>Ryoko frowned.
>"If you're not coming, then say so," sighed the man, impatiently.  
>"I didn't say you have to come."
>"Listen, mister," said Ryoko, suddenly.  "I nearly got all beat up 
>by you, and Ryouga is-"
>"Oh yeah!" interrupted Ukyou.  "That's who I forgot!  I left the 
>lost boy outside!  Excuse me a sec."  Ukyou left the room and headed 
>to bring the unconscious Ryouga inside.  Ryoko shrugged and turned 
>back to the man in black.
>"What I'm saying is, I don't need your attitude!" finished Ryoko.
>"So I take it, you're not coming."
>"I'm coming."
>"But you said-" began Ranma.
>"I said I don't need his attitude, I didn't say I wasn't coming."  
>Ryoko shoved past them and went outside.
>"She's got a temper," commented the man.  Ranma shrugged.  They too 
>left outside.
>"All right, we're going to the Nekohanten.  Ranma, lead the way," said 
>Ryoko.  "See you later, Oneechan!" shouted Ryoko as they began 
>towards the amazons' home and restaurant.  Ukyou nodded in 
>acknowledgment since her arms were preoccupied with dragging Ryouga 
>into her restaurant.
>
>*****
>
>"Welcome to- Ranma!" came a bubbly voice once they entered the 
>restaurant.  A busty purple haired girl glomped onto Ranma.  "You 
>come to see Shampoo, yes?"
>"Get offa me!" exclaimed Ranma, trying vainly to pry the amazon's 
>arms off of him.
>"Is this Cologne?" asked the man in black.  Shampoo turned.
>"What you saying?  You mistake great-grandmother for Shampoo?  
>Shampoo thinks you need eye check."  Shampoo noticed Ryoko.  "Oh, it 
>spatula girl sister.  What you do here?"  Before Ryoko could reply, 
>the door to the kitchen opened and a man wearing thick glasses 
>leaped out.
>"Saotome!  Unhand the fair Shampoo!" he shouted, leaping into the 
>air and releasing various chains and weapons from who knows where in 
>his white cloak.  "She is my bride-to-be!"
>"Stupid Mousse!" exclaimed Shampoo, still clinging to Ranma.  "What 
>you stupid talking?"
>"Ranma, Prepare to d-" Mousse was silenced as a staff descended upon 
>his head.  He fell to the ground unconscious and his weapons 
>clattered to the floor harmlessly.
>"Son-in-law, what brings you here?" asked the owner of the staff, an 
>extremely withered old lady, the same size as Happosai except with 
>long flowing hair.  "And who are your guests?"  Ryoko turned to 
>Ranma but he was preoccupied with a certain amazon.  She stepped 
>forward.
>"Cologne, I'm-"
>"I don't have a name," interrupted the man.
>"A no name, huh?" said Cologne.
>"I was never given a name."  Cologne nodded solemnly.  Ryoko scowled 
>at the man then turned back to Cologne.
>"I'm Ryoko Kuonji.  Ukyou's younger sister."
>"Ah, yes.  I've seen you around before.  Very well," said the amazon 
>matriarch.  "What brings you here?"
>"I... we..." trailed off Ryoko, confused at what to do.  She frowned 
>at Ranma.  She sighed.  Taking a vase from one of the nearby tables, 
>she dumped the contents, which included water and a couple of 
>flowers onto both Ranma and Shampoo.  Shampoo then transformed into 
>a cat, much to Ranma's horror, and Ranma became a girl.
>"C-c-c-cat!" stuttered Ranma-chan, beginning to race around the 
>restaurant.  "Get it off of me!  Get it off of me!"  When Ranma-chan 
>raced past them for the fifth time, Ryoko stuck her foot in front, 
>tripping Ranma-chan, who fell flat on her face, unconscious.  Ryoko 
>crouched and yanked Ranma-chan's pig-tail.
>"Ranma!  We have a task to do!" she shouted into her ear.  
>Ranma-chan whimpered.
>"Please, get it away..."
>"Tsk tsk," murmured Cologne, pogoing forward on her staff.  
>"Shampoo," she commanded.
>"Mroww.." murmured Shampoo-cat, as she padded off of Ranma-chan 
>towards the bathroom to change back.  Ranma-chan shivered then got 
>up.
>"Now, son-in-law.  What are you doing here?"  Cologne grinned wily.  
>"Have you come to ask for Shampoo's hand in marriage?"
>"No!" shouted Ranma-chan earnestly.  "I've come to help him!" he 
>said, pointing to a stunned man in black.  Ryoko frowned and waved 
>her hand in front of his face.
>"Did you just turn into a girl?  A-and did that girl turn into a 
>cat?"
>"Oh!  It's your first time seeing them change?" asked Ryoko.  "Well, 
>Ranma turns into a girl.  Shampoo turns into a cat.  Mousse over 
>there, he turns into a duck.  The guy you knocked unconscious, 
>Ryouga, turns into a pig.  Ranma's dad turns into a panda.  And 
>that's all, I think..." explained Ryoko.  Ranma-chan frowned.  She 
>grabbed another vase from a table and poured it onto Ryoko, who, 
>upon the contact of the cold water, transformed into a red hawk.
>"Chikree!" shouted Ryoko-hawk in protest as she climbed out of the 
>heap of clothes.  Ranma-chan shrugged.
>"I was checking.  You forgot to mention that you turned into a 
>hawk."
>"Chikree..."  Ryoko sighed and flew up onto a nearby table.  The man 
>without a name blinked.
>"Okay... well... I guess I've seen it all now."  He then focused his 
>attention on the amazon matriarch.  "Now, I need to know the cure 
>for the Ultimate Weakness Moxibustion."