'She looks so distracted.'
"So, what kept you up? Are you feeling ok?" He began to worry slightly about her health.
"Oh nothing, I'm fine. I…just had problems sleeping." She became more animated and blushed slightly.
"You weren't thinking about Ryoga were you?'
"No, of course not! I'm sure he is fine, he gets lost all the time and somehow finds his way back!" She looked a combination of embarrassed and worried. 'This is too much!' Ranma jumped down from the fence and started for the rooftop of the nearest house.
"Where are you going?"
"To find your lover boy." Ranma leapt away jumping from rooftop to rooftop. He soon arrived at the Cat Café, making his usual entrance swinging the doors open.
"Hey, old ghoul!"
"Ryoga?!" Shampoo rushed out from the kitchen with a hopeful expression on her face only to have it dashed to pieces at the sight of Ranma. She looked just as tired as Akane obviously getting as much sleep worrying over Ryoga whereabouts. "Oh, Nihao Ranma. You want Shampoo make tasty ramen?"
"No, I am looking for the old ghoul." Ranma felt something strike him hard from behind he fell forward to the ground.
"Yes son-in-law?"
"You have to find a cure for this love potion of Shampoo's." Ranma answered moaning in pain.
"What's this Shampoo?"
"Oh great grandmother, I got into a bit of your attraction elixirs." Shampoo looked sheepishly at her tribal elder twiddling her fingers.
"So who ate it, not you son-in-law? That is all we need more suitors for Shampoo's husband."
"No Ryoga eat and now he lost and alone or maybe with Akane right now." Tears started to well up in the exhausted girl's eyes.
"So I take it you were there granddaughter and are now caught in the attraction spell." The girl shook her head sadly.
"Yeah, he was with Akane and me. I need to get a cure before they both go insane." 'Stupid Ryoga. Stupid Akane.'
"The boy needs to drink the repulsing elixir to neutralize the effects of the attraction elixir. And all three of you will have to be there, as well."
"OK give it to me and I will find that creep and make him take it."
"I don't have it."
"What?"
"I've never needed it." Ranma's face faltered. "But, I do know of a place only a couple days hike from here in the mountains. The Temple of Scorned Souls, the priestesses should have some,"
"The Temple of Scorned Souls?"
"First, find the boy and bring him here, I will make you a map." Ranma nodded and flew out the door in search of the lost boy. 'He could be on another continent by now.'
"You don't say sugar, some kind of love potion, huh?"
"Yup." Ryoga nodded eating his okinomyaki.
"So now Akane and Shampoo have the hots for you?' 'This might turn out good for Ranchan and me.'
"Yup." Ryoga sighed. "Not exactly how I wanted it to be."
She looked over at his sorrowful expression. 'What an idiot, he is always pining over this girl and now that he has her…I guess this isn't exactly how I would like Ranma to love me.' She straightened, pausing from her cooking for a moment.
"OK Ryoga, I owe you one from yesterday, not that I really needed your help mind you. What do you want me to do to help?"
"Really Ukyo, you'll help me?"
"Sure will, but first tell me and really think about this before you answer. Do you really want this love potion lifted from Akane?"
Ryoga sat still, contemplating what the question really implied. He loved Akane with all his heart, but he couldn't do something like this. He learned for past mistakes that love was not some trick that you could play on a person.
"Absolutely, but I can't say that I will always be able to keep my control." He nodded looking at her with a serious expression.
"Well that's what I'll be there for. I won't let either of them near you and we'll find you a cure together." They were both caught in the moment, holding each other's hands, eyes locked in determination. Ryoga was suddenly flattened against the wall.
"Quick Ukyo, run away before you are in love with him too!"
"Hey Ranma, what do you think you are doing?" Ryoga was on his feet, holding Ranma by the throat. "Are you jealous?"
Ranma punched the smirk off Ryoga's face.
"Really Ranma, I have been around him for about a half hour now I'm not attracted to him in any way, shape, or form." Ryoga's shoulders dropped at her statement. Ranma was already on top of him, grabbing him by the collar in an attempt to drag him out the door, while he protested.
"Come on Ryoga, we are going to get a cure for this, whether you like it or not."
"Hey, wait for me." Ukyo ran out from behind the counter and followed the two struggling boys.
For the second time Ryoga came flying through the doors of the Cat Café followed by Ranma, who walked in unlike his predecessor. He stopped, startled at the sight before his eyes. Akane and Shampoo hands locked in battle, their auras flickering around them. Both girls stopped, their faces lighting up when they saw Ryoga's prone body on the floor.
"Oh thank goodness. Are you alright?"
"Shampoo knew you come back!" Ranma rolled his eyes as the two girls scrambled to get to the boy plastered against the wall.
"Ah…" Ryoga stuttered, sliding down the wall to the floor, two beautiful women running toward him with love burning in their eyes. He held his breath in anticipation. A gigantic spatula stopped the girls in their tracks. Ryoga pulled his legs up to his chin before they were severed by the okinomyaki chef's blade.
"Huh?' Both girls looked up to find Ukyo smiling at them.
"Looks like I made it just in time lover boy." Ryoga breathed a sigh of relief, before rising to his feet, a hardened look on his face.
"That was close, you could have hurt me!" She shrugged never taking her eyes away from the two disappointed girls.
"Hey, are you sure this potion won't effect her?" Ranma bent down to the amazon elder's level.
"Was she there right after he ate the ramen?"
"Nope."
"Then she is fine."
"What you think you doing spatula girl?"
"Well ladies," she said swinging her combat spatula behind her, securing it to her back. "Just consider me the love police. I am here to make sure neither of you get close to him."
Ryoga cowered slightly behind her at the looks he was being given.
"I don't know what you are talking about." Akane crossed her arms across her chest and looked away.
"You no keep Ryoga away from Shampoo!" Shampoo started toward Ukyo, who assumed her fighting stance. Ranma rushed in between them.
"Now come on we have a cure we just have to go get it, all of us together."
"Oh Ranma, you jealous of Ryoga and Shampoo. Shampoo so happy!" Shampoo immediately glomped onto him. All other young female eyes suddenly turned cold.
"Hey, I thought you loved him!" Ranma struggled to break free of the amazon's hold.
"Shampoo never stop loving Ranma. Now I love Ryoga too. You both be my husbands, both so strong." Shampoo got a glazed look in her eyes and went for Ryoga again. This time Ukyo did not interrupt the love assault, one of Mousse's chains rapped around Ryoga's neck, pulling him out of her grasp.
"I will not let you have my Shampoo!"
"You are the moron that fed me that stuff! Idiot!" Ryoga released himself from the chain and started to pummel Mousse with his umbrella.
"Aiyah! Ryoga fight for Shampoo!"
"No he's not!" Akane yelled back. Ukyo stayed out of both their ways, while Ranma was still stuck in the middle
"We are never going to get outta here."
Revised 7/15/00
Disclaimer - All that legal mumbo-jumbo. This isn't mine it's
somebody else's and they get all the money.
Oh yeah - Any comments, compliments, "you suck" emails to JLee011@sprintmail.com
Lin Lee