The heart strings in Ryoga's heart went from aching to enraged. The fang toothed boy charged the purple haired Amazon, ready to unleash his furry of fists on the Amazon warrior.
Ranma's eyes widened as she knew she was going to have to stop Ryoga.
Shampoo leaned back and readied her stance as Ryoga was coming nearer and nearer. That was until a poof of smoke appeared and shot out a cane, bumping into Ryoga's chest and actually keeping the furious boy at bay.
It took a moment for Ryoga to realize that he had been completely stopped by Cologne. Her arm alone was strong enough to hold him back; there was something seriously strange about this woman.
"You'll stay back if you know what's best, boy..." Cologne stated, narrowed her eyes in Ranma's direction. This is exactly what she had predicted would happen... but she had to admit that Ranma's potential was immense when compared to either Mousse or Shampoo.
"Arrr..." Ryoga continued to growl and turned around, jumping off the log while making sure no one could see the hurt look on his face.
"Wait! Ryo!" Ranma called out, reaching her hand out to him.
"I'm going home!" Ryoga shouted, the jealousy in tone obvious at this point.
Cologne pointed her cane to the referee and spoke without looking at the confused Chinese girl. All of what she said made absolutely no sense to Ranma, but the crowd all remained quiet and began disbanding; obviously Cologne must have said something to them, what? Ranma wasn't sure.
"H-hey... you're that old hag that helped me," Ranma commented, then it sunk into her; she was probably in trouble. She slowly leaned away from the ancient woman.
"Learn some manners..." she commented then turned to Shampoo, speaking to her in her native tongue.
The purple haired girl stared at Ranma before turning her head away; pouting. She then jumped off the log and vanished, planning on preparing her revenge scheme. No way would she allow some outsider women to defeat her.
Cologne sighed and lowered her head, this wasn't going to be an easy explanation. "You..." she said, making eye contact with the red headed girl; who seemed to be watching Cologne's and Shampoo interaction the entire time and expecting Shampoo to attack her.
"Yeah...?' Ranma asked.
"You've just invoked an Amazon woman's wrath," Cologne stated, causing Ranma to pause and blink.
"Huh... why? It's just one match!" Ranma exclaimed, throwing her arms out in frustration.
Cologne shook her head, "We amazon warriors are a pride race that will do anything to maintain our position... and what she just gave you wasn't a kiss of interest, but rather a kiss of death..."
Ranma blinked and tried rubbing the kiss away from her cheek, thinking maybe Shampoo had poison on her lips or something; with all that she had seen from this village, a poison laced kiss seemed like a minor trick of theirs.
"Not like that child, " Cologne clarified. "A kiss of death in this village, is a pledge to end another woman's life..."
Ranma's face softened and she placed her hands on her hips, "Good! Cause I ain't no girl!" she proclaimed, raising her hand up and pressing her thump to her chest. "I'm a guy!"
"Then she has to marry you, boy..." Cologne said.
"Say what now?" Ranma asked, her mouth hanging open as one of her teeth poked out of her mouth. Then her left eye began twitching... the very idea of marrying that smug girl sent chills up her spine. Though not all of those chills were negative; and that scared her. "Nuh-uh! Ain't happenin'!" she shouted, crossing her arms in an X formation and shaking her head, violently.
"You have a few options, boy... the first is that you simply reveal to her that you're really a man and end up marrying her, the second is to remain a woman and have her constantly search for you and try to kill you or if you're lucky, someone fights and defeats you in her honor or he defeats her," Cologne said, watching Ranma's expression.
Ranma groaned and placed her hand on her head, this didn't make any sense to her. That girl Shampoo must have beaten a bunch of other women and they didn't go up to her and do a kiss of a death! Although it could only apply to outsiders... this tribe was far too confusing for Ranma to understand.
"Just take your prize... I'll allow it this time, but you'll have to make your decision soon, son-in-law." the elder woman said before vanishing in a puff of smoke.
After Cologne vanished Ranma heard someone calling to him and noticed that it was some women holding a car filled with the feast prize; obviously Cologne must have made it so Ranma could take home the winnings. That unfortunately meant that she would have to haul the cart back home and then unload it in her house.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Geez..." Ranma groaned, jumping down the log and readying herself for the long pull home.
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Shampoo
The Nekohaten was more than just a restaurant, it was a home. A two stories high home, with a panda as a logo. The main entrance to the Nekohaten was open as Mousse stood outside it, swiping while wearing a white apron over his white, long sleeved kimono. It was then that he noticed someone in the distance, walking over to the Nekohaten.
"Huh?" he mumbled, before reaching up to his face and removing his over-sized glasses and clearing them with his breath. "Sh-shampoo?"
The purple haired girl held her arms to her sides, her weapons clenched tightly in each hand. An aura of frustration surrounded her usual cheerful aura she'd usually bring after having won the contest. Mousse certainly noticed the difference with her this time.
"You can't be here this early Shampoo," Mousse said, pulling his sleeve back and checking his watch. It didn't make sense to him, usual when she won she'd have to finish her feast and then come back to the Nekohaten to rest up.
"Why you speak in Japanese?" Shampoo asked, glaring at him.
"I told you, it's because that old bag of a boss told me to," Mousse stated, since Cologne offered him a little more money if he were to teach Shampoo Japanese on the side.
Shampoo rolled her eyes and knew she'd have to speak to him in Japanese, "Shampoo back because stupid red headed girl beat Shampoo... now Shampoo use kiss of death," she stated, her face as serious as the moment she got back.
"What!" Mousse shouted, standing up straight. "Want me to take care of her?" he asked, taking a battle stance.
"Is you stupid?" she asked, narrowing her eyes as giving Mousse that 'Are you serious?' face. "Dis Shampoo's kill! No Mousse's!" after giving her little speech, she went past Mousse and into the Nekohaten.
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Ranma
On her way back, Ranma had to use her strength to return the cart. It wasn't as simple as she thought it would be and it took then atleast twenty minutes to walk back from the village to their home. And Ranma had barely made it out of the city now, which took her atleast five minutes in total to do.
"T-this isn't so easy..." Ranma commented, taking a moment's breather.
"I'm sorry..." Ryoga said, coming out from behind one of the trees.
Ranma jolted her head in Ryoga's direction; a nasty scowl on her face. Though she paused when she saw how sorry Ryoga looked, she closed her eyes and shook her head. "Nah... just help me pull this thing back home, kay?"
Ryoga nodded his head once and jogged over to Ranma, taking one of ropes Ranma was using to pull the cart. The two pulled the thing with much more ease than if simply one where to haul it. Though that hadn't removed this awkward feeling between the two, since Ryoga was causing those awkward feelings. Every time Ranma would glance over to Ryoga, she'd notice that he would look way, as if her were frightened by her.
Now they had been pulling the cart for over ten minutes and knew that they were getting home soon. The squeaks and groans the cart would make helped distract Ranma from Ryoga's obvious interest in her, she was only letting him stare at her because she felt that maybe Ryoga had waited long enough to see her in her current state. 'Come on, Saotome... just let em' stare at ya', it ain't as bad as what he used ta' do,' Ranma thought.
"Ranma..." Ryoga said softly, looking down as a blush formed on his face.
"Huh?" she asked, looking towards him.
"What does it mean to care about someone... more than others?" Ryoga asked, his tone as soft and as timid as his face.
Ranma's eyes went wide and she felt that maybe she wasn't able to look at him now. There was only one explanation, Ryoga was starting to figure out deeper feelings than the ones Ranma had taught him. It should have been expected but Ranma felt that if Ryoga were to spend time around her as a male, he'd just accept Ranma like a brother and always be there for him... but it looks like that wasn't stopping the fang toothed boy's feelings.
"A-and who do you care more about?" Ranma asked, blushing with a nervous expression on her face. She was pretty sure she knew who Ryoga was talking about.
"I-I-I can't say..." Ryoga responded, hoping that Ranma would still give him an answer.
"Well... uh... you gotta'..." she stopped to gather her thoughts, " It's like brothers or sisters!" Ranma replied, turning to Ryoga and hoping that would confuse him enough to stop those strange thoughts Ryoga was having.
Ryoga was unsure what to make of what Ranma said, he knew that was family and were very important to him. Though his heart never thumped madly in his chest when he thought about Nodoka or Genma. It only went madly when it his thoughts were associated with Ranma. 'I have to let her know... why is this so hard?' Ryoga thought, squinting his eyes.
"W-what about when my heart feels like it hearts?" Ryoga demanded, locking eyes with the red head.
Ranma leaned back her head and tightened her lips, feeling her heart race. "U-uh... it-it's because... er..." she looked away and stared at the ground.
"Tell me! I have to know! I have to know why my heart hurts when I'm around you, Ranma!" Ryoga exclaimed, letting go of his rope and stopping in front of the confused girl, then taking her wrist in his hand.
Ryoga's jade colored eyes found Ranma's blue eyes and they stared at one another. The atmosphere for this moment couldn't have been anymore perfect... a gentle wind swayed their hair ever so slightly, giving them both a dramatic look. "Tell me why your so important to me..." Ryoga begged, his face becoming much more timid and filled with concern.
Ranma gulped and half lidded her eyes, she wasn't sure what to tell him. She wasn't even sure why she'd want to tell him! It didn't make any sense to her... 'Dis is why I don't like this stupid curse!' Ranma thought.
"C-cause..." Ranma tried to answer.
"Cause why...?" Ryoga wondered.
"C-cause your-"
"Hiya!" Shampoo shouted, launching herself from a tree and landing in between the two martial artists. Thankfully the two had keen enough senses to hear her battle cry and dodge at the exact right time.
Ranma had dodged and rolled out-of-the-way, "What's the matter with you, huh?" Ranma demanded.
Ryoga had jumped out of harms way and was only ten feet away from his precious Ranma. It was then that he noticed it was that girl, the one that had kissed Ranma. "You..." Ryoga growled.
"Ya' got some nerve following me!" Ranma shouted, "And your out numbered too!" she said, mentioning Ryoga's presence.
"Is no problem, he weak!" Shampoo shouted.
"She doesn't have to worry about being out numbered!" Mousse shouted, landing not so far away from the purple haired.