Ranma ½ and it’s characters are the creation and property of Rumiko Takahashi-sama and various other entities, none of whom happen to be me.  I’m simply using them without permission, but I promise to put them all back when I’m done, except possibly for Shampoo;)  

My other works can be found at https://www.angelfire.com/anime5/ficaleb

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Shampoo’s Chance:  Spirit of the Law

By:  Kaleb

Chapter 11

Who’s ya Sensei Showdown:  Sudden Death Overtime

       “Shampoo, this fight isn’t worth risking your life over!  Don’t provoke him further!” pleaded Akane as Shampoo stumbled back from her one-sided exchange with Neko-Ranma, one hand trying to dam the red stream oozing from her side.

       Shampoo was sorely tempted to listen to Akane.  She’d never been more terrified in her life.  Only once before had she felt Death so close by, but that time it’d been in an implacable impersonal form that almost seemed a savior from suffering, not this horrific beast who’d without a second thought bring her a dog’s death in this unhallowed foreign land.  Damn it!  She wasn’t ready to die yet.  Sure, Ranma may have rejected her, but she wasn’t going to descend into a depressed death wish like some pathetic angsty teen.

       No, now was not the time to despair.  Looking up, Shampoo focused her frustration instead on her anger, glaring hatefully at her hissing rival.  “Shampoo can’t stop now.  Rather die than let Ranma take this too from me!”

       “Huh, what do you mean ‘this too’…?” asked Nabiki.

       This fight was supposed to be hers.  Her revenge where she’d give that arrogant asshole who’d shamed her his comeuppance.  Shampoo had always taken pride and power in being the first maiden and warrior amongst her people.  Those two pillars were all she had, but they’d been enough to support her standing supremely self confident all alone; what need did number one have of others anyway?  Then along came Ranma.  Bit by bit he’d desecrated her maiden image, finally sullying it beyond repair.  Even worse though was the ensuing loss to her self image; that supreme self confidence which had sustained her through so many lonely nights had been shattered.  Still, even if she wasn’t much of a maiden, she was still a warrior; maybe she didn’t have love, but she had power!  Shampoo had been looking forward to rubbing Ranma’s face in the fact that he’d never deserved to be engaged to her anyway.  But even that little dream she’d been nursing was crumbling.  Why didn’t any of her plans regarding Ranma work out?  Why was this damnable foreign boy always able to surprise and knock her off balance?!      

       Tensing herself as Ranma prepared to pounce, Shampoo was caught completely off guard when Ranma pulled down his eyelid and stuck out his tongue at her.  Taking advantage of her surprise, he leapt over the wall.  For a moment the frazzled amazon just stared in disbelief, before shaking her fist in outrage, “Tricky bastard better run!  Shampoo hunt coward boy down to ends of earth!  You no get away that easy!”

        “Wait, he was faking the Neko-ken?” said a confused Nabiki.

        “No, not the way he managed to tear up her arms and side without even touching her, that was definitely the Neko-ken,” realized Akane.  “As Shampoo said, she wasn’t pushing him hard enough to make him snap, so he had to consciously choose to push himself over the edge.  Since the stimulus wasn’t as overwhelming as usual, I think Ranma partially accessed the Neko-ken while staying conscious of himself!”

        “Hmmm, it might have only lasted while Shampoo was threatening him,” speculated Nabiki, “but that was at least enough for him to pull off the ol Saotome Secret Technique.  I’m not sure if he’s going to be able to outrun Shampoo though; she managed to bandage herself and pull out that bike of hers real fast.” 

        Bike in tow, Shampoo made straight for the wall Ranma had disappeared over.  However, before she could charge through it like it wasn’t even there, someone on the other side beat her to it.  The amazon cried out in surprise as the wall exploded inward toward her.  With Shampoo battered by the debris and coughing on the raised up dust (which conveniently doubled as a smokescreen), Ranma had no trouble grabbing her two arms and nearly yanking them out of their sockets as he delivered a swift knee to her gut.  “Like I’d really be dumb enough to charge right inta the counter ya had ready.  _You_ on the other hand…” 

        “Walked right into Ranma’s trap,” finished Akane.  “Maybe he can’t win with a KO, but he can always grapple and put her into a submission pin.”

        “Risky, getting in that close with her,” warned Nabiki.  “But he’s got to risk it; he doesn’t have the stamina left to fight much longer.  And… Oh God!” winced Nabiki.  “That’s gotta hurt.”

        Ranma yanking her into his knee had bowed Shampoo’s head.  Proudly thrusting it back upward, she struck him on the chin, snapping his neck back.  She also repaid his knee strike with one to his crotch.  Nabiki’s remark however was in reference to Shampoo’s follow through, wherein she bit Ranma’s exposed throat.  Only his twisting it at the last moment saved his jugular from being torn apart by Shampoo’s savage teeth.  He may have been keeping her pressure point hitting hands under control, but they were far from the only weapons at Shampoo’s disposal. 

        Thrashing back and forth like a wild animal (her teeth still savaging Ranma’s neck) Shampoo felt Ranma’s grip on her wrists slacken slightly.  It was enough.  Slipping her hands free, Shampoo placed her hands atop Ranma’s.  Rolling backward, she let go and sent Ranma sailing through the air.  That he was reaching the limits of his endurance was evidenced by his failing to land on his feet, instead tumbling gracelessly across the yard. 

        “Care try that again?” teased Shampoo coyly as she licked the blood from her lips, then wiped away the remainder.  “First thing amazon maiden trained is how stop man who try force self on her.  On other hand, Ranma Anything Go style quite weak with wrestling.  Not surprise consider who originating school.  Was good try, but you no will get best of Shampoo that way.”

        “She’s got a point.  I just can’t see Happosai having much luck trying to pin someone,” snickered Nabiki at the ridiculous mental image.  “I don’t think the little creep can encircle a lady’s wrist, let alone a whole body.”

        “Who cares as long as I got enough grasp to pinch tit?” asked the Anything Goes Master as he jumped up into Nabiki’s bosom and gave her a good groping.

        “ACK!  Kill it!  Kill it!” screamed Nabiki as she ripped the old lecher off her chest.  Immediately dropping him as if he were some disgusting vermin, the middle Tendo sister proceeded to stomp him underneath her Birkenstocks.  “You are so dead old man!  DIE!  DIE DIE DIE!”

        “Before I finishing Ranma off,” said Shampoo as she attacked her exhausted rival, “want apologize for calling coward.  Gave good fight, much better than Shampoo expecting.  In honor that, I make kill clean.” 

        “Getting ahead of yourself, aren’t you?” said Ranma cockily as he dodged Shampoo.  “This fight ain’t over yet, and there’s something you should know; Ranma Saotome doesn’t lose!  MOKO TOKOBISHI!”  Shampoo had no chance to dodge Ranma’s point blank ki blast that sent her flying across the yard.

        “Ugh… Ego is it?  Why I no surprised?” snorted Shampoo as she unsteadily rose from the tract her body had dug.  “No get Shampoo with same trick twice.”

        “Oh?  How you gonna manage that?  Looks like you’re starting to get worn out yourself.  There’s no hiding it, you really felt that last blast, and I got plenty more where it came from.  You don’t have the stamina left to dodge them all,” predicted Ranma confidently.  “MOKO TOKOBISHI!” 

        “Such stupid attack, make Ranma far to cocky,” tsked Shampoo as she sidestepped the blast, then recklessly charged him.

        “Cocky?!  I’m not the one rushing headlong into a ki blast.  MOKO TOKOBISHI!” extending his hand Ranma sent another blast of his overblown ego at the amazon.  But she’d already made her move.  Moving so fast she almost seemed to disappear, Shampoo leapt over the ki blast and prepared to strike Ranma from the air. 

        “HA!  Now you can’t dodge!” laughed Ranma triumphantly as he aimed his other hand at the amazon.  Quickly rotating the bottom hand that fired the first shot one hundred and eighty degrees, Ranma brought the two  together and poured everything he had into one final blast.  “MAXIMUM STRENGTH MOKO TOKOBISHI!”    

        Shampoo gazed condescendingly at the huge ball of energy hurtling her way.  Before it collided with her, Shampoo closed her eyes and placed her palm right in front of its path.  *KA-BOOM!*  Ranma was blinded and knocked off balance by the back blast, leaving him in no condition to fend off Shampoo’s jump kick which struck him across the jaw, torquing his face and neck violently to the side. 

        “She countered Ranma’s chi attack?” said Nabiki as she rubbed at her eyes.

        “Yep.  All emotional chi attacks have a specific counter,” explained Happosai as he crawled out from underneath Nabiki’s feet.

        “Right.  The Shishihokaden didn’t touch those who were emotionally empty,” remembered Akane.

        “And all take for counter dumb Ranma move is projecting more confidence than one who firing,” declared Shampoo arrogantly as she pressed her advantage.  Ranma was to slow to deflect her attack, only managing to directly block it with his upper arm.  Extending the knuckle of her index finger, Shampoo drove it home full force.  Just as he was going to counter, Ranma felt his deltoid seize up, making him realize too late the danger of letting any of Shampoo’s attacks land, even on seemingly unvital points. 

        With Ranma momentarily unable to raise his arm, Shampoo’s eyes glazed over as she moved in for the kill.  One hand was brought round to Ranma’s back, the other struck to the side of Ranma’s sternum with a full force palm strike.  Grinning evilly, like a child with his foot raised over an about to be squashed bug, Shampoo applied more pressure. Ranma gasped as three of his ribs popped out of joint.  Using her back hand to maintain pressure, Shampoo aimed her new weapons for Ranma’s heart and lungs (the two lobes on the left side). 

        Without stopping to think, Ranma shoved desperately against the side of his ribcage.  The sensation of his rib tips scraping the inner surface of his sternum made him cry out in pain, but at least it threw off Shampoo’s aim.  His deltoid recovering, Ranma smacked Shampoo in the face with a backfist.  As the amazon stumbled back, a panting Ranma clutched at his chest, trying to get his nearly impaled heart to slow down.  He marveled that it could be going at such a break neck pace when the rest of his body seemed to be moving with such a literally agonizing slowness, as if the cold sweat he’d broke out in was freezing his joints.  Surely Shampoo would be upon him any moment to finish what she’d started.  

        But the amazon’s attack was held in abeyance.  She just stared at Ranma in shock.  In an attempt to distract her from attacking while he recovered, Ranma came up with an incredibly idiotic idea; using his verbal skills.  “What the hell was that Shampoo?!  That attack was designed to kill, wasn’t it.”

        Hearing Ranma’s accusation, Shampoo seemed to regain her bearings.  “… Ranma one who say no holds barred.  Should not challenge amazon if not ready for anything.  Many amazon attacks instant kills.  S-shampoo not responsible for what happen in heat of battle.” 

        “Bull crap.  A true martial artist is always in control, able to pull his attacks and only using lethal force when needed.  It’s a martial artists responsibility to protect life, not take it.  And I saw that sadistic expression; you were enjoying crushing my life in your hands!”

        “I-it Ranma fault!  Ki attack force me look at as insignificant insect!  Why think us Amazon’s ban them?!  They unbalance too much!”  No matter what she did Ranma kept frustrating her.  What was wrong with her?  Why hadn’t she won yet?!  She was Shampoo, the strongest and most beautiful warrior of her people, heir to the matriarch.  This battle should have been over quickly, yet there before her was Ranma, still standing and insulting her; a living testament to all her inadequacies.  Shampoo’s frustration mounted at this extended duel, and Ranma’s accusations only served to compound them.  “And Ranma moral code only apply to his martial art.  Amazon style have different purpose.  Shampoo be within rights if wishing avenge insult you bring upon her, family, and tribe!”

        “Aha.  I thought so,” said Ranma darkly.  “Finally figured out what this is really about.  This never was about training at all, was it?  This is about revenge.”

        “What?  No, I…”

        “You’re getting revenge for my refusal to marry you.  The request for training, the humiliation you subjected me too, it was all to set me up.  You wanted _me_ to challenge you.  Then you could claim it was my fault, allowing you to kill me with a clean conscious.  I’m on to your little game now,” spat Ranma. 

        Everyone stared at Shampoo with looks ranging from disgust to disbelief.  “T-that what you think of me?” trembled Shampoo with rage.  “Y-you really think that what I wanting?!  …I HATE YOU!”  Ranma barely managed to avoid Shampoo’s lunge at him.  As she locked her baleful stare upon him, Ranma was surprised to see her dirty face was tear streaked.  “That what Ranma expect, maybe THAT WHAT RANMA GET!” screamed Shampoo as she unleashed her most ferocious assault yet.

        “God, he’s _such_ an idiot,” Nabiki said in disbelief.  “If she didn’t want to kill him before, she does now.  Akane…”

        “Yeah, this is getting out of hand… but I don’t think either would forgive us if we stopped them, _if_ we even could…” worried Akane as she helplessly watched Shampoo tear into her fiance. 

        Only her being to angry to precisely hit his pressure points saved Ranma, for the moment.  But he could tell that he wasn’t going to last much longer.  Next time she knocked him down, he doubted he’d be able to get back up.  “Shampoo…”

        “SHUT UP!  Just shut up and staying down, forever for all Shampoo care!”

        “Now that there getting worn out, Shampoo’s edge in skill is starting to stand out,” opined Nabiki as she watched Shampoo relentlessly continue her assault.

        “Serves that ingrate right,” said Happosai as he nodded his head.  “Shows what happens to those who don’t respect their elders.”

        “Huh?  What do you mean Master Happosai?” asked Akane. 

        “Ranma’s a slacker,” huffed Happosai.  “He doesn’t value consistent formal training under a master.  He surpassed Genma long ago, and his pride has kept him from acknowledging and submitting to a superior teacher who could further refine his technique.”

        “And that would be you?” said Nabiki dubiously, “Can’t say that I blame him.”

        “See?!  You kids have no respect for your elders these days, except Shampoo,” said Happosai proudly.  “She hasn’t let civilization corrupt her.  I’ve seen her training with Cologne early most morning out behind the Cat Café.  It’s submitting to that type of regular training from a superior martial artist which has given her a more consistent and refined technique than Ranma.”

        “True,” admitted Akane worriedly as she watched Ranma’s failure to even slow down, let alone hit, the amazon with any of his attacks.  “But Ranma has more “street” experience.  Not that it excuses the holes in his training, but you learn things from real combat against a variety of opponents that you can’t pick up in formal training.”

        Damn.  He’d sorely underestimated her.  Now that his strength was giving out, Ranma was realizing just how skilled Shampoo was.  No normal attack would make it through that tight defense of hers, and she was instantly all over the slightest hole in his.  He’d never seen such sharply honed reflexes; almost automatic in their reactions to his slightest…!

        “Now Shampoo ending this!” screamed the amazon as she aimed her final attack at an opening. 

        “Ranma!”  Yelled Akane as Shampoo descended on him in a flurry of movement.  Screw their warrior’s honor.  Akane took off toward the two combatants, hoping she wouldn’t be too late to stop Shampoo from tearing Ranma to pieces.  But it was Shampoo’s, not Ranma’s, body which came flying through the air, raising a cloud of dust as it landed next to a surprised Akane. 

        Looking momentarily shaken, Shampoo quickly recovered and charged back at Ranma, with similar results; an intense exchange of attacks which sent her crashing back down into the dirt.  But this time she wasn’t able to get up as quick.  “H-how…?”

        “Give it up Shampoo,” panted Ranma.  “No matter how many times you try, it’ll end up the same way, and I’d rather not hit you again.  I’m sor…”

        “Don’t Ranma dare patronize me!  It just fluke!” screamed Shampoo as she hurled herself at Ranma again.  But he deflected all her attacks and then knocked her back down with his counter combo.  This time she didn’t get back up, just shaking on the ground with impotent rage.  “What the hell going on!  Shampoo striking at all weak points in defense!  Ranma should be one… should be the one…  No way stupid boy reading my moves?!”             

        “No, I don’t need too, since I’m the one controlling them.”

        “Like hell!”

        “You said it yourself: you “striking at all weak points”.  If I deliberately show an opening in my defense, you’ll strike at it, letting me control your attacks.  As soon as I realized your offense was perfect I knew there was a slim chance to beat it.  Anything perfect is extremely vulnerable; it’s to rigid, without any slack or play.  You’ve trained so much at hitting weak points as soon as they open up that it’s become an automatic instinct!”

        “No way…” whispered Shampoo.  “No fucking way!” the amazon screamed as she desperately launched herself at Ranma.  Catching herself as she began to strike at an opening, the awkward hesitation proved just as disastrous, for it gave _Ranma_ an opening big enough to ram an entire donkey kick through.

        “You… still conscious?”  panted a surprised Ranma as Shampoo struggled to rise. 

        “This… this no over yet,” gasped Shampoo.  Her knee’s buckling, she went down on one of them and settled for trying to regain some strength from there.

        “Quit being so stubborn Shampoo!  “You can’t expect to immediately discard something so ingrained that it’s become an instinct.”  And you can’t try and completely control yourself consciously in combat; it’s far to fast for that.  It’ll take time to retrain you.  So just give it up already.  You won’t last another round.  There’s no shame in that; you tried your best and gave me one hell of a fight.”

        “Since when Ranma ever give up?!  But okay for Shampoo just cuz she girl, is that it?!  This not happening!” denied the amazon as she clutched at her head in despair.  “Ranma no could come up with such counter and pulling off on first try!  And even if did, Shampoo be able read counter which Ranma planning after puppetry openings!”

        “Yeah, you’re good enough that you probably would pick up on any counters planned to go with a feinted opening,” admitted Ranma.  “But I don’t think that far ahead.  I’m not even planning those openings ahead of time, let alone the counters that follow your predetermined attack.  That’s why you can’t read me; it’s all spur of the moment improvisation,” Ranma couldn’t help but let a slight note of pride into his voice.

        “T-that impossible!  To pulling that off…”

        “Guess I’d have to be a genius, eh?” laughed Ranma, his ego getting the better of him.  “To be honest, I didn’t think I’d be able to pull it off.  I knew how I’d start, a deliberate opening to control your attack, and I knew it’d end with you getting knocked out of striking range, but as for all the details in between, I just made those up as I went, and somehow it all slipped into place.  HAHAHAHA!  That it worked out so well just goes to show what a genius I am!  That’s what separates us Shampoo.  You’re technique is excellent, maybe even better than mine, but you’re only copying what you were taught, whereas I’m able to create something new from scratch,” boasted Ranma. 

        “RAAAAUGGGGGHHHH!”  With a final desperate war cry, Shampoo gathered up all her remaining strength and charged her smug rival.  Setting himself to meet her charge, Ranma sadly shook his head.    

        “Her pride won’t allow her to let go until the bitter end, will it?” sighed Nabiki.         

        “That’s the way of a true warrior,” said Happosai.  “They both know that.” 

        “Still, I’d rather not watch,” said Akane sadly.  “Poor Shampoo… she was so close, but to get so thoroughly beaten at the end…”  *KA-THUD*  “Ranma?!” 

        Now it was Ranma’s turn to painfully groan in disbelief, “H-how?” 

        “Memory manipulation!” realized Nabiki, “When she was clutching her head earlier…”

        “She must have been dampening those neurons controlling her automatic attack response!” Akane finished. 

        “First time I trying that on self,” panted Shampoo, “Guess it worked.  What now sensei?  You all out of tricks.” 

        “So it’s sensei now?  No quotation marks?” smirked Ranma as he struggled back onto his feet by a sheer act of will.  He knew now that he was at the end of his strength and running on pure will power; it was only a matter of time before he’d collapse from exhaustion.  Somehow, he was going to have to win before that.

        “Even if he lose, suppose stupid boy proved self worthy,” admitted Shampoo with grudging respect as she lifted her tired head up to look at Ranma.  She couldn’t help but smile a little.  “heh, think I be looking forward to future lessons.  Ranma have something worth learning after all.”  

        “Ya bet I do!” boasted Ranma as he lifted his gaze to meet Shampoo’s now clear eyes.  “And you can bet this battle ain’t over yet either.  Just cuz you got around my counter doesn’t mean you’ve won.  Bring it on!”  challenged Ranma as he shakingly shifted into a fighting stance and motioned Shampoo on with his index finger.  [I can’t stand up much longer, but Shampoo will want to score the finishing strike herself, which gives me one last shot].

        “*tsk* Ranma never know when beat,” smirked Shampoo as she mirrored Ranma’s stance.  “But guess that how he winning so much.  Either way, this match soon over.  Here I coming!” 

        “This is it!  Go get him Shampoo!”  Cheered Nabiki as she eagerly watched Shampoo go on the offense against Ranma, who barely was managing to stay one step ahead of her attacks. 

        “Yep, it’s all going to come down who can score the next clean hit,” observed Happosai.  “They’re both at the limit of their endurance.”

        “Come one Ranma, you can do it!  Can’t you start launching a real offense at least?!” ordered Akane.  [Wait, that pattern Ranma’s making…!]

        “That fool!” exclaimed Happosai.  “Does he really think that will save him this time?!”

        “FINAL ATTACK:”  announced Shampoo and Ranma simultaneously.

        “HIRYU SHOTEN HAKEN!”

        “FIST OF FREEZING FORCE!”

        Shampoo smirked.  Ranma had made a grave error gambling that she wouldn’t recognize one of her clans secret techniques.  So much for creativity; falling back on the technique that had won him so many battles before!  But her smirk was wiped off her face as Ranma stepped in toward her.  That wasn’t how the technique was supposed to finish!  Already committed to her final strike (a sledgehammer sucker punch that slammed into her rival’s second charka/gut), Shampoo could only look on in dismay as everything seemed to go into slow motion and the  signature spiral uppercut of the Hiryu Shoten Ha homed unerringly toward her chin.  [oh f-!*]

        The spinning uppercut sent Shampoo’s unconscious body spinning through the air.  Ranma held his triumphant pose, the main reason most likely his being frozen inside a shimmering block of ice rather than trying to look cool (though he certainly was at the moment).  After Shampoo’s body crashed back down to earth, and for the first time since the battle had begun, a peaceful still silence descended over the war torn Tendo yard.      

        To be continued…

        In Chapter 12

        Who’s ya Sensei:  Epilogue

        Damn.  I misled again.  Can’t believe I didn’t think there was going to be enough material for a chapter here.  Didn’t even really wrap things up.  But the visual images at the end just soo felt like a chapter break point.  Gotta go with what the story wants to do rather than what I had planned.  Interesting also that the battle didn’t play out entirely as I had scripted it in my head.  So it looks like this section of the story, that I’d originally thought would be one chapter is going to turn out to be four. 

        I am going to continue working on this story, it’s my favorite thing I’ve ever or am writing, but it may be a while before it’s updated again.  Right now I’m looking into writing for faniac magazine, probably depending on if they actually get off the ground and are able to pay writers.  There’s a Trigun fic I’m working on in case they do, though until then I’m spending a lot of my writing time on a nonfiction metaphysics book for real mainstream publication.

        *sigh* Sadly, talent goes where money is.  That’s life.  So if you want to help raise the quality of fanfic, go over to faniac.com and subscribe.  Or don’t.  Ideally, faniac will get enough subscribers to start paying writers, and I can convince them to start publishing Shampoo’s Chance as a serial story.  Or faniac might go under and I’ll resume working on Shampoo’s Chance in my spare writing time when my mind needs a break from philosophy, but my output won’t be as much in that case, because I won’t have any deadline sticks or monetary carrots.  Anyway, just thought I’d level with you on how things look.  Thanks to all of you who’ve read this far!  I hope you’ve enjoyed the trip!