warning: WAffy, OOC Ranma (Kuno: The Foul Saotome did seem himself to me. Draq: Quiet you are no more nookie with Mu-chan.) OOC Kodacchi, (Kodacchi falls in love with a rock though) disclaimer: I don't have Takakashi worried. Though Tchaichovsky did die. He would have died again had he read this fic. Who would pay for this? * The beakoning cat is a famous symbol in Japan. He holds up his paw to let in good fortune. Kuno wandered outside to his koi pond and stared at the fish leaping into the air catching the fireflies and gnats along the pond. "Married?" He repeated to himself. A little drained. He had lost everything that was familiar and safe in his life. His walk took him to the edge of the woods. When he saw him.The boy with the glasses. Never had he seen such loveliness in any other person. This bespectacled bishounen prince. "Come into the woods." Mousse said softly. His white hand waving, beaconing like a little black and silver cat. "Mousse." "Hello Kuno." Mousse smiled. "What art thou doing anon? I thought you fled my company that morning forever. You returned." "It is as far as I dare to go." Mousse said sadly. For some reason he always seemed so sad. "Are you happy here Prince Kuno? Are you where you want to be?" "Well I got to the castle. Nabiki and Kodachi were really worried about Ranmabart, they think I need to get allies." Mousse stared in curiosity, though Kuno didn't think him stupid, he seemed very naieve to the ways of the world. "And soon I must marry." Mousse let go "Marry?" "Not that I want to. I must take a bride to cement my alliances. I only have a few weeks to choose one." "Marriage is a vile thing. It has ruined many lives." "Oh Mousse do not let yourself worry about me. Where I must be, I shall be. Am I not the prince?" "Tonight then, Kuno. Will you not be the prince, but just a boy, like me. We can be in the woods together." "I would like that more then anything." "I'll slow down this time." Mousse said. The prince decided not to go to deep into the woods. They walked side by side. Mousse delicately moving as if he could float through the branches. Kuno was having a harder time, but since he was with Mousse, the hike was worth it. Kuno brushed aside the spider webs. "I wonder what you have done to anger the spider brothers." "Spiders?" "Well they keep trying to stop you from following me. I think they are jealous, or avenging one of their bretheren." "Spiders get jealous?" "Well they have a tendency to be arrogant. Have you ever heard the spider. 'No steel, no mud, no clay, no metal is as strong as our webs, silk is dry and weak. The Spiders are the best, webs are the best. And we'll trap you if you deny it.'" "You can speak to the spiders?" "Yes. Well you have to humor them." Mousse whispered to the web "Master Weaver, this human agrees. He knows your web is thick and strong. But he knows he doesn't taste any good. So how about you let us pass?" Without a second passing the webs fell. Kuno blinked. "Thank you brother." They came upon a place in the wood. Mousse looked aside. "Shampoo wll curse me for even seeing you. You are invader in her realm." "Invader. No. I made no intention to conquer. There is nothing out here but-" "Yet you hunt the white duck.. You hired your huntsman to kill him." "But clearly there is no crime in it. Why is Shampoo so angry?" "You would hunt your brother like this? To hunt them down with slave dogs, and arrows, and magic. Just so you can kill him and deprive him of his glasses." Mousse stood up to him very close. His teal eyes were flashing boldly. Normally a man would not even look on a prince. But Mousse was glaring him down. "But I-" "Just because he is an animal." Never had he saw a person so enflamed by righteous anger. He was beautifulangry. Strong and powerful. Never had he imagined that his beautiful bishounen could be so strong. "NO." Mousse sighed. Immediately his fear melted into pity. How could Mousse pity him. He felt more ashamed than he ever had in his life. He would rather feel Mousse's scorn then his pity. "It will never work, Kuno. I came to see if you were alright and then leave you.." "Is that all you really came here for?" Kuno reached towards him. "Well." Mousse looked into his eyes. He broke his stare. "Yes. I could never consort with anyone who hunts his own animal brother." Kuno saw no other alternative. He took his crossbow. It gleamed in the moonlight. Mousse nearly shivered at the beauty of the grim device. The Kuno smashed it in half over the tree. Mousse startled at the noise of snapping wood. "If the choice between the hunting and you." Kuno held his hand and knelt "Mousse, I swear to you on my honor as a prince. I did not seek to kill that white duck at first. And now I never shall. It should fly free and as beautiful as when I first saw it." Mousse stared at the pieces of the broken crossbow. "Do you mean this?" "Yes. The duck shall fly free and you shall be..." Mousse's face darkened. He let go of Kuno's hand.Even after this gesture. Yet it seemed his gesture, only made it more painful for the boy, not less. "But even birds have their territories their domains. A duck does not fly with any more freedom than a prince. What if you should never see it again?" "I must. He was so beautiful, and I fear that he has stolen my fancy. Mousse stared at him "I must follow it. I must see it again. I have no idea why. but when i saw it, it gave me such a feeling of peace and beauty. I have never felt." Kuno touched Mousse's hand, softly. "In the day that is." Mousse smiled at him. Kuno cursed himself. Why couldn't night last forever? *** Kodachi saw her brother was so nervous about getting married, and seeing as she was so deeply in love with her beloved the shy stone faced one. She saw fit to comfort him. "Now brother do not despair about your fate. You'll find a good wife. For Vizier Nabiki has chosen the best candidates in the world." Kodachi smiled. "What was that, Gosunkugi?" she listened to the statue. Her newest beloved, the statue of the fallen huntsman Gosunkugi. "A picnic. How lovely? Kuno, Nabiki how about we go for a picnic by the lake?" "Great it'll help us relax, make our plans clearly." Nabiki stretched. "Besides be good PR for our prince." "I care not to waste my time around the peasantry and riff raff." "Yeah well tough. A prince has to deal with morons twenty-four seven. According to our straw poll you only have a thirteen percent approval rating, at that's amoung the elderly. So you've got to make yourself more likable." "I'm not likable at all." "So any amount of likablity would be an improvement. Many people had assembled by the lake for various picnics. It was good weather and the sun shined down upon them. The prince and his party came and most of the picnickers went to the other side of the lake, but Nabiki bribed some of them to stay. There were as always the occasional autograph hounds. But Kuno scared them off with an indignant snort and his first rant. The Princess and her stone paramor however signed everyone's autographs and Kodachi tried to convince Gosunkugi to do his magic tricks, but he declined. Kuno sat looking at the sky. he did so hate the responsibilities of state, sometimes. "Come Kuno. I have the bread. Let's go feed the ducks." Kodachi said, dragging along Gosunkugi behind her. He was so light compared to Tsubasa and Ryouga. "Excuse me?" The prince demanded. "Well ducks know that noble ladies come here with bread and fish and all manner of delicacies. They always stop here on the way. "They are so cute." Nabiki said "Perfect photo opportunity." "Bah WHy would I want to feed anything. I will grow fat and weak and- " "Look Kuno-baby, toss some bread into the water pose for a few clicky clicks, and go back to brooding." Nabiki and Kodachi we're distressed at the Prince's lack of fun. Even the statue of Gosunkugi held a loaf of bread even if he couldn't throw it. "Come you ducks." The ducks looked at the princess and swam towards her. When Kuno beheld in the water, something he had chosen to forget. Something he had sworn to never hunt again. A white duck. The white duck. The brown ducks scrambled as the prince's group of picnickers threw bread towards them. The ducks ran and mobbed and fell over themselves. The white duck paddled in the water behind them. If he didn't know any better, looking with frustration. He could almost see the white duck like a prince, scolding his companions for being so greedy and acting so foolish. As if he didn't enjoy picnics either. "Ooh look at that white one Kuno. He's not even coming towards us." "He's probably just waiting until the others leave." Nabiki nodded "Smart Duck." Kuno sat silent, trapped in the pools of the duck's teal green eyes. "I want to give that one a sardine. Do we have any left?" "A whole sardine?" Nabiki asked. "Nonsense this is a royal duck, and it is only fit it should be fed by a royal hand." Kuno nodded. Kodachi cackled her pyschotic little chuckle. The white duck paddled towards Kodachi. The princess would have sworn the duck bowed. He snatched up the sardine and swallowed it. Regarded the princess and swam away. "Only one. Such a gentleman." Kodachi smiled. Kuno sat smiling at the scene. "You see I told you this was fun." Kodachi hugged her brother. "Yes I am enjoying this." That night the Prince wandered to the edge of the woods. Perhaps Mousse would be there again, now that he promised to never hunt again, it was no small sacrifice, but worht it to bring the boy back. Mousse approached. This night he looked a little green and sweaty. Kuno put his hand on his back "Oh dear Mousse are you ill?" "There is no need to worry yourself, Kuno." Kuno pet his head."Nonsense. I care about you Mousse." "It's usually sardines. I have a delicate stomach I suppose." "Sardines?" Kuno thought of the slim white throat and the flashing yellow bill devouring the sardine from Kodachi's royal hand. "It's the same way with bread. When I was a young I learned to avoid it. It is fun getting it though. Diving spinning flapping. I always had a lot of fun trying to do it." Kuno stared "You were of a poor household, if you had to fight for bread." "I don't know. We're all very happy. It's hard for us not to be happy. They think I'm strange one sometimes." "Have you ever seen the ducks on the pond? When they come to the shore and the picnickers feed them." Mousse asked casually. "Yes. My sister does many times." "Hmm. It is nice, as long as one doesn't take it so seriously. We both come for fun. The ducks aren't really hungry who live there. They are just curious and want something a little different and tastier. And they like to see the humans babble trying to talk to them and appealing to the soft hearts and finding the sweetest bread and squabbling over it. And the humans, the humans for those slim moments of joy aren't really being condescending trying to stoop down and feed them. They are curious, because the feathered kind fears them, and they don't like that. They like this gesture of kindness and they like watching us. It's not a bad thing. It's fun." "Do you like to feed ducks too then?" Mousse laughed strangely. "Come on. The night waits for us. I'm feeling better." "Mousse, your life is so full of secrets. Why must you stay in the woods? Why do you fear the road?" "They are things I cannot tell you. You would never understand. That would frighten you." "What why you can talk to spiders. I am sure t'is no horrid curse." Kuno spent a time in the woods. He saw the carnage of the hunt. How bored noblemen came with wide caravans and cut down trees for their hunting camps. How they picked their prey so callously and slaughtered in with the cruelest weapons. How the falcons were hooded, and how some dogs were starved to the brink of madness. He wondered if Ryouga had been the true exception in the world. For he was very kind to dogs. Mousse sighed "They are as much slaves of man as I am. I feel sorry for them." Kuno felt his heart sink at the sight of all this karnage. Never had he imagined such things. No wonder this gentle boy thought that hunters were the worst of vile barbarians. "I tell you wy I fear and love the road. The road is a good thing in a way. It takes the hunters away. Those who stay aren't so bad. There is Ukyo who makes cakes for Shampoo and puts salt rocks around her house so she can't watch the does teach their fawns to eat. There is an old woman who finds acorns and honey and mixes brews in a pot." "The road takes away all who don't belong. The hunters they that kill for no reason." "It is a wonder you forrest folk don't try to conquer us." Kuno was given a new perspective to his duty. He was shown the peasant catching his first rabbit in a trap, making the fur into a pair of gloves and a hat. The peasants fishing for their dinner with hooks and rods. Humans were silly and weak. But their ingenuity made up for it. Their tools made up for their lack of strength, like the claws and horns of their own. Kuno was shocked by what else he saw, as he followed Mousse.Seeing that leisure only brought greed. All the while did Kuno listen and watch the things that the beautiful bespectacled bishounen did. Despite the pain and misery around him or perhaps because of it. He fought the hunters with grace and good humor. Kuno had never known such a wonderful person. Every moment with Mousse felt as natural and beautiful as a heartbeat. "Mousse. You still have not answered me. You have changed my heart. You've opened up mine eyes. But why will you not tell me why you are so sad. Why do you fear the dawn." "Why can't we just enjoy this? Some short night. Some simple act of joy. It is like feeding the ducks. It is a beautiful thing, that one swift joy, that moment of sweetness: devoured, shared and then passing to memory." "But they must separate. The duck must fly off with his flock, the Prince return to his castle. It is a joy that is hollow. If I felt nothing about you, if you only made me happy, Mousse, I could leave you. I could watch you run away, I could let you keep your pain from me. But you mean more. I want to rid you of your pain, this sadness that fills your eyes." "Oh Kuno. I cannot. I could not. I-" Mousse tried to break away. "It is something I cannot do. My life isn't mine. Through all of this." Kuno grabbed him by the wrist. Mousse felt the frail control of his body shatter. He embraced Kuno. The prince sank into his arms. Their was no more protest. There could be no denying this. This union in the woods of hearts and minds. That one spark of warmth in the cool world. "Kuno." Kuno stared up. The silence lasted for a century and was over in a heartbeat. "Mousse." The air became warm and soft around them. Kuno rested his head into Mousse's body. Mousse clutched him to his breast. Kuno felt his own tears before he heard Mousse's. The clouds rumbled with a cough of disapproval. "Kuno you must go." "No. Mousse I won't." Kuno cluthced ever tighter to him. SInkign deeper into the embrace. "It will hurt you less to drive you off than let him get you. Go or you will never see me again, for all eternity." "But." "Go Kuno. Be happy." Mousse looked behind his shoulder and grabbed his hand on last time. "Mousse. Promise me you'll see me again." Kuno shouted. "I-" He looked into Kuno's eyes. "Yes Kuno. I'll seek you again." "Then we shall depart." Never had such a triumph been executed. This was better then winning a thousand battles, or conquering a thousand lands. That mousse would seek him again. He smiled. "Till we meet again." Kuno ran into the woods. Mousse hoped he would escape the woods before he came. *** The boy sat in the woods waiting. "You're plaything left very early." A voice sounded in his ear. Mousse sat quietly. "Hello Master Ranma-bart." "I wanted to get a better look at him." Ranma said. "You still watch me in that silly pool?" "Shampoo has her ways to protect you. I have mine." The wizard spread out his cape over the log. He sat down. "In poor taste sneaking him around the woods. He is beneath your contempt." "He is not." Mousse snapped. Ranmabart would have been able to tell how dear Kuno was to him. "You should find someone more fit for your company Prince Mousse." "Is that an order?" Mousse smirked. "You grow lonely Mousse. You feel the pain of this life. I have my pets and my plans. And you. You are still young." Mousse sat staring at the air. Too angry to look at his master and tormentor without incriminating Prince kuno. "If you were free, you would have your choice of any companion you so desired." "Implying I would choose you, Ranma-bart." Mousse smiled a bittter sarcastic grin. "What makes you so cynical?" "You desire all." Mousse said. "Regardless of anything." "I desire all that I have the good taste to appreciate. Mousse you are beautiful." "I almost want you as much as I want your fair sister." "She's not mine to give." Mousse barked out some of his words. "What price I wouldn't pay to have you submit to me Mousse." Ranma pressed himself behind Mousse. he felt a wriggling mass against him. Mousse floored Ranmabart with a punch. But as the evil wizard sat back up. Mousse noticed that there was a wriggling pouch on his belt. "Is that a mouse in your pouch?" Mousse realized, no less horrifed horrified. It was the girl from the woods. "Well I've never heard it called that before," Ranma winked. Mousse shoved him back to the ground. "Am I as beautiful as that poor creature you have trapped in there?" "Her? Oh I forgot about her. Well that will teach her to turn down a date with Ranmabart." the wizard spun his pouch. Mousse gasped. The poor thing must be so dizzy by now. "You can't let her suffer so." Mousse admonished. "I can." Ranma smiled. Mousse turned away. Ranma clutched him by the shoulder. "Do you want her? You've seen how cute she is." "I want to free her." Mousse said pitying the poor girl. "Then go ahead. A gift to you beautiful Mousse. A token of love." Ranmabart handed him the pouch. Mousse took out the little frightened Ukyo-mouse. He placed Ranma's feathery cloak over her. Mousse stood and clapped his hands. A soft bolt of light illuminated the forest. over the spot. The pale shadow of a white mouse began to glow. Show the shadow shape grew to that of a woman. "Go home Ukyo." The girl changed back into her real body. She looked at her hands. "I thought I'd never-" she touched her face. "It's okay now. Go home." "What happened?" A boy patted her on the shoulder on Ranmabart's cape. "Shampoo will protect you now." "Um. What am I doing here?" Ranmabart snapped his fingers as the maiden walked away. "I'm going to miss that cape. That was my favorite cape." Mousse turned to leave. "Proving you are truly a great magician. There are only two I can think of who are more powerful." Mousse didn't want to look at Ranmabart anymore on this night. "Now that I have proven my love to you Mousse, Will you obey and I can..." "Dawn falls soon Ranmabart." "Now stop this silly game, Mousse, and obey me, give me what I want. Go to Shampoo and..." Mousse bowed and turned around. Ranmabart blocked Mousse's escape with a swoosh of dark wind. "Then suffer another day under my curse, and tomorrow you will see." "I'll never give in." "And the next day and the next day till you bow to my whim and give me what I desire." The dawn light sparkled off Mousse's glasses, and Ranmabart returned to his fortress.
