Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, I do not claim any rights to any of the characters or concepts created or owned by Viz Video or Rumiko Takahashi. This is just the work of one fan to the others. The only characters or concepts that I claim are the ones I created or introduced. That said, I bring you:
Ranma ½: When you are lost in a sea of grief, look for a light to guide you home.
Chapter 7: An outing between friends.
Ranma-chan cast another side-long look at the smugly smiling young woman who walked beside her. They were both loaded down with boxes and bags that held the items that they had purchased. It hadn't been as bad as Ranma-chan had expected it to be, but there was something about the smug smile on Shampoo's face that aggravated her for some reason.
At least Shampoo had kept to her word so far. Still, it wasn't easy to completely trust her. She had pulled too many underhanded stunts over the years. And to be honest, Ranma still had her reservations about going out to dinner with Shampoo. She didn't want Shampoo to think it was a date or anything. Who knew what she would try if things were not made clear from the outset.
Ranma-chan started to speak at the same time as Xian Pu did. They both laughed and Ranma-chan motioned for Xian Pu to proceed. She had figured it would be better to let the former Amazon speak, that way she could decide if she needed to shoot down whatever she was about to suggest.
Xian Pu nodded and smiled as she shifted her stack a little. "So… About dinner tonight… I was thinking.."
Ranma-chan sighed, as she expected some variation on 'Ranma! You take Shampoo on date now, yes?' or something like that.
Xian Pu continued, unaware of her companion's train of thought. "... That if you go as a guy, people might get the… Wrong impression. After all… We are just friends going out to dinner at a nice restaurant. Not a date, at all. Just… Two friends." Xian Pu said as she cast a nervous look at Ranma-chan. "I know I've been pushing you to be girl-type a lot today, and suggesting that you go to dinner in female form and all...That might be pushing it, but… I will make it up to you, I can spare some waterproof soap so you do not have to worry about ending up in your cursed form for a few days, at least…" Xian Pu rambled on a bit as Ranma-chan eyed her.
"Okay, I guess I can see how that might be seen… Not that I care what others think or anything… And you can keep the soap. It would be a bigger problem in a lot of ways if you changed rather than me. I know your supply is limited." Ranma-chan said as she didn't look at Xian Pu.
Xian Pu grinned as she looked at Ranma-chan. "Is that a yes?"
Ranma-chan rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yes, Shampoo. You have yourself a not-date with Ranma-chan."
Xian Pu did a little skip and nodded as she started to walk faster. "Let's get home so we can get cleaned up and changed! You're going to love it! And I promise, no weird French guys will try to cram you into a metal corset."
"They better not…" Ranma-chan groused, then looked at Xian Pu with a suspicious look in her eyes. "And how, exactly, do you know about that?"
Xian Pu grinned and said one name. "Nabiki."
Ranma-chan sighed and hung her head as they continued to walk back to Shampoo's place. It never failed, way too many things led back to the middle Tendo girl. Even after he had left them all behind, or they had left him behind. Either way, Shampoo was right. It was a chance to start over, and to move past the person he had spent his whole life chasing. To stop trying to be a 'Man amongst Men' and instead become the best version of Ranma that was possible. To look at the future, and to find a new path, one that was his, and his alone. Something that belonged to him, and him alone.
Maybe it was time to look into what Shampoo had suggested. Maybe it was time to see if there was something that he could teach. Otherwise, what had been the point of all those years that he had spent on the road. All those years that were spent learning and training. All the sacrifices that had been made along the way.
It was time to make something of himself. He would start to look into what possibilities lay before him. What he could teach, and who wanted to have him. Maybe start with the exercise forms, and see where it went from there.
Ranma-chan looked over at Shampoo, and wondered once again just who she had become, if there had always been this deep, interesting person hiding under all that bluster and noise. If he had been just as blind towards her as everyone seemed to have been towards himself. And that included how he had seen himself, as well. If there might be just as much more to him as there was to her.
Maybe this would work out, after all. After all, he was just living with one of his ex-fiancee's, and going on a very much not-date with her. It was fine. Just fine.
"Okay, I won't take the soap, but I will spend as much time in my true form as possible, okay? No.. Trying to get me all dressed up girly and parading me around town or something." Ranma-chan said as she eyed Shampoo.
"I promise Ranma. I won't impose on you, or assault your masculine dignity for the next few days." Xian Pu said with a grin.
For some reason, that didn't make Ranma-chan feel much better.
After the pair arrived back at Xian Pu's place, Ranma-chan found herself being pushed towards the bathroom. "We need to hurry if we are going to make it! I'll take your stuff to the room, so go!" Xian Pu said with a laugh.
Ranma-chan decided she had to quip back, at least. "What, not going to offer to wash my back and hop in the bath with me? Shampoo, I'm surprised."
Xian Pu stopped still, and Ranma-chan looked back and up at her and noted just how red Shampoo looked at the moment, and giggled. Then it was Ranma-chan's turn to blush as Shampoo looked down and fidgeted for a moment.
"I would .. If you would want me to." Shampoo said, then blushed more. "Wash your back, I mean! Not get into the bath with you…. Not this time, at least."
Ranma-chan blushed as she bit her lip and nodded. "I… Guess that would be okay… Washing my back, that is. I.. could do that for you… Not that you'd want me to or nothin'..."
Xian Pu laughed and took a breath, then nodded. "I'd like that, Ranma. Now… Let's drop off our packages and we can get cleaned up and ready, okay?"
Ranma-chan laughed nervously and placed her packages next to the couch, and looked at the pile of bags and boxes for a moment, then looked back at Xian Pu when she stopped behind the shorter redhead.
"Since you are staying… We need to come up with a better arrangement. A futon and a dresser and some closet space. We will work it out later, okay?" Xian Pu said with a smile.
Ranma hedged for a moment, then sighed and nodded before she started to walk towards the bathroom and stopped at the door. "Well, I guess I will go on in, then…"
Xian Pu swallowed and nodded before she hurried into her room to drop her bags on the bed, then hesitated for a moment before she hurriedly stripped and pulled a bathrobe about herself. For some reason, the thought of getting undressed in front of Ranma made her nervous. She laughed at herself, since back in the day she had snuck naked into his bed on any number of occasions. But, this time it felt different. She felt… Vulnerable, somehow.
Then it hit her. Before, she had been nude. This time… She felt naked. It was a subtle difference, really. But it meant a lot.
Xian Pu collected herself and walked with a confident, purposeful stride into the bathroom where she was greeted with the sight of a naked Ranma-chan with her back towards her sitting on her bath stool.
Xian Pu quickly shed her robe and knelt down behind Ranma-chan to scrub her back. The differences between Ranma's two forms never ceased to amaze her, even though she grew up near the cursed springs. She felt Ranma-chan stiffen for a moment before the redhead took a deep breath and visibly relaxed. Xian Pu could see that Ranma had started the tub filling, and nodded to herself.
"Are… You going to get in with me again?" Ranma-chan asked nervously as she didn't look back at Shampoo.
Xian Pu sighed and shook her head. "I'm just going to take a shower this time. I need to do a few things to get ready, so you can take a bath this time."
Ranma-chan nodded then stood up and covered her front as she motioned to the stool. "Your turn, Shampoo."
Xian Pu swallowed and sat on the stool with her head down as she heard Ranma-chan settle behind her. Xian Pu shivered at the first touch of the cloth on her back and bit her lip as she held as still as she could. Just a few years ago, she would have been beside herself with joy at Ranma's touch on her bare body. She realized now just how shallow she had been, because this was far more special. It was a sign of genuine care, done because they had become friends, real friends.
It meant something to her.
Soon, Ranma slipped into the tub and changed back to his birth-form and the pair of them shared an awkward moment before Xian Pu laughed and moved to take her shower. She looked over her shoulder and shrugged. "It's not like we haven't seen each other naked before. But still… Try not to stare too much, okay?"
Ranma swallowed and nodded before he found the opposite wall very interesting. Xian Pu giggled and stood under the shower head as she started to wash and shampoo her hair. She hesitated for a moment, then reached for her razor. She had to finish her routine, and get ready to go out. She would just do it as quickly as possible. It wasn't anything major. Just… Running a razor over all of the lower part of her body, that's all. And her armpits, of course.
She cast a nervous glance Ranma's way, then took a deep breath before she let it out and started to shave. The sooner she finished, the better. She moved with quick, sure movements as she tried to complete the task without taking too much time. Xian Pu cast another look at Ranma, then continued to shave away the soft, short stubble. She hesitated a moment as she went to shave the last area, and swallowed before she set to work on her mound, as a blush creeped up her neck and to her ears.
Ranma had pointedly looked away as he heard Shampoo start her shower. He had seen her in all manners of undress over the years, but there was something unguarded about the situation they were in. Genuine, and that made it more… Real, he guessed. He could see motion out of the periphery of his vision and what he could almost see seemed more tantalizing than what he had seen so many times before with Shampoo.
He shifted a little and caught a glimpse of Shampoo, and turned back to the wall red as a beet. He had seen her doing something that he would probably not forget anytime soon. Something that he didn't honestly think anyone did. Something that made him wonder why she did it, and maybe, just maybe, a small part of him wondered what it would feel like.
Ranma stared at the wall as he heard Shampoo shift and then the water turned off. He was acutely aware of every sound she made as she moved around, of the sound of the towel sliding over wet skin and he swallowed hard. He froze when he could tell that Shampoo had looked in his direction and he could almost hear the blush in her voice as she spoke.
"I'm going to go… And change into what I am going to wear tonight… You can… Ummm… Finish up, then get changed and dressed. I will be waiting in my room, just knock when you are ready, okay?" Xian Pu said hesitantly before she pulled her robe around herself once more and hurried out of the bathroom.
Ranma sank under the water and wanted to vanish for a minute. After a minute, he sighed and got out and dried off before he looked at the shower head and laughed, then stepped under the cold water, and triggered the change.
It was time to get ready for their very much not a date.
Xian Pu moved about her room in nervous little bursts. She had already changed into the outfit she had decided to wear, and done her hair and the little bit of makeup she decided to wear, just because. She really liked the slacks and blazer outfit that Ranma had picked out earlier, and she was pretty sure that Ranma liked the look of her in it. Not that it mattered, mind you. Not in the least.
Xian Pu jumped a little at the knock on her door. She took a breath to calm and center herself before she walked over and opened the door. Xian Pu took a deep breath as she looked at the young woman who stood outside of her door and smiled.
Ranma-chan looked up and smiled nervously as she fidgeted with the hem of the dress that Xian Pu had picked out for her.. "So, how do I look?"
Xian Pu stopped from her initial responses. Regardless of what form he wore, this was still Ranma. That said, 'cute' 'beautiful' or 'sexy' would all be the wrong response, and likely to send the insecure person in front of her running. No need to invoke the Saotome secret technique, not yet. So, Xian Pu took a deep breath to center herself and smiled happily. "It really does look good on you. I'd say you pass muster, Ranma."
Ranma-chan relaxed and nodded as she looked Xian Pu over and bit her lip. "You look really nice, Shampoo. It suits you better than the pantsuit you always used to wear.
Xian Pu smiled at the compliment, and offered her arm. "Shall we, then?"
"Yes, let's." Ranma-chan said with a soft smile as she took Xian Pu's arm and started to make their way towards the restaurant. Neither noticed the young woman with bluish-black hair that watched them with intense eyes from across the street.
