The morning light shown brightly through the battered apartment window shade, waking Xian Pu from her slumber. Old instinct not used in years screamed at her to get up and get out, or else there would be hell to pay. Her eyes went wide and she prepared to bolt, but then her eyes fell on the person lying beside her. The tension in her sore muscles bled away. The old flight instincts had almost ruined her first morning with a Ranma that was not married or engaged to anyone else.
She sighed softly in contentment. All the bruises and cracked bones complained from the night before, but she still had a serene smile on her face as she looked over Ranma’s sleeping face. His eyes were closed and his hair laid in trails around his head. Xian Pu couldn’t go back to sleep, so she decided to just watch Ranma as he slept. Despite the lack of action, she still thought it was the best thing in the world to watch.
She traced a few lines on his face and chest, but made no move to do any more. She had learned her lesson from when she tried to intrude on him in the bath. She would give him his time and space, and in the end she would win his love. She sighed again and snuggled up next to her sleeping husband by Amazon law. “Wo Ai Ni.” She said softly.
About half an hour later, Ranma began coming to. He felt the extra weight in the bed and the very soft mass glued to his side. He opened his eyes and saw Xian Pu smiling at his side, her purple-red eyes meeting his steel blue. Her smile, which made her that much more beautiful, was infectious. He smiled back to her. “So how are you feeling this morning?”
Her smile seemed to stretch out further. “Still sore and bruised, but well rested thanks to you.”
Ranma chuckled. “Glad I could be of help. Even though all I did was play teddy bear.”
Xian Pu poked him in the side a couple times. “You must be the toughest teddy bear I’ve ever seen, but still you are remarkably effective.”
He laughed. “But seriously, how are you wounds? Do you need to see a doctor?”
She shook her head. “No. I’ll heal. I may not be able to heal as fast as you, but I still heal quickly. Just let me lay here for a while longer.” She nuzzled into his side.
Ranma finally noticed that his arm was around her. “Oh well,” He thought to himself. “Things could be a lot worse. At least she’s toned down a lot from where she started. I wonder how things would have turned out if I had chosen her. Would I have been married to her still? Would I have been as happy as I was those first few years that I was with Akane? Would I have been happier? Or would I have been miserable living in the Amazon village, being to told to be subservient to every woman? Even though my opinion of the strength of women has improved over the years, I still don’t think they have any right to think they are superior to men. Maybe if that weren’t the case, would I have chosen Shampoo? Doubtful. After all, I was so in love with Akane it made me stupid. Of course I was pretty stupid back then anyway…” His thoughts trailed off to the past and might-have-beens.
Xian Pu noticed him deep in thought. “Yen for your thoughts.”
He shook his head and brought himself back to reality. “What?”
She smiled at him once more. “I was just wondering what you were thinking so intently about.”
The warning signal going off in Ranma’s brain was almost visible. “Nothing. Just thinking about when we were teenagers.”
She nodded her head. “I think about that a lot. Sometimes…” She turned her head and went silent.
Ranma looked concerned. “Sometimes what?”
She looked back at him with a forlorn look on her face. “Sometimes I think about all I could have done differently. I think about how much I screwed up my chances with you. I keep beating myself up for being so forward and not letting you have a chance to think about me. Ranma, I’m so sorry I did all those terrible things back then.”
He gave her a sympathetic look and wiped a tear from her eye. “It’s okay. We were all a little young and stupid.”
She shook her head. “I mean it, Ranma. I wish I hadn’t tried to drug you or use all those magic love potions on you. I’m also sorry I ran over you with my bike. Looking back, I don’t know why I thought that would endear you to me.”
Ranma grinned. “Maybe you thought a display of strength would impress me. All I can say was it left me very ‘tired’.” He chuckled.
Xian Pu narrowed her eyes. Before Ranma knew what hit him, her pillow was planted on his face. “Stupid Ranma.”
He lifted the feather filled club off his face. “At least I know you’re feeling better. I wouldn’t want you to feel like a fifth wheel.”
She pummeled him twice more with the pillow. Laughing, Ranma rolled off his pillow and brought it to bear. The two traded blows until he finally tackled her to the mattress, pining her arms to her side. He smiled a Cheshire grin. “So what are you going to do now, pussy cat? I’ve got your claws, and you’re still injured.”
With a playful light in her eyes, she returned an evil grin. “Don’t make me have to use secret Amazon attack.”
He chuckled a bit. “And what attack would that be? I’d like to see a devastating attack that you could launch from this position. I’d say you’re doomed.”
She chuckled and narrowed her eyes. “It’s an ancient technique used by Amazon women to stun an opponent. It’s very powerful and leaves the victim unable to move long enough for the Amazon to escape.”
A realization dawned on Ranma. He moved his leg to cover both of hers, rendering a kick in the genitals not an option. “Okay, now what are you going to try? I’ve already closed my openings.” He gave her a haughty laugh.
She just had an ‘I-know-something-that-you-don’t’ smile. “You are wrong, mister Saotome. There is still one glaring hole in your armor that Amazon women have been trained for years to exploit.”
He snorted. “And what would that be, Miss Pu? You are quite incapacitated and completely under my control. There is no ‘hole’ in my armor.”
“Heh, heh, heh.” She mocked the evil laugh of almost every evil character from any spy movie ever made. “I’ll show you that you are no match for the great Xian Pu!”
Ranma narrowed his eyes. “Bring it on, Xian Pu. I’d most like to see you escape from such a dire position.”
“You asked for it. And with this technique I will remove all doubts of the strength of the Amazons!” She shot her face forward and caught Ranma in a passionate kiss, taking him completely off-guard. Before he could react, she rolled him over and stopped with her in his previous position, pinning him to the mattress. She smiled a huge grin. “Told you so!”
He shook his head, but any anger at her drained at the playful smile she had on her face. He knew he could easily overpower her, but he decided to play with her a little further. “Very well played, Miss Pu. I will not underestimate your techniques again, but there is one small problem.”
She gave him a suspicious look. “And what would that be?”
“You leave yourself open!” He dove in and kissed her back, flipping her back to her back and him on top once more. “Now I know your evil tricks, you cannot thwart my plans for world domination.”
She scowled at him, but still had the playful look in her eyes. “You evil maniacal man! Using the Amazon technique against me! You’ll pay for that!”
He laughed at her. “Hey! When did I become the evil one? You’re the one who attacked first.”
She snorted. “It was a preemptive strike. I knew you would get me once my back was turned.”
He gave her a mock-injured look. “You wound me! I would never take an opponent in such a manner. I would always defeat them in honorable combat. I would never dream of doing such a thing!” He put his evil grin back on. “But that matters not. Your tricks will not work a second time.”
She shot her face forward once again and caught him in a lip lock. She tried to move against his well-muscled arms, but could not as they remained strong.
Ranma returned this kiss as he would a proffered challenge. He drove her head back to the sheets. After a while he broke the kiss with a smile. “Saotome Ranma always comes out on top.”
Xian Pu returned the smile. “Curses. Foiled again.” She again started to kiss him.
Ranma turned his head and breathed into her neck. “Your attacks are useless.”
“We’ll see.” She kissed her way up his neck and nibbled on his earlobe. “We’ll see how useless I am.”
Ranma realized that it had been a long time since he had made love to a woman. It was almost two years to the day of their divorce and he hadn’t been with another woman since. Miko and her smothering ways had pretty much turned him off to dating again. He wanted a woman who was halfway sane and that he could trust. Xian Pu’s passion didn’t come as a surprise, but his body’s response was. He never thought that he would fall for Xian Pu after all of these years. Something inside of him made him push her away though.
She looked back at him with a pained look. “I’m sorry, did I go too fast again?”
He blanched at the comment. “No. I just can’t do this. It’s just that I can’t. I’d feel like I’m betraying someone.”
Her shoulders slumped on the sheets. “You’re still in love with Akane.”
He shook his head and got up. “It’s not that so much anymore. It’s just like I’m betraying my honor. I made a commitment to be faithful to her till death do us part. It feels like I’m going back on my word. I’m the one who should be sorry, Xian Pu. You’re nothing like you used to be. You’ve listened to all the requests I’ve made of you and you’re a lot more sensitive to my needs. I just haven’t really been sensitive to yours. I know I put you through a lot and owe you more, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. I have a family for Kami’s sake!”
She gave him a sympathetic look. “When was the last time you saw your son?”
He hung his head. “It’s been almost a month. I’ve missed him a lot, but this case has been coming to a head. I couldn’t pull away for any of my regular visits.”
She reached out and took his hand. “Ranma, you may think you’re being a bad father and unfaithful, but it’s a part of life. You have to move on. You don’t have to stop being his father, but you do need to realize that your marriage is over and you need to get on with your life.”
He hung his head. “What about my honor?”
Xian Pu nodded her head with the knowledge of what had to be done. “Take today off. Go home and spend time with your son, but more importantly, talk with Akane. She said you hadn’t talked to her since the divorce. Find out her feelings and then see where you think your honor lies.”
Ranma let out a heavy sigh. “You’re right. It’s something that should have been done a long time ago.” He got up and started to get dressed.
Xian Pu watched him get ready in silence. She hoped that Akane would help him see that he was free to choose, and she hoped that he would choose her. Of course there was always the possibility that Ranma would go back to her, but she kept that thought out of her mind.
She got up and went to the kitchenette and began to make some breakfast. She whipped something up in time for Ranma to have some on his way out the door. He finished his meal and turned to leave. He opened the door and looked back at her. “Shampoo. I’m really sorry about ruining your life. I honestly never wanted anyone to get hurt.”
Xian Pu hugged him, still clad only in his red shirt. “I forgive you, but if I had a chance to stop you from coming into my life, I wouldn’t take it. Tell Akane hi for me and that I’ve been trying to do what we discussed last.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “And what was that?”
She smiled and tweaked his nose. “You’ll have to ask her.”
He shook his head. “Well, don’t wander too far from the apartment and don’t go near any of the places we’ve been watching. Do not initiate anything while I’m gone. Am I clear?”
She nodded her head. “Crystal. I’ll probably go back to bed and heal for a while anyway.”
“Take care, Shampoo.” He closed the door and walked toward the stairs.
“Take care, Ranma. My beloved husband.” She spoke softly in Mandarin. She turned and went back to the bedroom to rest some more. Granted, it wouldn’t be as restful without Ranma there, but she would make do. She opened the bedroom door and came face-to-face with a very irritated redhead.
“Shampoo, I presume.” The girl pulled the hammer back on the .45 revolver she was holding.
Xian Pu narrowed her eyes. “Miko, I presume.”
The redhead smirked. “Daisuke Miko at your service. Now if you’d please just leave this town and never come back again, I’ll gladly let you live. I’d hate to splatter such a pretty face all over Ranma’s apartment.”
The lavender haired Amazon held her ground. “What do you want?”
The redhead snorted. “Like you don’t know. I want Ranma, pure and simple. You are an obstacle and obstacles are for killing.”
“I always wandered if that was proper grammar or not.” Xian Pu thought idly. She went back to being serious. “What makes you think Ranma will take you? He doesn’t like you.”
Anger flashed over Miko’s face. “Listen, bitch, he’s mine. You got that? He was mine before you showed up!”
Xian Pu narrowed her eyes. “Wrong. Ranma’s been mine for almost eleven years now. You’re way too late.”
The gun started wavering as Miko’s anger started to get the best of her. “Liar! If he’s been yours, why did he marry that banshee, Akane?”
Xian Pu started to move forward extremely slow. “He was bound by family honor to marry her. He was my husband by Amazon law. He chose family honor over our law. Since he has met that obligation, he can now acknowledge the Amazon law.”
Miko growled. “He’s going to have a hard time marrying a corpse! That’s what you’ll be if you don’t leave!”
“Why would he want you? Is it true you were working for one of the groups he was investigating?”
The redhead gulped and then steeled herself. “Who told you that?”
Shampoo smirked. “Ranma told me himself. He never trusted you.”
Miko bared her teeth. “I was, but not after working with him! I fell in love with him and betrayed the yakuza. They didn’t kill me because they didn’t know where I was. After I had the cosmetic surgery to become Ranma’s girl-form, they could never find me. I gave up everything for Ranma, so I deserve him!”
Xian Pu glared at her. “You gave up being a criminal for him and you call that everything? You’re still welcome in the land of your birth and not targeted for death by your loved ones on sight for him. For him I gave up my family, my home, my job, and my life. I’ve been dropped to nothing twice because of him, and I’d do it again if he asked.”
The gun wavered a bit. “What do you know?! He’s mine! Maybe I should call the yaks down here to take care of you properly. I’m sure a powerful man would enjoy ravishing you every night.”
Something connected in Xian Pu’s mind. “You were the one that called the cops the last night, weren’t you?”
Miko smiled. “Got it in one. They would have killed him if I hadn’t done that.”
“You fool! He would have been fine if you hadn’t done that! Now he can’t use them anymore!”
Miko’s face filled with anger. “You stupid whore! They were going to kill him anyway! Calling the police was the only thing that saved him.”
“What do you mean?”
“They were finished with him. Everything is going to go down soon and they had no more use for Ikari Shiji’s service. In fact, I’d bet that they have no need for Masaki Tenchi either. The yaks will probably kill him next time they see him. Which would be a shame. I’ll let them have you though, and then Ranma will be mine. Or maybe I’ll just finish you here and be done with it.” She brought the gun up again.
Xian Pu stopped and continued to glare. “You don’t have the stomach to kill me. You’re just a pathetic little girl with a crush on a man she can’t have.”
The barrel of the gun stopped cold and pointed at Xian Pu right between the eyes. “We’ll see who has the guts.” She started to squeeze the trigger.
Xian Pu threw her hand out and wedged the tip of her finger between the hammer and strike, stopping the gun from going off. She wrenched the weapon free and tossed it across the room. She threw a punch at the smaller redhead, but she ducked and rolled out from under it. Miko returned the blow, only to have it blocked by the Amazon. Miko ducked low and tackled Xian Pu to the floor.
The two wrestled on the ground, punching and scratching. Miko knew that Xian Pu was injured. She started pummeling the Amazon’s cracked ribs, causing cries of pain to come out. Xian Pu kicked out and sent the redhead flying through the air and out the window of the apartment.
It was only a second floor apartment, so Miko landed in the alleyway easily. Xian Pu bounded out the window and landed a few paces away from the redhead. Miko charged forward and launched a complex punch combination.
Xian Pu blocked them as she thought, “She’s good, but not the best of her generation!” The lavender haired girl rolled back and kicked up at the same time, throwing the redhead flying behind her. Miko impacted against a closed window, shattering it into several shards. Xian Pu held her ribs absently and glared at the redhead. “It time we ended this, once and for all.”
Miko picked up a large shard of glass and held it like a knife. “Agreed, Amazon whore. Ranma will be mine, now and forever.”
The Amazon smiled. “What if you forget all about him?”
The redhead looked at her in surprise. “What? How could that happen? I’d never forget about Ranma!”
Xian Pu smiled. She reached into her hair and produced a small vial. “All that’s left of the 110 formula.” She thought. Aloud she said. “I’ll show you an ancient technique feared throughout China. The Xi Fang Go Shiatsu technique?”
The smaller girl gave her a confused look. “The Xi Fang What?”
In a flash, Xian Pu disappeared from in front of her. In a blur of motion she felt fingers working on her scalp, and then nothing as unconsciousness overtook her.
The lavender haired Amazon discarded the now empty vial. “Now I know why I kept that vial with me. Never thought I’d actually use that again. Now to take care of the ‘obstacle’.” Xian Pu picked the smaller girl up and walked off.
Later that night, Ranma arrived back to his apartment. He walked in and saw Xian Pu sitting on the couch. He smiled as he looked at her. “You and Akane were plotting against me.”
The Amazon smiled back. “We only wanted you to be happy. I take it you talked to Akane. So what did she say?”
He grimaced and sat down in one of the chairs in the room. “She told me that family honor had been satisfied and so was she. She said she wanted to see me happy again. She was sorry that she couldn’t handle my job, and that I needed to move on.”
Xian Pu knew she shouldn’t but she felt compelled to ask anyway. “So did you consider going back to her?”
Ranma shook his head. “I actually asked her, but she refused. She still couldn’t accept my line of work and would probably fall into the same trap she did before. She told me there was someone out there who deserved me more than her. Someone who had given up everything and only asked for love in return. Someone who had been alone for nine years and had never stopped loving me. Someone else that honor needed to be satisfied with.”
“And?” Xian Pu asked.
“So I’m going to look up Ukyou and see if she isn’t busy…”
WHUMP!
The couch cushion knocked Ranma out of his chair. Ranma stood up and pulled the pillow off his face. “So I see we’re back where we started this morning.”
Xian Pu came up and put her arms around Ranma and kissed him. After breaking the kiss, she smiled. “Let’s just skip to the end.”
Ranma chuckled. “So what did you do today?”
She laughed nervously. “Just took out the trash…”
The Buddhist shrine was closing to the public for the day when a redheaded girl wandered in. The priest considered the confused look on the girl’s face and went to her. “Child, what is the matter?”
The girl looked up at him. “I don’t remember who I am. Can you help me?”
The priest looked down at the obviously adult woman. “You mean you don’t remember anything from your past?”
“Nothing. I only remember waking in front of your gates. I also remember some feelings of conflict.”
The priest put a hand on her shoulder. “Well you can find a new life and peace with Buddha. We’ll do everything we can for you.”
The redhead thanked him. The priest did some searching for her identity after that, but only came up with a picture of a little girl from Nerima that never had any records of existing.