Ranma considered what he was told. This was certainly another change of pace with his life... but like all other changes, it was one he was unsure of how to proceed with. He’d been so used to all kinds of dirty tricks and plots pulled on him to either make his life hell, trick him outright or simply get him indebted to the Amazons as to try and guilt him into accepting Shampoo as his wife.
But that was the catch here with how everything had been changed by the Great Will. Cologne wanted him to take care of Shampoo but she wouldn’t be his wife. Instead, she’d just serve as a member for his group, a pokégirl that would be his ally and work her hardest to be a contributing member to his team... or more precisely, their family.
That made him shudder, an action that he noticed made the Megami raise an eyebrow. It wasn’t that he really feared Shampoo under these circumstances. It was the fact that he was going to have to take the steps necessary to put together a PokéBattle Team, and take care of people he would be responsible for, would have to look after and keep out of trouble... like someone would their spouse... or a parent their children.
Damn it, he wasn’t ready for that! He wasn’t ready to get married to a single fiancée before Hiroshi and Daisuke had screwed everything up, let alone what reality called for now in having to accept responsibility for a NUMBER of women! Women that would do their best to please him and long as he kept their best interests in mind as well was something that took a bit to take it. It was mind-numbing and could possibly more trouble than it was worth in the long-run.
Not to mention the trouble Ranma was sure he’d get back at the Tendo Dojo. He’d probably get an earful from his old man and Mr. Tendo for simply choosing Shampoo first. Even if he didn’t make her the Alpha, if they were anything like they were beforehand, they’d be the sort to jump to conclusions, despite evidence to the contrary. He really didn’t feel like putting up with such crap simply because he accepted to allow Shampoo to throw in her lot with him, to become his backup and ally...
“Wait,” Ranma thought as the gears started to turn in his head. “These girls would be allies... they would actually work WITH me... I could have the help I need to change things back to normal!” He realized with an internal glee, although a smile came to his face. He could accept her, accept a number of girls... he’d have a team with which he could search out those two and then force them to return the power to him. Then he could just fix everything, turn everything back to the way it was! He wouldn’t have to deal with any long-term consequences by choosing pokégirls! It was perfect!
Now the Megami’s other eyebrow shot up to join her first one. “Ranma?” She spoke his name slowly as she questioned, “Are you all right?” For some reason that smile on his face unnerved her immensely. The only time he really smiled like that was when he had some cockamamie, half-assed plan that he thought was brilliant.
It took the pigtailed martial artist a moment to realize that Cologne was talking to him. Shaking his head to get himself to the reverie of thoughts, he replied, “Oh, sure. No problem!” He replied, with a surprising amount of enthusiasm. Standing up with confidence, the heir of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts gave her an almost cocky grin. “I think I just realized something to make this the best thing possible.” He then turned to his pork ramen. Bringing the bowl to his lips, he tilted it back, trying to finish the soup off quickly.
Nodding her head slowly, Cologne wasn’t particularly sure what to make of the youth’s actions. Perhaps his connection to the Cosmic Awareness was having a profound effect on him that wasn’t expected. While it made her worry for her great-granddaughter, she was thankful that IF he was warming up to the idea of allowing Shampoo within his sphere of influence, that the Megami would be able to keep a better eye on what was going on. “So I should take this that you’ll accept Shampoo as a pokégirl on your team?”
Placing the bowl down and letting out a satisfied sigh—it really was good ramen—he turned to the Celestial pokéwoman and nodded his head firmly. “Sure!” He said as he brought his right hand up to his face, wiping his mouth with the back of it. “I’ll give Shampoo a shot. Next time I see her, I’ll look over her info and if it seems like she’d be a good fit, I’ll take her in.”
The Megami perked up considerably, surprised by not only how compliant the young man was but that he was also showing some foresight. Most young men would be glad to hear that a Cheetah wanted to be part of their group, but instead of just giving into her request without thinking, he wanted to see what value she had to the group first-hand. Nodding her head, Cologne started to walk away as she replied, “Very well. Just give me a chance to contact Shampoo. Knowing her, she’ll come straight here once I tell her your whereabouts.”
Hearing that comment, Ranma started to become nervous once again, despite his earlier showing of bravado. “Uh... Cologne?” He said the pokéwoman’s name nervously. “Does that mean you gotta,” he gulped nervously. “Take the wards down?” If those things were behind him having had the time to relax the past hour or so without any other pokégirls barging in, then he wasn’t so sure if this was that good an idea. Survival came before vengeance on those who wronged him, (such as causing him to lose control over a reality-warping connection to the cosmos) any day!
“Don’t worry, I won’t have to,” the blue-tressed Megami replied as she walked into the kitchen. She then picked up a phone hanging on the wall from its cradle and moved it to him for emphasis. “Shampoo DOES work here as a waitress and delivery girl. She carries a cell phone with her...” she sighed. “I just hope she hasn’t shorted it out with her electricity like she did the past half-dozen or so.” She muttered that last part as she started dialing buttons.
A sweat-drop started to trail down the side of Ranma’s head. Despite how different that was from what he was used to... it did make a lot of sense. It would allow Cologne to keep tabs on the over-enthusiastic younger Amazon much easier... but admittedly, the idea that the Amazons could be tech-savvy to a certain degree was going to take the pigtailed martial artist a lot of getting used to. “O~kaaay...” he said slowly, awaiting to see whatever would happen.
Holding the phone to the side of her head, Cologne heard the line ring a few times before there was the sound of the connection being picked up on. “Hello, Shampoo.” The older pokéwoman spoke up. “What are you doing?”
“Sorry, Great-Grandmother, Shampoo is too-too busy right now!” Came the almost frantic female voice from the other end of the line. “Ranma is choosing his team and Shampoo can no find him! If Shampoo do not find in time, Shampoo no get chosen!” There was sniffling. Shampoo so want to be Ranma’s Alpha!”
Eyes narrowing, Cologne took a firm tone of voice. She wasn’t going to allow Shampoo to blow this chance for herself out of foolish pride. Too much was at stake; she had to accept any station she could with the boy if the Cheetah were to fulfill her part in the upcoming destiny that would be the outcome of pokégirl-kind’s impact on the world. “Shampoo,” the Megami said in a cold voice. “You shouldn’t be going on and on about that young man.” She looked over her shoulder at him. “There is much going on in the young man’s life and he does not need you acting like a child atop of it.”
“But Great-Grandmother...” the Chinese Cheetah on the other end of the line tried.
“No excuses or complains,” the Celestial pokéwoman said sternly. “Drop your search and come back to the restaurant immediately. We have very important things to discuss.”
...Yes Great-Grandmother...” came the dejected female reply from the phone.
“And no stopping anywhere along the way. This is important,” Cologne stated to her... before adding, almost as an afterthought, “And come in the back door with the key I hide above the door-frame. I have some wards up for good reason. This is a private affair and I wish no one to intervene.”
There was a long pause. “Is there an important guest, Great-Grand—”
“JUST GET HERE!” The Megami snapped before putting the phone back on the receiver and cutting off the connection. By the Gods, the Cosmic Awareness was just SO much easier communicating over. Unfortunately, it didn’t help when the person you were trying to gain a mental reverie with was so focused on something that your own thoughts came to them barely louder than a vocal whisper.
Another sweat-drop rolling down the other side of his head, the pigtailed martial artist chuckled nervously. “Uh... is...” he trailed off, unsure if this was the right track of tact or not. Still, curiosity won out over common sense as he finally asked, “Is everything all right.”
Taking in a deep breath, the Megami slowly exhaled, bringing a hand up to wipe her hair back. She was getting too easily frustrated lately... but she supposed that was to be expected. It wasn’t often a Megami found themselves personally entwined with the forces of destiny often. They were usually the ones that helped pushed things along but all day, the Amazon Matriarch had been put on the spot. Despite her three-hundred years of composure and diligent training, with all of the day’s surprises, even she was starting to become flustered. “It’s nothing, Ranma,” Cologne said as she finally turned to face the human youth once more. “Please understand that Shampoo may be a bit too enthusiastic for her own good at times, but it is certainly a tool you can use to your advantage in helping to guide her towards seeking her potential.”
Looking at the woman with a raised eyebrow, Ranma slowly nodded his head. It seemed that despite the physical changes, Shampoo was likely to be the most unchanged personality-wise of all the fiancées in his life. That was both relieving and unnerving. Man, he was almost afraid to go looking for Ucchan if things kept up like this.
Before he could entertain any thoughts of just what his old pal would be like in this newly changed reality, he froze up for a moment, trying to concentrate. He could swore he heard noises coming from the direction of the kitchen but further still, as if it didn’t originate from there. It sounded like someone fiddling with a lock... “Shampoo? Already?” He questioned.
Nodding her head firmly, the Megami replied, “I told her to come here directly. As you can see from this small demonstration that she is very quick.”
Raising an eyebrow, the pigtailed martial artist retorted, “Even though I don’t know how far away she was from here to begin with?”
Smirking, Cologne could only reply, “Touché.”
The sound of a door opening was followed by it slamming shut. “Shampoo is back, Great-Grandmother!” Came a reply from further into the kitchen. Within mere moments, the Cheetah was in view; a perfect blend of the previous woman Ranma knew with the feline her breed was based after, a pelt of white and backside of spotted gold, a black tear-streak coming down from her eyes and her otherwise white-furred face was framed by long locks of violet hair that were still familiar to the pigtailed martial artist.
And then he realized that same pokégirl was staring back at him. “AIYAH!” Shampoo chimed happily. “IS RANMA!”
Zip-Zoom-Zing!
*CRASH*!
“Nihao, Ranma!” Shampoo purred her greeting as she nuzzled her cheek against the downed pigtailed martial artist. “Shampoo missed Ranma too-too much! Shampoo very worried Ranma hide from her because of no-good obstacle pokégirls!” Her purring seemed to increase in decibel levels, just so pleased that teenaged boy she held affection for came to her for once... or at least, that was how she saw it.
The raven-haired youth’s reply to the feline pokégirls physical display of exuberance was a heartfelt, “...ow... my spine...”
Shaking her head, Cologne let off a long-suffering sigh. Realizing that this was the norm with her granddaughter, the Megami simply left the situation to them as she made her way to the kitchen. She did have to recast the ward she’d placed on that back entrance; the Cheetah having broken it by simply entering the building. “Shampoo,” she called out to her from the kitchen. “Please, do get off of Ranma and help make him more comfortable.”
Raising her head for a moment, the purple-tressed Cheetah called back, “What mean by that, Great-Grandmother?” She asked of the Megami with an almost defensive tone of voice. “Shampoo do well making Ranma comfortable!” She grinned and ground herself down on his lap a bit as she straddled him.
Placing the flat of her glowing palms on the door, the Celestial pokéwoman replied, “Well, for one thing, seeing to it that he won’t need a chiropractor would make him more comfortable.” As the glow transferred from her hands and started to cover the door itself, she added, “It would also make him more likely to accept you as one of his pokégirls.”
Her eyes shining with delight, Shampoo grinned as she looked down at the pigtailed martial artist. “Ooooh! Ranma want to pick Shampoo for his PokéBattle Team, yes?”
Groaning as he tried to sit up with the Cheetit on his lap, Ranma told her, “I will if you’ll get off of me...” he told her seriously. At the hurt look she started to give him, the Japanese youth winced. “Look, I need to scan you with my Dex. I want to know what I’d be getting into if... and I mean IF,” he said pointedly. “I choose you.”
“OH!” Shampoo shouted in understanding. “Why Ranma no say so?” She grinned a rather mischievous smile that suited her cat-like nature. “Shampoo pose for Ranma and let him know everything he need to.” She then got off from atop his lap, allowing him to stand up. Brushing himself off for a moment, the pigtailed martial artist was about to reach for the red plastic electronics device on his best when he noticed, “Uh, Shampoo?”
Pausing for a moment, the Cheetah turned her head towards the man she hoped would accept her into his life. “Yes, Ranma?”
Staring at her, the martial artist deadpanned, “You don’t have to take off your top to pose for this.”
The purple-tressed Cheetah pokégirl stuck out her tongue at him cutely for a moment before pulling her shirt back down after having pulled it up enough that it was scrunched around her chest. As she finished, she turned to him completely, smiling and awaiting him to start. “Shampoo is ready, Ranma. Scan Shampoo, yes?”
Nodding his head to her question, the raven-haired teenager pulled on the PokéDex, releasing it from his belt. Holding it up in his right hand, he aimed it at the Cheetah from Joketsuzoku and then hit a button on the panel surface. There was a flash of illumination from a small green light on the small handheld’s surface as the Dex activated.
Scanning pokégirl. Type found. Registry found.
Species: Cheetah, the Quick Cat
Genus: Catgirl
Primary Element: Thunder
Sub-Element: Thunder
Sub-Element: Fighting
Physique Type: Near Human - Animorph (Cheetah)
Level: 30
Registered To: Hemm-Pah (ResPa/Father), Ranma Saotome (Pending Acceptance)
Notable Abilities: Enhanced Speed (x15), Enhanced Endurance (x3), Enhanced Hearing (x3), Enhanced Smell (x4), Enhanced Eyesight (x2), Nightvision, Semi-Prehensile Tail, Functional Claws, Electrically-Enhanced Muscular and Skeletal Systems
The Cheetah is one of the Sukebe Inc.-created Pokégirl breeds and has existed since before the Red Plague. Cheetahs were a specialized version of Catgirl breed, obviously meant for quick in-and-out strikes against lone targets, and often acted as support for Lioness Prides out in open areas. They also proved very popular with courier services.
Cheetahs are prized for their outstanding speed and fighting prowess. Cheetahs are the fastest ground-runners of all Pokégirl breeds. On a level road, they’ve been clocked up to 350 mph, (563 km/h). However, they can’t maintain such speeds for long; like the African wildcats they’re based on, the Cheetah can only use her speed for short periods, (in the prime of health, a Cheetah could maintain her top speed for upwards of five minutes before fatigue sets in).
Her chest puffing out with pride as she inhaled deeply, Shampoo’s tail swayed back and forth behind her in delight. The device may have spoken a little too fast for her liking, but she could tell it was nothing but praise. Realizing one fact it pointed out, the Cheetah happily proclaimed, “And Shampoo much, MUCH faster than that!” Her hands went to her hips as she posed proudly before the man she knew would accept her.
“That is true,” Cologne said as she made her way into the main dining area from the kitchen. Her eyes narrowed lightly as she added, “However, your top speed is something you can only handle for upwards to forty seconds.” As her great-granddaughter started to deflate, she turned to Ranma and added, “But the speed that has been listed, I can promise you, she can hold it for that five minutes, easy. And she’s not even in her prime yet.”
Nodding his head in understanding, Ranma asked, “How about with her arms?” As the two looked at him, he suggested, “Well, isn’t there the Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken? It would be useful for her to have speed in her arms as well as her legs.”
Cologne raised an eyebrow, curious as to how the youth had come to know about that Secret Amazon Technique. A tug at her consciousness from the Cosmic Awareness allowed her some insight; the universe that had tried to overlap theirs was one where the boy had not only bared witness to it but had learned it! Taking a deep breath, the Megami nodded her head. “Yes. Shampoo was trained in that technique. It’s part of how she’s gotten a lot faster than most Cheetah pokégirls her age and level. I’ve used it to help balance out the burst of electrical impulses that make up her body chemistry, so she doesn’t overuse the muscles in her legs as quickly.”
Nodding his head, Ranma slowly replied, “I... see...” okay, maybe he didn’t see how it would help direct electricity, but figured it had to do with how aspects of the Cheetah’s body were enhanced with said power because of their Thunder element. “Anyway,” the pigtailed teenager continued before issuing his PokéDex still leveled at Shampoo the command of, “Skills.”
Skills are listed using the standardized Lowell-Flannery System developed for monitoring Skill Trainer testing.
Shampoo
General Schooling - N/A: approx. High School GED. Regional Language Skills - Novice. Cooking - Adept. Cleaning - Adept. Waitress - Adept. Unarmed Fighting: Amazon Wu Shu - Adept. Bonbori Fighting - Adept. Chinese Sword: Jian Blade Fighting - Intermediate
“Hey!” The Cheetah shouted in indignation. “Shampoo no novice in language! Shampoo speak good!”
Sighing, Cologne told her, “Yes, Shampoo, you speak our native tongue very well. But that listed you under regional language, and to be honest, your Japanese could use a bit more work.”
Pouting, Shampoo’s ears pressed back against her skull, becoming partially hidden within her long purple locks. “Shampoo try do good...”
Lowering the red device, Ranma told her, “Eh, cheer up Shampoo.” As he placed the PokéDex back onto his belt, he told her, “I ain’t the best at speaking Japanese either at times. Mostly when I get... you know, a little in over my head.” Like right now for instance, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. “Besides, the personal skills does list many good things about you otherwise...” he smiled. “Heck, you’re going to be PokéBattling, right? It sounds like you’ve got more than enough skills to go toe-to-toe with other pokégirls.”
“...Going to be?” Shampoo asked curiously, repeating what had been said. Her ears started to perk up and a shimmer of light came to her slitted irises. “Do Ranma mean he accept Shampoo!?” She was bouncing on the heels of her feet, causing her bosom to bounce within the confines of her clothing as well.
Staring at Shampoo for a moment and realizing just how hopefully she was, Ranma sighed as he mentally reminded himself, “It’s not like it’ll be anything bad. All you have to do is accept some of the girls, track down your so-called friends, and then force them to give you back the Great Will.” Making himself smile once more, the pigtailed martial artist replied, “Yes, Shampoo. That is exactly what I mean.” He then raised an arm, pointing at her. While it sounded odd in his mind, it felt somehow right to say, “Shampoo! I choose you!”
“THANK YOU RANMA!” The purple-tressed pokégirl shouted as she lunged at him. Fortunately for the heir of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, he was able to brace for the impact, catching her in his arms. He stumbled a bit, but the fact was he remained standing, even as the Cheetah happily nuzzled and purred against him. “Oh, Ranma make Shampoo so-so happy! Shampoo promise that Shampoo be good Alpha for Ranma!”
“Shampoo,” the Megami spoke her name firmly. “You are not going to be Ranma’s Alpha.” She held up her hand as the younger Amazon was about to protest. “That does not mean you cannot become his Alpha later, once you are more experienced. But as you are now, you are not capable of handling the rigors and responsibilities of what being the Alpha Pokégirl entails.”
Pouting a bit, Shampoo didn’t like to think about it like that, but she understood that her great-grandmother was on her side. If she didn’t think she was ready yet, then she would accept that... for now. “Great-grandmother and Ranma help Shampoo become better pokégirl eventually, yes?”
“Uh... sure!” Ranma piped up. Hey, why not? If things went as planned, he might not have to live up to that end of the bargain and in the meantime, she’d be much easier to handle.
Squealing in delight, Shampoo hugged her arms tightly around the man supporting her. “Thank you! Shampoo do very good for Ranma! Shampoo Promise!” She knew with him so readily agreeing that she’d be Alpha sooner or later. As far as she understood, he chose her first! That had to be a sign that he really wanted her the most!
So contented was she with that thought, that the Cheetah hugged perhaps a little too tightly.
*Crack*!
“...ow... my ribs...”
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(Posted Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:54)
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