Chapter 5: Shampoo's Love
Shampoo told Naru everything through her sobs. How Mousse had walked out, how she had pleaded for him to stay, and even how she didn't understand why she was crying over it. Naru sat thoughtfully for a moment.
%Xian Pu, I think I might be able to help you, but you have to do exactly what I say.% Naru put her arm on Shampoo's shoulder. %Now, tell me the truth. How exactly do you feel about Ranma?% She shushed Shampoo before she could say anything. %Don't answer right away. Think about it for a few minutes.%
Shampoo sat there and thought it through. Did she really love Ranma?
*Yes,* she decided.
Why?
*Because I'm going to marry him. He defeated me.*
Did she have to marry him?
*Yes.*
Why?
*Because it's tribal law.*
But did that mean she loved him?
*No.*
So did she really love him? She was confused.
Naru saw all this in her eyes. She said nothing though. It was up to Shampoo to come to her own decisions.
Shampoo's mind whirled with through all her confusion. She loved Ranma. She was almost certain of it.
*So why am I crying over Mousse?*
*If Ranma left, would I cry?*
She didn't know. She wasn't sure of anything anymore except for one thing. She didn't want Mousse to go.
Why?
*Because I love him.*
A new light came into Shampoo's eyes as she reached her decision. She turned to Naru.
%I don't love Ranma. I thought I did because I knew it would be easier to marry him if I believed I loved him. But I don't. I never have.%
%Who do you love?%
%Mousse. I love Mousse. I could never tell myself that. I didn't think we could ever marry because I knew he would never defeat me. So I made myself believe I didn't love him. But I always have.% She smiled. %I always will.%
Naru smiled back at her. %When are you going to tell him?%
%As soon as I can find him.%
%And what are you going to do about your great grandmother?%
%I'll deal with that when it comes.% Shampoo was determined.
%Now all we have to do is find Mousse. What is he most likely to do when he gives up on you?%
%Oh, most likely go commit suicide.% Shampoo smiled humorously. %Or do something similar.% She trailed off in horror as she realized what she was saying. %Oh no.%
%We have to find him.% Naru's voice was grim.
Dusk was falling and Ranma and Akane were in the middle of an argument with Ryoga watching (He hadn't fought with Ranma ever since the day Naru had arrived) when Naru burst in. All activity stopped when they saw the look on her face.
"We have to find Mousse!" She said urgently.
"Why?" Ranma asked.
"He's given up on Shampoo and we have to find him before he does something drastic."
"Something drastic?" Akane frowned.
Naru sliced her hand across her throat. Ranma, Akane, and Ryoga's faces turned ashen.
"He.he's going to." Ryoga stuttered.
"We think so. And Shampoo's just realized that she loves him and if he." She trailed off.
"What are we waiting for?" Akane yelled. "Ranma, you and Ryoga go together. Naru and I will."
"No. Akane, go with Ranma. Ryoga will come with me. We need a strong guy in every party to restrain him until Shampoo gets there." Naru interrupted.
"Who's searching with Shampoo?"
"Shampoo doesn't need anybody to help her. Come on. We're wasting time."
Just after Shampoo and Naru had left, Mousse had decided on the top of Funikan High as "as good a place to die as any". He was there now, looking at the sword he had brought with him, preparing himself to do it.
Luckily, at that moment, Naru and Ryoga were running by yelling for him. Ryoga happened to look up and see him.
"Up there." He yelled to his companion.
"Thank god he's still in one piece." She said as she saw him.
"Not for long." Ryoga's voice was grim. Naru nodded and grabbed Ryoga so he wouldn't get lost. Then they both began to run towards the high school shouting Mousse's name.
Mousse heard them. He paused in puzzlement as he saw the two of them running towards him. What did they want? Couldn't they see he was about to die?
By this time, they had reached the top of the building. Naru nodded to Ryoga. "Stop him from doing anything drastic. Use force if you have to. I'll call for Shampoo."
"Right." Ryoga ran up to Mousse. "Mousse, don't do anything stupid. Shampoo's coming and she needs to talk to you."
"She has nothing to say that would interest me." Mousse growled.
"Oh yes she does." Naru walked up to them. "Ryoga, call for Shampoo. I'll handle him."
"What could she have to say?" Mouse asked. "She hates me. She only thinks of Ranma."
"Didn't you guys have an incident with a contrary jewel or something? Wasn't there something odd about that situation?" Naru asked.
"Well, yes, but that isn't anything." Mousse said uncertainly.
"She's coming." Ryoga yelled. "Ranma and Akane are with her. They must have all heard us."
"Good." Naru said, then turned back to Mousse. "If she doesn't care, then why is she coming for you?"
"She just wants to have me around so she can exploit me." Mousse was beginning to move the sword. If Shampoo was around when he did this, he didn't know if he would be able to. He needed to act now.
Naru saw his movement. She grabbed his arm, but he was stronger that her. She yelled. "Ryoga, help me."
Ryoga ran and grabbed the arm with one hand. With the other, he grabbed Mousse's shoulder. Ryoga was not the best martial artist around, but he was the strongest. Mousse couldn't move. Naru took his hand and pried the fingers away from the sword. Once it was in her hand, she backed up.
Shampoo scrambled to the top of the building at that moment. Ryoga moved aside and she threw her arms around Mousse and kissed him.
Mousse couldn't think straight. *Shampoo is hugging me. She kissed me. She's crying into me shoulder. She's turning her face up. She kissed me again.*
"Umm, Shampoo, maybe you need glasses. Ranma's over there." He tried to point, but she was hugging him to tightly.
"Shampoo no needs glasses." She was smiling at him through her tears. "Shampoo knows who she kiss." She kissed him once again.
Mousse couldn't understand.
"Wo ie ni, Mousse." She whispered.
"What did you say?" He had to make sure he had heard right. "It's too good to be true."
%I love you, Mousse.% She whispered again.
%What about Ranma?% He asked.
%What about him?%
%You have to marry him.%
%If I don't want to, I'd like to see anyone make me.% She smiled at him. %I don't love him. I never have.%
Naru gave a very pointed look to everyone around there. They went home to the Tendo Dojo, where Ryoga had taken up semi-permanent residence, leaving Shampoo and Mousse alone.
%And who do you love.%
%I already told you.%
%I want to hear you say it again.%
%I love you, Mousse.% She kissed him passionately.
Shampoo told Naru everything through her sobs. How Mousse had walked out, how she had pleaded for him to stay, and even how she didn't understand why she was crying over it. Naru sat thoughtfully for a moment.
%Xian Pu, I think I might be able to help you, but you have to do exactly what I say.% Naru put her arm on Shampoo's shoulder. %Now, tell me the truth. How exactly do you feel about Ranma?% She shushed Shampoo before she could say anything. %Don't answer right away. Think about it for a few minutes.%
Shampoo sat there and thought it through. Did she really love Ranma?
*Yes,* she decided.
Why?
*Because I'm going to marry him. He defeated me.*
Did she have to marry him?
*Yes.*
Why?
*Because it's tribal law.*
But did that mean she loved him?
*No.*
So did she really love him? She was confused.
Naru saw all this in her eyes. She said nothing though. It was up to Shampoo to come to her own decisions.
Shampoo's mind whirled with through all her confusion. She loved Ranma. She was almost certain of it.
*So why am I crying over Mousse?*
*If Ranma left, would I cry?*
She didn't know. She wasn't sure of anything anymore except for one thing. She didn't want Mousse to go.
Why?
*Because I love him.*
A new light came into Shampoo's eyes as she reached her decision. She turned to Naru.
%I don't love Ranma. I thought I did because I knew it would be easier to marry him if I believed I loved him. But I don't. I never have.%
%Who do you love?%
%Mousse. I love Mousse. I could never tell myself that. I didn't think we could ever marry because I knew he would never defeat me. So I made myself believe I didn't love him. But I always have.% She smiled. %I always will.%
Naru smiled back at her. %When are you going to tell him?%
%As soon as I can find him.%
%And what are you going to do about your great grandmother?%
%I'll deal with that when it comes.% Shampoo was determined.
%Now all we have to do is find Mousse. What is he most likely to do when he gives up on you?%
%Oh, most likely go commit suicide.% Shampoo smiled humorously. %Or do something similar.% She trailed off in horror as she realized what she was saying. %Oh no.%
%We have to find him.% Naru's voice was grim.
Dusk was falling and Ranma and Akane were in the middle of an argument with Ryoga watching (He hadn't fought with Ranma ever since the day Naru had arrived) when Naru burst in. All activity stopped when they saw the look on her face.
"We have to find Mousse!" She said urgently.
"Why?" Ranma asked.
"He's given up on Shampoo and we have to find him before he does something drastic."
"Something drastic?" Akane frowned.
Naru sliced her hand across her throat. Ranma, Akane, and Ryoga's faces turned ashen.
"He.he's going to." Ryoga stuttered.
"We think so. And Shampoo's just realized that she loves him and if he." She trailed off.
"What are we waiting for?" Akane yelled. "Ranma, you and Ryoga go together. Naru and I will."
"No. Akane, go with Ranma. Ryoga will come with me. We need a strong guy in every party to restrain him until Shampoo gets there." Naru interrupted.
"Who's searching with Shampoo?"
"Shampoo doesn't need anybody to help her. Come on. We're wasting time."
Just after Shampoo and Naru had left, Mousse had decided on the top of Funikan High as "as good a place to die as any". He was there now, looking at the sword he had brought with him, preparing himself to do it.
Luckily, at that moment, Naru and Ryoga were running by yelling for him. Ryoga happened to look up and see him.
"Up there." He yelled to his companion.
"Thank god he's still in one piece." She said as she saw him.
"Not for long." Ryoga's voice was grim. Naru nodded and grabbed Ryoga so he wouldn't get lost. Then they both began to run towards the high school shouting Mousse's name.
Mousse heard them. He paused in puzzlement as he saw the two of them running towards him. What did they want? Couldn't they see he was about to die?
By this time, they had reached the top of the building. Naru nodded to Ryoga. "Stop him from doing anything drastic. Use force if you have to. I'll call for Shampoo."
"Right." Ryoga ran up to Mousse. "Mousse, don't do anything stupid. Shampoo's coming and she needs to talk to you."
"She has nothing to say that would interest me." Mousse growled.
"Oh yes she does." Naru walked up to them. "Ryoga, call for Shampoo. I'll handle him."
"What could she have to say?" Mouse asked. "She hates me. She only thinks of Ranma."
"Didn't you guys have an incident with a contrary jewel or something? Wasn't there something odd about that situation?" Naru asked.
"Well, yes, but that isn't anything." Mousse said uncertainly.
"She's coming." Ryoga yelled. "Ranma and Akane are with her. They must have all heard us."
"Good." Naru said, then turned back to Mousse. "If she doesn't care, then why is she coming for you?"
"She just wants to have me around so she can exploit me." Mousse was beginning to move the sword. If Shampoo was around when he did this, he didn't know if he would be able to. He needed to act now.
Naru saw his movement. She grabbed his arm, but he was stronger that her. She yelled. "Ryoga, help me."
Ryoga ran and grabbed the arm with one hand. With the other, he grabbed Mousse's shoulder. Ryoga was not the best martial artist around, but he was the strongest. Mousse couldn't move. Naru took his hand and pried the fingers away from the sword. Once it was in her hand, she backed up.
Shampoo scrambled to the top of the building at that moment. Ryoga moved aside and she threw her arms around Mousse and kissed him.
Mousse couldn't think straight. *Shampoo is hugging me. She kissed me. She's crying into me shoulder. She's turning her face up. She kissed me again.*
"Umm, Shampoo, maybe you need glasses. Ranma's over there." He tried to point, but she was hugging him to tightly.
"Shampoo no needs glasses." She was smiling at him through her tears. "Shampoo knows who she kiss." She kissed him once again.
Mousse couldn't understand.
"Wo ie ni, Mousse." She whispered.
"What did you say?" He had to make sure he had heard right. "It's too good to be true."
%I love you, Mousse.% She whispered again.
%What about Ranma?% He asked.
%What about him?%
%You have to marry him.%
%If I don't want to, I'd like to see anyone make me.% She smiled at him. %I don't love him. I never have.%
Naru gave a very pointed look to everyone around there. They went home to the Tendo Dojo, where Ryoga had taken up semi-permanent residence, leaving Shampoo and Mousse alone.
%And who do you love.%
%I already told you.%
%I want to hear you say it again.%
%I love you, Mousse.% She kissed him passionately.