This was written just as kind of an exercise after I read No Dominion and all 
the responses to it... I responded privately to those I felt inclined to 
discuss that issue with. If anyone wants to take this as further response to 
that piece of fiction go ahead, I guess it kind of is anyway. C&C is always 
appreciated but probably not called for. Eh, who knows, if any actually takes 
the time to do as such I might actually put more work into this.


       No Deliverance After Nine
             By: Mike "RanmaSolo" Malaspina

       All characters herein were created by and are owned by Rumiko 
Takahashi. No monetary gain is intended or wanted. All copyrights and 
trademarks are respected and no challenge or offense is intended with this 
piece.


    Shampoo retrieved her sword from the attic. The dust gathering on it 
showed how little she had used it in the last few months. Wiping it gently 
with a clean cloth she frowned, wishing she didn't have to use it _ever_ 
again. However, Ranma was attempting to wed Akane again and the mostly 
harmless bombs hadn't worked to scare the girl. Now she needed to do 
something more serious. She felt sick at the idea of having to draw blood, as 
it would be hard to merely wound and not maim the girl, but it had to be 
done. She had to scare Akane and so she show none of her inner turmoil. She 
would focus that energy into a raging mask of war, to make the fear all the 
more real to Akane.

    She wasn't sure she could face her grandmother again if she truly lost 
Ranma. Cologne had said Jusenkyo was an accident, but there had been 
'accidents' all of Shampoo's life. A broken arm when she was six. Bruised 
ribs at eight and ten. A mistaken diagnosis of lice when she was five had 
'accidentally' gotten her head shaved. She remembered crying herself to sleep 
every night for an entire year because of the teasing she received from the 
other girls. Her ankle had been broken during the tournament when she had 
first met Ranma. That had been an 'accident.' Shampoo sniffed back tears and 
tried to hold her trembling body still.

    She was resolved that this was the only option she had left. It had to be 
real this time. It had to be. If Ranma married Akane, Cologne would 
congratulate them and lie to them. She would say it had all just been an 
extended lesson for Shampoo. A vacation for herself and that they would now 
return to China. She, herself, would stand behind Cologne and try not to let 
them see her tears. They wouldn't misunderstand why she was crying. Cologne 
on the other hand would surely pursue more 'accidents' before the finale for 
such a bold display of weakness to Outsiders.

    Satisfied with the gleam on the sword she wrapped it in velvet and placed 
it under her arm. She sat for long minutes still trying to stop herself from 
crying. Finally bringing herself under control she made her way downstairs. 
Avoiding Cologne, who was in the kitchen humming a cheery tune, was easy, so 
Shampoo did so. As she closed the door to her room, she missed the worried 
glance her great-grandmother gave her as the old woman glanced around the 
corner of the kitchen door. Cologne frowned and went back to packing up the 
old cook ware. The new pots and pans she had ordered would arrive tomorrow 
morning.

    ------

    Taking deep breath after deep breath Shampoo calmed her nerves, 
meditating on a roof a few blocks from the Tendo household. Great-grandmother 
has been packing last night. It just confirmed what Shampoo all ready 
suspected. It was now or never. Now or never. Akane or Shampoo. She repeated 
it to herself, a mantra. "Now or never, me or her." As she stood she silently 
added, "Her wedding, my funeral."

    Unwrapping her sword she smiled, appreciating the way the gorgeous sky 
reflected off it's pristine steel. The tilted it this way and that catching 
clouds and even a bird in it's pretty picture show. She swallowed hard 
realizing it would soon be covered in blood. Perhaps in time it would be her 
OWN blood that stained it. Her resolve firmed once more she began running 
towards the edge of the room that lead in the direction of the Tendo Dojo.

    Leaping from roof to roof was easy. Exhilarating. It was an old joy that 
still brought a smile to her face every time she did it. The whole world left 
her awestruck now. She had a bad feeling it might be the only time she had 
left to enjoy it, so she didn't try and fight it. She didn't need to be 
fierce now. Best to save it all for her performance with Akane. She was all 
most there now. She purposely decided to enter from the back so as to give 
her more time suspended in the cool afternoon air.

    She landed just behind the wall to the compound. Boosting herself up on a 
nearby garbage can,she looked to see if anyone was watching. There was no one 
and so she pulled her self up, mindful of the sword in her hand, not wanting 
to scuff it's blade after she had made so certain it would be in perfect 
condition. Dropping lightly to the ground she sprinted the short distance to 
the outside dojo wall. Taking one last second to go over her plan in her head 
she launched right into it.

    Starting by blowing a hole in the wall that separated herself from her 
target. Before the dust even settled a solid metal mace, not unlike her 
bon-bori, had hit Ranma in the side of his head as he turned. A lucky strike 
to the temple, falling him left him out of the equation momentarily. Far more 
then Shampoo had expected. She snarled and leaped at Akane, who was mindful 
enough to run. Her long dress was caught under Shampoo's foot and the 
amazon's first swing of her sword tore through only silk and lace.

    Akane tried to punch, her legs useless in the cumbersome dress, but it 
was blocked and a gash appeared along her forearm. Akane's eyes widened as 
she realized that Shampoo had used her sword to push her arm aside. A 
familiar anger filled her at the same realization. As Shampoo turned to 
gather Ranma and leave, Akane pulled her dress up and kicked her in the back 
of the knee, smearing blood across the pristine white.

    Shampoo growled, screaming, "Shampoo will have you head!" A hastily 
dodged slash left Akane pinned against a platform on which she and Ranma 
would right now have been standing together, ready to vow their lives to each 
other in other circumstances.

    Genma barreled into Shampoo from the side right before a stabbing strike 
could pierce Akane's gut. Expecting as much, having seen the rotund martial 
artist in the corner of her eye, Shampoo rolled with the brave rescue tackle 
and used her unfettered legs to flip Genma over her and flying across the 
dojo. He hit head first into the wall and slumped unconscious. Soun tried to 
follow his companion in attack but before he could strike the downed Amazon 
she swiped at him with her sword and kicked to her feet. A roundhouse kick 
and rolling slash with her sword hit Soun in the head and shoulder 
respectively. Respectively removing him from the battle.

    Ranma was groggily coming to his knees when he heard Akane's ear piercing 
shriek of agony. He looked up to see the tip of Shampoo's sword entering 
Akane's stomach. He screamed and didn't stop as Shampoo pulled out and 
turned, horrified. His screaming didn't stop as he kicked her sword out of 
her hands and into the wall across the dojo from Genma, It didn't stop as he 
rained blows into Shampoo's sternum and flipped her over his head with her 
own arm. It stopped long enough for him to take a breath before he yanked the 
arm he still held, violently breaking her shoulder. He began screaming again 
as he kicked her in the jaw and stomped on the shoulder he had broken. He 
stopped and glared at her as she stopped moving. Before he did anything more 
Akane grabbed him from behind, calling his name.

    "Ranma! Stop! I'm okay! Stop!" She held to him tightly, her blood soaking 
into his tuxedo. Pulling him back she stared fearfully at the body of 
Shampoo, ready to let go of Ranma is the amazon as much as sat up. "Ranma... 
Ranma... Ranma...," She said his name over and over just to let him hear her 
voice.

    On the ground a shattered shoulder was nothing compared to the mind of 
Shampoo. She was gone now. All she could see was her Great-grandmother 
standing over her, with Shampoo's own sword, repeatedly apologizing as she 
lopped off her head. Again. And again.

    ------

    Back at the Nekohanten Cologne was in the back alley checking her 
shipment, while she waited for Mousse to get up and come down to drag it 
inside. Hopefully Shampoo was off making peace with Ranma's wedding. That 
would mean she would be able to relax here in Japan all the longer. She liked 
it here. Good pans were easier to find. She looked at the side of one of the 
new pots and smiled at the gorgeous blue sky reflected in it's pristine gleam.




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