Shampoo kept walking, ignoring the pain and how her body wanted her to stop. She wasn't quite to the edge of Nerima yet and Mousse had respected her enough to let her go alone. Cologne, she knew, was walking behind them the whole way but now it didn't matter. She kept walking and opened the door to the restaurant she found.
"Hello Shampoo, how...oh my!"
Shampoo looked at Kasumi through a veil of pain and saw the young brunette rush up to her. The ever vigilant angel Kasumi helped Shampoo sit down, and insisted that she help.
"How in the world did this happen?" Kasumi asked Shampoo, dabbing at a cut on her arm with a warm wet cloth.
Shampoo smiled at the eldest Tendo sister and explained how Amazon law decreed that she could live her own life now that she defeated her ex-leader.
"But Shampoo, couldn't you have gotten killed?!" Kasumi cried
"I would prefer to die in battle than to live under the amazon law."
Ukyou poked her head around the corner and grinned at Shampoo. "So does this mean you've given up your claim to Ran-chan?"
Shampoo looked over at the okonomiyaki chef and nodded, she could see the look of pure joy on her face. Shampoo conversed with Kasumi as she wrapped her arm and could see Ukyou doing cartwheels and backflips through the kitchen. It was nice that she was enthusiastic but she wasn't sure Ranma would choose her over Akane. Even if she could cook.
Kasumi finished the bandage and smiled at Shampoo.
"Where will you go now?"
Shampoo just shook her head. "I don't know." She flipped her long purple tresses over her shoulder and stood up quickly. "I must go now, I will try to kep in touch." she promised then firmly pressed the eldest Tendo girl's hand in her own.
Kasumi saw her walk out the door and looked at her hand and saw that she had given her a gold bracelet with Japanese characters etched into it. Kasumi looked at the characters as she slipped it on her wrist and smiled, it said 'Golden hearted friend for life'. Kasumi looked out the window and could barely make out Shampoo's retreating form.
"Good luck Shampoo. My friend." she said softly, "I will treasure this always."

Shampoo jogged down the street, her gold anklet bouncing against her ankle as she went. Ukyou's was just a memory now, as would be everything in Nerima soon. She pulled back part of her hair so that half of it hung down over her back and the other half was in a ponytail. Mentally she went over the things in her backpack. The scroll, the umbrella, clothes, food, canteen of hot water and other things she'd need for her travels. She kept up her speed until she heard a loud 'Bwee!'. Sharply she turned and saw P-chan being chased by Ranma-kun.
"Go on get!" Ranma said tossing a large backpack at the pig, "Akane doesn't want you around now that she knows who you are so go!"
SHampoo watched the pig squeal at him before he plopped down on the ground, Ranma walked away mumbling about pigs. Little P-chan hung his head and Shampoo walked over to him, the pig looked up as her shadow cast over him. She looked at the bandana around P-chan's neck then the backpack with a large umbrella. Remebering that Ryouga carried those things she sighed picking him up.
"Ryouga?" the piglet nodded, "Jusenkyo?" the piglet nodded again and she reached into her backpack. As she pulled out the canteen of water P-chan looked at his own backpack. She set him on the ground and poured a bit of water over him then turned around as he transformed and got dressed.
"Thanks Shampoo."
"No problem, I've been stuck in my own form enough times to know how you feel. Akane and Ranma kicked you out?"
Ryouga nodded as he pulled on his pack. "Yeah, I'm not sure where to go now."
"I have left the tribe." Shampoo said with no emotion, "Would you like to come with me?" she offered.
Ryouga looked at her in surprise. "Are you sure?"
"Of course I am sure, I'd like some company."
"Where are you going?"
"I don't know, you can lead the way, you've traveled the world."
Ryouga put a hand behind his head, not wanting to tell her that his sense of direction was awful and that was why he traveled like he did. "Yeah sure, if you want me to." He could feel his face turning crimson.
Shampoo motioned that they should get going and the eternally lost boy nodded, the wind blew warmly on their backs as they went into the horizon onto places unknown and to begin something they'd never forget.

Mousse watched them go, anger and hurt rising in his heart. She still wore the flower behind her ear and his mind churned with possibilities. Had Ryouga forced her to go with him? Had he persuaded her with sweet words and promises? Mousse's glasses glowed as he took a chain out of his robe.
"Do not fear Xian Pu I shall save you from the evil Hibiki." he swore in Mandarin.
Ryouga sneezed and rubbed his nose, Shampoo passed him a rissue and they crested the hill going out of sight. Ryouga thanked her and blew his nose, then tossed the tissue in a garbage can. Shampoo jumped over a puddle and looked at him.
"Let's go P-kun."
Ryouga grinned and they broke into a run simultaneously. They ran with ease side by side, going up the next hill. Ryouga glanced at her and grinned he knew she had extreme endurance from training with her grandmother and her figure showed how well she excersized. his mind halted but his body kept going as he snuck glances of her lean body.
"We could make a great team." Shampoo commented
Ryouga's face burned and he looked away as he pulled out a tissue for his now bleeding nose. "You think so?"
"Hai." Shampoo stopped as they reached the top of the hill and looked at him.
Mousse saw their silhouettes and ducked behind a tree to hide himself from sight. Ryouga fumbled with his words and Shampoo smiled.
"P-kun I want you to have this."
Ryouga looked at her in surprise and accepted her token of friendship, a beaded nacklace with assorted characters on it.
"I made it for Ranma but I don't think he deserves it." Shampoo said
Ryouga put it on slowly, his eyes not leaving hers. "What do the characters mean?"
"Courage, wisdom and strength." she said softly.
Ryouga's ego swelled in pride as he smiled. "Domo Arigato."
"It is nothing."
Ryouga's fingers nimbly took off one of his many bandanas, Shampoo didn't move as he tied it in her own hair. "It's not much but I'd like you to have this." He congratulated himself as he didn't falter, stutter or bleed.
Shampoo clasped his hand and could feel his pulse race. "Thank you Ryouga. We are the best of friends now yes?"
"Best friends, yes the best." he grinned
Mousse seethed from his hiding place and swore he would kill Hibiki for touching Shampoo. His aura glowed white and infused the chain in his hand with energy. Mousse could hear Shampoo's gentle laughter right before the pair started running again.
"He's chasing her!" Mousse fumed
His mind made up, Mousse started after them leaving Nerima in the distance. Fortunatly or un- the pair had a headstart and were faster than Mousse. They converesed as they ran, neither one knowing where they were headed.
"How do you survive without a steady job?" Shampoo asked, "Isn't it difficult?"
Ryouga pushed himself to go faster and Shampoo matched him not breaking a sweat. "It can be, but I make it by working the streets, sometimes I find tournaments that pay when you win. Like this." Ryouga pulled a flyer from his pocket and handed it to her.
"Tenka Ichi Bodukai." she read, "Held in Satan City, Japan. All fighters are welcome, teams are allowed. Be there in person and sign up, first prize 100 million yen!" Shampoo looked at him, "We should enter this P-kun, we could win this I know it."
Ryouga looked into her eyes shining in eager anticipation of a battle. Her chest heaved as she took a deep breath and he felt his blood race, even he loved a good fight. Shampoo put her face directly into his, her bright purple eyes dancing with excitment.
"My last tournament was in Joketsu with the amazons, this is for possibly millions of fighters. It's the chance of a lifetime. Please P-kun, please let's fight together in this tournament."
Mousse could see them in the distance, to him their figures were one. His blood boiled in anger. He steals the kisses from her divine lips, he thought outraged. How dare he, I will kill the insolent pig!
Ryouga sighed. "I never could resist a beautiful girl, alright lets find Satan City."
Shampoo squealed in happiness and nearly broke his ribs as she hugged him. Rapidly and repeatedly she thanked him in Mandarin, at the confused expression he wore she told him again so he could understand. "C'mon P-kun lets go!"
Ryouga let himself be drug in the direction of Satan City and said sheepishly. "So what will we call ourselves?"
"I dunno, how about the Cursed Wonders?"
Ryouga winced. "Not exactly what I had in mind, what do you think of the Jusenkyo pair?"
"Sounds good." Shampoo agreed, "and since I now wear your bandana that is what we can be known by."
"Sounds like a plan." Ryouga agreed, "Um do you know how long it will take for us to reach Satan City?"
"It should take us a day if we hurry."
Ryouga slipped his hand into hers, his palms were hot and hers were cool and held confidence. "You should lead the way." Ryouga commented.
"Alright." Shampoo said starting to run faster.
Her long purple hair flowed behind her and Ryouga ran to keep in step with her. Neither realized that they were being followed by a jealous would-be suitor, and if they found out they might not have cared. Ryouga followed the ex-amazon faithfully, soon he became used to hearing her deep breaths. As he looked over at her, he noticed a light in her eyes and her full lips were brought into a stunning smile. He caught himself staring at her and quickly averted his eyes to the road ahead, they'd only been running for ten minutes but already they had covered six blocks and Shampoo had just started to warm up. Ryouga picked up the pace and barely noticed the scenery going by, lush green trees and fragrant blossoms were lost to them as they concentrated on their goal. Satan City and