Story: LS Mariko

 You know, of late, Shampoo was feeling like she was seeing her airen less and less. It's one of those peculiarities, she was obviously still obsessed with him, but it wasn't as if her entire life revolved around him. In all honesty, she was starting to like living in Furinkan. Perhaps, once she finally managed to get through to his thick skull how perfect a wife she'd be, they could settle down here instead of going back home. She'd be happy anywhere with him. They'd have many, many children, all strong and beautiful.

Alas, Shampoo, it was already far too late. The lesbian goddess had already sunk its claws into your beloved, and there is already no possibility of a return.

In any event - Shampoo was out on a delivery today, as it happened, and was taking out to a new customer. It was a little bit more out of the way than her usual runs, but that wasn't too unusual. Indeed, nothing at all about this seemed strange at all. She arrived at the building, rang the doorbell and waited, delivery in hand, thinking nothing of it, her thoughts really turning to how, exactly, she could go after her beloved airen today.

The door slid open. Standing there, hands on her hips, was Mariko Konjo - Seisyun High School’s overly enthusiastic martial-arts cheerleader, already radiating sparkles, ribbons, and unnecessary fanfare even while standing still.

"GOOD AFTERNOOOOON!" Mariko sang, flipping her hair in a perfectly choreographed arc. "You’re late!"

Shampoo blinked. "This delivery only take fifteen minutes. Shampoo not late. You just too impatient."

Mariko gasped dramatically, staggering back as though struck. "Impatient!? ME? I, Mariko Konjo, whose spirit burns with pure devotion and cheerleading perfection?"

Shampoo’s eyes narrowed. "If is perfection, then why you scream in Shampoo face? Customer supposed to be polite."

Mariko thrust a pom-pom from behind the door - where she had apparently been hiding an entire cheer kit - wagging it accusingly. "You dare question my courtesy!? I’ll have you know that my cheerleading spirit inspires joy! You merely lack the H-E-A-R-T to appreciate cheerleading brilliance!"

Shampoo huffed. "Shampoo no need silly noisy cheerleading. Shampoo great warrior. Real martial arts, not… jumping around with sparkly fluff."

Mariko’s pupils sharpened into glittering stars. She grinned.

"Ara~? Talking like that… you sound like you’re challenging the art of Martial Arts Cheerleading!"

Shampoo folded her arms, chin up. "If need Shampoo show you difference between cheerleading and real fighting, Shampoo happy to."

Mariko slammed a foot into the ground and struck a pose dramatic enough to summon a background spotlight from nowhere.

"THEN I, MARIKO KONJO, CHALLENGE YOU - SHAMPOO OF THE NEKO HANTEN - TO A MARTIAL ARTS CHEERLEADING CONTEST! LET OUR YOUTH BURN BRIGHTLY!"

Shampoo’s eyes lit with excitement. Competition? That she could do.

"Shampoo accept! And Shampoo win. You prepare to eat pom-pom."

Mariko twirled into a jump split, ribbons flying everywhere.

"Excellent! Then let us begin - after I finish warming up! And you’d better give your all, Amazon girl!"

Shampoo cracked her knuckles and smiled. "Is no problem. Shampoo always give all."

=====

Oh. Em. Gee. Look at that hottie~ Mariko watched her walk away with a great big smile on her pretty face. Mmph, that went about as well as expected~ She turned around and returned to her bedroom with a skip and a frolic, where she found Akane sitting on a hot pigtailed piece of ass, the two of them clad in their cheerleader garb, lost and enthralled in their mutual lust for each other - and in turn, Mariko herself.

"Heya team!" Mariko waved at them. She set the food down and opened it up. "Mmm, smells N-I-C-E! But not as nice as that Chinese hottie you sent me way~"

"See, we told you she's cute as a button," Akane groaned while fucking Ranma's face. "She'll be way too C-U-T-E once she's a ditzy cheerleader like the rest of us!"

Yeppers! That sure was the plan. Mariko giggled to herself about the entire idea. Shampoo would, like, never actually join the team or anything. Not of her own volition. She's a stubborn bitch. The second she saw the way these other girls were behaving, she'd be all, like, "WTF" and back the fuck off, or maybe, like, try to attack Mariko, or maybe even, like, draw in the old ghoul or whatevs.

This way? She got what she was really after, like, instantly. A direct confrontation. Challenge to her pride, a means to get her to put on a cutesy cheerleading outfit all on her own - and then, she'd be, like, super duper easy to corrupt. It was a flawless plan. Nothing could possibly go wrong with it!

=====

This might come as a surprise, but the relationship between Shampoo and Ukyo was... practically non-existent. That might be a bit of a surprise to some, but really, they didn't interact all that often. That's kinda weird, right? They both want a piece of Ranma, but neither one of them really has anything much against the other.

Probably because they'd both correctly figured out that Akane was the real threat. Go figure. Ukyo had a decent enough relationship with Akane, but Shampoo? Oh, those two hate each other. A lot.

Thus, Shampoo has a bit of a problem here. She's accepted a cheerleading martial arts challenge, against a master of the craft, but who does she know around here that can help her train in it? Nobody, really. Could she go to Ranma for help? Certainly! And she intended to, when she had a better idea of what she was getting herself into. She certainly wouldn't go to Akane. Great grandmother didn't seem especially knowledgeable of cheerleaders, which was a rarity - probably a touch too modern for her.

"I'm sorry, you want me to help you train in what style martial arts?" Ukyo asked.

Shampoo sat cross-legged on the counter of Ucchan’s, elbows on knees, face buried in her hands. The restaurant wasn’t busy at the moment, which was lucky - she’d have hated having to explain herself in front of customers.

Ukyo Kuonji stood across from her, spatula slung over her shoulder, eyebrow creeping up in what could only be described as deep concern mixed with mild amusement.

Shampoo lifted her head, expression flat. "Martial arts cheerleading."

Ukyo blinked. "…Why?"

"Because crazy ribbon girl challenge me. Shampoo not refuse fight - even stupid fluffy one."

Ukyo leaned on the counter. "Okay, but… why come to me? Shouldn’t you be roping Ranchan into this? He’s the one who ends up in weird competitions every week."

Shampoo groaned. "Shampoo want know what she getting into first! Ranma no help if Shampoo know nothing. Is like asking blind cat lead way through maze."

Ukyo snorted. "Well, you’re not wrong."

Shampoo sat up straighter and pointed firmly at Ukyo. "And Shampoo no ask Akane. Akane ruin everything Shampoo touch on purpose." She folded her arms with a humph. "Also Akane too violent and too clumsy. She cheer? Hah! Whole school collapse."

Ukyo couldn’t help but laugh. "Okay, yeah, that tracks."

She tapped her spatula against her shoulder thoughtfully. "But why me? I’ve got zero experience with pom-poms unless you count beating someone with them for insulting my okonomiyaki."

Shampoo offered a hopeful shrug. "Because you… not Ranma, not Akane, not great-grandmother. You closest thing Shampoo has to… uh… friend?" She looked vaguely uncomfortable admitting it. "Also you good at acrobatics. You make fancy flipping okonomiyaki sometimes."

Ukyo’s face softened despite herself.

"That’s… kind of the nicest backhanded compliment you’ve ever given me."

Shampoo brightened. "Is compliment?"

"…Sort of."

Ukyo sighed and shook her head. "Fine. I’ll help you. But I’m telling you right now, if this Mariko girl is the same cheer nut I remember hearing rumours about, you are in deep trouble."

Shampoo clenched her fists, eyes blazing with Amazon determination. "Shampoo no lose! Shampoo Amazon warrior! Shampoo crush sparkly girl and prove strength!"

Ukyo rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. But if we’re doing this, we’re doing it right. One second, I need to go get something."

After that, Ukyo retreated upstairs, and returned a minute later. Ukyo now stood before her in full Ouendan gear - a dark school uniform jacket, band on her arm, the whole ensemble crisp and dramatic. She planted her feet wide, arms at her sides in a stoic, almost militaristic posture.

"…Ukyo change clothes very fast," Shampoo muttered.

Ukyo smirked. "You’re not the only one who knows how to transform for battle, sugar."

Shampoo tilted her head. "Is… cheerleader outfit?"

"Not exactly," Ukyo replied, flipping her ponytail with a touch more swagger than usual. "This is an ouendan uniform. Japanese cheer squad. Old-school style. More about guts and spirit than pom-poms and sparkles." She cracked her knuckles. "So if we’re gonna train you in martial arts cheerleading, this is the closest thing I’ve got."

Shampoo nodded slowly, unconvinced but intrigued. "So is tough cheerleader clothes."

Ukyo gave a small, proud nod. "Pretty much."

Then she suddenly barked: "<b>Alright! Training starts now!</b>"

Shampoo jumped slightly. "Why you yell so loud?!"

Ukyo stomped her foot, pointing sharply at Shampoo like a drill sergeant.

"Because <b>cheer squads<.b> run on <b>energy</B>! You’re gonna need lungs of steel and guts of iron if you want even a chance against that Konjo girl!"

Shampoo took a step back, eyes narrowed and wary. "Ukyo turn into crazy person."

Ukyo grinned. "Welcome to cheer training."