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A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by Mark Ferrer
Disclaimer: All rights are reserved to their respective owners.
Only the
original characters are mine. Don't sue me, please. (Hmm, this disclaimer
leaves room for crossovers doesn't it?)
Note: I honestly can't tell if I've taken some liberties with some/all
of
the characters. Sorry, I couldn't help it.
Thoughts are in <>
Normal dialogue is in "quotes"
Previous chapter: Mousse comes back to Japan and fights Ranma. During the
fight, he sees that Shampoo has absolutely no feelings for him (aww). Gets
advice from Nodoka Saotome (yup, Ranma's mom) to make him choose. Goes
to
Nabiki for help.
************************************************************************
"So, where do you want me to begin?" Nabiki asked, heading towards
the restaurants.
Mousse thought about it and said, "I don't know. I guess you should
start from the beginning." He followed and thought, <Great, she's going
to
try and sponge off me now.>
Nabiki nodded and said, "Well, Ranma and his father arrived here
about a year ago. He was coming to honour an agreement between our dads
to
marry their children to carry on the Anything-Goes art. Me and Kasumi
picked Akane for the arranged marriage because she had a problem with
boys."
Mousse brow raised and said, "She doesn't like..."
Nabiki cut him off with her hand and said, "My sister is not like
that. She had to fight a whole bunch of guys every morning before school
because of a speech made by Kuno that only people who can defeat her have
the honour of dating her. Anyways, a few weeks later Ryoga came to settle
a feud with Ranma because Ranma had deserted a pre-arranged fight and had
accidentally pushed him into the spring of drowned pig."
"I already know that. How about if I just tell you what I know about
him and then fill me in on anything I don't know?" Mousse asked.
"Fine by me. What do you know duck-boy?" she asked.
"I'll have you know I'm cured." Mousse said. "I already know he's got
a girl form and he's a heck of a fighter. What I need know is how he got
involved with all the trying to get him?"
Nabiki saw a coffee shop first and started leading Mousse towards it.
"Since you know about Shampoo, I'll go on to the others. Tatewaki Kuno
hates guy Ranma because he's engaged to Akane. He likes Ranma's girl form
because of the bod. Kodachi Kuno hates the girl form because she thinks
girl Ranma's after guy Ranma. Kodachi likes Ranma's guy form because of
the bod." she said, easing herself into a chair near the windows.
Mousse sat across from her and said, "So, both Kunos like and hate
Ranma at the same time. Heh, my duck form was a lot easier."
Nabiki smiled the customary smile she gave to her high-paying
clients.
They were interrupted by a waitress coming to take their order.
Nabiki ordered an expresso and Mousse ordered some tea. Nabiki turned back
to Mousse and said, "Okay, back to the task at hand. Ukyo got engaged
because Ranma's father, Genma, wanted her dowry, an okonomiyaki cart.
Genma took the cart but left Ukyo behind. She repressed her femininity
and
dressed as a boy and practiced her okonomiyaki martial art. She came to
Nerima to settle the score buy Ranma found out that she was a girl and
said she was cute. That got to her good side real quick."
The waitress came back with their orders. This time, she took time to
scrutinize the two. <Hmm, that's one of the martial artists that hang
around here. These two look to be planning something big. Good thing I'm
leaving in four days.>
Nabiki waited until the waitress left before saying, "That's pretty
much it, is there anything else you have in mind?" She didn't take her
eyes off him as she took a sip of her beverage.
Mousse thought back and asked, "Tell me about Ranma's relationship
with his mom."
<What!> "Why?" she asked. <Damn, I must be losing my touch if he
keeps surprising me like this.>
"I met her today in a park. I noticed that I've never seen her around
at your house. I guess my curiousity's just getting the better of me."
Mousse answered.
"Well, she doesn't know about Ranma and Genma's curse. Ten years ago,
Genma made a promise that when he came back with Ranma, her son would be
a
man among men. If not, she would make them commit seppuku. It's kinda hard
to be a man among men with a curse like Ranma's..."
"What's seppuku?" Mousse asked.
"Sorry, I forgot. It's an old Japanese tradition that when you are
greatly dishonoured, you must commit seppuku, suicide. You take a small
knife, a tanto, and disembowel yourself. If you hesitate or try to escape,
someone, usually a family member, conveniently standing over you will cut
your head off. Nodoka will be the one to watch over the both of them. The
bundled package she's always carrying around is a katana. It's the Saotome
sword and she has it ready to use it if she sees that Ranma
isn't a man amongst men. Whenever she comes over to my house, Ranma and
Genma go into their cursed forms to disguise themselves. Ranma pretends
to
be our cousin from the country and Genma is her pet panda."
Mousse looked slightly overwhelmed by all the information.
Nabiki noticed this look and asked, "Do you need me to repeat any of
this?"
Mousse snapped out of it and said, "No, I'm okay. I just have a lot
of work to do." He finished off his tea and got up. "Thanks for the info.
Now, how much to keep your silence?"
She smiled and said, "Not many people remember about that. Any amount
will do... but if someone were to give me a higher amount, I may have to
tell them what I know."
Mousse gave her an unsurprised look and placed another nugget on the
table. "You're paying for my tea right?"
"But of course, Mousse baby. Anything for my best customer." she said
with all the sweetness of Kasumi.
Mousse left the cafe and took out the recorder he hid in his robes.
"I had no idea Ranma had such an interesting life."
************************************************************************
Nabiki held both nuggets in her hand, feeling their weight. <Mousse
is planning something big... Looks like I'll also be doing a lot of work.>
She looked at the retreating martial artist. <How the heck did he get
these? And since when did he start wearing sunglasses?>
************************************************************************
Ranma walked the streets of Nerima deep in thought. <Damn, where the
heck did Mousse learn those moves? I've got to learn a counter or
something. No way he'd just give up Shampoo just like that.> He looked
up
from his walk to notice that he was approaching the Nekohanten. <Cologne
might know some moves but I don't want to have to owe her.> He turned
around and walked another way. <At least Mousse has nothing to fight
for
anymore. That should give me enough time to learn a weakness or
something.>
"Ranma!" a voice called out from nowhere.
Ranma looked for the owner of the voice to see Mousse coming through
his void. <What the heck's that?> Ranma thought to himself. "What could
you possibly want Mousse?" Ranma said, irritation showing in his voice
and
face.
Mousse took out a piece of paper, gave it to Ranma and said, "I've
come to issue a formal challenge. In a week's time, we will fight in the
vacant lot near your house. If you win, I'll teach you my new moves. If
I
win, you must choose a fiancee."
"WHAT?! Who's putting you up to this?!" Ranma yelled. <If it's pops
or old man Tendo, I'll... I'll...>
"These are the terms of my challenge. Do you accept?" Mousse asked,
ignoring Ranma's questions.
Ranma took the paper and said, "I, being the heir to the Saotome
School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts is honour bound to accept." He felt
like beating up Mousse for his arrogance but he knew he couldn't do
anything.
Mousse nodded and said, "Well, then I'm off." He materialized the
void once again and was about to enter when he said, "You should know that
I will be inviting certain people to the fight. You don't mind right?"
Ranma stared at Mousse and said, "Your confidence will be your
downfall Mousse. I don't care who shows up, I won't lose."
"Either way, you better start thinking about who you like the most.
It should be obvious but I know how thick you are. I'm giving you the week
to choose, not to train." with that, he walked in and disappeared.
<Life never gets boring.> thought Ranma, putting the challenge letter
in his pocket.
************************************************************************
Ukyo looked at the challenge letter Mousse had given to her. "So,
you're fighting Ran-chan again?" she asked, looking at the Chinese boy.
"Yeah, I have to. I want to end all this useless waiting." Mousse
said tiredly.
"Take my advice Mousse, you should look for new people other than
Shampoo. You deserve better." she said in a motherly voice.
Mousse smiled sadly and said, "Don't worry, I've given up on Shampoo.
I'm fighting Ranma for something else right now. It concerns you so I hope
you'll show up."
"Don't worry, I'll be there for Ran-chan. Oops, sorry. I'll be
cheering you both on." said an embarrassed chef.
"I hope you'll forgive me afterwards." said Mousse said, leaving
through his void.
<I wonder what he meant.> Ukyo thought. <Waitaminute! How'd he do
that?!" She inspected the place where Mousse had once occupied. <This
fight's going to be interesting.>
************************************************************************
"Hello, Shampoo?" Mousse asked unsurely.
"Shampoo no forgive you for leaving Shampoo yet." Shampoo said giving
him a shoulder colder than the Arctic.
Mousse sighed and said, "I'm sorry Shampoo but I need to speak with
you and Cologne."
"Where have you been duck-boy?" Cologne said, throwing a bucket of
cold water at the boy.
Mousse looked down at himself and thought, <I still can't believe I'm
cured.>
Both women gawked at the wet boy.
"So, you have found the cure, have you Mousse?" Cologne said, looking
at Shampoo, who threw more cold water at Mousse just to be sure.
"Mousse give Shampoo cure?" Shampoo asked cheerfully, forgetting that
she was trying to ignore Mousse earlier.
Mousse shook his head and said, "I'm sorry Shampoo but I was only
able to find the cure for myself. It seems as if every curse has a
specific cure."
Shampoo's shoulders slumped and she returned to ignoring Mousse as
much as possible.
"It seems as if there have been many happenings to you over the past
few days." Cologne said thoughtfully. "Have you come to return to your
old
job?"
Mousse took out the invitation and said, "I'm inviting you to the
fight at the end of the week between me and Ranma. I suggest you come
because it concerns you greatly."
Shampoo, who had been listening to the other two, came in and asked,
"Why you fight? You lost chance for Shampoo?"
Mousse smiled secretively and said, "Only Ranma and I know the prize
for the winner." The void materialized behind him and he walked backwards
into it.
Shampoo was surprised but Cologne looked deep in thought. <Is this
what Lather saw when he was little?> she asked herself.
** A shoulder length haired Cologne looked through the village they had
laid waste to. They had completely devastated the village. As she looked
through a barely standing house, she heard crying. She looked around to
find that the voice was coming from a hidden compartment under the floor.
With a punch, she opened it to reveal a baby boy.
<Hmm, just a boy. Perhaps he would make a good servant.> she thought.
"What have you found there Cologne?" asked someone from outside.
"It's a baby. The villagers must have hidden him here while fighting.
What should we do with him?"
The owner of the voice came into the weather beaten house and said,
"There seems to be a strange field around him." The elder took the baby
from Cologne and coddled him. "Yes, there is something magical about this
little one. A very powerful spell has been cast on him. We shall raise
him
to see if he has any latent powers. He could be of use to us." The elder
left carrying the baby.
Cologne looked around at the ruined house. <Perhaps there's still
something here.>
In the village, the wisest Amazons took turns trying to learn the
secret of the magic surrounding the boy. All they were able to find out
was that it the boy was completely emersed in the spell.
The elder who had taken the baby from Cologne, Lather, held up the
baby for everyone to see. "Hear this, this boy is to be raised as an
Amazon, no one will reveal the true nature of his beginnings. He will be
given to the family of Cream. Come and claim your first child Cream.
Cream came up to where Lather was standing and took the baby. "For
now and forever, this baby will be called Mousse." **
Cologne thought of Mousse's new powers. <Could this be what Lather
had told us about?"
************************************************************************
Mousse sat down cross-legged to concentrate on the position of his
next target. <I haven't made anymore mistakes but it still takes so
long
to get the target.> he thought absently. He stretched the Mind's eye to
look for Ryoga Hibiki.
************************************************************************
Ryoga looked at the two piles of wood he had already cut up. They
were already knee high. <Maybe a few more.> He readied the next piece
of
wood on the tree stump and pulled back his arm. He chopped the wood and
the two pieces fell into one of the two piles.
"Oh my! I don't think I need that much wood!" a voice from behind him
exclaimed.
Ryoga turned to see Akari Unryuu coming towards him with a tray of
lemonade.
"Hello Akari. I didn't hear you come up." he said unsurely.
Akari was still looking at the two piles of wood. "Ryoga, maybe you
could take some wood on your travels and sell them. I can't possibly use
all this wood by myself."
"That's a good idea." Ryoga said, clearing a way for her. He gave her
the chair he had been sitting on. He sat on the ground.
Akari set the tray down on the tree stump and poured out two drinks
for them and sat down. "What's bothering you?" she asked, concerned.
Ryoga looked at the two piles and said, "Doing this kind of work
clears my mind. I don't always do it because something is bothering me."
Akari seemed satisfied with the answer and looked at the chair she
was sitting in. "Ryoga, where did this chair come from?"
Ryoga looked shyly and said, "Oh, I made it while I was here. I guess
it's a talent."
Akari seemed impressed and said, "Can you show me?"
Ryoga took a piece of wood and in a couple minutes, had fashioned a
small chair from the wood and sat on it. Even though Akari had seen some
of Ryoga's feats of strength before, she hadn't gotten used to it.
"That's very good. It looks very strong." she said.
"Yeah, it is." he said, putting his hand behind his head and
laughing.
"Am I bothering you two?" asked a voice.
Akari turned around while Ryoga looked behind her.
"What are you doing here Mousse? Did you get lost or something?"
Ryoga asked.
"No, I'm not lost. I just need to speak with you, privately if
possible." he said, looking at Akari.
Akari stood up and said, "I was about to check on Katsunnishiki
anyway. It was nice meeting you..."
"...Mousse." the Chinese boy answered.
She left the two, heading for the famous Unryuu pig stys.
"Two girls... you're beginning to be like Kuno." Mousse said after
deciding Akari was no longer within earshot.
"Hey, it's not like that!" shouted Ryoga. "Me and Akari are just
friends!"
"Whatever." Mousse said tiredly. "Anyway, I've come to invite you to
a fight at the end of the week between me and Ranma. When I beat him,
maybe you can finish him off if you want to."
"Why should I come? I want to beat him myself!" Ryoga said, slightly
quieter than before.
Mousse looked at him and said, "This is important. You'll just have
to trust me. So, are you coming?"
Ryoga thought about it and said, "I'm coming because I want to see
Ranma beat the crap out of you. I still haven't completely forgiven you
for placing Akane in danger with that bomb from before."
Mousse nodded and said, "You still haven't gotten over that? Okay, as
long as you're coming. You might want to bring Akari. She could be
interested too." Mousse materialized the void in front of himself and
said, "If you're not there, I'll come and pick you up."
Ryoga gawked as Mousse stepped through a hole in mid-air and vanish.
<I'm coming for sure now!> he thought. <Maybe Akari would like to
come
with me. She deserves a break from raising all these pigs all day long.>
"Hey Akari, you're not doing anything next week are you?" he called out
to
the girl.
************************************************************************
In the Tendo Dojo, Genma-panda and Soun were shogi, in a world all
their own, trying to hide their plans from each other.
<If I can distract him, I can get at least three pieces back.> Soun
thought.
<If I can sneeze hard enough, maybe I might be able to blow my pieces
forward and his back.> Genma thought, <This panda form must be good
for
something.>
"I'm home!" Ranma called out.
Ranma caught both men in mid-cheat. Soun in mid-fake-point and
Genma-panda in mid-fake-sneeze.
<Damn, better cover up the cheat.> Soun thought. He placed the hand
he was going to use to point and put it behind his head. "So, what's new
today Ranma?"
Genma-panda covered his cheat with a fake yawn, then joined Soun in
asking Ranma, [Yes, anything new?] in sign format.
Ranma looked at the two and said, "Mousse challenged me. Hey Pop, I
think I need to go on a training trip for this one."
[Against Mousse?!] Genma signed.
"Yeah, he has some new moves that almost beat me last time." Ranma
said, sitting down beside the shogi board.
[Sure.] Genma signed. <I thought Nabiki was exaggerating, but now...>
"A training trip! Just the thing you two need some time to get to
know each other better. If you know what I mean son." Soun said, hoping
Akane wouldn't be too upset with him.
For some reason, both teenagers didn't quite catch that last part.
"Dad! I have school. What are you going to say to Miss Hinako? She
won't like me and Ranma being gone for so long." Akane scolded her father.
"Akane, it's really important that I go train. How could I ever call
myself the heir to the Anything-Goes Martial Arts Dojo if I can't beat
Mousse?" Ranma asked.
"Fine, but I'm not going. I don't care if you two fight for Shampoo."
she said, starting off to her room.
Ranma turned and saw the two men coming towards him. "It's not like
that!" Ranma shouted. "We're fighting for something different!"
"What are you fighting over this time then?" asked Akane, who hadn't
completely left.
"If I win, Mousse will teach me the moves he used on me earlier. That
way I could show I'm worthy of the Saotome school." Ranma said
confidently.
"What if he wins?" Akane asked.
"Uh, if he wins, he uh..." Ranma trailed off. <Oh great, think of
something. Off the top of your head.> "If he wins, he uh... becomes an
heir to the Saotome school?"
"HE WHAT?!" Genma shouted.
<Hey, when did pops turn human?> Ranma thought absently. "He, uh...
wanted to become a Saotome because he... he... wanted to get engaged to
a
Tendo girl?"
"HE WHAT?!" Soun shouted, going into demon-head mode.
<Oops.> Ranma thought. <Note to self, never think of something off
the top of your head.>
************************************************************************
End Part 3
Author's Notes: Dontcha just love the Saotome family trait of putting your
foot in your mouth?
So, it so good that you had to be hospitalized after being stunned at
reading such an amazing piece of literature? (Author's head gets as big
as
a house)
Was it so bad you banged your head on the nearest wall to try to erase
your memory? (Author packs up and gets lost to become a hermit) Tell me
at
mabli@idirect.com.
If you want any previous parts, you could email me for them.
--
Mark Ferrer
