Characters from the manga, Ranma 1/2 are the product of Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfiction is not for commercial use and is only for the writer's and readers' imaginations and enjoyment. The same goes for any of the other manga I've incorporated (Tsugomono, Getsuin no Onmyouji...the list will continue to grow).

See my notes at the end if you care about how and why I did things.

I hope you enjoy!

Rewind and Replay

Chapter Seven: Intermission - Judgement

1200, Sunday, 17 June

Shampoo made it back to her village in near-record time. While chasing the Saotome men had taken two months, going back home only took several days. The trip via aircraft had only taken hours as opposed to two or three days out of a harbor. A series of trains that took her to the closest city nearest her mountain range had taken just over one day. A hop onto a truck caravan had then ended near a village that serviced the local PRC military base. From there she had worked out a ride to the small road that led from a paved road to her village, which she was then able to walk to on her own. That had taken another day to accomplish. In all, just nearly four days. Her excitement at returning home was tempered by the need to rest and try to adjust her schedule due to residual jet lag.

Striding into her village with head held high, she went to her home. Familiar voices drifted to her in greeting. Turning to each one, she waved to them with her good arm. As she entered her house, she found both of her parents enjoying a meal together. They leapt up from the table, embracing her. The two stepped back noting, finally, that Shampoo had a cast on.

Shampoo's mother was a woman of great skill at martial arts, a warrior of renown in her own right. Her toned body was an indication of what her daughter had to look forward to as she grew into full womanhood and focused on her martial skills. Aging had not dulled the beauty of her youth, only maturing it. The women's hair was made up in the same way, the younger emulating the older. The clothing she wore was her home attire, something comfortable and different from her habitual armor. Her father was a thin man with an equally thin mustache and goatee. He wore a baggy, black Tang outfit with sleeves rolled up and a dragon hat to adorn his balding head. His martial skills were not readily apparent, as they were not his primary focus.

"Shampoo, it is so good to have you home," Soap, Sù pǔ in the Joketsuzoku dialect, her mother, cried joyously. "It is wonderful that you were able to cleanse the dishonor the foreign girl had tainted you with."

"Ah, yes," Shampoo dithered.

A mother's intuition indicated to her that something was amiss. More specifically, it was her daughter's countenance. Having raised her, she knew her daughter's quirks. Grabbing Shampoo's chin with a hand that was strong like a vise, she forced the girl to look up at her. "Tell me what happened," she demanded.

Seeing the fire in her mother's eyes, Shampoo instinctively tried to pull away. When she couldn't, she held still. "May I sit, please?" she requested in a tone addressing her mother more befitting of the Captain of the Guard. "I have traveled many days to return, and I am weary."

Allowing this small favor, Shampoo's mother indicated that she should be seated. Shampoo's father fetched tea for her, putting aside the meal that the two had been eating to finish later. They had to hear what Shampoo had to say first.

Over the course of the next half an hour, Shampoo described her hunt for the girl. When she finally managed to get to the point of finding her at the Tendo's abode, she stopped. She heaved a disconsolate sigh, shuddering. With her good hand, she rubbed at her neck. At the silent prompting of her mother, she finished her story. Reluctantly, she described the subsequent chase, argument with the other Japanese girl and then her humiliating drubbing by Ranma in boy form.

"Ranma revealed he was actually a boy changed into a girl because of a curse from Jusenkyo. Because of this, my need to kill him was not necessary." By this point, Shampoo was staring at the middle of the table between her and her parents. Her shoulders were slumped because of the retelling.

Soap looked at her daughter critically. She had noted the wound under Shampoo's chin, the hand print Ranma had left by freezing the skin, which the young woman had touched briefly in remembrance earlier. Shampoo's rubbing it made her realize that the girl had, perhaps, barely made it home. She then turned her attention to her husband, Rèyà. "Razor, go let great-grandmother know that we need to call a council meeting. The earliest we can have it, the better."

Razor turned a sad eye to his daughter, nodding at his wife's order. "At once." He left without another word, hurrying to pass the word as directed.

Shampoo looked at her mother worriedly, not understanding the grim atmosphere. "What is wrong, Mother? I completed the quest. I restored my honor."

Soap drew herself up to her full height, looking haughty. Her tone turned somewhat formal and clipped as she spoke, "Things are not always so simple, Shampoo, when it comes to our laws. Should you have killed the girl, you would have been fine."

Standing, Shampoo opened her clothing to reveal the fading bruises on her torso. "I had no chance against him." Gesturing to her neck, "I nearly died just from him choking me before he even told me of his curse. The doctor that examined me said that his hand was so cold that my skin was frozen. If it wasn't for the others there to stop him, I wouldn't have come back at all."

Looking away from the evidence, Soap said, "That is...while that may be, we cannot ignore the rash decisions that led you to this moment. Had you merely accepted the defeat on the log and not kissed the girl, it would have just been another bout. There was no call for you to give the Kiss of Death. But you allowed your pride to make a simple matter into something much worse. We must stand before the council and see what comes of this. Until then, you are to remain here until summoned."

As some understanding dawned on Shampoo, she slowly buttoned her outfit back up to her neck. She sat down, asking her mother woodenly for something to eat. Though she wasn't hungry now even after the newest revelation of dire consequences, Shampoo knew she would need the strength food would provide in the coming hours and days.

1700, Sunday, 17 June

Upon hearing that Shampoo was back from her travels, Mousse left his home and sped over to Shampoo's . Knocking on the door, he was greeted by Razor. As soon as the door was open, he accosted Razor with, "I'm here to see Shampoo. Is she available?" Razor looked at him with little surprise and some irritation.

"Sorry, Mousse, but she's not willing to see anyone right now. She's tired and is now resting." He didn't need to put up with Mousse's antics while his daughter was now facing some form of censure. "Come back tomorrow, and she might be willing to see you."

With how long Shampoo had been gone, she surely must be exhausted. Mousse, even as blindly loyal to Shampoo, conceded to her father's wishes. The two did not get along and antagonizing him would do Mousse little good at this point. He would let her rest, then see her on the morrow. Kicking pebbles down the road as he walked home, his mind's-eye recalled the voluptuous figure of the woman he had craved for.

1200, Monday, 18 June

Thirteen chairs were placed along a long, semicircular table. The middle position was slightly raised higher than the others, signifying the elevated honor of the matriarch that led their proceedings. Six of the seats were occupied by wizened women and two others by similarly wizened men. The others from the council had business that had taken them too far from a summons to bring them back. Their presence was not needed as there were enough present for this matter of a young woman's honor having been tarnished, whether by her own actions or otherwise.

The lead matriarch, Liú fǎ, otherwise pronounced Loofah, called the proceedings to order. She turned her attention to Shampoo. "Many witnessed your defeat by a girl some months ago. You lost to her and, ill-thought by many of us, gave her the Kiss of Death. It has now come to our attention that you failed to dispatch her and then returned to us." A murmur arose from the people assembled behind Shampoo. The rumors that had been passed around the village were apparently true. "We have received word that there are certain circumstances that has brought this about. Explain."

Standing on a pedestal centered on Loofah, Shampoo held her head level, her hands clasped behind her. It was a classic pose of a warrior standing before their superiors while being addressed. Her head did not dip or rise, nor did she shift in discomfort at the hard looks all the elders before her leveled on her slight frame. The only thing that moved before she was given permission to speak were her eyes as she scanned those in front of her, attempting to see through the shriveled masks that were their faces for any signs of empathy for her plight. Her own great-great-great-great-grandmother, simplified to just great-grandmother, maintained a cool look of indifference from her position in one of the aforementioned seats.

In the audience were friends and family that had managed to take the time from their duties to attend. Among them was Mousse. Shampoo had seen him when she came in, but had not acknowledged nor given any sign of having spied the obsessive boy. Not that he would have seen it if she had, as he wasn't wearing his glasses.

Starting her story haltingly, Shampoo recounted her travels once again. Throughout, the council members asked her questions that didn't necessarily seem pertinent to her, but she had to answer anyway. As she described her actions in Japan, the questions became more frequent and insistent. Her threat to Akane and subsequent defeat by Ranma was picked apart to the minutest detail. They even had her open her shirt in order to see the wounds she had suffered. Through all of this, her great-grandmother remained silent the entire time. Eventually, to her relief, she was finally done with the inquisition.

"We will deliberate and pass judgment. Return in four days for our decision." Loofah rapped her staff on the table before her.

Coming to attention and bowing, Shampoo left, followed by her parents. With her home on the other side of the village, Shampoo hurried there to avoid anyone that wished to speak with her. Her pace was such that, should she have allowed more than one foot off of the ground it would have been considered running. Behind her, all the spectators left the building, leaving only the elders and their respective attendants.

1400, Monday, 18 June

Loofah sat silently until the council chambers had been cleared. She scanned the Elders that were looking at her, trying to read their emotions much like Shampoo had earlier. Their old, wrinkled faces were not showing anything they were thinking at the moment, which did not astonish her. All of them had made it through their harsh lives as denizens of Joketsuzoku, Amazons as outsiders were wont to call them. Hiding one's thoughts was one of the skills learned. Her gaze lingered on Cologne before continuing to other faces. The woman was well-liked by many; she was known to be a hardy, well-traveled and well-rounded warrior. Her legacy shone through her granddaughter and great-granddaughter. Yes, a testament to the Amazon's strengths.

With a heavy heart, she spoke carefully, "We have all heard the story that Shampoo has told us. It is unfortunate that she took such prideful actions that day. Had she not, then we would not be sitting here now to deliberate. Would that we could go back and temper her better. A combination of youth, her personal pride, a foreigner eating her prize and then being defeated by the girl struck a cord which was too much for her to handle, I fear. Regardless of the fact that it was an open tournament she deemed it necessary to invoke the Kiss of Death, though it was not warranted. On the other hand, once given, she could not take it back.

"This young woman set off on her quest to kill the girl. Not only did she fail to find and mete out justice to appease her pride and honor, she had to take it over into the Lands of the Yamato, or Japan, as it is called. Even when she tracked down this Ranma Saotome, she still dallied and failed to kill her. She was defeated once more. And in such a fashion that she would not be able to challenge him for some time, as evidenced by her visible wounds and broken arm. Only after her defeat was it revealed that he was cursed at the Pools of Jusenkyo to turn into the girl she had been hunting.

"To compound ill judgment one upon another, she admitted to cowardice." She paused for several heartbeats to let this sink in, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Not directly, mind, but it amounted to it all the same. She was obviously intimidated after having been so soundly beaten by this male outsider. It is debatable whether Shampoo should have given the Kiss of Marriage in this situation. In living memory we do not have a situation where a man was changed into a woman by Jusenkyo, given the Kiss of Death, then found to be a man later. We, as a council, needs must search our records to determine whether there is a breach in our Laws and Traditions. I entreat you, Elders, to search and debate in good faith to our Laws and Traditions so that we may find an appropriate penalty that our ancestors would find acceptable."

Silence reigned for several minutes after the last of Loofah's words fell upon their ears. There had not been such a breach of their Laws and Traditions in quite some time and the need to reflect upon an appropriate outcome was needed. Even Cologne's bitterest rivals on the council were concerned for the young woman. Each one imagined one of their own descendants having entrapped themselves in the mess that Shampoo was now in.

The need to punish was clear. Yet the severity or leniency was what they had to question each other about. Pride had ruled the child's actions that day, leading to this dilemma. Others required an example to see that a skilled warrior must keep a level head. The cowardice was also another factor. Each member sifted through their memories to find if there were similar accounts that had occurred in their lifetime. If they could not find one, were there any they could remember having been told by their own mothers, grandmothers or other elders?

A call for the severest punishments they could forgo. There was no need for capital punishment such as death or even exile. No, those were uncalled-for, for they were too intolerant. Calling out a fellow Amazon for her pride in herself and her ways was too much and could have a ripple effect throughout the community. Amazons would, for an unknown length of time, begin to second-guess their decisions and actions. Should this take hold then when faced with external dangers such as from the PRC, the Musk or other threats, they could find themselves too easily overwhelmed.

So, too, were the least of punishments to be found as being too soft. A loss of face and honor was a serious matter. A simple fasting and penance was too light. Nor could the council be seen as weak. There were others that were vying for positions upon the council that would seek to unseat any of the sitting members. The dissolution of a sitting council had not happened in living memory, and they were not about to chance one themselves. In over three thousand years of the Amazon's written history there were only a handful of times a council had been disbanded. They were not going to be one of those.

A compromise had to be found. Yet what could be considered such?

Cologne sat silently, listening to the debate among the women assembled. She wished she could provide her own input. Had it been anyone other than her own family she would have had some say. Yet, because Shampoo was her several-times removed great-granddaughter, she was effectively silenced. Surely she could raise a point or two, but she would be looked upon unfavorably. Any subsequent trials such as this one would cause her words to hold less weight. Thus, the only actions she would be able to do were to listen and wait. Should an opportunity arise for her to become a scapegoat for the girl she would consider it. Not blindly, mind, but she would take the time to determine if her actions would lessen the impact for Shampoo so that she would still grow and learn from her punishment rather than be stunted and fearful in the future.

Proposals were forwarded and considered. Many were voted down while others were shelved for consideration. Would this be appropriate or that? Were there any scrolls that could be consulted in a timely manner? If so, what did they say? Attendants scurried here and there to fetch what was requested from the nearby archives. Two Loremasters had to be summoned so they could be questioned, who then had to seek the relevant records.

In the end, they managed to decide on three key items. They were all pertinent to the issue at hand. Each one was voted on. There was acceptance and dissension. However, majority ruled.

-=oOo=- -=oOo=- -=oOo=- -=oOo=- -=oOo=-

Later, after the council members had finished their deliberations for the day, only Cologne and Loofah remained. The older woman smiled beneficently to the younger. "I know this is hard for you and your family. Especially for Shampoo, the poor dear."

Cologne smiled back, chuckling. "Oh, it's difficult enough, all right. But it's not like she performed one of the Unconscionable Acts. In the end, this will be a lesson for her to grow from. Whatever sentences that are eventually passed down upon her."

Sensing there was more to why Cologne had remained, Loofah asked, "And yet?"

"She is not wise to the world. I expect that she will be sent to retrieve the boy, if nothing else." She received a nod at this, both understanding the implications of the Japanese youth being a strong martial artist. "Whatever pronouncements are passed down, I wish to be there for her."

Loofah was silent for a moment before she allowed herself to laugh out loud. Regaining her composure, "You were never one to stay put for long, Cologne. How long have you been back in the village? Fifteen, twenty years now? Much too long for you, I'm sure. You always did like to go out and see the world and its wonders. Being cooped up here doing council business never really suited you, I think."

At the other woman's assessment, Cologne had to agree. She had been chafing at being cooped up in the village. Though she had managed to get out once in awhile for short forays to other towns and cities throughout the intervening years. "The opportunity to see Japan isn't something I'd like to pass up," she admitted.

1400, Friday, 22 June

Even while the council members had deliberated, there were other matters each had to see to. Because of this, their time together was sporadic throughout the week. This had caused Shampoo to remain in her parent's home the entire time.

Shampoo's father had tried to console her, only to find it falling on deaf ears. In contrast, Soap turned her attention to her duties. She maintained a silence almost as palpable as her daughter's. Rather than allowing the atmosphere to weigh on her when at home, Soap went outside to practice, dragging Shampoo out with her to keep her child's abilities honed and to keep her from wallowing in self-pity. This did much to help Shampoo's mood. Because of the drubbing she'd received from Ranma, she was intent upon getting better.

As Cologne expected Shampoo to be sent back to Japan, she spent time with her great-granddaughter. Included in these visits were lessons in Japanese. When Shampoo had first protested, Cologne had silenced her with a firm whack to the head, something the young woman wasn't used to, as she was Cologne's favorite among all of her grandchildren. After that, she took quickly to the lessons, so as to regain what favor she may have seemingly lost.

With all of the attention she was receiving, Shampoo had little time for her friends. On one hand, she was mentally exhausted as she had a crash course in Japanese. And on the other, she was being given a good workout from her mother, which tired her physically. At the end of the day, Razor had to check on his daughter, who was collapsing into her bed after washing up and dinner. During this, Mousse had attempted to get in to see Shampoo. Due to her being occupied, she had no time for him and wouldn't have had she.

When the time came for her to return, Shampoo's feet and heart felt leaden. Allowed into the hall, she was led to an antechamber. Shampoo saw that two warriors were stationed at the doors leading further in. Their spears were crossed, an indication that nobody was allowed to enter through those doors at the time. The sounds of a throng of people entering from elsewhere echoed beyond the doors. With no seats available for her to sit in, Shampoo stood off to one side to wait, assuming the pose she had maintained in the council chamber before. Her parents stood nearby quietly.

Eventually, a woman a score or two of years younger than the matriarchs opened the door. One could only tell because she was not as short and shriveled as the elders. She beckoned to Shampoo. Snapping to attention, the guards allowed her through.

The hall was filled to bursting again. The same members of the Council from before were seated in their positions at the council table. Placing herself before them on the pedestal, Shampoo saluted with a fist to her heart. Loofah saluted, allowing Shampoo to relax, as it were, into her prescribed pose.

Sternly, though with her own turmoil at what she had to declare, Loofah intoned, "Over the past several days we have had to take into consideration a variety of issues you set into motion. First of all, your actions on the day of the tournament brings into question your wisdom. You are a foolhardy maiden. Your actions stink of hubris. While it is one thing to have pride in being an Amazon, it is another to wreak havoc that may cause harm to your sisters. Because it was an open tournament, even outsiders were allowed to join without fear of retribution. Instead, you decided to give the Kiss of Death where others with better judgment would have simply taken the defeat and grown from it.

"Second, after giving the Kiss of Death, you failed in your quest to dispatch your quarry. You tracked...her," Loofah using Ranma's cursed gender for emphasis on the quest for this portion, "all the way to Japan. While being able to find her in a foreign land is commendable, you were unable to defeat her in all that time. You never used stealth and cunning. Instead, you were like a raging bull, charging forward without a though or care to the fact that your quarry was seeking to evade you the entire time.

"Yes, the Kiss of Death does mean we will chase our quarry to the ends of the earth, but it shouldn't have been so against a foreigner that likely did not know the language." They had surmised this by the fact neither Ranma or his father had been able to read the sign that read 'First Prize' within plain sight. "But you used the Kiss without knowing its full technique which would have allowed you to track her efficiently. Had you known the chi technique that goes with it, you would have found her within a mere matter of days, if not hours, rather than having had to use mundane methods to do so. This left the village overlong without a skilled warrior for its defense.

"Thirdly, you were defeated by a man. That in and of itself is not a punishable offense. However, you displayed cowardice after the defeat, which is. Instead of giving him the Kiss of Marriage, you opted to return to the village without seeking assistance in obtaining him even against his desire to remain in Japan. We have maintained our independence from the Han and others because of our strength. Adding him to our bloodline and defenses is paramount to our survival. You are an alluring young woman and should have seduced him immediately. Lying with him would have sealed the bonds created by the Kiss of Marriage. We likely would not even be here today had you come back pregnant without him. But such is not the case."

Loofah eyed Shampoo emotionlessly to see if there was any reaction. Seeing that these assessments had not moved her yet, she was pleased. It showed that she was taking the matter seriously, as any warrior should. She was not showing the willful childishness as she had on the day of the tournament.

Continuing, "Therefore, you are hereby sentenced to additional training at the Pools of Jusenkyo for the crime of Hubris. You will not be allowed to seek a cure for any curse you obtain while there if you receive one until the council deems you worthy of one."

Shampoo felt a tremor run through her. She stilled it with a force of will. Loofah was still proud of the girl. Anyone knowing the effects of the Pools and being sentenced to be dipped into one of them would make them tremble.

"Furthermore, for your second and third crime, you will continue on your quest to cleanse your honor. Your great-grandmother requested to accompany you herself. We have agreed. From here, you will return to your home, pack your belongings for your journey and say your goodbyes. You will not be allowed to return until such time as the one, Ranma Saotome, is either brought back as a husband or, at the very least, you carry his seed within you. Does this council make itself clear?"

With a sharp nod, Shampoo saluted, "Yes, I understand." At this, Loofah returned the salute. Holding herself still, Shampoo waited until the council members had filed out of the room before stepping off of the podium. She returned to the antechamber.

Inside, her parents and Cologne waited for Shampoo. As had been normal for many years now, her great-grandmother balanced on her staff so that she was of a height she did not get looked down upon by the younger generations. "It's a fine pickle you've gotten yourself into this time, isn't it now, dear?" She smiled to take the sting out of the words they caused for the youth.

Shampoo smiled, making sure it was not timid in the sight of her family's oldest living matriarch. "Yes," she agreed.

"Nothing to do about it now," Cologne remarked. "Go and get yourself ready. We'll be leaving tomorrow morning at dawn."

The four left, Cologne peeling off to go to her own home and ready herself for the journey. The elder had other matters to settle before she could leave. Who knew when she would return? She was already mentally prepared to set up for a long stay. The description of Ranma Saotome's fighting abilities were a concern. She would have to take a measure of the boy and see how her great-granddaughter might win him, if at all possible.

When the other three entered their home, Shampoo rushed to her room to gather belongings that she needed in addition to some keepsakes. Tears streamed down her face, assuming that she was now exiled for an indeterminate length of time. Perhaps for life, even. That was, essentially, what had just happened to her. She could neither beat Ranma nor convince him to marry her. He had made both options abundantly clear.

Soap and Razor sat at the table. Razor was looking everywhere but at his wife. Furthermore, his body language was such that he looked like he was ready to bolt somewhere.

"You wish to go with her, I take it?" Soap guessed.

Razor concurred with Soap. "I am concerned for her. She will be going to a foreign land again, this time with your grandmother. We all know she has a soft spot for her, yet she must still perform her duties. All of this is a harsh punishment and, some will say, well-deserved. But she is our daughter."

Smiling fondly at Razor, "Yes, she truly is her daddy's daughter. Like yourself, I wish that I could go as well. My duties prevent me from doing so. It is likely great-grandmother will burden me with some of hers while she is away. It gladdens me that at least one of us will see her there safely and back with her new husband." A shiver ran down her spine. She had to hope that she would come back. Any other option meant she would not see her beloved daughter ever again lest she travel to see her herself. "Though I did not expect her to be marrying so soon."

Sadly, "Neither did I. But children do grow up eventually." Looking about, Razor shook off the melancholy that was beginning to grip the two. "I should get ready. Your grandmother will be expecting to leave promptly in the morning. While she may not be expecting me, she won't hesitate to leave me should I not be ready to leave." Soap nodded.

0600, Saturday, 23 June

The three residents were standing outside of their abode. Cologne stood outside of their walled yard, waiting for Shampoo. Further down the lane was Mousse, who had decided to follow his love. He was not invited, so he would have to shadow the three travelers. It wouldn't be too hard for him to keep up and, if not, he knew where they were headed.

Soap grasped her husbands hands, leaning her forehead into his. "Be well, husband. Look after her for me." They embraced warmly. Parting, Soap turned and pulled her daughter into a rough embrace, reaching behind and up to stroke Shampoo's hair. "You, too, Shampoo. Be well. Make sure your father eats his vegetables and not too much meat. You know how he is." They laughed together.

Reluctantly, the two parted, saluting one another. Cologne handed a scroll to Soap, who took it with a grim smile. She knew it was her instructions in the absence of her grandmother. Cologne, seeing that the farewells had been completed, turned and led the two away.

Two hours of travel later, the three made it to the springs. They had traveled at a pace that Cologne had set, one that set Shampoo to breathing hard, though she was much younger. She was working on her fourth wind when they finally topped a rise that overlooked the valley. Her father, who had not lost his edge even as he aged, merely looked at his daughter with a little amusement as she puffed like a bellows. Mousse, not as burdened as Shampoo had been, was able to keep the group in sight. His presence was known to them yet none of them acknowledged him. Cologne and Razor hoped the boy would keep his distance.

They sought out the guide. After a discussion with him inside of the small building, Cologne led them all to a portion of the valley that she had chosen for the so-called training. She leapt up onto a bamboo pole. Cologne called out to Shampoo to follow her. Below, Razor and the Jusenkyo guide enjoyed a pork bun each that Cologne had brought with her as an offering and their breakfast.

As a reminder, Cologne said, "You have broken our laws, Shampoo, and you need to be punished. We are here at the decree of the council. Prepare yourself."

The two flashed over the pools. Shampoo knew she had no chance, yet she tried her best to fight off Cologne. The old woman allowed Shampoo a few passes before she used her staff to knock the girl into a pool. Landing on a bamboo pole, she watched to see which curse the youth would now have.

Nearby, Razor cried out at the fact his daughter had fallen into one of the pools. He knew it had been a bad idea to come here, but there was nothing he could do. The council had decreed it, thus he couldn't countermand the so-called training.

Below the surface, Shampoo felt the change take over. It was slow in her mind as her body shrank, fur sprouting. The fur she had wicked the water into itself, making her feel heavier than she should be. Paddling furiously, she rose to the surface, hearing her father's exclamations as the Jusenkyo guide provided commentary. Crawling out, she shook herself and took stock of her transformation.

The world looked bigger from the position she found herself in. Razor again cried out in distress, though it was just background noise to her right now. Having rid herself of some water she felt much lighter and less like a drowned rat. Ensuring she wasn't a rat, Shampoo took note that she had paws with retractable claws. Craning her neck, she saw a sleek body and a long, fluffy tail. Or it would be fluffy if it hadn't been soaked. It was a feline, obviously. Her fur had a strange two uncommon tones. A cotton candy body with socks of a rose hue to her ankles and half of her tail ending in the same dark shade of pink. As she turned, her hair ornaments tinkled. She sighed in resignation.

Cologne, looking down on the transformed Shampoo, swore silently to herself. Thinking she had brought Shampoo to an area that would have better predators than a mere house cat, she was disappointed. She chalked it up to Jusenkyo's strange magic or sentience that the girl had not been able to obtain something more useful. Knowing that there was nothing to be done about it, she made a cautious leap so as not to get cursed herself. She picked up her great-granddaughter, used her staff to fish out Shampoo's clothing and carried her charge over to where the men sat.

"We will meet you back at the hut," she told the men. "I'm going to get Shampoo changed, we'll eat, and then we can head north to catch a train to the coast." Both men nodded as the old woman sped away.

Cologne had made them leave their packs at the hut. Going inside, she set Shampoo-neko on the table. Rummaging through Shampoo's pack, she fished out an outfit and underwear for the girl-turned-cat. As she did so, she found the letter that Ranma and Akane had given to Shampoo, but left it alone, not realizing it was addressed to her. Warm water had already been prepared, so she didn't have to wait to change Shampoo-neko back. When she had done so and Shampoo as dressed, the two sat down at the table to wait for the men.

Before long, the three were on the road to catch their train along with their unwelcome shadow.

Author's Notes:

I don't think there is anything in canon stating whether Shampoo's mother is dead or alive. Only her father appears early on in the manga. So I'm taking the liberty to have her alive and kickin'.

速普Sù pǔ – translates to Speed

留法Liú fǎ – translates to Retention, Maintenance or Preservation

Of course, in the manga, Shampoo only tells Ranma and company about her going to Jusenkyo with Cologne and receiving "additional training". Nothing about a council, judgment or anything else. This is now different because, instead of being told Ranma is a girl cursed to change into a boy, she has a new situation. I had to think something up to get her cursed and back in Japan somehow. So this is what I came up with, not just the "Kiss of Marriage" issue.

Suggestions and commentary is quite welcome. I will take it all into consideration.

Thanks for reading!