The two's eyes widened when they came across the boy with extremely long sleeves. Ranma was easily able to tell what kind of skills Mousse was capable of, since Genma had taught him how to spot them out. It was also convenient that Genma happened to see his style of combat once when someone refused to tip him and then tell Ranma about it.

"You're that master of hidden weapons pops told me bout'," Ranma stated, now actually scared that this battle would turn ugly. Ryoga wasn't nearly skilled enough to deal with these two fighters.

Ranma swiftly turned her head in Ryoga's direction and devised a brilliant plan. "Run!" Ranma shouted, watching as Ryoga had blinked his eyes in response to Ranma's command.

"B-But!" Ryoga argued.

"Enough talkin'! Let's go!" Ranma shouted, running over to the fang toothed boy and grabbing his head.

Shampoo was ready to duke it out with Ranma and Ryoga but she had to admit that getting help form Mousse would probably be a dishonorable thing for her to do, that was no longer a factor once Ranma attempted to escape from their battle. "Stupid Mousse!" Shampoo exclaimed, "Go home!" she commanded, giving chase.

Mousse gritted his teeth but ignored the command, "No Shampoo! I love you too much to let you do this on your own!" he exclaimed, running after the amazonian girl.

Ranma choose to run in the forest; straying away from the path home. The forest could provide them with cover from Mousse's weapons and it could also be used to their advantage if they had any frontal confrontations.

Ryoga's blushed refused to leave his face while Ranma was holding his hand but something deeply bothered him. "Why are we running?" Ryoga asked.

"Cause! We ain't got no chance against dose two!" Ranma replied, "we're good but not good enough for those two!"

Ryoga picked up his pace, now running alongside Ranma. "But you beat her before, so why are we running?"

Ranma looked to the side for a second before feeling awkward and clearing her throat, an embarrassed blush crossing her features. "Uh... I kinda' got lucky at the tournament.."

It took Ryoga a second to realize that Ranma defeated Shampoo by dumb luck. "Damn it!" Ryoga shouted, gritting his teeth. He had no idea what Shampoo intended to do with Ranma once she actually defeated her this time. If Shampoo were to try to end Ranma, Ryoga's world would end.

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Shampoo & Mousse

Shampoo looked over her shoulder and saw that Mousse was disobeying her orders. It wasn't exactly new for him to do that but it was certainly irritating that he would meddle in her affairs. She gritted her teeth and shoot her head in his direction. "You can come but you no get red head! Take her stupid boyfriend!"

Mousse nodded his head, although he wasn't able to assist her with Ranma. That still meant he could help her in some form. "Thank you, Shampoo..."

Shampoo rolled her eyes, at least he wouldn't mess with her prey.

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Ranma & Ryoga

Ranma's eyes widened when she heard the toy shout from a distance but what really caught her off guard was the fact that Shampoo had referred to Ryoga as 'her' boyfriend.

Ryoga's eyebrow rose, "What's a boyfriend?"

Ranma gritted her teeth, "Now's not the time for that..."

Ryoga nodded his head but felt that maybe he would ask later; if there indeed was a later to be had. Ryoga's eyes widened when he realized something, he knew where they were. What could Ranma possibly be planning? Or could this be a mere coincidence? It was then that the two reached the end of what appeared to be a cliff.

Ranma knew she could go any further and looked over her shoulder to see if Shampoo and Mouse had still been following them. The rustling of leaves and sounds of breaking twigs told her that they had.

Slowly Shampoo stepped forth from the shadows of the trees, a confident smirk crossing her face. "Is end of line... no?"

"I'd dare say you're right, my love..." Mousse stated, also emerging from the shadows; his glasses reflecting the light of day, giving him a gleam; similar to the way Genma's glasses would gleam.

"No is calling me love..." Shampoo commented.

Mousse pouted ever so slightly and averted his eyes from her, "Well... we're still taking you and your little boyfriend down!" Mousse announced.

Ranma rolled her eyes, "Look... he ain't my boyfriend!"

Ryoga still didn't have any idea as to what Shampoo was talking about, why was it important if Ryoga was a boy and Ranma's friend? Could it have some other kind of meaning? He had very little time to contemplate it while Shampoo revealed her weapons.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

"No is matter... you no live long enough to have boyfriend," Shampoo stated.

Mousse chuckled, tilting his head downward 'You're always so cute when you're threatening to end someone's life...' Mouse thought.

Ranma gritted her teeth and squeezed Ryoga's hand. It was then that she realized that she was still holding Ryoga's hand from since they started running. The red headed girl released his hand and hoped that Ryoga hadn't notice. Lucky for her that the moment that Shampoo claimed that she was going to end Ranma's life, Ryoga had gone on the defensive.

"Like hell your gonna' get Ranma!" Ryoga exclaimed.

It was then that Ranma tried something, she took a defensive stance and whispered through her gritted teeth. "Follow my lead..."

Ryoga shot his head in her direction and suppressed his need to kill Shampoo for what she dared to say. "Okay..." he whispered back, nodding his head.

It was then that both Shampoo and Mousse jumped towards the two "Planning no do you good!"

Ranma fell on her back; Ryoga quickly following after her. It was then that Ranma stuck out her feet and aimed for the precise moment when Shampoo's stomach would be within range, then the red head launched Shampoo down the cliff.

Ryoga copied the pig tailed girl and sent the hidden weapons master over the cliff too.

Both Ranma and Ryoga laid in their position before turning to one another, distressed looks on their faces. "I didn't think that'd actually work..." Ranma commented.

"Me either..." Ryoga replied.

Ranma and Ryoga returned home without incident and even manged to return home with the cart they had gotten from Ranma's victory over the purple haired amazon. Though when they got home, that was an entirely different story.

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Genma & Nodoka

Genma walked from inside the house and out to the front porch, noticing that his darling wife Nodoka had still been waiting for Ranma and Ryoga. "Look, Nodoka dear... I know you worry about those two, but they have my training to help them in any situation."

Nodoka sighed and looked over her shoulder. "I know dear, I know... but a mother can't help hoping her children are okay."

"You mean Ranma..." Genma stated, earning a hateful glare from Nodoka, causing him to sweat a bit. "And Ryoga."

It was then that Genma stood behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "They haven't been gone too long, dear..."

"Hey!" Ranma shouted, as she was pulling the cart along with Ryoga.

Nodoka's eyes bugged when they landed on the massive cart of food that Ryoga and Ranma had been pulling. "Ranma... w-where did you get all of that?"

Ranma gave her mother a huge grin, "Won it!"

Genma's glasses gleamed over as drool fell from the side of his mouth. "Well done, boy!" Genma exclaimed running over to the cart and grabbing whatever he could.

Ryoga watched as Nodoka ran over to him and Ranma before giving them a warm embrace. "I'm so glad nothing happened to you two..." she sighed.

"Ah... come on ma', ya' ain't gotta' worry bout' us," Ranma awkwardly said as Nodoka held her and Ryoga.

Ryoga knew that Ranma was hiding the fact that they had fought with those other two people from before. Maybe he didn't want to worry them and he had to admit, Nodoka already looked frightened enough by the fact that they had taken just a little longer than usual to get back.

"I'll be able to make a great dinner with all this," Nodoka smiled as she pulled back.

Ryoga smiled softly and decided to relax the rest of the day.

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Jusenkyo Springs

A purple haired cat popped her head out from a spring and gasped for air, trying to swim out of the spring she had fallen in. She was confused and didn't understand why she wasn't able to call out for help or say anything else besides 'Meow'. Frantically searching around she spotted a duck near by, tilting his head to the side as he reached out his beak to the crying feline.

The feline desperately sank her claws into his neck, pulling herself out, unfortunately when she had pierced the ducks feathered skin, he pulled away from her, trying to relieve the pain of sharp claws hurting him.

"Quack!Quack!Quack!" he cried, running around in circles.

"Rawrrrrr!"

Ranma & Ryoga (The following day)

Ranma stared at the morning sky and crossed her arms, leaning on porch support beams. She hadn't had the time to change back into her guy form and her father had some more work to do. It was annoying her to no extent, she wanted to become a better martial artist but her circumstances made things difficult.

She had been so into her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Ryoga coming up from behind her, a perplexed look on his face.

Ryoga's breath was caught short as he stared at the red headed girl, there was something about the setting she was in that captivated him. He took a deep breath and ignored the confusing feelings going through his head.

"Hey, Ranma..." Ryoga said, standing beside her.

"Hey..." Ranma said, not looking at him as she waved to his rather lazily.

"Can I ask you something?" Ryoga asked.

"Hm...?" Ranma wondered, now staring him in the eyes.

"Am I your boyfriend?" Ryoga asked,

Ranma paused before sighing and shaking her head, "No... you're not."

Ryoga blinked and found himself looking down, even the fang that was poking out from the side of his mouth portrayed his sorrowful feelings. "Oh... so I'm not your friend?"

Ranma remembered that she never explained relationships to Ryoga. "N-no! You're my friend... j-just not my boyfriend..."

"So... I'm not a boy...?" Ryoga asked, confused.

"L-look... a boyfriend is someone you like more than a friend and a boy can't have a boyfriend." Ranma explained, hoping she wouldn't have to explain anymore than she already did.

"Why can't a boy have a boyfriend?" Ryoga asked.

"B-because!" she paused, placing her hand to her chin. "Because that's just things are done..."

Ryoga scratched the side of his head and stared at the grass in front of the porch. "So does that make you my girlfriend?" he asked, turning to her.

"W-what!" Ranma asked, leaning back while hanging her mouth open; in shock. "I'm not a girl!"

"But... aren't you right now?" Ryoga asked.

"Y-yeah! But I'm not a real girl..." Ranma said, taking a deep breath she closed her eyes. "So I can't be your girlfriend..."

Ryoga took a moment to think things over, "Ranma... is a boyfriend or a girlfriend someone you care about and wanna' be close to... someone you can't be without?" Ryoga asked, blushing a bit. Hoping that the concept of a a girlfriend or a boyfriend would explain the feelings he's been having for Ranma.

Ranma nodded her head slowly, wondering where he was going with this. "Y-yeah... guess so..."

Ryoga remembered that one time when he was first learning to speak, that time he had taken Ranma's hands and called her name. The idea of doing that now made his heartbeat speed up faster than ever before. "R-Ranma... w-will you be my girlfriend?" he asked, reaching over and taking her hands.

Ranma leaned back and found her eyes wider than dinner plates, "W-what?"

Nodoka gasped, placing her hand over her mouth as she had seen the end of their discussion. "R-Ranma?"