Notes: I've been entertaining this alternate universe storyline ever since I began work on Part Three of Crash & Burn. I got to thinking, what would happen if even one of the curses was changed somehow? I came up with the following fic. Be warned: Cologne is in this story, and she is cursed as well.... I'm not saying anymore than that. I know, I'm *such* a tease! R'o-chan's Key: * = emphasis ~ = lyrics <> = thoughts % = section headings/flashbacks ~~^~~^^~~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ SOMETHING MISSING by Ryoko Saotome % Jusenkyo, China--three years ago % The girl who pulled herself out of the spring was indeed beautiful. Long, lavender hair hung down past her shoulders, and she pushed it away from exquisite blue-grey eyes in annoyance. She knew better than to get too close to the springs, and yet she had stumbled and fallen into one despite her training. As she stood, she could hear the voice of one of the guides: "Spring of Drowned Amazon Priestess. There's a tragic story of an Amazon who drowned over 5,000 years ago." The girl froze and turned to gaze back into the waters, her mouth dropping open in shock at the change that had occurred in her. Hell, the only thing she recognized of herself were her large, expressive eyes-- which were currently displaying a mixture of shock and dismay. "Mu Tsu?" a gentle female voice called. The girl turned, and was instantly reminded of just *why* she had stumbled into the spring. Only a few moments ago, the young Amazon had been training with *his* mother. He had gotten in a good hit, knocking the older woman--who, by the way, was only in her early thirties--into one of the springs. Instead of a youngish, lavender-haired Amazon warrior, an ancient woman emerged from the spring. The boy had yelped and stumbled backwards, tumbling into the spring behind him. "This is all my fault!" the girl cried mournfully, dropping her head into her hands and fighting to hold back the tears that were threatening to overflow. Her mother, who at the moment more closely resembled her great-great-great- grandmother, hopped over and patted her back comfortingly. "No it wasn't," Koh Lon said soothingly. "We were *both* careless. Who knows, perhaps this curse will become an advantage." Mu Tsu looked up, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Mother, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm not exactly a warrior at the moment and you're only about two feet tall!" "The curse is reversed by hot water," said the guide, suddenly reappearing with a steaming kettle. He quickly overturned it over the cursed pair, transforming them both back to their natural states. Mu Tsu quickly peered back into the spring and breathed a sigh of relief when his normal reflection peered back. Koh Lon was also pleased to be back to her normal youthful appearance (and *very* glad to be back to her natural height of 5'6"!). "The reversal is only temporary," the guide apologized. "Every time you are splashed with cold water, the curse will take effect." The youthful Amazon female nodded, turning her wary gaze back to her son. The curse would be hardest for him to handle, she knew. She thanked the guide for his assistance and started back to the village; her son took notice and followed her quickly. As they walked, Koh Lon thought long and hard about the situation they'd been placed in. she reasoned, casting another glance at her only child. "Mother?" The Amazon woman looked over at her child and raised one lavender eyebrow. "I was just thinking... perhaps I should choose a name to use while in cursed form?" Koh Lon smiled. That was her son: always thinking ahead. "All right," she agreed readily. "How do you feel about the name Shan Pu?" ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ % Joketsozuko Village--one year ago % The girl known as Shan Pu throughout the village was fuming silently. Not only had she been made to look like a fool, but the redheaded shrew that had defeated her had run away after she had given her the kiss of submission. "Stupid damn guide," she grumbled angrily. It was *his* fault, with his dramatic "kiss of death" talk. Hell, if Shan Pu had wanted to kill the girl, she wouldn't have wasted time with a kiss! No, she would have just struck out with her knife and cut the little witch's heart out. And to make matters worse, the girl who had defeated her... was also Jusenkyo cursed. Why else would that guide have been with her and that panda? And for that matter, who on earth would *choose* to travel with a panda?! If the girl and panda weren't cursed, then Shan Pu had been born a female! "Mu Tsu!" The lavender-haired beauty turned and raised one delicate eyebrow at her mother, who had sometime between the challenge and this moment managed to find some hot water and revert back to her true form. "Yes, mother?" The older woman paused momentarily, gauging her "daughter's" mood before speaking: "How would you feel about following them back to Japan?" "WHAT?!" Mu Tsu screeched. "Mother, have you gone *insane*?!" "Not at all," Koh Lon replied smoothly, ignoring her child's outburst. He--or she, at the moment--could be a bit overly sensitive about some things. It didn't surprise her at all that this was one of them. "You saw how easily that *ahem* girl defeated you towards the end of the challenge. She obviously has had lifelong training in some specialized form of martial arts. Perhaps by following and observing, my dear child, you can learn a few things and enhance your *own* skills." At the mention of observing and learning, Mu Tsu's blue-grey eyes lit up. She may have been emotionally charged at the moment, and a bit over-sensitive, but she took training *very* seriously. Hell, the warrior/priestess hadn't become a hidden weapons *expert* overnight! "When do we leave?" she asked eagerly. ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ % Nerima, Japan--present day % The bell above the door of the Nekohanten jingled musically, and Cologne muttered a curse under her breath. She quickly doused herself with cold water, reverting into her cursed form, and hopped out across the tables. Mousse was busily learning the Bakusai Tenketsu, but had more than likely heard the bell as well from the litany of Chinese curses reaching her ears at the moment. The now-old woman smiled sweetly at the young martial artist that had entered the restaurant and greeted him with her usual "Hello, son-in-law." Ranma nearly rolled his eyes. The Amazon ghoul just didn't seem to get the point that he wasn't going to marry Shampoo. Hell, he really wasn't interested in many girls at all. Akane he viewed as a sister; Ukyou was his best friend, nothing more; and Kodachi was another story entirely. Still, he had to admit, the young Amazon *was* kinda cute. As if reading his mind, the lavender-headed girl nearly skipped into the room and latched onto his arm. "Nihoa, Ranma!" she greeted cheerfully in her broken Japanese. the warrior/priestess thought to herself. It was just *so* embarrassing to act as if she had no brain in her head whatsoever. "You come to take Shampoo on date, yes?" Ranma seriously looked as if he was considering that possibility. Shampoo began to panic, but somehow managed to keep her expression cheerfully blank. Finally, the pigtailed martial artist smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Shamps. Maybe another time?" he added, noting the beauty's near- heartbroken expression. she thought, saying aloud, "Okay. Shampoo make ramen for airen?" Ranma's eyes lit up at the mention of the proffered food, making very clear to both Amazons the true reason for the boy's visit. "Aw, you don't have to go to any trouble," he insisted anyway. Shampoo dropped his arm and shooed him over to a table. "Is no trouble to make ramen for Ranma. Shampoo be right back!" With that, the Amazon girl flounced off to the kitchen. Once safely away from the martial artist's line of sight, she sighed and dumped a steaming kettle of hot water over herself. Mousse coughed for a moment, then heaved a sigh of relief. Over the past several months, things had gotten... well, weird--weirder than usual, at any rate. As he quickly moved about the kitchen, tactfully ignoring the voice that kept asking him *why* he was going to all this trouble for Ranma Saotome, he reflected on the events of the past year. From the first day Mousse and Cologne--as Shampoo and her great-grandmother-- arrived in Nerima, everything had been strange. Mousse had managed to locate the boy/girl without any problem, and quickly challenged her for damaging her honor. And, being the heir to the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts, Ranma-- or Ranko, rather--accepted quickly. The battle had ended abruptly when Akane Tendo (whom Mousse *still* hadn't quite forgiven for her interference) dumped a kettle of water onto the pigtailed martial artist just as s/he (*) decked the "female" Amazon. Cologne had come up with a quick save, stating that Amazon tribal law declared that, since Ranma had defeated Shampoo in battle, they were as good as wed. Shampoo's eyes had just about bugged out of her head, but she quickly began to play along. Later, after a steaming hot shower, Mousse had asked his mother what she had been thinking, making up a "law" like that on the spot. "It gives you the perfect excuse to be close to him and observe his techniques," Cologne explained, sipping at her green tea. "And, once you've practiced a technique long enough, 'Shampoo's brother' Mousse can appear and challenge Ranma Saotome and learn more of his technique." The plan was foolproof. Of course, they hadn't figured on the martial artist actually becoming even *mildly* attracted to Shampoo... or on his constant flirting with Mousse's male side. Not to mention the fact that yesterday, the boy had-- Realizing that the ramen was going to be ruined if he didn't get it off the stove soon, Mousse shook himself out of his thoughts and reached for the bucket of cold water nearby. Once back in cursed form, she pasted a dazzling smile to her face and strolled back out to the restaurant. She would think more about this later; maybe after a hot bath and a few hours sleep, she would be thinking more clearly. ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ ~ Show me the meaning of being lonely ~ As he ate, Ranma sat lost within his thoughts. He wasn't surprised to find that most of them--well, *all* of them--seemed to revolve around two young Amazons in particular. Some time ago, perhaps a month or so, Ranma had begun to take note of the not- so-subtle similarities between Mousse and Shampoo. Both had long hair that hung past their waists, and wore it in the same loose style with thick bangs that covered their eyes. Both were highly skilled martial artists in their own right, even though Shampoo didn't fight all that often. The fact that Shampoo was a priestess-in-training was not lost on Ranma, and he had once asked Mousse (during a challenge fight) if *all* Amazons had to know how to fight. He had said yes, they did, and dropped the subject. ~ So many words for the broken heart It's hard to see in a crimson love So hard to breathe ~ But there was more to it than that. The way they walked, the soft, soothing manner in which they both spoke, the thoughtful expression in each set of eyes-- it was identical. Cologne, old ghoul that she was, had told the pigtailed youth that Mousse and Shampoo were twins when he mentioned his observations to her; he didn't miss the fact that she stammered slightly over the words. And he wondered, not for the first time, if Shampoo and Mousse were actually the same person. Then there was that kiss.... % The previous day % Ranma moved quickly, just avoiding the flurry of chains the hidden weapons expert sent his way, and got in close enough to strike out with his Chestnuts Roasting technique. The Amazon dodged the best he could, but even he wasn't fast enough to avoid just one punch. He went down hard, and Ranma took the opportunity to pin him... and get in a few teasing jabs at the same time. "Geez, Mousse, are you *ever* going to give up?" he asked, shaking his head. "There's no way you're ever going to beat *me*." "That attitude of yours is going to get you in over your head one of these days, Saotome," the Chinese boy snapped back, shifting uncomfortably beneath the other youth. "Do you mind?" he finally asked in annoyance. "Hm? Oh, sorry," Ranma said, not moving an inch. He'd just realized how very close he was to the other boy, and was hesitant to lose that closeness. Besides, he wondered what the other boy would do if... "If you're sorry, why aren't you moving?" A touch of nervousness had entered Mousse's voice. Ranma found it quite endearing--it made the Amazon sound a bit like his sister. Ranma didn't reply. Instead, he closed the short distance between them and pressed his lips to the other youth's. Mousse froze, his mouth dropping open a bit in surprise. The pigtailed martial artist took advantage of the fact and slipped his tongue gently into the Amazon's mouth, lightly running it along teeth and tongue, learning the contours and taste of the boy beneath him before reluctantly breaking off the kiss and backing away far enough to free the Amazon. Mousse blinked at him, a stunned expression on his face--and *something* in his eyes that was indiscernible to Ranma. Then, without a word, the Chinese youth was gone. % Now % He remembered every detail--the softness of his lips, the sweet taste of his mouth, the soft whimper the other youth had made when he'd broken off the kiss, that odd look in his eyes just before he fled--and found himself wondering... if he kissed Shampoo, would she react any differently? For that matter, if he was right and they were the same person, would she even *let* him kiss her? ~ Walk with me, and maybe Nights of light so soon become Wild and free I could feel the sun ~ Shampoo walked by the table and looked at him oddly. There was some odd expression in her eyes; an odd, but eerily familiar expression. Ranma blinked, pushing his thoughts aside for a moment and deciding how to put his plan into action, then smiled warmly at the girl. She smiled back hesitantly. "Ranma all finished?" she asked in her broken Japanese. Ranma couldn't help but wonder if that was all an act. "Yeah," he replied, still smiling and wondering if he was doing the right thing. "Did I ever tell you that you're a great cook?" The girl blushed prettily and looked down. "No. Thank you for the compliment." There! The words had come smoothly, with no trace of her usual hesitation. Maybe this would be easier than he thought. Time to put the rest of the plan into motion. "Hey, where's Mousse? I wanted to apologize for... um... something that happened yesterday." He carefully observed the girl's reaction. She seemed to be almost relieved... and oddly disappointed. "Mousse go on training trip. He say he need to work harder and learn new technique before challenge Ranma again," she said, the lie rolling easily off her tongue. she chided herself. Ranma was unaware of the warrior's internal battle, for he was having one of his own. Aloud, he said, "Oh. Can you give him the message for me, then?" Shampoo smiled warmly. "Shampoo give Mousse message from Ranma," she said, a small half-smile on her lips. ~ Your every wish will be done They tell me... ~ "Thanks, Shamps," the pigtailed martial artist replied, standing. He looked at the girl thoughtfully for a moment, then leaned forward and brushed her lips with his own. She froze in surprise, and Ranma was suddenly reminded of a similar reaction the day before. He pulled back quickly, smiling at the still- stunned girl, and said, "I'll see you later, ne?" The Amazon girl nodded, her expression changing subtly. It was the exact same one Mousse had given him the day before. Then she silently turned and practically ran to the kitchen. Ranma turned and left the Nekohanten, his mind reeling. The soft lips, the sweetness of the slightly opened mouth, the disappointed look on Shampoo's face, that odd expression--the same, all of it *exactly* the same. And he knew at that exact moment. He knew that Shampoo and Mousse were not twins. Shampoo and Mousse were the same person. And he was in love with her/him. ~ Show me the meaning of being lonely Is this the feeling I need to walk with Tell me why I can't be there where you are There's something missing in my heart ~ OWARI PART ONE ~~^~~^^~~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ (*) Can *anyone* come up with a better way of referring to Ranma when he's changing from one form to the other?! ~~^~~^^~~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ SOMETHING MISSING by Ryoko Saotome (Part Two) ~ Life goes on as it never ends Eyes of stone observe the trends They never say forever gaze ~ "Stupid, stupid, *stupid*!" Mousse berated herself as the kitchen door swung shut behind her. Cologne looked up at the girl's words, raising one lavender eyebrow in question. The warrior/priestess ignored the look and stalked to her bedroom. Cologne briefly considered her options, decided that the direct approach was best, and dumped the steaming kettle over herself. Once returned to her normal form, the youngish Amazon woman made her way to her child's room and knocked on the door. A muffled 'come in' was the only response she got, so she complied. Mousse, still in cursed form, was lying on her back staring blankly at the ceiling. Her eyes were a bit too bright, and once Cologne entered the room the girl rolled over onto her side and stared at the wall. The Amazon woman sat down on the bed and placed a gentle hand on the child's shoulder. "Mu Tsu?" she said softly, purposely switching back to Mandarin. "Are you alright? What happened?" "Nothing," Mousse mumbled, squeezing her eyes shut. "Everything. I... I don't understand it anymore, Momma." Cologne started--Mousse hadn't called her "Momma" since he was a very small child. Something had to be really bothering him if he reverted back to that term. "Would you like to talk about it?" Mousse opened her blue-grey eyes and turned to look at her mother. A single tear slipped down her cheek as she said, "I-is it alright if I call Ryoga? I think maybe he should hear this, too." Cologne nodded and smiled gently at her child. Somehow, the Amazon youth had befriended the Lost Boy within months of their arrival in Nerima--as Shampoo. After a slight mishap involving some spilled boiling water, he had elicited Ryoga's oath to keep his curse a secret. And, surprisingly enough to the elder Amazon, the wandering martial artist had kept that vow. And if Mousse saw the need for his best friend's involvement, then there was definitely something bothering him. ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ Luckily enough, the Lost Boy happened to be in Nerima that day. Within an hour after Mousse's phone call, Ryoga walked in the front door of the Nekohanten (hey, an hour is an accomplishment considering who we're talkin' 'bout here!) and nodded to Cologne. The woman had seen no need to revert to cursed form--she had been caught in the splashed water as well, and the Lost Boy had kept that secret, as well--and said, "Thank Kami-sama you were around. I truly believe he wouldn't tell me anything if you weren't here." Ryoga frowned. It wasn't like the Amazon boy to keep anything bottled up inside of him. "Do you have *any* idea what this might be about?" he asked quietly. Cologne shook her head, frowning as well. "I honestly have no idea. One minute Mousse was waiting on customers, the next he was locked in his room. I wish I had some idea of what was troubling him, though." "Then please sit down and let me get through this." Ryoga and Cologne looked up to see Mousse walk through the door from the back of the restaurant. His hair was damp because he had just gotten out of the shower, and he'd forgone his customary robes in favor of a white tank top and black silk pants instead. He dropped into one of the chairs with his customary (and entirely unconscious) graceful manner and dropped his head into his hands with a heavy sigh. The Lost Boy and the Amazon woman patiently waited for the raven-haired boy to compose himself. Finally, he drew in a deep breath and began to speak: "You both already know that Ranma has his own way of dealing with both my male and female forms, ne?" At the affirmative nods, he continued. "It's been a bit of a strain, having to act as if Mousse-kun and Shampoo-chan are two different people, but I've managed. I've even learned to ignore the way he flirts with me in either form--" "He flirts with you as a guy?!" Ryoga said, obviously startled by this revelation. The truth of the matter was, he'd wondered why Ranma hadn't shown any interest in any of his fiancées until 'Shampoo' came along, and Mousse's revelation wasn't really all that shocking. It was just a surprise that the pigtailed martial artist would flirt with two people he believed to be related, even if they were the same person. "He has," Cologne confirmed. "Hell, he's even done that in the restaurant in front of customers. It's amazing that word hasn't gotten back to Soun and Genma about it!" "I... I can't ignore it now, though," Mousse continued, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "Not after what happened yesterday, *and* today." He stopped talking again and closed his eyes, taking a few calming breaths. The boy had no idea what reactions he would get, and he was preparing for the worst. "Mu-kun," Ryoga said softly, reaching across the table to take one of his friend's hands, "nani wa? What do you mean?" "Yesterday, we had a challenge fight--nothing new there, ne?--and I was managing to hold my own until he used that damned Chestnuts Roasting technique I can't seem to figure out and got me pinned. Then he... um... well..."--he mumbled the last part quickly--"hekissedme." Cologne and Ryoga managed to translate it somehow, and their eyes widened in twin expressions of stunned surprise(*). Mousse wasn't finished yet, however, and continued to speak quickly: "I've been trying not to think about it, but it's been on my mind ever since yesterday, and when he came in today I managed to avoid him pretty much the entire time, but then he caught me off-guard with a compliment and he kissed me again." Ryoga blinked, wondering if maybe Ranma had figured out the Chinese youth's secret, and asked, "Which form were you in at the time, Mu-kun?" "Girl-type." He dropped his head into his hands again and heaved another sigh. "And the thing of it is, just before he did it, he asked 'Shamps' to pass along the message that he was sorry about something he did yesterday. Three guesses what he meant, and the first two don't count." Cologne shook her head in amazement. "One positive thing I can say about that boy--he certainly knows how to think fast." She took note of Mousse's half- pained, half-sorrowful expression and asked, "Was there something else, Mu-chan?" "Yeah," the Amazon said in a quiet voice. "I... I think... that maybe I... love him." ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ ~ Guilty roads to an endless love There's no control ~ Ranma walked slowly back to his room in the Tendo dojo and silently closed the door behind him. He hadn't returned immediately--Akane was angry with him about something (so what else is new?), and he really hadn't felt like dealing with the girl. Instead, he'd gone to the park, found a tree to sit under, and thought about his discovery. Mousse was Shampoo, or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, the supposed twins were in reality once single entity, one person under a curse, just the same as he was. In some small way, it explained why he never thought of just one or the other, as well as why he'd noticed the extreme similarities in the pair. It also explained how Mousse was able to perform his own Anything Goes techniques without ever actually seeing them before--Shampoo had always been the one to observe his training, but Mousse was the one who used the perfected moves. Ranma had thought. He was greatly disturbed by this thought--he didn't like being used. And even *thinking* that the Amazons could be so cruel as to use him...! But that was only part of the reason he hoped he was wrong. He knew for sure that he had fallen for the Amazon beauty--and Mousse truly *was* beautiful, whether in female form or male. The unconscious grace s/he moved with, whether it was in a sparring match or practicing katas or even just weaving through the tables at the Nekohanten, was extremely enticing and seductive, and Ranma found himself wondering if the Amazon did everything gracefully. Back in the present, the blue-eyed boy sighed and dropped onto his futon, lying back to gaze blankly at the ceiling. He was tired, exhausted from the workout he'd put himself through to try and get his mind off the Amazon warrior/priestess. He closed his eyes, but still found that the image of blue- grey eyes wide with surprise and some barely hidden emotion were waiting for him even there. Ranma suppressed a sigh and rolled onto his side, eyes still closed. What had that been in his eyes, in her eyes? Confusion, of course; surprise at the suddenness of the action; fear; and-- His eyes flew open wide as realization hit him. He knew that other emotion, was sure that it had been in his own eyes when he'd kissed the Amazon youth both times. He closed his eyes again, one lone tear escaping and falling onto his pillow as he whispered the name of the elusive emotion that had been hidden in Mousse's eyes. "Love." ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ ~ Are you with me now Your every wish will be done They tell me ~ Mousse kept his eyes closed tightly, fighting to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. he thought mournfully. Cologne glanced over at Ryoga and was a bit surprised to see the small knowing smile on his face. He looked as he'd been *expecting* something like this. And, truth to tell, so had Cologne. "Mousse," she said gently, reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair away from his eyes. The youth looked up, opening his eyes, and was a little stunned by the fact that neither his mother nor his best friend looked shocked at all. His mother continued: "I've been wondering when you'd figure it out." "NANI?!" Needless to say, Mousse was more than a little surprised. Ryoga grinned, one fang peeking over his lip. "It was kinda obvious you had a crush on Ranma," he said matter-of-factly. "IT WAS NOT!" Mousse cried, then flushed red as he realized he'd just admitted to having a crush on the martial artist. "Um..." "Hey, it's cool," Ryoga replied, still grinning that cute little grin of his (::swoon::). "I think you two'd be a cute couple." Mousse blinked. "C-couple?" "Of course," Cologne said, a small smile touching her lips. "Besides, according to that law I made, you've been married to him since Day 1." "That's not a real law, Momma," the Amazon youth muttered, dropping his head onto the table yet again. Cologne grinned slyly and shook her head. "Think again, oh child of mine. Remember, I *am* on the council of elders, and if I want to make a new law, it's as good as done." At the confused expressions on the two boys' faces, she smiled and concluded, "In simple terms, you've been legally married to Ranma for a year already." The changes on both faces was rapid as realization hit. Ryoga's eyes lit up mischievously as he shot a glance at his friend; Mousse's face reddened once more and he looked at the floor, an expression of quiet awe clearly visible on his face. "Why?" he finally asked softly, looking up at his mother with wide eyes. The elder Amazon smiled warmly and drew her son into her arms. "Because I want you to be happy," she said gently. "A year ago, back in the village, you were bested by another Jusenkyo victim who won your admiration. I could tell even then that you'd fallen for the redhead. That's the *real* reason I suggested we follow the youth here." She drew in a deep breath and finished her sentence: "There is nothing I can deny to you, Mu-chan. And if you love Ranma, and you're happy, I'll make sure nothing destroys that happiness." Although she didn't know it at the time, Cologne would soon make good on her promise. ~ Show me the meaning of being lonely Is this the feeling I need to walk with Tell me why I can't be there where you are There's something missing in my heart ~ OWARI PART TWO ~~^~~^^~~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ (*) I swear to God, ever since I saw the MSTed version of ALIEN FROM L.A., every time I use the term "stunned surprise," I think of the Kathy Ireland Range of Emotions Guessing Game. If you've never seen that episode of MST, let me know and I'll *try* to make a copy of it for you--my VCR hates me, but I can still try! ~~^~~^^~~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ SOMETHING MISSING by Ryoko Saotome (Part Three) The sunlight struck Ranma's eyelids, and he muttered in protest even as he blinked himself back into wakefulness. He was surprised to find that it was rather late in the morning; normally, the kawaiikune one would have doused him with ice water and screeched at him about being such a lazy baka long before now. Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, the pigtailed martial artist pulled himself into a seated position on the futon and wondered why the dojo was so quiet this morning. he thought. It was at this point that Akane stormed into the room, bucket in hand, followed by P-Chan (who had arrived at the dojo even later than Ranma due to his stop at the Nekohanten). The girl blinked in surprise that Ranma was awake before shrugging and setting the bucket down. "Where were you last night, Ranma?" she asked. It sounded almost as if she'd been worried about him. Almost. The pigtailed youth shrugged his shoulders and stood, walking over to the closet to gather his clothes (DOWN, CHAOS! He's fully clothed! Well, if boxers count as being fully clothed... ^_^). "I went for a walk," he explained nonchalantly. P-Chan bweed softly, something in the tone resembling 'yeah, right'. Ranma ignored the pig and continued, "I stopped at the park for a while, and came back after it got too dark to stay out any later." Akane blinked and raised an eyebrow. "So you *didn't* talk to Shampoo about anything?" "Haven't seen her since yesterday afternoon," Ranma said, turning to shoot an inquisitive gaze at the girl. Akane heaved a frustrated sigh and turned to P-Chan. Her words surprised the hell out of Ranma: "Face it, Ryoga, the boy's hopeless!" "NANI?!" Ranma nearly shouted, forgetting for a moment that he was only clad in a pair of boxer shorts. Akane looked back up at the boy, blinked, then smiled as she realized what he was reacting to. "Oh, I've known about Ryoga and P-Chan for a while now," she said matter-of- factly. "He came in sometime after you did last night. The only reason we didn't come in sooner was because Ryo-chan was filling me in on the latest news." Sometime during this exchange, the pig had trotted off in search of the furo room; apparently he found it without too much trouble, because Ryoga walked in (FULLY DRESSED, CHAOS! Sheesh!) the room. He glanced back over at Ranma and smirked. "Is that all you plan on wearing today?" Ranma looked down and blushed furiously, pulling the closet door closed behind him and dressing swiftly in the dark. "What does she mean by 'the latest news'?" he shouted through the closed door, silently cursing himself for forgetting the fact that he was nearly naked. "I had a long talk with Mousse last night--" the Lost Boy began, only to be cut off when Ranma, now fully clothed, burst out of the closet (okay, no "coming out" jokes, and I mean it! ::growls and goes neko-on'na::). "About what?!" "Relax, Ranma. He wanted me to pass along a message to you." With that, Ryoga reached into his pocket and pulled out a note. Ranma frowned slightly before taking the slip of paper. "Cologne also had a message, but she wanted to deliver it in person." The pigtailed youth barely noticed when Akane half-dragged Ryoga out of the guestroom; his thoughts were elsewhere. % Outside the room % Akane peered through the crack in the door. "I still can't believe Shampoo and Mousse are the same person," she mumbled softly to Ryoga. "He's one of the cursed," Ryoga whispered back with a shrug. "I still think it's an odd twist of fate that their curses are so much alike." "Like another cursed pair we know?" Akane asked with a knowing smile. Very few people knew that the girl had been to Jusenkyo once herself, or that she'd fallen into one of the cursed springs. The only person in her immediate family who knew was Nabiki, and that was only because the elder girl was cursed as well. "Okay, Miss Spy-in-Training," Ryoga teased, taking Akane's hand and pulling her down the hall, "let's give our boy some privacy to read his letter, ne?" The girl smiled and let herself be led down the hall. % Back in the room % Ranma blinked and reread the short note. He couldn't make any real sense of it. The note read as follows: It almost sounded like a challenge letter. But somehow, the pigtailed boy knew that it wasn't. He carefully folded the note and slipped it into his pants pocket before opening the door (by this time, Ryoga and Akane were long gone... hell, they might be in New Zealand by now for all we know!). He would meet the other boy at the appointed place and time. There were a few things he had to tell Mousse, as well. ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ ~ There's nowhere to run I have no place to go ~ Mousse paced from the fence to the school building and back, his nervousness growing more with each minute. He wasn't sure how he was going to confess everything to Ranma; he wasn't even sure where to start. He was just about to turn and make yet another trek to the school building when a voice cut into his thoughts: "You're going to wear a furrow into the pavement if you keep that up much longer, Mousse-chan." The Chinese youth snapped his head around to see Ranma standing on top of the fence, watching him with a small smile on his lips. The pigtailed boy hopped down into the schoolyard and walked up to Mousse, stopping a few feet away. The two were silent for a moment, then began to speak at the same moment. "I have to tell--" "Mousse, I--" They laughed softly at themselves, then Ranma held up a hand just as Mousse drew in another breath to speak. "No. There's a few things I have to say before you tell me anything. Okay?" Mousse nodded mutely, sitting down on the ground and drawing his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms loosely around them, and gave the other youth his undivided attention. Ranma was nearly struck speechless by the fluid grace the boy had moved with; he shook his head to clear his thoughts and began to speak: "Mousse, I've been watching you very carefully for some time now. I think you know that from what happened the other day." At the silent nod--and a repeat of that strange, half-pained look--Ranma continued: "I've also been keeping an eye on Shampoo. And I noticed: you two are never in the same place at the same time. That can be explained by any number of reasons, but it can't explain why you both taste the same." "Nani wa?" Mousse whispered, blinking his soulful eyes. He had a strong suspicion of where this was heading, and was both relieved and nervous. Ranma noted the confused expression and smiled slightly. Damn, but he looked so damn kawaii...! "I know, Mousse. I know you and Shampoo are the same person." ~ Surrender my heart, body and soul ~ "How--" Mousse began to ask, only to be silenced by Ranma's finger pressed to his lips in a shushing gesture. "I'm not finished yet, Mousse-chan," he said softly, moving his finger to trace the line of the Amazon boy's cheekbone. "And don't interrupt, because I don't know if I'll get the nerve to say it again." Ranma paused, looking into the beautiful blue-grey orbs that were regarding him with a strange mixture of confusion, fear, and the faintest trace of tenderness. Still peering into those eyes, he revealed what he'd only recently discovered himself. "I know about your curse, and it doesn't make any difference. I love *you*, no matter which form you use." The emotions in Mousse's eyes cleared up swiftly. The confusion vanished; the fear was nothing more than a memory. All that was left in those too-beautiful depths was tenderness and love. "You--you do?" the Chinese boy asked, his voice shaking slightly. Ranma smiled again and nodded silently. Mousse smiled back and leaned forward, sealing the confession with a gentle kiss. "Good, because I love you, too, Ranma Saotome." ~ How can it be you're asking me to feel The things you never show ~ ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ % Elsewhere in Nerima % The young woman growled angrily and threw the mirror across the room, shattering it. Almost instantly, the glass began to repair itself and reform. The girl who'd tossed it away took no notice, intent as she was on her own thoughts. "So, Ranma has chosen his fiancée, has he?" she hissed, rage filling her voice. She smiled coldly as she surveyed her collection of poisons and potions. "It seems that I'll just have to take the pretty little Amazon bitch out of the picture. Now, which should I choose?" So caught up in her own thoughts, Kodachi Kuno never noticed the shadow that slipped quickly out of her room.... OWARI PART THREE ~~^~~^^~~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ Damn, that was kinda short, wasn't it? Yes, Akane and Nabiki Tendo are cursed in this story, too. Nobody lynch me, I really didn't intend to pair Akane with Ryoga; in fact, the whole 'couple' comment way back there in this part is just a teasing jab on Akane's part. Ryoga (at this point) isn't paired with anyone. Oh, and that shadow? It ain't really a shadow. Anyone care to wager which Tendo it is? ~~^~~^^~~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ SOMETHING MISSING by Ryoko Saotome (Part Four) The Nekohanten was closed for the evening--Cologne had some business elsewhere in Nerima, and knew that Mousse wouldn't really be up to running the place. She asked Ryoga to keep an eye on things until either she or her son got back, and it was Mousse who returned first. From his observation post on the other side of the street, Ryoga noticed that the Amazon boy wasn't alone. He watched silently as Ranma hugged the other youth from behind before playfully pushing him inside the restaurant and closing the door behind them. he thought, smiling to himself as he turned to head back to the dojo. The Lost Boy smiled again as he made his way to the dojo. There was someone there he was looking forward to seeing [not Akane, I already told you guys I didn't pair them up!]. ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ "Hey, where's the old ghoul?" Ranma asked once they were inside. Mousse turned and smiled slightly. "She had to meet with someone downtown this evening. And, for the record, she's not *that* old, Ranma," he said softly. The pigtailed martial artist's curiosity got the best of him. "What do you mean?" "Not telling." "Aw, come on! *Please*, Mu-chan?" "I'm not supposed to tell," Mousse said, taking on a tone very much like the one he used while in girl form. Ranma pouted for a moment, then smirked and turned back to the other boy. "I'll give you a kiss if you tell me," he bargained. Mousse smiled and shook his head. "Sorry, I'm sworn to secrecy." Ranma pouted again and mumbled "You're no fun." He then brightened again and said "How about if I guess what you mean?" "I'm not going to tell you if you're right or wrong, even if you *do* somehow manage to guess," the Amazon youth replied, trying desperately not to smile. "Oh, you don't have to say anything," the pigtailed boy reassured him. He smirked before saying, "If I'm close, you have to kiss me." "And if you're way, WAY off?" Ranma thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Just give me that 'oh-my-God-you- have-GOT-to-be-kidding-me' look that you're using right now." This time Mousse really did laugh. "Okay, go ahead. You won't guess anything, though," Mousse said, sinking into the chair across from Ranma. The blue-eyed youth thought for a moment before saying, "Cologne's really only about... 200." He received the 'oh-my-God' look and mumbled "Guess not." After a moment of thinking some more, Ranma brightened and spoke up once again: "Cologne's under a Jusenkyo curse, too?" Mousse leaned forward and gently kissed the other boy. ~ You are missing in my heart ~ After a moment, the Chinese youth hesitantly broke off the kiss and pulled away slightly, a shy smile on his lips. Ranma smiled back. "Maybe we should raise the stakes a little," he said softly, still feeling the warmth of the other boy's lips on his own. "To what?" Mousse asked, finding it a little hard to breathe at the moment. Ranma was just so close... "I'll keep making guesses. Nothing happens if I'm wrong." "And if you happen to guess right?" "You'll think of something." Mousse tilted his head slightly, a thoughtful expression on his face, then slowly nodded. Ranma took a deep breath and began to speak again, his voice little more than a whisper. "She's older than you are." Mousse nodded and smiled, inching a bit closer to the other boy, never saying a word. "But you guys are really close, ne?" Another nod; Mousse was straddling his lap now. "She's a relative of yours, isn't she?" The Amazon youth gave another nod and leaned forward to claim Ranma's mouth once again. ~ Tell me why I can't be there where you are ~ Ranma moaned softly into the kiss, wrapping his arms tightly around the other youth and pulling him as close as possible. He thrashed his tongue lightly across Mousse's lips before gently forcing them apart to deepen the kiss. Their tongues battled briefly for control, twining in a sensuous dance that left both participants breathless. As they pulled away from one another, the want and need in both sets of eyes was clear to the other, and without a word they both stood and headed for Mousse's bedroom. ~ Show me the meaning of being lonely ~ Once they made it into the room, the door safely closed behind them, Ranma drew Mousse into his arms once more for another long, slow, sensuous kiss. The hidden weapons expert moaned softly and parted his lips in an invitation that the pigtailed martial artist accepted eagerly, reveling in the sweetness of his soon-to-be-lover's mouth. He slid his hands along the silken fabric of Mousse's robes, slipping it off before the other youth even realized it. Ranma maneuvered them to the center of the room, gently pushing the Amazon back onto the bed before breaking off the kiss. Mousse made a slight whimper of distress at the broken contact, and Ranma chuckled softly and leaned back down to nip at one of his beloved's ears. "Don't worry, love. I'm not going anywhere," he whispered softly, placing a feathery kiss on the Amazon boy's throat before beginning to mark a trail of soft, warm kisses along his collarbone. Mousse moaned softly, trying to work the buttons on the silk shirt that was hindering his ability to touch the other boy as he so desperately wanted to. Chuckling softly, Ranma moved away for a moment to slip out of the shirt, quickly returning his attention to the beautiful youth lying on the bed. ~ Is this the feeling I need to walk with ~ Mousse whimpered softly as his lover marked a trail of kisses down his chest, pausing to flick his tongue lightly over one of his nipples while teasing the other with his hand. He wanted to be closer, needed it with every fiber of his being, but was in no real position to argue. Ranma glanced up at his lover's face for a moment, drinking in the sheer beauty of the other youth, then began to kiss his way further down the prone boy's body. Mousse gasped as the pigtailed martial artist began to place soft teasing kisses on his abdomen, all the while running one hand along his rapidly hardening length. He managed, somehow, to find his voice: "Oh, gods, Ranma... please...." Ranma took pity on his lover, quickly loosening the tie on the other youth's pants. Mousse lifted his hips to speed up the process a bit, quickly shedding both his pants and boxers. After a moment, Ranma slipped between his lover's thighs, leaning forward to place a quick teasing kiss on the tip of Mousse's erection before taking him into his mouth. He soon established a rhythm, taking a few shallow strokes before one deep stroke, lightly flicking his tongue along the length the entire time. Mousse gasped at the contact--he was so very close right now, too close.... ~ Tell me why I can't be there where you are ~ The Amazon youth came, his lover's name gasped breathlessly. Ranma eagerly drank up every sweet drop before kissing his way back up the other boy's body, catching his mouth in another deep, drugging kiss. Mousse moaned softly into the kiss, pressing himself closer to Ranma's body in silent invitation. The pigtailed youth broke off the kiss with a groan as his lover's hands caressed his own erection, the gentle teasing touch almost more than he could take. A quick glance at the nightstand revealed a small bottle of massage oil, and he picked it up, a small smile crossing his lips. Ranma opened the bottle, dripping some of the contents onto his fingers, and pushed Mousse back down onto his back once more. He gently slipped one wet finger into his lover's body, eliciting a sharp gasp from the other boy. He began to move his finger in a slow, gentle stroking motion, and was rewarded with a low moan as he found the hidden cluster of nerves. Ranma added a second finger, then a third, moving them all in the same gentle manner that was quickly driving Mousse to the brink. "Ranma, please..." the Amazon youth managed to gasp out. Ranma knew what his lover wanted, and was willing to give it to him. He withdrew his fingers and lifted one of the other boy's legs to his shoulder. Keeping the other leg tucked around his waist, Ranma slowly pushed into the tight sheath of his lover's body. They slowly began to move together, rocking together as their breathing quickened. Soon, they were incapable of speech, filling the room with their cries and whimpers of passion as they moved faster and faster towards release. ~ There's something missing in my heart ~ With a strangled cry, Ranma came, spilling his seed within the beautiful youth writhing beneath him. Seconds later, Mousse reached his own climax, clinging tightly to the pigtailed youth. They fell together onto the bed, shaking from the feeling that still resonated within them. After a while, Mousse turned and snuggled into his lover's arms. "Wo ai ni," he said sleepily in Mandarin. Ranma smiled and ran his fingers through his beautiful lover's ebony tresses, letting his own eyes drift shut. "I love you, too," he whispered as he drifted off into a peaceful slumber. ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ The Shadow Walker(*)--the last of its kind, and only still living because of a Jusenkyo curse--slipped quietly into the Tendo dojo, its white eyes shimmering as it glanced around in cautious search. Finding that its quarry was nowhere in this room, it slipped quietly through the wall. Through the tearoom, the kitchen (where it startled Kasumi for just a moment), the training room--seeking until it came to the furo room. With a decided glimmer in its eyes, the Shadow Walker slipped quietly into the heated tub-- --and Akane Tendo gasped for air as she surfaced. "Damned stupid curse comes in handy sometimes," she mumbled to herself as she quickly threw on her bathrobe. Picking up a kettle of hot water--just in case-- Akane slipped from the furo room and began to search for her sister once more. She found the elder girl exactly where she thought she would... and in the form she expected her to be in. The two small animals were curled up together on Nabiki's bed. The black piglet blinked sleepily up at Akane and bweed in a soft, almost questioning tone. The reddish-brown cat, on the other hand, stretched and leaped off the bed, lashing its tail as it walked up to the girl and mewed in a demanding manner. She couldn't help but giggle. "Gomen, Nabiki-neechan, but I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important," she said as she poured the contents of the kettle over the feline. Within seconds, Nabiki Tendo was glaring up at her sister. "What's so important that you had to wake me?" she growled in annoyance. Akane took a deep breath and said, "Kodachi Kuno knows, neechan. And I don't think she's happy with the situation." "What do you mean, imouto?" Nabiki asked, her eyes taking on a worried look. Her sister sighed. "I think she's going to kill someone." ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ Elsewhere in Nerima, Cologne glanced out the window, a look of concern washing over her features. "Cologne-sama?" the young woman she had been talking with asked softly. "Is something wrong?" "Gomen nasai," the Amazon woman said, turning a small worried smile to her companion. "I think someone is intent on hurting my only child." Ukyou's eyes blazed with an angry light. "Well, then," the okinamiyaki chef said, brandishing her battle spatula, "maybe we should skip out of this meeting a bit early and head back to the Nekohanten." ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ *CRASH* Mousse shifted his position and lifted his head, blinking in confusion. The noise had come from somewhere inside the restaurant, he was sure... but his mother wasn't due to be back until later in the evening. He moved to rise from the bed, only to be held in place by Ranma's arms wrapped snugly around his waist. The Amazon smiled--one night together, and Ranma was already being a bit overprotective of him. With a sigh he moved his head closer to the other youth's and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "Ranma," he whispered softly. The other boy's eyelids fluttered briefly before opening a bit, and he smiled serenely at his lover. Satisfaction certainly suited the pigtailed youth, Mousse noted mentally, smiling himself. "I'm going to run downstairs and check something, okay?" he said softly. Ranma frowned, concern marring his brow. "Why? Something wrong, Mu-chan?" Mousse shook his head. "I thought I heard something. I just want to see what it is." He sighed and mumbled, "Probably a cat or something. Nothing to worry about." At the word 'cat', Ranma's eyes had widened and he quickly released his grip on Mousse's waist. Chuckling softly, the Amazon bent to give his koibito another kiss before exiting the bed. Wrapping one of his robes around him, he slipped from the room. ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ % Meanwhile... % Kodachi grimaced at the sound of the glass breaking. She had wanted her entry into the Nekohanten to be as silent as possible; after all, she only wanted to get rid of that Amazon slut so that Ranma could be all hers again. Never mind the fact that Ranma'd *never* been hers in the first place, but what Kodachi wanted, Kodachi got. Soft voices from upstairs caught the gymnast's attention, and she smiled darkly when she heard *his* voice saying something about running downstairs for a moment. Everything was going to go according to plan, she just *knew* it. There was nothing that could stop her. Soon, Mousse would be dead, and Ranma would be hers. And if anyone got in her way, she would kill them, too. She slipped into the shadows as Mousse stepped out of the kitchen section of the restaurant. The Amazon looked around, his eyes darkening with worry as he took in the sight of the broken window and the overturned chair. It looked to him as if someone had broken in to the restaurant, but there was no sign of an intruder that he could make out. he thought, beginning to get nervous. With that thought in mind, Mousse turned. "Ran--" was all her managed to call out, for at that moment, Kodachi lunged from her hiding place, knife in hand. ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ "Ran--" Ranma shot up out of the bed, listening. That had been Mousse calling him, he was sure of it. The next sound to reach his ears was the sound of a struggle downstairs. The pigtailed youth threw on his pants quickly and raced down the stairs. % Nearby... % Akane, Nabiki, and Ryoga raced down the street. They had almost been to the Nekohanten when they heard a scream coming from their destination. The trio exchanged a worried look before breaking into a run, Nabiki's hand clasped tightly in Ryoga's as Akane drew her mallet out of hammer-space. There was going to be a fight, and they weren't about to let anything happen to their friends. % Even closer... % Cologne muttered a curse in Mandarin as she heard the scream from her restaurant. Ukyou gripped her battle spatula and turned her concerned gaze to her mentor(~). The older woman drew her honor sword and glanced up to see the three teenagers racing towards the Nekohanten. "Come on, child," Cologne said, her words almost a growl. "I'm not about to let *anyone* harm my son!" % Inside % Ranma, Akane, Nabiki, Ryoga, Cologne, and Ukyou all burst into the room just as Kodachi struck out with the knife for the tenth time. Cologne and Ranma both cried out in horror as Mousse slumped to the ground, too weakened by the other wounds to fight back. The Kuno daughter laughed wildly and pulled back her hand to strike again. They all chose this moment to strike themselves. Akane and Ukyou swung their respective weapons, catching the insane gymnast in the chest and heaving her across the room. Cologne and Ryoga moved between Kodachi and Mousse, even as Ranma and Nabiki moved swiftly to the fallen boy's side. Ranma began to cry as he assessed his lover's injuries, shooting a hate-filled glare in Kodachi's general direction. Nabiki opened the medical kit she'd had the foresight to bring and began to tend to the worst of the Amazon's wounds. "Call the police," Cologne said in a steady voice, sword held in front of her, the tip pointed at Kodachi's heart. Akane took one look at the enraged Amazon female and scurried off to grant her request. Ryoga and Ukyou exchanged a look and backed away from Cologne slowly. The Amazon was very protective of her child, and they both had the feeling that someone wasn't going to walk away from here tonight if the girl made any false moves. The woman cast a glance back at her son, nodded her head sadly as Nabiki tended to him, and turned her glare back to Kodachi... who smirked at her defiantly. "Surely you realize that I won't be staying imprisoned," she said haughtily. "My brother will see to that!" "Like hell he will," Ranma growled from his place on the floor, cradling Mousse in his arms while Nabiki worked diligently. "Tatchi happens to be one of Mu-chan's friends. I *don't* think he'll be very happy to hear that you tried to kill one of his friends, do you?" The sound of sirens outside signaled the arrival of the police, as well as the ambulance Akane had been kind enough to call. Nabiki had managed to stave off the worst of Mousse's bleeding; now it was up to the staff at the hospital to take care of the rest. The elder Tendo girl shot a withering glare at Kodachi as the girl was led out of the restaurant. "If he dies," she said darkly, "I'll kill you myself, ki powers or no." ~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ EPILOGUE Mousse spent a week in the hospital, recovering from the knife wounds inflicted upon him by Kodachi. Just as Ranma had predicted, Tatewaki was less than thrilled at his sister's attempt on the Amazon boy's life. At his suggestion, Kodachi was admitted to the nearest mental institution for observation. "How are you feeling today, itoshii?" Ranma asked as he walked into Mousse's room. The Amazon smiled brightly at him and patted the bed next to him. The pigtailed martial artist smiled back and sat next to his lover--no, husband, Cologne had explained the binding nature of Amazon law... not that he minded being married to the most beautiful male in Nerima. "Better than I did when I got here," Mousse replied, leaning his head against Ranma's shoulder and sighing. "I just want to go home, though." "I know, I know," Ranma groaned. "I don't like sleeping all alone." Mousse raised an eyebrow and stared at the pigtailed youth. "Koibito, we've spent a grand total of one night together, and you *already* miss sharing a bed with me?" Ranma smirked and nodded. "Well, since we *are* married, it's only proper..." Mousse shook his head; then an evil little grin appeared on his face. Ranma shot him a confused look and asked, "What's that look for?" "You know, I've got this whole big room to myself, and no one hardly *ever* checks up on me during visiting hours..." Ranma's eyes widened as he caught his love's meaning. "Mu-chan! There are doctors and nurses everywhere out there!" Mousse shrugged. "So what?" he asked, letting his hand wander into Ranma's lap. The pigtailed youth blinked, then snickered and gently pushed the Amazon back onto the bed. "I like the way you think," he said, and claimed Mousse's mouth in a soul-searing kiss. ~ Show me the meaning of being lonely Is this the feeling I need to walk with Tell me why I can't be there where you are There's something missing in my heart ~ OWARI ~~^~~^^~~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ (*) Okay, I kinda stole the Shadow Walker deal. It was briefly mentioned in X-Men 2099 (I think that was the name of the comic--that series didn't really seem to last all that long actually....), and looked REALLY awesome! Here, it's more like a living shadow than anything else. (~) I knew you guys were wondering why Ukyou was hanging out with Cologne! In this storyline, although I didn't mention it earlier, Ukyou is an adopted child of the Joketsozuko tribe, and is considered Mousse's tribal sister. I might write more in this storyline later, or I might let this story be it. Anyone who wants to pick up the threads of this AU, feel free to. Just let me know when you do, I kinda want to read what you write ^_^ ~~^~~^^~~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~^^~~^~~ That's it! It's finally finished!! ::does a little happy dance around the room::