Disclaimer: The Characters as well as the settings belong to Rumiko Takahashi

Chapter 2

„Shampoo! There are eleven new orders. Will you go and deliver them?"

"Yes, great grandmother."

This day was a happy day; at least it ought to be. Only a few more days were to go, before Shampoo would finally become Ranma's bride. The Chinese Amazon could barely wait anymore.

Sure, it had taken much time and effort for Shampoo, but it had certainly been worthwhile. Finally Ranma had become hers and hers only. She hadn't even taken usage of any dishonorable method, which boosted her pride even more.

Pride…

Pride, my child, is the only thing in life that counts. If you should lose it, you must fight with all might to restore it. If you should fail, there is only misery and death awaiting you.

It had been raining this afternoon. The street was wet and slippery. Nevertheless, it made Shampoo no effort to balance her bicycle hands-free over the balustrade of Nerima's canal.

Taking account of her great granddaughter's curse Cologne had made Shampoo stay inside the Neko Hanten during the downpour. Now that the weather had changed there were all the more deliveries to meet.

Maybe great grandma should hire some part-time girl for help, Shampoo pondered, steering her bicycle down the balustrade to cross the canal on the bridge. After all, Cologne never did the delivery job and since Mousse was gone all the work piled up on Shampoo.

Not that it made much change whether duck-boy was there, for he was just as capable of doing deliveries during rainy days as Shampoo was. Other than that, he would often leave her stuck with even more work to handle after one of his attempts to help. He was merely a trouble making, stupid and utterly blind duck-boy. How could a person combining such an amount of annoying attributes even exist?

Yes – Shampoo was glad Mousse was gone. Hopefully he would never return. She had never wanted him near; never wanted to hear his pathetic pledge of undying love. She…

Somewhat irked she realized her thoughts had yet again started to revolve around that Amazon man. It had gotten worse lately, increasing with each day of her pre-bridal time ticking away; and it was annoying the hell out of Shampoo. Couldn't Mousse at least leave her alone on this mental level?

Shampoos thoughts were cut off when the corner of her eyes caught the tiny white particle flowing in the water beneath. Heart beating nervously she stopped her bike and walked towards the railing to have a closer look.

It was merely a feather… but it gave her the shivers.

"Ayaa… Shampoo wasting time here. Nothing to worry." she ensured herself as she stepped back. It was nothing. Mousse didn't know about the eminent marriage. She had even refrained from informing the Joketsuzoku Monthly News about it, even though Mousse had never been the one to read such gossip.

Certainly it had been a dove, or any other white-feathered bird. There were dozens of those in Japan. Shampoo had to concentrate on making deliveries. There were a lot to make. She would probably have to work till darkness to catch up for this afternoon.

Two years had passed now since she last heard from that Mousse. That was, when he stopped writing those letters she had never replied. She didn't care what Mousse was doing. That was what she told everyone beside her.

That was what she told herself.

„Damn you Ranma Saotome! Be a man and show yourself!"

After being told by Akane where to find him, Mousse had gone straight to the Neko Hanten to confront Ranma. He had barely waited for his clothes to dry, thus feeling the fabric moist against his skin as he entered.

The Cat Café hadn't changed much from when he last saw it. Some flowers had been fastened around the doorframe and pillars. Ceremonious colors of white and red garnished the entrance of the Ramen shop, almost as if to mock to the Amozon male for being too late.

A couple of startled customers looked up from their Ramen. Neither of them resembled either Ranma, Shampoo or Cologne. Mousse putting his glasses on didn't change that fact for once.

"Look who's back!" a male voice responded cheerfully from behind. Recognizing it immediately, Mousse turned to face the pigtailed boy, who was crunching nonchalantly on one of the tables and grinning at him as if completely unaware of the situation. Meaning that he was about to be pierced by an arsenal of bladed weapons any second, "What's up, Mousse?"

"R… Ranma!" Mousse glowered at him, "How dare you take advantage of my absence and take Shampoo from me?"

"Oh, about that thing. Well…" Ranma scratched his ear apologetically, "Things got a little complicated while you were gone, you see. And you didn't really seem to plan on coming back either. Uaaahhhh!"

Ranma jumped and landed smoothly on the back of a chair when Mousse's fist crushed through the table, right where the Japanese boy had been sitting a second earlier.

"Chill out!"

"I won't let you have her!" Mousse said clenching his jaw to suppress his fury.

"I don't think that's for you to decide. Maybe we should ask Shampoo who she wants! That'd be rather fair, I think!"

"Bastard!" he yelled, attacking Ranma with a hail of throwing daggers, "You're dead!"

While the Japanese boy managed to dodge most of them, one caught Ranma's face and left a tiny cut on his left cheek.

"Heh! Back to the old times now, are we?" the boy said wiping the blood from his face with a dangerous smile, "Well, If that's what you want you shall have it! Let's fight!"

Clearly Mousse had finally aroused Ranma's fighting spirit. He snickered inwardly. Yes, that was exactly what he had wanted. A match with Ranma to give that scamp a taste of his newly learned technique. In the end he would be bagging Mousse to spare his life.

„Here are the terms. If I win you'll cancel this marriage and return Shampoo to me!" he demanded.

"The fight is on! But let me tell you, there's no possibility you're ever going to win!"

Ranma leapt off the chair his fist poised high up in the air and aimed at Mousse's face.

Mousse steadied his posture preparing for the foreseen attack… It never came.

As if struck by lightning, the boy in front of him froze. Then, midair as he was, he plunged down on the floor all of a sudden unconscious.

"Wha…?" Slightly intimidated Mousse moved backwards. Something was definitely wrong here. Just what kind of horrible spell had stricken Ranma, causing him to lose consciousness in the middle of a fight? And what worried Mousse even more - was he going to be next?

„Your decision to return was made at the worst time imaginable, Mousse."

Mousse cringed. The voice speaking was familiar enough to send chills down his spine but he forced himself to remain calm.

"Cologne.", he breathed as the Matriarch appeared behind a still unconscious Ranma.

"It seems like you've been told about the coming marriage." she continued, "Then you should also be aware that you're no longer welcome here."

Mousse grimaced at the sight of the shriveled up woman facing him at eye level on her wooden staff.

„Cologne." he addressed her politely despite his antipathy, "Tell me! What is the meaning of all this? Why has Ranma so suddenly agreed on being Shampoos groom?"

„Why does that surprise you? After all, you've been gone for three years. Something was ought to have happened during that time, don't you think?"

"But… but not like this! Ranma was ought to have married Akane. And Shampoo was supposed to love me…"

Mousse clenched his jaw when realization dawned on him.

"You've cast a spell on him, haven't you, you old ghoul?" he burst out, "He would've never agreed on this marriage otherwise!"

"Fool!" the old woman interrupted him sharply, "If that had been possible, I wouldn't have waited for so long. It has come by nature. Their love has finally blossomed. I will not let you destroy their happiness!"

Mousse fell to his knees. His anger had dissolved, leaving him weakened and hollow. "But… but why? Why do you always prefer Ranma? He's never valued Shampoo the way he should! Shampoo deserves better!"

"And what makes you think, you're the one?"

"I love her!"

„If you truly love her, you will let her go." Cologne looked at him with an almost pitiful expression. "Do it for Shampoo's sake."

"But… that's not fair…"

"Who ever said life is fair? Go now, Mousse. Return to China where you belong to. Leave Shampoo and her husband-to-be in peace."

„Where are you planning to stay overnight? I doubt they've offered you to sleep at the Neko Hanten."

After Akane had picked Mousse up at the Neko Hanten, they had been walking along the street silently. Darkness had started to spread across the sky, devouring the pinkish red light of the sunset. They had been both wallowing in their own misery, when the Japanese girl had suddenly raised the question.

"That's none of your concern." Mousse responded rather sharply without as much as giving her a glance.

"You don't have to be all that grumpy. It's not my fault that things have become like this. I was going to offer you a sleeping-place in our guestroom."

„No thanks. I'd rather sink myself in the cursed spring of drowned frog than share a roof with Saotome."

Mousse didn't bat an eyelash while speaking but Akane could sense the bitterness he had been carrying since the Neko Hanten.

"Ranma's not living with us anymore. Since the engagement was cancelled he and his father moved to Shampoo's place."

So that's how it was… Ranma and Shampoo were living under a single roof. That lowlife! He was going to kill him twice for that!

By now his stony expression could no longer conceal the murderous battle aura that had aroused from within Mousse.

No… he was not going to return to China. Who did that dried-up old mummy take him for? Looking back now, he couldn't believe he had actually left peacefully after she had merely told him so.

"Uhm…" Akane said slightly intimidated, figuring it had been a mistake to tell him after all, "About the guestroom. It's okay, really. Ryouga often sleeps there, but he's not going to appear anytime soon."

Authors note:

What to say? I'm quite satisfied with this chapter. :) There will be more flashbacks on the part of Shampoo, slowly revealing what had always kept her from loving Mousse.I realize Cologne might be a little bit OOC (seems like she's a bit more evil here), but I hope all the others are alright. At least that's my view of Mousse, Shampoo, Ranma and Akane. Hope you somewhat share it ;D

Reminder: Since recently there have been a few people talking about how Akane and Mousse would suit each other better or that Shampoo doesn't deserve Mousse. Please keep in mind that this is a Mousse x Shampoo Fanfic. I think I've made this clear in the description. I write this Fanfic for myself and those people who ship this couple. Comments against this couple are expected to be deleted.

Thank you for your understanding.