[Ranma][Fanfic] All Our Yesterdays

[war...@engr.bna.boeing.com]

________________________________________________________________________

A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction:

A L L O U R Y E S T E R D A Y S

by: Eric Warner (evwa...@anet.bna.boeing.com)

*************************

DISCLAIMER:

All characters of the Ranma series are the property of Rumiko
Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc. Tokyo, and Viz Communications Inc. and are
used without permission.

All names and places are purely intended to be the work of fiction.

*************************
Guide:

"Someone is talking"
<Someone is thinking>
"<Someone is talking in Mandarin>"

________________________________________________________________________

Author's Intro:

This is my second fanfic. I first became acquainted with Fanfiction
and Ranma in May of '97. I have never seen the series and have picked
up all I know from FAQs, shrines and other Fanfiction writers. Now like
most real Ranma fans, I can't get enough of it. So a request to all you
other authors, let's speed things up a little (especially you sleeping
series writers).

I'll repeat this disclaimer from my first fanfic, though hopefully I
am getting better. I haven't written a piece of fiction in 20 years and
now I mostly write technical works and software. So if I've screwed up
on some spellings or punctuation, forgive me, English is only my second
language.

This story all came about from a simple paragraph in "Our Own
Damnation" by Alan Harnum. It was originally destined to be a Darkfic,
but as I got towards the end of writing it, I added a few more twists
and turns to brighten it a little. Besides, the ending I had originally
thought of would have been much too cruel, and would have produced
enough flames to rival the sun. So Enjoy! :-)

________________________________________________________________________

A L L O U R Y E S T E R D A Y S

"How old are you, Cologne?" asked Dr. Tofu looking at her medical
folder.

"Now, now, Doctor!" responded Cologne regarding her staff. "You know
it is impolite to ask a woman such questions."

Dr. Tofu looked up. "Cologne, I've run the tests." Dr. Tofu pushed
his glasses up the bridge of his nose and folded his arms. "I know you
didn't just *happen* to walk in here for a checkup. " He waited for a
response, when he received no answer, he continued, "You know your
dying, don't you?"

Cologne dropped her staff and her head. "Yes, Doctor, I know. I've
known for quite some time. The age-regression pressure points and the
potions don't seem to be working anymore. I was hoping your primitive
science could tell me something different, or offer me an alternative."

Dr. Tofu reached up and touched a pressure point at the back of her
neck. "There. That should *slow* the aging process, help your ki flow
better, but that's about all I can do." The doctor sat at his desk and
started writing a prescription. "I'm also recommending a special tonic
that should also help in slowing the aging, but you have to know that it
is only experimental at this point. It has not been proven." Dr. Tofu
looked straight at her. "Nor do I think it will stop what you and I
both know is the inevitable."

Cologne dropped her gaze for a moment and almost considered a rude
comment in reference to his bedside manner, but then she looked back up
and simply said, "Thank you, Doctor."

*****

Mousse dipped a ladle into a big pot and dumped ramen into a bowl.
Shampoo ran into the kitchen carrying some dirty dishes. "<Is she still
in there?>" she asked in Mandarin.

Mousse sat the bowl of ramen on a tray next to other bowls of ramen
and looked at the storeroom door. "<Yes, she still hasn't come out.>"

Shampoo dumped the dishes she was carrying into the sink and looked
up at the clock. "<If Great Grandmother doesn't hurry, she is going to
miss her train.>" Shampoo scooped up the tray of ramen and ran over to
the door of the storeroom to listen. She frowned when she didn't hear
anything and looked at Mousse. "<Did Great Grandmother say where she
went this morning?>"

Mousse looked up from his cooking and shook his head. "<No, not a
word. She just hopped into the storeroom and locked the door behind
her.>" Shampoo looked back up to the clock. "<If Great Grandmother
doesn't come out, she might as well forget this business trip.>" She
ran into the dining area carrying the tray of ramen bowls. Mousse
almost thought he heard Shampoo say she wished Cologne were here to help
with the lunch rush, too, as she left the kitchen.

A few moments later, Cologne spoke from out of the storeroom.
"<Quick, Mousse. Get me some ginger root.>" Mousse looked up to see a
withered hand stuck out the storeroom door, waiting. Mousse dropped
what he was doing and ran to a cabinet near the dining room door to pull
out some packets. <Let's see arrow root, willow root, bamboo...>

Just then the dining room door opened wide slamming Mousse into the
cabinet. "<Mousse! I need more ramen,>" Shampoo yelled. She looked
around and couldn't see him, then said quietly to herself. "<Just like
Mousse, never around when you need him.>" Someone yelled from the
dining area. "Okay, Okay! Shampoo coming." She ran back through the
door exasperated.

When the dining room door closed, Mousse slid slowly to the floor
unconscious. An unhappy and impatient Cologne peered and hopped out of
the storeroom doorway. "<Mousse! This is no time to sleep.>" She hit
him with her staff, bringing him wide awake with a start. "<I need some
ginger root.>" Mousse held up a packet from his position on the floor.
Cologne grabbed it quickly. "<Now, get back to work!>" Cologne pointed
her staff at the cooking stove, then disappeared back into the
storeroom.

Mousse picked up the remaining packets off the floor and stuffed them
back into the cabinet. One of the packets, he noted, was 'ginger
root`. "<Oh well, the old crone'll find out,>" Mousse mumbled. But
Cologne never came back nor said a word. Later, Cologne left quickly to
go catch her train after changing clothes and telling Shampoo she would
be gone for about a week.

*****

The lunch rush had just ended, so Mousse took an opportunity to clean
up tables, and get the dishes caught up and put away on the shelves.
When Mousse went out back to throw a big bag of trash into the dumpster,
he heard a soft moan coming from behind a stack of crates in back of the
alley. He peered around the crates and found a girl lying face down.
Her clothes were mostly torn and ragged, like they had been ripped open,
leaving her fair skin exposed. Fearing that she had been raped, Mousse
knelt down quickly and turned her over. Her breasts were exposed and he
had to contain a nosebleed. Closing his eyes, he took off his coat and
put it around her.

When he re-opened his eyes, he looked down at her face. The girl was
very pretty with features that were quite pleasant, features that
reminded Mousse of his Shampoo in some ways. The girl had long rich,
dark hair, and looked to be about the same size and age as Shampoo. The
girl moaned again, and then her eyes flew open to look at Mousse. With
fear in her eyes, she started to back up and asked, "<W-who...?>" in
Mandarin.

Mousse, who was at first surprised that the girl spoke his language
and not Japanese, smiled and said, "<I'm Mousse. Don't worry, you're
safe.>" Mousse tried to sound re-assuring. "<What's your name?>"

The girl looked at Mousse with a confused expression. "<N-name?
Name? Can't remember!>" Her eyes widened in horror ans she regarded
Mousse with a pleading look.

Mousse stood up and offered her a hand. The girl looked at it like
she had never seen one before. "<Come! Let's get you inside where we
can tend to your wounds and get you some help.>" Mousse looked down and
back up, then added, "<And get you some clothes.>"

The girl reached up and smiled momentarily with an embarrassed, but
none-the-less thankful, expression, taking his hand.

*****

Mousse sat the girl at a table in the kitchen and gave her a bowl of
ramen. The girl started eating the bowl hungrily when Shampoo entered
from the dining area carrying more bowls for washing. Shampoo stopped
in the doorway and stared at the girl in confusion. "<Mousse, who's
this?>"

Mousse gave a shrug. "<I don't know. I just found her injured out
back. Looks like some sort of foul play.>"

Shampoo slowly went over to the sink and dropped the bowls into the
soapy water. "What your name, girl?"

The girl looked up at Shampoo fearfully and in confusion. "<She
seems to speak only in Mandarin,>" offered Mousse.

Shampoo tried again. "<What's your name, girl?>"

"<I-I do not know.>" She looked up at Mousse. "<A-all I can
remember is waking up and finding him standing over me. Nothing
else.>" She looked back at Shampoo.

Shampoo glanced up momentarily at Mousse and grinned. "Must be
nightmare." Mousse dropped his head and Shampoo returned her gaze to
the girl. "<Are you hurt?>"

"<No, I...>" The girl's eyes shot to the left and she looked
uncomfortable. She reached inside the coat and pulled out a shuriken
that had been lodged in the left side and set it carefully on the table
in front of her. "<No, I don't seem to be hurt. Although the clothes I
am wearing do feel tight.>"

"<Stand up!>" commanded Shampoo. The girl complied immediately.
Shampoo looked her over. "<You seem to be about my size. Come, I'll
get you a change of clothes.>" She turned to Mousse. "<Mousse, call
the authorities and watch the restaurant.>" Mousse shook his head
affirmatively. The girl dropped in behind Shampoo reluctantly and her
eyes followed Mousse with an almost pleading expression. Mousse smiled
re-assuringly and watched them disappear up the stairs, then went out
into the dining area to dial the police.

*****

When the police arrived, Mousse and Shampoo acted as interpreter for
the girl. The police weren't able to gather any more information than
Mousse or Shampoo had. It had been determined that if someone had
attempted to rape the girl, they hadn't succeeded, as there were no
physical evidence of any recent violence, but the assailant had probably
dumped her in the alleyway and took off. Since there wasn't any ID or a
purse present, they figured it was more likely that it may have been a
mugging.

The girl wore a dress that Mousse had always enjoyed seeing Shampoo
wear. A pink dress with a bow in back with white lace around the neck.
The girl's pitch-black hair had been fixed up also and extended down to
about midway in the back into a ponytail. With her innocent and naive
appearance, it would have been easy to see why someone would have taken
advantage of her.

The girl had shown signs of past injuries, but no fresh ones. She
carried a scar on the left side of the head hidden by hair. Also,
despite her defenseless appearance, there was evidence of battle scars
on her right side in the ribs. Shampoo saw early from the girl's manner
and the way she carried herself that she was probably an Amazon just
like she was, a country cousin. That would easily explain the battle
scars.

Before the police left, they asked if the girl had any place to stay
where they could contact her in case they found something. Mousse and
Shampoo both offered to let her stay at the Nekohanten until her
identity or family could be found.

Instead of calling her 'Hey, girl`, Mousse decided to name her 'Xi
Lin`, after his own sister who died of a disease when she was 3.
Shampoo was, at first, a bit bothered by naming her after a 'diseased
sister`, but the girl seemed happy with the name. Shampoo, also, was an
only child and had always wanted a sister or a brother. So to both
Mousse and Shampoo, Xi Lin was now the sister they never had, and they
said so. 'Xi Lin`, needing family, seemed to brighten at this.

Shampoo decided to let Xi Lin stay in Cologne's room. If Xi Lin's
real family could not be found before Cologne returned, then other
arrangements would be made. Shampoo mentioned that Cologne could also
help her regain her memories once she returned. Plus, Cologne had
connections in the Amazon tribe in case Xi Lin's family really was
Amazon as Shampoo suspected.

*****

Xi Lin was very grateful to both Mousse and Shampoo for their
hospitality and offered to repay their kindness back some day once she
found her family. While she stayed, Xi Lin helped Mousse when he was in
the kitchen to help pay for her room and board by washing the dishes
while he cooked the meals.

That evening, Shampoo was taking someone's order when she heard a
loud shriek from the kitchen. When she got there she found Xi Lin in a
corner with her hand over her mouth, and a wet duck flopping around on
the floor next to a spilt bowl of water and Mousse's clothes. Shampoo
laughed and said, "<Shhh! I'll explain later.>" She put the duck in
the set of clothes and poured hot water on top of it. The girl
watched the transformation curiously, then laughed when a disoriented
and wet Mousse appeared. Mousse didn't seem amused. Shampoo picked
up his glasses, put it on his face and pushed it into place. Shampoo
shook her head and left the kitchen.

Xi Lin put her hands on her hips. "<So! Are you a man that turns
into a duck, or a duck that turns into a man? What kind of strange
place have I come to?>"

Mousse gave her an embarrassed smile. "<I turn into a duck with cold
water. It's a curse I picked up in Jusenkyou.>" The girl seem to loose
her smile at the word 'Jusenkyou`. Mousse didn't miss the change in
expression. "<Do you know of it?>" he asked, moving closer.

Xi Lin's face was searching, "<I've... heard of it... somewhere.>"
Her face went blank when she thought of something. She picked up the
bowl of cold water carefully. Mousse, knowing what she had in mind,
moved out of the way to observe. Xi Lin closed her eyes, then dumped
the bowl on herself. Nothing happened.

A relieved Mousse handed her a towel. "<Good! At least you're not
cursed, too.>" Xi Lin laughed, also in relief and accepted the towel
gladly. Mousse had to hold his nose and turn away when Xi Lin began to
use the towel to dry her chest. She watched him curiously, then smiled
in recognition of his plight.

*****

At night, after giving her a set of pajamas, and sharing with her her
own curse, Shampoo showed Xi Lin to Cologne's room. "<You can sleep
here.>"

Xi Lin stopped inside the door and looked around the room at all the
weird artifacts and decorations around the room. She saw objects that
seemed both mystical and esoteric, bordering on the occult. She turned
to Shampoo and had to ask, "<Is it safe?>"

Shampoo only laughed and indicated the bed. Xi Lin entered the room,
put down the pj's Shampoo gave her on the bed, and continued to stare at
the weird artifacts.

"<Call me if you need anything.>" Shampoo offered before leaving the
room and closing the door behind her. Xi Lin only nodded in wonderment
and continued to stare around the room.

She spotted the closet and went over to try and open it. The closet
was locked. She was about to return to the bed when she spotted a
curious-looking statue. Walking over to it and pressed its belly
button, the statue opened up. A key was inside. Xi Lin started to pick
up the key, but then thought, <It's not my closet to open>. So she
returned the key and closed up the statue. After putting on the
pajamas, she opened up the curtains to let in some of the outside lights
of the city and turned off the room lights. While in bed, she took one
last careful look around the strange room before falling asleep.

*****

Xi Lin was able to fit right in to the morning routine and get the
Nekohanten open for business. After the lunch rush ended, Mousse taught
Xi Lin some key Japanese words and phrases so she could help Shampoo
with some of the waitressing up front in the dining area. Xi Lin seem
to have little trouble absorbing the instruction. During the slow
periods, Xi Lin helped bring out trays of food to the customers after
Shampoo took their orders.

Mousse found himself get a little angry when he spotted customers who
normally paid closer than average attention to Shampoo suddenly ogling
Xi Lin. One customer Mousse spotted was about to place a hand on her
backside, but in a quick move, Xi Lin grabbed his wrist and placed a
bowl of ramen in his hand. When she returned to the kitchen window,
Mousse commended her on her quick responses which she promptly returned
with a smile.

Late that afternoon, a group of high-school kids that Mousse
recognized as being friends or classmates of Ranma, entered the
Nekohanten. Whenever Xi Lin entered the room, all their eyes followed
her every movement. When she brought them their order, one tried to ask
her something, but she only shook her head not understanding. The group
continued their observations, even long after their meals were
consumed. Finally, having had enough, Mousse came over and spoke to
them in a threatening manner, which caused them to get up and make a
quick exit. Xi Lin stopped and watched them leave, then nodded in
relief and thanks to Mousse.

After the dinner rush, Mousse continued his instruction of the
Japanese language and used a menu, which had both Mandarin and Japanese
on it, as a guide. While she sat at a table, he leaned over and pointed
out the various items on the menu and sounded their Chinese and Japanese
equivalents. Xi Lin seemed to brighten and looked up smiling whenever
Mousse leaned down.

Shampoo observed this exchange through the kitchen window and smiled
when she recognized that Xi Lin was developing a crush on Mousse.
<Good!> she thought, <Maybe she can take some of his advances and leave
me with my Airen (Ranma)>. At one point, she even saw Xi Lin place a
hand on Mousse's hand when he pointed out something in the menu. Xi Lin
looked up and Mousse returned her smile. Mousse suddenly saw Shampoo in
the kitchen window and lost his smile quickly and recoiled like he had
touched something hot. Shampoo only laughed at him and left the
window. Xi Lin looked up at him in confusion, then crossed her arms in
disappointment.

*****

After the dishes were done, Xi Lin mysteriously disappeared. Mousse
searched the restaurant and the rooms upstairs and could not find her.
Voicing his concern to Shampoo, she, too, became worried since it was
dark out, and said she would cover the restaurant while he went out to
look for her.

Mousse searched the neighborhood and the park until he found her
sitting by the river, watching the water and observing the stars. He
approached her from one side and spoke.

"<I was looking for you.>"

Xi Lin turned with a start, then lowered her head in shame. "<Sorry,
I didn't mean to be a bother. I just needed to get away somewhere and
think.>" Mousse came over and sat next to her, both turned to look at
the river. Mousse picked up and threw a small pebble, both watched it
skip across the water. Xi Lin placed her hands in her lap and lowered
her head again. "<Are you in love with Shampoo?>"

Mousse turned his head with a sudden jerk to look at her. "<I've
always been in love with Shampoo... since I was little.>" He looked
back at the river again and remembered. "<When I was six I used to be
teased because I wore glasses. Shampoo was the only one that protected
me and came to my rescue. She didn't treat me like the other kids did.
Later, I fell in love with her smile and her purple hair. She's
beautiful. I've followed her all the way from our village in China. I
suppose I'll always follow her.>"

"<Does she love you?>" Xi Lin looked over.

Mousse could see that her pretty doe eyes were starting to fill with
moisture. The girl was captivating and the sight tore at Mousse's
heart, and he shrank even more when he stopped to consider her question
and dropped his head. "<No. She's in love with some Japanese *fiend*
named, 'Ranma Saotome`. He doesn't love her and has always spurned her,
but she won't let go of him. The only reason why we are here in Japan
is because Cologne and Shampoo are trying to trick him into marrying
Shampoo and take him back to our village in China.>" Mousse became
animated. "<Oh, if only she would see how much better I am than him.>"

Xi Lin looked up at his glasses, and with a slight smile she placed a
hand on his. "<Yeah, she must be pretty blind.>"

Mousse jerked up his head at her pun. He could feel the warmth of
her hand, and it was drawing him to her. Xi Lin lowered her head
again. "<Mousse, I've only known you since yesterday, but I can already
see what a warm and caring person you truly are.>" She gazed back out
at the river. "<A girl should count herself as pretty lucky to be with
you, you make them feel so special.>" She looked back into his eyes
with her tear-filled ones. "<You make me feel special.>"

Mousse moved his head closer to her's. Xi Lin slowly leaned in and
kissed him on the lips. He returned the kiss and it lingered.

When they broke, he said, "<Thanks.>"

"<For what?>" she asked happily.

"<It's not often I get to see stars.>" responded Mousse pointing up,
his head swam. Xi Lin giggled.

*****

Together, Xi Lin and Mousse strolled back to the Nekohanten holding
hands. A worried Shampoo waited for them at the door. She watched them
approach and caught herself developing a twinge of envy when she saw how
tender Mousse was with Xi Lin. She shook it off. Relieved that Xi Lin
was found, she said, "<Come, Mousse! We have to close the restaurant.>"

Mousse snapped out of his reverie, and Xi Lin helped him and Shampoo
clean up and close the restaurant.

When Shampoo came out of the restroom at the end of the hall before
going to bed, she was about to enter her room when she spotted Mousse
and Xi Lin down the hallway. She overheard their conversation.

"<I'm sorry Mousse that you had to come looking for me. I didn't
mean to worry you.>" Xi Lin placed a hand on his shoulder outside
Cologne's bedroom door. Shampoo could see she looked innocently
seductive in her pajamas.

"<It's not a good idea to roam around Nerima at night,>" Mousse
warned. "<It may be one of the safer cities in the world, but it still
has some bad elements searching for trouble. You've already been
attacked here once.>"

"<I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I promise.>" She laid her head
on Mousse's chest and surrounded him in a hug. Mousse held her tight
and kiss the top of her head.

"<I think it is time you turned in. We've had a busy day today. I
know you've had a busy day.>" Xi Lin looked up at him expectantly.
Mousse thought of something, then continued, "<I'm sure you need some
clothes of your own. Why don't I take you shopping tomorrow?>"

Xi Lin brightened and jumped up and down. "<Oh yes! Thank you,
thank you.>" She gave him a quick kiss, then turn to her room and
opened the door. She stopped in the doorway and looked back to wave to
Mousse. "<Good night, Mousse.>" Xi Lin closed the door slowly never
taking her eyes off Mousse.

When Xi Lin's door was fully closed, Mousse reached up and touched
his lips almost dreamily. With a joyful spring in his step, Mousse
*floated* to his bedroom and entered.

A wide-eyed Shampoo entered her room. When she closed her door, she
leaned her back against it and looked up at the ceiling. A tear started
to form in her eyes and she quickly batted it away. <Oh, what's wrong
with me?> she thought, <I should be glad to get rid of that blind
Mousse. I can't be jealous>. But her heart was telling her otherwise.
She forced herself to smile. <At least I have my Airen.> She went over
to the bed, and stopped. <But do I really?> she thought, as she
remembered that he had spurned her and was probably in love with his
violent girl (Akane), and not her. She slowly sank down on the bed.
<I'm so lonely.>

*****

Mousse felt a little bit self-conscious and out of place in the
various boutiques and women's clothing stores they visited the next
morning. He definitely was not used to any of this, and had never been
to such places with Shampoo. Shampoo always shopped alone or with
Cologne.

Xi Lin was like a kid in a candy store and would merrily jump from
outfit to outfit holding it up to herself and asking Mousse what he
thought. Mousse found it very difficult to say 'no` to anything she
asked for. He could feel a touch of joy in his heart as he watched her
flit around from place to place, although she was making him dizzy. He
found her enchanting and stunning in almost anything she tried on.

As Xi Lin was back in the changing room trying on a new dress, Mousse
smiled when he recognized that he was probably falling in love with
her. His lips still tingled from when she kissed him. He held a hand
up to his lips and savored the memory.

Mousse looked down and lost the smile when part of him started to
feel guilty. His thoughts turned to Shampoo and the decade-old love he
had for her. <Should I abandon my Shampoo, just because this delightful
girl came into my life? Am I really being unfaithful? After all, she
has always spurned my advances; denied any love for me.>

All thoughts of Shampoo quickly evaporated when he looked back up to
see Xi Lin come out in a low-cut navy blue dress with brass buttons down
the front. His eyes enlarged and he gasped. He thought his glasses
were going to fog up and crack. Mousse gave himself a pinch to make
sure he wasn't just dreaming. He made it a hard pinch just to make
doubly sure.

Xi Lin had her hands out in front of her, looking up at him from a
downcast head. She gestured with her right hand. "<Well? How do I
look?>" She did a turn for his benefit. The ruffles in the dress
spiraled out on the turn. Mousse was wide-eyed and speechless, and all
he could do was nod his head in approval. Xi Lin brightened and gave
him a quick peck on the cheek before she disappeared back into the
changing room.

Mousse held a hand up to his chest and had to grab onto a clothing
rack to steady himself. He reached into a pocket and pulled a
handkerchief to his nose when he realized it had been bleeding
profusely. A part of him asked, "Shampoo who?".

*****

Mousse found himself swamped with packages trying to lug them past
the various shops and storefronts. He found himself wishing he had
Ryouga's strength, remembering that heavy umbrella he always carried.

They took the opportunity to stop at a photo booth and have several
pictures taken together. Some pictures were serious; whereas, others
were not. One picture had them holding each other with Mousse's glasses
removed. The glasses, they found, seemed to glare under the flash of
the camera. They both had fun in the booth.

On the way out of the mall, they passed several stalls that had
merchants selling various and exotic wares from Asia and all around the
world. Xi Lin seem to show very little interest until she heard a
chirp. She stopped and looked back at Mousse and then all around to
find the source of the sound. She spotted one merchant that was selling
different kinds of jewelry. He had one small cage suspended from the
top of the booth. Xi Lin went over and looked into the cage, it
contained a cricket. She watched it in wonderment and it gave another
chirp which caused her to brighten considerably.

The seller looked over and smiled. "I think he likes you." Xi Lin
looked up at him in confusion. She smiled back when Mousse translated.
The seller, not wanting to part with his cricket, offered instead,
"Would you like to buy this necklace?" The seller held up a fine jewel
suspended by a silver chain. "Or maybe this bracelet?" The seller next
held up a gold bracelet with many various doodads hanging off of it.

Xi Lin didn't seem interested in anything except the cricket. Mousse
finally had to ask, "How much for the cricket?"

The seller lost his painted smile and looked downcast. "Oh, I am
afraid I can't sell him. The Chinese believe crickets are a symbol of
good luck, so he's my good luck charm. So far, that has proven to be
true. Whenever he sings, like you just heard, I make a fortune."

Mousse translated the sellers reluctance and it was as if the sun
went down. Xi Lin looked very saddened and it tugged at Mousse's
heart. "<Come,>" he said, and started to pull Xi Lin away. Xi Lin
looked back at the seller and dropped her head as they were drifting
toward the mall exit.

"Please! Please, wait." Mousse and Xi Lin turned around to see the
seller looking regretfully at the small cage. Finally, he picked up the
cage and place it on a plain beaded necklace. Mousse and Xi Lin
returned to the booth. The seller looked at Mousse, then stared
longingly at Xi Lin. "She's a lot like my own daughter." He held out
the necklace and gave it to Xi Lin who brightened immensely. "I
couldn't deny my daughter anything, either. Please, at least a thousand
yen to cover the cost of the necklace." Mousse paid the seller gladly.

The seller took Xi Lin's hand and said, "Please, take good care of
him for me, and maybe fortune will smile on you, too." When Mousse
translated, Xi Lin nodded her head with an understanding smile. The
cricket chirped like it understood, also. Xi Lin held up the cage in
front of her and laughed.

*****

Xi Lin was a ray of sunshine all during the dinner rush. She was
humming a soft tune as she delivered food to the tables, a tune Shampoo
recognized distinctly as an Amazon lullaby from when she was little.
Shampoo noted that the customers were making larger than normal or
repeated orders and stayed longer at the restaurant, which was good for
business. Their eyes seem to follow Xi Lin whenever she entered the
room.

Shampoo found herself becoming more and more envious and irritated by
the girl. When she recognized that Xi Lin had started to hum the same
tune over again, she snapped at her. Xi Lin lost her smile for only a
moment and continued to serve the meals more quietly.

Mousse didn't miss the exchange. When Shampoo came back into the
kitchen area and paced, Mousse asked, "<What's wrong with you, Shampoo?
You didn't have to do that to her.>"

"<Shut up, Mousse!>" Shampoo paced some more, then stopped.
"<Mousse, I want that girl out of here. She's trouble. She's nothing
but trouble.>"

"<What do you mean 'out of here`?" Mousse asked angrily. "<You know
she has nowhere else to go, at least until she finds her family.>"
Mousse then lightened up. "<And who is she trouble for...? You?>"

"<Mousse! Shut up! Just shut up!>" Shampoo left the kitchen and
went out in back of the restaurant in a huff. Mousse just smiled.
<She's jealous. She's finally jealous. Jealous of me and Xi Lin.>
Mousse shook his head, happily.

Xi Lin came into the kitchen area. "<Mousse, where's Shampoo? We
have some new customers.>" Mousse just smiled and indicated the back
where Shampoo went. Xi Lin went through the same door. Mousse poured
more ramen into a bowl and re-thought about what just happened. Then he
looked up and lost his smile. "Uh-oh!"

"<Shampoo?!>" called out Xi Lin from the back alley. Xi Lin moved
just in time to avoid a hit from a bonbori. "<Shampoo, what...?>"

Though it was dark, she could see a menacing figure turn back around
to face her. "<I want you gone!>"

Xi Lin took a defensive stance. "<B-but why?>"

"<GO, I said!>" spit back Shampoo. She took another shot at Xi Lin
with her bonbori driving Xi Lin backwards into the alley. Xi Lin almost
trip over something, she reached down to find that it was a staff. She
picked it up and held it in front of her. Xi Lin's back was almost
against the wall when Shampoo continued to advance on her. Shampoo took
another swing. Xi Lin caught it easily with one end of the staff and
brought the other end around to hit a pressure point. The fight ended
that quickly.

Mousse came out of nowhere to hug her. "<Oh, I'm so sorry. I
shouldn't have sent you back here. I just didn't think.>"

Xi Lin looked at Shampoo in horror. "<Sh-She attacked me. She
*attacked* me.>" Xi Lin looked up at Mousse with tear-filled eyes.
"<Why?>"

Mousse looked down at Shampoo and put a hand behind his neck. A move
that he recognized Ranma do when he was confronted with a similar
situation. "<Xi Lin,>" Mousse looked back at her, "<I-I think Shampoo
is getting jealous of...us.>"

Xi Lin dropped the staff and placed a hand to her mouth. "<Oh!>"

Mousse reached down and picked up Shampoo. Hesitantly, Xi Lin
started to help get an unconscious Shampoo back inside the restaurant.
They attended to Shampoo in the kitchen. Neither returned back out into
the alleyway to collect Shampoo's bonbori...nor the staff.

Once inside the kitchen, Mousse and Xi Lin laid Shampoo down on the
table. In a curious move, Xi Lin hit a pressure point that brought
Shampoo awake with a start. Shampoo almost jumped back when she saw Xi
Lin standing over her. After some thought, Shampoo dropped her head in
shame. "<I'm-I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me.>" Shampoo took
Xi Lin's hand. "<I-I think I'm getting jealous...>" Shampoo started to
say, then quickly changed the end of her sentence. "<...of all the
attention your getting. Yeah, that's it.>" She looked into Xi Lin's
eyes which seemed to look back in understanding. "<I'm sorry I attacked
you.>" Shampoo gave Xi Lin an apologetic smile.

Xi Lin returned the smile and gave Shampoo a hug. She looked at
Mousse. "<I guess we *are* like a family after all. And like any
family, the siblings are prone to squabble a bit. I forgive you,
Shampoo. I guess I've been taking too much of the spotlight. I hope
you forgive me, too.>"

Shampoo returned the hug, and looked into Mousse's eyes. She placed
a hand on Mousse's shoulder and looked back and forth between the two.
"<Really, I hope you two are happy together.>" Mousse and Xi Lin smiled
at each other, until a shout from the dining room broke their reverie.

Shampoo stood off the table a little wobbly, and patted Xi Lin's
shoulder. "<Come. Duty calls.>" Xi Lin nodded and follow Shampoo
out. Mousse went back to work filling bowls of ramen. He couldn't
remove his smile.

*****

Early in the morning, the birds sang as they always did at this time
in Nerima. Trees and flowers waved gently pushed by a tropical breeze.
Bees hopped from flower to flower to get an early start on their tasks
of the day. Springtime was in the air. (Pasture music played in the
background.)

In the Tendou kitchen, Kasumi worked diligently at making breakfast
and preparing lunches for those that attended school. She was so
captured by her work that she failed to detect the sound of a lone
figure creeping along the roof. She didn't see the figure drop down
from a tree while she stuffed the lunches into bento boxes. Nor did she
see the figure dart past the window when she proceeded to fill bowls of
rice for the early morning meal.

Cleaning up a spill with a towel, she left the kitchen and went out
back to wring out the water. She jerked up when a shadow suddenly
stopped in front of her. Then she smiled. "Master Happousai, have you
come for breakfast?"

The small man seemed overly nervous and seemed to look all directions
with increasing vigilance. "No." he said at first, then corrected
himself. "Uh, yeah, breakfast would be fine."

"Come inside and join the others," beamed Kasumi. "They are already
gathering at the breakfast table."

The little man darted inside after taking one last look around.
Kasumi lost her smile and looked around, too. She thought it very
uncharacteristic of Master Happousai to come without carrying his bag of
*treasures*. She knew something was wrong, but she re-smiled and came
back into the kitchen.

Souun was at the table reading his morning paper, and trying to
ignore the usual argument between his daughter and her fiance. Genma,
in panda form from an earlier visit to the koi pond, was busy thinking
up new strategies to steal food from his son's plate. Nabiki was
removing sleep from her eyes and trying to contain a yawn. She also
openly showed some distaste for the smell of wet panda fur. Everything
went silent when a nervous figure entered the room. Souun put down his
paper when he knew something was up, and then went wide-eyed. "Master!"

The nervous hentai dropped to his knees and brought up two hands into
a begging gesture. "Please! Please, you've got to help me." He then
moved closer, sliding along on his knees. "Save me!" he sniveled.

Ranma dropped his chin into his hand and seemed unmoved. His
expression was that of boredom. "What did you do this time, Jiji?" he
yawned.

Happousai shook visibly. "It's Ku-yoko, the demon-goddess. She's
after me."

"What could you have possibly done to her?" asked Nabiki with a touch
of sarcasm in her voice. She had already guessed what it was, and was
trying to figure out how this could be made into a profit.

"Well-l-l," he held two cupped hands in front of him, "she had a nice
pair of leather...w-whatchamacallits and well...I couldn't help
myself." Happousai put his hands down and went wide-eyed. "She took my
entire bag of *goodies* before I could get away."

Genma held up a sign. "Pity."

Off in the distance they heard a large explosion like thunder, then a
voice seem to speak from everywhere. "Citizens of Nerima, I am Ku-yoko,
goddess of the Underworld. I seek a vicious man named 'Happousai` among
you who has openly committed a sacrilege against... my person. I will
stop at nothing to destroy this city and all who remain, if you do not
turn this... this 'pervert` over to me at once. You have just 24 hours
to comply."

Ranma sneered at Happousai. "You're a famous man, Jiji. I say we
turn him over. All in favor say 'aye`." Hands went up all around the
room along with voices, except for Akane.

"Ranma!" Akane huffed and placed her hands on her hips. "We're
martial artists. We're called to protect *all* who come to us for
help." She looked at Happousai with distaste, and then added solemnly
almost as an afterthought, "No matter how unworthy." Happousai dropped
his head.

Genma looked at Ranma and slowly held up a sign, "She's right, you
know."

Ranma bowed his head for a moment in thought and said, "Yeah. I-I
guess so."

Souun spoke up to Happousai. "Master, you can hide out here."
Happousai brightened and gave a short clap, but was stopped when Souun
held up a finger. "But, only if you're on your best behavior and leave
my girls alone. No funny business." Souun waved the finger in front of
the man.

Happousai stopped, and all could see that he was thinking hard,
*real* hard, but finally he agreed to Souun's conditions.

Ranma stood up. "We'll need to gather up the martial artists in the
area. No tellin' what this ugly chick is going to do."

Happousai looked up to correct him. "Oh, this goddess isn't ugly."
Nabiki raised an eyebrow.

*****

When Ranma and Ryouga (who he found) stopped by the Nekohanten, he
was a little depressed to find out that Cologne was off on a business
trip. He hated the 'Old Ghoul`, but her wisdom and skills against
demons and their ilk had always been a priceless commodity. Happousai
had some skills in this arena also, but Ranma tended to trust Cologne a
little bit more than that old geek Happousai. Cologne, he knew, could
set aside their differences at times that really mattered.

When Ranma entered the Nekohanten, Shampoo, of course, *glomped* on
him as was her habit, and asked when they could date. He shrugged her
off and she let go of him when he started talking to them in a serious
tone. They, too, had heard the strange announcement and noted how it
had driven off customers. Ranma noted that Mousse seemed to keep
translating to someone Ranma originally mistook for a customer. A new
girl Ranma didn't recognize. Finally, he pointed a thumb and had to
ask, "Who's she?" Ranma had heard through the school grapevine that
there was someone new working at the Nekohanten, but thought it was one
of the local girls.

Mousse did the introductions. "Saotome, this is Xi Lin. She
was...mugged we think... somewhere near here and we took her in until
she finds her parents and family. We think she's Amazon, too." Mousse
looked over to her and she looked back in confusion. "She's almost like
a part of the family now."

"Can she fight?" asked Ranma, then wondered how something so frail
with an innocence approaching that of Kasumi, could protect herself.

Shampoo placed a hand over the pressure point that still stung a
little from their *fight* of the previous night. "Shampoo think so."
Mousse nodded his head wide-eyed in agreement.

Xi Lin tapped Mousse on the shoulder and he quickly translated. Xi
Lin then spoke some words in Chinese that Ranma couldn't follow and she
gave a lot of hand gestures. At one point, Shampoo stood up suddenly
and looked like she was deep in thought. Finally, the conversation
ended and Xi Lin looked at Ranma. She approached him and place a hand
on his forearm. "Xi Lin help," she said in broken Japanese.

*****

Xi Lin went out in back of the restaurant and collected Shampoo's
bonbori, knowing she would need it if there was ever going to be a
fight, and the staff that had been so useful in dispatching Shampoo in
their small confrontation with one another. She stopped off in her room
to put the staff in a safe place. The cricket chirped away merrily as
if to greet her. She took a moment to smile at it before leaving.

After putting the staff away in Cologne's room, she dropped by
Shampoo's room that was further down the hall, and gave the bonbori
back. Shampoo thankfully repeated her apology of the night before and
gave her a big hug. Shampoo then helped her collect the materials
needed to make special wards to keep demons away.

Shampoo was surprised by Xi Lin's skills and recognized techniques
that were distinctly Amazon. To her, it proved beyond all doubt Xi
Lin's origins. Many of the techniques she used Shampoo had seen
Cologne, herself, use.

What concerned Shampoo was Xi Lin's age. Xi Lin was about as old as
Shampoo herself, but the wards she was constructing showed a
well-practiced skill far beyond what anyone in Shampoo's village at her
age would be capable of. Also, Xi Lin had ended their fight in a manner
she had only seen matriarch's, like those of her village, use. The
pressure point on Shampoo had been struck with just the right amount of
force and precision to knock her out, not kill her. If Shampoo had
attempted such a move, she was sure the victim would have died. Shampoo
began to wonder what Amazon village taught their young such advanced
learning. Such a village would be a force to be reckoned with and could
be a potential threat to her village. It made her more determined than
ever to help Xi Lin find her parents. Shampoo wished Cologne were here
to give her proper advice concerning this situation. Still, Shampoo had
a hard time thinking of Xi Lin as an enemy, despite the events of the
previous night.

When asked where she picked up such skill, Xi Lin adopted a far away
look and answered, "<I don't really know.>" She then place a
re-assuring hand on Shampoo's wrist and smiled. "<But I think it will
help.>"

*****

Shampoo and Mousse helped Xi Lin mount the wards around the
Nekohanten, and then mount them around the Tendou home and dojo. Xi Lin
noted that Shampoo had brought her bonbori and she silently cursed to
herself that she had forgotten to bring the staff she had found.

Happousai about went into shock when he saw the strange symbols on
the wards, but never elaborated on why. He began to look on Xi Lin
suspiciously...and hungrily. Xi Lin took an immediate dislike for the
man. Happousai kept making small talk by asking Shampoo and Mousse
questions about Cologne and where she was and how she had been, but his
eyes never left Xi Lin. Xi Lin became self-conscious and began covering
herself out of instinct whenever Happousai was around, like he had x-ray
vision.

At one point, it looked like Happousai was going to advance on Xi
Lin, but Ranma and Mousse both stepped in front of her in his way. When
Happousai raised his hands and went away reluctantly, Mousse nodded his
thanks to Ranma. A thoroughly frightened Xi Lin clung on to Mousse in a
tight grip. Mousse hugged her back protectively. Ranma raised his
eyebrows at the display, but said nothing.

By evening, the other martial artists began to arrive at the Tendou
dojo, including a stick-wielding young man who spoke in the strangest
Japanese Xi Lin had ever heard. She thought he must be very wise and
well-learned and felt strangely protected by him. He tended to smile a
lot at her and would speak in an almost melodic tone. She noted he
seemed to spend an awful lot of time with the youngest Tendou daughter,
which drew daggers from Ranma. She wanted to ask Mousse who this polite
fellow was, but then the meeting started.

During the meeting, Xi Lin looked around the room at the array of
different martial artists that had gathered there. She saw the same
curious-looking boy who had visited the restaurant earlier wearing a
funny yellow scarf around his head and looking like he was lost.

She giggled when she saw a panda bear in the room and wondered
whether it was real or just someone in a disguise. She firmly decided
it had to have been a disguise when it started producing signs with
Japanese on them out of thin air. <Perhaps some sort of magician,> she
thought.

Xi Lin saw a pretty-looking dark-haired girl who carried a lot of
cookware around with her, including one large one on her back. <What a
curious weapon.> Before the meeting she noticed the girl tended to
spend a lot of time with Ranma, which drew menacing glances from the
youngest Tendou daughter. Xi Lin began to wonder just how many girls
Ranma had running after him. No wonder Shampoo was having such a hard
time snaring him. She almost found herself strangely attracted to him,
but decided it was infinitely better to stick with her Mousse.

She looked back at Mousse and smiled. When there were pauses in the
proceedings, Mousse filled her in on the details of the meeting. When
he turned away to listen, she looked up to see his glasses on the top of
his head. He had explained to her how much trouble they had caused him
in his life. She was going to have to do something to help him get rid
of those. She continued to glance around the room.

She noted there was this polite servant girl who kept dodging in and
out of the room carrying drinks and snacks. She went almost unnoticed
by the others, but seemed deeply contented in her work. She figured the
Tendous were indeed fortunate employers to have such help and must pay
pretty well.

She looked across the room and caught sight of Happousai, the curious
little man they were trying to protect. He was looking straight at her
with a knowing, but evil, grin. It was as if he could look down deep
into her soul. Without thinking about it, Xi Lin pulled her sweater
around her tighter to cover her front. She felt hot, but his gaze made
her seem cold. She had to look away.

The meeting was broken up when a girl in short brown hair, who Xi Lin
thought was another Tendou daughter, burst into the dojo and urgently
drew the others toward the living room of the Tendou home. Apparently,
the girl had been watching the financial report when the demoness they
were going to fight against appeared on television.

Xi Lin was stunned by the woman's beauty. She had long pitch-black
hair and wore a leather outfit that was quite revealing in places. She
looked around the room and noted that it had an immediate effect on the
entire male population in the room. The living room floor was wet from
the drool coming out of their gaping mouths, including Mousse and one
other that had bleeding noses. She tried to give Mousse an impolite
elbow to the ribs, but he wasn't even phased. Xi Lin dropped back into
a chair with a huff and folded her arms in disgust.

She noted that the youngest Tendou daughter magically produced a
hammer out of thin air and tried to hit Ranma over the head with it, to
break him out of his trace, but it, too, had no effect. The girl with
the large cookware on her back tried several times to wave a hand in
front of Ranma angrily.

The being spoke. "This is a reminder that the mortals of Nerima have
just 12 hours left to turn over that foul offender Happousai or my
armies will attack. Just 12 hours. I suggest you give him to me now."
The TV then displayed static followed by a television anchor man who had
dribble all over his shirt and tie, and was trying desperately to
recover his composure.

"Ouch! Whaddya do that for?" Ranma finally said holding his head and
wincing. Both the youngest Tendou daughter and the girl carrying the
cookware turned their backs on him. She looked over and saw that the
Tendou father was crying his eyes out. The pervert Happousai was laid
out fainted on the floor, an ear-to-ear smile still creased his face.
Xi Lin heard a familiar Mandarin curse and looked up to see Mousse
holding his tender ribs and looking around to figure out what hit him.
She almost found the situation funny...almost. She immediately took
several tissues from a box to help him clean up his clothes and stop his
bleeding nose.

*****

While the men were still recovering, Shampoo, Xi Lin, Ukyou and Akane
gathered out in the dojo. Shampoo acted as interpreter for Xi Lin.

"Well," Ukyou began with her arms crossed, "It seems that it's going
to be up to us to fight this demon-goddess. The demon's effect on the
men make it impossible for them to fight her."

Akane held out a hand. "But how are we going to fight against
armies? Three..." She looked at Xi Lin, "...or four women against..."

"Five!" someone said from across the room. Xi Lin looked up to see a
cute redhead enter the room. Xi Lin didn't know who this girl was since
she wasn't at the meeting held in the dojo earlier, but she noted
recognition in the eyes of the others. She also noted that the girl
seem to be wet for some reason. Perhaps this is the third Tendou
daughter and she just got out of the shower.

Akane continued, "Okay, so what good are five women going to be
against hordes of demons. Not even Nabiki would take those odds."
Shampoo quickly translated for Xi Lin.

"Ii-e!" said Xi Lin. Everyone looked at her in surprise.

Xi Lin spoke and gestured to Shampoo who translated. "She say we
don't have to fight army at all, just demon-goddess." Shampoo
listened. "She say strike down demon-goddess and armies quickly
disperse." Shampoo listened some more. "She say she have plan if we
have open field." Shampoo looked around.

"Furinkan?!" Akane interjected.

Ukyou nodded her head in agreement. "You mean the stadium?"

"Yeah, perfect!" said Ranma-chan snapping a finger. "School is out
tomorrow so no one will be around to get hurt."

Xi Lin filled them in on the rest of the plan. Ranma-chan just
grinned.

*****

"Hey, this isn't even funny," protested Happousai chained to the
center of the field.

"Yeah, but it'll save your wrinkled hide, Jiji," answered Ranma-chan
with folded arms.

Happousai took a longing hungry look at Ranma-chan's chest and said,
"Oh, so close and yet so far. Mmmmmm! Why don't you grant a man his
dying wish and let me feast upon you?" He held out a groping and
wistful hand.

"Oh, shut up, Jiji! You're not dead...yet." Happousai lost his
greedy smile and Ranma-chan just turned around to see Shampoo and the
others laying down wards in a horseshoe pattern around Happousai. The
horseshoe opened up toward the east side of the field. It was still
dark and the sun was due in another hour.

When all was in place, Xi Lin looked up to see Mousse running across
the field. She shook her head. "<Mousse! What are you doing here?!>"
She placed her hands on her hips, but dropped them when she recognized
what he was carrying.

"<Here's Cologne's staff as you requested.>" He handed her the staff
she had found in the alley.

"<Thanks, Mousse, but you shouldn't be here. That demon will be
coming soon. I don't want you here when she does. So, get back to the
Nekohanten or the Tendou's home where it's safe.>" But Mousse lingered
expectantly. She finally moved in close to hug and kiss him. Since she
knew he was oblivious to anything around him when she kissed him, she
removed his glasses from off his head, and put them behind her back.

Xi Lin slowly broke the kiss and looked at him seriously. "<Now,
will you go already.>" She held up the staff in a mock-threatening
fashion with one hand. "<The sun will be here soon, and I don't need to
take care of a cardiac patient if that nasty demon shows up.>" With
great reluctance, Mousse trotted off the field joyously and Xi Lin gave
him a final wave good-bye. She was just as sorry as he was that he had
to go. She folded his glasses and put them away in her pocket.

*****

The sun was just cresting the horizon. Just then, a loud crack
sounded in the heavens and a menacing cloud formed in the sky.
Lightning shot from the cloud and it looked like fire erupted in various
spots inside it. The sky grew dark and Ranma-chan could see thousands
upon thousands of demons dressed in black leather riding what looked
like motorcycles without wheels that hovered in the sky. A figure
drifted down from out of the sky tended by one very large being wearing
thick armor and carrying a large axe that it held across its chest. The
figure touched lightly to the ground toward the east side of the field
as Xi Lin predicted she would and gave a loud cackling laugh that would
have put Kodachi to shame.

The demon-goddess was about to say something when another demon flew
down and interrupted her. "All hail Ku-yoko! Bow to the Queen of the
Underworld." Ranma-chan and the others didn't bother. Ku-yoko was
about to speak again when the other demon continued. "All hail to the
Queen of Darkness, victor over the light." The demon-goddess had her
hands on her hips and was looking up at it impatiently. She turned back
to Ranma-chan to attempt to speak again. "All hail to her lordship and
grace, Queen Ku-yoko, Duchess of Endor, Daughter of Dreams, nightmare to
all who oppose her..."

* ZZZZAAAPPPPP!!! *

Having had enough, Ku-yoko turned and lightning shot from her
fingertips. The outspoken demon dropped from the sky like a shooting
star. "Stuff it, Cronos," she said. She turned back and gave a short
embarrassed laugh.

Ranma-chan put her hands on her hips and yelled, "You're early!" She
could still find part of herself drawn toward the demoness, but the
female side covered it wonderfully. So in this case, Ranma-chan's curse
was a blessing.

The demon-goddess just shrugged, "So I lied. Big deal. We do it all
the time." The demoness looked up and saw a chained Happousai and
rubbed her hands greedily. "Oh, a gift! For me?" She extended a hand
out, palm down. "Oh, you shouldn't have." Happousai was at the end of
his chain, wide-eyed and salivating.

Xi Lin didn't understand Japanese, but she found that when the demon
spoke she had no problem understanding what it said. She stood back
behind Happousai with her staff up and ready. She knew the demon would
first send the large beast after Happousai first. She looked over and
nodded to Akane to ready the trap.

The demon-goddess pointed at Happousai and snapped a command to the
beast. "Ajec, retrieve!" The beast dropped the axe to his side and
marched across the field. Ranma-chan lost her smile when she saw the
size of this guy. He was one ugly customer.

When the big demon was in range, Akane, hidden behind Shampoo, pulled
a string. A ward that had been hidden face down and disguised as part
of the field suddenly went face up. The huge beast erupted into a ball
of light and disappeared like a flare.

"Oops!" Ranma-chan said embarrassingly, placing both hand to her
face. She ran out to the field and picked up the ward and threw it like
a frisbee off to one side. "Sorry about that. I thought we got all
those cleaned up." She shrugged with open palms. "I guess I was
wrong."

The demoness, who placed hands on hips again, was not impressed.
Ranma-chan quickly returned back to the safe confines of the horseshoe
and folded her arms, waiting for the Queen's next move.

The demoness thought for a moment, then looked off to the side and
gave a silent command to one of her army leaders. Almost as one, a
contingent of demons raced down out of the sky and attacked from the
left. They all gave a loud howling growl that sounded menacing.
Reflexively, all dropped back into defensive stances. As soon as the
army crossed the left side of the horseshoe, they erupted into flames
like a huge fireworks display. All five women had to covered their eyes
from the flashes.

The stench in the air was terrible. "Sshhooo! Don't you people ever
take a bath?" Ranma-chan grimaced and tried to fan the air. She looked
back up, the demoness had her hand on her chin, thinking. She raised a
hand over to her right and another group attacked from the right side,
with similar results. <Boy, those guys sure are stupid,> thought
Ranma-chan as she tried to wave more of the fumes from her nose.

The demoness was really getting angry, she pointed a finger at them.
"You give me that old hentai now, or I'll...or I'll...destroy this
entire city." She wave a hand in frustration.

Ranma-chan just smiled at her, but soon lost the smile when she saw a
group of demons carrying somebody out onto the field. She gasped when
she saw it was Mousse. He was bound with his hands behind his back.

In the most wretched voice they had ever heard, one of the demons
said, "We caught this one trying to leave the stadium."

"<No, No. NOOOOO!>" screamed Xi Lin. She started to run toward
Mousse but Shampoo and Ukyou stopped her. Xi Lin buried her head in
Shampoo's chest and began crying.

The demoness saw her and produced a katana out of thin air and
pointed to a spot on the ground. The demons pulled Mousse over to the
spot and dropped him down on his knees with his back turned away from
Ku-yoko facing Ranma-chan. Ku-yoko stepped up behind him. She smiled,
"I just love this part." She raised the katana in the air, ready to
strike at Mousse's neck.

"<NO! NO!>" cried Xi Lin and she ran over to an oblivious Happousai
and tried frantically to pull his chains out of the ground. Shampoo and
Ukyou again tried to restrain her and she dropped to her knees and cried
in hysterics. Akane tried her best to comfort her. Mousse listened to
Xi Lin in horror and dropped his head silently.

The demoness reared back to strike and Ranma-chan waved hands
frantically and said, "No, wait! Wait!" The demoness dropped the
katana back down and waited with raised eyebrows. Ranma-chan dropped
her head in defeat and reached into a pocket to threw Ukyou the keys.
Ukyou unlocked the chains from the central anchor point. Happousai was
straining at the end of the chain panting madly. Like a dog on a leash,
Ukyou strained to hold a grip onto Happousai's chain and lead him until
she was just at the crest of the horseshoe. Ukyou was still safely
inside the horseshoe, but a drooling Happousai was trying madly to get
to the demoness outside of it. Ranma-chan ran up to help keep a hold on
the chain.

The demoness laughed hysterically in her triumph and strolled over
toward Happousai. "Finally! I will give you what you deserve,
Hentai." When she was within striking distance of Happousai, Ukyou and
Ranma-chan just smiled, and let go of the chain. Instinctively,
Happousai glomped onto Ku-yoko. The demoness screamed in a deafening
roar and exploded into a ball of flames, blowing Happousai back inside
the horseshoe. Like magic, the sky cleared and all the demons were
gone. An unassuming bird flew past overhead carrying a twig.

"Aiya, it worked!" yelled out Shampoo, raising her bonbori high in
triumph.

Ranma-chan looked over at Happousai who was passed out on the ground,
still smiling wickedly. Ranma-chan reached down and pulled the hidden
ward out from his chest. He looked up and smiled at Akane. Ukyou just
folded her arms and looked at the both of them.

Without missing a beat, Xi Lin ran past Ranma-chan like a flash and
freed Mousse from his bonds. She hugged him tightly and kept repeating
"<Sorry! Sorry!>" in an apologetic fashion.

Shampoo came up and Xi Lin looked up with tear-filled eyes. Shampoo
handed her Cologne's staff. "<That was a wonderful performance. You
even had me fooled. My Great Grandmother would have been proud of
you.>"

Xi Lin gave a short laugh, but quickly stifled it when she saw Mousse
stare at her in disbelief. She lowered her head and moved in close to
him. "<I'm sorry I placed you in danger, Mousse, but with your bad
eyesight you were the only one I could trust to be taken by the demon
and not be effected by her. Do you forgive me?>"

Mousse became even more wide-eyed and astonished when he realized the
brilliance of her plan. She reached in a pocket and placed his glasses
back on his head. She moved in closer to kiss him on the lips. While
she was kissing him, she reached an arm around his neck to touch a
series of three pressure points.

Mousse staggered for a moment, then said, "<Boy, that's some kiss.
Everything is blurry.>"

Xi Lin reached up and removed his glasses again. She threw them high
in the air and batted them away with the end of the staff off into the
field. "<You won't be needing those anymore.>"

Mousse blinked, then blinked again. He smiled in joyful recognition
of what just happened. "<Hey, I can see. I CAN SEE!>" He picked a
giggling Xi Lin up and spun her around. He kissed her again in
gratitude and love, which developed into a kiss of tenderness. Shampoo
stood wide-eyed off to one side.

"<Hey, that's a neat trick you pulled there!>" said Shampoo in
astonishment. "<I don't even think I've seen my Great Grandmother do
that.>"

Xi Lin smiled. "<Oh, it's a secret going back for centuries...>" Xi
Lin trailed off then slowly lost her smile. Her eyes darted around the
ground like she was remembering something, then looked back at Shampoo
in surprise. "<But how would I know that?>"

*****

Shampoo threw a party at the Nekohanten to celebrate their victory.
Since it involved free food, Ranma and Genma were, of course, there for
the festivities. Happousai wasn't there, since after he recovered, he
glomped onto Ranma-chan and got booted into orbit for his troubles. All
present were contentedly happy with his absence.

Xi Lin got a round of applause for her successful plan that defeated
the demoness. She still didn't know why, but she somehow knew what the
demon's moves were going to be ahead of time, like some elaborate chess
match. She smiled but knew she had hurt Mousse's pride a little when he
found out that he was just a pawn in her game. After all, it was her
that had sent him after the staff at just the right time that resulted
in his capture. She tried her best to apologize and make it up to him.
When she gave him that long lingering kiss and restored eyesight, the
incident was forgotten.

Xi Lin was surprised to find out that Ranma was actually the cute
little red-haired girl that so courageously faced off with the
demoness. During the entire encounter, she had been totally unaware and
thought she might have been the third Tendou daughter or that Ranma had
a sister. <There sure are a lot of people in Nerima with the Jusenkyou
curse,> she thought.

The merriment went way into the night and at one point they talked
about Xi Lin and how she was discovered. It was suggested by Akane and
Ranma that they take Xi Lin to go see Dr. Tofu since he might be able to
help her recover her memory. They agreed to see him the next day.

Before Xi Lin went to bed that night, she was shocked to find that
her cricket was gone. She looked high and low around the room and
couldn't find it anywhere. She even took out the hidden key and checked
the closet. It was no where in sight.

Early the next morning, she got out of bed groggily and went sick to
her stomach when she heard a loud crunch under her feet. Mousse knocked
on the door when he heard her crying and tried his best to comfort her.
He promised he would get her a new one after Dr. Tofu's appointment.
Amid the usual ramblings of 'it won't be the same`, Xi Lin agreed.

*****

Dr. Tofu did the ordinary procedures of checking blood pressure,
heart rate and reflexes. Shampoo stayed in the room with Xi Lin during
the exam to act as interpreter while Mousse waited outside. Her
services really were unnecessary when she found out that Dr. Tofu was
already well versed in Mandarin.

When he checked for signs of trauma on Xi Lin, he was surprised when
he saw the scar tissue on her right side. "<Funny>," he said, "<I saw a
scar just like this one on an earlier patient.>"

When he checked her aura, he was astonished. Xi Lin could quite
clearly see a wave of surprise and then a frown develop on the doctor's
face. Though the girl was quite clearly a teenager, her aura was
extremely abnormal, like the aura of someone very sick and ancient. The
doctor looked closely and he could see a blockage in her ki. He looked
her in the eyes with a worried expression. "<I want to try
something.>" The doctor reached around and slowly pressed a pressure
point at the base of the skull.

Xi Lin screamed like she was having a seizure and dropped to the
floor. Having heard her cry out, Mousse ran in from the waiting room.
Xi Lin was facedown shaking visibly and erupted into a series of
convulsions. Mousse was about to reached down to help her up when he
noticed that the girl seem to be shrinking. Shampoo jumped back with a
gasp and Mousse watched wide-eyed. The girl disappeared into the
clothes, but something was still inside them shaking.

When the convulsions ended, Dr. Tofu leaned down and turned the
figure over.

Shampoo gasped loudly, "<Great Grandmother?!>" Mousse ran over to a
sink and emptied his stomach. Together, Shampoo and Dr. Tofu picked the
figure off the floor and placed her back on the table.

Mousse, wiping the spittle from his mouth with a handkerchief, turned
and yelled loudly, "Yaaahhhhhh!" He pulled out two knives and started
running toward Cologne in a threatening fashion.

Shampoo stood up to face him. "<No Mousse!>"

Mousse looked stunned and slowly pointed toward Cologne. "<B-but she
tricked me. She *tricked* me.>" He looked at Cologne in disgust. "<I
was nothing but a convenient toy to her. She used me.>" He looked back
at Shampoo with tears in his eyes. "<I-I loved her, and she *used*
me.>" Mousse dropped the knives and covered his face.

Dr. Tofu placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. "<No
Mousse. It was no trick. I don't know how Cologne did this, but she
was telling the truth when she said she had no memory. I examined her
myself. The ki patterns I saw were one of an amnesia patient. A very
old one, but it was definitely amnesia. And the aura of someone who is
dying.>"

Shampoo looked at him in shock. "<Great Grandmother, dying?>"

Dr. Tofu looked back at her in surprise. "<Yes, didn't she tell
you? She was in my office a few days ago. Her advanced age is finally
catching up to her.>" He looked back at Cologne. "<She knew she was
dying and somehow she was able to hide in the body of a young girl.>"
Dr. Tofu thought about the scars and then corrected himself. "<No, not
a young girl, herself when she was a teenager.>" Dr. Tofu held a hand
up to his forehead in shock and steadied himself against the table.
"<Oh my! Somehow she found the 'fountain of youth`. A way to reverse
the aging process. The implications of this are enormous. I've got to
find out how she did it.>"

*****

Cologne recovered in her room at the Nekohanten. All during her
recovery, Mousse refused to go see her and stayed in the kitchen keeping
busy with work. When Shampoo would pass his room at night, she thought
she could still hear weeping through the door.

When Cologne was strong enough, she resumed her duties of running the
restaurant. She respected Mousse's wishes that she keep her distance,
she instructed Shampoo to do the same. Shampoo could see a sad face on
the ancient countenance and tried the best she could to try and cheer
her up.

Cologne took the normal verbal abuses from the customers about her
ancient appearance in silence. Occasionally, Shampoo would see her
looking back at the customers wistfully, and knew she was thinking of a
time just last week when she drew much better attention from them.

Ranma, who normally spoke without having his head engaged,
fortunately refused to call her 'Old Ghoul` anymore once he found out
about what had happened. He came to visit a couple of times and was
thankful to find that Cologne wasn't pushing Shampoo on him like she
normally did. He also noticed that Shampoo wasn't glomping on him or
asking him out for dates whenever he entered the room. He figured it
was because she was so worried about Cologne.

Shampoo got Cologne to recount what happened the day they found her.
Before her train trip, she worked on an age-regressing potion and
combined it with the tonic Dr. Tofu prescribed. As soon as she stepped
outside the Nekohanten on her way to catch the train, she felt queasy
and tried to take a short-cut back to the storeroom through the alley.
The next thing she knew, Mousse was standing over her and she had no
memory.

When he could, Dr. Tofu would work with Cologne either at the office
or in the storeroom of the Nekohanten to try to re-create the conditions
that lead to her youthful appearance in the first place. Dr. Tofu
thought that if he could at least make Cologne a teenager again, he
could find some way of counteracting the amnesia effects. All attempts
were unsuccessful. Somehow, there was a wrong or missing ingredient, or
some element not considered.

*****

A month later, Cologne was back in bed, dying. Dr. Tofu was
surprised to see that her condition was degrading rapidly. Much more
rapidly than he thought she would given her great tenacity for life.
Somehow, he knew why.

After checking her pulse and respiration, Dr. Tofu turned to
Shampoo. "<Watch her for a moment, will you?>" Shampoo looked up from
wet puffy eyes, and shook her head in agreement. Dr. Tofu left the
room.

He found Mousse sitting at the table in the kitchen. The Nekohanten
was closed that day. Dr. Tofu could see he was staring at a
photograph. Mousse's eyes were dry, but his lips quivered. Mousse
ignored Dr. Tofu when he entered the room. Dr. Tofu stared at him for a
moment, then leisurely came around the table to lean over Mousse's
shoulder. The photo was of Mousse and 'Xi Lin` together, one of the
pictures taken at the mall. Dr. Tofu stood back up. "<She needs you,
Mousse.>"

There was a pause. "<I don't want anything to do with that old
crone,>" Mousse said with contempt.

Dr. Tofu crossed his arms. "<Then, why are you looking at her
picture?>"

Mousse slammed the photo down on the table and looked at Dr. Tofu
with menace in his eyes. "<Temporary insanity. Don't you have a
patient to attend to, Doctor?>"

Dr. Tofu, unmoved by the display, lifted his eyebrows. "<She's
dying, Mousse. And at the rate she's going, she won't last the day.>"

"<Fine! Good riddance!>" Mousse got up, grabbed the picture off the
table and threw it into the fire of the stove.

Dr. Tofu took a step, then stopped. Mousse had his back turned, but
somehow Dr. Tofu knew that there were tears starting to form in his
eyes. Dr. Tofu spoke in a calm and distant voice, "<At least, go see
her. If you don't, you'll regret it for the rest of your life.>"

Mousse, with his back still turned, reached up and wiped away a
tear. The picture was totally consumed now. His stomach ached, he
wished he hadn't done that. Slowly, he dropped his head, and looked
back at Dr. Tofu.

*****

When Dr. Tofu entered Cologne's bedroom, Shampoo looked up.
"<Shampoo, could you leave the room for a moment?>"

Worried, Shampoo got up and stepped toward the door. Dr. Tofu moved
out of the way and Mousse was behind him. He had his head down.
Shampoo smiled, held his shoulder for a moment, then left out the door
behind him.

Mousse stepped forward into the room and heard the door close. Dr.
Tofu had left them alone. He looked up and found Cologne lying on the
bed. She had her eyes closed. Mousse saw the wrinkled countenance and
slowly shook his head in revulsion and turned to leave.

"<Great Granddaughter, is that you?>" said a raspy voice behind him.
The owner was obviously struggling for every breath.

"<It's me,>" said another voice that sounded a lot like his own. He
didn't know why he had spoken it when every impulse in his fiber was to
leave the room as quickly as possible.

"<Mousse. Oh, Mousse. You finally came.>" said the struggling voice
with great relief. "<I had hoped you would. I needed you.>"

Mousse found himself turning around to face...her. He was still
revulsed by the ancient features, but something within drew him closer.
A part of him wanted... no needed... to talk to her. Share his
feelings. He sat down next to her bed.

Cologne's eyes remained closed. "Mousse, I can't see you." A hand
shot out and grabbed his, and held it. The hand was cold and clammy,
almost lifeless, like something dead. Mousse shook in fright. He
turned his head and was about ready to bolt for the door.

"<I...love you, Mousse.>"

Slowly, Mousse turned back and looked at her. He was completely
sickened by this apparition. Through many years he had suffered because
of this old crone. She had often stood between him and his Shampoo,
keeping Shampoo away from him, destroying his only happiness. But then,
no. Shampoo wasn't his only happiness. Shampoo was merely a crush, a
passing fantasy of his earlier years. True, he had chased Shampoo all
across China like a wet puppy and had sacrificed his dignity many a time
for her to no avail, but that was before. Before he met Xi Lin. All
Shampoo did was take pity on him and his poor eyesight, she never wanted
him at all. Xi Lin was willing to accept him as he was, poor eyesight
and all. He didn't have to change himself to meet Xi Lin's expectations
like he tried to with Shampoo. Xi Lin loved him for just being Mousse.

He looked down at the still closed eyes, and remembered Xi Lin's
memory. Mousse took Cologne's hand in his own and held tight. He could
see Cologne smile. "<Thank you... Mousse.>" she said in relief.

Suddenly, it struck him. Cologne was Xi Lin; Xi Lin was Cologne.
She had accepted him for who he was; he had to accept her for who she
was, then he smiled. "<I love you...too.>" He spoke in relief at
finally being able to say those precious words again and his eyes
started to mist. Oh, how it made his heart sing again.

Cologne turned her head toward him with a smile. "<I was never close
to my husband.>" She turned her head back toward the ceiling and spoke
wistfully. "<Just once I would have liked to have taken a walk with
him, sit by a river, kiss him and... see the stars.>" Mousse laughed
and Cologne turned back toward him. "<I never really got to do that
with him. In those days, marriages within the tribe were arranged,
like... what some of the Japanese still do here. My husband was a
complete snob and turned out to be more interested in himself than in
me. To him, I was just some prize to be won, and then thrown away when
the thrill of victory was gone. I hated the man. That's what spurred
me to fight and train harder and stronger than those around me. Sadly,
the only time he gave me any joy is when he made me a widow. I had
given him children, but... I had refused to give him my heart.>" She
smiled again and squeezed his hand tighter. "<Mousse, when I was with
you, you made me feel like the luckiest... girl alive. Thank you.>"

Mousse laughed. "<Were you really that naive and innocent-looking
when you were a teenager?>"

Cologne managed a short giggle. "<Yes, that and more. I was a
stringy little thing and about as ungainly as a newborn faun.>"

"<You were beautiful,>" said Mousse reminiscing.

Cologne got choked up and started to speak, but Cologne's voice was
getting raspier and Mousse could see she was struggling a little harder
for breath. He lost his smile and his eyes darted back and forth
searching her in worry. "<D-d-doctor?>" Mousse said quietly.
"<DOCTOR!>" he shouted out loud.

Like a shot, Dr. Tofu entered the room and checked his patient.
Mousse got up and was stepping backwards. When his back hit the wall,
he suddenly remembered, "<B-bamboo... bamboo root.>"

The doctor turned his head and asked, "<What did you say?>"

Mousse looked him straight in the eye and repeated, "<Bamboo root.
That was the ingredient Cologne got that day. She asked for 'ginger
root`, but the packet I gave her was 'bamboo root`.>"

There was a pause while Dr. Tofu digested this and got Cologne
stabilized. "<Shampoooo!>" called out a wide-eyed Dr. Tofu. Shampoo
burst into the room. "<Watch Cologne. Alert me if you see any change
in her condition. I've got work to do.>" Dr. Tofu got up and rushed
for the door. "<Bamboo root,>" he kept mumbling on his way out. Mousse
ran to Cologne's side.

*****

Souun was crying his eyes out. Beside him Akane, also, was shedding
tears. Ukyou sat on the other side of Ranma and both remained
expressionless. Nabiki had her head down and wouldn't look up. Genma,
who sat next to Souun, kept patting his life-long friend on the back and
asking him to get a grip on himself, the ceremony would soon be over.
Outside the Nekohanten, students from the high-school and faithful
customers waited silently next to their cars for it all to end. A
single long dark vehicle was parked by the front door.

When the bride walked down the aisle, the audience on both sides
gasped. She was radiant in all her splendor. Shampoo carried her
train. Nabiki finally looked up from her Business Weekly and went
wide-eyed. Akane nudged Ranma, and then Akane began wondering why she
did it. Ranma just turned to her with a smile, and then wondered why he
did that. They both turned back to see Mousse receive his bride. When
they kissed, cheers sounded first inside, then outside the Nekohanten.

Mousse and his bride left the Nekohanten in a shower of rice. Both
disappeared into a black limo courtesy of the Kunou mansion. While they
were waiting to pull away, Mousse turned to his bride. "<By the way, I
need to ask you. Why didn't you cure my eyesight earlier? Before you
were Xi Lin, I mean. You apparently knew how.>"

"<I needed to keep you away from Shampoo. A blind boy would be less
likely to capture Shampoo's attentions. It was more because of her than
you. She knew you loved her, but I knew she was too materialistic, your
blindness would have kept getting in the way of her returning that
love.>" She smiled at him apologetically. "<Do you forgive me?>"

"<You're a strange one, I'll grant you that, but I guess I now have a
thing for older women.>" He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"<Don't worry, Mousse. We'll have the rest of our lives together.>"
Mousse's eyes became huge. A cricket chirped beside them.

The front of the limo had a sign that said, "The Front". As the limo
pulled away, Shampoo saw that the limo had a sign on the back that said,
"<Just Married>" in Mandarin. Below the sign was another one that said,
"The End. We hope."

*****
The End
*****