"Ginger…Chives…Cold Noddles…Fish Sausages."
Mousse's head bopped as he tried to quickly organize the refrigerator as Cologne had told him. He was hoping that the day would be slow and Cologne would decide to close the café for the day. He was planning to go Christmas shopping for Shampoo's gift.
He whistled carelessly.
Then suddenly he felt something slap him on the back. He wheeled around to see Shampoo staring at him. He opened his mouth as he was about to ask her what that was for when he felt his legs start tingling and he went flying out of the door into the snowy street. His legs seemed to burn as they were possessed by a strange force that forced him to run.
He yelled at the top of his lungs as a cloud of dust and snow trailed behind him. Legs steaming and sore; he ran a lap around the neighborhood and finally he found his way back to the Café where
Cologne stood awestruck at the sight of him.
He wheezed and panted as he tried to regain his breath.
"What was that for?" The older Amazon stared at him questionably.
"I-" He breathed out, "I - don't-know. Something-just -took-over me. My legs just started moving on their own."
He pushed his glasses up, barely making out the sight of Cologne. Then he looked around him, the pavement was already clean. Then something caught his eyes. A small paper doll with something scribbled on it. He slowly picked it up and examined it.
Run around the neighborhood and back to the Nekkohaten
He read it again and again but his brain couldn't put the puzzle pieces together.
"Let me see that boy!" The elder woman yelled at him.
He quietly obliged and handed the small piece of paper to her. She took it into her aged hands and examined it.
Mousse knelt next to her but she kept her silence without tearing her eyes off the strange paper. His eyes went wide with concern as she grunted and a small drop of sweat fell from her ancient brow.
"What is it?" He asked her desperately while trying to sound respectful.
She looked up at him and frowned which caused him to get a lump in his throat. He followed her into the café which she proceeded to lock.
The pungent smell of tobacco filled his nostrils as she packed her small pipe with the tinted leaf. She sat the withered paper doll on one of the restaurant's tables that she sat on and lit her pipe. She blew out a swirl of smoke and stared at the paper doll.
Mousse pulled one of the chairs out and joined her in the table, looking at the paper as well.
"This is dark and deep magic." Cologne finally had spoken.
Mousse choked on his spit and looked at her with great concern.
"Shampoo slapped it on my back and then I took off running just like I had told you."
The elder woman studied his face as she tried to put the puzzle pieces together.
"She left right after I saw you bolt out of the café. She said that she was going to make a delivery."
They stared at each other for a moment.
"These Paper Dolls are silly teenage props, at least when I was a gal your age. It was all the rage to buy these but I remember that they were just trouble." She took a swig of her pipe and blew the smoke out in between her teeth.
"What sort of trouble?" Mousse asked.
"Well, let's just say that after a few deaths…they stopped selling them. Things got too complicated. Give this sort of power to silly teenage girls and your asking for trouble."
Mousse looked down at his hands as he thought of Shampoo in possession of such devastating power.
"Aren't you worried that Shampoo is going to do something that could possibly harm the whole situation with all of the crew? I mean, more harm than what is already there. I mean, if these little innocent looking paper dolls have, as you say caused deaths…I couldn't imagine that happening to anyone here. I worry for everyone's safe being. I have my grudge against Ranma as much as the next guy but not even he deserves such a fate. I've grown to be his friend despite my distaste for Shampoo's longing for him."
He stared at Cologne's ancient face. The wrinkles that were already there seemed to deepen as she realized that he was right. Even if that group of kids were all enemies none of them deserve to such cruelty.
Yes, she had conspired against her future son-in-law but she never did anything that would harm anyone.
"Shampoo would never have bought them if she knew of the consequences. Death is too much of a punishment for even her bitterest of enemies. As soon as Ukyo finds out of these Paper Dolls, we're going to have to stop one hell of a fight and Ranma would be the weapon."
They stood silent for a moment, then Cologne quickly got up and walked to the closet. She pulled it open and flung Mousse a coat while getting her own.
Mousse looked at her confused.
"I need you to find Shampoo and try to stop her. Tell her that I sent you." She walked to the table where the innocent paper doll lay and she took it in her hands and crumbled it. She quickly lit a match and the ball of paper melted into the air and disappeared.
Mousse quickly put on his coat and straightened himself up.
"What are you going to do?" He asked as they walked out into the street and she closed the shop.
"I'm going to find the person that sold her those dolls."
They parted ways.
Mousse ran as quickly as possible towards the Tendo Dojo.
"I hope I'm not too late."
