Chapter 14

Ranma was hitting the bag, taking instructions from one of the coaches in the boxing studio. He had been learning boxing for about week now and he loved every minute of it. The coaches were very easy going and patient with him. They showed him how boxers' moved and fought. He was getting better at attacking from angles and felt much lighter on her feet. He also increased his strength, cardio and speed of his feet and hands. It helped in case he had to fight someone like Ryoga or his father who had very high stamina.

Sparring was great as well. It took him a while to stop throwing kicks at his sparring partners but he was a quick learner. The spars were great as he a lot for it. The sparring was always done with pads, which was new to him. It was explained to him that it was to protect new fighters. Leonard explained to him that this was the way for new students to get use to sparring. He also explained that every discipline did this. Ranma remembered this and put it in the back of his mind.

After another great session at the studio, he arrive in Nermia and was on his way home. He was wondering what Kasumi was cooking for dinner when something jumped in front of him. That something was a lavender colored cat. He flinched a little but he quickly calmed himself and used his meditation exercise. He was now calm and knelt down to the cat. He scratched it behind the ears. The cat really enjoyed it.

"You like that huh?" Ranma asked with a smirk. The cat just meowed and enjoyed the scratching. Ranma observed the cat and couldn't help but get a sense of familiarity. "You know, you remind me of this Amazon I know. She was a great fighter too. How about I take you home and give you a bath?" The cat meowed happily and jumped onto his shoulder. Ranma just smiled and continued on his trip home. It didn't take him long to reach the Tendo compound. He said his hellos to everyone and told them that he was going to clean this cat that he found. He made his way to the bathroom and turned on the hot water. When the tub was half full, the cat jumped off his shoulder and jumped into the water. Ranma waited for her to resurface. What resurfaced was a very big surprise to the martial arts. It was a very beautiful, very naked and very wet Shampoo.

Shampoo shook her hair dry and stared at the blushing Ranma. She looked at him with confusion when he turned away from her.

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Shampoo sat with the Tendos and the Saotomes. She was dressed in Nabiki's clothes which was hard to find something because of her bust. She sat with them and was ready to explain as to why she was back.

"Wǒ gāoxìng de kàn dào nǐ zàicì xǐ fǎ shuǐ, dàn wǒ yào wèn, wèishéme nǐ huílái ma? (I'm glad to see you again Shampoo but I must ask, why are you back?)" Ranma asked.

"If it is good with you, I would like to speak in your tongue this time. I will need to get better at it since I will be here for a while." Shampoo said.

"That's not bad. Have we been practicing?" asked Nabiki.

"Hai, as I am being groomed to be the next leader of my village. To answer your early question, I am here to actually here to warn you Ranma." Shampoo said.

"Warn me?" Ranma said.

"Yes. After our fight, I returned home and explained what happened to my council. They were mixed in what happened but were very impressed that you, a male, was so honorable. They let me off with a minor punishment." Shampoo explained.

"That doesn't explain why you're back." Akane cut in.

"Maybe if you keep quiet and let her finish, we would find out." Ranma said. Akane shot him a glare but did nothing.

"Anyway, my great-grandmother and leader of our village grilled me about the fight we had. She was very impressed with your skills and with the fact that you may have mastered the forbidden Nekoken (Cat Fist). It was not my intention to let her know that but it slipped out. She wishes to get you within our family so that we could have that power." Shampoo said.

"How does she plan to do that?" asked Kasumi.

"The truth is Ranma, when you defeated me, I should have given you the 'Kiss of Marriage'. When a strong male defeats an Amazon of our tribe, we hunt them down and get them to marry us. It is because we believe that it will bring strong blood to our tribe. Since our battle was a matter of honor and we agreed on 'no kisses', I was not punished for that." Shampoo explained.

"So she wants you to get me to defeat you again so that you can give me the 'Kiss of Marriage' so she could get the Nekoken?" Shampoo nodded to Ranma's question. "Not to offend your great grandmother, but that isn't going to happen. If I ever gain control of the Nekoken, I will be the only one. I will not put anyone through the training my idiot father did with me." Ranma said.

"Why are you warning us Shampoo? Wouldn't your great grandmother be angry should she learn of this?" Nabiki asked.

"I will be honest with you, I do wish for Ranma to be my husband." Shampoo said. Kasumi frowned a little, Ranma was a little surprised and Akane grinded her teeth. "You are very strong and I like that. However, I respect you and your honor. You gave me the chance to regain my honor and I thank you for it. I don't wish for you to be forced into anything, which my elder will most likely do."

"Thank you for that and for the warning. I will be on guard for when she comes after me." Ranma said. That's when he remembered another question. "Why do you have a curse?"

"That would be my great grandmother's fault. She figured that it would be good training. She was half right and half wrong." Shampoo said with a tone.

"I feel for you. Many adults can be slow at times. Take my father for example." Ranma said. Kasumi, Shampoo and Nabiki chuckled at him while the elder Saotome growled at his son.

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Ranma couldn't wait to eat his lunch. He had watched Kasumi make him a bento that was specially made. Kasumi giggled at him when his mouth was watering. He was praying for the lunch bell to ring so that he could dig into Kasumi's special lunch. When it did ring, Ranma couldn't get out the class fast enough. He ran to his favorite spot so that he could eat. Despite his hunger, it did not deter him from sensing an attack. He dodged out of the way of an old looking staff. He got into a stance when his attacker was quickly on him. Using his boxing, he bobbed and weaved out of their thrusts. He closed in and threw a cross at the person. They flipped over it and returned to attacking.

He threw his stuff down and concentrated on whoever was attacking him. He used his boxing to get into the person's guard and caught their wrist. He attempted to get the person to drop their staff with his aikido skills but the person slipped out of his grasp. Watching them carefully, the two lashed out with some quick finger strikes at each other. Ranma felt a bit more hit him than the few that hit his opponent. They separated and stood across from each other. Using his good arm, he undid the shiatsu points that the person hit and returned to a defensive stance.

"My great granddaughter was right. You are quite skilled. It seems that you have introduced another style to your repertoire. Not many can dodge me so well." An old voice said. Ranma did not relax his guard as he observed the person in front of him. She was a very small person and very wrinkly. She wore a Chinese robe and a hairpin. He was very impressed that she could balance herself so easily on that wooden cane of hers.

"You must be Shampoo's great grandmother." Ranma said.

"Yes I am. My name is Cologne and I assume that my great granddaughter has told you of the reason that I'm here." Cologne said.

"Yeah and I'll letting you know right now, I ain't going to marry Shampoo. It's not that she isn't beautiful, but my mind is on more important things." Ranma said.

"Do you truly think that you can ignore three thousand years of Chinese Amazon history? I do thank you for giving her back her honor but she allow such power to slip through her fingers." She said.

"She told me about your interest in the Nekoken. Sorry to say that the Nekoken will be mastered by me and will die with me. You've wasted your time in coming here and you've wasted your time with this talk." he said.

"Have I now?" Cologne moved quickly and hit a spot on Ranma's body. She flew across the field and landed on the wall. The two stared at each other for a while. "I am confident that you will change your mind Saotome Ranma. I can wait for the day when you come begging me for help." Cologne said and hopped away from the area. Ranma sighed and picked up his stuff. He could only wonder what was in store for him with Cologne after him.

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Shampoo was going through her swordplay. She was quickly, precise and deadly. It was a beautiful dance of metal as the blade moved through the air with ease. She ended the form with a furious thrust. She relaxed and bowed to no one.

"You are getting better." Cologne said.

"Great grandmother, how was your day?" Shampoo asked.

"It was enlightening. That Ranma boy will make a fine husband for you." She said.

"Elder, I wish that you would not pursue this course of action. He may end up hating us should we do this. It is as his name means, he is a wild horse who cannot and will not be tamed." She explained.

"What are you so worried about my child? Did you not tell me that you found him interesting back home?" Cologne asked.

"I do and I will admit that I feel funny being near him. However, I feel that he can become a power that could come back to deal a blow to our village. I believe that it was you who said to prepare for the worst." Shampoo said.

"You worry too much my child. My plan will work and Ranma will be begging to marry you. Trust me my child." Cologne said. Shampoo sighed and looked at her elder.

"What is your plan great grandmother?" Shampoo asked. Cologne smiled and explained her plan.

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Ranma couldn't help but feel that something was going to happen. It kept growing ever since meeting Shampoo's relative. He didn't like this feeling and wished for it to go away. Even Kasumi's positivity didn't help calm him. He sighed and hoped nothing happened today at school. As he neared the entrance, he noticed a couple of guys on the ground. They were moaning and groaning. He then noticed that Kuno was embedded into the wall. He saw a lone girl standing in the middle of it, holding two huge maces. Ranma instantly recognized the purple hair of Shampoo.

As he walked up to her, he noticed that she was wearing a school uniform of Furinken. He had to admit, she did look really good in that uniform. He quickly shook his head from such thoughts.

"Yo Shampoo, what's going on?" Ranma asked. Shampoo turned to see him with Akane and Nabiki. "What's with the uniform? Are you going here now?"

"Yes I am. It was a decision that I made for myself. Anyway, I need to talk to you in private. There is something that you need to know about what my great grandmother has planned for you." Shampoo said.

"Before we get to that, did you do this?" Nabiki asked.

"Yes, that perverted boy thought that he could claim me. I showed why it wasn't a good thought." Shampoo said.

"Who do you think you are? This was my fight!" Akane exclaimed. Shampoo looked at her like she was stupid.

"Is she okay?" Shampoo asked.

"I really don't know. So what do you need to talk to me about?" Ranma asked. She was about to talk when she pushed Ranma out of the way. Ranma did a back-flip and landed on his feet. He looked to see a few daggers in the spot that he was formerly in. Suddenly someone landed in front of him. Ranma stood up and wondered who this guy was. Whoever he was, he was dangerous and Ranma was instantly on guard.

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