Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Neko Love ❯ The Secret of the Temple ( Chapter 23 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma!

Chapter 23

Secret of the Temple

Up above Tokyo in the mountains far away from the busy city a storm lashed down upon a forgotten temple. Inside a small cat shook itself dry. The temple was small and secluded in the forest; most of the people had left the area in fear and superstition of the old tales that surrounded the ancient building. It was mostly forgotten now but there were some scrolls that had come into the hands of a Chinese Elder. The girl that stood in cat form among the wreckage had read these in translated form. She knew what terrible secret was held within these walls and she vowed to use it to gain her pride back.

`Just you wait Ranma I will kill you.' Shampoo thought.

*

Ranma let out a sneeze. "Darn, must have caught a cold."

"Not surprised Ran-Chan with all the cold and hot water that gets splashed on you." Ukyo giggled.

"I never get sick," he boasted.

"Right," Akane said sarcastically knowing that wasn't the truth.

"Heh, whatever," Ranma shrugged making a face at Akane, "So how far till we're at this spot?"

"What getting tired already?" Akane teased.

"Hardly!" Ranma scoffed. "It's just starting to get dark that's all."

"Yeah and the rain looks like it's starting." Akane sighed as she saw her male fiancée change into a female.

"So whatcha gonna do P-Chan?" Ranma laughed quietly to Ryoga. "Can't let Akane see you getting wet like this." She shook her head letting the drops go towards the growling boy.

"I swear I'll kill you Ranma if you dishonour me in front of Akane!"

"You two better not be fighting!" Akane called back to them.

"Yeah boys, save the macho death threats till later," Ukyo chimed in.

"At least I'm the only real macho one here." Ryoga said with a grin revealing one of his fangs. "I'm the only 100% guy in this group."

"Take that back!" Ranma screamed as she held out her small fist.

 "Guys, just stop it!" Akane shouted, "All you ever do is fight and you've never told me why!"

"I promise once I defeat Saotome I will tell you the truth Akane." Ryoga pledged.

"Yeah sure P-Chan." Ranma joked.

"SAOTOME!!"

"Um…" Ukyo was going to say something but as she heard Ranma call Ryoga by the pet piglets name she finally figure something out. `Ran-Chan knew all along about Ryoga! Why didn't he tell me?'

"Look let's just camp here." Ranma snapped she was wet and fed up of the fighting. "Besides this seems like close enough."

"That must be the abandoned village over there." Akane said checking the map. "Seems to be an old temple nearby as well."

"We can't stay here for longer than a few days. We'll probably need to move on after that. Shampoo's quite persistent." Ranma said with some authority.

"Yeah I've noticed." Akane growled as she remembered all the times that Shampoo had tried to catch Ranma.

As they continued to bicker Ukyo struggled getting the camping equipment set up. The downpour was now lightening to just a dull drizzle but Ryoga stayed under the protection of his umbrella.

"I gotta say you are one underhanded sneak." Ukyo hissed while Akane was completely distracted by trying to thump Ranma for the teasing remark he had just made to her.

"There is no underhanded tricks in the war of love." Ryoga huffed.

"Yeah well speaking from experience there is nothing worse for a girl than being betrayed by your friend." A spark of anger showed in Ukyo's face as she glared at Ranma who was sticking out her tongue at Akane. "I just hope you're ready for when she finds out."

"My confession to Akane will come in time."

"RANMA, quit it!" the Tomboy yelled. Ranma was now swinging her butt and tapping it, making comments on how slim her hips where.

"There our tent is raised, with not much help from those two." Ukyo said.

"You mean you and Akane's tent, I certainly won't be sharing with you!" Ryoga snarled.

"That's what I meant." She quipped back quickly though she turned bright red.

There was a massive thump and they both turned to see Akane elbow Ranma in the back of the head. It sent her backpack skywards; the tent popped out and expanded landing perfectly next to Ukyo's.

"Thanks Akane." Ranma beamed rubbing the back of her head, "I couldn't have done it without you."

"Ranma, did you tease Akane so she would do that…?" Ukyo gasped but her words where lost as Akane giggled at Ranma's actions and helped him pin down the fully erected tent.

"You always do things the hard way." Akane said.

"But that's them both up and the rain's stopped!" Ranma laughed. She was sweating a bit from the exercise of baiting Akane. It was always fun when she reacted to him like that, even when he was a she.

"I'll never understand those two." Ukyo huffed. She decided that the attention had been on Akane long enough and it was now time for her to show off her fabulous cooking skills. It always made her feel better cooking for Ranma when his other fiancée's where around. She started to make the camp fire and set up her own travelling grill.

"Ryoga, be useful and go gather some firewood." She asked him.

The fanged boy took down his umbrella and walked towards the woods dragging Ranma with him. "C'mon, leave Akane alone!"

"Do you want me to help Ukyo?" Akane asked as she watched the boys go. (Yes, I know one of them is a girl but Akane always calls Ranma a he even in female form.)

"NO, no Akane I'll be fine." Ukyo snapped quickly.

"I could get some water if you want me to make stew." Akane grimaced, she had improved her cooking why didn't anyone remember that or was she forever to be called an unfit cook?

Ukyo's mind whirled in frustration, she couldn't say no to Akane. She was looking at her with pathetic big brown eyes. But the darker side in Ukyo sprung up and whispered in her mind, `lets give Akane the chance, she'll be terrible. Plus you need to show Ranma you're the best.'

Ukyo smirked as she plotted. "Yes, Akane you can make the stew. I'm sure the boys will need all the food they can get."

"Really?" Akane said happily. "I'll do my best!"

"Okay Akane I hope you do," Ukyo called out. `Then my Ran-Chan will have to come to me for the cooking.'

*

Mousse followed his Elder in annoyance. Something was obviously upsetting her but he couldn't get a straight answer from her. Whatever it was it concerned Shampoo and he believed it was worse than anything they had experienced before.

"Will you tell me what is going on Elder?" He pleaded.

Cologne looked back at the boy. "It's bad that's all you need to know."

"But Shampoo is in danger, I need to know you old hag." Mousse shouted. "Don't hide these things from me."

Cologne stopped still balancing on her staff. "Know this boy, her very soul is in danger if you love her as you claim you do; do nothing but follow my orders without question. Your skills may be needed when the time comes." The old Amazon continued hopping along the rooftops.

"But what is wrong?" he called out to her.

"It will come clear eventually Mousse, now hurry we may be able to prevent it from ever happening." She disappeared behind a tiled rooftop and Mousse ran to catch up.

He could tell that this was getting more and more serious. `Curse you Ranma this is all your fault!'

*

Ranma rubbed her twitching nose as she headed back to camp with arms filled with firewood. Ryoga was right behind with an even bigger pile. His competitive streak showing through even for something as small as firewood.

"That's great you guys." Ukyo said mostly to Ranma. "Now lets get a fire started so Akane and I can show off our cooking skills."

Ranma turned pale, "Akane's going to cook?" She stuttered in shock.

"Yes, I'm going to cook." Akane hissed. "I'm going to make a stew."

"Just promise me you'll follow the directions!" Ranma pleaded and dodged the carrot that was aimed at her head.

"Of course I'll read the instructions." Akane snapped. "This will be the best stew ever!"

`Oh no…' Ranma thought, `Akane's trying really hard, it always comes out wrong when she does that.' She sat down and tried to avoid the glare Akane was giving him. She was going to be doing this all afternoon by the looks of it. But Ranma was really hoping to get Akane by herself so he could finally ask what the hell had gone on. She obviously knew something and was desperate to tell her before. Now it seemed that she had chickened out. Something Ranma was all too familiar with.

He looked across at Ryoga and Ukyo. They both where getting on really well, there was a slight clang as Ukyo struck Ryoga with her spatula. `Yeah they're almost like a couple.' Ranma thought. `If only I could get those two together maybe then I would have better chance at getting Akane alone.'

Akane smiled at Ranma and continued chopping the vegetables into the pot. Whatever horrors she was preparing Ranma couldn't face it and went off to explore the surrounding area. Though the tall mountains unsettled her; it had a foreboding aura around it. The dark storm clouds that still swirled up above rumbled on cue.

`Man this is a creepy place.' Ranma worryingly thought.

*

Shampoo bowed to the statue that was her ticket to freedom. No longer would she be trapped by honour, she would be free to make her own choice. Now was the time when she would become a true Amazon warrior. The hot water still dripped from her body as she sat by the fire warming her wet body. Soon it would be night and the time for her spell would arrive.

*

Akane made a face of frustration as she added the fresh herbs she had found in the forest. Ranma had tried to stop her but she'd show him. She was a good cook, maybe not as good as Ukyo who had been cooking all her life but she'd make herself passable. She rummaged in her backpack to see if Kasumi had added any cooking ingredients. She pulled out a jumper and a small indiscreet bottle dropped out.

`What's this?' Akane wondered. Then she remembered it was the hypnosis mushroom tonic. The Chinese symbols clearly marked a warning sign but she couldn't read the rest. `This is dangerous, how did this get into my bag?' She looked at the jumper it had been wrapped up in. This was the exact same one she had hidden it from everyone in her clothes drawer back home. `Kasumi must have packed it by accident.' She clutched it tight as she looked at the bubbling stew. It wouldn't be right if she dropped it in. She didn't want to think about what might happen if it did.

"Hey Akane, are you done cooking your poison yet?" Ranma asked nudging her. He could smell the aroma and it wasn't too unappealing but he wasn't going to say that.

"Ah!" Akane jumped in surprise, she had been too busy thinking and fumbled with the bottle. It slipped out of her fingers and went top first into the dark stew.

"Uh-oh…"

"Man what a klutz." Ranma chuckled.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Akane yelled grabbing his shirt and pulling him close.

"Hey it wasn't me, you're the butter fingers," Ranma argued back.

Akane let go and got her ladle to rescue the bottle. She pulled it out but it was completely empty.

"So what was in there anyway?" Ranma asked wondering what had gotten Akane so upset. She was putting in tree bark last time he looked so a bottle of herb tonic wasn't going to make much difference.

"That was the tonic." Akane whispered tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe it her cooking was wasted and she had spent so long finding the right type of wild herbs. Now it was ruined!

"Huh tonic?"

"The mushroom tonic, y'know the one that puts you under hypnosis on the first thing you hear. Only this is the stronger tonic stuff that Shampoo used on me making me act like I was using the Neko-Ken."

"The tonic that made you permanently under the Neko-Ken?" Ranma gulped.

Akane nodded and looked back at the bubbling pot. She now feared what the contents would do.

"I'll throw it away," Akane said.

"No wait don't do that." Ranma said quickly a plot hatching inside his mind. "I have a plan and hopefully it will give us enough time to ourselves."

Akane blushed with embarrassment and listened to Ranma's cunning plan.

*

Cologne and Mousse arrived at the bottom of the mountain. The temple was half way up and it was a steep climb. It would take another hour till they reached their destination.

"We have to hurry before the full moon rises." Cologne hissed.

Mousse went to ask why, but the old woman had moved quickly into the forest. The male Amazon had to hurry to keep up with her. He didn't like the fact that Cologne, someone that always laughed at these types of things was taking it seriously. Usually she would be chuckling away at some private joke. Something that annoyed him greatly, how could she take the affairs of her great-granddaughter so lightly?

The sun was beginning to set, not that it could be seen through the clouds. But the darkness was now getting even thicker with an ominous fog. Mousse tried to push back these feelings; he was only getting carried away with thinking too much. Everything would be okay with Shampoo, then he could save her and she would finally see that he was the one meant to be her husband.

*

Ukyo looked suspiciously at Ranma and Akane. They had been talking together for more than ten minutes without so much as a cross word.

`What are they talking about, Akane's blushing.' Ukyo thought. `Ranma's smiling about it whatever and he isn't teasing her. This is bad for my plan to get Ranma and myself alone.'

She watched them for a while as she prepared her grill for the okonomiyaki. She made sure she had set it up far away from Akane's cooking but now she was regretting it. She desperately needed to know what was going on over there.

"Hey Ryoga." Ukyo whispered to the boy as he was preparing his bed inside Ranma's tent.

"What?"

"Any chance P-Chan could make an appearance, those two are up to something."

"No chance in hell," Ryoga snarled. "There is no way P-Chan is going anywhere near Akane just in case she goes under the Neko-Ken again. You have no idea what it's like being treated like a toy."

"You're right I don't." Ukyo giggled, but she nervously looked across. Ranma had to be planning something she had that feeling at the back of her neck. The tingling sensation that she was about to be betrayed. `I hope for your sake Ranma that it's to get you and me together because I'm sure getting fed up of being second place.'

Ranma caught a shudder as he saw Ukyo looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"So do you think it'll work?" Ranma asked.

"I don't think they'll buy it Ranma." Akane sighed trying to avoid eye contact. Ranma had basically said he wanted to get them alone together. Then she could finally tell him what they had done with no audience. She saw Ukyo's glare and turned her back stirring the pot.

"Just watch me." Ranma winked. He strode across to them both. "Hey Ukyo, I've been helping Akane with her cooking."

"Oh, I see." Ukyo gasped understanding the secrecy. `Akane is such a terrible cook, she's so embarrassed she needs help from a boy! That's what has been going on!'

"How dare you mar Akane's cooking with your own foul tastes Saotome!" Ryoga snapped.

"Hey you want to get sick feel free but I helped improve it so it's edible." Ranma scoffed, his eyes watered as a ladle smacked into the back of his head. "Hey Akane what was that for!"

"Hmph, if that's what you really think of my cooking and you said it tasted good!"

"You've already tried it?" Ukyo said amazed. "But you have to have my Okonomiyaki first."

"Sorry, Akane's was just too good for once." Ranma chuckled rubbing his stomach.

"Really?" Ryoga said just as amazed. "Please let me have some, Akane I knew your true cooking skills would come out eventually."

"Oh wait Ryoga…" Akane said but Ranma ran up beside her and finished her sentence.

"It's too good for you Ryoga, I'm going to eat it all."

"Wait Ranma you won't have any room for my food!" Ukyo cried.

"Maybe if you have some of Akane's stew. Then I'll eat all your okonmiyaki." Ranma tried to reason with her.

"Perhaps." Ukyo shuddered. "But did you really eat the stew I never saw you."

Ranma held out a dirty bowl. "I just ate it so fast, it was really yummy."

"This I got to believe." Ukyo huffed. She held out a spoon as Akane handed over a bowl. A grinning Ranma handed a duplicate bowl to Ryoga. The pair looked at each other and dug in. Ranma and Akane sat together watching; Ranma still had a big grin on his face while Akane looked worried. In the distance thunder rumbled.

*

The moon's beams could be seen briefly through the clouds. Shampoo lit some candles and began the chant. The dog statue of the temple with its fierce grin seemed to loom over her. This was the statue of the white dog that would possess her with a power greater than the Neko-Ken. She could if she had tried gone through the same training as Ranma. Or perhaps hypnotised herself like Akane into being able to do the Neko-Ken properly. But this wasn't the way to beat a cat. To beat a cat you needed to become its enemy, a dog.

The thunder rumbled and a flash of lightening went off in the distance. The storm was starting up again, the fog lifting as the dark clouds whirled around the temple. The giant seven-foot statue crumbled slightly as Shampoo's spell started. A howl rang out in the distance, the girl tried to ignore her fear. This was what she wanted the power and strength to defeat Ranma and regain her honour. So she could be free of the one sided relationship. If anything he treated her as a friend not as the wife she wanted. Her revenge would be final and absolute. There was no going back now.

Shampoo stepped forward and said the magic words. "Good doggie, come to Shampoo."

A spark of lightening shot down from the heavens and struck the statue. It exploded in a deafening bang and Shampoo was thrown backwards from the explosion a strange blue aura filled the air as the magic began.

The howls grew louder and Shampoo looked up her eyes glowing yellow.

*

Author's Note: Oops, really bad double cliffhanger but what can I say. I love em and I get evil pleasure from people going `noooo cliffhanger!'

Mwha ha ha!

Next chapter Shampoo gets her revenge and will Ranma's plan work with Ukyo and Ryoga. (I'll update soon honest!)