[fic][Ranma][Shampoo’s
Chance Spirit of the law]
Disclaimer:
Ranma 1/2 and its characters are the creation and property of
Takahashi-sama and various other entities.
I’m just borrowing them without permission.
I promise to put them all back when I’m done... except possibly for
Shampoo:)
Shampoo’s
Chance: Spirit of the Law
Chapter
1
By:
Kaleb
*CHRING* Those who lived between the Cat Cafe and the Tendo Dojo had
long ago come to dread that particular sound which sent them instinctively
diving for cover. Shampoo paid them
no mind as she zipped down the street, humming a pleasant ditty that was quite
in contrast to the panicked screams of those scrambling to avoid what the locals
referred to in terrified whispers as “The Bicycle of Death.” Even the motorists went out of there way to avoid the purple
haired cyclist; for those who dared to challenge the bike’s right of way,
confident that it would yield to their superior size, had discovered themselves
the ones totaled in the resulting collision, and the bike miraculously
unscathed.
Shampoo smirked at the rabbles panic.
However unnecessary it was, it helped heighten the thrill that made
biking so enjoyable. In truth, she
was the cyclist who posed the least inherent danger to these cowardly commoners
(indirect danger, from panicking pedestrians and vehicles, was another matter
entirely). Her bike and her were
like one organism in perfect harmony. It’s
every movement was a perfect reflection of her will.
No one would be hit, unless, that is, she intended to hit them.
Speaking of which, she had reached the Tendo Dojo.
And on the other side of the wall she could hear the angry yells of Akane
as she demolished defenseless bricks.
Smirking even more, Shampoo carefully aimed her bike toward her target
and sped straight toward the thick brick wall at what appeared to be a suicidal
speed. But Shampoo did not splatter
against the wall. Instead, in apparent disregard for physics, the wall exploded
before the exuberant amazons charge. Akane
heard the wall give way behind her, but she knew that meant it was to late to do
anything but flinch and extend her pinkies/index fingers.
All she felt was something brush quickly through her hair... and then
nothing?! It took a moment for
Akane to realize she hadn’t been hit. “Wha...?”
“Hehe. Akane should seen
face. Shampoo make flinch good!”
gloated the Amazon, hands on the handlebars that she’d turned to the
side at the last moment.
“Why you little...” growled Akane as she advanced angrily toward
Shampoo, then let out an EEP! as the Amazon popped a wheelie that came within a hair width
of taking off her nose.
“Shampoo gottcha’gin. Akane
never learn it seem,” laughed the Amazon as she teased her hyperventilating
rival.
“I’m going to kill that bike!”
screamed Akane as she attempted to introduce Shampoo’s bike to her
mallet (her anger level having just reached the critical mass needed to summon
it). All she hit was air of course,
the veins popping up all over her head had given Shampoo plenty of advance
warning. And now Akane had taken
the first serious swing, which made her fair game;
if anyone asked it could be excused as self defense.
Or rather bike defense.
Shampoo’s flip sent the back wheel of the bike thudding into the back
of Akane’s skull and knocked her flat on her face.
To add insult (and more injury) to injury, Shampoo landed the bike on top
of her fallen foe. “Akane should
no threaten bike, even bike fight better than Akane.
Way to go bike! You teach
violent girl lesson good,” crooned Shampoo as she patted the handlebar with
mock affection.
Whistling a little victory tune, Shampoo started
to walk over to the house, then stopped as she felt someone staring daggers at
her back. “D-don’t... think...
I’m... beat... yet...” snarled Akane as she rose slowly to her feet.
“Hmmm. Shampoo give you
credit. Akane tougher and dumber
than me think. When you learn no
can beat Shampoo?” Akane knew
Shampoo was right, but there was no way in hell she was going to hear, or
accept, it from that bitch. Her fingers curled up into a trembling fist.
All she asked for was one clean hit.
She’d gladly get the crap beat out of her if she could just deck that
arrogant Amazon’s smirking face. With
a desperate battle cry Akane launched herself at Shampoo.
“Akane?” said Shampoo, slightly concerned, as she evaded blow after
blow. “Shampoo thinking you
taking way to serious.”
Taking serious. It was all
some game to them, wasn’t it? They
never took her seriously. With each
blow that Shampoo casually dodged, Akane could feel her anger building.
She hated it when they toyed with her, just to remind her how inferior
she was. Damn it, she used to be
the Martial Arts Queen of Nerima. Now
she was just a joke. She’d show
them.
“Hmmm. You _is_ serious,
neh? Akane have warrior spirit, but
waste to much time what with breaking bricks...” suddenly Shampoo slipped past
Akane’s fist and the two girls were face to face, “Against moving target
need aim where going to be, not where is.”
Shampoo’s words hit Akane full force and momentarily stopped her as she
blinked in surprise. So that was her mistake.
She could break all the bricks she wanted and it wouldn’t do her a wit
of good against agile opponents like Shampoo and Ranma.
Her problem was none of her opponents had ever required her to improve
her aim. Her dad had became useless
for practice years ago because he couldn’t fight her for real.
Kuno’s delusions kept him from lowering himself to dodging;
that was for cowardly lesser mortals who weren’t invincible and
didn’t have a flawless opening strike that would vanquish any foe. The mob of
boys at school had just been chaff far below her level And there had been no way
in hell that anyone could miss the dojo destroyer.
But why was Shampoo... “I’m so pathetic that your taking pity on me,
is that it?” thought Akane angrily. “Your
feeling sorry enough for weak little Akane that’ll you’ll stoop to giving
her advice, neh? I’ll show you. “Aim
where going to be”, right?” Akane
stepped back and launched a double fisted attack at both sides of Shampoo’s
head. She didn’t care that’d
it’d leave her wide open. All she
wanted to do was for once hit that arrogant bitch.
So she was quite disappointed when her two fists landed beside
Shampoo’s face. “Wha... No
fair! Y-you... were supposed to...
try and dodge,” sputtered an incredulous Akane at the unmoved Amazon.
“Foooled you!” announced Shampoo as she tapped Akane on the forehead with
just enough force to knock the overextended girl off balance.
Akane windmilled her arms in a desperate attempt to right herself, but
gravity and inertia won out and sent her crashing down into the dirt once again.
As the dust cleared she was greeted by the sight of Shampoo trying (rather
unsuccessfully) to hold back her giggles.
Akane still had a dumbfounded expression on her face, but then to
Shampoo’s surprise, her lip half curled up into a smirk.
“Heh. Okay. That was a
good one Shampoo, but cheap. HIYAAH!”
Shampoo noted that Akane was trying to track her movements.
At first her blows were uneven and awkward, as she tried to adjust to the
different mindset that anticipatory attacks required, but with each passing
moment they became more rapid and confident.
Soon Akane was grinning as she unleashed a torrent of fists and feet
against Shampoo, who actually had to put some effort into her dodging. This time Akane’s defense wasn’t full of holes big enough
for Shampoo to ram her bike through either.
Finally a split second arrived where Akane realized she knew where
Shampoo was going to be. “I’ve
got you!” yelled Akane in triumph as she unleashed a full force roundhouse.
“Heh. Not bad,” huffed
Shampoo, a single sweat drop appearing on her forehead.
It was almost frightening how quickly Akane had improved during this
short match. “Akane actually make Shampoo need block.”
Panting from exhaustion, Akane stared in disappointment at the low block
which had countered her roundhouse. Still,
she couldn’t help but feel a little bit of triumph.
Wiping the sweat from her brow, she
looked back up at Shampoo, cautiously smiled, and started to open her mouth, but
before she could speak Shampoo grabbed her ankle and gave her an evil grin.
“But Akane no get too cocky,” with a flick of her wrist, Shampoo sent
Akane spinning through the air. “You
still no where near be hitting Shampoo.”
Akane’s sense of triumph and start of a good mood died right there in
the dirt. Her skill was still nothing next to that jerks!
“Oh. Hello Shampoo-chan.
You came over here to play with Akane?”
asked Kasumi as she came out of the house.
“Nihao Kasumi! Shampoo actually here for see Mom-in-law.
She here?”
“Mom-in... oh. She’s in the laundry room right now.”
“Thanks,” said Shampoo as she started to unload the take out cart
from the back of her bike. Reaching inside she pulled out a sweet bun and offered it to
Kasumi. “Here.
Right before me leave Great Grandma finish batch, so Shampoo bring some
over.”
“Thank you Shampoo-chan,” said Kasumi as she took a bite.
“Mmmhhh. These are really
fresh. Give your Great Grandmother
my compliments. Was there something
else I saw in there?”
“Hehe. That surprise for
Mom-in-law. Hey Akane!
You wanting sweet bun?” Shampoo asked as she offered one to Akane, who
was busy trying to brush all the dust off her gi.
“Hell no!” snapped Akane as she slapped Shampoo’s hand away.
“Knowing you, it’s probably poisoned or something!”
“Suit self,” shrugged Shampoo as she stuffed the bun in her own
mouth. “Mmmhhhmmhh.
Is too to good,” enthused Shampoo over her shoulder as she walked
briskly away from Akane. The Amazon
started to head toward the house, but then stopped and cocked her ear toward her
bike. “What that? You
no want me leave out here with nasty mean violent girl?” Shampoo nodded her head several times and then replied,
“True, true, she what threatening for to kill you.
There, there, Shampoo no let violent girl touch you,” assured Shampoo
as she patted the handlebars. “Kasumi,
can Shampoo take bike in house?”
“Certainly,” replied Kasumi with a smile.
Then she leaned over toward the bike.
“Don’t worry Mr. Bike, you can stay on the dining room deck.
I’ll be right across the hall in the kitchen, keeping an eye on you.”
“Not you too Oneechan!” protested Akane.
“I’d expect this type of childish stupidity from Shampoo, but from
you...”
“Hush Akane, I can’t hear Mr. Bike.
What was that? Oh. No, it’s
my pleasure to make sure your safe. Yes,
she does have a short temper..
“Oneechan!!”
“But she’s really a good girl. I
hope you’ll forgive her, you two could get along well.
Maybe you’ll let her ride you some day, neh?”
Shampoo suddenly went bug eyed. “Oh
my, did I say something wrong?”
“U-uh. No,” replied
Shampoo nervously as she tried to figure out if there was anything hiding behind
Kasumi’s innocent smile. Was this girl just a naive homemaker, or something much more
devious? Shampoo hastily decided
she was reading way to much into this.
“Honestly, treating that stupid bike like a guest,” muttered Akane as
Shampoo quickly wheeled her bike into the Tendo residence.
“I can’t believe you’d team up against your own sister like
that.”
“Shampoo’s changed, hasn’t she?” commented Kasumi as she watched
the Amazon disappear inside the house.
“Hmph. She’s still the
same old childish, arrogant bitch she’s always been,” huffed Akane as she
headed toward the house. Tire
stains were such a pain to get out. Best to get her gi in the wash rig... Akane stopped, deciding that was the last place she wanted to
be right now. Grumbling, she turned
around and started looking for more concrete blocks to smash.
End
of Chapter 1
Please
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