The Spring of Purity

Hello again my friends!
Here we are, at the final chapter of this story, very much overdue. I feel I should apologize for letting this story sit unfinished for so long, among others I plan to finish in due time.
I want to thank everyone for supporting this story, and for the kind reviews. Not to mention the much appreciate feedback within said reviews.
All that said, if you read the previous chapters, you know what warnings to expect. If for some reason this is the first chapter of this story that you have read, kindly start from the beginning.

All that said, here we go!

X X X

China. A land shrouded in millennia of history and culture. More people than anywhere in the world live within its borders, spread out over millions of square miles. Such a vast expanse of land and people would inevitably result in startling differences between the people of each region. The people of the central forests of the land had been named many things, but the most common title bestowed was that of the "Chinese Amazons".

This tribe of renowned warrior women had been the basis for legends the world over for thousands of years, maintaining their distinct identity in all that time. A matriarchal society, they were largely left alone, save for the occasional outsider looking to join the tribe. Secret techniques perfected over the millennia by the greatest Amazon warriors were passed down from generation to generation, making these warrior women among the best martial artists in the world.

There were many paths through the treacherous jungle, only a scant few leading to the fabled home of the Amazons. The crimson and violet haired pair had been going as fast as they could for the last three weeks, only stopping to make camp and rest each night. The trek through the jungle had proven far easier than the last time Ranko had been there, most likely due to Shampoo knowing the safest routes to her home.

Ranko steadied her breathing as she finally caught sight of the Amazon village, Shampoo at her side. Shampoo looked over at her blue eyed friend and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright, Ranko?" She asked softly, her concern lifting her slender eyebrows in worry.

Ranko swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded.

"Just nervous…" she paused for a long moment. "When I was last here, I didn't make the best impression on your people," she said running a hand through her ruby red bangs. Shampoo nodded at that, "Great Grandmother and Mousse have been back with the tribe for some time now, if anyone can smooth things over, it's her."

Ranko nodded, finally mustering up the will to walk towards the village. Upon the pair of lovely ladies entering the village proper, the two were quickly spotted by Shampoo's fellow Amazons. Ranko couldn't speak fluent Chinese but the way the assembled mob had reacted, it was nothing but welcome home's and the like to be sure.

She was sure to be quiet, not interrupting anything, until a certain sound hit her ears. The sound of a recoiling spring. Shampoo heard it too, "Ah! Great Grandmother!" she said in Japanese. Indeed, Cologne was headed their way, using her cane like a pogo stick. The small elderly woman came was greeted halfway by Shampoo, and they proceeded to hug each other tightly.

"Hello dear granddaughter! It has been far too long," the aged Amazon said as she balanced atop her cane effortlessly to be at eyes height with Shampoo and Ranko. "And Ranma, I must say, I am surprised to see you again."

Ranko was about to correct Cologne about her name, but decided to save the explanations until they could have some privacy. "Thank you, Cologne. I wouldn't have made it back here if it weren't for Shampoo's help."

Cologne nodded and started asking Shampoo what had been happening in Nerima, though since they were talking in Chinese, Ranko could only make out portions of their conversation. After a few minutes of talking, the trio began to head further into the village, with the other villagers headed every which way after the impromptu welcoming back of Shampoo. 'Off to take care of the day's chores and such, no doubt' Ranko thought as she walked about a yard behind Shampoo and Cologne, the sound of their conversation somewhat punctuated by Cologne's pogo-cane.

They soon reached what Ranko assumed to be their family's hut, which was, like most other huts in the village, about 2 yards off of the ground, supported by a series of bamboo stilts, each stilt made up of a bundle of 7 poles bound together by steel rings. The huts had no modern amenities from the outside, but the design was specifically designed to provide the maximum comfort for jungle dwellers.

The trio entered the hut and Ranko was somewhat amazed to see that the lights inside the hut were small battery-powered lamps. Ranko would have guessed that the reason that they were battery-powered was to prevent fires that would result from gas or oil lanterns. 'Huh, one of them is green…' Ranko noted before she saw Cologne and Shampoo sit on the cushions on the floor, Shampoo patting the one next to her. Ranko took the hint and sat on the cushion in Seiza.

"So, Ranko," Cologne stated, causing Ranko's scarlet eyebrows to shoot up and her eyes to go wide, looking at Shampoo. "Yes, Shampoo took the liberty of telling me of your choice to change your name, but I can assure you she was adamant that I wait to ask you about any further details."

Shampoo looked at Ranko with a slight blush forming just under her amethyst eyes, suddenly those same eyes darting down, becoming intimately familiar with the pattern of the rug. "It's ok, Shampoo," Ranko said placing a hand over Shampoo's. Ranko could have sworn that Shampoo's skin tone had suddenly become the same shade as Ranko's hair.

Cologne let out a raspy chuckle and adjusted her sitting posture to a more casual manner. Ranko gathered her thoughts and began to tell Cologne of what had happened since she had first left Nerima three years prior. To her credit, the old woman didn't interrupt once throughout, only making slight nods and 'hmm's' of understanding as she listened.

"So,that's why I am here," Ranko said at last, pulling out the copy of the scroll from her bag, unfurling it to show the contents to the ancient Amazon. Cologne took a moment to read it, her eyes darting over the ancient Chinese calligraphy with ease.

Finally, she took a moment to chuckle another gravely laugh. "I knew this would happen someday," she said pointing to the scroll. "I knew someone would find this legend, even a cheap copy like this".

Ranko was about to ask what she meant, when Shampoo suddenly spoke up. "So, the legend is true?" she asked with her eyes full of hope. Cologne cackled in that way only she could, re-rolling the scroll.

"All legends are true…to a point. But yes, this one is very true."

Cologne motioned to a shelf behind her; three levels of books and scrolls taking up residence. "If you want the original scroll, there is only one copy left, handed down in our family from generation to generation," she said as she got up and rifled through the scrolls until she found the original. "This legend is older than the Amazon tribe," she said, unfurling it to show the contents.

The Chinese was nothing like the standard Mandarin or simplified modern Chinese, some of the characters so arcane that even Shampoo, who was fluent in Amazonian Chinese, couldn't read it without issue.

Both Ranko and Shampoo looked over the intricate calligraphy, before looking at each other as if to confirm that this was real, and then, looking back to Cologne. "So, um, what does it say?" Ranko asked the aged woman, who had started puffing on her pipe. Cologne began to read the ancient scroll in equally ancient Amazon speech. She then re-read it aloud, translating it to Japanese for Ranko and Shampoo's benefit.

"Jusenkyo, from your source, blessed by the Heavens, comes your power.
Seek out the source, to find truth, journey to the mountain, where the springs are born.

Enter the darkness, banish it as one, the path will show, truth and love shall guide.

Only this shall do, your burden lifted, become who you truly are and remain forevermore."

Cologne took another long puff from her pipe, letting her words sink into Ranko and Shampoo's minds.

"A source, for Jusenkyo?" She asked, her eyes sparkling with hope. Cologne nodded, Shampoo chiming in as well. "Why have we never heard of it before?"

Cologne let out a puff of herbal smoke, before knocking the ash in an ashtray. "The source of Jusenkyo is protected by magic older than the Amazon tribe itself. It is dangerous for anyone to go there, even the most highly trained Amazon warrior would find it almost impossible. And if I had told you about it, you wouldn't have been able to find it" The old woman finally set down her pipe after exhaling a large cloud of scented smoke.

Ranko felt her head drop at that. "Fair points, but I know I am a better person now than I was back then" Ranko said as she felt Cologne's gaze on her, as though the ancient woman was looking into her very soul.

"Your spirit has matured, as has your body. But I cannot in good conscience let you go in there alone. You see, the divine spirits that blessed that mountain and the source of Jusenkyo made it so two people must venture in together."

Ranko heard Shampoo gasp aloud, her jaw dropping and her violet eyes going wide as if she just discovered something shocking. Another thing Ranko noticed was the blush quickly overwhelming the purple haired Amazon's face and neck. "Shampoo, are you alright?" The redheaded woman asked with concern as she inched a bit closer to Shampoo.

Shampoo nodded her head affirmatively, softly letting out the words, "The Spring of Purity". Cologne smiled and nodded, "Yes dear child, 'The Spring of Purity', our most sacred of locations". The old woman turned to Ranko and looked at her intently. "You see Ranko, our tribe has one ritual that is above all others. 'The Ceremony of Union'. That is what the Spring of Purity is used for."

Ranko felt her own face grow hot, as well as becoming a few shades darker than her hair. "S-so, I would, h-have to get…married" She said with a pronounced stuttering in her voice, looking over to Shampoo, who was fidgeting in place. Cologne nodded while making an 'm-hm' sound, confirming what Ranko said. "Or at least…you would, under normal circumstances. In your case, you would be going to the Spring of Purity for its secondary purpose: to purify you of your curse. Since you and Shampoo are both afflicted with one, the Spring of Purity would remove your curses. However, since you have taken a liking to your female form the spring may simply render you a woman permanently, removing your transformation back to man. However, there is equal chance that the spring may simply make you a man again."

Ranko let that information sink in. "Thank you for telling us all of this, Cologne," Ranko said bowing low to the floor. The old woman let out another 'hmm' of approval, looking into Ranko's deep blue eyes. 'She is ready' she thought, before looking to her great granddaughter's eyes, a smile forming on the girl's lips. 'Both of them are.'

Shampoo spoke up once again, "Is there anything else you can tell us, Great Grandmother?" Cologne leaned back some, as if collecting her thoughts. "It won't be easy. The trials to get to the Spring of Purity will test you both physically and mentally. Your great grandfather and I barely managed to pass the tests, and we were in our prime."

Cologne stood on her cushion, quickly hopping up atop her cane, Ranko and Shampoo standing to be at even height with her. "The guardians of the mountain change the trials leading to the spring to match those who enter. Never the same trick or trap twice." She said pogoing over to the bookshelf again and pulling out a map. It was old, as if made of animal hide.

"This map will lead you to the mountain," Cologne said as she pogoed into another room, allowing Ranko and Shampoo to look it over. "Shampoo, can you read this?" Ranko asked as she pointed to the aged but still legible Amazon Chinese. "Yes I can. This will be a great help!" She said before laying it down on a table not far from the bookshelf, Cologne pogoing back in and holding out a backpack.

"There is a small gas stove and kettle in there for you to heat up water. I know it may be difficult for you both to get to the mountain if Shampoo turns into a cat because of the rain," Cologne said, Ranko taking the bag and checking it, seeing some dried meat and pre-cut vegetables in small woven bags.

"Those supplies should be enough to get you there and back, just be careful," the old woman said with a smile on her face that seemed to take off a decade or two from her time on this earth. Ranko and Shampoo both bowed to her, Shampoo following it up with a hug. "Thank you, Cologne…for everything".

The duo decided to stay the night and leave the next morning, ready for whatever the jungle and mountain could throw at them. Throwing on a simple tank top and some cargo shorts along with her shoes, Ranko steadied herself for the journey to come, joined by Shampoo dressed in a similar fashion. Saying their goodbyes to the village and Cologne, they made their way into the unknown.

X ½ X

Five long days of trudging through the jungle certainly took a toll on the pair of martial artists, both sweating profusely in the humid jungle depths. The transformation of Shampoo into a cat when the rain came pouring down the day before had slowed the pair quite a bit, especially with Ranko having to remind herself over and over while her first instinct was to freak out 'it's just Shampoo, she is not going to hurt you'. But as the water in their kettle slowly came to a comfortable heat, Ranko decided to try and pet Shampoo in her feline form. Having repeated that mantra so many times, Ranko had slowly become more comfortable with the woman turned cat, if only because she could rationalize that it was truly Shampoo she was petting.

Shampoo, knowing Ranko's discomfort, began rubbing her head into Ranko's palm and fingers, purring contentedly. She saw the frightened expression on Ranko's face slowly ease off. A small part of Ranko still wanted to run, but the longer she petted Shampoo, the more at ease she became, enjoying the soft texture of Shampoo's fur and the sound of her purring.

Shampoo guessed that if it was any old random cat, Ranko would still freeze up at the sight of it, or worse, utilize the Cat Fist technique. When the water in the kettle was finally warm enough, Ranko covered her eyes and dumped the kettle onto Shampoo. The transformation was instantaneous, Shampoo now sitting where her cat form had been a moment before. "Thank you, Ranko," she said as she went over to where Ranko had set her clothes after the unfortunate transformation, quickly slipping them back on.

Ranko opened her eyes the split second before Shampoo had pulled her tank top down, giving the formerly rambunctious redhead a brief-but-all-too revealing view of Shampoo's bare breast from the side. Ranko quickly closed her eyes and tried to slow down her raging heartbeat by thinking of anything she could.

That didn't help in the slightest.

Shampoo hadn't noticed, looking back at Ranko sitting in a meditative pose as she had a few times before when they had been resting from their long trip. Seeing as Ranko had managed to find the cave they were currently in. She was grateful that they were able to wait out the torrential rains. Shampoo took a minute to wring the water out of her voluminous violet locks, the droplets hitting the ground of the cave, casing a small echo within. Ranko finally seemed to be done with her meditation and was sitting near the mouth of the cave, watching the utter downpour outside.

Shampoo came up beside Ranko and sat down next to her. "I'm sorry we lost so much time," Shampoo said, twiddling her thumbs and looking to the ground. Ranko looked over to her with a soft smile.

"It's alright Shampoo. You can't control your curse any more than I can mine. I'm just glad I was able to keep calm…and knowing it was you I was petting made it a lot easier."

Shampoo blushed a little at that and looked back at Ranko with a small smile of her own. "Ranko…" she paused, gathering some measure of courage and determination she rarely required. "What will you do after you remove your curse? I mean, if you stay Ranko forever, what will you do then? And if you become Ranma again, stay male the rest of your life, what would you do?"

Ranko's eyes seemed to stare out into the curtains of rain, letting the sound of its relentless deluge fill their ears. Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke, "If I become Ranko, full-time like Cologne said, I honestly just want to be who she is. Someone kind, someone unafraid to show her emotions. Someone who doesn't insult others for no reason. If I become Ranma again, I…honestly don't know what I would do. I would probably just wander the earth away from everyone, living the life of a hermit. I wouldn't want to hurt anyone ever again…I would just fade away into memory."

Shampoo's eyes widened. Here Ranko was, laying her heart bare. And then Ranko finally turned to her, looking directly into Shampoo's eyes. "Shampoo," she said taking the purple haired Amazon's hands into her own, stunning the Chinese woman deeply. "I want you to know that I have never felt any hatred towards you. You may have done some bad things, but I don't think you ever meant any malice." Ranko was sitting in Seiza at this point, which Shampoo reflexively copied. "I know I hurt your feelings many times. I can never say I am sorry enough, nor can I truly understand how much grief I cause you and the others all those times. Ranma was brash, immature, bullheaded and pretty damn dumb."

Saying that, they both had a giggle. With that now out of their system, Ranko, still holding Shampoo's hands, began again. "I know this is sudden, all things considered, but Shampoo, if we both can remove our curses…how about we start over? Give us, our relationship…a fresh start?"

Shampoo felt her heart lose all sense of rhythm, as though a shot of adrenaline had been thrust directly into her heart. "Y-y-you m-mean like…d-dating?" Shampoo asked, her Japanese breaking from pure emotion. Ranko had this look, a look Shampoo ingrained into her mind: a confident smile, her crystal blue eyes twinkling like the galaxy on a clear night. "Yes, dating, being together, that kinda thing".

Shampoo responded in the best way; giving the ruby haired woman a hug, as firm as it was warm. "Yes, I would love to Ranko…chan" She said in Ranko's ear, the recipient's cheeks becoming evocative of her hair at hearing the honorific. "Um…" Shampoo then said for a moment, before Ranko shushed her with a single finger to her the natural peach-colored Amazonian lips. "Thank you, Shampoo-chan," she said before giving Shampoo a short peck on the forehead.

Surprise surprise, now Shampoo was the one with scarlet cheeks. Ranko let out a giggle. "You're very cute when you blush, Shampoo-chan."

Shampoo responded back with a giggle of her own. "So are you, Ranko-chan~"

They decided to wait that night in the cave, setting up camp just far enough inside it that they wouldn't hear the rain outside and still be able to get out in a hurry.

Heading out early the next morning, the rain having finally stopped, they consulted the map and compared it to where they were. "We should be very close…within five kilometers from here." Shampoo said noting the natural landmarks.

As they came closer to their goal, the looming mountains around them jutted out of the forest like daggers of stone and ice. As they came even closer, the entire foot of the mountain was covered in a thick fog. In order to navigate through it, the pair held hands, light dustings of rose forming on their cheeks.

Finally, after stumbling in the thick mists at the foot of the mountain, Shampoo finally felt something specific on the wall she had been pressing her hand into in order to keep orientation. "Ranko-chan! I think I found it!" she said excitedly as her fingers traced the unnatural carving in the rock face.

Pressing the carved Amazon characters, the sound of stone grinding against itself came from in front of them, the fog around them dissipating, revealing the now open maw of the cave they sought. The opening was near five meters tall, towering over both women. They looked at each other, gave a simultaneous nod and slowly entered the dark cave.

Shampoo had told Ranko on the way that the cave seemed to render all outside light, making flashlights and torches useless. As they came to a far wall, the torches suddenly ignited, blue fire bathing the room in its azure glow. They were so far inside that Ranko couldn't see the entrance behind them, her senses on high alert as she looked over the now illuminated wall.

Shampoo read the text carved into the wall aloud, "Beyond this way is the first of your trials. The 'Trial of the Body. Overcome as one."

Shampoo looked at Ranko and took her hand. "We have to say 'We accept' together, in Amazon for it to open, Ranko chan." Ranko nodded, letting Shampoo help her quickly learn the way to pronounce it in Amazon. "We accept!" They said together, the now familiar sound of stone grinding together echoed inside the cave as another large opening appeared in the wall.

As they entered the passageway closed behind them, the blue flame once again igniting in this new room, suddenly joined by a warm orange flame. The combination of these colors provided enough light to see the entire room, sparse save for the self-lighting torches along the high walls. Suddenly, the ground before them shook, cracking and fracturing into large slabs, then into smooth boulders.

Towering over both women stood a giant golem of ston,, its eyes solid, glowing green gemstones. Its hands were big enough to grab both of them around the midsection with room to spare. Before they had a chance to say a word, the creature lunged forward, forcing both women to dash away from each other to avoid its clubbing blow. The golem was far faster on its feet than a creature that size would normally be.

Ranko and Shampoo both tried striking at all the usual weak points that they could think of: knees, elbows, neck, groin, even the ankles and wrists. The adamantine rocks did not give in the slightest. Not wanting to risk injury both women kept moving, not giving the gargantuan golem a chance to hit them. The two managed to double drop-kick the creature in the back at the same time, sending the colossus to the ground face first.

The two stood still, on their guard. "That was too easy…" Ranko said as the creature laid there prone. Shampoo nodded in agreement, her eyes focusing intently on the monster. Their suspicions were swiftly confirmed, as the monster didn't get up, but rather the rocks that made up its body shifted to bring the creature to stand upright once again. Ranko let a groan escape from her throat.

"This thing is really starting to tick me off!" She said as she cracked her knuckles. Shampoo looked for anything that could help them, but there were no weapons or any other items in the room but the rocks that made up the Golem and the sheer walls that went up to the ceiling high above.

She then noticed the Golem's eyes, those emerald-like gems. She whispered to Ranko, "I have an idea. Can you distract it?" Ranko nodded, suddenly moving near top speed around the lumbering creature leaving a gust of air in her wake. Shampoo began focusing her chi, setting her focus on one thing. "Now Ranko-chan! Bring it this way!" She yelled to Ranko, who expertly led the earthen beast towards Shampoo. Just as the monster was about to swing its enormous slabs-for-hands where Shampoo was standing, the Amazon jumped onto the top of one hand and then bounded off of it like a springboard. She used that momentum to launch herself straight towards the monster's face, her fists landing directly in its eyes.

The sound of cracking crystal filled the room as the shards broke from the now destroyed gems. Shampoo winced in a bit of pain as she pulled her hands out of the now empty sockets where the eyes had been, back-flipping off of the creature's head. Ranko leaped in the air to catch her, both of them landing on the ground safely. The monster however, began to crumble until there was nothing but boulders and pebbles on the floor.

Ranko looked down, Shampoo's hands were a bit bruised, but thanks to her chi being concentrated in her hands, they weren't in any danger of being broken or bleeding. Ranko also couldn't help but note that Shampoo's hands were pressed into Ranko's bust. Shampoo didn't seem to notice, as she was looking back at the now dissolving rocks, turning into sand on the floor.

"Are you Ok, Shampoo-chan?" Ranko asked as she hoped the Amazon didn't realize the exact location of her hands. Shampoo took a steadying breath and smiled at Ranko. "I am Ok. Thank you, Ranko-chan." Shampoo then looked down at her hands, realizing just where they were, quickly pulling them away and apologizing profusely to Ranko. "Sorry Ranko-chan!" She said bowing frantically. Shampoo was stopped by Ranko placing a hand on her shoulder and pulling the violet haired woman in for a hug.

"It's Ok, Shampoo-chan. I know you didn't mean to do anything wrong." Shampoo stifled a small gasp as she was hugged, slowly settling into the loose embrace. They pulled away after a few more seconds, yet again flushed in the face, holding hands as they headed towards a new exit that formed from a previously unmarked section of wall.

They walked through the entrance, another set of self-lighting torches igniting the room, this time the flames appeared a deep orange. When they finally reached the end of the corridor of stone, they came upon a second towering wall. Shampoo quickly read and translated the inscription upon it, "Herein lies the Test of Mind". Ranko looked at Shampoo who nodded, "We Accept!" they said again, the stone this time giving way to a pair of sliding doors from the center.

Upon entering, the gargantuan sliding doors closed behind them, leaving them in complete darkness. Then, the room suddenly shifted, the lighting was not the orange flame from before, but seemed to be like sunlight. Instead of a carved stone chamber, the pair saw a vast field of high reeds and grass swaying in the breeze. Almost as soon as they looked back at the other after seeing the field, they suddenly seemed to be getting pulled away from each other, but there were no hands grabbing them.

"RANKO-CHAN!"

"SHAMPOO-CHAN!"

They both tried to reach the other to no avail, until they were unable to see or even hear each other. Ranko tried to call out, but all she was answered with was a soft breeze. Her heart was racing, she looked around, trying to be wary of everything. Suddenly, a shadow appeared to bubble up from the ground in front of her, the grass and reeds clearing away. The sludge surging upward like boiling ink, slowly taking shape.

"No…" Ranko said as she gazed on a face she despised even more than her own father's. "No way in hell!" she shouted at the mirror image of Ranma Saotome, right down to the Chinese silk shirt, pants and shoes. The doppelganger smirked, whether in arrogance or humor she couldn't tell. And then he moved, not holding back anything. Ranko knew her strengths, as she was sure this false Ranma did. She wouldn't be able to match his brute strength, but she was far more agile and fast in her female form.

She managed to block or counter every blow, but even striking at his weakest points seemed to do nothing. It was as though her fighting back against him only made him stronger. As she thought this, he started talking. "Oh wah wah, look at me, I'm Ranma Saotome, I'm the lucky son of a bitch who is engaged to half a dozen sexy-ass ladies and I can't decide which one I want to marry, poor little me!" he said in that voice she had come to loathe, in that tone of snark that she had abandoned.

"We weren't deserving of their attention and you know it," he said to her, his attacks still as brutal as before, but he was getting faster. "Your father was a joke of a martial artist and a drunk. Akane was a temperamental tomboy who couldn't go one day without whacking you with that damn hammer of hers for something that wasn't even your fault! Ukyo never would have worked out either, she was too busy with an actual job and Nabiki to ever love you. Kodachi was nuttier than a squirrel in peanut-butter, and Kasumi never would have gone for a punk like you!"

"Would you just shut up already?" Ranko asked exacerbated beyond belief. The shadow-Ranma was using every single thing she had told herself at her lowest point to tear her down. And what was worse? In a way…it was working. And then, the fake went that one step too far.

"So now you are trying to get with the Chinese slu-"

The Ranma double didn't even get to finish the insult. Ranko surged forward and landed a powerful right uppercut into his stomach, knocking the wind out of his lungs and sending him flying back a good twenty feet.

"Don't, you ever," she said through gritted teeth as she closed the distance and grabbed her male self by the collar of his shirt. "EVER!" She shouted into his face. "Say that about Shampoo! She wanted to be loyal to her people! She had a goal! And not only that, she honestly tried to show us how much she cared for us, even if it was misguided. What did we have? Selfishly removing our curse so we could be happy? We would have still had the fiancé question! We both know we would have gone and screwed up EVERYONE'S lives even worse than we already had!"

'Ranma' looked up at her, not with a smirk but with a solemn look. "Exactly," he said kicking her off so hard that she flew back a good ten feet. "And that is why I am still here. You have been able to forgive everyone else for their mistakes, even get them to apologize for making them," he said wiping the blood that now leaked out of his mouth with the back of his hand.

"But you never forgave yourself." He said with a note of finality.

"No, I haven't. I became Ranko to leave that life behind." She said getting into a fighting stance. He shook his head.

"You will never be able to leave that behind. It is a part of you, whether you like it or not." He crouched into an identical fighting stance and stared her dead in the eyes, two sets of blue eyes staring the other down.

Ranko felt his words tremor within her. And then she saw something from Ranma that she never thought she would.

"W-what?!" she gasped.

Tears were streaming down his face.

"I forgive you, Ranko. Now you have to forgive yourself," he said through half sobs.

Ranko felt her heart sink. So this was her trial. Not fighting and defeating her former self, but being able to make peace with him. Until she did, she would never be able to move on. She walked to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, then pulled him into a hug.

I forgive you, Ranma Saotome. And I forgive myself, Ranko Sao. I promise to make the most of this new life. I swear on my honor as a martial artist… and as a woman."

Ranma returned the embrace.

After a moment, Ranko opened her eyes and saw that he and the field around them were slowly fading away.

"Thank you" he said before the illusion faded, leaving her in the same room she had entered she knew not how long before.

There, standing where she had been, was Shampoo, her eyes glazed over.

X ½ X

Shampoo was looking all around, her eyes darting every which way. This was beyond scary; she was unable to tell where Ranko was, or even hear her voice. It was then that she heard a clanking, rustling.

Out of the grass popped a perfect imitation of her former fiancée and a rare male Amazon warrior, Mousse. He said nothing, simply throwing a plethora of weapons and items at Shampoo from his vastly oversized sleeves.

Shampoo dodged, not without some effort, but then she was met with a savage knock in the back by a wooden cane. She managed to turn in midair and land on her feet, seeing a vision of Cologne, balancing atop her cane and ready to fight with every last drop of strength in her aged form.

Shampoo then was whacked over the back of the head by a pair of Chúi, Chinese hammer-maces. She managed to avoid a second strike, lo and behold, it was an exact copy of her younger self, right down the armor atop her traditional Amazon garb.

Suddenly, the trio of these duplicates stopped moving. Shampoo had figured that the trial was about perception, so she simply stood still and did not attack. It would have dispelled the illusion, were it not for the false people fading out. Shampoo thought that she was done, but a voice, weak and ragged called out to her. "S-s-shampoo…" she heard from right behind her.

There lay Ranko, bloody and beaten, as though every bone had been broken individually. Shampoo wasn't sure if this was the truth or another illusion. She tried clearing her mind, but Ranko was not disappearing. Instead, she kept asking for Shampoo through violent hacking coughs.

Shampoo finally decided to kneel next to Ranko and hear what she had to say. The moment she had knelt, she could feel the warmth leaving the body, see the color fading from her skin. Shampoo bit her lip and held Ranko's hand. Ranko, without warning, reached a single hand up to stab at her heart. Shampoo tried to pull away, but she felt the hand puncture her ribcage and grab her heart, preventing her from moving anywhere.

"Silly little girl, you aren't a true Amazon, you don't even deserve to call yourself a warrior!" 'Ranko' said with bile and vitriol. "Look at you! You cried yourself to sleep for three years after he left, even though you knew you had no chance. And now that 'She' has decided to rid herself of her curse, suddenly you think that helping her will make it any better? That she will forgive you for all the stupid crap you tried to pull back then?"

Shampoo felt the hand around her heart squeeze and clench. "Pathetic!" the false Ranko said as she suddenly shifted to look exactly like the real Ranko had three years prior. "How would she feel if she knew that you loved her? Would she feel reviled? Would she just run away and never see you again? Or would she just…"

A long pause came as the Ranko before her gained a rictus grin beyond anything a human could ever give. "Laugh!" she said, starting to laugh manically, her skin turning pale, eyes sinking in. Shampoo closed her eyes and tried to fight out of this imposter's grip, but she was completely outmatched. No matter how hard she hit, she couldn't focus her chi to hit any pressure points, nor could she cover her ears to block out the maniacal laughter from the creature before her.

And then, when Shampoo was about to give up, she heard a voice calling her name, as if from far away. She turned to look, but before she could see where the voice had come from, she felt a gust of wind on her face. Less than a second later, she no longer felt anything grabbing her heart, in fact she looked down to where the hole would have been, only to see that she was unharmed.

Before her stood Ranko, the real Ranko, all five feet and eight inches of height, a much longer braid and far more mature physically and mentally than the twisted shadow of her former self. Ranko growled out to her perverse mirror image.

"Get the Hell out of here! Shampoo-chan is my fiancée." Shampoo's heart fluttered at that, looking up at Ranko with heartfelt relief and happiness in her eyes. "And I swear I won't let her down ever again!" She said, leaning down to help Shampoo to her feet.

The gruesome creature that was once a younger Ranko morphed into an equally twisted version of the current Ranko. Ranko narrowed her eyes and set herself ready. "I'm here for you, Shampoo-chan," she said quietly, looking sideways at her renewed fiancée. "Always."

Shampoo nodded and kissed Ranko's cheek. Ranko felt a tiny blush form on her cheeks, then quickly settled into a combat stance, Shampoo following suit. The pair of them engaged the false image in tandem, almost instinctively complementing each other's moves, bringing the fake to her knees. "Heh, you overcame me together, well done…" she said, before fading away into nothingness. As had been the case with Ranko's illusion, the false world around them vanished as well.

Shampoo came back to reality, to her surprise, in Ranko's arms. Ranko was holding her tight, her forehead pressed into Shampoo's own. Ranko opened those deep blue eyes of hers, smiling down at Shampoo. The slightly shorter woman was smiling as well, as they both leaned in for a kiss.

It was chaste and short, but the way their hearts all but shot out of their chests was enough to light every nerve in their bodies on fire.

The two pulled away and bashfully giggled to each other, before they turned to where a new opening in the wall had suddenly formed. They walked to it, hand in hand, the corridor lighting up with bright pink fire.

The third inscription on the wall was read aloud by Shampoo. "The Trial of Spirit". "We ACCEPT!" they said aloud, the wall sinking into the ground, leaving a hole big enough for them to step through with ease. As it sealed behind them, the room lit with flames of all colors. In the center, surrounded by a large, intricately carved marble-like ring. From the ceiling fell streams of sparkling clear water. At the same time, the surface was broken by a slight bubbling from the center of the pool, the excess water being carried out by four channels taking the water out of the room, no doubt to the springs some distance away down the mountain.

Ranko was about to ask Shampoo what they were to do, but stopped short as she saw Shampoo blushing so intensely that Ranko legitimately wondered if she was going to lose blood elsewhere. Shampoo finally spoke, her voice cracking a tiny bit.

"T-The Trial of S-Spirit shows that…t-the pair that ender it and…bathe in its waters…are worthy of each other."

Ranko now had a matching blush, asking softly. "S-So, we have to...bathe, together?"

Shampoo nodded and looked down at the floor, twiddling with her thumbs. "We have to bathe, together, n-n-naked…" the Amazon seemed to have trouble uttering that much, but then managed to clear her throat and concentrate. "And we will have to completely submerge ourselves in the water in order for the ritual to be complete."

Ranko and Shampoo may have been bashful, but they were both determined to see this through. In front of each other, they both silently began to disrobe, baring their bodies to each other. Both women were as physically fit as they were well-endowed, firm unyielding muscle under silken skin. Their busts were a single cup size apart; Ranko had E-cup breasts with sakura-petal pink nipples while Shampoo had her own bountiful breasts of F-cup proportions.

Both of them had slim waists, adorned with visible abdominal muscles and giving way to shoulder-width hips. They took in the beauty of each other, unable to speak, until Ranko couldn't hold herself back…

"Utsukushi…" Shampoo couldn't blush any more than she already had, bringing her hands up to cover her breasts and pubic mound. Ranko swiftly dashed forward and held Shampoo's arms from covering herself.

"You truly are beautiful, Shampoo-chan," Ranko whispered as she brought the nubile violet-haired woman in for their second chaste kiss of the day. Shampoo melted in Ranko's arms, allowing herself to be seen in this intimate, vulnerable way by this one woman, this woman who she cared for dearly. She wouldn't ever show this intimacy to anyone else if it meant she couldn't show it to Ranko.

They broke the kiss, grinning ear to ear. They then looked at the pool and slowly walked to it, stepping onto the marble-like surface. Before they set foot into the water though, Shampoo stopped Ranko, stepped behind her, slowly undoing the crimson haired beauty's long braid, all three feet of it coming unraveled, unfurling into a curtain of ruby-red curls. Shampoo lovingly ran her fingers through the tresses, whispering in both Chinese and in Japanese about how lovely it was to see this veritable scarlet mane freed from its restraint.

Finally, they both set a foot into the water after sitting at the edge. The water, strangely enough, felt warm and soothing, but Ranko didn't turn back into Ranma at all. She looked at Shampoo as if to ask, but Shampoo simply nodded that it was alright.

They both stood there, center of the pool, chest deep in the crystal-clear waters. They took a breath, and fully submerged in the water. They didn't open their eyes, all they did was wait until their bodies demanded air, wanting to let the Spring of Purity's water soak into them both.

When they finally came up for air, they both looked at the other. Shampoo looked the same, she couldn't be sure if her curse was truly gone, but Ranko was so unsure that she dared not open her eyes. It took Shampoo saying something that she had heard many times before, both in Japanese and in Chinese…but this time, she let the dam break when Shampoo said those words.

"Aishiteru, Ranko-chan".

X X X

"HEEEERE WE ARE… Born to be kings, WE'RE THE PRINCES OF THE UNIVEEEERRSSEE!"

DAMN!

I don't mind telling you guys, I labored intensively over this for the better part of a year just formulating this passion project to this form. I cannot begin to express how happy I am with this chapter, or with this story in general, not to mention all of the feedback and criticism I have received on this story alone.

But sadly, I have to bring this story, at least for this moment, to a close. I wanted to thank Major Mike Powell III for proof reading this story, I also wanted to thank the readers for their encouragement and support.

All of that said (looks around, as if checking if anyone else is there) I have a little secret for you fine folks. This story has one more part to it, an epilogue to cap this story off.

But I need to stress that I have no set date for the Epilogue's completion. For Pete's sake, I am behind on personal deadlines in respect to this chapter as is.

As to what to expect from my upcoming projects, well, without giving away too much: 1. a little Korrasami on the way, 2. a bit of Kill la Kill in the wings and 3. Some Frozen Fun on the way.

This and a half dozen other little things I have in the works in one form or another, so I hope you all come back soon to see them done.

But until then, this is Kamen Rider Omega, I am off to listen to some more Queen.

Thank you and goodnight!