[Ranma][Fanfic] Borrowed Time - part 1
Nicholas Leifker
Leifker presents...
Shampoo walked out of the restaurant in a daze, unable to react to
the sights and sounds around her. Her ears were ringing; what she had
heard would not yet be accepted by her mind, and really didn't want to
be. Slowly, though, the information seeped in, its inexorable slide
turning her stomach upside-down.
She stumbled over to her bike leaning against the wall. Like her,
the bicycle was a finely-tuned machine, well-oiled and maintained. Such
maintenance was a matter of survival; her life forced her to use her
abilities to the utmost, and a slip of the gears could prove fatal. She
picked up the pink bicycle, and twirled the pedals once before pushing
off.
It had been said by some that she rode like a demon on her routes.
This was not too far from the truth. Her routes were a way for her to
escape everything, to lose who she was in the rush of speed. Nothing
would keep her from her appointed rounds; her duty. learned from years
as an Amazon, was sacrosanct. Obstacles were overcome, and opposition
pushed aside or defeated.
What they never bothered to tell her was that there were some
obstacles she couldn't overcome.
Shampoo gritted her teeth, and bore down on the upcoming hill. If
she built up enough velocity, she could fly over it, and sail on without
any trouble. This was her clan's teachings in action, telling her to
push farther and faster, damning the consequences that others may face.
This was her life, and her answer to every problem.
She was a fool, she decided. She could not honestly say if she was
always a fool, or had only become one recently. Whatever the cause, her
folly was going to cost her dearly. She flew over the hill, reveling in
the wind flying through her hair, and continued her breakneck trip.
This was life; this was power. Everything else in her life was
beyond her control. But this... her body and her bicycle were the only
things under her command, and she she enjoyed extending her will out to
this bit of life.
Shampoo increased her pace, taking the bicycle to speeds far beyond
what it should go. She was beyond caring; if she crashed and killed
herself, she would consider it no great loss. Better to die in some
accident, with honor and soul intact, than to face... She shook her head
from such thoughts. She was trying to forget that, and this was the
best way. She kept on pedaling, pushing herself to the edge, trying
with what life remained in her to outrace her own fate.
*************************************************************************
Leifker Presents...
Borrowed Time
Part one of four
A Ranma 1/2 work by Nicholas Leifker
All Ranma 1/2 characters created by Rumiko Takahashi. All rights
reserved. I ask that you not do anything with any part of this work
without permission.
Stuck between a rock and a... you mean that's been done? ^_^
*************************************************************************
"Shampoo, we must talk."
The young Amazon stopped her table-busing, and looked over at her
great-grandmother. Cologne stared back at her with a neutral gaze, soft
but giving away little of what went on in the mind beneath. The aged
woman sat at the counter, busy with the day's receipts in the lull of
the afternoon. Shampoo walked over to her.
"Yes, hibachan?"
"Come to the back. What we discuss must be said in private."
"Okay." Shampoo shrugged, and followed Cologne into the kitchen.
Cologne turned around, licking her lips as she did so. Shampoo
frowned; she knew her great-grandmother's habits, and understood when
the old warrior was nervous or upset. Cologne fixed a sad gaze on her,
one Shampoo hadn't seen since... she couldn't remember when.
"Shampoo, the time for games has passed."
Shampoo furrowed her brow. "What you mean, hibachan?"
"Don't play dumb with me, child. You know very well what I mean."
She looked down, then added in Mandarin, "The time of judgement has
come."
"You don't mean..."
"I do mean." The wrinkled mouth twisted to a scowl. "You have
failed in your promises to the village. As such, it is time for you to
return to face your punishment."
Shampoo took a step back, terrified. "No! Please... just give me
more time! I'll get Ranma to marry me, you'll see!"
The old crone shook her head in response. "You know that's not
true. Ranma's attracted to that Tendou woman, and there is no force
outside death which could separate them. We have tried everything else,
granddaughter - and there is nothing left." She pursed her lips
slightly. "You have until Saturday. By that time, you will have to
fulfill either of the promises made concerning Ranma Saotome... or take
his place in punishment."
Shampoo stepped back into the dining area, uncertain of her feet.
She could hear her heartbeat in her head, pounding steadily like a
death-nell. The few customers there faded out of her existence, her
present vision focused on something far away and inexorable. She
staggered out the door, using the frame as a brace as she left.
*************************************************************************
After about an hour, Shampoo stopped her bicycle, and looked up to
the heavens. It was approaching late afternoon; the sun was still
prominent in the sky, but was sinking fast toward the concrete horizon.
She had to admit that much of what Cologne had told her was
correct. There was almost no way that Ranma would marry her. He loved
Akane. That much was spoken by the way the pair held hands, and the
looks they gave each other in quiet moments. Since their return from
Mount Phoenix, the two had been inseparably close. As Hibachan had
said, only death would tear those two apart. She had thought about
telling Ranma what was to happen to her, but she thought better. That
wasn't love; that was blackmail.
Also, she had been stalling for time. She didn't want to leave
here. The warriors gathered here under the shadow of the tower were
like none she'd ever met in the village. These were people who _lived_
honor as best they could, and gave meaning to the words friendship and
love. For the first time, she'd met people who were more than a match
for the village's finest warriors, and she reveled in the challenges,
both physical and spiritual, that they laid at her feet.
And now, because of her love for these people, she was condemned.
Hubris was her companion in her youth, and she was now going to die for
that hubris.
She couldn't see an option. She had failed in two promises - the
Kiss of Death and the Kiss of Marriage - and the penalty for two such
disastrous failures was certain. When the sun set at the end of the
week, she would be dead, one way or another. She couldn't run - the
Nyuchiezu had never let anyone escape their judgement - and she couldn't
fulfill her duties. She could not marry Ranma, and she would kill
herself before laying a finger on him.
In other words, she was going to die, and there was nothing she
could do about it.
A soft rumbling came from the sky, and she turned her head
eastward. A storm was approaching the city - a wicked storm, with
clouds rolling in like horses and lightning flashing the sky with its
brilliance. She'd have to find shelter, and soon. She couldn't go back
to the Nekohanten - she wasn't ready to give in to the tribe's will, not
yet. Moreover, she didn't want to go to Ranma; she didn't want him to
see her yet... not like this. Shivering at the cold air coming through,
she wondered if perhaps she should let the storm take her...
*************************************************************************
It wasn't often that Ranma Saotome was at peace.
The young man sat on the porch overlooking the Tendou backyard,
silently watching the storm come in, its rolling currents and
spectacular lightshow a marvelous sight - from a distance. His stomach
was full; Kasumi had outdone herself as usual, with a marvelous stewed
daikon recipe she'd learned from his own mother. He would miss the
young woman when he left for college... but there was one person he
would make sure not to miss: the raven-haired beauty snuggled in his
arms.
Two years ago - heck, even a year ago - he would have never dreamed
of a scene like this. He was so determined to retain his freedom that
he failed to realize that true freedom was here, next to her, without
the pride and frustration that previously kept the two apart. That
freedom was a hard-won thing, especially with his family and friends
trying to influence their relationship one way or another. At least
most of those battles were over, and they could get on with their
lives. It would be years before they were married - their insistence to
their parents had seen to that - but they would be married, someday. He
could already see their children in her eyes...
He heard the telephone ring, but decided to ignore it. Better to
let Kasumi get it, rather than spoil the moment.
"Ranma! Telephone!"
Damn. "Be there in a sec!" He bent down, to whisper in Akane's
ear. "I'll be right back."
"Okay." The hoarse whisper sent tingles down his spine. He eased
himself away from Akane, and headed to the phone.
"Hello, Ranma here."
*Son-in-law.*
Ranma's blood went cold. "What is it, old ghoul?"
*Pardon me, but by any chance have you seen Shampoo? She went out
on her bicycle some time ago, and she hasn't come back since.*
Ranma's eyebrows raised slightly. "Can't say that I have. Do you
want us to go looking for her?"
*There's no need for that. She's a smart girl; she knows enough to
stay out of the rain. Also, she was rather upset when she left this
afternoon; I imagine she's probably at some coffeehouse right now,
thinking about what's happened.*
"What happened?"
*Oh, nothing you should concern yourself over. Just some tribal
problems.*
"I... see." Despite Cologne's reassurances, Ranma was somewhat
concerned. Shampoo wasn't the type to brood over something; her
emotions were usually mercurial in nature. Moreover, Cologne had a
habit of trivializing important matters - when it suited her, of
course. "Do you want us to call you if we see her?"
*Yes, please. Thank you for your troubles, Ranma.*
"That's okay. Talk to you later, old ghoul."
*Goodbye, son-in-law.* Ranma hung up the phone slowly.
"What's wrong, Ranma?" Akane stood at the doorway, her concern
mirroring his own.
"Shampoo's missing." Ranma looked over to the side for a moment.
"Apparently, she went out for a bike ride, and didn't come back."
"That's odd. So... when do we go out to find her?" She turned to
the closet, and removed her raincoat.
"We don't," Ranma said, his face showing his puzzlement. "The old
ghoul wants us to stay put, as far as I can tell."
"Good." Akane reached over, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"It's going to be a cold night, after all..."
************************************************************************
Shampoo huddled in the cold room, watching as the rain poured
down. She had managed to find a temple nearby, and ran into the grounds
before the rains came. She could feel the chill of the air, cutting to
the bone, seeping the life from her...
Perhaps this was for the best, she decided. In time, Ranma and the
others would forget about her, and go on with their lives. Ranma and
Akane would get married and have lots of noisy, stubborn kids, and would
eventually grow old together. Pig-boy was already living the good life
with some farmer, and it wouldn't be long before Spatula Girl found
someone to share her life with. They didn't need some stupid Amazon
interfering with their lives, especially after all the troubles she put
them through.
If only saying goodbye to them didn't hurt so much. She didn't
bother to dry her tears; someone had to cry over her grave, after all,
and who better than herself?
Enough, she thought. This crying is not befitting an Amazon, nor
is it befitting a woman. If she was to get out of it, such thinking
would have to go. She was an Amazon, born and bred, taught to fight and
to press and to never give up. And she wasn't about to give up - not
here, not now. She valued her life too much; she'd only let it get out
of her hands.
It was time she took control of it again. She would die on her
feet, like a true warrior would, rather than on her knees like some
begging dog. A warrior's pride was hers to command, and she knew how to
wield it now. War was coming, and she needed to prepare. She knew her
chances; no one had ever successfully escaped from the Nyuchiezu.
She didn't give a damn about the chances - not anymore. She
*would* survive.
Her ego restored, she let her mind drift back to some of the events
of the past few years. She remembered the fight on the platform, and
the fast-as-lightning woman who knocked her from it. Other times came
to her, the events in Nerima, a place she had come to accept as home.
It was here that she had ceased to be a spoiled little warrior, and
developed into a woman, proud, but honorable as well. She had faced
dangers here, to be true, but somehow, she'd made her way through them.
There was one incident which haunted her nightmares, simply because
the thoughts of what-might-have-been tore at her to the core. The
Bakeneko had captured her, and was intent on taking her for his bride.
He sought to use magics to change her forever into her cat-form, a slow,
terrifying process that she had to endure almost to its end. It was
only by luck and friendship that she came out of the incident unscathed.
And it was Ranma who had come to her rescue; Ranma, who was deathly
afraid of all things feline, and had to overcome his fear to face the
Bakeneko. He was unconscious by the time it was over, but it was
enough. He had come to her.
She liked that memory a lot. She let the smile spread across her
face and, despite the tears, chuckled to herself.
For the first time, she knew what to do.
************************************************************************
Cologne was alone in the little restaurant known as the Cat Cafe,
enjoying a small cup of tea in the dining area. Mousse had gone back to
China, to prepare them for what was about to happen. Shampoo was off
who-knows-where, perhaps making final plans to woo Ranma over to her, or
wondering how far she could run before her heritage caught up with her.
It was nights like this, when she had to be an Amazon first, that
made her feel her age. As one of the village elders, she had spilled
the blood of villagers on several occasions. It was never a pleasant
business to prematurely snuff the life of another, and the look of
outrage, of _injustice_ on their faces haunted her dreams at night.
Even worse, the one she was called to kill was her own flesh and
blood, a woman she'd taught and guided from infancy, and loved like a
daughter. Shampoo was guilty of no great crime; her pride had gotten
the better of her, and she had made a serious mistake as a result. None
of them could have guessed the obstacles that formed along Shampoo's
sworn quest. Unfortunately, the rule of law prevailed. If she did not
bring the child to justice, a precedent would be set, and other men
besides Ranma would try escape from the laws of her people.
She would have to snap Shampoo's neck, then cry over her body.
Truth to tell, she'd never met anyone, man or woman, with the
_will_ Ranma had. The boy was a marvel, destined to be one of the great
ones. He picked up techniques and skills with remarkable efficiency,
and fought with tenacity against the finest this world had to offer. He
would have been a fine addition to the village... if only he could have
been tamed.
She took another sip of her tea. It was easy to think about what
might have been; unfortunately, real life pressed in, forcing her to
view the situation as it was. At the moment, she had a great-grandchild
gone rogue, and no sign of any reprieve from the battles to come. She
was only glad Mousse was sent back to China; the fool would have made
things difficult.
************************************************************************
Shampoo woke up to a ray of sunlight, and squinted at its
intrusion. The storm was done, leaving the air charged with its
energy. The Amazon rose from her sleeping position, and took in a deep
breath. It was time to begin the day, and she reveled in the idea.
If there was one thing Shampoo liked, it was a challenge. She may
not have Ranma's tenacity, or Akane's fury, or Pig-boy's strength, but
she had enough of each - enough to get through this. It still hurt,
knowing what she was leaving behind, but she could see no other option.
It was either die as a submissive Amazon (a contradiction in terms, to
her), or live as a renegade. She knew the chances of victory; also, she
knew how to improve them.
Let them come, she thought. She'd be ready - one way or another.
************************************************************************
Hello.
Thanks to Bateman, Gaffney, Lawson, Reeves, Sandborn, Weinberg, and
Wilde (and B-ko!) for their help with this. Part 2 is currently being
worked on, and should be out within two weeks.
Nicholas Leifker
nwl...@unix.tamu.edu
http://people.tamu.edu/~nwl9354
February 11, 1998