mabli@idirect.com A Different Brand Of Mousse 4 A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by Mark Ferrer Disclaimer: All rights are reserved to their respective owners. Only the original characters are mine. Don't sue me, please. (I can't even afford a free lawyer.) Note: I honestly can't tell if I've taken some liberties with some/all of the characters. Sorry, I couldn't help it. Thoughts are in <> Normal dialogue is in "quotes" Text (panda sign/reading from written material) is in [] Author's intro: Nothing I really wanna say. So here's part 4. Previous chapter: Mousse has learned as much about Ranma he could from Nabiki and has issued a challenge to him at the end of the week. He has also invited most of the Ranma gang to the fight. Through a flashback sequence, the audience learns that Mousse was adopted into the tribe. He doesn't know that yet. Also, only the audience and Cologne knows of the magical field surrounding Mousse. No one, (except the author of course) knows the true nature of it. Ranma informs most of the people at the Tendo Dojo of the challenge and asks Genma to take him on another training trip. He doesn't tell them what Mousse really gets if he wins and he lies that Mousse wants to fight to become a Saotome heir and be able to marry one of the Tendo girls. ************************************************************************ Mousse sat, leaning against a tree he had recently 'made'. He was looking at a beautiful sunset. The entire countryside looked picture perfect. he mused, putting his hands behind his head, Seeing that he had nothing better to do, he opened up the notebook his future self had given to him. He opened the book, flipping through the pages. He found it after a few minutes. [Mousse, it seems that you are very different from other martial artists.] Mousse snickered at the words on the page. [Unlike other martial artists, you need a prerequisite to do ki blasts. A normal martial artist just has to gather ki from those around him or get it from within themselves. In order for you to be able to do your own blast, you need two different sources of ki in order to overcome a very powerful spell that has lodged itself firmly within your soul. I have talked to the elders of the village and the most they could tell me is that the spell needs huge amounts of power to keep it going. They were unable to find the source of the power.] Mousse looked up from the notebook and at the scenery. he thought. [A final word on ki blasts. I have found it wise to compress your blasts via telekinesis as much as possible in order to confuse your enemies. It has served me well in the past.] Mousse got up and focused ki into his hands. A ball gathered inbetween his palms. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the ball. If Mousse had opened his eyes, he would have seen that it was rapidly approaching his height in diameter. Mousse opened his eyes and used imagined it compressing into the size of a baseball. Mousse smiled at the glowing ball of ki in his hands. He aimed at a nearby mountain and fired it at the mountain. He watched the ball fade into the distance and clear out one side of the mountain. Mousse looked at his hands. He imagined himself floating off the ground and suddenly he was floating a few feet in the air. ************************************************************************ Akane, Nabiki and Kasumi sat in front of their father, who was still breathing deeply after knocking Ranma into the sky. Genma was sitting beside him in human form trying to calm him down. Soun looked at his daughters and said, "It seems that Mousse has challenged Ranma again." "Again? What could he possibly fighting over this time?" Akane asked, looking at the two men for any clues. Soun cleared his throat and said, "Ranma informed me that he wants to become a Saotome in order to become engaged to one of you." "WHAT?!" Akane and Nabiki screamed. "Oh my!" gasped Kasumi. "His challenge is definitely one of the strangest but it is still valid. If Mousse wins, he becomes a Saotome." Genma said solemnly. "Wait, just being a Saotome male doesn't entitle you to become engaged to a Tendo daughter does it?" Akane asked. "Well, no." Genma said, obviously confused. "It's certainly strange that he would think that. I always thought that he was in love with that Shampoo girl." "I'm certainly glad he's moved on." Kasumi said cheerfully. "I never thought that they would make a good couple." Nabiki thought. "Daddy, you said that Ranma was the one who told you this, right?" Soun looked confused but said, "Yes." "That doesn't sound like the normal Mousse. He wouldn't give up on Shampoo so easily. My guess is that when he was talking to you two, he panicked and just said anything." Nabiki reasoned. Soun looked over to Genma for any confirmation. Genma shook his head and said, "Ranma would just say something like that. I've taught him better than that. We must assume that Ranma was telling the truth. My son is a man amongst men after all." "I don't believe this." Akane said indignantly. "Hey Pop, so when are we leaving?" asked Ranma, glaring daggers at Soun. "Oh my. Are you going on another training trip?" asked Kasumi. "Yes, we are Kasumi." Genma said. "We'll be gone for the whole week." "Back to what we were talking about earlier." Nabiki interrupted. "Ranma, about Mousse's terms to the fight, were you telling the truth? He wants to fight you to become a Saotome and marry one of us?" "Yeah, Nabiki. It's true. That's what Mousse wants." Ranma said glumly. He left the group and went to his room. He didn't notice everyone's else's shocked reactions or the dead silence. Genma was the first to recover. "Come to think of it Tendo, our vow was to marry any boy and girl to carry on the Art. Doesn't that still leave Akane free if Mousse wins?" "How about Nodoka? What's she going to say when she finds out that not only you and Ranma have Jusenkyo curses, but you adopted a son who turns into a duck?" Soun argued. "Actually, there are rumors going around that Mousse is cured, and is capable of defeating Ranma." Nabiki said, already thinking of any money making possibilities Mousse being a Saotome opened up. "How? When?" Genma asked. Nabiki grinned and held out her hand. "I'll start talking when there's enough money in my hand." she said, resuming her role as the Ice Queen. ************************************************************************ Mousse pulled himself out of the latest tree he had crashed into. He landed at the base of the tree with a very ugly landing. His robes were covered with grass stains and other such marks. he thought, tallying up the injuries he felt in his body. He examined his right wrist. He stood up and opened the void. He used his Mind's eye to target Doctor Tofu's office and stepped through the hole. ************************************************************************ Mousse looked around where his void had opened to. He walked down the street towards the Tofu's office. he thought. "Hello Mousse." a kind voice said. Mousse turned to his left and saw Nodoka Saotome walking towards him. "Hello Mrs. Saotome. Where are you off to today?" Mousse small talked. "I was just going to the grocery store. My, what have you been doing? Did you get into a fight?" she asked. Mousse looked down at himself. He looked back at her and said, "Oh it's nothing. I was just trying out something new. Nothing to be concerned about." Nodoka looked at him critically and asked, "Then why are you holding your wrist like that?" "Oh, yeah. I think I sprained it or something. I was just on my way to the doctor." Mousse said unsurely. he thought. "Doctor Tofu's right?" she asked. Mousse nodded. "Well, you should know that he left a couple days ago on family business. Maybe I could take a look at it?" she offered. Nodoka looked over Mousse wrist and said, "Hmm, not too bad. Just a little ice, that's all." "Thanks." Mousse said kindly. "Uh, Mrs. Saotome... uh... you're looking for your son and husband right?" Nodoka looked a little surprised but said, "Yes, I am. Have you seen them?" Mousse eyed the bundle and said, "The truth is that they have a few... problems to take care of right now. Maybe we could talk a bit?" "I guess you can escort me to the store then?" she asked. Mousse nodded. "I'll even help you carry your groceries home if you want." ************************************************************************ "Akane, can I come in?" Ranma asked. "What do you want Ranma?" she annoyed. "I need to talk for a bit." he said nervously. The door opened and Ranma went inside. He found Akane looking out her window. "Uh... Akane... would you come on the training trip with me?" Ranma asked shyly. "What? Why?" Akane asked. She turned around to look at him. He looked very nervous. "You see, I uh... thought it would be nice if you came along, that's all." Ranma said, putting his hand behind his head. Akane sized him up for a second and said, "Our dads think it would be a good idea if I came, right?" Ranma nodded slowly. Suddenly, Akane's door burst open revealing a crying and begging Soun and Genma. "Please Akane! Go with Ranma!" they said simultaneously. "Akane, I've already called your school and told them that you'd be gone. I can't go back on it anymore." Soun pleaded. Akane looked at the two men on the floor, kneeling at her feet. Ranma had put his hand to his forehead in disgust. "I guess I'll go." Akane said, "It gives me time to try out a new cookbook I just bought." Akane started packing while the three men left her room. Ranma looked at the other two, who had amazingly stopped crying as soon as they had left Akane's room. "Saotome, let's get in another shogi game while we wait." Soun said, already going downstairs. Genma went into his and Ranma's room and came out with a large pack on his back. "Wait for me Tendo!" he said, half-jumping, half-stumbling down the stairs. "If I ever become like that..." Ranma trailed off. ************************************************************************ *ring* *ring* "Hello?" Ukyo asked. "Hi, Ucchan. It's me, Ranma." he said. "Hi Ran-chan. So, what's up?" she asked. she thought. "Uh, would you like to go on a training trip with me and..." Ranma said shyly. "A camping trip! Of course I'll go! I'll be right there." Ukyo exclaimed. *click* "No! Wait! It's not...!" Ranma said. Ranma dialed the next fiancee on the list. he thought. Waited as the phone at the Nekohanten ring several times. he wondered. "Airen, Ranma happy see Shampoo?" Shampoo said, glomping onto him. Ranma hung up the phone and tried to pry the girl off him. "Uh, Shampoo, what are you doing here?" "Shampoo come help airen train." she said, still sticking onto him like extra-strength glue. "Son-in-law, we've come to train you." Cologne said, pogoing towards the two. "If Mousse wins, it nullifies Shampoo's engagement to you. We're going to do everything we can to prevent that, won't we?" she said questioningly. "Uh, whatever. Just as long as I win, right?" Ranma said, looking around. He never saw what hit him. Akane slammed her mallet in his face and sent him up into the mid-afternoon sky. She slowly turned towards the two Amazons. "What are you doing here?" she asked. Shampoo crossed her arms and said, "We here to help train Ranma. Right great-grandmother?" "Why do you have to come along?" Akane asked to Shampoo. She turned to Cologne and asked, "Can't you train Ranma by yourself?" "Yes, I can." the crone said slowly. "But he can also use some training in the Nekoken. Shampoo is there to bring him into it." Genma and Soun came out of nowhere and started the water works up again. "Akane, you're still going with Ranma right? right?" Akane nodded dumbly, still disbelieving how they had come out of nowhere. thought the two Amazons. ************************************************************************ Nodoka walked towards the grocery store while Mousse followed slightly behind her. He seemed nervous about something. "Aren't you going to tell me about my son and husband?" she asked questioningly. Mousse thought. "During their travels, your husband and son went to the Accursed Springs of Jusenkyo. Have you heard of it?" he asked. Nodoka thought about it and said, "Isn't that the place that's supposed to have magical springs?" Mousse nodded and said, "Yes, there are magical springs there. The story is that whoever falls into the spring gets the body of whatever drowned there. For example, if someone fell into the spring of drowned duck, they would turn into a duck." "Don't tell me my husband and son fell into one of them." Nodoka said, her voice rising slightly. "Well, they both did." Mousse said slowly. He noticed that Nodoka had stopped walking. "Your husband fell into the spring of drowned panda and your son fell into the spring of drowned girl." Nodoka's gaze turned from shocked to questioning. "How can I be sure of this? There is no such thing as real magic is there?" she asked. "Well, I can show you my curse because I've been cured. But... I can prove that there is such a thing as magic." Mousse said. Mousse concentrated and formed a ball of ki between his two outstretched hands. Nodoka's eyes widened slightly at the glowing ball. "I can tell you're an accomplished martial artist but that isn't real magic." Nodoka said thoughtfully. "Okay, how about this?" Mousse asked, making himself hover a foot off the ground. Nodoka smiled and said, "Now I'm impressed. Aren't you going to fly around now?" Mousse flew back down. "Well... I'm just learning. Flying is how I got this sprained." He said, pointed to his left wrist. "So, what's the cure?" Nodoka asked, still not completely believing Mousse's story. "Well, there is a temporary cure. With hot water, you turn back to your normal form. With cold water, you turn back into your cursed form. There are permanent cures but they are different for every spring." said Mousse, checking Nodoka's expression for any signs of belief. "My husband a panda and my son a girl... wait a minute. Would this panda use signs to communicate?" she asked the Chinese boy. "Uh, yeah." Mousse said lamely. he thought. "And my son, would he by any chance have red hair in his cursed form?" Nodoka asked disbelievingly, pieces starting to fall into place. "Yes." "They were there all along. Why didn't they tell me?" she asked, pleadingly. Mousse looked at the wrapped bundle. Nodoka caught his gaze and her eyes widened in understanding. "They thought that you would force them into seppuku if you found out that Ranma wasn't a manly man." Mousse said quietly. Nodoka's eyes started tearing up but there was still a faint smile in her face. "Genma you fool. I never really expected him to carry out his promise." She unwrapped the bundle and gazed at the katana. It was polished to a perfect shine. Mousse guessed. "When Genma and I were dating, he promised me the moon. He was such a dreamer. He always pursued his dreams, often sacrificing everything, except me. I guess that's why I fell in love with him..." she trailed off at the bittersweet memories. "I'm sorry to spring this on you like this." said Mousse bowing down. "Oh, it's alright. Perhaps I should visit unannounced. Maybe I can surprise them." she grinned, re-wrapping the katana. "So does this mean you'll force them into seppuku?" Mousse asked. Nodoka thought about it and said, "Ranma, never. I can't say the same for my husband. He did keep Ranma away from me for ten years..." Mousse thought. Nodoka stopped walking and asked, "Mousse, why are you telling me all this?" "Well, remember my problem from before?" Mousse asked uncertainly. "The one where you want a girl to see that the boy she loves doesn't love her back?" Nodoka recalled. "Are you telling me that my son is the boy you're talking about?" "Yes, he is. Your son has many problems like that." Mousse said glumly. "Genma always attracted trouble. It seems my son has inherited that." Nodoka said. "Would you mind telling me the whole story?" "Okay. But I gotta warn you, there are some hard to believe things that happened to your husband and son." Mousse said unsurely. ************************************************************************ Ranma stared as his three fiancees glared at each other with daggers and emanated very dark ki which in total could easily put the universe in a course towards destruction. "What is _she_ doing here?" they said simultaneously. Each girl snuck their specialty weapons into their hands in a dangerously slow manner. Ranma thought darkly. "Shampoo is coming to help me get into the Nekoken, Akane is being forced to go and Ukyo... uh... she's my friend so... I invited her?" All three girls took a few seconds to understand Ranma's words through their quiet rage. Ukyo smiled and gave a 'He's mine' smirk to Shampoo. Shampoo readied her bonbouri to hit the okonomiyaki chef. Akane ran toward Ranma gave him an mallet attack combination the likes of which no one had ever seen, which ended with Ranma doing his best imitation of a bird right through the roof. End Part 4 Author's Notes: So the plot thickens. Or at least I think it does. Feedback, C&C, previous chapters at mabli@idirect.com