Chapter Sixteen: An Unlikely Winner?!
"Just hang out around here today, Ryoga. I'll come pick you up so we can visit the Neko Haunten after school." Grabbing his school bag, Ranma dashed for the door snatching up his lunch from Kasumi as he passed, nodding his head in appreciation.
Monday had come around again and it was time to go back to school after the weekend. Late as usual, Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki ran out the front gate, disturbing a family of doves who had been pecking at crumbs on the street. Smiling at Akane, Ranma winked and heard her stifle a giggle in return. Such a simple, pleasant sound sure beat facing her temper first thing in the morning and it had the wonderful ability to put him in a good mood and almost made him forget his problems.
Nabiki rolled her eyes and kept running. They had masked their feelings for each other from everyone but her, and she didn't like the way things were progressing one bit. Their damn relationship was affecting her profits all across the board. If there was one thing she hated, it was losing money. First she had lost a great deal from the betting pool during the fight with that Shadow guy and ever since then Ranma and Akane had been too preoccupied with each other to partake in their normal antics that usually generated her so much cash.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. It wasn't that she didn't like Ranma, dumb as he was. He was amusing and heroic, and she did admire that, but nothing came between her and her money! Something had to be done, that was for sure. Nabiki Tendo didn't lose out to anyone, not even her own family. If Ranma and Akane weren't going to be good and earn her cash, then she'd just have to find another way. Turning her eyes back to the road as she ran, the wheels in her head turned on as she schemed and plotted against the luckless pigtailed boy.
As good a mood as he was in, and as much as he tried to ignore it, a great feeling of dread was pressing down on his shoulders. It constantly reminded him that in a few days time, he could possibly cease to exist. The only reason he went to school at all anymore was to keep Akane happy. The more normal things stayed, the happier she'd be. That was all that mattered to him at the present time. If it was his destiny to fall in battle then he wanted to enjoy her company for as long as he still could.
Despite how bleak he felt, his warrior pride kept him from giving up. He was used to training in quick sessions to defeat opponents and with the aide of Ryoga, the battle could very well go in their favor the next time. They had to find an edge first, or else all their attacks would fail, just as they had before. The Shadow Warrior was a new breed of fighter so, logically, it would take a new breed of attacks to compensate for his tremendous and horrifying power. If they couldn't break his limits, they would surely meet their end in no time…
As the day progressed, Ryoga decided to aid Kasumi in her household chores since he was sick and tired of being bored out of his mind. The sheer amount of work she accomplished each day amazed him. How could a woman who worked nonstop all day stay so happy and energized all the time? She stayed busy all day, working without a break and never tiring. If that wasn't endurance, he didn't know what was! His admiration for her household skills knew no bounds. Grateful for his help, Kasumi gave him a kiss on the cheek as a reward. He blushed and rushed off to take out the trash, awaiting Ranma's return.
After an extremely long day, Ranma came home to pick up Ryoga. Moments later the two were running off to find Cologne and hopefully, a shot at victory. They traveled across the city, bounding from rooftop to rooftop, moving above the crowded streets with more stamina and agility than even an Olympic athlete could hope to possess. The curious masses stared up at them in wonder while some of the older occupants just ignored the spectacle, they had been living in Nerima long enough and become accustom to the effects of Ranma's crazy life.
Seeing his destination in sight, Ranma dropped to the ground, narrowly missing a nearby trashcan. A stray dog yelped and bolted out into the open street, dropping the bone he had stolen from the trash receptacle. Walking to the front door, Ranma took a deep, relaxing breath before entering. A cheerful bell chime welcomed them in, ringing throughout the restaurant. Ranma immediately noticed the place was nearly deserted of costumers. The dinner crowd wouldn't start to emerge for a few hours more, giving the three Amazon owners a bit of downtime to relax. He'd come at just the right time.
Shampoo looked up from the table she was buffing and cried out happily, flinging herself at Ranma with glee. "Nihao! Ranma! You come to see Shampoo!"
"Shampoo, not now!" Ranma peeled the girl off of him and set her back down on her own two feet. A week ago he wouldn't have felt such a large rise in annoyance but since his battle everything had changed. Shampoo and his other suitors would just have to learn to accept the fact that things were changing. He might not tell them about Akane and himself, but most of them were smart enough to guess at it anyways.
"We're here to talk to the old woman," Ryoga supplied.
Shampoo blinked. "What Pig-Boy do here? Shampoo thought Ranma hate Ryoga."
Ryoga bristled at the insulting name but bit back a remark. He jammed his hands into his pockets and calmed himself, busying himself by looking around the restaurant. He had never cared much for Shampoo or her personality even though she and he were similar in some aspects, until recently. Shampoo was a thorn in Akane's side which was bad enough, but it became even worse when the Amazon's past schemes had to involve him as well. She was far too aggressive, stuck up in her ways, and coldhearted for his taste. If that was the results of a female dominate society, he didn't want to live within a thousand miles of the Amazon village.
"We've, uh, settled our differences. Is the old Ghoul here?" Ranma stepped past her, peering into the kitchen area.
Shampoo shook her head, her purple locks swinging. "Great-Grandmother out on business. She be back soon. Here, you sit and wait. I go make you and Pig-Boy free Ramen!" She pushed him into a chair none to softly. If there was one thing she knew about Ranma, the fastest way to his heart was definitely through his stomach. She bounded into the kitchen, happily singing an old Chinese tune as she readied her cooking tools.
"I wish she'd stop calling me a pig," Ryoga muttered, flexing his hand into a fist.
Emerging from the restroom with a broom in hand, Mousse spotted Ranma and instantly flung several sharp ended chains out of reflex alone. Ryoga casually blocked the attack with his opened umbrella and sighed in exasperation, cupping his chin with his hand.
"What are you doing here, Saotome?! It's bad enough you seduce Shampoo around town using your dark magic, but to enter my place of work and pull your normal stunts is an intolerable insult!"
Ranma sighed. "You know, its funny but I always thought you were the master of dark magic, Mousse. Anyways, were here to see the Ghoul, not Shampoo."
Mousse pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose only to have them fall back down seconds later. "You're not here to see Shampoo?"
"Nope."
"I don't believe you!"
Ranma shrugged slightly. "I don't care if you believe me or not, I won't lose any sleep over it. Making Shampoo has never been a goal of mine. Ask Ryoga if you want."
"Is what he says the truth?" Mousse whirled to face an empty chair.
"Yeah, it's true. Turn around Mousse, I'm over here." Ryoga rolled his eyes.
"In light of this, I retract my ill-worded statements. Ryoga's word is good enough for me." Mousse sat down beside Ranma, his hands disappearing back into the confines of his robes.
Ranma wrapped his arm around Mousse's neck and pulled him in close. "Listen man, I don't love Shampoo. As far as I'm concerned, you can have her! I'm dead serious! In fact I'll make you a deal, ok? Keep the Ghoul from interfering with my life and I'll stay away from Shampoo as much as I can."
Mousse's grin knew no bounds. "It's a deal! If there's one thing I'm good at its being a thorn in her side." He shook Ranma's hand vigorously, nearly pulling his rival's arm from his socket in the midst of his enthusiasm.
Shampoo reemerged from the hot kitchen with two piping hot bowls of Ramen and set them down in front of her guests. Grabbing Mousse by his collar, she pulled him off the seat and dumped him into the ground before moving to sit beside Ranma. She played with his pigtail as he ate, purring softly into his ear and sending pleasurable shivers down his spine. "What boy's talking about?"
It was so hard sometimes to not be turned on by Shampoo's advances. Of all the girls who wanted to be with him, Shampoo was the most open, and knew how to entice him with her body and words. The aggressiveness she'd used to try and win him over despite constant defeat over the last two years simply astounded him. He couldn't deny that she was sexy and possessed a stunning figure, but his heart had gone to Akane, and none of the Amazon laws were ever going to change that
"Uhhh, nothing, Shampoo, just guy talk and all that..." Ranma put his hand behind his head and laughed until he saw Ryoga's facial expression and realized he wasn't fooling anyone. Shampoo tried to wrap her arm around his waist but he skillfully moved to intercept her hand and placed it back on the top of the table. He started a long group conversation, distracting the girl from any further romantic attempts. As he sat there, he realized that the crafty Amazon was going to find out which girl he had chosen sooner or later and when she did, she was going to fall hard. The thought of hurting his friend drove pain into his heart but he couldn't find another solution.
"This is indeed an odd get together," A raspy voice said, interrupting their small talk. The familiar sound of a wooden stick tapping on the tiled floor signaled the arrival of Cologne, the ancient leader of the Amazon tribe. Blinking, she hopped into the room like a monkey on a pogo stick. Ancient and powerful she had proved to both be a powerful ally and a stunning opponent over that last several years. As much as he didn't like some of her personality traits and methods, he couldn't deny the fact that without her help in the past, he wouldn't be as powerful as he was today.
"Hey, old Ghoul," Ranma waved her over.
Cologne's eyes narrowed. "Hello, future son-in-law. What brings you here?"
"We'd like to talk to you in private," Ranma said, motioning to Ryoga and himself.
Cologne nodded. "Very well, the back room will suffice. Shampoo, Mousse, prepare the restaurant for the dinner crowd. I want all the tables set by the time I come out."
The purpled haired beauty gave Ranma a wink then walked off to perform her duties as they moved into the next room. He was grateful for the noise Shampoo and Mousse were making, the less people that knew of his troubles, the better.
Cologne shut the door to the supply room behind her. "Now, future son-in-law, what's the matter? You never come to see me unless you need something."
"Me n' Ryoga... that is... we... um...," his voice dropped down to a whisper, "we... got beat up."
Cologne cocked her head. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"We... got beat..."
She leaned forward. "What? I didn't hear that last part."
"We. Got. Beat. Up."
"What!? Speak up, I can't hear a word your saying!" she snapped.
"We got our asses kicked in a fight!" Ranma flushed red. "He mopped the floor with us, nearly killed both of us twice, and pounded us black and blue! Ok!? Can you hear me now?!"
"Oh. I see. Quite a humbling experience for you wasn't it? Just the sort of thing you needed if you ask me." Cologne used her staff to scratch at an itch on her back. "Who in particular committed such a brutal assault?"
"Some weird guy with freaky combat armor. Happosai told us that it was called Mazakin battle armor, or whatever, and its wearer was Chinese. Was he telling the truth?"
Cologne nodded. "Yes. I too have heard of this armor. I also understand why you lost. A person wearing Mazakin armor is an elite warrior whose training consists of nothing but deadly trials. In battle the wearer is nearly unbeatable and for good reason. He is a protector of lives, living for the sake of his people and dying for them if necessary. A true powerhouse in ever sense of the word."
"So we noticed," Ryoga muttered, folding his arms.
"You ain't kiddin', Ghoul. This guy's power was incredible! He took me, then Ryoga, then both of us teamed up and he still had energy to spare!"
"I felt a powerful battle aura materialize several days ago and at last its origin is explained. Son-in-law, I wouldn't tangle with him again if I were you. The fact that your still alive is both a mystery and a miracle. He's years beyond you in skill level. It isn't another match you can simply overcome like all the other's you've been involved in."
"I have no choice. I've got to fight him or I put the Tendo's at risk. If you could teach me some new attack, I could turn the tables. That's why we came to see you."
Cologne sighed. "No, son-in-law, I cannot help you. I've showed you all the techniques I know that you are capable of learning at this stage of life. The problem here is not that your attacks are worthless, they just aren't strong enough to do any good against his armor and Ki defense. You must practice harnessing more energy than ever before. Remember, even an opponent who knows and expects your attacks can be thwarted when enough power and determination are applied. Train as though your life depends on it."
"Actually, it does." Ryoga stood to go.
She looked up at him. "Good, then you have that extra motivation to train with."
"Yeah, well, thanks anyways, Ghoul. We appreciate it."
"Anytime, son-in-law. Shampoo can't marry you if your dead now can she?" Her sharp cackle filled the room.
As they exited the room, Shampoo sped towards them and latched onto Ranma. "You stay for dinner, yes? Is only natural for fiancé' to spend time with Shampoo."
Something inside of Ranma snapped and he pushed her off of him, towards the opposite wall. Thing's had gone on long enough! The moment had arrived where he set her straight and if he didn't stop the continual cycle while he still could, he'd certainly come to regret it later. "No, Shampoo! You can't keep doing this!"
His face set in grim determination. Ryoga leaned back and watched on, wisely staying out of things. Shampoo took a hesitant step backwards. Where had that outburst come from? Ranma had almost never snapped at her like that before. Confusion filled her voice. "What matter, Ranma?"
He shut his eyes and groaned. "Look, Shampoo, this isn't easy for me to say but... I can't, no, I don't want to marry you. I'm not your fiancé. I'm just your friend. That's all I'll ever be. I'm sorry if it isn't good enough but… "
"But the laws-" She began to protest.
"They never had any control on my life," Ranma interrupted. "Not only am I not an Amazon, I'm not even Chinese. Hell, I didn't even like China when I was there. I'm sorry, but you need to accept the facts. I can't provide the love you want. Its time you got over me."
Shampoo brought her hand to her mouth as shock gripped her. The look of pain cut deep into Ranma's soul and he almost found it impossible to meet her gaze. Perhaps he had put it a bit too bluntly but it was too late to worry about all that now. He had finally come out and spoken his true feelings. A part of him felt like he was released of a tremendous burden that had been struggling to reveal itself for far too long. It would have been a good feeling if only Shampoo would have stopped staring at him with such pain filled eyes.
He put his hand on her shoulder, attempting to bring her down a bit easier. "I like you as a friend, Shampoo. I just don't love you the way you love me. I'm sorry, it's… I..."
"No say it!" Shampoo screamed, clenching her hands into tight fists at her sides. She shrank out of his grasp, moving to stand against the wall. "I no can take it! It hurts deep in Shampoo heart! Don't say you love Akane... I no can take it!" She burst into tears, nearly shattering Ranma's resolve. She fell to one knee as her sobs took hold, nearly robbing her of understandable speech. Molten tears stained her soft cheeks and she clutched her head, shaking terribly.
Ranma winced. "Shampoo…I…"
"Shampoo always known Ranma love Akane. But why not Shampoo, Ranma? I never even had chance! Why isn't Shampoo good enough to love?! Where did Shampoo go wrong? Tell! Is Shampoo so terrible?! I stay in this country for two year, give you all my attention and affection, cook, chase you, and for what!? What it all for!? Why can't you love Shampoo?!"
Ranma sighed, turning away from her. "I'm sorry. I've hurt you. If I had been a real man, I would have said so in the first place instead of letting you cling to me all this time and build your hopes up. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
The door behind them slammed over with angry force. A very pissed off Cologne glared up at him, pushing Ryoga roughly aside. "Ranma, you will marry Shampoo! Do you understand me? You have no choice in the matter! You will abide by our laws!"
"He isn't required to if I beat him, old woman!"
All four of them whirled around to see Mousse leaning up against the wall, smiling smugly. "You forgot that rule. How very convenient. If I manage to beat him, then Shampoo's claim on him is void. That is also a part of the laws. I know you, I know you like to pick and chose which parts of our laws to follow. Not this time. This time, things will be done right!"
"Stay out of this, Mousse!" Cologne's face tightened with great anger.
"No!" Mousse bellowed. "It has finally been proven! He has no love for Shampoo. I do! I will not stand silent any longer! Ranma Saotome, I challenge you for Shampoo's hand!"
Ranma had little choice but to accept the challenge. While he admired Mousse's resolve and devotion to Shampoo, his warrior's nature wouldn't allow him to just throw the fight. If Mousse wanted to win so badly, he'd have to earn his victory. He never just threw a fight away, no matter what the circumstances. Mousse didn't care, he was as determined as ever to have Shampoo as his prize, and he'd risk life and limb to get her.
The small group went out behind the rear of the restaurant for the match. Mousse and Ranma squared off, warming up and stretching their muscles and joints, measuring each other up. When they signaled to each other that they were ready and the fight began, Mousse attacked with greater skill then he had shown in quite some time. His punches flew true, probably due to his determination alone because his eyesight would have otherwise negated that. He knew, as did everyone present, that this fight would be his last chance to win Shampoo over. The passion he put into his attacks stunned Ranma, and nearly brought the fight to a premature conclusion.
But for all his willpower, Mousse still wasn't as skilled as Ranma and perhaps, never would be. As the two danced across the ground, the odds quickly shifted in Ranma's favor. Mousse's face and torso received the pummeling of a lifetime, throwing off his coordination and diminishing his ability to launch counter-offensives. Ranma's foot clipped Mousse's chin, throwing him down to the ground onto his side. Mousse rolled onto his back and flipped to his feet, ready to keep fighting, but he appeared winded and tired. Ranma's attacks sapped far too much of his strength.
It seemed Ranma would be the sound champion once again.
Cologne smiled. Ha! My son-in-law's pride betrays him! He could never purposely lose a fight, not even in a situation such as this! His words will have been for nothing. Amazon laws cannot be refused!
Crying out in pain, Mousse fell to the ground again as Ranma's fist imbedded itself into his stomach but he quickly staggered to his feet, eager for more punishment. He threw all sorts of chains, knives and other tools but none even came close to hitting the mark. Ranma had witnessed all his attacks already, and as such, he was prepared. No matter how hard Mousse fought, nothing he did turned the fight in his favor. He gritted his teeth in frustration.
Sighing, Ryoga looked down at his feet, unable to watch the beating continue. As he gazed down at his shoes, an idea formed in his mind that caused his mouth to turn up in a mischievous smile. If he could pull it off, Ranma would either end up punching him or thanking him later. Either way, Mousse deserved a bit of happiness, idiotic as he was, and Ryoga was going to give it to him.
As the one-sided fight continued, Ranma and Mousse drew in closer to the sidelines. As Ranma rushed past to deliver a devastating punch, Ryoga stuck out his foot, tripping his eager friend. Just as quickly, he pulled his foot back, so the two Amazons beside him wouldn't notice what he had done. It was still a risk, and with speed as great as hers, Cologne might have noticed and called off the fight. To his relief, Shampoo and Cologne didn't notice the act of fowl play.
He grinned wickedly. You'll thank me for this someday, Ranma.
Ranma lost his balance completely and fell forward, hitting his head on Mousse's knee. Almost immediately, a super huge knot appeared on his forehead. Sure it was a cheap and lame way to win a battle, but it was the only way to end the circle of madness that had taken Ranma's life by storm for two years, Ryoga reasoned as he struggled to hide his grin.
But somehow Ranma staggered and managed to stay on his feet, albeit totally off balance and Ryoga's expression dimmed. Mousse wasn't the quickest witted individual in the world, but he knew an opportunity when it presented itself. He didn't pass up the chance to take his victory this time, and Ryoga breathed a sigh of relief as the boy pounced on Ranma, delivering several sound punches, finally taking his rival completely under. Ranma's prone body hit the ground and he lay in a daze, staring up at the sky.
Ryoga motioned to Mousse who looked at Ranma's twitching body then to his fist, and back again, in bewilderment. "Looks as if Mousse won!"
Cologne and Shampoo stared in wide-eyed shock, not completely comprehending what had just happened. Realization dawned on Cologne and her jaw hit the ground. All her dreams of pairing Shampoo with Ranma crumbled and faded to dust. If possible, she seemed to shrink even further in stature. "Impossible!"
Stepping forward with an unreadable face, Shampoo bowed in honor of Mousse's victory allowing her hair to shield her face. "Victory go to Mousse. By laws of tribe, Ranma is now released from his obligation… to marry Shampoo."
She choked out the last part in the form of a half sob. Sad as she was, Ryoga knew it would bring happiness to her later on. No longer did she have to compete with the other women for the affection of one who didn't love her, no longer did she have to waste her time scheming of ways to win him over. She would be free at last, and best of all, she hadn't failed her clan or brought shame to her family name.
Ryoga smiled slightly. Things were better this way. He picked Ranma up in a fireman's carry. "Your getting soft, Ranma! One small bump on the noggin' and the lights go out."
Mousse blinked once, then, as the realization that he had just won a major victory spread to his head, a massive smile appeared on his face. "I did it... I did it! Shampoo, you can be mine now!"
Shampoo wiped her eyes and fixed him with a bored expression. "Stupid, you have to beat Shampoo first! I think you no going to find that easy thing to do!"
"Yes, well, we'll be going now. Thanks for the ramen."
Things had been made right at last. Satisfied, Ryoga left the restaurant, carrying Ranma on his shoulder down the busy Nerima streets. Heading down the road he thought lead to the Dojo, he failed to realize he was heading in the completely wrong direction. It wasn't until hours later that Ryoga realized Ranma still hadn't stirred. He must have gotten hit harder than I thought.
There was nothing to do but keep walking. By luck, he found himself heading up a tall, curving mountain pass, the familiar trail that led to his mountain cabin. It sure is funny how I always end up in the places I'd least expect to find.
Throwing the door to his cabin open, he set the comatose boy down on his small bed then searched around for something to eat. He found some instant ramen in his bag and proceeded to heat up some water on his portable stove. His stomach grumbled. Traveling by foot always made him hungry especially when he had to carry extra baggage.
At last Ranma groaned and stirred. Sitting up, he shook his head, trying vainly to clear away the cobwebs covering his mind. "W-what happened?"
"Mousse beat you... with a little help from me of course. You nearly blew your only chance to get rid of an excess fiancée'! What were you thinking, you idiot?"
Ranma gently rubbed his aching head. "For being such a gullible person, you sure as hell can't talk. I don't know weather I should thank you or kill you for tripping me."
"Worry about that later, Ranma. We have a problem." He opened the cup ramen and poured the hot water into it.
"And what's that?"
"Well, um... I kinda' got us lost while you paid a trip to La La land."
Ranma groaned. "Great, just great! That's the icing on the cake! The last piece of straw! The last soggy Ramen noodle! Why didn't you just have Mousse or Shampoo take us home?!"
"Shampoo wouldn't have helped us after you dumped her and Mousse was too exhausted. Besides, it isn't all that bad. We're at my cabin in the mountains. You know, the one near where I learned the Bakusai Tenketsu."
Ranma's face lit up. We can get home before dark if we hurry! We'll just have to catch the train."
Ryoga tossed Ranma a spare cup of ramen. "Eat this. It'll help keep your strength up. I don't want to have to carry you again."
Ranma glared daggers. "I'm not a weaklin', Ryoga! I can take care of myself!" He quickly stuffed his face, instantly feeling refreshed. "Let's get going!"
Ryoga nodded. "We've got a lot of training to do over the next couple of days. The sooner we get on with it, the greater our chances become for survival. As it stands right now, we're screwed."
Ranma shot him a dirty look. "Optimistic as always I see."
Ryoga held up his finger. "Realistic. There's a difference."
The two started on their long walk home. It was a long and trek to make due to the impending darkness. The train made good speed and they rested their bodies. They made it through the doorway at slightly past midnight and quietly staggered upstairs, treading carefully as to not wake up the household. Ranma went to bed immediately, but Ryoga slipped out the window to go sit on the roof and think for a while. He stretched out on a blanket he had taken up with him, kicked off his shoes and laying back with his hands behind his head. The canopy of stars opened up before him and he sighed with contentment.
Ryoga thought again about his situation. A foe with a grudge against Ranma is nothing new. A foe with the power to level Tokyo is another matter. He didn't have any distinctive weaknesses to speak of and he's definitely more than a match for us both. If I could get in close, I could probably shatter his armor with the Breaking Point, but with the long range attacks he uses all the time, that could be really hard. But it's our only shot. The only way to defeat him is to get rid of his armor, I'm certain of that much.
Ryoga listened as a distant train passed in the distance, sending dogs throughout the neighborhood into a barking frenzy. Despite all else, he couldn't help but grin at the irony of the situation. A technique that destroys may be our only shot at life.
Closing his eyes, he fell asleep on the roof, allowing the soothing night air to carry him to sleep.