Chapter 17 – More Complications
Couple days after the fight gave everyone a chance to hear and form his or her own ideas of why the fight happened the way it did. Everyone knew Akane got cursed and Taro did it somehow beneath Ranma's nose.
It was an endless chore, wrapping silverware. It always had to be done, and no matter how much silverware Ukyou ordered, the supply always ran out in the middle of a rush. So, Konatsu, Ryoga and Hanna sat in the corner booth in the dining room, talking and wrapping the silverware.
There was a knock on the front door. Everyone looked curiously, the employees knew it was easier to get in the kitchen door, most of the time to report for work.
A Chinese boy with huge eyeglasses peered in and waved. Konatsu went to the door. Since it was Mousse and not some customer waiting to get in early, Konatsu let him in.
"What brings you around, Mousse?" Konatsu asked. The amazons may have their own restaurant, but it wasn't totally uncommon for Ukyou or the amazons to stop in for a talk and something different to eat.
Mousse shrugged uncomfortably. "Just wanted to chat with Ukyou."
Konatsu nodded, "She's in the kitchen. I'll get you the bar stool so you can talk through the grill window."
Mousse nodded.
Konatsu stepped into the kitchen and found Ukyou and the stool. "Hey, Ukyou. Mousse wants to chat at you."
Ukyou emerged from the walk-in freezer, "Oh? Set him up in the grill window. I'll stock my grill freezers."
Konatsu grinned, "Got it."
Ukyou grinned back and brought out a huge box of stuff.
Konatsu set the stool up and made sure Mousse was steady before returning to the corner booth.
"So what's going on, Mousse?" Ukyou asked.
"Well… I wanted to know if you and Taro needed any help with your plot."
Ukyou stopped. "Taro and Me? We aren't plotting." She resumed arranging her freezers.
Mousse looked puzzled. "It looks like it."
Ukyou thought quickly. No one would know Taro and her met in China. Taro didn't even know! "Ryoga brought Taro to the restaurant. I talked to him and happened to be his connection to talking to Ranma. Just because Taro thinks my restaurant is neutral ground doesn't mean I'm plotting with him."
Mousse sighed. "Any other people would believe that. I was just hoping…to get some idea of what you two were trying to do. Shampoo got this idea, and crazy things happen when more than one fiancée tries for Ranma."
"Well, I'm sorry Mousse, but I don't know what the hell Taro is doing. Why are you so hung up on the idea that Taro and I are working together?"
Mousse rolled his eyes. "We amazons may be exiled from the tribe right now, but Cologne still has friends that report to her when people visit the Springs. Especially Japanese visitors."
Ukyou stood glaring at Mousse. "Ok, I went to the Springs. How does that automatically connect me to Taro?"
"Taro is a resident of the Spring of Jusenkyo. Also, you got back to Japan the same night Taro did. Then you setup the fight between Ranma and Taro. Certainly looks like a cooperative plot. When you go for Ranma, you tend to bring others with you to your plots."
Ukyou flushed with anger. "Well, I don't care what it looks like, Mousse. If you want to know Taro is doing, ask him not me. If I wanted Ranma, I wouldn't have gotten curse of dog for Akane. It would've been cat."
Mousse slid off the bar stool , grimly standing. "Very well. Sorry to bother you." He headed to the front door.
"Go ahead and tell that busybody grandmother of yours what I said too!" Ukyou shouted as Mousse opened the door. Konatsu quickly got up and locked the door behind Mousse.
After Konatsu put the stool away, he went to Ukyou. She was taking her aggressions out in the freezer, tossing more frozen bricks of food into her box to fill grill freezer.
"Whoa!" Konatsu said, as a brick bounced out of the box and almost on his foot. "Be careful. We have enough repair bills right now."
Ukyou nodded. "Sorry. What gives them the right! I went to the Springs alone for a reason. Now half of Tokyo knows!"
Konatsu sighed. The springs were the amazon's home. It made sense that they were concerned about visitors. "Mousse didn't said that he knew your curse. He would've right?"
"I… don't know. I think so. But, the amazons know I was there. Akane is walking around with the curse, so the curse form is known. So, if anyone found out from the amazons… They'd know. And if the amazons don't know my curse they will soon."
"Ukyou. You didn't really expect to keep the curse hidden forever did you? If you moved somewhere else, maybe an only small circle of people would know, but here? The springs are too well known for you to hide from everyone."
"Konatsu, you aren't helping." Ukyou stated.
Konatsu sighed again, his breath a fog, since they were in the walk in freezer. "Fine. You know where to find me if you want to talk." He left the freezer, letting the door slam back closed.
Ukyou took a breath and tried to steady her emotions so she wouldn't start crying.