I do not own Ranma 1/2 or any of its characters

-11-

Ranma awoke before his alarm, but this time he was excited to start his day. He readied himself quickly, then dashed out of the house, a piece of toast being scarfed down as he made his way to the Nekohanten and his date with Shampoo.

As he approached the building, he saw a solitary figure standing outside. Shampoo was standing there in a blue Chinese dress that hugged her curves nicely. Ranma stopped in his tracks, taking in her seductive beauty for a moment before hurrying over to her.

"You look stunning." He dipped down and kissed her cheek.

"Ranma is handsome as always." She ran her eyes over him, he was wearing an indigo shirt, very similar to the one she had bought for him and, if she was right, he was wearing the pants she got him.

"Come on, let's go."

"Where are we going?"

"Next town over, there's a festival celebrating martial arts with demonstrations and everything, I thought it would be fun."

She could see his childlike exuberance and smiled at him. "Let's go."

Cologne watched the two depart from the upstairs window. Ah, to be young and in love. The phone rang, and she hurried to answer it. She recognized the voice immediately, but unfortunately the reason for the call wasn't for friendly banter. "And you're certain?"

The voice on the other end responded in Chinese, "Yes. Thief stole the guest book and strangled me with pantyhose of all things."

I must warn Ranma and Shampoo when they get home.

The young couple passed the day away at the festival, unaware of the danger lurking in the shadows. They visited booths and food stalls, checked out the weapons display and watched many of the demonstrations. The hours seemed to just fly by and soon the festival was coming to an end, much to Ranma's reluctance.

The sun was setting as the two made their way back to Nerima. Rain was threatening to fall, so they had to hurry back and escape the rain that would trigger their curse. However, a cloaked figure stepped in front of them as they entered the Nermina city limits, stopping them in their tracks.

Shampoo turned to her date. "Ranma, what we do?"

The cloaked figure spoke, "Ranma Saotome? Ranma, who visited Jusenkyo?"

"What's it to you pal?"

Without warning the cloaked figure rushed forward to attack. Both Shampoo and Ranma avoided the blow.

"Why are you attacking us?" Ranma blocked a punch aimed at his face.

"Tell me where he is?" The cloaked figure attempted to kick Ranma, which was avoided by jumping back.

"Where who is?" Ranma was growing annoyed, as the unknown assailant kept attacking him and avoided answering the question.

"Don't play dumb with me, I know you're hiding him. I saw you with him!"

Having had enough, Ranma went on the offensive, sending a barrage of kicks and punches at his opponent. "I'm not hiding anyone, and I certainly ain't protectin' anyone. If you just tell me who you're looking for maybe I can point you in the right direction."

His attacks were blocked, all but one kick to the abdomen. The cloaked figure doubled over.

"If you won't willingly hand him over, I will just have to make you." The cloaked figure turned his gaze to Shampoo.

Ranma growled, "You leave her out of this." His attacks intensified. Using the Kachū Tenshin Amaguriken, he landed several punches sending the figure backward.

"Careful, you won't like me when I'm angry." The figure threw off his cloak.

Ranma saw the pantyhose around his waist, "Why is that, you pantyhose jerk?"

The man's face contorted in rage. Pulling a flask from his waist, he dumped the contents over his head. Steam rose and his body began to change.

He's been to Jusenkyo. Ranma rushed in, hoping to land another attack before his change was complete, but a large fury hand struck him sending him reeling.

"Airen!" Shampoo dashed in between Ranma and the bull looking creature. What is this creature? Shampoo analyzed it; it looked to be a bull with crane wings and an eel for a tail, but it had hands, giant furry hands, but hands...like a yeti.

The creature charged, but Shampoo couldn't dodge as Ranma was behind her. With her chúi in hand, Shampoo hoped to buy enough time for Ranma to recover. She threw one and it struck the creature square in the head, but it was not deterred. With just one weapon left, she struck out at the stampeding creature with all her strength. She managed to alter his course, but one of his horns sliced across her stomach and she cried out in pain.

"Shampoo!"

Ranma's anguished cry reached her as she slumped over.

Ranma, gathering his chi, attacked the creature with his Mōko Takabisha. It barely fazed the creature.

The bull began to charge again, but a cage encircled it. Ranma looked over and saw Shampoo struggling to stay on her feet, blood pouring from her wound.

"Airen, hurry."

Ranma aligned his chi with hers and jumped high into the air. With his chi taking on the shape of a red dragon he flew towards the cage. The dragon crashed through the cage, its energy merging with the cage causing a raging inferno to start from the ground and rose in a circular motion inside the cage. The creature wailed as the flames engulfed it. As the attack came to the end the monster began to gain its footing. It was injured but wasn't defeated yet. Shampoo collapsed, her injuries too severe to stay in the battle.

Ranma cried out for her in his despair. Then turned to the monster. "Shishi Hōkōdan." He attacked and the monster was crushed under the heavy chi.

It was still moving.

"Shishi Hōkōdan." He attacked again.

It was still moving.

"Shishi Hōkōdan!" He threw everything into that attack. The crater was feet deep, but the monster stopped moving.

Ranma struggled to get out of the hole, never noticing that the rain had begun to fall and his curse had triggered.

He looked toward Shampoo, but he couldn't see her, only her bloody clothes. Her curse had triggered too. Ranma stopped dead in her tracks; Shampoo was in her cat form, her fur clumping from the red liquid still oozing out. The rain began to thin out the puddle that had began to pool around her

Blood. There's so much blood. I have to get her help. "She's still Shampoo. She's hurt and she needs me. She's still Shampoo. She's hurt and she needs me." Ranma repeated these words over and over as she slowly took steps closer to Shampoo. The mantra helped Ranma induce an almost out of body experience. She knelt down and bundled the cat in the clothes to keep pressure on the wound and help keep her covered from the rain. All the while repeating the words.

Ranma sprinted the entire way to the Nekohanten, and kicked the door open. The noise summoned Cologne.

"What's happened?"

"She's still Shampoo. She's hurt and she needs me."

Ranma kept repeating the words over and over. Cologne motioned for Ranma to bring her upstairs and she laid the cat on her bed. Cologne then tried to escort Ranma out of the room but she wouldn't budge.

"I need to turn her back and she's going to be naked. I'll let you back in as soon as she's covered."

Ranma walked out of the door and collapsed to the ground on the other side. Please let Shampoo be alright.