Disclaimer: I still don't own Ranma1/2.

Summery: And we're back, now with some answers. I think.

[Sign]

(Thoughts)

*SOUNDS*

++++++++++>Flashback<++++++++++
<Chinese>

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Unlikely Couple

Part II

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Putting down her chopsticks, Shampoo grimaced as she once again felt the 200 panda's dancing around inside her head as clearly as she when woke up. Along with that, the food she had eaten really didn't want to stay in her stomach "Shampoo need go bathroom" Bolting from the Table, the Amazon girl raced out into the entrance and up the stairs.

Ryouga looked up from eating his rice as Shampoo ran out the room and up the stairs "Am I really that bad a cook?" from upstairs came the sound of a door slamming. Setting down his bowl, Ryouga shook his head "Guess break fest is over for now. I better clean the dishes"

Shirokuro, the family dog chose that moment to wander into the room. Tail wagging from side to side she looked at the young man sitting at the end of table playing with a half full bowl of rice "Woof" Putting her front paws up on the table she looked up at her master with big eyes.

Ryouga looked down at his dog and smiled gently "Well, at least you like my food" Shirokuro lifted her head from the bowl she had been sniffing and barked. Pushing his bowl forward Ryouga lowered his onto the table and stared at Shirokuro as she cleaned out the remaining rice in a second. Sighing Ryouga pattered her and stood up "Can you lead me to Shampoo?"

"Woof" Holding on to Shirokuro's collar, Ryouga followed after the dog as it went upstairs and into the bathroom. Knocking on the door, he waited for someone to say something. Getting no answer, he pushed the door open and looked into the room.

Shampoo looked up from her place on the floor, a slight green color filled her face as moaned "Shampoo no feel so good" Holding a hand over her mount she chocked back a sob and level a look at Ryouga somehow trying to make it up to being his fault "Shampoo no need help"

Kneeling down in front of her Ryouga put his hand on her for-head "Hmm, You are a bit warm. Properly just a mild fever" Moving his hand away he looked into her eyes and hummed "Eyes are bit dilated and your breathing is a little off."

Eyes flashing with anger, Shampoo knocked his hand away "Shampoo Amazon, Amazon no get sick so easy" Humping, she turned her head and stared at the wall across from her, tracing the tile work and the edge of the furo.

Looking a little hurt, Ryouga drew back and looked at her "Fine be that way" Standing up, Ryouga actually managed to get out of the right door in the first try, the hurt clear in his voice. Closing it behind him. He used the good old-fashioned Hibiki method and looked at the nameplates on the doors. Then he followed the painted line on the wall leading towards his room. It also helped to have his name written over it every few steps along with an arrow pointing to his room.

Sitting on the floor Shampoo looked at the two-colored dog, staring right back at her "You look weird, Shampoo never seen dog like you before" petting the dog as she sat against the wall felt strangely refreshing. She could all the stress leaving her as her eyes closed. Slowly she relaxed and ignored the aches shooting through her. It really was relaxing to just sit her, she could would just a little and she go back to the… Slowly her train of thoughts ended as she drifted off.

"Woof!" Shampoo snapped her eyes open and moved her arms to protect herself from whatever dared to wake her up. Slowly a great tear form in her eye as tired muscles and the body's demand for rest returned with a vengeance.

Moving a little away from the wall several muscles decided to protest and went into a cramp, stiffing a yelp from the sudden pain shooting through, Shampoo chose to close her eyes until the pain went away. As it stopped, she opened her eyes and looked down at the dog laying at the floor looking up at her. "Strange lost boy even has dog. Must be lonely, just like Shampoo" She closed her eyes at the feeling off hurt she had felt when she had read the letter, the way her great grandmother had looked at her. The feeling of utter…

"Shirokuro?" Ryouga's voice came from outside the door. Shampoo looked up happy for the distraction as the dog opened the door and barked down the hallway at the lost boy. A second later Ryouga walked in holding two towels "here, you might as well take a bath"

Taking the towels Shampoo blinked as Ryouga left the room "I'll put out some of my cousins clothes for you to wear, you look to be about the same size" The door closed behind him and the dog stared after him as he left, the sound of hurt was gone from his voice and replaced by a cold edge unsettled Shampoo and she blinked her eyes. Ten the anger of someone seeing her like this returned.

"Shampoo's clothes fine!" Shampoo snorted as she dumped the towels on the edge of the furo. Looking at the door, she stomped over and locked it. Slowly she slid down the wooden frame until she sat on the floor and leaned on it, her purple hair covering her face and confusion she was having "Why he so helpful? I never care for him, He just way to get violent girl away from Arien" Pulling off the normal pink Chinese shirt she normally wore Shampoo grimaced at the sight of the dirt and grime smeared over it "What Shampoo do last night?"

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Following the lines on the wall down the hallway, he stopped outside the guestroom "You go away for few months and when you come back, everything's changed, somehow Ranma this is all your fault" Shrugging at his line of thoughts he dismissed it. After all, he was used to everything changing around, one of the problems you faced when you could get lost in room with just one door an no guide lines, Ryouga opened the door and stepped into the room and looked around, a thick layer of dust covered everything inside it "Guess no ones been here in awhile, better clean it up before someone drops by"

A little bit of searching in the closet and Ryouga came up with a pair of black pants and a pink hello kitty T-shirt that looked like it would fit Shampoo "Well, that will have to do for now" Following the lines back to the bathroom, through the kitchen, the living room and isle five at a supermarket. Ryouga knocked on the door, wondering just how the heck he had managed to pick up the latest issue of New York Times by going trough his house "I brought some clothes for you" Putting them on the dresser outside the door Ryouga turned to leave "If you need anything I'm downstairs" Waiting a bit for an answer that didn't come, Ryouga shrugged before he left.

Inside the bathroom Shampoo looked up from the furo and stared at the door with a puzzled look on her face as she scratched Shirokuro behind the ears "Why you help Shampoo?" Turning around again she ducked her under the water and began to work on removing some of the knots in her hair. On the floor Shirokuro skipped away from the stray water falling over the edge of the furo.

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Stepping out of the door, dressed in the clothes Ryouga had left for her. She ran the brush she found inside the bathroom cabinet through her hair and grumbled as she found another knot in it. Shirokuro rushed past her and vanished downstairs, walking down the stairs, she dimly noted that the pills she had taken earlier was working and that her headache was fading. Passing a single glass door leading out into the garden, she found Ryouga sitting on the porch petting Shirokuro and reading a newspaper. Slowly walking out off the door she looked at the sight and wondered if this was the same angry boy she had met so long ago, it couldn't be. First off, he was smiling, second he wasn't looking like something the cat dragged in, Shampoo winced at the choice of words. She really had to find some better metaphors. Stepping out the door, she quietly walked up behind the Kodak moment sitting on the porch "Shampoo have question for lost boy"

Startled at the sound, Ryouga looked back at the house. Standing in the doorway was Shampoo, dressed in the clothes he had left. Looking at her face he noted the uncertainty in her eyes "Yes?" Putting away the paper and turning more around he waited for the question with a strange look in his eyes.

Shampoo looked at him while hiding her hands behind her back, "Why did you help Shampoo? We no friends, so why you help?" Slowly her hands clenched as she waited for the answer.

Ryouga regarded her for a few seconds "Why shouldn't I help you?" A look of confusion settled in his eyes as he regarded her "It's normal to help other when they need it" beside he did think off her as a friend, at least she was a bit more friendly then some of the people he had met at times when he traveled.

Shampoo looked down and let her damp purple hair cover her face "Is not allowed to help outcast" Briefly she could see the face of the Amazon messenger that had showed up with the letter from the elder council, the letter which had destroyed her future. She had had that glint in her eyes, the same glint she had had herself when she had beaten anyone of her village or when she had improved in her training. Maybe she shouldn't have been so arrogant back in her village. It had been a bit lonely growing up, it didn't help to have someone stalk your every move and attack everybody who dared to talk with her.

"Outcast?" Ryouga blinked in confusion at the word then he looked at her "What do you mean outcast?" Ryouga gave her, his complete attention and dropped his newspaper. Somehow, he could feel that what this was about, it was very important.

Shampoo sat down cross-legged and hid her face "Shampoo fail in killing female Ranma, then Shampoo fail in marrying male Ranma" Shampoo clenched her fists hard enough to draw blood "Council say Shampoo no fit to be Amazon anymore" Someone looking at her would have noticed how white her hands were from clenching them.

To bad Ryouga is not of them. sighed and stood up "They threw you out? For something so stupid?" As he blurted out the words a mini Ryouga appeared over his head, screaming and banging him with a mini umbrella "Um I didn't mean it like that. I…I…"

Shampoo blushed in shame at having actually allowed anyone to see her like that; an Amazon never broke down in front of a male and especially in front of an outsider male. Slowly a plan formed in the back of her head, a plan that would give her an honorable death at least "Shampoo follow Amazon law. Amazon's have great pride, kiss of marriage is not stupid!!" The look in her eyes held tales of never ending pain to the one who got in her way.

Ryouga shook his head "So you decided to get drunk because of that?"

"Lost boy have a problem with it?" Shampoo growled as she started to pull out her trusted weapons. No one told her what to do, well unless it was her Great Grandmother or an elder of course. No one got in the way of her, when she had set her mind to something and if she had wanted to get drunk, then she would have gotten drunk.

Ryouga looked at her calmly "No, I tired to drown my sorrows once. I wasn't so popular when I woke up" Ryouga thought of the smoldering wreck the ultimate Shishi Houkoudan had reduced the bar to and the following run through the desert with a bunch of angry men in jeeps waving around guns "Besides, drinking is not the answer"

"It make Shampoo forget she failure to village" Now glowing a deep red color she pulled out her bonboris "Shampoo want forget, forget she ever met Ranma, forget she ever come to Nerima"

Ryouga backed up at the sight of a very enraged girl ranting. Plus those weapons looked like they could hurt if they hit "Maybe we should just…" Ryouga dropped the sentence as the glowing girl screamed loudly in Chinese and slowly backed up "Uh Shampoo…"

"Shampoo no care. Shampoo fight till death" Turning to the only target nearby with murder in her eyes. Shampoo felt the rush that came from fighting, she was one mean, lean fighting machine and only death would stop her from reducing her target to a bloody pulp on the ground.

Ryouga gulped as Shampoo stormed right at him. Her chi crackling around her like a miniature thunderstorm and from the look of it, he was dead if he didn't do something and very fast "Oh smeg!!" Repeating a very good word he had heard after stumbling into a british TV studio, Ryouga did the one thing he could think off. He ran away.

Tbc: Ryouga VS Shampoo.

An: Well how's that for a cliffhanger. Yes chapter 2 has been rewritten. Well at least now Shampoo can get rid of her pent up frustration. And yes Ryouga uses the word smeg from Red Dwarf. I happen to like Red Dwarf.

Dak.