Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all associated characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and are used without permission. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to the Ranma ½ universe.

Cupid Mousse

By Graceomega

Chapter 1

It was another day at the Cat-Cafe Nekohanten. Mousse was as usual trying to do whatever he could to get Shampoo's attention by helping her. But it all ended in failure. Eventually Shampoo got mad since customers were starting to complain and Mousse wasn't doing anything speed up the service. So she shoved him into the kitchen for him to wash some dishes.

"Stupid Mousse! Screw up this time and you're fired! Remember!" she said and left.

Ugh I only wanted to help Shampoo... He starts to clean the dishes and did some deep thinking for some minutes.

At this rate, Shampoo will end up hating me…

Eventually Shampoo opened the door and called him. Mousse excited went to her and asked:

"Shampoo! Can I help you with anything?"

Shampoo just replied giving him a letter:

"Letter from China to you. Finish dishes ok?" Then she leaves.

Mousse just looked at the letter and wondered.

A letter for me? From who?

By looking back of the envelope, he realized who it was and uttered: "Ma!" He starts to read the letter.

{Mousse, it's been a long time. How are you been? Here the snow has melted and the spring is around the corner. I'm fine now but the years are catching up to me. All I dream of is for you to go back home soon. If you're unable to marry Shampoo, that's alright. I don't mind. What's important is that you're happy and alive. It's such a blessing for you to have such good friend like her. Set you Ma's mind at ease soon, son. I'll be waiting.}

Tears starts to form and he realizes that he should have been thinking more of his ma. Then he got a bright idea.

"I'll defeat Ranma this very day and make Shampoo as my bride!"

He goes out of the kitchen and hugs a customer who he thought was Shampoo. What he got as reward was a bang on the head.

"What's wrong with you?! Stop harassing customer! I no like employee who bother customer."

"Shampoo! I'll defeat Ranma this very day," proclaimed Mousse.

At first Shampoo was stunned but she gave him a smirk.

"Mousse defeat Ranma? No way."

"I'll win for sure! You'll marry me when I win, right?

"But if you lose go back to China. Okay?"

Mousse thought this consequence if he losses. He knew it was very risky but in his heart he knew it was now or never. He thought it would even encourage him even more to win against Ranma.

"Fine! A man has pride! If I lose, I'll give up and go back to China!"

"I'll be happy to help you pack," said Shampoo with sarcasm.

"You pack YOUR bags and wait!"

Mousse rushes out of the restaurant and runs fast to find his enemy.

Shampoo watches him out of the door and wonders.

Mousse no act like himself today

She looks down at her feet and sees a letter.

Letter…?

She picks the letter up and looks at the back. She realizes that it came from Mousse's mother.

[Meanwhile at some sidewalk]

Ranma was happily eating an apple until a knife took out of his food and the apple was embedded into a fence. Ranma was not happy about his only food of the day to be gone. But he was really not happy when a bunch of chain came out of no where. Of course he easily knocked them out by kicking. Then he heard a voice and turned around.

"Sharp as ever Ranma Saotome," said Mousse.

"Well pesky as ever Mousse."

"Watch and SEE if I have changed!"

Mousse begins his hidden weapon attacks by using knifes, swords, chains, and clubs. But none of them were able to reach Ranma since Ranma jumped. So he countered by using smoke bombs at the pig-tail hair boy. Few the bombs exploded on impact causing Ranma to go down choking on the smoke.

"Take this, Mousse's greatest secret technique! WHITE SWAN FIST!"

"Bug off!!" With a kick, Mousse's portable potty was knocked off from Mousse's hand.

"Play time is OVER!"

Ranma with his final kick knocked Mousse into a wall which had crumbled away. That is where Mousse stayed defeated.

"Huh? You're still the same old Mousse, after all." Ranma simply stated. Then he grinned happily since he realized that he had his revenge on Mousse who swiped the apple. He heard another voice again. Luckily this time it wasn't someone who wanted to kill him.

"Ranma! Ranma!" cried Shampoo as she road a bicycle with the bell chiming.

The battered Mousse heard the voice of Shampoo and was excited.

"Shampoo!

He goes to Shampoo but grabs Cologne who was sitting on Shampoo's basket. Shampoo went straight to Ranma.

"You came because you were worried about me?" as he hug Cologne. But he got hit on the head with Cologne's staff.

"Hey!" Mousse puts on his glasses and realized who it was.

"The dried up old monkey!"

That got him another hit on the head.

"Mousse it's over," stated Cologne.

"Go back to your mother and look after her."

"But…but that's so cruel!"

"Look there"

There was Ranma who in a way panicking since Shampoo was being somewhat like a nurse checking on him.

"Ranma you hurt anywhere?"

"No no not me"

"So happy!" she glomps on him which he replies "Get away!"

"Damn you Saotome!" said Mousse angrily clenching his fists.

Before he could attack Ranma again, Cologne stopped him.

"Be a man, Mousse! Don't you understand? The battle is over. A man should now when to quit. Return to China for your own good."

Mousse thought of her words and realizes that he had to face the truth. He walks slowly to Ranma who was trying to get Shampoo off. But Shampoo thought he was just playing and took it as some sort of game. Ranma realizing Mousse was coming toward him just said to him

"Coming back for some more?"

Mousse takes his glasses off and replied:

"Ranma Saotome take care of Shampoo"

"Heh?" exclaimed Ranma

"Mousse?" questioned Shampoo.

"I'm going back to China and pray for your happiness."

"You're leaving for real?" asked Ranma.

"This is your only chance to stop me."

"Nobody stop you. Go home now. Good-bye Mousse," said Shampoo happily waving one of her hands.

Mousse was in a state of shock with Shampoo's reaction. Then with his final words he said"

"Fine…I'm really going now

"Be careful," said Cologne

"Take care Mousse," said Shampoo.

Mousse started to walk away and then looked back. He sees Cologne and Shampoo both waving her hands. But not Ranma, he looked very stunned with the event and didn't say anything. Mousse as a man took his defeat and walked away. Ranma just watched him silently until Mousse was far away and disappear around the corner. Ranma just didn't what to say but just stare at the place where Mousse just disappeared.

End of chapter 1

Author notes: So how do you like so far?