Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Two Worlds ❯ Discovering Good Hearts ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Akane makes Shampoo a favor.

My English's not perfect…so betta readers would be oh so welcome!

Not my property…

It was like some crazy dream. They had being fighting. It had being one of those fights they always had: a punch and a kick and some yanking of hair. No one had ever get hurt, so why should any of them had to ever imagined that that time there would be consequences. As Kasumi said afterwards- in one of her infrequent, soft and weird comments- getting used to violence was dangerous. She was right and everyone agreed with her, of course. But it was too late. Shampoo already laid in bed with a sliced belly.

Ranma was blaming himself as they sat in the waiting room of the ER awaiting any news on her condition. Ukyo was playing tough and uncaring rival that had just won fairly…but it was a painfully obvious attempt to hide her fear and horror at what she had done. Akane was silently sitting next to her. She agreed with Ranma. He should have stopped the fight. He should have put an end to all this fiancees idiocy a long time ago. And even though, deep down, she knew it hadn't being Ukyo's fault at all, she was still shaken by the experience and couldn't get herself to console the chef.

Shampoo had started it. If she didnt, Kodachi probably would have had, but for some reason, no one took Kodachi seriously. Shampoo made the mistake of turning her back on her, maybe too confident Kodachi was on her side or maybe she was too angry to think straight…maybe she hadn't even seen the Dark Rose as she ran towards Ukyo from the distance. Either way, as the Amazon Girl and Ukyo readied their weapons to block each other out, a ribbon flew towards them and wrapped around Shampoo's ankle, tripping her. She swayed her weapon clumsily, and Ukyo, already committed to the blow, could only cry out in horror and surprise at the unexpected opening. Blood sprayed off of Shampoo like water from a popped pipe, the spatula running cleanly from below her breasts to her hips and finally clanging heavenly on the bloody ground.

Kodachi didn't see…or didn't care. But before she could yanked the toppling amazon off the ground, Ranma cut the ribbon with a clear kick as it tensed up while a stunned and paled Ukyo helped Shampoo down to her knees.

"You…you kill I."

"No! No…!"

"Ukyo…"

"She tripped! I didn't meant to! I…we…it was a fight…I…!"

"Great…great grandmother…take revenge….She…be sliding….your throat."

Ukyo swallowed hard at that and her face turned to a purplish color. They all kind of did.

Fortunately, both Cologne and Mousse were gone for some special trip to China-something about Mousse's mother being sick and the possibility she had the plague. It did remove the preoccupation of a sadistic or violent vengeance..even though they really hoped Mousse's mom was alright.

Akane turned to look at Ukyo as the chef placed her face between trembling hands and rubbed her eyes. She swallowed and forced herself to place a gentle hand on the distressed girl's shoulder. Ranma wasn't even looking at her. And it really hadn't being her fault.

"She's gonna be alright, you'll see."

"I didn't mean to do that. I…I didn't even think the spatula was that sharp…I…"

"It…it wasn't your fault. It was an accident. Accidents'll happen…Ranma."

Ranma swallowed, took in a deep breath and straightened on his chair. Ukyo had turned to look at him in obvious distress. He finally nodded curtly.

"It was a fight. There's always the possibility of someone getting hurt…" He finally faced her, and gave her a sad smile. "This stuff'll happen."

Ukyo nodded. Akane stared at the exchange and felt a familiar pang of inferiority. She had trained as a warrior…always in the security of the Dojo, under the tutelage of a loving father. Ranma and Ukyo had to suffer through the harshness of the outside world and had being forged by it. It was strangely unnerving how after that small exchange, they both seemed to feel much better about that horrible incident.

"Saotome Ranma…?" A nurse called from the room where Shampoo was being attended.

"Ranma…"

"Shampoo…"

The busty Chinese amazon, usually irradiating youthful exuberance laid still and spent on a hospital bed, covered by a white sheet. Her skin was pale and there were dark circles under her half opened eyes. Ranma grabbed a lax cold hand between his own. Akane felt another pang, this time of jealousy. It was a felling apparently mirrored by the tense Ukyo, but they both forced themselves to calm down. This time…they would allow it.

"…Me be dying…" Shampoo whispered brokenly.

"Dont be silly. You'll be okay."

"…Me be dying…me feel…weak…" She blinked owlishly. Ranma just held her hand.

"…Ranma…"

"I'm here."

"…Wo da ai len…you care for great-grandmother…and for stupid Mousse…"

"Shampoo…"

She closed her hand on his, tears swelling on her eyes.

"...you give last word to obaaba…"

"Just hang in there, Shampoo…You'll be alright"

Ranma winced when she started coughing tiredly, whimpering.

"…Ranma…" She wheezed. "…wo da ai len…hear…"

"Tell me…"

He finally leaned forward, his sadness and concern clear on his face.

"…tell great…great…waipo…to kill with much pain Spatula Girl…"

Ukyo glared at her but gasped in fear and concern when Shampoo's eyes closed and her head lolled to one side.

"Shampoo!" Ranma leaned in closer, almost touching her face.

They all stiffened when the dead amazon turned her head to plant her lips on Ranma's…he couldn't help but notice her lips where anything but cold. She seemed to get more comfortable on their position, sliding her arms up around his neck.

"Mr Saotome, the patient's still under the effect of a sedative" Dr Ramen rebuked as he entered the small room. "Please, don't do that."

Ranma finally managed to pull away, with the help of Akane janking him roughly back by his pig-tail.

A half asleep Shampoo licked her lips, a horny blush giving some color back to her cheeks. Ukyo turned, muttering under her breath something about having better things to do, and left.

They were eating in silence. It felt somewhat wrong to leave Shampoo alone in the Hospital. Ranma, however, after making sure she was going to be alright, had felt no longer the obligation to be at her side. And if he didn't, Akane certainly shouldn't feel the need either. She was feeling a bit bad about it, though.

Her sympathy was destined to turn into anger as soon as the voice of the chiness amazon was heard.

"Airen!"

It was her voice alright, but it lacked the usual upbeat, happy quality to it. It was more of a wail. They were on their feet when the Amazon passed flying over the wall of the Tendo's garden in a wheel chair at full speed, several man in green coats falling and scattering all over the place. The chair fell apart when it landed on the front of the Koi pond, and it's passengers all splattered on the ground. Shampoo jumped to her feet almost instantly, dragging along five burly male nurses that cling to her for dear life

"Airen!"

"Shampoo? What's going on?"

"Oh, Ranma!" She knelt in front of him, her arms surrounding one of his as she watched him with adoring eyes. "Me so scared and sad! They poison blood and try take advantage of I! They drag self to bed when wanting go home!"

Ranma blinked and looked at the nurses. They seemed terrified and still not quite grasping what had just happened. He leaned towards one of them.

"Take advantage?"

"She…she…needed to stay in bed." He stammered, wondering if he would fly off to his doom if he let go of the girl, apparently not realizing the race of death through Nerima had ended a moment ago. "D…doctors orders…"

"And here I was thinking we'd have a few days of peace…"

"Maybe you should have stayed in bed, Shampoo-san,." Kasumi said gently. "You look a little pale."

Shampoo shooke her head rapidly.

"No! I need be home, Ranma rescue loving wife, yes?"

"Gimme a break…"

Suddenly a huge man jumped out of the koi-pond with an angry hostile expression on his square face. He looked more like a judo martial artist than a nurse, his oversize body straining his small green coat.

"No patient is escaping on my watch." He snarled, removing his bulk off the pond where he had being ejected to and lunged towards Shampoo, with all the others following his lead.

His big bulk was soon slammed against the wall and his own weight peeled him off of it, gravity dragging him back into the koi pond. Soon, nurses of all sizes were flying and crashing in all directions. The Tendo's and Saotomo's watched with mild surprise…they didn't knew medical school trained students into the martial arts too.

It was all very nice until Shampoo kicked the last nurse right in the face and her recently stitched up wound popped open like a zipper, blood splashing all around again. Shampoo's eyes bulged out and she took her hands to the wound, trying to keep the precious liquid where it belonged.

"Shampoo!"

"Aiya…uh…me…me go home now."

She turned and started walking away. Ranma jumped and placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Shampoo…"

"Airen come to home too?"

Ranma clenched his teeth and shuddered when she hugged him, feeling the stingy warm blood falling down his leg.

"EEEEEEEKKK!"

"Wo…da…ailadashhshsh…"

"Shit!"

He kept Shampoo from falling down on her face as her knees buckled with one hand, while dragging the huge nurse off the pond with the other and shacking him violently.

"Yo, man, wake up!"

The big man's hand flailed mindlessly, trying to inject Ranma with something. He eeeeked again and let him drop back on the water.

"I better call an ambulance."

"What a good idea, Nabiki-san."

"No time for ambulance!" The huge nurse howled, emerging from the pond under his own power. "No patient dies on my watch!"

"...Ranma…me dying again…"

"You should have stayed in the freacking bed!"

"…you give last words to…obaaba…Ranma…"

He sighed.

"…please…me…YOU STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

The oversize nurse reeled back from a blow delivered by the small girl as he tried to inject an anestesic.

"Stay still, girl!"

He sputtered out the words along a few bloody teeth. He was soon punched back again.

"Shampoo, knock it off!"

"…give last kiss…"

Ranma held her down with a scowl and the huge gorilla of a nurse, trembling and not even bothering to get up, pinched her lightly in the belly, right on top of the bleeding wound. He was rewarded with a brutal kick to the neck.

Fortunatly the ambulance arrived soon and they all struggled to drag Shampoo inside, She was surprisingly strong for someone under sedation and with a good bleeding out.

"Me not wanna go!" She wailed, clinging to Ranma's neck as he struggled to keep his groud. "Ranma !"

"GET OFF OF ME, SHAMPOO! They'll take care of you!"

"Ranma, just get in with her!" Akane screamed, pushing him as the nurse pulled Shampoo. "She's gonna bleed to death!"

"No she wont! I have tests tomorrow, I gotta sleep, SHAMPOO!"

The amazon warrior finally lost her hold on his neck and fell back. They quickly slammed her down on the gurney and speeded to the hospital. Ranma was mumbling on the ground. He had being ejected forward by Akane's frantic shoves, and had slammed his forehead painfully on the ground.

"You're such a jackas, Ranma." Nabiki added.

"Cant…everyone…gimme…a….brreakk… ;"

The next day, after school, Ranma was feeling kind of guilty for all the arguing and scowling Akane and the Tendo's had delivered into him. He bought some flowers and chocolates and headed to the hospital to pay Shampoo a visit. Akane was next to him. She hadn't given any explanations, and Ranma had not asked. That was one of the things that were both an advantage and a disadvantage with Ranma. He took a lot of things for granted.

"I KILL!"

Shampoo's room seemed to be under the attack of a very centralized hurricane with a very dirty mouth. Most of the words that were being screeched could not be understood, for they were spoken in Chinesse. But it wasn't needed much imagination to know what they meant. Akane and Ranma did understood frequent death threats in Japanese, apparently the only thing Shampoo could mastered in her current mental state. They both poked their heads into the room. A disheveled and pale nurse walked hurriedly out. She grabbed onto Akane's arm, almost leaning on her.

"By the love of god, dont touch the straps."

Shampoo was tightly strapped down on the bed…and didn't seem to like it a lot. She was trashing with such violence, that the bed itself shook and jumped with her. She finally stopped, panting and wheezing.

"Yo, Shampoo…"

Any trace of rabid consuming rage disappeared, and her face was all smiles.

"Airen!"

"How are you feeling?"

Akane blinked when Shampoo glared at her.

"How you think? Japanese people stupid! Why not respect other?"

"Hey, don't blame this on me! Why cant you relax and be civil!"

Shampoo retorted with something in chinese.

"Hey, don't say words I cant understand!" Akane seethed, getting red with anger.

"So, how do you feel?"

Shampoo seemed to debate what to say. Even though her eyes were tired and kind of bleary, Akane could feel the cunning penetrating mind still working through the fog. Fortunately, she had never made the mistake of taking the Chinese girl by an idiot. She subconsciously glanced at Ranma. Akane knew how much it hurt to be underestimated.

"I woke up and still feel not good." Shampoo finally sighed in a weary tone. "Me not like here. Me want go home."

Ranma put the flowers and chocolates they had bought for her by the nightstand and scratched at the back of his head.

"Mmm…you kinda cant eat the chocolates…but its the gesture that counts, uh?" He laughed. He stopped when both girl glared at him,. "Well…we just wanted to make sure you were okay. And the Doctor's say you'll be alright so, see ya around."

He turned to leave. Shampoo strained against the straps.

"Ranma!...You just leave loving wife here? Alone?"

He made a face.

"Well…yeah, whats the big deal? Cant you be by yourself?"

"…Me not like…Me want home…"

Ranma sighed.

"We'll ask if you can stay at your place." He said. "Be right back."

"She lost too much blood and she had to be stitched up twice." Dr Ramen told them. "Even with Dr Tofu tacking care of her, there could be complications and he doesn't have the necessary equipment to handle them. She needs to stay a few days…Loock, the food is not so bad, okay? And the beds are clean."

Ranma stared at him a moment, then shrugged and turned to leave. Akane stopped moving to Shampoo's room when she realized she was going alone.

"Ranma! Aren't you going to tell her?"

"Tell her what? What everyone's already told her? She's gonna be alright, Akane, she's just trying to get me to spend time with her."

"And is that so bad? She's all alone in there…"

"Then you stay with her. I gotta tests to do, and practice. Sorry."

"I dont have to stay…she aint one MY fiancees."

"Whatever.."

They walked out of the Hospital and into the garden. Akane felt worst each step she took.

Shampoo stared at the ceiling. She wasn't unused to being alone. As any good warrior, it had being necessary for her to spend weeks in the solitude of the wilderness, either training, keeping guard or hunting certain female outsider that had dared to humiliate her in front of her people. She sighed and glanced at the flowers and chocolates Ranma had brought her. Sometimes it seemed her airen didn't give a twig about her. Its not that she mind much but…sometimes his indifference really hurt her. She had landed on that horrible place because of him.

The door to her room opened and a couple of male nurses entered, followed by the Doctor. Shampoo eyed Dr Ramen wryly as he took her blood pressure, leveled her heartbeat rate and response of her eyes to the light. But then, he started touching her chest, and belly...

"Lets prepare another transfussion." Dr Ramen said. "Something's wrong."

"No! Nothing be wrong!" Shampoo squealed. "Me no need no nothing!"

The Doctor ignored her. A moment later a nurse returned with the transfusion equipment ready . Shampoo saw the blood IV…the blood of who knew what Japanese commoner, most possibly not even a warrior…maybe not even a female. The thought of the blood of a male being fed into her veins filled her with horror and disgust and she howled her protests. Used to it by now, the hospital staff ignored her futile struggles which started growing more frantic when one of the nurses lifted her hospital gown to touch her skin.

Akane stared at the entrance of the Neko Hanten. It was strange to see such a busy and successful restaurant closed and empty. At night, it looked desolated. Akane shook her head.. As if any of their inhabitants had died or something. Cologne and Mousse where in China in a trip and Shampoo was recovering at a good hospital. So…why was she feeling so sad for her?

She turned and walked away. Stupid Ranma.

Shampoo awoke with a start when she felt movement around her. There was a dreaded nurse…but behind her there was a familiar person. At first she thought it was Ranma, somehow stuck in her female form…but then realized how shapeless that female was…

"Akane?" She asked in dismay.

"Hi. How're you feeling?"

"Go away."

Akane glared at her, but her angry retort died on her throat at the sadness and weariness she could see in Shampoo's face. Without Ranma, the amazon hadn't even bothered to put up an act of anything. She just laid there, looking longingly at the window.

"I figured…you'd want some company?"

Shampoo blinked and glanced at her, then at the male nurse changing the IV. She wasn't sure who she should be more afraid of. The thought of more strange blood being poured into her and those disgusting men touching her without her permission was more perturbating at the end than accepting death at the hands of a long time rival.

"Yes…Shampoo'd want the company."

"Ill leave you two alone then." The male nurse said. "Anything you need, you press this button."

"In the heart, yes? Be more quick."

Akane blinked.

"What?"

Shampoo's eyes narrowed.

"Why you come?"

"Like I said…you kinda looked like you wanted company. So here I am!"

"…"

"...WHAT?" Akane screamed, blushing under the skeptical stare of the Amazon.

"Shampoo be really tired. Maybe it easier if eyes not looking?" With a knowing nod, she closed her eyes. "But make quick, yes? Me always plan to do it quick to you."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know." She started to doze off again. "And if you not know…then maybe better if Shampoo no tell, yes?"

"Uh…"

Akane quieted down. Shampoo was already asleep. She sighed. The only noise in the room was Shampoo's wheezing breaths and the beeping sound of the heart monitor keeping account of her pulse rate. Now that Akane didn't have to worry about staring, she studied the milky skin covered in sweat, the dark aureoles below the big eyes…and the trail of tears running down her cheeks. The pillow was wet with them.

"I KILL!"

Akane jumped startled out of her guts by the sudden chaos around her. For a moment, she thought someone had broken into the Dojo and was hurting someone…but then remembered where she was and what she was doing. She got up from the couch and stared at the scene before her.

Shampoo had managed to set one arm free and was trying to choke the life out of a male nurse while a mini regiment of others struggled to uncurl her fingers from his neck and get the arm back under control.

"You Not Touch Shampoo!"

They finally managed to and Akane frowned in concern as Shampoo was even more heavily restrained.

"I KILL!" She promised again in the fiercest snarl Akane had ever heard.

But even when her snarling threats where fearsome enough, she was still human and was soon forced to stop to catch her breath. The regiment of nurses left, murmuring curses, leaving only one behind. Akane simply stood next to the bed, wondering what the fuzz was all about. Her eyes bulged out at the sight of the hideous wound. When her eyes land on Shampoo's face…she saw tears running freely down her cheeks.

"What the hell are you doing to her?"

"Trying to clean her wound?"

"But…but it's hurting her!"

"No, its not. Its just oxygen water."

Akane forced herself to watch. He was being very careful and his movements reminded her of Dr Tofu. Besides…she had seeing Shampoo trying to cover the hole in her stomach with her bare hands without much more reaction than a blink of her eyes. Still now, Shampoo's hands were clenching the sheets tightly, and her eyes were closed as if she were under the worst torment in hell. Then it occurred to her…

"Could…could I clean it up?"

She asked the nurse, tacking his hand to stop his work. He hesitated.

"Cant you see you are upsetting her? I'm a friend. Let me do it, it ain't so hard!"

Shampoo hissed, pulling the straps dangerously taunt. The nurse swallowed and allowed Akane to take his seat, giving her a pair of gloves. Akane, very sure of herself so far, hesitated and paled at the prospect of having to touch and get the hideous wound wet. Swallowing hard, she started barely brushing the exposed, opened skin, expecting Shampoo to screech in pain and lash out anytime soon.

"It doesnt hurt." The nurse assured her. "Does it hurt?"

"NO! IT BE FUCKING FINE! LET ME UP!"

"…Press it lightly. Like that. Now with this."

Akane, encouraged by how Shampoo had somewhat...kind of relaxed, dried the moisture on the unwounded skin around the scar with a gauze and then sprayed antiseptic on and all around it and covering it up then with a new bandage.

"There now." The nurse picked everything up. "Why didn't you say you preferred a female nurse?"

Shampoo barcked something in chinesse at him, janking on her restraint so hard the bed jumped. The man screeched and fled.

"Better?"

Her big violent eyes turned to Akane…and stared long and hard.

"You…you cleansed wound…"

"You kinda looked terrified." Akana said, blushing slightly. "It shouldn't upset you so bad, they are just nurses…"

"They no right touch Amazon blood."

Akane made a face and sighed.

"Why? Is there some punishment for that?"

"You be warrior…you can touch blood."

"Thanks…"

"You lick Shampoo wound, Tendo Akane."

"I didnt lick it!"

"…Me not forget."

Akane's anger fled her…Shampoo was smilling at her. She blinked in confusion and blushed again.

"It…it was nothing, really…"

"Akane …"

"Yes?"

"You free Shampoo now…yes?"

She glanced at the door. They had told her not too. And she understood why.

"They said I shouldn't."

Shampoo frowned.

"But look, Ill stay here. I'll make sure they don't bother you anymore."

"Okay… You want be friend with I?"

Akane blinked.

"Uh…well, yes…I, well, we've gone through a lot and…and I just feel of us like friends already. You don't?"

For the look she gave her, it was evident Shampoo had never thought of her as anything close to a friend…untill then. Akane smiled broadly, feeling a great sense of accomplishment.

"Besides…" She added. "You have done the same fer me lots of times."

"Shampoo never has."

Akane's laughter died on her throat.

"Yes, you did."

"Nope."

She scowl and her smile descended into a tight neurotic rictus.

"Yes you did! Twice! Remember Taro and that Phoenix fiasco?"

Shampoo's eyes widen. She sniffed and shifted as much as the restraints would allow her. For a moment she remained silent, and again those eyes of hers grew hard. Finally, the thinking process stopped, and Shampoo made her move.

"Aiya…Me not say true because Airen happy with Shampoo for action. But you help Shampoo…so Shampoo give true in this." She pulled her head up and beckoned Akane to move closer, glancing about to make sure nooned else was around before whispering conspiratorially. "Me wanting kill Akane in cave and blame Taro and then be trying to break neck in slip and make it look like nice little accident."

Akane's eyes bulged out in horror, and in her anger, she thought of just turning around and leaving that homicidal little bitch to her inner ghosts…but Shampoo was looking at her with such an open smile and tender eyes…She sighed and remained in her chair, suddenly understanding, and feeling great sympathy, for Ranma.