Mousse's Glasses
" "= Talking
' '= Thinking
- -=Change in time and/or location
Chapter two: The Date, Part 1.
Shampoo had somehow managed to take Mousse's glasses without him noticing. After making sure he didn't have another pair on him (by asking innocently if he could read something for her) she told Karen to go 'get rid of him'. Karen didn't really like the way Shampoo said that, but didn't want to risk giving away her secret, so she didn't say anything. Karen went to Mousses room to go get him.
"He-Nihao! Are you there Mousse?" Karen called when she reached his room.
"Shampoo? Is that you?" Mousse said as he opened the door.
"Aiyaa! Who else would it be?" Karen answered, hoping she wouldn't have to actually say that she was Shampoo.
"Did you need me for something?" He asked happily.
"I go for walk, Mousse want come too?" Karen asked, trying to suppress her happiness.
"Really? You want me to come with you? I'd love to!" Mousse exclaimed cheerfully.
"If you want." Karen replied, it took all her willpower to keep from shouting out in joy.
"Of course! Anything for you!" He said happily.
"Come now, we go, yes?" Karen said while turning and walking down the stairs. Mousse happily followed.
'This is the best day in my life! But…I better not be too nice to him, I don't want to hurt his feelings when he finds out that I'm not Shampoo. But one date couldn't hurt!' Karen thought delightedly, as she walked out the door with Mousse following closely.
"Where are we going to walk to?" Mousse asked.
"Hmm…I not sure, is such beautiful day. Maybe we go to park first." Karen said, hoping he wouldn't notice that she said 'I' instead of 'Shampoo', she really hated the thought of lying to him.
"Go wherever you want! As long as I'm with you, I don't care where I am!" Mousse shouted.
'Oh…I wish I could be Shampoo! She's so lucky!' Karen thought enviously while she walked towards the park.
-While Mousse and Karen were walking to the park, Ukyo was still at the café talking to Shampoo-
"She very good at being Shampoo…is like she practiced." Shampoo said to Ukyo.
"Eh? Well, I wouldn't know, she might have." Ukyo answered.
"Shampoo," Cologne said as she came in, "Why are you standing around? You have work to do. Where is Mousse?" She asked.
"Karen take care of him, she keep him busy!" Shampoo said.
"What do you mean by that?" Cologne asked.
So Shampoo told Cologne what had happened, and explained that Karen had promised to keep Mousse from bothering her for the day.
"Really? So she's standing in for you as pay? Cologne asked, directing her question more to Ukyo then Shampoo.
"Eh? Why are you looking at me that way?" Ukyo asked nervously.
"Are you sure that's her reason for doing it?" Cologne asked.
"What else would she do it for?" Ukyo answered.
"Perhaps it is Mousse she wants, and not Shampoo's outfit." Cologne said, carefully monitoring Ukyo's expression.
"Y-You think!?" Ukyo exclaimed, trying her best to act surprised.
"It's a possibility." Cologne said.
"Why do you think that? She's never been into boys before." Ukyo asked. 'Well it's not a total lie, I didn't know till yesterday.'
"Well, how is she supposed to attract attention with Mousse following her around? If she really wanted the outfit, couldn't she have offered to help around the restaurant? Or asked to keep it for a week? It all seems suspicious to me." Cologne explained, still staring at Ukyo.
'This isn't good!' Ukyo thought worriedly, 'If this keeps up they'll find out and then…no! I don't even want to think about it. I have to convince them otherwise, even if I have to lie.' "Surely that can't be true, She would have told me if she had a crush on someone." Ukyo explained.
"And she didn't? Are you sure you didn't miss it?" Cologne asked.
"Are you implying that I would ignore my best friend when she's talking to me? And about something of such importance!? That's an insult!" Ukyo shouted. 'this is going to be a long day…'
-Meanwhile, Mousse and Karen had arrived at the park-
"Is nice here, yes?" Karen asked, as she sat down on a bench.
"Yes, it is!" He happily exclaimed.
'…Think of something to say…what would Shampoo talk about…other than Ranma…' "The restaurant get busy soon…is hard for you too?" Karen asked.
"Shampoo! Are you actually worried about me? It's no problem at all, I'd do anything you ask." Mousse replied.
"Is not what I ask, I no ask if you do for me, I ask if it hard for you." Karen re-stated her question.
"I-I'm sorry!" Mousse said before ducking a bit, as if he was expecting to be hit over the head.
"Why you act like I hit you? Is simple question, you no can answer?" She asked.
"It's a little hard, but nothing like it was back in our village… so I don't mind." He answered, wondering why he wasn't hit.
"They treat him bad in China?" Karen said to herself.
"Did you say something?" Mousse asked.
"I-Is nothing! It almost noon now, we go get lunch?" Karen asked, hoping he didn't hear her to clearly.
"Where do you want to go?" Mousse asked.
"Hmm…We go look for place, I no want ramen now." She answered. "We go now, yes?"
"Of course, I'll follow you anywhere!" He shouted happily and then got up and followed her.
'This is to good to be true, I wish Mousse would get over Shampoo, but…I want him to be happy, forcing him is no good.' Karen thought while walking through the town. "Hmm? Aiyaa! This place good!" Karen shouted, pointing to moderately fancy building.
"B-but Shampoo! Are you sure?" Mousse asked.
"You want go somewhere else?" Karen asked.
"N-no! It's just…" He said.
"Well? You come or not?" She said then walked into the restaurant.
"W-wait for me!" Mousse shouted while running into the building after her.
"See? Is not so bad." Karen said. "This way, we find table now." She said before walking to an empty table. "Is here good?" She asked.
"Yes, it doesn't matter where we sit." He replied, before sitting down.
'hmm…strange… he hasn't tried to hug me or something, I thought he would have done something stupid by now…like mistaking other people for me, or talking to inanimate objects. I wonder why?' Karen thought as she sat down.
"Excuse me, are you ready to order?" The waitress asked.
"hm? Yes, I take the house special, what you want Mousse?" Karen asked.
"…um…I can't read the menu without my glasses…I wonder where they could've gone…" He replied.
"Aiyaa, I wonder why you not have them." Karen said innocently. "What you feel like eating now? Maybe it made here." She asked.
"I'll just order the same as you." Mousse said.
"Two house specials, is that all?" The waitress asked.
"Yes. Is all." Karen replied.
"Mousse" Karen said once the waitress had left.
"Yes? Did you want something?" He asked.
"Why you no act craze today?" She asked.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"You always try hugging me, then mistake me for other person, then you hug them… Why you no acting obsessive?" Karen asked, trying her best to imitate Shampoo, but knowing she could have done better.
"Do I usually act obsessive? But you're always flirting with Ranma! I just wanted you to pay attention to me." He replied.
'I feel really guilty all the sudden…I wish Shampoo would be nicer to him…but then…no! I can't be selfish! If Mousse loves Shampoo, then that's his decision…it's not my place to force him to love me…' Karen thought sadly.
"Your order is ready, here you are, two House Specials." The waitress said as she put two plates on the table. "Enjoy."
"They broke their chopsticks apart and started eating.
"Is very good, yes?" Karen asked after she'd taken a bite.
"Yes! It is." He replied happily.
"Is that only answer you know?" Karen asked, half expecting him to say 'Yes! It is.'
"Huh? Did you want me to say no?" He asked.
"Silly Mousse, the 'it is' part I mean. You say 'it is' after every answer today.
"Oh…I guess I have." He said.
Karen giggled, "Silly Mousse."
They talked about varies thing while they ate, and after a short argument over who pays (Mousse kept trying to pay, but Karen wouldn't let him) they left
Back at the Cat Café…
End of Chapter
Author's Notes: All right, since I typed it all up before posting you don't have to worry about cliffhangers. On a side note, It's not one of my best tries. There are places where I could have worded it better, but due to my cold, either didn't feel like it, or just couldn't think of another way. I apologize. I may or may not come back and fix it. But please review, I could seriously use the motivation!