Shampoo's Heart

By Sara T. Fontanini

(Ranma 1/2 and its characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi)

Shampoo was alone. Well, that was nothing new. Apart from her father and her great-grandmother, she had always been alone. As a child, none of the other children would play with her. After all, she was the heir. She was special.

To Shampoo, it sounded like she was diseased, rather than priveleged.

It got a little better as she got older. People started wanting to spar with her, to talk with her. Even if it was only as a warrior, she could still find some companionship and, for a while at least, not be alone.

Then came the day that she was defeated. She was shamed, and it was made worse so because of her heritage. She was the next in line to become village elder (well, one of them at least). She had follow the laws to the letter, and chase the woman who had bested her to the ends of the earth, and kill her.

Shampoo was driven to defeat this outsider, this red-head who had taken away her pride. And, as she journeyed, she got to see the world that she was so ignorant of. She enjoyed seeing so many new and interesting sights, but didn't marvel at her surroundings for too long. She still had a mission to complete.

Kill Ranma Saotome.

She had learned the name after so many close calls with the red-head. At one point, she had the girl's father call her by name, and had at one point even heard the big oaf's full name.

Then, she had finally tracked her prey down. After so many months of searching, near misses, close calls and big chases, she had caught up and cornered her prey.

At the same time, she met the one man who could make her heart flutter.

Normally, she hated the marriage law, but the moment she saw the boy-Ranma, she was in love. She even subtly allowed the boy to best her. Enough to to be legitimate, but not so she was completely holding back.

Looking back, she probably went a little too far in trying to win her love's heart. She knew that she ahd completely earned his ire. Sure, he acted like he was okay with it, but she recognized that brief look of hate that graced his features for a only a nanosecond.

But, ultimately, it fell apart when he revealed himself to be a she. The Ranma she wanted to kill and the Ranma she wanted to marry, were one and the same. Deep down, she knew this, but never accepted, never believed. Until she saw with her own eyes the transformation.

To this day, it filled her nightmares.

So now, she was returning to China, shamed. Somehow, she had tried to gain the hand of a woman in marriage. She would have place her fate on the mercy of the elders, and hope her punishment wasn't too awful.

She gazed once more at the picture of her hated enemy, of the person she was once so determined to kill.

She cried, as the picture could no longer fill her heart with hate as it once did. Now, she only felt a burning passion, a desire.

She was in love with the red-haired outsider, Ranma Saotome.

Such was her shame.

-----------------

She had finally reached China, but her home was still a ways. She once more looked at the photograph, for what was probably the hundreth time since she left Nerima.

She cried once more, this time in anger. Anger at herself for doing the unthinkable, and falling in love with a female outsider.

She knew well the stories of those that were like her. They didn't end well.

She collapsed to the ground, unable to walk anymore. Understandable, since she hadn't slpet or at since she had left Nerima. She didn't care. Either way, she was dead.

She looked up at as someone came near. The person picked her up, and carried her. Shampoo could only t\stare at the red-haired girl carrying her.

Of course, it wasn't Ranma. Ranma wouldn't help her. She wouldn't have expected anything else.

The woman carrying her was smiling, huming a happy tune. Shampoo was terribly confused by this. Why was this woman so happy?

Before Shampoo knew it, they arrived at a small cottage. The woman put Shampoo down at a seat, and started preparing a meal.

Soon, the red-haired woman sat opposite the amazon, with a simple meal of plain rice served up.

"What brings you here?" The woman asked.

"I'm returning home." Shampoo said. "I have failed in my task, and so I must go and report my failure."

The red-haired woman nodded. "You're Joketsuzoku, right?"

Shampoo stared, nodding.

"I thought so." The woman smiled. "I'm Ming. I was once from the village myself, but was cast out for being a 'witch' who 'went against the laws of nature." She chuckled. "They really are quite narrow-minded at times."

"What do you mean, you're a witch?"

Ming continued to smile. "Well, I was caught doing something unthinkable. They somehow found out that I liked women. As such, they thought that it would be best to banish me. I wandered around, until I just decided to build this cottage and live alone. I don't bother anyone, and they don't bother me. It's a good system."

Shampoo continued to stare, mouth gaping.

Ming giggled. "I can see that you're surprised. Please, I can tell that you're the same. After all, you cling so tightly to that picture. As I am aware, noone has ever had the need for a visual aid on a death quest. The face and name of the offender is burned into memory for all eternity." She shrugged. "Of course, there are other clues."

Shampoo got up, knocking her chair down. She was shaking her head violently, her hands clasped together and placed on her chest. She was still clutching the photograph.

"No! I'm not like that! I'm....I was just tricked! She pretened to be a boy, and she beat me again! I hate her!"

Ming frowned for once, shaking her head. "Liar."

Shampoo froze, still lslowly shaking her head. She crouched down, not bothering to set her chair back up and sit. She was crying.

"It's okay. You can tell me, I won't judge you." She grinned. "Though I'm a little disappointed that you're taken. I think you're quite lovely."

Shampoo smiled slightly, and moved ehr chair back up. She held the photo, which had badly crumpled in her bout of denial. She straigtened it, and sighed.

"She's so beautiful, and yet doesn't act like a female of her society should. She's strong, self reliant and incrediably....tomboyish as they call it there." She smiled. "She's not like the other women at all. She saw me for who I was, rather than who I'm supposed to be. I guess I've always felt this way, and have just been lying to myself."

Ming nodded.

Shampoo's expression turned said, and tears appeared at the corners of her eyes. "Now she hates me. I hurt the one she obviously loved more, and now she ahtes me. She hates me so much, she rather die then marry me." She held her head in hands sobbing. "I can never have her, because I acted so monstrously."

Ming nodded sagely. "Ah yes. The credo of the kisses of marriage AND death: 'achieve victory by any means'. I'm guessing you used some pretty bad methods to win."

"I used formula 110 on her most beloved person."

The red-haired woman shuddered. "I see. Of course she hates." She smiled once again. "The important thing is that you know you did wrong, and that you're sorry. I'm sure if you apologize, she'll forgive you."

Shampoo shook her head. "No she won't. I saw the way she looked at me. She'll never forgive me, never. And even if she did, it doesn't change the fact that I still did it."

Ming sighed. "I think you should rest here a bit. Eat something, get some sleep. Then go back out and nearly kill yourself again." She grinned. "Deal?"

Shampoo didn't respond for a long time. Then, she nodded.

---------------

The next day, Shampoo was still in her low mood. Ming grabbed the lavender haired girls hand after forcefully feeding her a nice breakfast.

"Let me show you something."

She brought the young amazon to a small patch of dug up earth, with a stone on it.

"This is the grave of my lover, Perfume." She explained. "She was the most beautiful person in the world, at least to me. It didn't matter that we were both girls, that we were amazons, or that she would never have a child. She loved me. Of course, when we were caught, she was the most vocal about our staying. SHe tried to make them see reason." She clenched her fists, and she spoke through gritted teeth. "This is what they did to her. They killed her, for being so DISRESPECTFUL, as they put it. And then, they send me away in exile, as if it a MERCIFUL act. To this day, I've never forgiven them." She realised that she was getting angrier, and shook her head, her smile returning. "Sorry about that. When I think about it, I get....testy."

Shampoo was confused. "Why do you still live here, if it hurts you so."

"Because it hurts. I love her, even though we can never be together anymore. But, she was so kind, and so loving. She wouldn't want me to give up. This pain reminds me why she meant so much to me, and why I must contine living. It's as much for her sake as it is for mine. At least, I think so."

Shampoo nodded, frowning. She didn't quite understand, but it did make her wonder.

WOuld she be like that if something happened to Ranma?

-------------

That night, Shampoo dreamed. It was not pleasant.

She was in aplace of darkness. She was surrounded by darkness, with no light in sight. Then, she saw red.

It was a person. At first, she thought it was Ming. As she got closer, however, she realised that was, in fact, Ranma.

"Ranma."

Ranma turned to her, and glared, hatred evident in her gaze.

"I hate you. I wish I never met you."

Then she fell over, and blood seeped away from her body, creating a huge puddle.

Shampoo knelt, crying. She held the body close to her. She tried to stop the blood, but she wasn't sure where the wound was. It seemed to be coming out of nowhere.

She looked up to find....herself, armed with her trademark bonbori.

"It is law." The double said. "She must die."

"NO!" Shampoo screamed, still clutching the corpse. "She must not! I love her!"

The double scowled. "Then you die, too."

Shampoo fell, submerging in the sea of blood. She was drowning in the blood of the one she loved, who hated her in return.

When Shampoo awoke, she was covered in sweat. The tears were still running down her face. They wouldn't stop.

She never wanted feel that way again.

-------------

Sevral days passed. Occasionally, Ming would ask Shampoo to tend to her small garden, which was growing behind the cottage. It was filled with produce, as well as various flowers. Ming gave Shampoo a blue orchid, saying that it suited the young girl so well.

Shampoo smiled at the gesture.

Now, it was time to leave. Shampoo had, in the past few days, gained a zest for life. Ming had helped the girl to see that there was no shame in her heart, and who it lead to. Ming had also been able to get rid of the other doubts and fears that plagued the young amazon's mind.

Shampoo skipped, carrying a bag full of food.

She thought of Ranma, and her heart raced. She was determined to make the girl like her, even if it was only as a friend.

Anything was better than that look of hatred.

-------------

Shampoo dreamed again.

Everything was so bright, she could barely see. She stumbled around half blind, until someone caught her hand.

"Don't go."

She turned, and saw Ranma. The red-head was almost crying.

"I love you."

Shampoo blushed, and embraced the girl.

"I don't hate you."

Shampoo put her hands on the other girl's head, and leaned forward. Their lips met.

Shampoo didn't awake until well past morning. The dream was too good.

-------------

Now, she stood, in front of the gates leading to her ancestral homeland.

It was here that her fate would be decided. She just hoped that she fared better than Ming and Perfume had.

Shampoo once more took out the photograph. She blushed, remembering the dream she had the day before. She never wanted to forget.

She held head up high. She was going to get through this.

The gates finally opened, and Shampoo strode inside.

She was going to go back to Ranma, and make her smile.

-------------

Here we go, a rarity for me. A oneshot. I actually prefer series, to be brutally honest.

A got the idea for this after seeing an episode of the anime. It was the end of the arc introducing Shampoo, and at the end, Ranma tricked Shampoo into thinking that she was actually cursed to transform into a man, and was actually a girl.

I have no idea if this happens in the manga. It's been so long. I suspect that it's at least similar, though.

Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to see what was going through Shampoo's mind at the time, as she journeyed back to China. It was made more interesting by the fact that, at the end of the episode, Shampoo runs away rather than continue her mission. And, as she left, she was crying.

I thought about the meaning behind these tears. And my perverted mind came up with this scenario:

Shampoo still loved Ranma, even though she believed that she was girl.

It does make sense. Shampoo had chased Ranma everywhere in the past, and then, when she is finally given the chance to kill her, she runs away, crying.

After all, who can hurt the one they love most?

This is a oneshot. However, if anyone wants me to continue and make this a series, I would be happy to. This seems too good to leave unfinished.

Hope ya enjoyed it, and please comment.