Hiya! I'm back again with a new chapter! I checked your reviews and I'll answer them right away.
Jonakhensu: No, i wouldn´t be more sadistic. The idea was for just realize their feelings.
Shinji the good sharer: No way in monkey´s hell i´ll do that.
ss4-link: It´s ok to miss some spelling.
Vash2004: What would be the use? And also I intend to make the Tendos almost dissappear from the fic. But I simply don´t know if i should.
Dumbledork: You´ll see what i still have in my sleeve.
Shawn45:Ranma IS too trusting. He´s a bit OOC but that´s the main idea as Shampoo is greatly OOC. And about the errors...hehe, sorry.

Ok. I hope you all like this chapter! Sparks start to fly between the Amazon new-comer and the pig-tailed martial artist! BUT! You´ll something...different incoming. Trust me, this chapter is by far the weirdest and OOC from allI have written by now. You know the stuff! Review, comment, flame, WHATEVER! Just send it! Also nobody could guess WHO made the thinking about the day-long kiss! But now that I think so...Nobody tried...

() Means Chinese.
This is Thinking.

Chapter 17: A Long Chat

When he got down, no one was there. The sound of water running informed him that Shampoo was in the kitchen. As he didn't know if he even dared to talk to her again after that. It was true that he already did so, but after some thinking, he just was a bit ashamed of even trying to talk to her. So, he just sat down on a nearby chair.

It hadn't passed more than fifteen minutes when the main door opened. Bambou walked in a way that would make a ninja ashamed. Just as she did two steps in, she noticed Ranma looking at her with his arms crossed and a frown for salute.

"So…" He spat "SO…" He parroted a lot louder. Shampoo appeared from the kitchen carrying a cup of tea and a question for face. Obviously the noise had made her come out.

Bambou had somehow ducked a bit and was slowly, really slowly backing away from a soon-to-be erupting volcano that fell under the name of Ranma Saotome. His eyes were sparkling in concentration and awe. Around his body, a red aura was burning as a tall flame. That image made Bambou back away even more.

"Yes…?" She asked in a barely audible whisper. Somehow she had the guts to even have a small smile. No one in their right mind would do that. Not when Ranma-flame was in front of someone.

"You…did…something…" He hissed in a dangerously slow and low tone. "Something…you…shouldn't…have…" At each word, he made a short step forward and Bambou went a bit back. Shampoo just kept staring wide-eyed. She had never seen him in such a passionate state.

"What-What was that?" Bambou replied. Shampoo noticed the small waterfall of sweat-drops and the faint blue colour she had on her face. But her eyes, her eyes completely betrayed that look. She had a defying and almost laughing sparkle in them. Then it ticked in her mind. She was carrying the conversation to her grounds. Grounds in which Ranma was weak and would certainly fail to maintain his I'm-the-human-torch act.

"Mh…Still…you…acted…like…hellll…" He made his emphasis in the last word. Now the sparkle in her eyes was almost gone. She had lost the battle to get him to her grounds. "You…are…going…to paayyyyy…" He made a final step when Bambou's back touched the main door. Two options. Run or face his wrath. I'll have to face it sooner or later. She thought. Not an easy feat to stand ground. Somehow, she stood up and prepared for a battle.

Shampoo looked at the intentions in her friend and had to decide. Look the battle or go fetch a first-aid kit that would surely be needed after it. An exchange of looking between the contestants made her decide and she left for the kit.

In an almost light-speed, Ranma was over Bambou with a move that surprised her to no-end. She stared wide-eyed at the form of Ranma. The Ranma that was embracing her…

"You are going to have to tell me how to do that someday…" He whispered in a moment. She blinked twice and Ranma was back in his flame-act and some steps back. Sure enough, Shampoo came back immediately after. Something's different… She thought looking at both of them. She almost sniffed the trouble and noticed it without further doubt. Ranma's bluffing. With an audible growl, she left stomping to leave the kit where it should be.

"You think she guessed?" Ranma whispered barely audible to Bambou who had to make an effort to understand. Both were looking at the stairs in complete awe and desperation of NOT being caught.

"Yeah, she's clever enough…" Bambou whispered back. Ranma hissed looking to a side and his arms crossed. "Still, this act wouldn't last long without the fight…" She added and he had to nod in agreement. A moment later Shampoo came back and entered the kitchen completely ignoring the pair.

She started preparing a cup of tea and she was mumbling a tune. Also, a smile adorned her face. She had ignored those two completely and was immersed in more important matters than two blathering idiots. Of course, what she was thinking had one of the idiots included. Wonder who would tell Bambou of the pressing point… A sour face and silence followed.

"What's going on here?" Cologne's voice made Shampoo get out of the kitchen just to find a shocking image. Her eyes almost bulged out of its sockets at the sight of those two that were "intending" to have fight, not only with the fight over, but hugging. They split up and looked like nothing had happened, for once.

"Now? Nothing." Bambou replied matter-of-factly. Her straight face convinced both young and ancient Amazon that she was telling the truth, not that she needed to lie. "You preparing tea? I want some!" She smiled and passed Shampoo.

Two pair of eyes on Ranma made him nervous. Like being in some kind of CIA interrogatory room. Only the light on his sight was missing to make it perfect and Shampoo smoking a cigarette and puffing the smoke on his face. "Yes?" He stuttered. Both women turned and left. Shampoo back in the kitchen and Cologne upstairs.

Inside the kitchen, Bambou was neatly blowing the steam of her tea. A warm smile was planted on her lips. "(I have a matter to discuss with you, or rather speak with you.)" She started whispering like an unspeakable gossip. Shampoo finished preparing her tea and sat next to her in the small table that was there. It was just for two so it was perfect.

"(What is it?)" She asked interested. A sip of tea later and she listened warily.

"(It's about your man.)" Shampoo's brows lifted "(Yes. It is yours and yours only. What you just saw outside the kitchen was…er, well it was…none of your business, for now.)" For a moment she was about to blurt out Ranma's thanking. There she was, acting as mediator between two completely in-love idiots who couldn't gather a grain of guts to tell each other their feelings. Is it so difficult to tell someone you love him or her? Is it so demanding? I don't think so. It is quite simple, the way I see it. I know it has to be in some sort of romantic atmosphere, but if they are so deeply in love, wherever they want is the same. Now the question is, WHO is going to act first? Ranma or Shampoo? Whoever starts will get the other to talk.

"(And?)" Shampoo was growing impatient of waiting for several seconds of silence from her partner. A slight frown formed over her eyes.

"(I think you should say something.)" Please, tell me she gets the hint, please tell me at least that…

"(What do you mean?)" Just how THICK can a person be?

"(I mean that it is clear. Anyone with eyes could see your acting. That is the something I mean.)" Come on, it is not THAT complicated, is it?

"(I still not get the gist of it.)" Bambou looked to a side in pure unbelieving attitude. She figured the acting back five minutes and she can't understand this? Optional cleverness? Possibly…

"(That's it! I'm through with this!)" She snapped and Shampoo backed away in surprise. "(You like him, right?)" She asked frowning. Her face left to answer not a thing aside the truth.

"(Y-Yes, of course. I-I…Yes, I like him.)" Shampoo stuttered. An exasperated face and some hand-shaking accompanied the talking.

"(Just like?)" Bambou raised a brow. Clearly she knew.

"(No…I…I love him. But I don't want to oblige him into anything. He already knows that I love him, I told him some times. The last one a couple ofdays before, when all changed…)" Shampoo sighed and looked down. It was something that she was relieved about.

"(When all changed? What changed?)" She was interested in this, very interested.

"(Before I managed to open myself and admit my mistakes…I was in a race. A race and the prize was the man training outside. There were two other contestants. You already heard about one of them, the Tendo girl.)" Bambou nodded "(There was another one that was participating, I think she was the most dangerous to me in the race. Her name is Ukyo, and she's and old friend of Ranma. But I think that he'd never consider her something more than just a good friend.)" At this moment, Shampoo was looking up and musing about Ukyo's whereabouts. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen her for a while…Hope she's alright. I know that she isn't much social with me but that doesn't mean I can't care about her a bit.

"(You seem to be a bit fond of her…)" Bambou smiled at her clumsiness to hide her feelings. Shampoo looked at her with some confusion but also some incredulity.

"(I am?)" She asked mostly to herself. Now that she thought about it, in the last days, the two of them were pretty civil. Almost friendly-like. A frown appeared on her eyes. Yes…not fond but maybe a bit of missing her attitude of never giving up. Much like mine's or Ranma's. Maybe what I truly miss is her spirit? Her battle-spirit?

"Hey, girls." Ranma's now cheery voice distracted them.

"Hi." They replied without paying any attention to him. Shampoo kept thinking about that until Ranma was about to leave the kitchen.

"Ranma." She called and doubled over the chair, looking at him upside down.

"Yes?" He turned.

"Have Ranma seen Ukyo?" She asked bluntly and Ranma's eyes grew. Obvious surprise.

"Now that you tell me…I haven't…Strange, we'll visit her tomorrow, ok?" He proposed and she nodded, well, nodded the way she could.

"What time is it?" Bambou asked cautiously. She still was a bit moved by Ranma's totally strange acting.

"It's…twenty to nine. I'm going to bath and turn in, see you tomorrow." He informed and left with a flash of smile.

"(He's strange. Cute, but strange.)" Bambou pointed and Shampoo mid-closed her eyes.

"(You wish that I'm in a good mood or I'd make you eat those words. Not the strange part, of course.)" Shampoo shot back darkly but with a smile.

"(Thought so. You really are in love with him. Too bad that…)" Talked too much! She mentally kicked herself for being dumb enough to almost blurt it out.

"(Too bad that?)" Shampoo pressed on, obviously she noted her trailing off.

"(Too bad that…that you haven't told him recently.)" She sighed in relief when Shampoo looked at the table. Face crimson-red.

"(You think I should tell him?)" She asked after some silent seconds. She looked at her oldest friend with pure hope in her eyes.

"(Yeah. You should be surprised…)" Bambou replied emphasizing the last. Her convinced face made Shampoo looked relieved that she had at least someone to trust near her when she needed to talk about this stuff. Talking about this with Cologne was simply not the same, Bambou was around her age so she was better to talk and understand things of the teenagery of the time.

"(I could try…But it must be in a good environment, obviously romantic. But how could I make Ranma go with me to some place that we could be alone?)" Now Shampoo was steering a bit off-topic to herself.

"(Ehm, ehm.)" Bambou cleared her throat in an obvious calling remark. (Here. This is another question to the aware reader. WHERE do you find that same action? In what movie, book or anime?) "(I think that you should be yourself. Just ask him to go for a walk or to go to the park or something like that. Come on, you're smart! You'll think of something!)" She exclaimed happily and Shampoo smiled.

"(Yes. You may be right about that one. Be myself…Good idea. It worked quite good before.)" Shampoo's smile deepened remarkably. "(I still have some time. Let's turn in for now.)" Shampoo proposed and Bambou nodded in agreement.

"(Yes, let's.)" Both stood up and went to their respective rooms and beds. Bambou found Cologne sleeping and Shampoo found Ranma finishing to change clothes.

"Ranma going to sleep?" She asked teasingly as she passed a hand on his arm, casually but flirting nonetheless.

"Yeah?" He said half-asking, half-wondering. "Something's wrong?" He asked lifting a brow. Her attitude was strange.

"No, nothing." She replied and smiled to him before grabbing clothes and scramming into the bathroom to change.

"Strange. Nice, but strange…" Ranma barely whispered to self. A minute later, Shampoo was back and was asleep moments later. Ranma also fell asleep not too late after.

So, what do you think of this chapter? Shampoo's finally accepting totally her love for Ranma and is decided to tell him that she loves him, again…But this time it will be more meaningful because of her change of attitude. Yes, I don't even know what will happen when she decides to tell him. Not have thought about it.

In another point, see whatI meant by this chapter being even more OOC? Maybe I went too far away in this chapter. Next chapter, Ukyo´s return! I felt that I had left her without even saying a reason why she would leave the story permanently. Also I´m thinking about with WHO I´ll stick her...(Malicious grin and diabolic laugh) GUESS!