Interlude: Ryoga

For one of the few times in his life, Ryoga Hibiki was not lost. By definition, he couldn't be lost because he cared neither where he was or where he was going. It pleased him to wander through the rugged Japanese countryside. Later, he planned to go to the Unryu farm and determine what, if any, relationship he could have with Akari. Later, he planned on going home on the off chance that one of his parents would be there. Later, he planned to visit the Tendo dojo one final time so that Ranma could beat him up.

While not thrilled by the prospect, he knew that a fight with Ranma was inevitable. His persistent foe would never be content to let Ryoga remain one up on him. He knew that at some point, he'd fight Ranma again, and unless something unexpected happened, he'd lose. Which wouldn't bother him at all.

Because the real victory had already been won. Ranma couldn't undo what had already been done. Ryoga would forever be more of a man than his Nyannichuan cursed adversary. Unlike Ranma, he'd never been raped. It was something that he could hold over the bastard forever.

And the very best part, the one thing about the situation that pleased Ryoga the most: Was that Ranma... would never know. He'd never suspect what had been done to him. He'd never know how vulnerable he'd been. He'd have no clue how easy it had been.

It would be worth taking one final beating. Because after letting his antagonist think he'd evened the score, Ryoga could get on with the rest of his life. The feud that had started years earlier over bread was finished and ultimate victory was his, no matter what Ranma did.

For one of the few times in his life, Ryoga Hibiki was happy.

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Interlude: Shampoo

As she laid on the bed of a rented hotel room in Hiroshima, Shampoo searched for a glimmer of hope in the situation between herself and her intended husband, Ranma Saotome. There wasn't much other than the fact that Ranma had finally returned to the Cat Cafe. True, it was to talk to Cologne instead of to date her, but it was the closest thing to progress since Ranma had nearly married that incompetent dimwit Akane Tendo weeks ago.

She wasn't happy with her performance at the wedding. Shampoo was certain she could have disrupted the ceremony without things turning into a general melee if only she'd had time to prepare. The invitation from Nabiki Tendo had arrived too late for anything other than immediate, and poorly conceived, action.

Yet it wasn't her own performance that had bothered Shampoo the most. That had been the loss of the Nannichuan. Damn Soun Tendo for stealing it from Ranma to use it as blackmail material. Double damn that pervert Happosai for drinking it. Fear and greed, her own and others, destroyed more than just the opportunity for her husband to be cured. It changed things.

A week afterwards, Ranma actually threatened her with deportation if she didn't stop calling him 'Airen'. Yes, he'd couched it as saying that it was the deranged gymnast's idea and only he could prevent it from happening. Ranma, for all his positive traits, was a lousy liar. Simple cross-checking with Kodachi had proved the story false. The crushing blow came when her own great-grandmother wanted her to act as if the things Ranma had said were true.

Shampoo knew that her recent track record, to be honest, sucked. Destroying the home of Ranma's mother. Being captured by the Phoenix Mountain people before getting brainwashed to fight against Ranma. Which particularly stung because Ranma's fat panda of a father had figured out a way to make himself useless against his son despite the mind control he was under. All that followed closely by her behavior at the wedding. Maddening, simply maddening how badly things in her life had gone awry.

Faced with this, she didn't even tell her ancestor that she knew the truth about Ranma's threat. Better to be thought a fool. Better to give her husband time to settle down. Better even to get a chance to think about why Cologne had sent her to Hiroshima.

She was supposed to meet an Amazon hunting party that was due to arrive in two or three days. Originally the assignment had offended her. The thought that she needed help in tracking someone as unmistakable as Ryoga Hibiki. The fang toothed boy had no concept of stealth, even Mousse could follow Ryoga's trail once the spoor was caught.

But with a chance to think about it, Shampoo was able to come to some conclusions. Most trips from the Joketzu village were routed through Osaka or came directly to Tokyo. There was no need for her to be over 600 kilometers from Nerima other than to not be in Nerima. The list of warriors she was expected to lead was another clue. All maidens aged 15 to 20, all skilled trackers and all, with the exception of Sihong Gao, among the 'prettier' members of the tribe.

And their target was Ryoga Hibiki, who fainted at the mere hint of female flesh. Around women, he was nearly bad as the Musk. What was the connection between the upcoming hunt and Ranma being stuck as a girl? Had Ryoga found something like Prince Herb's ladle? If he had, why hadn't Ranma gone after it himself? Although the ladle could only lock a curse, it couldn't unlock it. Maybe that was it.

No, that still left the lost boy. The obvious intent was for one or more of the Amazons to fight Ryoga. And lose. Although she had no interest in him herself, she did realize that other women might have use for a strong man. She thought it unfortunate Akane had never realized Ryoga's feelings for her. It would have saved a ton of trouble.

But why? Or more particularly, why now? Ryoga had been at Jusendo. If any of her tribal sisters had wanted a crack at him, they'd had their chance. What had changed? What was the urgency? Why the big hurry to bring Ryoga into the tribe?

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Let it be said that Shampoo knew pregnancy could lock a Jusenkyo curse. Let it also be said that she couldn't picture Ranma being raped or Ryoga in the role of rapist. There is something to be said for innocence after all.