Chapter 2

"Alright, here's the plan…" The tiny ferret on her shoulder said. "You keep walking to school and I'll explain a few things on the way there."

Shampoo shook her head stubbornly. "No care about school, you tell Shampoo why is things so weird now."

The Jin sighed. "You have to go to school, Shampoo, you're in Akane's life and she goes to school everyday. "

Shampoo rolled her eyes. "Whatever." But without further argument she headed in the school's direction. "Is going, so now you tell Shampoo why Akane attack Ranma."

The little ferret scurried to the top of her head finding the perch there far more comfortable. "Well, I know you were expecting me to switch you guys, and life to be the same as it was, but there were a few problems. Firstly, can you really envision Akane crying out 'husband' and throwing herself all over Ranma?" He didn't wait for a reply, "Of course not! The magic arranged things in a way that would match your personalities. It's the only way to keep the illusion longer. Things have to be relatively logical to all involved. Kinda like…the way things would be if you were really the youngest Tendo and Akane a real Amazon."

Shampoo was suspicious. "How you know what things Akane would do or not do?"

The ferret rested it's head on its paw. "Omniscience, all Jin's have a little bit…" He gazed at the sky. It looked like there were dark clouds forming in the distance. "Hmm, it looks like it'll rain later…"

"Aiya! Shampoo curse give her away for certain!"

The ferret smirked towards the sky. "No worries, babe, until Akane regains her memories you don't have to worry about that…heh."

Sampoo's face set into a thoughtful scowl, she wondered what exactly the magic of the wish had changed…

OOOOOO

School turned out to be a tediously boring thing to Shampoo, the only exception is the joy of getting to sit so close to Ranma for most classes. She gazed on his sleeping figure lovingly…

"Eyes front, Miss Tendo." The teacher deadpanned, without even turning around.

The class twittered in mirth as the teacher, once again, caught Shampoo staring at her fiancée.

Shampoo glared angrily at the man droning on at the chalkboard. How dare a lowly man tell her what to do!? Her arms still ached from when he made her hold buckets in the hall. He even made her keep the Jin hidden in her bag, so as not to disturb the class or whatever. She crossed her arms across her chest plotting revenge against the disrespectful man.

Next to her Ranma finally awoke from his nap, and he soon realized that the class was almost over. Leaning over towards the girl sitting next to him he whispered. "Yo, Shampoo, can I copy your notes?"

Shampoo blinked at him curiously. "What is…notes…?"

His head fell to the table. "I'm doomed."

"Ah, Mr. Saotome, I see you've finally decided to join us." The teacher turned to eye Ranma sternly. "You will be please to know that all the things covered today will be on the upcoming test, class dismissed."

"Aw, man…" Ranma clutched at his hair.

Shampoo frowned not understanding what the problem was. Who cares about school when you are a great warrior?

Ranma sighed. "Come on, Shampoo, let's go…."

For lunch the two decided to eat outside by the tall oak in the courtyard. Shampoo had to admit that the oldest Tendo sure knew how to cook some delicious food. She fed some to the hungry ferret on her shoulder as well.

Ranma stared at the sky in dread. "Its getting darker and darker…probably going to be a downpour pretty soon…just great."

Shampoo was more then a little worried herself, but after a glance toward the Jin she felt reassured.

"Hi Ranma, Hi Shampoo," Ukyo approached them and sat down handing Ranma some papers "Notes from today's class." She said.

"Yes! Ucchan, you're a lifesaver!"

Shampoo glared at the other girl bitterly, "What spatula-girl want? Try to steal Ranma away from Shampoo with notes?"

Ukyo blushed crimson. "No! No way! I mean…he is, uh…that is I do…Argh! You guys made it pretty clear when we met that you are in love, and I'm not the type of girl to come between committed relationships…" she appeared crestfallen.

Shmapoo hugged Ranma's arm tightly. "Is right."

Ranma was blushing and sweating. He waved his other arm franticly. "No! We're not in love! It was something our parents arranged!"

Ukyo turned away hurt. "The things you say and the things you do are very different…"

Ranma desperately tried to push the nuzzling Shampoo off his lap. "Cut it out, Shampoo!"

"An opening!"

Ranma and Shampoo leapt apart just in time to avoid the bamboo shaft that struck the ground where they were sitting.

"Akane!" The three teens cried out in surprise, although Ranma sounded more pleased then surprised.

"I missed." She muttered. She watched him get into a defensive stance and frowned. "I'm not here to fight you. I'm here because of work."

Ranma seemed confused. "Then why did you…" he pointed towards the deep impact mark by the tree.

Akane blushed, her eyes darting in Shampoo's direction. "No reason." She rested the bamboo staff on her shoulder her other hand carrying a large takeout box.

Ukyo smirked nudging the other girl playfully, "and I suppose you carry around that bamboo staff for work as well, huh?"

Akane became sheepish. "Actually I do…"

"Look! That cute Cat Café girl is here again!"

Akane's presence suddenly became known to others in the courtyard and a herd of guys started running in her direction. Eagerly advancing on the scantily clad girl in Amazonian dress "Honestly," she muttered, "Why can't they leave me alone…"

"She brought take out!"

"Give it to me!"

"Join me for lunch!"

"Feed me my lunch!"

"I love you!"

Akane pointed the bamboo staff in their direction. "Stay back." She warned. "This is for Kuno and I have to get it to him in the next few minutes or it's free…" the warning fell on def ears, they continued to run at her like crazy people. She sighed and turned her head toward the threesome behind her, "I'll see you guys around…and Ranma…next time I'll defeat you for sure!" She charged into the fray with vigor knocking many of the guys into the air.

Ukyo seemed puzzled. "Should we help her?"

Ranma shrugged nonchalant. "Trust me, you should avoid helping her at all costs…" yet despite his carefree demeanor, his eyes stayed glued to the fighting girl…just in case.

Shampoo looked at Ranma oddly. He usually jumps right in when Akane is in any kind of trouble, but now, not only is he not helping he's telling them to not help either. Shampoo smiled at the ferret, maybe this illusion thing will work after all.

A low rumble tripped through the thick dark sky above them, but the teens were too preoccupied with watching Akane beat off the Furinkun high boys to notice. Akane defeated her adversaries in no time. She stood panting in the middle of the court yard.

"She's not bad…" the ferret whispered in an awed voice into Shampoo's ear.

The purple haired girl huffed. "Shampoo much much better!"

The ferret blinked. "Really?"

"Yes, Shampoo train hard! No want to lose to outsider male. No want marrage, but is happy lose to Ranma."

The ferret turned its attention back to the short haired girl still standing there.

Suddenly Kuno stepped out into the field. "Ah, to think that such a beauty, is also endowed with the grace and fierceness of a…"

"…Dump truck." Ranma supplied. Earning glares from both of the figures standing in the field.

"…wild tiger..." Kuno corrected dourly. He arched his bokken towards the sky, dramatically lighting flashed behind him. "My tigress…date with meee!" He ran at her with arms spread wide.

Akane planted a foot in his face, and taking advantage of his 'frozen in pain' state, she hooked the take out box on the tip of the bokken. "I'm on time, pay up."

His face still plastered against her foot, he reached into his pocket and handed her some money.

She counted quickly, and satisfied that she had the full amount she removed her foot. Her stern face becoming friendly. "Thanks, Kuno-san." Tossing a glare in Ranma's direction, she left the school grounds.

Kuno stood there dumbly for a minute before leaving to eat his rather expensive lunch.

Ukyo seemed a little stunned. "Does this happen a lot? Guess I should start eating outside again… Why did those guys come at her like that? "

Ranma shrugged. "I don't know. It's something that only started recently…"

Nabiki's voice chimed in behind them suddenly. "I can tell you why…for a price" she held out her hand expectantly.

Ranma reached into his pockets and found only air, he looked pleadingly towards Shampoo, who sniffed and turned away. She was apparently not too concerned with Akane's problems. He turned towards Ukyo who sighed and handed Nabiki some money. "Okay, spill it." she muttered.

Nabiki smirked pocketing the money. "Well, Akane is a bit of a hot item, not only at this school, but at a few others. Places where she may have delivered to or what not."

Ranma shook his head peeved. "All this fuss over an unsexy girl like that? I think someone needs to go around and beat some since into those guys." He pounded his fist into his palm.

Nabiki quirked an eyebrow in Ranma's direction, "Hmm, If I didn't know that you were already engaged to my sister, I would think that you were jealous..." she ignored Ranma's cry of 'No way!' and continued on. "Mostly the guys have been flocking to the cat café in hopes of getting closer to her, but she generally doesn't acknowledge them. So when some of them noticed that Akane gives Ranma a lot of attention through fighting, they decided to get her attention that way as well."

Ukyo was disgusted at how popular Akane was without even trying. "Seriouly," she muttered at Nabiki. "What does she have that I don't…"

Nabiki held out her hand expectantly.

Ukyo shook her head. "That question was rhetorical."

Nabiki shrugged. She turned in her 'sister's' direction, "actually, Shampoo, I was wondering something…"

"What?"

"I was thinking about getting a little something for our dear older sister, but I can't seem to recall what her favorite color is. You'll tell me won't you?"

Ranma starred at Nabiki incredulously. "That's easy! It's…"

Nabiki raised a hand to silence him. She gazed at Shampoo expectantly.

Shampoo realized that Nabiki must have realized something was off and was testing her. This was bad. Shampoo opened her mouth to give her best guess, when the school bell suddenly rang signaling everyone to go back to class. "Bye bye." She said instead and raced inside, quickly going to her class and finding her seat. She didn't even wait to see if Ranma followed her. Internally she was reeling. No way could the mercenary girl figure it out in so little time, right? She plucked the Jin off her shoulder, looking to him for some reassurance, but his words made her feel even grimmer.

"She's on to you." He murmured his eyes worried.

She nodded and gently placed the ferret into her bag. This afternoon she would pay a visit to her great-grandmother's cafe. She was going to need some help if Nabiki really had figured things out.

OOO

To be continued…

Thanks for the support, truthfully I'm a terrible writer and I wasn't even sure I would continue this. However, seeing that I got some positive feedback, I'll continue to write it as long as someone out there enjoys it. Thanks.