{Part 3- Shampoo's true colours....?}
Sasuke:
Sasuke pulls on the control yoke again, trying to steer the plane towards a patch of serene blue in
the distance, surrounded by dense greenery. The plane turns, sluggishly, as winds buffet the
hurtling plane. But it is enough, as the patch of blue gets larger and more towards the center of
the cockpit view.
Sasuke:
*crash*
Sasuke:
The plane's belly scrapes against the top of a giant tree, snapping the top of the tree with a shower
of splinters, squawking birds and an extreme course correction.
*bump*
In the plane, everyone is thrown to one side as the plane hits something, and a giant bump appears
in the middle of the plane's flooring. Ranma, Shampoo, Ryouga and Akane go flying to one end of
the plane. Shampoo lands on top of Ranma as Ryouga mashes his face against the window for
Akane. Ranma curses as she tries to shield Shampoo from the flying debris, which is hitting
everybody else.
Ranma (C):
In the cockpit, Sasuke is desperately trying to get the plane under control as he pulls on the
control yoke with all his might.
Sasuke:
*snap*
Sasuke:
Sasuke stares at the controls in his hand and the broken shaft of the steering controls, then at the
view in the cockpit.
Sasuke:
*bam*
*bam*
*crash*
*frumpk*
The plane slams repeatedly against several more treetops, spinning like a top as it descends. As
the ground gets closer, everyone can feel its beckoning presence.
Seconds before impact, Shampoo screams.
-=-=-=-=-
Deep in the forest, in an ancient and ageless tree, something stirs. It has no physical body, just one
made of soul stuff. Coursing through the warded veins of the Ancient Tree, it feels something....
fear. Lovely, fear it has not felt before so strongly and.... richly.... in many, many years. Delicious
fear, panic. It used to cause such feelings just to feed itself.... how long ago? Several hundred,
thousand years ago? No matter. It forces itself upwards, slowly, painfully, just to get a closer feel
of this.... ambrosia.
Something.... it gets closer. More lusciously delicious, delectable. Ah.... relief from the gnawing
hunger.
What?
Something.... something sweet. Not the sweet taste of panic, chaos..... no, something truly sweet,
worth keeping....
No, two such things. One sweetness of tenderness, one sweetness.... of balance. Ah, interesting.
What?
Suddenly, a shuddering.
Release!
The top of the tree shatters as the strange thing runs into it. The wardings are useless outside of
the tree.
Freedom!
Surging upwards, it moves even faster, sensing the tree as it quickly heals itself with spells placed
aeons ago to trap the being here.
Almost there!
No, the treetop is closing! So close!
What?
Again! The strange thing causes another tree, taller one, to crash into the Ancient Tree.
Complete freedom!
The entire side of the Ancient Tree splits open, gushing sap and freeing the spirit.
Time to feed and find the tender sweetness..... but find a body first.
-=-=-=-=-
*KERSLOSH*
With a colossal water column rising into the sky and soaking everything for about several meters
around, the bird of metal touches down in the giant lake, tail first.
For a few moments, nothing but bellowing clouds of smoke can be seen from the plane. A few
more moments and the emergency escape hatch pops open, with a battered panda at the front. A
few meters away, the pilot's doorway also opens up and a ragged Sasuke falls face first into the
water.
Sighing and grabbing a sign, Genma points the written side to Sasuke, lying down face first,
bobbing in the water.
Genma (C): "I am NEVER going on another trip with the Kunos." *bwoark!*
Ranma (C): "Move it, oyaji. You're blocking everyone's exit."
*goosh*
Ranma (C): "Geronimo!"
*slosh*
Looking up from the water, Ranma sees several more shadows appear at the escape hatch along
with lots of smoke. Focusing on it, Ranma sees Akane hoisting Ryouga on her shoulders. A
twinge of jealously hits Ranma again.
Ranma (C):
Akane looks around, and her soot covered face and head turns to spot Ranma. She waves with
her free hand.
Akane: "Ranma! Could you come over here and help me? Ryouga's getting heavy!"
Ranma shrugs, and starts swimming towards the hatch to catch Ryouga.
Ranma (C): "Throw him down!"
Akane: "Er..... are you sure you want to do that?"
Ranma begins to look frustrated as another escape hatch pops open and Soun emerges, holding an
unconconscious Mousse and Kuno by the collars and leading his two daughters out by hand.
Ranma (C): "I'll catch him for you, Akane. Or would you rather just help him down yourself and
drown? You know you can't swim, especially with those lead weight legs of yours!"
*crush*
Ranma gets a headful of Akane's feet as she comes jumping down on her head, before hopping off
towards drier land.
Ranma (C): "Ka....wai....ku...nee.... iina....zuke...."
*niiiiaow!*
Ranma (C): "huh?"
Ranma feels a slight clawing at the back of her shirt and the all too familiar meowing of a cat.
Apparently Shampoo, unconscious, was clinging onto Ranma when the plane crashed. Ranma can
feel Shampoo working her way up her head. She begins to stutter.
Ranma (C): "C...c.....c..ca...ca........ca..."
Shampoo finally makes her way onto Ranma's head and looks down at her face just as Ranma
looks up.
Shampoo (C): "Niiiiaow?"
Ranma (C): "EEEEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!"
Before anyone can stop Ranma, she goes leaping out of the water, running on its surface with a
tidal wave of spray drenching everyone a second time, then disappearing into the forest with a
corkscrew spiral of smoke behind her. All this while, Shampoo is clinging onto Ranma's head.
Shampoo (C): "Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaoooooooooooow!"
-=-=-=-=-
Poor creature. It shouldn't have been investigating the remains of the Ancient Tree and the
corpses of the animals around it. No matter, it won't need its body anymore. Not after having its
soul.... displaced, no. Ah.... this body is so weak. Time to strengthen it. Hm, out of pratice....
haven't done so in such a long time.... ah, there. Much better.
Flexing its arm, the creature retracts its claws. It tries to smile, but the resulting flash of teeth
make it look more like it's grimacing. The white, ghostly humanoid cat blinks a few times to get
itself used to vision again after such a long time blind.
Kurimuu: "Ahh.... I've been cooped up there a long time. Very well. Time I find those.... treats."
With a silent step that belies its size and appearance, Kuriimu disappears into the forest
undergrowth. Behind it, the remaining stump of the Ancient Tree shrivels up and a sapling takes
its place.
-=-=-=-=-
"Ranma? Raaaaaaaaaaaanmaaaaaaaa!"
As everyone on the plane sets up base camp after salvaging what's left of the provisions in the
plane, Akane goes off into the forest searching for Ranma. Ranma's trail is pretty easy to follow.
A clear path about five feet across is hard to miss. Wiping the sweat off her brow, Akane looks
around her at the unfamiliar landscape, then to the sky.
Akane:
Turning around with a soft sigh, Akane makes her way back to camp while collecting firewood
for the night on the way, before a rising fireball in the sky catches her attention.
Several meters away from where Akane turned around, Ranma is still stuck to the tree trunk she
ran straight into several hours ago. Still meowing, Shampoo is pacing around Ranma trying to
wake her up, oblivious to the flare of the fire column rising into the sky from the lake's direction.
Shampoo (C): "Niaow! Niiiaow!"
Shampoo sits down and watches Ranma in concern, waiting patiently. A few minutes later,
Ranma begins to stir.
Ranma (C): "Ngggh..............."
Shampoo meows excitedly, then quickly stops it as she remembers what Ranma's afraid of. She
quickly trots off to find something she can get warm with.
Ranma wakes up, lying on the floor, frog-posed (arms and legs bent in the most peculiar manner)
with a huge red mark on her face.
Ranma (C):
Sitting up, Ranma looks around, rubbing her head. She thinks back to what happened recently.
Ranma (C): I remember.... cat, Shampoo, then running and.... ouch. Oh, yeah. Huh? Where's
Shampoo!?
*rustle*
Ranma (C): "!"
Leaping to her feet, Ranma quickly kicks up a wooden twig nearby and tosses it into the bushes.
"Ouch!"
Ranma stares in shock and surprise as Shampoo staggers into the clearing unsteadily, rubbing her
forehead, and wearing nothing. Ranma quickly scrambles up to Shampoo with her chinese shirt
and drapes it on her shoulders.
Ranma (C): "Shampoo! Where'd you go!?"
Shampoo adjusts the shirt on herself before turning to look at Ranma. The two stare into each
others' eyes for a few seconds before Ranma turns away.
Ranma (C): "Nevermind that."
Ranma walks into the clearing she made rather handily (and painfully), and looks around.
Shampoo follows her out of the bushes and stands besides Ranma.
Shampoo: "Now what, Ai Ren?"
Ranma (C): "I dunno. Make camp I guess."
The two look around for a few seconds, then at each other. They blink once.
Ranma (C): "Er........"
Shampoo: "Aiyah, no camping equipment!"
Ranma (C): "Right."
Shampoo: "Shampoo go find equipment!"
Ranma (C): "Huh? Hey! Shampoo! Wait up! How are we gonna find stuff in the middle of
nowhere!?"
But even before Ranma finishes her sentence, Shampoo disappears into the bushes again. Sighing,
Ranma shrugs and begins to gather some firewood and stones to make a fireplace while thinking
about what to build for a tent.
A few hours later, Ranma is staring into the night sky, admiring the stars when there's another
rustle of leaves.
Ranma grabs a stone and waits patiently as the thing makes its way through the bushes.
Ranma (C): "GEEEEH!"
*THUD*
Ranma hurls the stone at the GIANT shadow that pops out from the bushes, all lumps and
unwieldy bulk. The stone flies true, and slams home.
The shadow staggers for a while, then keeps advancing. Ranma stutters with fear as the thing
apparently aims straight for her.
Ranma (C): "G...g....a.....ah...o..."
Shampoo: "Aiyah! Ranma! Why Ai Ren always throwing things at Shampoo!? Shampoo that
scary!?"
Ranma lets out a massive sigh of relief when she spots Shampoo's face lighted by the flickering
fire. Then her eyes widen at the load on her back.
Tied in a bundle are several dozen huge leaves somehow tied together with some vines, along
with a few wild rabbits, a whole pitcher plant and other things for basic survival all packed into
the huge bundle.
As Shampoo lays the three rabbits on the ground, Ranma can see a nasty bruise on Shampoo's
arm where the stone hit and an even worse welt on her forehead where the stick hit.
Ranma (C): "Shampoo?"
Shampoo's head snaps to face Ranma even before her name is completely spoken. Ranma can see
that familiar infatuation in those eyes....
Shampoo: "Yes, Ai ren?"
Ranma (C): "Those bruises.... they look really nasty. Are you sure you don't need help?"
Shampoo: "No need, if by Ai Ren then they no hurt. Help Shampoo make camp first."
Ranma looks at Shampoo as she turns back to untying the bundle and sorting the things out. As
Ranma picks up the dead rabbits, their heads loll limply. Ranma knows broken necks when she
sees them, and swallows hard as she wonders what Shampoo could've done to her if she'd not
revealed her curse earlier.... (that bonbori would've worked, but....)
Following that comes some unusual stuff. Large strips of bark as well as several bunches of herbs,
leaves and local flora are all strewn out on the ground. Shampoo grabs a perfectly flat piece of
rock and places several strips of bark on it, then pours a small pitcher-plant pod's liquid contents
onto the bark. All this while, Ranma is staring in fascination as Shampoo picks up a big stone and
begins pounding the bark.
Ranma (C): "Er, Shampoo? I think I'll cook these, alright?"
Shampoo answers without even looking up.
Shampoo: "Ok, Ai Ren."
Ranma looks at Shampoo a while longer, then picks up the dead rabbits and begins the gruesome
task of gutting and skinning them before putting them on a spit and roasting them on the happily
burning bonfire.
*thunk* *thunk* *thunk* *thunk* *thunk* *thunk*
Ranma watches Shampoo for several more hours as she repeatedly beats the bark on the flat
stone, pouring water from several more pitcher-plant pods before she finally uses up all the bark.
lifting the beaten bark from the stone, Shampoo flaps it several times and brushes off the useless
fibres. She smiles happily at Ranma as she unrolls the bolt of wet fibrous cloth, rough but
practical.
Shampoo: "See? Shampoo make cloth, can have tent!"
Ranma just nods dumbly as she turns the roasting meat on the spits. She thinks.
Ranma (C): I didn't know Shampoo could make cloth from bark.... heck, didn't know ANYONE
could make cloth from bark!
Ranma keeps watching as Shampoo takes the giant leaves and scrape them with another stone,
apparently flint.
A white, waxy residue appears on the stone, and Shampoo walks over to the fire to heat it up
before rubbing the liquid wax onto the cloth nearby quickly. A few minutes of this, and Shampoo
is already setting up a tent, tying vines to nearby trees and draping the makeshift waterproof cloth
over it. Ranma whistles in silent admiration.
Ranma (C):
-=-=-=-=-
Ukyo: "What do you mean, you can't find Ranchan!? Where could he have gone!?"
Ukyo is practically screaming at Akane as everyone quickly scrambles to get their jobs done as the
sun goes down, not that the fire from the burning wreck of the plane isn't providing enough light
for the whole forest. Akane looks just as upset as Ukyo as she wrings her hands.
Akane: "How would I know!? I kept following the path but I still couldn't find him!"
Ukyo: "Ooh..... Ranchan! Where could you be!? And with Shampoo too!"
For both girls, time suddenly stops as they repeat that name.
Akane/Ukyo: "Shampoo....."
The two look at each other, blink, then facefault as several things come into mind, none of them
good, all of them concerning Ranma and Shampoo.
Ukyo: "Oh no! What's that chinese bimbo going to do with my darling Ranchan!?"
Akane: "Worse, what's that baka going to do with Shampoo!?"
Just then, Soun appears besides the two of them and places a hand each on their shoulders.
Soun: "There now.... I'm sure Ranma won't do a thing with that girl. He's a good boy, he'll find his
way back."
Ukyo and Akane still don't register anything as Soun speaks, then the two of them suddenly turn
to face him.
Their faces are positively, absolutely, completely black. They give him the dirtiest looks he's ever
seen.
Akane/Ukyo: "Nani?" (What?)
Soun: "!"
***
In a corner of the camp, Genma-panda is trying to console Soun as he squats there and cries, tears
soaking the ground in torrents.
Genma (C): "There now, Tendou-kun! I'm sure those two didn't mean anything bad!"
Soun: "Boo hoo hoo! So scary! They're so scary!"
-=-=-=-=-
Back at Shampoo and Ranma's camp, Ranma is busy carving out portions of meat with a sharp
stone as Shampoo tests the tent's resiliency before turning to pick up the unused leaves and
several thinner vines. Ranma keeps watching as she sits, cross legged, in front of Ranma,
apparently stictching the leaves together with the thin vines with a hairpin as a needle.
Placing the plate in front of Shampoo while trying hard not to look at the wrong places, Ranma
sits down besides her and eats her own share of food. As she eats, though, her eyes can't stop
looking at Shampoo as she patiently stitches the leaves together, concentration in her eyes and
face.
Ranma (C):
As the yellow light from the fire flickers on Shampoo's face and casts shadows on her, Ranma
plucks up enough courage to speak to her.
Ranma (C): "Shampoo?"
Shampoo stops sewing to look at Ranma, this time. She smiles sweetly.
Shampoo: "Yes, Ai Ren?"
Ranma swallows hard, and not because the food's too big to swallow.
Ranma (C): "Your skills.... you learned them in your village?"
Shampoo: "Yes! Joketsuzoku women, all learn survival skills! Leave village at three, survive one
week without help! First initiation test for Amazon warriors! Shampoo pass with fluttering
colours!"
Ranma (C): "Flying."
Shampoo sticks the tip of her tongue out in embarrassment at the mistake, then smiles again.
Ranma is caught off guard by the look, so.... adorable.
Shampoo: "Again, Shampoo wrong! Aiyah, how Shampoo be good wife for Ranma if Shampoo
can not speak Japanese properly?"
Ranma blinks a few times as Shampoo looks thoughtful, then points to the food.
Ranma (C): "Your food'll get cold if ya don't eat it soon. Whatever you're working on can wait,
Shampoo."
Shampoo: "But Shampoo working on clothes so Ranma no cold!"
Ranma (C): "....huh? You're making clothes outta those!?"
Shampoo: "Mm! Grass clothing! Like Hawaiian dancers!"
Ranma groans and slaps her head as images of Principal Kuno come into mind with the mention of
the word "Hawaiian". Shampoo just giggles and eats her food quickly.
-=-=-=-=-
"Ah...... darkness. Lovely time. I haven't spoken to Sekki in a long time. I wonder how that old
succubus is doing?"
With a whisper of noise, Kuriimu silently stops and looks around. His eyes flash in the starlight
unnaturally as he whistles above the pitch of human hearing, then he sits and waits.
Sasuke:
Sasuke pulls on the control yoke again, trying to steer the plane towards a patch of serene blue in
the distance, surrounded by dense greenery. The plane turns, sluggishly, as winds buffet the
hurtling plane. But it is enough, as the patch of blue gets larger and more towards the center of
the cockpit view.
Sasuke:
*crash*
Sasuke:
The plane's belly scrapes against the top of a giant tree, snapping the top of the tree with a shower
of splinters, squawking birds and an extreme course correction.
*bump*
In the plane, everyone is thrown to one side as the plane hits something, and a giant bump appears
in the middle of the plane's flooring. Ranma, Shampoo, Ryouga and Akane go flying to one end of
the plane. Shampoo lands on top of Ranma as Ryouga mashes his face against the window for
Akane. Ranma curses as she tries to shield Shampoo from the flying debris, which is hitting
everybody else.
Ranma (C):
In the cockpit, Sasuke is desperately trying to get the plane under control as he pulls on the
control yoke with all his might.
Sasuke:
*snap*
Sasuke:
Sasuke stares at the controls in his hand and the broken shaft of the steering controls, then at the
view in the cockpit.
Sasuke:
*bam*
*bam*
*crash*
*frumpk*
The plane slams repeatedly against several more treetops, spinning like a top as it descends. As
the ground gets closer, everyone can feel its beckoning presence.
Seconds before impact, Shampoo screams.
-=-=-=-=-
Deep in the forest, in an ancient and ageless tree, something stirs. It has no physical body, just one
made of soul stuff. Coursing through the warded veins of the Ancient Tree, it feels something....
fear. Lovely, fear it has not felt before so strongly and.... richly.... in many, many years. Delicious
fear, panic. It used to cause such feelings just to feed itself.... how long ago? Several hundred,
thousand years ago? No matter. It forces itself upwards, slowly, painfully, just to get a closer feel
of this.... ambrosia.
Something.... it gets closer. More lusciously delicious, delectable. Ah.... relief from the gnawing
hunger.
What?
Something.... something sweet. Not the sweet taste of panic, chaos..... no, something truly sweet,
worth keeping....
No, two such things. One sweetness of tenderness, one sweetness.... of balance. Ah, interesting.
What?
Suddenly, a shuddering.
Release!
The top of the tree shatters as the strange thing runs into it. The wardings are useless outside of
the tree.
Freedom!
Surging upwards, it moves even faster, sensing the tree as it quickly heals itself with spells placed
aeons ago to trap the being here.
Almost there!
No, the treetop is closing! So close!
What?
Again! The strange thing causes another tree, taller one, to crash into the Ancient Tree.
Complete freedom!
The entire side of the Ancient Tree splits open, gushing sap and freeing the spirit.
Time to feed and find the tender sweetness..... but find a body first.
-=-=-=-=-
*KERSLOSH*
With a colossal water column rising into the sky and soaking everything for about several meters
around, the bird of metal touches down in the giant lake, tail first.
For a few moments, nothing but bellowing clouds of smoke can be seen from the plane. A few
more moments and the emergency escape hatch pops open, with a battered panda at the front. A
few meters away, the pilot's doorway also opens up and a ragged Sasuke falls face first into the
water.
Sighing and grabbing a sign, Genma points the written side to Sasuke, lying down face first,
bobbing in the water.
Genma (C): "I am NEVER going on another trip with the Kunos." *bwoark!*
Ranma (C): "Move it, oyaji. You're blocking everyone's exit."
*goosh*
Ranma (C): "Geronimo!"
*slosh*
Looking up from the water, Ranma sees several more shadows appear at the escape hatch along
with lots of smoke. Focusing on it, Ranma sees Akane hoisting Ryouga on her shoulders. A
twinge of jealously hits Ranma again.
Ranma (C):
Akane looks around, and her soot covered face and head turns to spot Ranma. She waves with
her free hand.
Akane: "Ranma! Could you come over here and help me? Ryouga's getting heavy!"
Ranma shrugs, and starts swimming towards the hatch to catch Ryouga.
Ranma (C): "Throw him down!"
Akane: "Er..... are you sure you want to do that?"
Ranma begins to look frustrated as another escape hatch pops open and Soun emerges, holding an
unconconscious Mousse and Kuno by the collars and leading his two daughters out by hand.
Ranma (C): "I'll catch him for you, Akane. Or would you rather just help him down yourself and
drown? You know you can't swim, especially with those lead weight legs of yours!"
*crush*
Ranma gets a headful of Akane's feet as she comes jumping down on her head, before hopping off
towards drier land.
Ranma (C): "Ka....wai....ku...nee.... iina....zuke...."
*niiiiaow!*
Ranma (C): "huh?"
Ranma feels a slight clawing at the back of her shirt and the all too familiar meowing of a cat.
Apparently Shampoo, unconscious, was clinging onto Ranma when the plane crashed. Ranma can
feel Shampoo working her way up her head. She begins to stutter.
Ranma (C): "C...c.....c..ca...ca........ca..."
Shampoo finally makes her way onto Ranma's head and looks down at her face just as Ranma
looks up.
Shampoo (C): "Niiiiaow?"
Ranma (C): "EEEEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!"
Before anyone can stop Ranma, she goes leaping out of the water, running on its surface with a
tidal wave of spray drenching everyone a second time, then disappearing into the forest with a
corkscrew spiral of smoke behind her. All this while, Shampoo is clinging onto Ranma's head.
Shampoo (C): "Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaoooooooooooow!"
-=-=-=-=-
Poor creature. It shouldn't have been investigating the remains of the Ancient Tree and the
corpses of the animals around it. No matter, it won't need its body anymore. Not after having its
soul.... displaced, no. Ah.... this body is so weak. Time to strengthen it. Hm, out of pratice....
haven't done so in such a long time.... ah, there. Much better.
Flexing its arm, the creature retracts its claws. It tries to smile, but the resulting flash of teeth
make it look more like it's grimacing. The white, ghostly humanoid cat blinks a few times to get
itself used to vision again after such a long time blind.
Kurimuu: "Ahh.... I've been cooped up there a long time. Very well. Time I find those.... treats."
With a silent step that belies its size and appearance, Kuriimu disappears into the forest
undergrowth. Behind it, the remaining stump of the Ancient Tree shrivels up and a sapling takes
its place.
-=-=-=-=-
"Ranma? Raaaaaaaaaaaanmaaaaaaaa!"
As everyone on the plane sets up base camp after salvaging what's left of the provisions in the
plane, Akane goes off into the forest searching for Ranma. Ranma's trail is pretty easy to follow.
A clear path about five feet across is hard to miss. Wiping the sweat off her brow, Akane looks
around her at the unfamiliar landscape, then to the sky.
Akane:
Turning around with a soft sigh, Akane makes her way back to camp while collecting firewood
for the night on the way, before a rising fireball in the sky catches her attention.
Several meters away from where Akane turned around, Ranma is still stuck to the tree trunk she
ran straight into several hours ago. Still meowing, Shampoo is pacing around Ranma trying to
wake her up, oblivious to the flare of the fire column rising into the sky from the lake's direction.
Shampoo (C): "Niaow! Niiiaow!"
Shampoo sits down and watches Ranma in concern, waiting patiently. A few minutes later,
Ranma begins to stir.
Ranma (C): "Ngggh..............."
Shampoo meows excitedly, then quickly stops it as she remembers what Ranma's afraid of. She
quickly trots off to find something she can get warm with.
Ranma wakes up, lying on the floor, frog-posed (arms and legs bent in the most peculiar manner)
with a huge red mark on her face.
Ranma (C):
Sitting up, Ranma looks around, rubbing her head. She thinks back to what happened recently.
Ranma (C): I remember.... cat, Shampoo, then running and.... ouch. Oh, yeah. Huh? Where's
Shampoo!?
*rustle*
Ranma (C): "!"
Leaping to her feet, Ranma quickly kicks up a wooden twig nearby and tosses it into the bushes.
"Ouch!"
Ranma stares in shock and surprise as Shampoo staggers into the clearing unsteadily, rubbing her
forehead, and wearing nothing. Ranma quickly scrambles up to Shampoo with her chinese shirt
and drapes it on her shoulders.
Ranma (C): "Shampoo! Where'd you go!?"
Shampoo adjusts the shirt on herself before turning to look at Ranma. The two stare into each
others' eyes for a few seconds before Ranma turns away.
Ranma (C): "Nevermind that."
Ranma walks into the clearing she made rather handily (and painfully), and looks around.
Shampoo follows her out of the bushes and stands besides Ranma.
Shampoo: "Now what, Ai Ren?"
Ranma (C): "I dunno. Make camp I guess."
The two look around for a few seconds, then at each other. They blink once.
Ranma (C): "Er........"
Shampoo: "Aiyah, no camping equipment!"
Ranma (C): "Right."
Shampoo: "Shampoo go find equipment!"
Ranma (C): "Huh? Hey! Shampoo! Wait up! How are we gonna find stuff in the middle of
nowhere!?"
But even before Ranma finishes her sentence, Shampoo disappears into the bushes again. Sighing,
Ranma shrugs and begins to gather some firewood and stones to make a fireplace while thinking
about what to build for a tent.
A few hours later, Ranma is staring into the night sky, admiring the stars when there's another
rustle of leaves.
Ranma grabs a stone and waits patiently as the thing makes its way through the bushes.
Ranma (C): "GEEEEH!"
*THUD*
Ranma hurls the stone at the GIANT shadow that pops out from the bushes, all lumps and
unwieldy bulk. The stone flies true, and slams home.
The shadow staggers for a while, then keeps advancing. Ranma stutters with fear as the thing
apparently aims straight for her.
Ranma (C): "G...g....a.....ah...o..."
Shampoo: "Aiyah! Ranma! Why Ai Ren always throwing things at Shampoo!? Shampoo that
scary!?"
Ranma lets out a massive sigh of relief when she spots Shampoo's face lighted by the flickering
fire. Then her eyes widen at the load on her back.
Tied in a bundle are several dozen huge leaves somehow tied together with some vines, along
with a few wild rabbits, a whole pitcher plant and other things for basic survival all packed into
the huge bundle.
As Shampoo lays the three rabbits on the ground, Ranma can see a nasty bruise on Shampoo's
arm where the stone hit and an even worse welt on her forehead where the stick hit.
Ranma (C): "Shampoo?"
Shampoo's head snaps to face Ranma even before her name is completely spoken. Ranma can see
that familiar infatuation in those eyes....
Shampoo: "Yes, Ai ren?"
Ranma (C): "Those bruises.... they look really nasty. Are you sure you don't need help?"
Shampoo: "No need, if by Ai Ren then they no hurt. Help Shampoo make camp first."
Ranma looks at Shampoo as she turns back to untying the bundle and sorting the things out. As
Ranma picks up the dead rabbits, their heads loll limply. Ranma knows broken necks when she
sees them, and swallows hard as she wonders what Shampoo could've done to her if she'd not
revealed her curse earlier.... (that bonbori would've worked, but....)
Following that comes some unusual stuff. Large strips of bark as well as several bunches of herbs,
leaves and local flora are all strewn out on the ground. Shampoo grabs a perfectly flat piece of
rock and places several strips of bark on it, then pours a small pitcher-plant pod's liquid contents
onto the bark. All this while, Ranma is staring in fascination as Shampoo picks up a big stone and
begins pounding the bark.
Ranma (C): "Er, Shampoo? I think I'll cook these, alright?"
Shampoo answers without even looking up.
Shampoo: "Ok, Ai Ren."
Ranma looks at Shampoo a while longer, then picks up the dead rabbits and begins the gruesome
task of gutting and skinning them before putting them on a spit and roasting them on the happily
burning bonfire.
*thunk* *thunk* *thunk* *thunk* *thunk* *thunk*
Ranma watches Shampoo for several more hours as she repeatedly beats the bark on the flat
stone, pouring water from several more pitcher-plant pods before she finally uses up all the bark.
lifting the beaten bark from the stone, Shampoo flaps it several times and brushes off the useless
fibres. She smiles happily at Ranma as she unrolls the bolt of wet fibrous cloth, rough but
practical.
Shampoo: "See? Shampoo make cloth, can have tent!"
Ranma just nods dumbly as she turns the roasting meat on the spits. She thinks.
Ranma (C): I didn't know Shampoo could make cloth from bark.... heck, didn't know ANYONE
could make cloth from bark!
Ranma keeps watching as Shampoo takes the giant leaves and scrape them with another stone,
apparently flint.
A white, waxy residue appears on the stone, and Shampoo walks over to the fire to heat it up
before rubbing the liquid wax onto the cloth nearby quickly. A few minutes of this, and Shampoo
is already setting up a tent, tying vines to nearby trees and draping the makeshift waterproof cloth
over it. Ranma whistles in silent admiration.
Ranma (C):
-=-=-=-=-
Ukyo: "What do you mean, you can't find Ranchan!? Where could he have gone!?"
Ukyo is practically screaming at Akane as everyone quickly scrambles to get their jobs done as the
sun goes down, not that the fire from the burning wreck of the plane isn't providing enough light
for the whole forest. Akane looks just as upset as Ukyo as she wrings her hands.
Akane: "How would I know!? I kept following the path but I still couldn't find him!"
Ukyo: "Ooh..... Ranchan! Where could you be!? And with Shampoo too!"
For both girls, time suddenly stops as they repeat that name.
Akane/Ukyo: "Shampoo....."
The two look at each other, blink, then facefault as several things come into mind, none of them
good, all of them concerning Ranma and Shampoo.
Ukyo: "Oh no! What's that chinese bimbo going to do with my darling Ranchan!?"
Akane: "Worse, what's that baka going to do with Shampoo!?"
Just then, Soun appears besides the two of them and places a hand each on their shoulders.
Soun: "There now.... I'm sure Ranma won't do a thing with that girl. He's a good boy, he'll find his
way back."
Ukyo and Akane still don't register anything as Soun speaks, then the two of them suddenly turn
to face him.
Their faces are positively, absolutely, completely black. They give him the dirtiest looks he's ever
seen.
Akane/Ukyo: "Nani?" (What?)
Soun: "!"
***
In a corner of the camp, Genma-panda is trying to console Soun as he squats there and cries, tears
soaking the ground in torrents.
Genma (C): "There now, Tendou-kun! I'm sure those two didn't mean anything bad!"
Soun: "Boo hoo hoo! So scary! They're so scary!"
-=-=-=-=-
Back at Shampoo and Ranma's camp, Ranma is busy carving out portions of meat with a sharp
stone as Shampoo tests the tent's resiliency before turning to pick up the unused leaves and
several thinner vines. Ranma keeps watching as she sits, cross legged, in front of Ranma,
apparently stictching the leaves together with the thin vines with a hairpin as a needle.
Placing the plate in front of Shampoo while trying hard not to look at the wrong places, Ranma
sits down besides her and eats her own share of food. As she eats, though, her eyes can't stop
looking at Shampoo as she patiently stitches the leaves together, concentration in her eyes and
face.
Ranma (C):
As the yellow light from the fire flickers on Shampoo's face and casts shadows on her, Ranma
plucks up enough courage to speak to her.
Ranma (C): "Shampoo?"
Shampoo stops sewing to look at Ranma, this time. She smiles sweetly.
Shampoo: "Yes, Ai Ren?"
Ranma swallows hard, and not because the food's too big to swallow.
Ranma (C): "Your skills.... you learned them in your village?"
Shampoo: "Yes! Joketsuzoku women, all learn survival skills! Leave village at three, survive one
week without help! First initiation test for Amazon warriors! Shampoo pass with fluttering
colours!"
Ranma (C): "Flying."
Shampoo sticks the tip of her tongue out in embarrassment at the mistake, then smiles again.
Ranma is caught off guard by the look, so.... adorable.
Shampoo: "Again, Shampoo wrong! Aiyah, how Shampoo be good wife for Ranma if Shampoo
can not speak Japanese properly?"
Ranma blinks a few times as Shampoo looks thoughtful, then points to the food.
Ranma (C): "Your food'll get cold if ya don't eat it soon. Whatever you're working on can wait,
Shampoo."
Shampoo: "But Shampoo working on clothes so Ranma no cold!"
Ranma (C): "....huh? You're making clothes outta those!?"
Shampoo: "Mm! Grass clothing! Like Hawaiian dancers!"
Ranma groans and slaps her head as images of Principal Kuno come into mind with the mention of
the word "Hawaiian". Shampoo just giggles and eats her food quickly.
-=-=-=-=-
"Ah...... darkness. Lovely time. I haven't spoken to Sekki in a long time. I wonder how that old
succubus is doing?"
With a whisper of noise, Kuriimu silently stops and looks around. His eyes flash in the starlight
unnaturally as he whistles above the pitch of human hearing, then he sits and waits.