Once Upon a Green Onion

This story was inspired by a photo on deviant art by Rhea Batz, who I shall pass this story onto if she wishes to read it.

Sid

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Shampoo stirred the love potion into the bowl of Ramen and added a green onion to mark it from the others; she smiled at the idea that Ranma was finally going to fall in love with her today. She leaned back and admired her handiwork. The ramen smelled delicious and the bowls looked innocuous. She was going to bring enough for the entire family this time so that Ranma and Akane would less wary about eating her food.

She decided to quickly change before delivering her large order. Mousse slipped silently into the room and examined the bowls, knowing very well Shampoo’s meddling ways. He quickly noticed the lone green onion floating in only one. He wasn’t a spiteful man for the most part, but he got sick of Shampoo’s underhanded tricks upon occasion. Grinning mischievously he added a green onion to all the rest of the bowls and packed them into the delivery box for her.

Shampoo carefully positioned one of the boxes in her bicycle basket and put the other one on her handle bars for the drive over. “Drive carefully” Mousse called after her with an uncustomary smirk that caused her to wonder as she drove her bike through the streets of Nerima like a woman possessed. She arrived at Tendo residence and was admitted by Kasumi.

She bowed to the friendly girl “hello Kasumi, I hope you not mind. Great-grandmother and I make too too much delicious Ramen to sell in café, I brought extra over for your dinner. Is okay?” she asked.

“Why that’s so kind of you. I was about to start dinner, so you’re right on time” Kasumi said as cheerfully as ever. “Everyone, Shampoo generously brought free Ramen over for dinner” she announced.

“Ummm, I love Ramen” Soun Tendo said rubbing his hands together as Shampoo opened the boxes, Ranma and Akane just looked on dubiously.

Hearing someone at the door, Kasumi answered to find Ryoga collapsed against it. “Is this Osaka?” the half starved boy asked.

Kasumi immediately felt sorry for him “No Ryoga, this is Nerima. Would you like to stay for dinner? Mr. Saotome is visiting Mrs. Saotome, we’ve been given free Ramen so we have an extra one” she suggested.

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Ryoga agreed even though it meant eating with Ranma. “Ryoga what are you doing here?” Ranma asked.

“Ryoga’s staying for dinner” Kasumi said hastily to avert any crisises and wondered why it was taking Shampoo so long to put the bowls on the table. Shampoo could only goggle from one bowl to the other when she discovered a single green onion in each of them.

“Is there something wrong?” Soun asked at her confusion when her eyes flitted from one bowl to another.

“No, no nothing wrong” she said hastily.

“Good because I’m starving” he announced and picked up a random bowl to Shampoo’s horror. Shampoo wanted to protest as each person helped themselves to a bowl and dug in, but couldn’t or she would give herself away.

Ryoga wasn’t too happy to end up sitting beside Ranma, but didn’t complain as Akane was on his other side. He watched silently as the late afternoon sun reflected off her hair as she ate her Ramen, she was so beautiful. Ranma on the other hand was splashing Ramen everywhere. Ryoga’s eyes left Akane when some of Ranma’s Ramen splashed into his own bowl.

“Ranma stop acting like a pig and eat like a normal person” he snapped.

“If anyone knows anything about someone acting like a pig, it’s you Ryoga” Ranma taunted back, causing the other martial artist to blush.

“What do you mean by that?” Akane asked.

“Nothing, nothing ummm this Ramen’s great” Ryoga said, gave her a weak, fang toothed smile and then dug into his Ramen with a gusto that rivaled Ranma’s own.

Shampoo’s eyes darted from one to the other, looking for signs of love brewing (they would fall in love with the first person they saw) but everyone was either looking down and Soun was reading a paper.

Ryoga got splashed again “Ranma would you cut it out!” he cried and looking into the other martial artist’s startled eyes. He’d never realized how pretty his blue eyes were, how handsome his face and how nice his body. “I’m sorry I yelled at you, I just wanted to say how wonderful you look today” Ryoga said in a gooey voice.

Ranma blushed and blinked back, frozen in shock. Then he realized how good looking the ruggedly handsome, tanned boy actually was. “Its okay honey, I don’t mind you telling me that you find me attractive” he cooed back. Everyone’s jaws dropped in surprise.

Shampoo was the most surprised, it appeared that the right person got the right bowl, but accidently shared it and now they fell in love.

“Ranma what did you say?” Soun asked cautiously.

“I love it when my baby says nice things about me” Ranma said staring into Ryoga’s eyes and stroking his cheek. Ryoga looked back just as sappily and leaned his head into the caress.

“Ranma what’s got into you?” demanded Akane.

“Stop yelling at him” Ryoga admonished and pulled his love into his arms so that Ranma was practically sitting on his lap.

Nabiki being the practical one turned her head to the most logical source of Ranma’s sudden bout of homosexuality. “What did you put into his Ramen Shampoo?” she asked her.

“It look like love potion Shampoo make for husband backfire” she said in a stunned voice at watching the new couple embrace as they whispered to each other while Ranma traced Ryoga’s collarbone.

“It looks like Ranma has a new fiancé” Nabiki observed and then left the room to fetch her camera.

Akane dragged Ranma away from Ryoga and shook him “snap out of it” she commanded.

Ryoga just picked Ranma up bridal style and said, “you leave him alone Akane, he’s mine and we’re leaving” then leapt from roof to roof to escape her.

“I think they’re in love” Kasumi noted.

“Shampoo where’s the antidote?” Akane demanded.

“I not mix any, perhaps can come up with one in month” she replied, she wasn’t anymore happy about the turn of events than Akane. “Where Ryoga go with Airen?” she demanded.

“Good question” came a calm voice from the shadows.

“What you do here Mousse? It was you that messed with bowls!” she cried.

“Shampoo you know that Ramen is nothing without green onions” he said rather snidely. “As for Ranma and Ryoga, while you were all talking, they sneaked into the dojo to ah, consummate their new relationship I suppose.”

Everyone ran like wind and Akane flung open the door, Ranma and Ryoga sat on a mat sharing a fevered kiss. Ryoga was already shirtless, half straddling Ranma and was in the process of removing his shirt. Everyone could only gape at the heated scene.

Mousse turned to Shampoo and gloated “I don’t think that you need to find a cure, they make a cute couple”

She just glared back at him while the Tendo’s helped drag the protesting brunettes apart, except for Nabiki who was too busy taking pictures.