Chapter 5

His smile was overpowering. It could have melted the coldest heart. It was not a smile he shared with everyone. It was a private smile. It was exclusive. It was only directed at one person. It was for Akane Tendo. Only for Akane Tendo…

Shampoo let out a nightmarish howl as she threw herself forward, trying to reach the television with crisped hands. The chains rattled. They held her back and she struggled against them like a rabid beast.

Ukyo watched the video in silence. She had watched it thousands of times. She had cried at first. Then she had screamed at Kodachi for showing it to her over and over again. Then she had cursed Ranma and Akane for getting married. She had cursed them and wished them so much pain for being happy while she suffered. But now she could no longer feel anything.

The scene was played again. Ukyo sighed wearily and decided to study her companions instead. Sasuke looked concerned at Shampoo as she thrashed and screeched. He did not care if she hurt herself. He seemed more worried about the fact she may break loose. Ukyo wondered if she should talk to her. She always calmed down when she talked to her.

"I…I…love you…Akane…"

Ukyo closed her eyes briefly. That part always made her heart hurt a little bit. She looked away from the howling Shampoo and rested her eyes on Kodachi. Ukyo's eyes widened. Kodachi's eyes looked haunted as she stared at the TV screen. Tears were gliding freely down her cheeks.

"As banked clouds

Are swept apart by the wind,

At dawn the sudden cry

Of the first wild geese

Winging across the mountains.

In a mountain village

At autumn's end—

That's where you learn

What sadness means

Loving you, my heart may shatter into a thousand pieces,

But not one piece will be lost.

There is no color called love in this world,

Yet how thoroughly it has died my heart.

As banked clouds

Are swept apart by the wind

At dawn the sudden cry

Of the first wild geese

Winging across the mountains…"

Ukyo sighed as Shampoo started reciting the poem yet again. Her head hurt. She wasn't sure how many times she had heard it already. She studied the Amazon girl as she dangled in her chains. All the fight had left her so quickly. She barely moaned when Kodachi hit her. At night her voice no longer soothed her. Ukyo had been forced to get used to the jingling of chains, athough she no longer whimpered. Her eyes were vacant, empty. Ukyo wondered briefly how her own eyes looked.

She turned aside to see into the bucket resting at her side, the water gleaming on it still untainted by blood licking from the girl's new wounds. There she saw her own eyes. There she saw how dead they were too. She looked up and stared at Kodachi, sitting in front of Shampoo, listening to her litany. How could she have done this to her? How could only one person destroyed so much all alone…?

"Quiet!"

Ukyo jumped startled at the sharp command and looked down. Kodachi rose from her chair.

"Shampoo, my dear. Are you happy?"

Ukyo ventured to look up again. Kodachi was brushing Shampoo's hair. She had taken to do that when the Amazon had stopped doing it herself. She was as gentle and caring of that long curtain of silky hair as she was brutal with the smooth delicate skin underneath.

"No… Kodachi-samma."

"Oh…and why is that, my dear?"

"I want to go home…"

"This is your home…Do you know why is here your only home?"

Shampoo didn't answer. Kodachi pulled sharply at her hair.

"Ukyo, dear. Why is here your only home? Why are you two here?"

"Because Ranma broke our hearts."

Ukyo answered without thinking. She didn't need to think. She just had to answer and say what Kodachi wanted to hear. She did not understand why Shampoo had problems with such a simple rule.

"He married that wench!"

Kodachi snarled. Shampoo moaned as she yanked at her hair again. With visible efforts, the cold black rose got a hold of her emotions and released the Amazon. She started combing her hair gently again.

"He married that Tendo Akane...Because of him, we suffer so deeply…We lost it all! And she will pay for that. She and Ranma-darling will pay dearly for what they have done!"

The comb snapped in half. Kodachi let the pieces fall to the ground. She walked around to face Shampoo. Ukyo stared quietly as the Black Rose talked softly to the Amazon. She closed her hands in an attempt to control the way they trembled. Shampoo's eyes, before so dull and vacant, were suddenly burning. Then, she spoke, and her voice was strained with rage.

"Luan Ma and Akane die. Xian Pu kill."

Kodachi laughed and walked away, her ribbon twirling around her. Ukyo bent to pick the bucket and the rag to clean Shampoo's new wounds…When Kodachi's voice stabbed her ears yet again.

"You don't think before you talk, Shampoo dear. And I am sure you do not think before you act either. It is a pity…Ukyo-dear, come along."

Shampoo's face contorted into an expression of pure terror as Ukyo put the bucket down and hurried to walk behind Kodachi. The light went down and an anguished ear-piercing wail escaped her throat.

"No! No leave me here alone! No! Ukyo! Kodachi!"

The door banged closed and she was left in darkness.

Ukyo moaned and closed her eyes at the anguished wails that followed them as they marched down the hall. Why couldn't that idiot stand her confinement in silence? Why couldn't she learn to be in darkness? She had learned. She had never begged. Why couldn't Shampoo just stand it in silence?

"Soun Tendo is going to visit an old friend tonight…" She heard Kodachi's voice over Shampoo's muffled wails. "The house is in a rather seclusive part of town. He usually leaves quite late..."

Ukyo knew what was being expected of her and she accepted the offer without question. It was a pity they needed to be drag into their problems…but if Shampoo was going to suffer tonight, so would Akane and Ranma…