Eternal Love
by Jess Dougherty
***********************************************************************
Disclaimer: By all rights by law, Characters in this story belong
to Rumiko Takashi and their receptive companies. Please do not sue as
I am a student without any source of income or wealth. The story
however is something that had been floating around in my head for a
while now. So, I decided to put into writing, hope you enjoy it.
" " = Japanese
{ } = Chinese
_ _ = Thoughts
***********************************************************************
An old woman lay down on a straw mat as she looked up to the
ceiling with her deep lavender eyes. Her face had a far away look as
though recalling happier time. Her long white hair flowed under her
small and frail looking body like a field of snow. A staff laid by her
bed side as she tried to get some sleep.
Just when sleep seemed to have finally come and started to claim
its guest, her old but alert eyes caught something in its sights. A
small shadow entering from the open door caught her attention. She
smiled a little bit, but fear was evident in her eyes.
Her old and wrinkled lips curved into a small smile, much like
another used to do so long, long ago. A descendent of this old woman
and she spoke.
{I know you're here, might as well show yourself. That is the
reason after all that I invited you to be here.}
From the far right corner came a deep voice of a young man, the
opposite direction where the old woman had been looking at. {I did
not think you would want ME here. Especially at this time, since
you never really did like me.}
The old woman smiled and kept on looking toward the ceiling as she
recalled how the shadow looked like. At least how he once looked
like so many years ago. Nearly two hundred and forty years ago.
{Why don't you come out of the shadows in your natural form? Or at
least how you look like now in human form.}
{Are you sure you want too?} A hint of fear present in the voice of
the shadow.
{Yes, I'm sure...... Muu Tsuu.}
{As you wish my lil Xian.}
Out of the shadows, in front of the elder Xian Up, once known as
Shampoo, came out what was a young man. Long raven black hair that
once had flowed to mid back was cut shoulder length. The river of
black silk that was his hair braided into a traditional Chinese
pigtail and kept clean and groomed. He stood at about nearly seven
feet with broad shoulders, a long white leather coat over his tall
form.
Under it he wore a tight black turtleneck sweater which defined his
sculptured and firm muscles. Loose black slacks with a braided black
belt clothed his waist and below. Stylish black boots were at his feet
and large, deep emerald green eyes bore down on the laying woman that
laid on the bed.
_Wow._ A small thought escaped into the deep recess of the mind
that belonged to Shampoo.
Mousse looked at the elder Shampoo and spoke first. "You look well
Shampoo."
Snapping back to reality and realizing that Mousse was speaking in
Japanese, she answered back.
"As are you Mousse."
A pain filled expression came to his face as he turned away from
Shampoo and stared out the window. His shoulders slumped as his hands
went to his coat pockets. Thus turning away from her and facing out
the small wooden window.
"Please Shampoo, don't call me that."
Shampoo was a little shocked at the request her friend asked of her
and got up with her staff in hand to see what was wrong. She hopped
over much like her great-grandmother used and stood next to the tall
man she once had known, or thought she had known well.
"What is wrong Mousse?"
He quickly shrugged, casting aside the hand of the elder woman from
his shoulder. He turned to face her and a scowl crossing his face for
a moment then turned away from her. Fear came out of the face of the
old woman, but only for a moment then cast it aside. She continued to
stare at the young man before her and her memory started to travel
back in time.
***
^FLASHBACK^
"Mousse, you can never have Shampoo, so stop trying. Shampoo's
heart belong only to arien. Only to Ranma."
Mousse stood before Shampoo, tears streaming down his face as he
heard those words again and again in his face. As he had heard over
and over for the past two years. His look turning from anger, to
pain, to one of determination.
He stood tall and firm, and at the age of eighteen now, it looked
good on him to do so as he had grown. He was no longer the five foot
eight martial artist that had arrived at Nerima to challenge Ranma. He
had grown somewhat to a tall six-foot young man.
Then he spoke, his voice coming out deep, dark and serious. {Xian
Pu I challenge you to a skill against skill Amazon contest.
Intergender, me against you and NOT for your hand in marriage. I want
to prove something to you for the last time. Then I shall leave.}
Shampoo laughed at the face Mousse was giving her and in all over
confidence spoke out to the young man she (thought) knew so well. she
nodded and took out her bondari out of her hiding place. Going into a
fighting stance, her face became serious as spoke in Chinese.
{Begin.}
***
"Mousse, why do you wish for me to stop calling you that?"
"Because..." He answered without looking at her or turning
around to face her.
"Because what?" She grabbed his arm and turned him to face a
monstrous face. His once emerald green eyes were gone, replaced by
to red pools of energy as they glowed with power. Fangs came out of
his mouth as he revealed to her his vampiric nature. And he spoke in
a dark, almost demonic tone.
"BECAUSE... MOUSSE OR MUU TSUU DIED THE DAY HE FOUGHT YOU. NOW ONLY
LIVES THE VAMPIRE KNOWN AS SHO SHANG."
Before he completely turned away from a startled Shampoo his face
returned to normal. He once again looked like the young man she once
knew years ago.
"I came here for one final time Shampoo, to say my good-byes to
you."
Shampoo got startled back into reality with his current words, her
mind racing. _Did he know?_
To answer her thoughts almost as though he read her mind, he spoke.
"Yes. I can tell your dying. You don't live the last few hundred years
years as... what I am, without learning a few things about something
you can never have. About death." The last two words came out in a
sad tone, almost lonely.
Shampoo hopped back to her place with Mousse, or rather Keui as he
wished to be called now. She was about to speak when he continued.
"I'm sorry I always held back everytime we fought. Maybe if I had
been a real Amazon male all those years ago, none of what is now
would be. A sad smile came to his face as he cast his eyes down. "Huh,
story of my life; full of wishes and dreams and never to ever come
true." He shoulders shrugged as his face came up again only to glance
at Shampoo then just as quickly looked outside to the moon.
Shampoo looked at Mousse with pain in her eyes. She taught a new
way now, a redefined version of the Amazon traditions to better suit
those problems for future Amazon generations. Problems much like her
own, so they won't lead back to living a pain filled life like her
own. Especially her own great-granddaughter, Jae El.
So they can all be free to chose those who they love and not be
forced to marry the first man to defeat them. A best two out of three
contest. Prove yourself worthy once, prove yourself indefinitely in
the second one. Meanwhile living together, and only dating each other
after the first successful win. To see if they really liked each other
and not some obsession like hers had been with Ranma.
***
^FLASHBACK.^
Mousse's glasses had long fallen and broken somewhere as his
unruly green eyes looked through haze at the lavender blur in front of
him. He panted as he looked at Shampoo and wished only to free her
from Ranma, from a future of pain that each would bring to the other.
He knew Ranma TRUELY, MADLY, and DEEPLY loved Akane. He only wished to
free them both from the pain that this old outdated tradition brought
and would bring them.
Shampoo was not in better shape herself as she looked across at her
opponent in Mousse. Most of his arsenal was all over the Nekohanten
and most of Nerima as the battle had proven harsh. People had gathered
around now, to see but most had left due to the intesenity of it all.
One of her bondari had been broken to pieces and she had resorted
toward using her sword. The same one she had carried when first
coming here, to hunt for female Ranma.
"Give up Mousse... (pant)... you never... (cough) win."
"We shall... (cough) see Shampoo. We... (pant) shall... (pant) see."
They both jumped at the same time as an unseen chain snaked its way
to Shampoo around her blade and pulled it away. She threw her bondari
into a full blown blow toward his head when a large staff broke
through it and over her head.
Everything went black.
***
"I never did get to thank you Mousse."
"Huh?!?" A puzzled look on his face was clearly shown.
"For defeating me all those years ago and freeing me from my
engagement to Ranma. I learned the hard way he did not love me,
especially since the following month he broke off his engagement to
Ukyou. And refused to go challenge me or you to regain what I thought
he wanted." She looked down at the pain her memory gave her. "What
was supposed to be his."
Coming out of his shock, Mousse, or Keui, looked down at the memory
of what had happened after he defeated Shampoo. Cologne had been there
to see the fight and had not agreed to the pre-fight stipulation. In
her eyes they were married and Shampoo had been miserable the whole
month.
"You don't have to thank me Xian, it only brought you pain,
remember. I am nothing more but a harbinger of suffering." His
gaze again went to her and before she looked up. When she did, he did
his best to gaze anywhere but her. As old feelings started to come
back into him, feelings he wished only to bury in the past.
Then his mind began to wonder again as he looked on toward what
was once his hometown. Remembering only the good times but before he
knew it, returning toward times after leaving. Times when he lived in
Japan, with his love. The time they spent 'married' and before his
'death.'
He had avoided her the first whole month of their marriage, there
only month before unforeseen consequences. Never pushing her into
anything to show her that he would not abuse his newfound position.
But then, one night, he did abuse his position. One night when she
pushed and he caved like dominos.
They had actually shared a moment together, at least two weeks
after the fight, but it had been an accident. She had drunken too much
at her loss of Ranma as her fiancee. She was in emotional pain over
being married to Mousse and had accidentally seduced him. Even if he
knew that deep down he had wanted it badly. He had taken advantage of
his position. The one thing he swore never to do and had done so.
He hated himself deeply after that, then when the following week
Ranma had angered his master. Happosai had called upon and released
a Vampire demon which turned him into what he was now.
Mousse stayed quiet as he looked onto into the village, looking at
all the buildings that were dark and peaceful. Everybody sleeping
easily in their small lifetimes and not living in torment every
moment as he had. Shampoo, looked on allowing Mousse his little
moment, with concern in her eyes. Concern and realization at how much
she had truly tortured this wonderful man, friend, and husband.
As well, at one time... lover.
Mousse kept on remembering and berating himself into the ground.
The time for a confrontation between the demon and the martial
artists of Nerima came. He being the first, the first to fall victim
to its curse.
The demon had taken advantage of his depression and guilt over
taking advantage of Shampoo. It had seduced him and had fallen easily
to it as he had taken advantage of his darling love. He felt ready to
die, but instead had been punished for eternity. Now he was a vampire.
Time passed.
He had been there for his own funeral, after Ranma, Ryoga and
Kunon fought and defeated the demon. He had been written up as a
causality when he went missing for a week. Then he remembered who he
met before leaving Nerima, his wife. Before leaving his entire life
behind, to allow her a better future.
***
Crawling into his window, he looked around for his things to gather
before leaving everything behind. He had gathered all his weapons and
what little he had when the light beside his bed turned on. He stood
there frozen and looking a tear-filled eyes of Shampoo.
"M..Mousse?!?" Shock apparent on her face.
{Uh... Hello Xian.}
{How... how can you be alive? Ranma say he saw you fall after demon
bit you on the neck and when nobody found your body. It was thought
and concluded that you died.}
Turning away, he whispered. {I wish I had.}
Then she noticed the small traveling bag on the floor next to him
and understood quickly. Her quiet happiness at finding out her husband
was alive turned to pain. She looked to him and spoke.
{Mousse what are you doing, you can't be leaving... I have...}
His finger fell on her lips and Mousse spoke.
_I hope I do this right._
{Sllleeeepppp Shhhaammmpppoooo. Thhhiiiissss iiisss aaallllll aaa
dddrrreeeaaammm.} And she fell asleep in his arms. he picked up
the bag and looked down at the young woman in his arms. He began to
lay her quietly and gently on her bed.
{I wish I could be with you but I've caused you nothing but pain
and dishonor. Now I'm not even a man who could learn to be a true
husband to you. I am nothing but a monster since the day we fought and
it seems fate has deemed for eternity.} He bent down and kissed her on
her forehead.
Walking over toward the window and whispered.
{Good-bye my lil Xian Pu.}
Then he took one last look back at her sleeping form and leapt into
the night.
***
"Mousse?!?! Mousse!!!!" Shampoo waved her small arms back and
forth in Mousse's vision, snapping him out of his own little walk
down memory lane.
"Huh?"
"What happened to you there Mousse? Where were you?"
Surprise and then a small blush creeping onto his cheeks, Mousse
looked away. "No where Xian, and please remember, my name is Keui
now."
"Hush. To me you will always be my darling husband Muu Tsuu."
"HUH?!?!?" Shock is something that can really hit a man living for
the past two hundred and fifty years in full swing. Sure letting out a
little here and a little there make you seem human, but this was too
much. Shampoo calling him husband.
"What do you mean Shampoo?"
A sly grin appeared on her face as she spoke. "You really think I
fell asleep that night you came back?"
"Uh,...uh... yeah." _How did she know what I was thinking._
"Well I did, but my memory stayed intact. I told my grandmother
about it and she told me never to go after you. She told me what you
had become and why you chose to do what you did and leave. I never
married after you 'died,' did you know that?" The old woman blushed
and looked away.
A dumbfounded vampire simply shook his head and answered. "No, I
did not." He had come to see her once every five years and when he
had seen her with a young girl, she had called Per Fyum but that had
been all. He was brought back to reality as Shampoo spoke.
"I waited Mousse. I waited and I waited for the past two hundred
and forty years for to come back and you never did." Her back was
still to him, but it shook a little bit as she spoke. "Did you know
that we had a daughter? And now a great-granddaughter?"
"I... I... I knew that YOU had a child and her name, was , but I
didn't know that she... they were ours. I thought you had found
someone else, because I you didn't love me." Mousse, the vampire, who
had come here with a sad note, was now standing before an ancient
Shampoo with his face contorted in pure shock and surprise.
She turned around and Mousse stepped back as tears filled the eyes
of the Amazon great elder since Cologne herself. He gulped his own
shame back and started to go for the door. "I'm sorry I was an
unworthy husband Shampoo. I'm sorry you had to suffer an indignity of
having my child. I'm sorry I was ever born into your life. Don't
worry, I'm going to face a sunrise soon. Maybe then, you'll receive
your honor back."
He stopped as a hand held his right shoulder and he turned around
to face Shampoo, with tears in his emerald eyes. Tears showing his
soul still trapped in the demon body his form had become. He was
surprised to see tears in her eyes as well.
{Muu Tsuu, I am sorry for never telling you.... that... I love you.}
Mousse fell to his knees and looked now face to face on the staff
ridden old woman. Tears streaming down their faces and then without
warning they kissed. Their first real kiss since that night they had
shared so long ago.
Time almost seemed to stop for the two of them. Everything was
silent and still and then they broke apart.
Both smiling, the pain of the past two hundred and forty years of
hidden emotions, lies, and misjudgments being swept away with tears
of joy. Then Shampoo broke the silence by speaking.
"Make me like you Mousse. Let be with you and be together for at
least a couple of years. A century at most, please."
"Shampoo,... you don't know what you speak off. This.. what I have
is nothing... its nothing more than a curse. You don't want it, it had
nearly seduced me with its power many times. Please you can't ask me
what you say you want."
She only got closer to the retreating figure and looked at him with
those same watery eyes and asked again. "Please Mousse. I've already
lived one lifetime raising our family, had a fulfilling life, and
am dying ALONE. Let me live on happily century with you and then we
can die together, please?" Tears streaming down her face as she cried
in front of a man, one of the few things she swore she would never do.
He looked at her eyes and his once thought cold and black heart
burned with passion. The same passion he had for her and will always
have for her burned. He didn't wanna do this but she was right, even
he wanted just one lifetime with her. Just one.
He closed his eyes and answered.
"Ok." He opened his eyes and saw a smiling old woman but her eyes
were still hers, from so long ago. "Ok, I will my lil Xian Pu, I will
do it."
She reached up with her hand and touched his face. "Thank you."
Then she fell limp in his arms as life started catch up with her and
it started drain from her. She was starting to die.
Moving quickly he licked her neck, three times at the spot where he
would make his mark. He gave himself a little time as his fangs came
out from their hiding sheaths and then looked at her with his own
emerald green eyes and looking at her smiling face, he bite her.
*****
The following day, Muu Tsuu, grandson of the elder Xian Pu with his
granddaughter Jae El celebrated the passing of a great leader. The
whole village mourned and gave their gifts to her as they buried her
with her ancestors and next to the grave of the father, husband and
soulmate of the elder who passed.
On the inscription it read:
Here lies one of the greatest women. Taught by a legend to become a
legend. Her strength and spirit will always be with us. Now and
Forever."
As everyone left to do their daily lives, the young seventeen year
old Jae El stayed behind and paid her last respects to her great-
grandmother. Her long deep lavender hair and emerald green eyes closed
wearing a traditional white Chinese suit. Much like great-grandmother
in her youth, from what she saw in her old photos.
Bowing her head, she spoke softly.
{Good bye Great-grandmother. You taught me and well and I promise
to make you proud of me someday as I was proud to call you my great-
grandmother. Bye.} She bowed and started to leave when she heard a
strange noise behind her.
Turning around, she a man with long black hair in gajin clothing
stepping in front of her great-grandmothers grave. She instantly got
angry. "Hey who you stranger?"
The man did not turn around but spoke. {Don't worry Lil Jae, I am a
friend of your great-grandmothers. I just came to pay my respects
and to meet her again after so long.}
{How do you know my great-grandmother?} Asked little Jae El with
suspicion about this stranger.
The man spoke. {You can say she was my... first love.}
{Huh?}
The man turned around and spoke to the young girl in a weird sound
monologue. {Don'tttt worryyyyy yourselffff littleeee oneeee, I'mmm
hereee justtt tooo payyyy myyy respectsss tooo the deadddd warriorrr.
Youuu cannn leaveee withoutttt worryyy.}
{Oh...ok.} She snapped out of it and smiled at the man staring at
her and then turned around to head back to her village, and the man
sat against the stone marker.
***
Night fell and Mousse felt the ground beneath him move as a hand
popped out next to him. His arms folded as he looked towards the sky
and was deep in thought. Then just as quickly stood before him a
young woman with long deep lavender haired in two buns before him.
She looked to be about twenty years of age and fair and flawless
skin with a rather short, near mini-dress reaching up to her waist.
Leaving the rest of her bottom exposed and telling the whole world
that the hair on her head was her natural hair color.
Mousse looked at the rejuvenated Shampoo, admiring her body in a
way he once would never allow himself to do. That was before they
confessed long and deep hidden feelings. Casting his eyes down, he
quickly turned around in haste when he realized her lack of clothing
from her waist down.
As he looked away, Shampoo couldn't help but laugh as she had
caught sight of the red face Mousse had just shown.
"What's matter Mousse, never seen a pretty girl naked before?
Hahaha." A young again Shampoo threw her head back as she laughed a
raw and full mischief laugh into the night.
Blushing even darker, if that's' possible, he responded. "Well,...
no. Except you,... all those years ago." Again blushing even deeper.
Shampoo stood there with a look of total shock, finding out that
the moment she had shared with Mousse all those years ago was special
to him as it was to her. And not only that but it was the only
experience he had ever had like her.
Tears started to stream down her face as she looked at Mousse and
asked, "Mousse, you mean to tell me that you were a virgin then and
even now are again?"
Mousse looked down toward his feet and nodded slowly.
"But I thought that after living for so long that you..."
"No..."
Tears came out of her eyes as she fiercely hugged Mousse and
cried in his shoulder. Mousses' face lighting up and then turning
crimson as a certain part started to rub against his male anatomy.
"Uh Shampoo, maybe we should, uh... get you some cloths?"
"Huh, oh that." She smiled a sly grin and looked at Mousse. "You
sure you want that?"
"Uh... so how's unnatural life like for you?" He spoke, trying to
change the subject from where things were leading into.
"It ok, feels weird but..." She looked toward her village and
signed. That was now another lifetime ago and where she had found
love once again. She looked back down at Mousse.
"But..."
"But this life is better now, I have my arien back." She glanced at
him as she smiled her resilient little smile she always smiled so long
ago at him. Mousse couldn't help but smile at her too.
Before another action could be taken, Shampoo spoke out to her
ever-endlessly youthful husband. {So, you still wanna go by the name
Keui? Or are you going to be my darling arien, Mousse?}
Sitting there looking at Shampoo, Mousse stood stock still for what
seemed like an eternity. Shampoo's smile and happy nature started to
falter as she became a little worried, until he smiled at her and
answered her.
{As you wish, beloved. I am Mousse for you and ONLY you, now and
always.} He smiled at her.
Then, both smiling, Mousse got up and pulled Shampoo up with him
and covered her with his leather coat. Closing it at the front to make
it into a makeshift dress. They began to run into the woods and leapt
up into the branches and leapt away into the night. The forestry
jungles of China coming to life with laughter, all into the night and
possibly for all eternity. Now and forever.
The End.
***********************************************************************
Well, that's it folks. So tell me, do you think I did the characters
by Rumiko Takahashi justice? Or do you think I crashed and burned
before ever taking off?
Well, whatever you opinion may be, you know where to send it so, until
next time, enjoy yourselves.
P.S. Oh yeah, be sure to take a peek at my other ongoing little series
between Mousse/Shampoo in 'Changes.'
Later.
by Jess Dougherty
***********************************************************************
Disclaimer: By all rights by law, Characters in this story belong
to Rumiko Takashi and their receptive companies. Please do not sue as
I am a student without any source of income or wealth. The story
however is something that had been floating around in my head for a
while now. So, I decided to put into writing, hope you enjoy it.
" " = Japanese
{ } = Chinese
_ _ = Thoughts
***********************************************************************
An old woman lay down on a straw mat as she looked up to the
ceiling with her deep lavender eyes. Her face had a far away look as
though recalling happier time. Her long white hair flowed under her
small and frail looking body like a field of snow. A staff laid by her
bed side as she tried to get some sleep.
Just when sleep seemed to have finally come and started to claim
its guest, her old but alert eyes caught something in its sights. A
small shadow entering from the open door caught her attention. She
smiled a little bit, but fear was evident in her eyes.
Her old and wrinkled lips curved into a small smile, much like
another used to do so long, long ago. A descendent of this old woman
and she spoke.
{I know you're here, might as well show yourself. That is the
reason after all that I invited you to be here.}
From the far right corner came a deep voice of a young man, the
opposite direction where the old woman had been looking at. {I did
not think you would want ME here. Especially at this time, since
you never really did like me.}
The old woman smiled and kept on looking toward the ceiling as she
recalled how the shadow looked like. At least how he once looked
like so many years ago. Nearly two hundred and forty years ago.
{Why don't you come out of the shadows in your natural form? Or at
least how you look like now in human form.}
{Are you sure you want too?} A hint of fear present in the voice of
the shadow.
{Yes, I'm sure...... Muu Tsuu.}
{As you wish my lil Xian.}
Out of the shadows, in front of the elder Xian Up, once known as
Shampoo, came out what was a young man. Long raven black hair that
once had flowed to mid back was cut shoulder length. The river of
black silk that was his hair braided into a traditional Chinese
pigtail and kept clean and groomed. He stood at about nearly seven
feet with broad shoulders, a long white leather coat over his tall
form.
Under it he wore a tight black turtleneck sweater which defined his
sculptured and firm muscles. Loose black slacks with a braided black
belt clothed his waist and below. Stylish black boots were at his feet
and large, deep emerald green eyes bore down on the laying woman that
laid on the bed.
_Wow._ A small thought escaped into the deep recess of the mind
that belonged to Shampoo.
Mousse looked at the elder Shampoo and spoke first. "You look well
Shampoo."
Snapping back to reality and realizing that Mousse was speaking in
Japanese, she answered back.
"As are you Mousse."
A pain filled expression came to his face as he turned away from
Shampoo and stared out the window. His shoulders slumped as his hands
went to his coat pockets. Thus turning away from her and facing out
the small wooden window.
"Please Shampoo, don't call me that."
Shampoo was a little shocked at the request her friend asked of her
and got up with her staff in hand to see what was wrong. She hopped
over much like her great-grandmother used and stood next to the tall
man she once had known, or thought she had known well.
"What is wrong Mousse?"
He quickly shrugged, casting aside the hand of the elder woman from
his shoulder. He turned to face her and a scowl crossing his face for
a moment then turned away from her. Fear came out of the face of the
old woman, but only for a moment then cast it aside. She continued to
stare at the young man before her and her memory started to travel
back in time.
***
^FLASHBACK^
"Mousse, you can never have Shampoo, so stop trying. Shampoo's
heart belong only to arien. Only to Ranma."
Mousse stood before Shampoo, tears streaming down his face as he
heard those words again and again in his face. As he had heard over
and over for the past two years. His look turning from anger, to
pain, to one of determination.
He stood tall and firm, and at the age of eighteen now, it looked
good on him to do so as he had grown. He was no longer the five foot
eight martial artist that had arrived at Nerima to challenge Ranma. He
had grown somewhat to a tall six-foot young man.
Then he spoke, his voice coming out deep, dark and serious. {Xian
Pu I challenge you to a skill against skill Amazon contest.
Intergender, me against you and NOT for your hand in marriage. I want
to prove something to you for the last time. Then I shall leave.}
Shampoo laughed at the face Mousse was giving her and in all over
confidence spoke out to the young man she (thought) knew so well. she
nodded and took out her bondari out of her hiding place. Going into a
fighting stance, her face became serious as spoke in Chinese.
{Begin.}
***
"Mousse, why do you wish for me to stop calling you that?"
"Because..." He answered without looking at her or turning
around to face her.
"Because what?" She grabbed his arm and turned him to face a
monstrous face. His once emerald green eyes were gone, replaced by
to red pools of energy as they glowed with power. Fangs came out of
his mouth as he revealed to her his vampiric nature. And he spoke in
a dark, almost demonic tone.
"BECAUSE... MOUSSE OR MUU TSUU DIED THE DAY HE FOUGHT YOU. NOW ONLY
LIVES THE VAMPIRE KNOWN AS SHO SHANG."
Before he completely turned away from a startled Shampoo his face
returned to normal. He once again looked like the young man she once
knew years ago.
"I came here for one final time Shampoo, to say my good-byes to
you."
Shampoo got startled back into reality with his current words, her
mind racing. _Did he know?_
To answer her thoughts almost as though he read her mind, he spoke.
"Yes. I can tell your dying. You don't live the last few hundred years
years as... what I am, without learning a few things about something
you can never have. About death." The last two words came out in a
sad tone, almost lonely.
Shampoo hopped back to her place with Mousse, or rather Keui as he
wished to be called now. She was about to speak when he continued.
"I'm sorry I always held back everytime we fought. Maybe if I had
been a real Amazon male all those years ago, none of what is now
would be. A sad smile came to his face as he cast his eyes down. "Huh,
story of my life; full of wishes and dreams and never to ever come
true." He shoulders shrugged as his face came up again only to glance
at Shampoo then just as quickly looked outside to the moon.
Shampoo looked at Mousse with pain in her eyes. She taught a new
way now, a redefined version of the Amazon traditions to better suit
those problems for future Amazon generations. Problems much like her
own, so they won't lead back to living a pain filled life like her
own. Especially her own great-granddaughter, Jae El.
So they can all be free to chose those who they love and not be
forced to marry the first man to defeat them. A best two out of three
contest. Prove yourself worthy once, prove yourself indefinitely in
the second one. Meanwhile living together, and only dating each other
after the first successful win. To see if they really liked each other
and not some obsession like hers had been with Ranma.
***
^FLASHBACK.^
Mousse's glasses had long fallen and broken somewhere as his
unruly green eyes looked through haze at the lavender blur in front of
him. He panted as he looked at Shampoo and wished only to free her
from Ranma, from a future of pain that each would bring to the other.
He knew Ranma TRUELY, MADLY, and DEEPLY loved Akane. He only wished to
free them both from the pain that this old outdated tradition brought
and would bring them.
Shampoo was not in better shape herself as she looked across at her
opponent in Mousse. Most of his arsenal was all over the Nekohanten
and most of Nerima as the battle had proven harsh. People had gathered
around now, to see but most had left due to the intesenity of it all.
One of her bondari had been broken to pieces and she had resorted
toward using her sword. The same one she had carried when first
coming here, to hunt for female Ranma.
"Give up Mousse... (pant)... you never... (cough) win."
"We shall... (cough) see Shampoo. We... (pant) shall... (pant) see."
They both jumped at the same time as an unseen chain snaked its way
to Shampoo around her blade and pulled it away. She threw her bondari
into a full blown blow toward his head when a large staff broke
through it and over her head.
Everything went black.
***
"I never did get to thank you Mousse."
"Huh?!?" A puzzled look on his face was clearly shown.
"For defeating me all those years ago and freeing me from my
engagement to Ranma. I learned the hard way he did not love me,
especially since the following month he broke off his engagement to
Ukyou. And refused to go challenge me or you to regain what I thought
he wanted." She looked down at the pain her memory gave her. "What
was supposed to be his."
Coming out of his shock, Mousse, or Keui, looked down at the memory
of what had happened after he defeated Shampoo. Cologne had been there
to see the fight and had not agreed to the pre-fight stipulation. In
her eyes they were married and Shampoo had been miserable the whole
month.
"You don't have to thank me Xian, it only brought you pain,
remember. I am nothing more but a harbinger of suffering." His
gaze again went to her and before she looked up. When she did, he did
his best to gaze anywhere but her. As old feelings started to come
back into him, feelings he wished only to bury in the past.
Then his mind began to wonder again as he looked on toward what
was once his hometown. Remembering only the good times but before he
knew it, returning toward times after leaving. Times when he lived in
Japan, with his love. The time they spent 'married' and before his
'death.'
He had avoided her the first whole month of their marriage, there
only month before unforeseen consequences. Never pushing her into
anything to show her that he would not abuse his newfound position.
But then, one night, he did abuse his position. One night when she
pushed and he caved like dominos.
They had actually shared a moment together, at least two weeks
after the fight, but it had been an accident. She had drunken too much
at her loss of Ranma as her fiancee. She was in emotional pain over
being married to Mousse and had accidentally seduced him. Even if he
knew that deep down he had wanted it badly. He had taken advantage of
his position. The one thing he swore never to do and had done so.
He hated himself deeply after that, then when the following week
Ranma had angered his master. Happosai had called upon and released
a Vampire demon which turned him into what he was now.
Mousse stayed quiet as he looked onto into the village, looking at
all the buildings that were dark and peaceful. Everybody sleeping
easily in their small lifetimes and not living in torment every
moment as he had. Shampoo, looked on allowing Mousse his little
moment, with concern in her eyes. Concern and realization at how much
she had truly tortured this wonderful man, friend, and husband.
As well, at one time... lover.
Mousse kept on remembering and berating himself into the ground.
The time for a confrontation between the demon and the martial
artists of Nerima came. He being the first, the first to fall victim
to its curse.
The demon had taken advantage of his depression and guilt over
taking advantage of Shampoo. It had seduced him and had fallen easily
to it as he had taken advantage of his darling love. He felt ready to
die, but instead had been punished for eternity. Now he was a vampire.
Time passed.
He had been there for his own funeral, after Ranma, Ryoga and
Kunon fought and defeated the demon. He had been written up as a
causality when he went missing for a week. Then he remembered who he
met before leaving Nerima, his wife. Before leaving his entire life
behind, to allow her a better future.
***
Crawling into his window, he looked around for his things to gather
before leaving everything behind. He had gathered all his weapons and
what little he had when the light beside his bed turned on. He stood
there frozen and looking a tear-filled eyes of Shampoo.
"M..Mousse?!?" Shock apparent on her face.
{Uh... Hello Xian.}
{How... how can you be alive? Ranma say he saw you fall after demon
bit you on the neck and when nobody found your body. It was thought
and concluded that you died.}
Turning away, he whispered. {I wish I had.}
Then she noticed the small traveling bag on the floor next to him
and understood quickly. Her quiet happiness at finding out her husband
was alive turned to pain. She looked to him and spoke.
{Mousse what are you doing, you can't be leaving... I have...}
His finger fell on her lips and Mousse spoke.
_I hope I do this right._
{Sllleeeepppp Shhhaammmpppoooo. Thhhiiiissss iiisss aaallllll aaa
dddrrreeeaaammm.} And she fell asleep in his arms. he picked up
the bag and looked down at the young woman in his arms. He began to
lay her quietly and gently on her bed.
{I wish I could be with you but I've caused you nothing but pain
and dishonor. Now I'm not even a man who could learn to be a true
husband to you. I am nothing but a monster since the day we fought and
it seems fate has deemed for eternity.} He bent down and kissed her on
her forehead.
Walking over toward the window and whispered.
{Good-bye my lil Xian Pu.}
Then he took one last look back at her sleeping form and leapt into
the night.
***
"Mousse?!?! Mousse!!!!" Shampoo waved her small arms back and
forth in Mousse's vision, snapping him out of his own little walk
down memory lane.
"Huh?"
"What happened to you there Mousse? Where were you?"
Surprise and then a small blush creeping onto his cheeks, Mousse
looked away. "No where Xian, and please remember, my name is Keui
now."
"Hush. To me you will always be my darling husband Muu Tsuu."
"HUH?!?!?" Shock is something that can really hit a man living for
the past two hundred and fifty years in full swing. Sure letting out a
little here and a little there make you seem human, but this was too
much. Shampoo calling him husband.
"What do you mean Shampoo?"
A sly grin appeared on her face as she spoke. "You really think I
fell asleep that night you came back?"
"Uh,...uh... yeah." _How did she know what I was thinking._
"Well I did, but my memory stayed intact. I told my grandmother
about it and she told me never to go after you. She told me what you
had become and why you chose to do what you did and leave. I never
married after you 'died,' did you know that?" The old woman blushed
and looked away.
A dumbfounded vampire simply shook his head and answered. "No, I
did not." He had come to see her once every five years and when he
had seen her with a young girl, she had called Per Fyum but that had
been all. He was brought back to reality as Shampoo spoke.
"I waited Mousse. I waited and I waited for the past two hundred
and forty years for to come back and you never did." Her back was
still to him, but it shook a little bit as she spoke. "Did you know
that we had a daughter? And now a great-granddaughter?"
"I... I... I knew that YOU had a child and her name, was , but I
didn't know that she... they were ours. I thought you had found
someone else, because I you didn't love me." Mousse, the vampire, who
had come here with a sad note, was now standing before an ancient
Shampoo with his face contorted in pure shock and surprise.
She turned around and Mousse stepped back as tears filled the eyes
of the Amazon great elder since Cologne herself. He gulped his own
shame back and started to go for the door. "I'm sorry I was an
unworthy husband Shampoo. I'm sorry you had to suffer an indignity of
having my child. I'm sorry I was ever born into your life. Don't
worry, I'm going to face a sunrise soon. Maybe then, you'll receive
your honor back."
He stopped as a hand held his right shoulder and he turned around
to face Shampoo, with tears in his emerald eyes. Tears showing his
soul still trapped in the demon body his form had become. He was
surprised to see tears in her eyes as well.
{Muu Tsuu, I am sorry for never telling you.... that... I love you.}
Mousse fell to his knees and looked now face to face on the staff
ridden old woman. Tears streaming down their faces and then without
warning they kissed. Their first real kiss since that night they had
shared so long ago.
Time almost seemed to stop for the two of them. Everything was
silent and still and then they broke apart.
Both smiling, the pain of the past two hundred and forty years of
hidden emotions, lies, and misjudgments being swept away with tears
of joy. Then Shampoo broke the silence by speaking.
"Make me like you Mousse. Let be with you and be together for at
least a couple of years. A century at most, please."
"Shampoo,... you don't know what you speak off. This.. what I have
is nothing... its nothing more than a curse. You don't want it, it had
nearly seduced me with its power many times. Please you can't ask me
what you say you want."
She only got closer to the retreating figure and looked at him with
those same watery eyes and asked again. "Please Mousse. I've already
lived one lifetime raising our family, had a fulfilling life, and
am dying ALONE. Let me live on happily century with you and then we
can die together, please?" Tears streaming down her face as she cried
in front of a man, one of the few things she swore she would never do.
He looked at her eyes and his once thought cold and black heart
burned with passion. The same passion he had for her and will always
have for her burned. He didn't wanna do this but she was right, even
he wanted just one lifetime with her. Just one.
He closed his eyes and answered.
"Ok." He opened his eyes and saw a smiling old woman but her eyes
were still hers, from so long ago. "Ok, I will my lil Xian Pu, I will
do it."
She reached up with her hand and touched his face. "Thank you."
Then she fell limp in his arms as life started catch up with her and
it started drain from her. She was starting to die.
Moving quickly he licked her neck, three times at the spot where he
would make his mark. He gave himself a little time as his fangs came
out from their hiding sheaths and then looked at her with his own
emerald green eyes and looking at her smiling face, he bite her.
*****
The following day, Muu Tsuu, grandson of the elder Xian Pu with his
granddaughter Jae El celebrated the passing of a great leader. The
whole village mourned and gave their gifts to her as they buried her
with her ancestors and next to the grave of the father, husband and
soulmate of the elder who passed.
On the inscription it read:
Here lies one of the greatest women. Taught by a legend to become a
legend. Her strength and spirit will always be with us. Now and
Forever."
As everyone left to do their daily lives, the young seventeen year
old Jae El stayed behind and paid her last respects to her great-
grandmother. Her long deep lavender hair and emerald green eyes closed
wearing a traditional white Chinese suit. Much like great-grandmother
in her youth, from what she saw in her old photos.
Bowing her head, she spoke softly.
{Good bye Great-grandmother. You taught me and well and I promise
to make you proud of me someday as I was proud to call you my great-
grandmother. Bye.} She bowed and started to leave when she heard a
strange noise behind her.
Turning around, she a man with long black hair in gajin clothing
stepping in front of her great-grandmothers grave. She instantly got
angry. "Hey who you stranger?"
The man did not turn around but spoke. {Don't worry Lil Jae, I am a
friend of your great-grandmothers. I just came to pay my respects
and to meet her again after so long.}
{How do you know my great-grandmother?} Asked little Jae El with
suspicion about this stranger.
The man spoke. {You can say she was my... first love.}
{Huh?}
The man turned around and spoke to the young girl in a weird sound
monologue. {Don'tttt worryyyyy yourselffff littleeee oneeee, I'mmm
hereee justtt tooo payyyy myyy respectsss tooo the deadddd warriorrr.
Youuu cannn leaveee withoutttt worryyy.}
{Oh...ok.} She snapped out of it and smiled at the man staring at
her and then turned around to head back to her village, and the man
sat against the stone marker.
***
Night fell and Mousse felt the ground beneath him move as a hand
popped out next to him. His arms folded as he looked towards the sky
and was deep in thought. Then just as quickly stood before him a
young woman with long deep lavender haired in two buns before him.
She looked to be about twenty years of age and fair and flawless
skin with a rather short, near mini-dress reaching up to her waist.
Leaving the rest of her bottom exposed and telling the whole world
that the hair on her head was her natural hair color.
Mousse looked at the rejuvenated Shampoo, admiring her body in a
way he once would never allow himself to do. That was before they
confessed long and deep hidden feelings. Casting his eyes down, he
quickly turned around in haste when he realized her lack of clothing
from her waist down.
As he looked away, Shampoo couldn't help but laugh as she had
caught sight of the red face Mousse had just shown.
"What's matter Mousse, never seen a pretty girl naked before?
Hahaha." A young again Shampoo threw her head back as she laughed a
raw and full mischief laugh into the night.
Blushing even darker, if that's' possible, he responded. "Well,...
no. Except you,... all those years ago." Again blushing even deeper.
Shampoo stood there with a look of total shock, finding out that
the moment she had shared with Mousse all those years ago was special
to him as it was to her. And not only that but it was the only
experience he had ever had like her.
Tears started to stream down her face as she looked at Mousse and
asked, "Mousse, you mean to tell me that you were a virgin then and
even now are again?"
Mousse looked down toward his feet and nodded slowly.
"But I thought that after living for so long that you..."
"No..."
Tears came out of her eyes as she fiercely hugged Mousse and
cried in his shoulder. Mousses' face lighting up and then turning
crimson as a certain part started to rub against his male anatomy.
"Uh Shampoo, maybe we should, uh... get you some cloths?"
"Huh, oh that." She smiled a sly grin and looked at Mousse. "You
sure you want that?"
"Uh... so how's unnatural life like for you?" He spoke, trying to
change the subject from where things were leading into.
"It ok, feels weird but..." She looked toward her village and
signed. That was now another lifetime ago and where she had found
love once again. She looked back down at Mousse.
"But..."
"But this life is better now, I have my arien back." She glanced at
him as she smiled her resilient little smile she always smiled so long
ago at him. Mousse couldn't help but smile at her too.
Before another action could be taken, Shampoo spoke out to her
ever-endlessly youthful husband. {So, you still wanna go by the name
Keui? Or are you going to be my darling arien, Mousse?}
Sitting there looking at Shampoo, Mousse stood stock still for what
seemed like an eternity. Shampoo's smile and happy nature started to
falter as she became a little worried, until he smiled at her and
answered her.
{As you wish, beloved. I am Mousse for you and ONLY you, now and
always.} He smiled at her.
Then, both smiling, Mousse got up and pulled Shampoo up with him
and covered her with his leather coat. Closing it at the front to make
it into a makeshift dress. They began to run into the woods and leapt
up into the branches and leapt away into the night. The forestry
jungles of China coming to life with laughter, all into the night and
possibly for all eternity. Now and forever.
The End.
***********************************************************************
Well, that's it folks. So tell me, do you think I did the characters
by Rumiko Takahashi justice? Or do you think I crashed and burned
before ever taking off?
Well, whatever you opinion may be, you know where to send it so, until
next time, enjoy yourselves.
P.S. Oh yeah, be sure to take a peek at my other ongoing little series
between Mousse/Shampoo in 'Changes.'
Later.