Ok guys, here's the next chapter. :)

Note: You can skip this part and go directly to the story, or you can read it because it contains a couple of answers to questions in the reviews. :)

So, the main question, as I see it, is the time line of this story. I know I didn't give any clear indications except for Mousse's remark about the three years in Ch. 13. Well, I don't really know much about the Japanese school system (and if somebody does, I'd really appreciate it if they let me know), so I kind of referred to the situation here in Europe, where most people start university at around 19. As I see it, in this story, Ranma and his generation are about 19, finishing their secondary school, not at the university yet. I'm sorry if this bothers people with different school systems. I might change it if you really feel disturbed, because it doesn't really matter to the plot if it's three years or less or more, so please let me know.

Another issue is Ukyo: her problems will be dealt with in the future chapters. I'm glad you appreciated the way I started to sort her out.

And Ryoga of course. Don't worry, he'll be back, with a vengeance (sort of). :P

And thank you to all of you who encouraged me! I really appreciate it!

Finally, if you have any more questions, don't hesitate, I'll gladly answer. Thanks to all those who reviewed or only liked the story enough to be still reading it. I love you all!!!!

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"Of Loose Gi's and Lost Focuses"

Chapter 15 – Shampoo's plot

Time is just so unfair, Shampoo thought in the Nekohanten kitchen. Time was something she didn't have. And time was something this stupid potion needed. It had been days since she hadn't seen her Airen and she was really getting worried about what that violent kitchen-destroyer might do to him while she was being forced to stay away. The potion needed constant attention and nobody but Shampoo could do it: Cologne had to run the restaurant and Mousse… She would be happier if he didn't know about it at all.

Was that a pang of guilt she was feeling there, deep down in her heart?

'Nonsense', she thought, snorting aloud, 'Amazons don't feel guilty, they do what has to be done and simply don't think about it.'

A wooden spoon in her hand, her eyes lost, her expression slightly agitated, Shampoo was carefully mixing the recipe.

'But…'

She sighed. No use in thinking about that. She had a mission to accomplish and nothing else mattered. It was a question of pride, after all, Amazon pride.

She would never admit it, but she had sometimes found herself wondering why she was doing it. Why was she still running after Ranma when obviously he would never love her and never willingly come to her village?

Love?

She had thought so at first. Ranma was indeed handsome and strong and everything, it wasn't hard falling for him. On top of that, he didn't want her. And it was a first time for Shampoo. A man who didn't want her. Mousse and any other man back at the village would have given anything to make her choose them, yet this Japanese boy refused her.

No, it wasn't love.

Love was something she didn't allow herself to feel. If she acted out of love, she would be a fool like Mousse. Mousse…

Oh, no, it was something much more important to her Amazon-raised mind.

It was sheer pride.

She would never ever admit defeat. Not to anyone. And especially not to a foreign man who didn't want her.

Her expression hardened to a fierce frown, as she nervously stirred the potion. She would win in the end. And if that wouldn't bring happiness, neither to her nor to those around her, at least her pride would be restored.

She looked down at the potion. If only this thing didn't need so much time!

During a moment of peace in the restaurant, Cologne looked at Shampoo. The frown on the face of her great-granddaughter and her tense composure spoke volumes to the old matriarch, yet all she could do was watch.

Leaving Shampoo alone, she returned to her own cooking, her mind only half set to the task before her. The other half once again lost in the chaos that her life had become in the last few years. Chaos brought by that young boy she insisted on calling Son-in-law.

Was it all worth it?

He would never make a good Amazon, he was too stubborn and would never learn to be subdued enough to the matriarchs and women of the village in general. He didn't love her great-granddaughter, he didn't respect their laws and defied them in every possible way. Yet…

Yet for her, it really was worth it. Despite the fact that she doubted that Shampoo could ever succeed, despite the problems and everything, it was too much fun. Life at the village was quite boring before this whole mess had begun, so she really was glad that he came along. At least she had something else to think about besides her death and her memories.

She left the kitchen smiling in a strange way.

"Shampoo, don't forget: this is most probably your last chance," she said passing by the young girl.

"Y… yes, great grandmother, Shampoo knows."

When she was alone again, Shampoo sat on the floor, her back to the wall, her concoction in front of her. Just a few more hours.

A few hours later, a small purple kitten entered the Nekohanten and went directly to the bathroom. Splashing herself with hot water from the furo, she changed back to her human form and instead of dressing up, she just remained there, on the cold tiles, her face hidden behind her purple hair, her body barely visible anyway in the dim light from the street.

Another failed plan. Another chance gone to waste. Another hard blow to her ego.

Images of the afternoon rushed through her thoughts uncontrollably. The bowl of ramen that almost got broken when she jumped off a fence with her bicycle and landed badly on a wet spot. Was that an omen of what was about to come? She never had problems with her bike, yet today she had almost fallen off it. Ranma and Akane sparring in the backyard of the Tendo home. Seriously sparring. And a strange mix of warmth and coldness flowing between them.

"You're so slow! Even Kuno is faster!"

"What! Take that back, you baka!"

"Kawaikune!"

"Pervert!"

She could hear their voiced in her head. The same old insults, yet there was that warm aura coming mostly from Ranma, but also from Akane, that she couldn't ignore.The memory made her shiver.

When she had seen them, she had put her best smile on and rushed to her Airen the bowl in her hands. She couldn't glomp him because her hands were busy, so that violent kitchen destroyer was able to pull Ranma away before she managed to shove the food in his mouth.

"Ranma you can't eat her food, you didn't want to eat mine because you said you weren't hungry…" Akane had screamed.

Shampoo sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes fixed on the tiles in front of her. If only… If only she could just forget the whole damn thing. She felt tears in her eyes. Maybe she could cry, now. Nobody was there, nobody could see her defeat.

Ranma hadn't listened to Akane but had got suspicious when she had insisted so much that he and only he eat the ramen. Even when she had managed to give it to him, he wouldn't eat it but just studied it carefully, saying something about it being similar to some of Akane's cooking.

"Ranmaaaaaa!" Akane had yelled and the chaos had begun.

Akane. Always Akane. Shampoo had known from the first time she had seen her that she would be a problem, but she knew she couldn't just kill her because Ranma would have resented that way too much. She crossed her arms above her knees and hid her wet face against them. How was it possible that things always had to go wrong for her?

In her red anger, Akane had hit the bowl with the ramen making it fly off Ranma's hand. And Shampoo's plan went down the drain.

But that hadn't even been the worst part, Shampoo thought bitterly in the darkness of the bathroom. No, the gods could never go so easy on her. The results had been much worse and now she had to work hard for another day to prepare the antidote to her potion because… She shivered at the memory.

The bowl had flown toward the house, and since the sliding doors to the dining-room were open and Soun Tendo and Genma were playing their eternal game, they had witnessed the whole thing. Genma, being the glutton and the idiot that he was, jumped for the bowl and caught it. To Shampoo's utter horror he swallowed the contents before she could snatch it away from him and to her even greater horror, she was the first person he saw when the potion kicked in.

"Sh… Shampoo…"

The tone he used when he had called her name… she could never forget it. It would be in her nightmares forever.

Genma had moved towards her and she had jumped away. She knew she was in trouble. Genma was fast and skilled enough to catch her if she wasn't really careful. She only had time to notice Akane shouting at Ranma telling him something like "I told you!". Then she was out of reach, running and jumping as fast as she could, trying to lose Genma.

She did lose him in the end. But it had taken a long time and a splash courtesy of the old lady which allowed her to disappear in one of the gardens and then finally find her way to the Nekohanten.

Now all she had to do was wait. She knew he would find her, sooner or later. She had to prepare the antidote. And she would.

Just as soon as she would stop crying and stand up in all of her Amazon pride again.

Footsteps.

She cringed. Was he already here?

She dared look up and sighed in relief when she recognised Mousse's white robe.

"Shampoo, are you ok?"

He wasn't wearing glasses, he couldn't see she was crying, could he?

"Shampoo ok." Good. Her voice cracked just a tiny little bit.

"Oh Shampoo…" Mousse sighed and kneeled beside her, extending her arms to hold her but ready to be shoved away any minute. Shampoo never allowed him to see her weak moments.

When his hands made contact with her naked back, he couldn't believe she wasn't pushing him away again.

When his hands touched her she couldn't believe she was allowing him to see her naked, in more ways than one. But she was tired and… Mousse was there. He was always there…

Just this ones, she promised herself.

Mousse didn't allow himself to think about her nakedness, he just held her, caressing her hair softly.

Cologne silently returned downstairs, shaking her head, a smile of pity on her wrinkled face.

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Whew. Chapter done.

I'm proud of myself: it didn't take me months this time. I hope you guys appreciate the effort. :)

*Coughs*… Just kidding, I know it always takes me so long, so thanks for your patience again. I guess I say that every time, ne?

I chose a slightly different approach to this chapter, as far as the timeline is concerned. I hope it wasn't too confusing. Well, hope you liked it, but even if you didn't please review and tell me what you think. I really like to hear comments on my way of writing – positive or negative. Thanks again!