Part 3			
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Ranma 1/2 Z Neo:  Part 3 

Preparations
chapter by Fanime Lynn; story idea by Tony Chen   (Thanks, Tony!)

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*It's late at night, in the Tendo household.  Akane, Nabiki, Ranma, and Trunks
are the only ones currently awake, sitting around the table.  Ranma and Trunks
are involved in a quiet conversation, not noticing Akane's silence.  Nabiki, as
usual, is doing mercenary work.  As we watch, Nabiki closes a financial book
and yawns.  She leans back, relaxed. Noticing the almost anxious look her
sister's giving her, she decides to make a tactical exit.*

Nabiki:  I'm sure you three have a lot to catch up on.  Just don't stay up too late,
or I'll charge you for the electricity you're wasting.  Good night.

*Nabiki leaves the room, turning on a hidden recorder as she leaves.  Akane,
though,  knows of this particular device from earlier embarrassments, and
uncovers it, then removes the batteries and replaces little machine, hoping
Nabiki wouldn't find out for a long while.  She then faces the two guys directly
across from her.*

Akane:  All right,  what are you two keeping a secret about? *glares at Ranma*

Ranma:  W..W..Wha..What secret!? *both Ranma and Trunks are sweat-
dropping, Ranma from anxiety,  Trunks from his friend's disability to lie*

Akane:  Where are you planning to go without me?  Or, should I say, 'When?'

Ranma: I told you, Trunks just wants to do some tests on us! Right, Trunks? 
That's all he wants! Right? *Ranma says this in rush, not letting Trunks get a
word in side ways.  Akane, wanting to catch Ranma in a lie, continues before
Trunks can cover for him.*

Akane:  And what kind of tests were these, again?  I seem to have forgotten.

Ranma: *having clearly forgotten what he said earlier that day*  Ahhhhh....,
uhh..., hehehe...,  Well,...

Trunks: *trying to cover for Ranma*  They are to see if, umm, if Ranma's martial
arts have improved a lot by being injected with alien blood?

Ranma:  Yeah, that's it!

Akane: You sure?  Reeaallly sure?

Ranma: *his voice now just a squeak from nervousness* Ummmm, yeaaahhh?

Akane: *pretending to cry* Oh, Ranma! Do you hate me that much? So much
that you can't tell me the TRUTH?  *she buries her face in her arms, letting out
pretend sobs of heartbreak*

Ranma:  Akane!  Please, don't cry!  I don't hate you!*obviously doesn't recognize
her trick, and, being Ranma, can't stand to see her cry*

Akane:  Then why won't you be honest with me?*sniffle, sniffle*Please tell me
the truth! Or can't you trust me?  *gazes up at him with watery eyes. Trunks,
thinking he's unnoticed, starts edging away, hoping Akane won't look at  him like
she is at Ranma.  She sees, and swings her watery gaze at him.* You don't hate
me, do you? You'll tell me, right?

Trunks: *Trunks, like Ranma, can't stand to see girls cry* Uhhhhh....I'd like to....
but...........

Akane: But Ranma told you not to! *wails* I knew it! 

*Ranma, realizing he's been defeated, gives in*Alright! We'll tell you, Okay? Go
on, Trunks, tell her!

Akane:  Thank you, Ranma.*she favors them both with a little smile.  Ranma is
noticeably affected, but Akane doesn't see*

*Trunks explains his real reason for coming to the past, and Akane, of course,
wants to go.  Ranma decides to put his two cents in about this*

Rannma:  Akane, you could get hurt! You should stay here and ....

Akane: *cutting in* And what would you have me do, hmmm, Ranma?

Ranma: Uhhhhhhhhh..........

Trunks: *trying to help* You could bake us cookies for when we get back!
*expecting Akane to be a good cook, like Kasumi*

Ranma: (That's worse than her coming with us!)  Trunks, maybe that's not such
a good idea....

Akane:  What's wrong with my cooking? *she gets ready to draw her hammer,
knowing Ranma is going to insult her*

Ranma: Nothing!  I just wanted to avoid getting sick, that's all! It's 
getting better, though!  I only got a mild case of food poisoning the last 
time I tried it! *trying his best to say something nice, but there isn't 
anything nice about Akane's cooking*

Akane: RANMA NO BAKA! *With this, she hammers him through the ceiling.  He
flies straight into the koi pond, of course*

Ranma-chan: Hey! What'd you do that for?  *mutters*Akane no baka. I give you
a compliment, and ya hit me for it!

*inside*

Trunks: ......

Akane: I'm going to bed now. Good night. *Akane, Ranma, and Trunks all retire
for the night.  It gets quiet, and soon the only noise is chirping from crickets*

-------------------------------------------------

*The next morning*

*Akane, Ryouga, Ukyou, Ranma, Trunks, Soun, Genma (in human form), and
Nabiki are all sitting at the table as Kasumi serves breakfast.  Nabiki is seen
replacing the same listening device that Akane had removed the batteries from
the night before. No one at the table notices.  Instead, they blithely talk about
unimportant things.*

Soun: It's nice to see you again, Trunks.  Feel free to stay as long as you want!

Nabiki: Daaaaaddd! *fuming about another freeloader and trying to figure out
how to make ends meet with another mouth to feed*

Kasumi:  Now, now, Nabiki, be nice.  He's a guest.

Trunks: Arigato.  I'll try not to be a hassle.

Akane: Of course you're not a hassle!  He's helping us train while he's here,
right, Ranma?

Ranma: *uncomfortable that Akane has included herself in the group going to
the future, but unable to protest at this time* Uh-huh. 

Kasumi: How nice.

Trunks: Well, looks like we're all done.  Ready to go train some?

Ranma, Ukyou, Ryouga, and Akane: Hai. *Ranma glares at Akane.  She grins
smugly back at him*

*The five leave the city via rooftop, then take to the air once beyond the city
limits.  They head to the same place they used to train when Trunks had first
come to the past (for him), a mountain forest about 20 miles from Tokyo.*

Ranma: Excuse us a moment. *Pulls Akane off to a clearing out of hearing
distance.*  Akane, I don't want you to become involved!

Akane:  I don't care what you want!  You might need me in the future! Those
people sound real tough! 

Ranma: But you could get hurt! And besides, there'll be three of us, we can take
care of ourselves!

Akane:  *touched by Ranma's concern, then angered by the fact that he thinks
she's incapable of taking care of herself* I can take care of myself just as well as
you can!  I don't need you protect me!

Ranma: Take care of yourself? Ha! you can't even cook! You wouldn't last a day
if you had to take care of yourself!

Akane: *Hurt, because Ranma just hit her weak spot, decides to show it as
anger, as usual* RANMA NO BAAKKKAAAA!!!!!! *Ranma gets hammered into a
tree, and Akane starts to cry.*

Ranma: *Peeling himself from the bark*  Akane!  I- I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!  I 
just don't want you to get hurt!

Akane:*sniffle* Really?

Ranma: Yeah.

Akane:  Then you'll let me come.  I'm going to go with you, no matter what 
you say, so stop trying to fight me.

Ranma: ......   Please?

Akane: No.

Ranma:  *Feels his resolve crumble, now that he's facing Akane and she's being 
honest to him.* Then promise me you won't get hurt.

Akane:  I'll try not to.  *Smiles at him, a real, sweet smile.  Ranma 
noticeably gulps.  Standing face to face, he suddenly is aware once again 
of how cute she is when she smiles......*

*CRASH!*

*Both jump apart and look to the noise*

*Ryouga, Ukyou, and Trunks are all in a tangle, with a broken branch laying
beside them.*

Ukyou:  Uhhhhhh.........Hi?  *Ranma and Akane both facefault, and everybody's
wearing a large sweatdrop*

*Five minutes later*

Trunks:  Here's the pill. *holds the box out to her.  She takes the last remaining
pill, and swallows it* There may be a bit of cramping, but no one else was really
bothered by it.  Don't try to power up today, it  takes a while to work.

Akane: Hai.

*Ranma, Ukyou, and Ryouga go through an intense workout, then practice
powering up to super saiyajin. Akane and Trunks spar in the background, neither
able to practice like the others.  Akane, a lot better than she used to be, is still
having trouble against Trunks, but not as much as she used to, since she had
gotten Ranma to spar with her during the summer every morning.  At noon they
stop to eat a lunch Kasumi prepared for them, then have some of Ukyou's
okonomiyaki. Trunks tells them a bit about his family in idle chit-chat, and they talk
about Ranma's curse some.  Afterwards, they spar until nightfall.  When the sun
sets, our tired heroes slowly fly back to the city, where they then take up roof-
hopping again. Arriving at the Tendo dojo, the group sits down for dinner.*

Kasumi: Please wash up before dinner. (honestly, why do they insist on
becoming such a mess and then never think to clean up before they eat?)

*The five wash up a bit, then return to the table*

Akane: That was a good spar we had, Trunks.

Trunks:  Hai.  You've gotten a lot better.

Akane: Really?  See, Ranma, I told you it was a good idea to let me spar with
you in the morning.

Ranma: Yeah, yeah, I know.  You've told me that enough times.

*The other members of Akane's and Ranma's families come in and sit down. 
Kasumi serves dinner, which is eaten with great gusto. After wards, the tired
group went to bed.


---------------------------------------------------------------


*Midnight that night*

*A lone figure creeps down the hall.  As she passes a window, we see her
outline clearly:  tall, feminine, with hair cut short, but slightly longer in 
front than in back.  She silently opens a door; the door to Akane's room.  
The figure tiptoes across the room to the dirty laundry basket, and reaches 
in.  As she draws out an article of clothing, she hears Akane suddenly 
start moving in her bed. Alarmed, the figure freezes, then sees that 
Akane's only dreaming.  Taking the shirt from the basket, the figure leaves 
the room as quietly as she had entered. Slinking back down the hall, she 
then opens the door to another room.  Slipping inside, she treads to the 
desk, and picks up a flashlight.  Turning on the flashlight, Nabiki removes 
a hidden recorder from Akane's dirty gi, smiling like the cat that got the 
canary.*

---------------------------------------------------------

*Before the sun rises the next morning*

*Ranma gets up, refreshed.  He quickly gets dressed, avoiding his sleeping
father.  Walking down the stairs, being quiet so as not to wake anybody, he
smiles.  (It's so peaceful in the early morning. I wish it could be like this all day)
He goes through the house to the dojo, planning to quietly go through his
morning exercises.  However, entering the dojo, he finds someone waiting for
him.*

Nabiki:  Good morning, Ranma. 

Ranma:  Nabiki..... you're up early today  (This can't be good)

Nabiki:  Yep.  Care to go on a walk with me? *Somthing about the way she said it
convinces Ranma that he had no choice in the matter.*

Ranma: *warily* All right.

*The two walk out of the house into the pre-dawn light. They walk for a good five
minutes in silence, Ranma highly nervous, Nabiki just as calm as usual.  Finally,
Ranma can't stand it anymore.*

Ranma: So what do want?

Nabiki:  Really, Ranma, must you automatically assume I want something
whenever I talk to you?

Ranma: Yes.

Nabiki: *smiles*  You're getting smart.

Ranma: Good.  So what do you want?

Nabiki: Patience, Ranma.  Don't push me.  I'll get around to it.

Ranma: *teeming with frustration* ...........

*The sun rises, and Nabiki holds her silence. Finally, ten minutes later, as the
two reach a newly added park, she leads him to a bench*

Nabiki: *sitting down* I've been very curious as to know exactly who Trunks is.

Ranma: *also sitting down* He's a friend, that's all. (This really can't be good...)

Nabiki: *as if Ranma hadn't said anything* I was very curious, I should probably
say.

Ranma: ....... (Uh-oh)

Nabiki: I have a very nice recording of all that happened yesterday, when you
were all training.

Ranma:  Nani!?!

Nabiki: *evil grin* Why don't we start back now? *Before Ranma can protest, she
gets up and starts walking. Ranma has no choice but to follow.*   You know, it
was a very interesting tape.  It didn't tell me much, but it told me enough. *Walks
in silence for a minute.*

Ranma: So........ *Says it as a question, trying to get Nabiki to continue*

Nabiki: I also heard something extremely interesting going on between you and
my sister. *Ranma gets even more uncomfortable.  Nabiki bides her time,
enjoying the feeling of having Ranma completely under her finger. Meanwhile,
they slow down to a snail's pace of a walk. Suddenly, she starts to talk again*  I
want to know more about Trunks.  Tell me why he's here, and when he's from. 

Ranma:  Why should I?

Nabiki: I could very easily play that tape back to myself in just the wrong place at
just the wrong time.  And can you imagine the panic it would cause if everybody
knew there was an alien in my house?

Ranma: *knowing he's trapped, tries one last defiance* It's important for
everyone's sakes that no one knows.  It could be disastrous if word got out!

Nabiki:  What if I were to promise, on my life savings, that I would never tell, or
in any other way let the information leak?

Ranma: Do you expect me to believe that?

Nabiki: I swear, Ranma, I'm doing this only from curiosity and the well-being of
my sister.

Ranma:.....

Nabiki: If you tell me, then I'll cancel all your other debts. 

Ranma: (She can't be serious. I've probably got so many of those I'll be paying
her back as long as I live) .........

Nabiki: It's a win- win situation, Ranma. I get my information, and you go away
out of debt, without hurting anyone. I already know enough to ruin your friend
right now, so don't think that by holding out, you'll help him either.

Ranma: All right. *Tells Nabiki everything.*

Nabiki: Hmmmmmm........ *shows no out ward surprise*

*The two begin walking faster again.  A couple of minutes pass in silence. They
draw near the house.*

Nabiki: You know, I'm also very curious about what's going on between you and
my sister. 

Ranma:  Nothing!  What would possibly be going on between us?

Nabiki:  Well, I don't know.  But if you're not interested in her, I think I'd like 
to introduce you to a couple of friends. 

Ranma: (Oh, great, just what I need! More girl trouble, and just as I started to get
a break, too!  And she'd make a fortune off of it, too.)  No, Thanks. *says this
very firmly*

Nabiki: *they enter the house.  Ranma is unaware of the quiet murmur from the
dining room, which dies away as soon as the people making it hear Ranma and
Nabiki come in.* Why not? You're still young, you could meet someone you
really like.

Ranma: Just... Because.

Nabiki:  Because why?  Honestly, Ranma, there's no reason for you not to! *she
has now maneuvered him to just outside the dining room, where she stands and
badgers Ranma about it, having put him in a corner which he cannot figure out
how to escape.*

Ranma: I just don't want to, okay? *getting a bit angry*

Nabiki: But why, Ranma? You'd be real popular; have all the girls sighing over
you.

Ranma: *very mad* NO!!

Nabiki: Come on, Ranma.  Why not?

Ranma: *furious, he yells* Because I like Akane, okay? Are you satisfied? Now
leave me alone!

*At this, he pushes past her, though is a bit disgruntled to see her smile. He
enters the dining room.*

Ranma: GAAAAHHHH!!

*Much to Ranma's horror, he faces the entire household: Trunks, Ukyou,
Ryouga, Kasumi, Genma, a crying Soun, and, worst of  all, Akane herself.*

Akane: Oh, Ranma......  (Finally! It took him long enough to say it!)

*Ranma runs out, horrified.  Akane follows.*

Akane: Ranma, wait! *He keeps on going, and continues until he's reached the
forest, where he flies to a spot far away from where the group usually trains. He
lands, and curls up on the ground.  To his continuing horror, he finds himself
starting to cry.  He hears someone land softly beside him.*

Ranma: Go away!

Akane: Did you really mean it, Ranma? *He shivers at her voice, expecting to get
pounded any minute*

Ranma: *in an almost sulky voice* Yeah.

Akane: Good. *She hugs him*

Ranma: Huh??

Akane: I feel the same way.

Ranma: Ya- you do?

Akane: Mmm-hmm. *She sits down beside him.*

Ranma: ...... {I guess I kinda already could tell, maybe, all those times she got so
jealous when I was around the other girls. But I never really liked them.} 

Akane: Why'd it take you so long to figure it out?

Ranma:....... *trying to figure out why himself*  I dunno.  At first, I didn't know
myself, I guess.  And when I did finally figure it out, I was too scared you didn't
like me.

 Akane: Same with me.  So when'd you finally figure it out?

Ranma: I dunno.  Probably right around when the old ghoul showed me the
Hiryu Shoten Ha.  I really didn't admit it to myself until at Phoenix Mountain,
when I thought I was going to loose you.

Akane:........ *shudders, remembering.* I ..... I thought I heard you saying......
saying you loved me then.  I just passed it off to myself as a wishful dillusion.

Ranma: I don't remember what I said.... I very well could have!  I was just so
scared.....

Akane:  I wasn't to thrilled either. *they both chuckle a bit.*

Ranma: And when you hugged me when I came back the last time.... Trunks was
here....

Akane: I thought you were gone for good.

Ranma: I told myself you were just happy that I hadn't deserted when you
needed me.  *A few minutes pass in silence.*

Ranma: We should probably get back soon, so the others don't worry.

Akane: Hai.

*The two fly back holding hands.  They a greeted by a joyous panda and an
overwhelmed father.*

Soun: My daughter's finally going to get married! The schools will be united!

Genma- Panda: growff! *sign* I'm so happy!

Akane/Ranma: Hey! Who said anything about marriage?! *The fathers ignore
the two and start dancing in circles, throwing rice everywhere.*

Nabiki: Hey, way to go, sis. Thought you'd never go through with it. *says this
with only a hint of pride, not wanting to ruin her "ice- queen" image.*

Akane: We're not getting married yet!  Give us a break!

Ranma: We're still too young to get married!  In fact, whoever said we would? 
We might have just decided to friends!

Ukyou: Hey, give them a chance to explain themselves!  *desperately hoping
that she still has a chance, but realizes in her heart that Ranma's just been
taken.*

Ryouga:.......

Trunks: *trying to save his friends from embarrassment* Congratulations.  Now
let's go do some more training. 

Ranma/Akane/Ukyou/Ryouga: Hai. *Group races out door, no one wanting to
stick around and face the two celebrating fathers.*

Kasumi: *watching group fly off*  Oh my.

*The troop flies off to the mountain forest. When they get there, Ranma
remembers what else he told Nabiki.*

Ranma: Hey, Trunks. 

Trunks: Yes, Ranma?

Ranma: Nabiki had a tape of yesterday with her this morning.  She promised not
to ever play it or let anything on it leak as long as I told her everything, so I did.

Trunks: Didn't she already know, from last time?

Ranma: That's the weird thing.  No one remembers anything that happened
about Dr. Gero.  It's as if he never existed but in our memories: Ukyou's,
Ryouga's, Akane's, and those in Team Akane who didn't die.

Trunks: Hmmm, that's odd. Well, maybe it had something to do with the
resurrection?

Ranma: But then wouldn't Ryouga not remember?

Trunks: *shrugs*  Being injected with alien blood, then?

Ranma: Hmmm, guess so.  Anyway, just thought you should know.

Trunks: Thanks.  *adressing everybody now*  Why don't we work on perfecting
chi moves today?  Akane, you and Ranma should spar for a while in super
saiyajin, since you couldn't yesterday.  

Everybody: Hai.

*Ukyou and Ryouga practice working on their chi moves in normal states,
knowing that improving normal will also improve in super saiyajin.  Ranma and
Akane power up to super saiyajin, where they practice for a while. At first,
Trunks sits on a rock bored, watching everybody work, and then decides to join
Ukyou in her exercises. About noontime, they power down for a rest and
everybody takes a break for lunch.*

Ukyou: We've been practicing controlling our chi, like Herb did.  I can now turn
my throwing spatulas into chi blades and directing the path they take.

Trunks: I've improved a bit, too.

Ryouga: I've been working on developing a new move, one which will be much
stronger than my Shi Shi Houkodan.

Trunks: That's good. *says this blandly, remembering what a problem Ryouga
was when Dr. Gero was trying to take over the world.

Akane: I felt like I was just a beginner.  Why'd you pair me against Ranma,
Trunks? He may be a little out of practice since, well, last time, *reluctant to
mention Gero* but he's still definitely the strongest of us all.

Trunks: He's out of practice?

Ranma: You can stop talking about me as if I wasn't here, you know.

Akane: *continuing to ignore Ranma's presence* Well, not at fighting, but at
being super saiyajin.

Trunks: Oh. *also ignoring Ranma*  Well, since he's the strongest fighter, and
the most skillful, I knew that he'd be most able to prevent either one of you from
hurting each other by accident.  Piccalo's students have a tendency to be real
skilled.

Ranma: He had others?

Trunks: (Oh, yeah, can't tell them about that, it might mess up the future) He will
in a while, but don't mention it, okay?

Group excluding Ryouga: Hai. *Knowing Trunks has his reasons for not
explaining.

Ryouga: Piccalo?  Who's that?

Ranma: *sweatdrop* Uh, just a guy who helped me train a while.

Ryouga: ....... (No wonder's he's gotten so much  stronger than me!  He had
extra help!)
*Training starts up again, but this time, everybody works on chi manipulation.
Just as their stopping for the night, they feel a familiar chi signature.  The group
turns to watch an old acquaintance appear.*

Ranma:  Shampoo?

Shampoo: Nihao, gang! How's it going?

Akane: *mutters* She sure speaks better Japanese now.

Ranma: Just great! How are you and Mousse?

Shampoo: We're very happy!  Little one coming soon! *puts hand on her only
barely swollen belly, demonstrating her point.*

Ranma: Uhhh, congratulations. *uncomfortable with the subject*  Say, does
Mousse remembered anything that happened?

Shampoo: iie.  He's happy, though.  Shampoo let him beat her in match, so we
get married according to tribe laws.

Akane: And your claim on Ranma is now invalid?

Shampoo: Hai. Shampoo choose Mousse, so no can have Ranma.  Be careful,
though, Ranma.  Elders might send out more Amazons since you such a strong
fighter.

Ranma: Thanks for the warning.  What happened to the old ghoul?

Shampoo: Great- Grandmother is very mad at Shampoo right now, but she'll get
over it.

Ukyou: Good for you, sugar.  You and Mousse are perfect for each other.

Shampoo: Thanks. By the way, why is Trunks here?

Trunks:  Oh, I just came by for a visit, that's all.

Shampoo: That's good, Shampoo is glad to see you.

Trunks: Nice to see you again, too, Shampoo.

Akane: Do you have a place to stay?

Shampoo: Shampoo and Mousse planning to rent apartment.

Ukyou: I've a couple spare rooms in the restraunt that you could stay in.

Shampoo: Arigatoo.  If Spatula girl don't mind, then we will help out at
restaurant.

Ukyou: Umm, call me Ukyou, okay?  And that sounds great to me!  I could
always use a few helping hands around lunch and dinner hours.  You could even
make some ramen as a special, if you wanted.

Shampoo: Shampoo like that.  It's been a long time since Shampoo's worked at
a restaurant. It'll be just like the old days! *the two grinned at each other, having
worked out a mutually beneficial plan*

*The group returns to the Tendo's.  Everybody's shocked to see Shampoo,
needless to say, but they actually let her explain herself, the first time ever for 
this to be allowed to anyone in the Tendo household.*

Kasumi:  Hello, Shampoo.

Nabiki: What are you doing here?

Ranma: Shampoo came for a visit.

Shampoo: Mousse and Shampoo wanted to see how everyone's doing now.

Akane: They've gotten married now.

Nabiki: Well that's a relief.

Kasumi: That's wonderful! Congratulations. *smiles her patented Kasumi- smile*

Shampoo: Arigatoo!

*A very relieved pair of fathers start celebrating in the backgroud*

Soun: Oh, what a joyous day! Ranma and Akane finally agree to getting married,
and we no longer have to worry about that old mummy anymore!

Ranma and Akane: We're not getting married yet!!!

Shampoo: Don't talk disrespectfully about great-grandmother!

*Soun and Genma tremble from the wrath of the three teens, and Genma grabs
a bucket of cold water from-- well, probably the same place Akane gets her
hammer, dubbed "hammer-space^" by many-- and goes panda.*

(^Sorry to whoever made it up, but it's a good term for it!)

Ukyou: Shampoo and Mousse are going to stay with me while they're here.

Kasumi: How long are you staying?

Shampoo: Quite a while, maybe even until the little one's born.

Kasumi: Oh, you're having a baby?  That's wonderful!

Shampoo: Arigato.

*Kasumi, Ukyou, and Shampoo work together to make dinner for everyone.  After
dinner, Ukyou Shampoo, and Mousse (who arrived just in time to eat) head off to
Ucchan's. Everyone else goes to bed.

____________________________________

*The next few days are spent training by the group, who decide to go back to
being called "Team Akane^," just for old time's sake, though the only ones who
were originally part of the group were Akane and Shampoo.  Shampoo joins
them in training, believing it just a way of passing time.  Shampoo convinced
Mousse not to come, believing would be too much of a shock for him to see the
four others transforming to super saiyajin, since he doesn't remember what went
on before.  She spars with Trunks, since neither can join the others when they
power up. Trunks tells her he just is practicing to get better without becoming
super saiyajin.  Nearly a week passes, during which Ryouga finishes his new
move (but keeps it a secret from everyone but Trunks, who tells them it's a good
move, but that's all he says about it), Ranma and Trunks both work on teaching
Akane to have more control, and Ukyou specializes in chi control. One night
after dinner, exactly five days from when he first arrived, Trunks asks Ukyou to
stay awhile*

(^Hey, what can I say? It's easier to write than saying all of them!)

Ukyou: Go on ahead, Shampoo. I'll be along in a while.

Shampoo: Hai. *goes on back to Ucchans*

Ukyou: So why'd you ask me to stay, Trunks?

Trunks: Why don't we all go outside? *Team Akane, minus Shampoo, goes
outside to by the koi pond*

Akane: Be careful, Ranma. You don't want to be a girl, do you?

Ranma: I've managed to avoid getting wet these past few days.  What makes
you think I'm gonna break my lucky streak now?

Trunks:......... {I'd forgotten about that}

*Unfortunately, at that moment, a baseball comes flying over the wall and lands
in the pond, splashing Ranma.  A kid pops his head over the wall.*

Kid:  Sorry, ma'am. Could we have our ball back?

Ranma-chan: *grumbles something under her breath before answering* Yeah,
sure. Just be more careful where you hit that thing!

Kid: Arigato! *dissapears after Ranma-chan throws ball back to him*

Trunks: Anyway, I just wanted to say that we're going to the future tomorrow
morning.

Akane: Really? What should we bring?

Trunks: A change of clothes, maybe, but that's all you'll probably need, besides
anything you can use to fight with. You may have to start fighting right away, so
be ready.  We should also discuss a strategy tonight, since chances are we
won't get a chance to later.

Team Akane: Hai.

Ukyou: So what's the situation?

Trunks: We're going to go to the night of the day I came left, to prevent me
running into myself.  I'm not sure what'll be going on, but I'm pretty sure they
were going for capturing the others, not killing them.  We'll have to rescue them,
then deal with the strangers.

*Team Akane discusses a strategy, then goes to get ready for the next morning.*

---------------------------------------------------------------

*the next morning*

*After a good breakfast prepared by Kasumi, the group assembles outside the
Tendo dojo*

Trunks: Is everyone ready?

Ranma/Akane/Ryouga/Ukyou: Hai. *They are all carrying a small bag with a
change of clothes in it and your usual toiletry items.*

Trunks: I hope no one brought much, because the time machine can only
transport so much. *Everyone shakes their heads, and shows him the size of
their bags. he approves, and leads them to an unfamiliar part of the forest. Or, at
least unfamiliar to most of them*

Ryouga:  Hey! This place looks familiar!

Ranma: That's 'cause you've probably been here before.  You've been lost
everywhere!

Ryouga: Hey! *not to affected by Ranma's insult, since it implies he's been to
neat places at the same time as implying he's always lost.  Both are true, too!*

Trunks: Now where'd I put it? *searching pockets for something* Ah, there it is!
*Pulls out a capsule and throws it on the ground. Instant time machine!* Get in,
everybody! *group piles in*

Ryouga: Let's go! *group nods in agreement*

Trunks: Hai! *Punches a few buttons on control panel* Hang on tight! *time
machine slowly fades from view*

--end of part 3
+=======+======+======+======+=====+=====+=====+

author's notes:
Sorry about the lack of fighting, but things'll pick up soon!
And as for Shampoo and Mousse,well, I just had to wrap things up
for my own peace of mind. (To the Shampoo fans out there:
Please don't hurt me! I couldn't help it!) This is my first attempt
at writing a fanfic, so please be kind! Mail me at fanime_lynn@hotmail.com
to comment or correct me at any place.  The responses
will be welcome! Tell me how I'm doing, please, and send me any 
suggestions to improve. (P.S. I'm very new at this, so be kind!)
I'll get part 4 done as soon as I can, I promise! 

--Fanime Lynn