A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction:
by li izumi
Mousse strode purposefully down the street towards the Cat Cafe. Today, he had a mission. If his plan didn't work, he would forever give up his love for Shampu. If she didn't give him some positive response, he would leave her forever and live alone for the rest of his life. This plan had to work, for he couldn't bare to leave her.
Mousse felt up his sleeve. Hidden among his various weapons was a small box. He gently held it, thinking of just what he would say to Shampoo as he gave her the box. His musings were interrupted when a bicycle hit his head.
"Mousse?! What you do in Shampu's way?!" Shampu, the rider of the bike and Mousse's love, demanded from the flattened boy.
The long haired Chinese boy stood, dusted himself off, and looked at the purple haired girl. "Shampu..."
"Shampu right here! Stupid Duck-boy talk to telephone pole!!"
Mousse slid his inch-thick glasses back onto his face and turned to the real Shampu. "Shampu, I must talk with you."
"No," Shampu snapped as she climbed back onto her bike. "Shampu busy with important delivery." She held up a box of steaming ramen from her great- grandmother's restaurant.
"Please, Shampu," Mousse pleaded. "This is important."
She turned to face him, surprised at how serious he sounded. She studied his face for a moment then sighed. "Very well, but must keep up as Shampu delivers food."
"Who are you delivering that to?" Mousse asked as he ran beside the bike.
"None of business."
"You're delivering that to Ranma, aren't you?!!" Mousse exploded.
Shampu's eyes narrowed. "That not your concern."
"How can I give you this if you're only going to go and chase Ranma?!" Mousse held up the small box.
Shampu stopped suddenly. Mouse kept running for another moment before he realized she had stopped. He looked behind him, but hadn't stopped running. Naturally, he crashed into a telephone pole. The box landed several meters away, at the feet of Shampu. She slowly picked up the box as Mouse slowly picked himself up.
He cleared his throat and then looked down, suddenly embarrassed as all the lines he had practised fled from his mind. "It's for you. A present." As Shampu began to open it, he continued, "It's only a little something, but I did carve it all myself."
Inside was a gold armband, intergently carved with carefully thought out designs. Shampoo didn't say anything, she just looked at the armband.
Mousse sighed. She wouldn't except it. She didn't like it. She would reject him yet again. He had sworn he would live alone if she rejected him again, and now he must. "I can take a hint, Shampu..."
"All right Mousse. I go on date with you tonight."
"I'll leave if you want me to so... What did you say?!"
"I date with you tonight. One date, that all."
"Oh Shampu!! I'm so happy!"
Shampu sat in front of the mirror. She applied her lipstick then examined her face. The make up looked all right, so she played with her hair. She decided it looked good. She paused, then picked up the armband and carefully put it on her left arm. She stood up in front of the full length mirror, straightened her dress, then looked at her reflection. She was fidgety and didn't quite know why. Was it possible that she was nervous? Excited? It couldn't be. Maybe if this was a date with Ranma, she would feel that way, but this was only Mouse.
Her great-grandmother, a withered old ghoul of a women, entered the room and watched her.
"Preparing for a date?"
"Hai, Obaba."
"How did you manage to get Ranma to agree to a date?"
"I no date with Ranma. Tonight, I date with Mousse."
"Mousse?!" Cologne was stunned.
"Mousse give Shampu oh-so-beautiful armband. Date is thank-you." Shampu turned to face Cologne. "Shampu love Ranma. Nothing changed."
Cologne nodded, but wasn't convinced that was all. She knew that despite her protests, Shampu had some feelings for Mousse. Feelings, Cologne was certain, that Shampu herself was unaware of, and would continue to be unware if Cologne had anything to say about it. Shampu was to be the new leader of their amazon tribe, afterall. She could not very well marry someone as imperfect as Mouse. Ranma was a much better choice.
Cologne wasn't too worried about anything happening that night. Shampu knew her position in the tribe and was very well conditioned to the tribal laws. Still, other recent events, such as her hatred of Mousse when under the influence of the contrary jewel, had made it clear to Cologne that there might be some threat of Mousse winning her great grand-daughter's heart. That was something Cologne would never allow.
The only reason that Mouse's family had been allowed to remain in the tribe was because they alone knew the secrets of the Hidden Weapon techniques. Cologne knew many things, but even she had no idea how Mouse could keep 60 foot chains up his sleeves. It could be a devasting technique if properly weilded. She could use Shampu to get the techniques from him, but that led the risk of Shampu realizing her love for the near-blind boy. That idea proved to much of a risk. There had to be some other way.
Her musings were interupted as there was a knock on the door. Cologne stood back and watched the interactions between the two teens.
Shampu opened the door. A very nervous Mousse stood there, dressed sharply in a black suit. He was holding a dozen red roses. At the sight of Shampu, his jaw dropped open. All he could think of was that Shampu looked breath taking. And she was dressed like this for him.
He could barely think, yet somehow he managed to give the flowers to Shampu. She was pleased and put them in a vase. Then Mousse took her hand and led her towards the restaurant.
"The restaurant is only a couple of blocks away," he said hesitantly, the first words his mouth was actually able to form since he had picked her up. "I could get a taxi if you want, but i was thinking it was such a nice night..." his vioce trailed off.
Shampu nodded. "Is okay." She smiled over at him. "Is beautiful weather."
The breathe caught in his throat again when she smiled at him. He blanked for a second, his mind totally freezing. Shampu kept walking a few steps before turning to see what had stopped him. Mousse mentally scolded himself and tried to keep focused. This was his one chance. He had to be perfect, charming, romantic. He had to win her tonight. He caught up to her and offered his arm to her. "Shall we?"
Shampu heasitated for a moment. Her first reaction would be to slug him, but she kept herself back. This is thank you, she told herslef. For this one night, is okay. She took his arm with hers and they walked to the expensive restaurante arm in arm.
It wasn't because he was worried about that uncute tomboy. He was just hungry, and she was late coming home from picking up some food Kasumi needed for dinner. That was the reason he was out looking for Akane.
And naturally, it wasn't from relief that Ranma sighed upon finding Akane safe. (though he was abit nervous about the company she was with - Cologne sat impossibly on her cane, in conversation with the short haired girl. )
"What gives? You're taking forever to get back with the food!" Ranma complained when he reached the pair.
Akane looked quickly down at her watch. "Ah! I didn't realize it had gotten so late! I was just talking to Obaba and I lost track of time. We were just talking about the new restaurant in town. It's really expensive," Akane sighed then looked meaningfully at Ranma. "I don't think I would ever be able to go there. I'll have to ask Shampu and Mousse all about it."
"Shampu and Mousse?" Ranma asked curiously.
Akane grinned. "Yeah. They are actually on a date together! Isn't that incredible?"
Ranma shrugged.
Obaba nearly smirked as she said, "Yes, it appears that Mousse must have won my great grand-daughter's heart."
Ranma's eye twitched slightly at the word "won." Cologne continued. "I was very surpriced to find out truly how skilled Mousse is, how much he has checked his abilities until now."
Ranma's eye twitched more, as he casually said in a slightly bored tone, "Good, then you and Shampu won't need me anymore."
"We may not anymore. Afterall, it might be said now that Mousse really is the strongest fighter here."
Now that was going too far. The fact that Shampu was brushing him over for Mousse didn't bother him. That wasn't it. Afterall, he never asked for Shampu to like him, and all she seemed to do was get him in trouble. She was cute, but it was for the best that she was out of his life, he told himself. However, that was beside the point. It wasn't that Shampu had switched over to Mousse that had him upset. It was one thing to say Mousse was a strong fighter. That, Ranma supposed he could agree with. But it was completely different to say that Mousse was the strongest fighter. That Ranma would strongly disagree with.
He clenched his fist and thought to himself that he would soon see who was indeed the strongest fighter, and see who Shampu would choice then.
"Like fun he is the strongest fighter!" Ranma growled as he tore off down the street to find the new couple.
"Ranma?!" Akane explained in surprice. "Where do you think you're going?!" Then, more quietly, she exclaimed mostly to herself, "Oh no! If he ruins their date, I'll . . ." Akane whipped out a giant hammer from nowhere, then took off down the street after him.
Colonge watched the pair run off, and smiled. They was so predictable. Afterall, she never validated the truth of such a statement, or or whether she even agreed with it, but it _could_ be said that Mousse is the strongest fighter. But now, Ranma would ruin Mousse's date, and Akane was likely to inadvertantly help in that process, being a rather violent, act-first-then-think kind of girl. Then, everything would go as planned. She would see to it.
There. Ranma had finally found the restaurant where Shampu and Mousse were. He burst in, pushed his way past the stuffy waiters to where the young pair were sitting. Ranma took a plate off a tray of a passing waiter and threw it at Mousse, hitting right in the face. Sauce splattered his face and clothing.
"Wha . . .?!" Mousse sputtered.
"Mousse! I challenge you!!!"
"Hey Akane! Where are you going?" Ukyou, Ranma's other fiancee, asked as she closed her store for the night.
Akane skidded to a halt, and breathlessly told the young cook, "Shampu and Mousse are on a date. Ranma got jealous, so he's going to ruin it on them. I think it's a plot from Obaba and Shampu to get Ranma to date or marry Shampu."
Ukyou thought for a minute. If Shampu and Mousse hit it off, she would have one less competitor for Ranma. "Wait for me Akane! I'll help!!"
"Ranma?! What are you doing?! How dare you interupt my one and only chance to be happy with Shampu! Ranma!! Prepare to die!!"
Weapons shot out from Mousse's sleeves. Ranma ducked them all and moved in for a punch. Mousse dodged, but Ranma followed with a kick, sending Mousse into a nearby table, disrupting the occupants meal.
Mousse stood and resumed his attack with the dreaded attack of Racking Hot Talons. He jumped into the air and dived at Ranma with sharp metal points on the ends of his shoes. Ranma managed to dodge in time, but was hit by a blow to the side of his head.
"Swan fist!" Mousse screamed as he went to attack again.
"Get some new material!" Ranma yelled as he knocked the swan shaped training potty to the ground. Ranma then kicked Mousse to the head. Mousse fell back, slightly dazed, but managed to attack with the Strangling Yo Yo attack.
Ranma broke free. "Time to finish this! Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire!!!" Ranma began to punch Mousse extremely fast, giving him no time to counterattack, let alone defend himself. It looked like it was all over, until...
A hammer whizzed through the air and hit Ranma on the head. Ranma turned to look at his attacker.
"Akane?! What do you think you're doing?!"
"Ranma!" Akane growled. "How dare you ruin their date?! You jerk!!"
Akane whipped out another dimensional hammer. Ukyou joined her, holding a giant spatula.
"Ukyou!" Ranma said in surprise. "You too?!"
"Sorry, Sugar, But I can't let you hurt their date."
Suddenly the restaurant became a total free-for-all. Mousse, Ukyou, and Akane teamed up against Ranma. He managed to knock down Mousse, but he couldn't get close to either of the girls, with Ukyou's long reach with the spatula. Mousse was on the ground, very stunned. He couldn't clear his vision, and got dizzy just thinking of standing. Ranma thought he had Akane when...
A splash of cold water hit the group. Mousse, due to his curse, turned into a small, white duck. He still wore his glasses, but he sat in a pile of clothes and weapons that were now to big. Ranma turned into a red-haired, incredibly busty version of himself.
"Wha . . .?!"
Shampu stood, holding an empty bucket. She was pissed.
"Shampu on date. What you do here?"
"But Shampu! How dare you compare me with Mr. Duck-boy!! He's not even in the same league as me!! I'm way better. I can fight better. I'm better looking. I can see better! My curse is better!! I..."
Shampu interrupted her. "Ranma. You so stupid! Shampu only one date Mousse. Is thank-you for armband. Shampu marry Ranma, not Mousse."
"Nani?! I did all this for nothing?!"
"Oh Ranma!! You jealous!! You do care for Shampu!! I so happy!!" Shampu flung into her arms. "Wo ai ne!"
A giant spatula and hammer hit Ranma-chan's head. Ukyou yelled "Ranma! You jack-ass!" the same time as Akane yelled "Ranma! You jerk!"
Obaba watched the whole seen. Safe. For now. But she needed to do something more permanent...
Ranma 1/2 is not mine. The characters were created by the incredible Rumiko Takahashi.