An Ending To All Our Days;
Side Story 1 - Cat and Mousse
By
Joshua Trujillo

***

There was a small tug on his sleeve and Mousse looked down. It 
was the hag.

"I brought you along for one purpose only," She said in that even 
and ugly flat tone of hers, "Up to now, you've not served one 
useful purpose in either my life or Shampoo's. Now I have a use 
for you."

Mousse stared at her. He had almost resigned himself to the fact 
that, so long as the ghoul remained, then his chances for happiness 
with Shampoo were very limited indeed. This business with the 
demon seemed to take shape as part of her responsibility. This 
lifted Mousse's hopes a little. He knew what she was talking about 
though.

"Shampoo and I can't use chi attacks," He responded.

Cologne's eyes widened as the realization that the boy might be 
smarter than he lets on. Her eyes narrowed once more as she 
regained control. He was a master at hiding things.

"So, you're not as dumb as you pretend to be. Very well then. 
Yes," Cologne said, turning in to the room as a flash of chi energy 
burst in front of Ranma, "Neither of you can master the chi and I 
blame myself. I knew Shampoo was ready, but I kept hesitating 
because of old...fears."

"Happosai."

"My you ARE perceptive today," She remarked as another flash 
burst in the room.

"It's a new prescription," Mousse chided, pointing at his thinner 
new glasses.

Cologne chuckled and shook her head. She then looked back to 
Mousse.

"I will order Shampoo not to join the battle, but her pride would 
force her out into the fray. Neither of you can win the fight and 
indeed would get in the way," Cologne continued, "And while you 
lack the pride to be insulted by this, my great-granddaughter has a 
rather large excess."

"What do you want me to do?" Mousse said, trying to keep his 
temper under control.

"Calm yourself," Cologne clucked, "I need you to keep her from 
going into the battle."

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Mousse almost yelled, this 
was frustrating him, "You know that she'll just ignore-"

"Challenge her."

Mousse stopped in midrant. He wondered if this was the same old 
ghoul that kept him prisoner for so long. Cologne looked into the 
room once more and began to leave him. He grabbed her shoulder 
and turned her back to him. Or rather, he knew that she allowed 
him to.

"For marriage?" Mousse said, hardly containing his excitement.

"Let me put it this way," Cologne said, turning deadly serious, "If I 
see her out there, you die."

She shrugged off his hand and crawled up the length of her cane. 
Mousse breathed in hard and considered this for a moment. At this 
point, what else did he have-

"A deal then?" Mousse asked, "If I win, then marriage. If I 
lose...Then I die by my own hand!"

Cologne rocked back slightly on her cane as she considered the 
implications. She would never think that Mousse would even have 
a chance against Shampoo. She had no feelings for him. Cologne 
knew this to be true, so why was she reticent about making the 
deal. Shampoo would win and he would be gone by his own hand. 
His suicide would be the ultimate in excommunication from the 
Amazon culture. Even his relatives would be reviled by his 
dishonor. Cologne smiled as the final straw had been laid.

"Agreed."

***

Shampoo was so confused. Never before had great-grandmama 
ever forbid her do anything that involved a fight. Now she was 
reduced to mere handmaiden. Genma Saotome was helping the 
doctor Tofu in the next room with his bride, Kasumi Tendo, who 
had been beaten fairly badly by the demon Sukido. Ranma's 
mother, Nodoka, was helping Soun Tendo as he had bawled 
himself unconscious. Shampoo didn't understand what all the 
crying was about. It served no purpose and only got those around 
him upset. Nabiki Tendo and Kuno had both been taken out by 
great-grandmama. They were liabilities in this fight, but why had 
she forbid Shampoo? Shampoo didn't understand it at all.

Wait a minute...She didn't have to understand it. Shampoo took a 
quick head count. Everyone was busy enough with their own 
problems. She quickly nodded to herself. She could take care of 
herself. Great-grandmama was just being protective. Shampoo 
made her way downstairs and headed to the front door. She 
stopped just short. A silence had fallen over the house. She could 
hear the sounds of fighting close by outside, but the house was all 
together too quiet.

There-!

Shampoo threw herself aside as the door blew open. The smoke 
quickly cleared and Shampoo saw Mousse standing in the 
doorway.

"Get out of the way!" Shampoo said in Chinese, not wanting to 
stop for this silly boy.

"No."

"I WILL hurt you," Shampoo warned, taken aback by his refusal, 
"Now get out of the way!"

Shampoo began to throw a foot at his head, but sidestepped his 
upswing and brought herself up short. He had a frying pan lifted 
over his head much the same way Kuno would brandish his 
weapon. And it looked just as damned silly.

"You want to fight that badly?" Mousse asked, tossing the pan 
aside, "Then I challenge you for the right of marriage."

Shampoo backed away into the next room and Mousse followed, 
almost floating in after her. Perhaps great-grandmama had already 
killed him and this was his spirit. Ugh, what a nauseating thought. 
To be plagued by Mousse for an eternity. But she tried talking 
anyway, just in case.

"This last time you ever fight for Shampoo?" She asked in 
Japanese.

"I promise," Mousse sighed, "If you win, my love, you'll never see 
me again."

Shampoo smiled slightly and began to attack. She began with a 
series of ultra-quick punches, all of which either failed to land at 
all, or didn't have the intended effect. Mousse knew her tactics and 
he also knew she was trying to end it quick. Having lined his robes 
with chainmail slowed him down a notch, but it also protected him 
from the brunt of her attack. A duck (no pun intended), a swing, a 
dodge, but no counterattack of his own. Pure defense. Make her 
come to him. In his mind, he had played out this battle hundreds of 
times, all with the same outcome. Shampoo always won. One 
conclusion he had come to was that he might not have been able to 
defeat her, but he was able to keep himself from losing by going 
totally defensive. Of course now, in the heat of battle, it also 
occurred to him that this tactic might have worked against Ranma 
as well. Oh well.

He blocked her exit at every turn, but never countered. Now she 
was annoyed. Mousse was not attacking as well. It confused 
Shampoo. It was almost like he wanted her to attack. Perhaps he 
was trying to get her to wear herself out. Well, he'd wait a long 
time, and she could probably get the upper hand in the meantime. 
Shampoo raced into the kitchen, but the back entrance was blocked 
by construction. There! She drew a knife out of the holder and 
wielded it against him. Slashing at him, he rallied but didn't block 
it. She drew back as it made the most odd noise as she sliced him. 
A piece of his tunic gone, Shampoo could easily see that he was 
wearing chainmail. Now she was pissed. That sneaky little-!

Mousse moved back under the renewed attack. Blocking as fast as 
he could, but Shampoo was just too good. Just like his simulations. 
She slashed at his face and ran past him to the door. Time to take it 
up a notch.

Shampoo leaped towards the door but instinctively ducked as 
something whizzed past her head and buried itself in the 
doorframe. Brought up short, she tripped on the remainder of the 
door and sat down hard. Her face stung. She reached up 
and...Blood? She's bleeding? She looked up to the doorway and 
saw a blade on a chain embedded in the door. It wrenched itself 
free and flew back to the folds of Mousse's tunic.

"I won't let you go without finishing the challenge," He said 
softly.

He was bluffing.

"You won't kill me," Shampoo knew he was bluffing.

He had to be.

"There you're wrong. If I have to kill you to win-I will," Mousse 
continued softly.

Mousse cried out and lashed forward where Shampoo had been 
sitting. He pulled the one of his blades out and looked after her. 
Shampoo didn't like the look in his eyes, like he'd given up on 
trying to marry her and just wanted to beat her now. She let a small 
shriek as he began to lash out with his entire arsenal. Shampoo 
desperately tried to keep up, but still had to keep backing up to 
avoid the hits. Then she realized it. He wasn't trying to defeat her, 
or even win. He was trying to drive her. Away from the door or 
any other way out. Away from Ranma and the battle outside. 
Ducking under a slash, she fought her way back into the kitchen. 
More exits. At the kitchen entrance, Mousse suddenly stopped and 
backed off a little. This surprised Shampoo so much that she 
stopped as well.

He reached into the folds of his robe and pulled out a small object. 
He hoped he wouldn't have to use it, but he was breathing hard 
from that last attack. He knew that he didn't have much left. This 
would give him the edge once again though. He swallowed once 
and tried to get some moisture back into his mouth. He hadn't 
fought that hard in a while. The object was attached to a small but 
solid chain that dangled loosely from his tunic. He opened his palm 
so that Shampoo could see it as well. The object was a small, 
teardrop shaped piece of metal with a Chinese word engraved on 
the end. The word was 'justice'.

"The Punishing Seeker," Shampoo almost breathed, "Great-
grandmama will kill you when she's found out that you've taken 
it."

Mousse said nothing, but regarded the seeker coolly. Shampoo 
readied herself as the seeker began to hum its' dangerous tune, like 
a thousand angry bees, and lifted from Mousse's hand.

"You see Shampoo," Mousse began, noticeably straining under the 
effort of controlling the seeker, "She can't kill her own son-in-
law."

A rush of heat rose in Shampoo as she realized she realized what 
Mousse was saying.

"You wouldn't..." Shampoo stuttered, backing up, "SHE 
wouldn't..."

The buzzing calmed and the seeker sank gently back into Mousse's 
hand.

"You've left me with no other choice," Mousse said, not looking at 
her, "No...Both of you have driven me to this end. Shampoo, I love 
you. I always have and perhaps you may have the same feelings 
for me as well, but-"

"Mousse," Shampoo interrupted, "This is stupid. Put the seeker 
down and come help me with Ranma, okay?"

She tried to move closer and perhaps get him to drop the seeker, 
but Mousse stepped back and focused fully on her.

"Why have you never accepted any of my challenges?"

"What good is accepting, if I know the outcome?" Shampoo 
retorted.

"If you were so sure, then why not just finish me and be done with 
it?" Mousse asked, "No. You enjoy the chase too much. The chase 
after Ranma. The chase that I've been giving you. Man after 
woman, always the chase...WELL THE CHASE ENDS HERE!"

The seeker buzzed higher than before as Mousse tossed it into the 
air. Shampoo backed into the destroyed kitchen, looking frantically 
for anything that might help. Her focus clarified on the open 
ceiling and she jumps as the seeker pulsed once under Mousse's 
command and fired. The seeker dragged the chain behind it, as it 
followed her exact path into the ceiling. She swung over the 
exposed rafter and back to the ground.

Since the only way out was now through Mousse, that's where she 
would go. Shampoo tried to bull through him, but he pushed her 
out of the way as they began to trade blows. Shampoo began to tire 
as the seeker would come in and knock against her with the force 
of ten martial artists, all the while trying to avoid the moves that 
Mousse was using. Shampoo jumped over the seeker's chain and 
tripped as it came up on her. Mousse was waiting below as she 
came crashing down.

As he caught her, the chain became very loose and a heavy 
creaking noise could be heard overhead. Both stopped in mid 
stream and looked up. Paint and timbers began to rain in around 
them as the ceiling collapsed in a twisted heap over them.

***

There was still too much dust to see anything. Shampoo felt a 
sharp pain run through her leg as she tried to pull it from the 
rubble. Probably twisted it.

"Ranma!" Shampoo heard Akane yell from somewhere ahead of 
her.

The backdraft of a huge explosion a split second later that blew the 
dust away, thankfully. Shampoo could see the old man Happosai 
lying next to her great-grandmama. The doctor Tofu was walking 
into the empty lot, which could be seen through the huge hole in 
the fence. Yes, she remembered, airen and Ryouga had made it 
when they attacked Sukido. Shampoo could now see that Akane 
was in the field. She was kneeling to someone. Tofu picked up the 
person and turned around. Whoever it was wasn't moving. 
Shampoo got a cold, sick feeling in her stomach and tried to pull 
herself out of the rubble.

At what used to be the wall, her right arm didn't want to go any 
further. She found that it was bound by the seeker, still tapping it's 
free end weakly on her wrist. Since the seeker is controlled by the 
person's soul, Mousse must've still been alive under all that 
rubble. She was trapped.

In the house.

Mousse had won.

He had defeated her.

She looked back into the field and saw the person that Tofu was 
carrying. Shampoo, gripped with fear and pain, screamed.

It was Ranma.

***

It was so wonderful. Mousse looked across the hills as he held 
Shampoo. It was all so beautiful. It seemed to be rather foggy as 
well, but he didn't concern himself with such things so long as he 
had Shampoo. Himself here with Shampoo. The hills truly were 
alive. He laid down into her lap as she stroked his hair. The sun 
beat down warmly, but there was suddenly a tree to lightly shade 
them both. 

"Airen?" Shampoo asked.

"Hmm? What is it Shampoo?"

There was a strong pause as he closed his eyes.

"WAKE UP!" Shampoo screamed as she hit him squarely between 
the eyes.

***

"Oeeeaaaaaaaargh..." Mousse gurgled, rubbing the suddenly sore 
spot between his eyes.

"Get up boy," He could hear Cologne mutter in disgust next to 
him, "Get your things and leave."

Time for a little revenge.

"Now why should I do that, great-granny-in-law?"

His answer was a wooden staff suddenly became buried in his 
stomach. As he coughed, he was silently glad that that had come 
before breakfast.

"You may not call me that anymore than you can marry 
Shampoo," She said.

Mousse was on his feet in an instant.

"And why is that?" He asked hotly.

Cologne pulled herself up on her staff and held the seeker from its' 
chain.

"You used illegal means to win," She said flatly.

"The laws saw nothing of means. Only of winning," And Mousse 
should know, he'd read them numerous times for loopholes.

Her old face curled up and became even more ugly.

"DO NOT speak to me of the laws," She screamed back at him, "I 
wrote them!"

"Does that mean you can break them when it suits you?" Mousse 
asked pointedly.

Cologne backhanded him smartly into the bookcase behind him.

"I wrote the law, I can interpret it," She seethed at him, "Pray I 
don't interpret it against you. Now get out."

Mousse rubbed his chin and watched as she left. He sighed and 
began to pack. How arrogant he was to think that she would 
actually hold up her end of the deal. How foolish to think that at 
least he might know happiness. Mousse looked out the small 
window. The moon was barely visible and the sky was turning that 
deep purple that usually came before morning rose. He'd say it was 
about five or so. Shampoo wouldn't be up for another couple hours 
at least. No customers would be in for another hour. He was alone.

His vision blurred and he felt a slight wetness on his hand as he 
packed. He stopped and wiped his eyes. He searched around until 
he found his glasses and put them on. His vision, while better, was 
marred by numerous cracks and fractures in the lenses. Mousse 
sighed and pulled his old pair out from the drawer. Closing up the 
old suitcase that Ukyou had once given him, he made his way out 
the back entrance, knowing the ghoul would be guarding the front.

The back alley was dark and quiet. Perfect in it's morning calm. 
The morning traffic was just beginning to flow out in the street. He 
made his way out into the traffic and melded into the background 
of the Nerima morning.

Survival first. Grief later.

***

The sweet morning entered her room like a bad dream. Shampoo 
turned and pain ran through her. She was awake now. She blearily 
looked about. She was in her room. Alone. The smell of ramen 
floated up and met her as she got out of bed. Putting on her kimono 
and slippers, she went into the chilly morning hallway and walked 
down to the bathroom. Walking past Mousse's room, she noticed 
something very unusual and stopped. The door was open. That 
wasn't unusual as he was often up earlier working in the 
Nekohanten.

The unusual thing was that the room was empty. Shampoo would 
have normally seen the bed made neatly and a few different things 
that he kept as momentoes and the various books he borrowed 
from Doctor Tofu. It was all gone. Just as though he was gone.

But he had won. Why would he go? Where would he go?

This confused her as much as his actions the previous day. Would 
he leave without marrying her? The prize he had fought so hard to 
win? That certainly didn't seem like Mousse.

Shampoo heard the morning customers begin to file in and she 
hurried on to her bath.

***

Shampoo let out a breath as she sat down. She had forgotten how 
hard it was bussing the tables and cleaning and all the other things 
that Mousse had once done. She hated to admit it, but she missed 
him. His absence was still a mystery to her. She had asked great-
grandmama about it, but she muttered something about laziness 
and dismissed her with more work.

Shampoo swept out the front entrance as she took her curtain 
down. So many Japanese customs had crept into her everyday life. 
So many little differences nowadays. Sometimes, she even thought 
in Japanese.

Shampoo closed the front and locked it. She placed the curtain next 
to the door and walked slowly back into the living area. Cologne 
had placed some food on a tray and left it where Shampoo would 
find it with a note saying that she had some errands to run and not 
to wait up.

Shampoo wondered briefly where Mousse was. She sat down and 
placed the tray on the table in front of her. Great-grandmama had 
made beef bowl. It was one of Shampoo's favorites. Shampoo 
turned on the television and watched for a moment before the 
picture became too blurry to watch. A strange sound escaped her 
lips as she felt the warm tears run down her cheeks and into her 
grieving hands. She pushed her tray forward and set her forehead 
against the table surface as sobs racked her body. A hole opened 
up in her soul and threatened to gnaw away at her sanity. Ranma 
was gone. Dead. But how can that be? He defeated everything in 
his path for years before this.

Why...Why...why...

Shampoo didn't even hear Cologne set down next to her. Cologne 
gently pushed on a point on Shampoo's neck and Shampoo calmly 
subsided into sleep.

"Sleep now child," Cologne whispered to Shampoo, "Tommorrow 
will bring brighter skies."

Shampoo was a naive child, even now that death had taken 
something so close to her. Ranma's death was highly inconvenient, 
but not entirely unexpected. Ranma was always putting himself in 
dangerous situations, it was only a matter of time before something 
caught up with him. Cologne had a larger problem at hand though. 
She had made that ridiculous bet with Mousse and now he seemed 
determined on keeping it. Cologne had gone out that night and 
tried to find him, but he was gone. No one had seen him that night. 
Cologne figured that he had gone to ground and would stay there 
until he could get allies to win back Shampoo. He'd never leave 
Shampoo without a fight. He may be blind as a bat, but he was 
persistent.

But perhaps Cologne wouldn't have to find him. So long as 
Shampoo stayed here, he would eventually return for her. But 
when he returned, he may be strong enough to take her back. Not 
by himself, of course, but with friends. Cologne thought on this 
and came up with the only conclusion that she could.

Mousse must die.

***

"Thank you again. I really hate to impose," Mousse said.

Kasumi smiled and tried to tilt her head, but flinched slightly in 
pain. Nabiki sniffed slightly and folded her arms.

"You chose to sleep in the utility room Mousse," Nabiki said, 
"How can that be an imposition?"

"How long are you going to stay?" Genma asked, "I mean, are you 
going to go back to China?"

"I don't know what I'll do," Mousse said softly, "I won, but I lost. 
Most likely I'll go back to China in a few days."

"Well, you're welcome here as long as you like," Nodoka said, 
placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you again, I'll help anyway I can," Mousse said to her as 
he picked his bundle up and carried it into the room.

It was a nice little room, quite similar to the one at the Nekohanten. 
Shampoo. He had been hiding and biding his time for most of the 
day. Hiding from Cologne. She wanted him dead and she would 
have no compunction on doing it herself. He needed someplace 
relatively safe and the Tendo's was the first place that came to 
mind. Maybe he could even help with the rebuilding process. 
Maybe it was better. He beat Shampoo, he actually won. Maybe it 
was better that even winning would never give Shampoo to him.

The cot was nice and it was slightly larger than his old room, but a 
little more stale. Mousse could understand though. He set up his 
room and helped Kasumi and Nodoka with dinner.

***

There was a lull in the customers. The days passed without 
disorder or excitement, which was unusual for Nerima. The 
afternoon rush would not be in today, because of some special day 
or another. Cologne was busy wiping out some glasses at the end 
of the counter.

"You look bored, child."

"Great-grandmama," Shampoo asked, "I know you know where 
Mousse went. Where is he?"

Cologne put the glass down and sighed. Shampoo wondered just 
how old she was because at that moment, she looked all of her age.

"Why do you keep asking me of him?" Cologne asked, her voice a 
whisper, "He is gone. Why do you persist in this line?"

"Great-grandmama, he defeated me," Shampoo began cautiously, 
"He is now my husband."

Shampoo shrank back under the now withering gaze that Cologne 
laid against her.

"Leave it be Xian," Cologne hissed in Chinese, "He is gone. He is 
dead. He is gone now by his own hand because of a deal that I 
made with him."

Shampoo couldn't believe it. Mousse dead? Ranma dead? The two 
men she ever had any feelings for, good or bad, gone? She felt the 
blood rush into her face as the tears forced their way to the surface. 
The shame of it. To die by his own hand would put the greatest 
dishonor an Amazon could have on his shoulders and his families. 
The tears burst forth and Shampoo caught herself to keep from 
falling.

"Get yourself together Shampoo," Cologne said, turning back to 
her cleaning, "It's better he's gone now. He was just-"

Gone? But he had always been there...She...She just couldn't 
understand it...

The tensions and pains in the past few weeks came alive once more 
in a furious fire that burned in her heart. Mousse couldn't die. He 
couldn't die without her permission, and she knew that she never 
gave it. There was only one other answer that she could come up 
with. Her anger grabbed hold of the thought and, in a bright fit of 
madness, said it.

"You killed him!" Shampoo screamed out in Chinese, "You made 
him kill himself! I can't believe you!"

Before she could say anything, Shampoo had bolted out the back 
door and out into the late morning. Cologne looked the store over. 
Was it worth it? This whole affair could come back to haunt her if 
Cologne didn't end it soon. The problem was, she couldn't find the 
blasted boy. No customers had been witness to that little outburst, 
which was good. Lies compounded on top of lies were not. And 
that was just what this whole mess was turning into.

***

Shampoo ran. She cried and ran to the rooftops, stumbling and 
almost falling a couple of times. She didn't care. Mousse was 
gone. Ranma was gone. Nothing seemed to be worth it anymore. 
Nothing. She slowed and stopped on the roof of a vacant house. 
Shampoo sat next to the upper window and leaned against the roof 
and cried.

She couldn't stay. Right now she couldn't leave. This was Hell, 
and Shampoo seemed to be her own keeper. She hadn't been back 
to the Tendo dojo for a couple of weeks. Kuno had stopped by the 
Nekohanten, but was unusually tightlipped about the whole affair. 
He had said that his brother was recovering and had built a shrine 
to Ranma, laying his body in state. Maybe it was time to pay a 
visit.

***

"Oh, Shampoo," Nodoka said, opening the door, "Please come in."

"Thank you. I hear you build shrine for Ranma. I want to see 
please," Shampoo said, trying to get out and use her language 
skills.

"Yes, of course," Nodoka smiled at her, "Right this way."

Shampoo followed Nodoka in and around the house. Along the 
way, Akane joined them. Shampoo thought that she looked bad. 
Akane looked even worse, like she hadn't slept in days. She didn't 
say anything to Shampoo, but Shampoo knew that she had changed 
inside.

The shrine itself was quite beautiful. Something that didn't seem to 
fit Ranma, at least in Shampoo's opinion. The sides raised on little 
winches and Shampoo could see Ranma lying underneath. She 
stepped up to his side. He looked like he was in pain. Shampoo 
watched as Akane approached him, readily apparent in her 
anguish, the loss and pain she was feeling. Akane leaned over and 
kissed him lightly on the forehead. She then turned and left, 
sobbing gently. This hit Shampoo quite hard as she never thought 
Akane as one who would lose herself over a man. But then, 
perhaps that tomboy image was just that, an image.

Shampoo looked back to Ranma and brushed a stray hair from his 
face. She was also surprised when she noticed that he seemed to be 
radiating heat in waves. Sometimes hot for a time, then cold as the 
grave for a time. This wasn't normal for dead people, was it? 
Shampoo didn't have any idea really.

Shampoo waited until a hot spell came over. She then leaned close 
and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Goodbye, airen," She said, backing away.

Nodoka closed the shrine and Shampoo turned away. She almost 
bumped into the person standing there, so she apologized and 
attempted to go around. The person moved to block her path. 
Who...? She looked up.

The most beautiful brown eyes were staring back at her from under 
a pair of rather thick glasses.

"Mousse!" Shampoo yelled, wrapping her arms around his neck in 
a fierce hug.

"Shampoo. You came..." Mousse began hesitantly, "For me?"

Shampoo pulled herself to arms length. How wonderful his 
embrace seemed now that she had him back. And it was really true. 
He was hers. Shampoo shook her head at the million conflicting 
thoughts running through it at once. She shook the tears away and 
hugged him again, not wanting to let go, lest this have been a 
dream.

"But great-grandmama said that you were dead."

"She did?" He asked, raising his eyebrow, "What else did she 
say?"

"Maybe you should start at the beginning, Mousse," Nodoka said, 
guiding both back into the living area, "I'll get some tea."

***

Shampoo was seething. How dare Cologne do something like this. 
How dare she. Playing with her emotion and mind for so long. 
Constantly pitting the obedience in the law that Shampoo had 
always had against the natural Amazonian instinct of the hunt. She 
would eventually repay her for it. Mousse said that letting her 
know might even put her in danger, so Shampoo kept her calm. 
She also tried to kill Mousse, who Shampoo now had quite mixed 
feelings about. Yes, he had won and by law she would marry him. 
Did she love him? No. Did she care for him? Yes. She had to admit 
that she truly felt bad when Cologne had originally told her that he 
was gone.

Mousse was right. She loved the chase. So, she supposed, in that 
respect, she did love him. One thing she did know was that she 
wasn't going to lose him twice.

"So what we do now?" Shampoo asked.

"What can we do?" Mousse wondered, "I can't stay in Nerima, 
that's for sure. As long as I'm here, then I'm a danger to you 
Shampoo, and I can't have that."

"Shampoo take care of herself."

"He knows," Nabiki said from the doorway, "What he means is 
that Cologne would target the ones he cares for in order to get to 
him."

Mousse nodded solemnly in agreement.

"So what we have to find out is how much she really knows," 
Nodoka said, "One thing she doesn't know is that Shampoo is now 
aware of her ploy."

"Shampoo not go back," Shampoo said, "Great-grandmama know 
too much about Shampoo, can tell when lie."

"You have to Shampoo," Nabiki sat down, "You have to go back 
and you have to pretend like you know nothing, because that's the 
only way to keep her in the dark long enough to do something."

"Shampoo not know if Shampoo can do."

There was a long pause among the gathered.

"It's okay Shampoo," Mousse said quietly, "I will stay here and 
get my things in order, then I'll leave in two days. Shampoo, I 
release you from the Amazon law."

What was he saying? Shampoo watched him as he got up and went 
to the doorway.

"You don't have to marry me," He said, not turning around.

"Mousse, wait-"

But he didn't wait. He scrambled out the door and was gone. 
Shampoo looked across the open courtyard and felt her heart sink. 
She didn't know how to lie to Cologne. She'd never done it before 
and could never hide the lies of others. Cologne would find out, 
then Mousse would die. Tears came suddenly to her eyes at the 
thought. She wiped them away, but couldn't cover her own 
feelings. But what were her own feelings? She wasn't quite sure, 
but she did know that it wasn't the calm indifference that she'd 
shown for so many years.

"Shampoo?"

She turned. It was Akane. Akane's face was drawn and dark, 
almost as if the light had gone from her as it was going from 
Shampoo. It was a tense moment. Neither really knew what to say, 
wanting to put the old rivalry behind, but finding the goal gone.

"Akane, Shampoo-" Shampoo began.

Akane shook her head and hugged Shampoo.

"Shampoo, please forgive me," Akane asked, beginning to cry 
herself, "I know that we never got off on the right foot, but I'd like 
that to change. It's been a long time and I would like to help if I 
could."

Shampoo found that her words had died away, leaving only a sense 
of wonderment at this person, who for the longest time was her one 
true rival. Shampoo held her at arms length and smiled.

"Akane, what Shampoo need to do, Shampoo need to do alone," 
Shampoo said, wiping her eyes, "Great-grandmama control 
Shampoo too long. Shampoo need to be free."

"We'll all be here for you and Mousse if you need us," Nodoka 
said, from her position next to Genma.

"Shampoo thank you."

Shampoo backed away and leapt over the courtyard fence in one 
stride, once more confident that she could accomplish the 
impossible. She felt great. The last time she felt this good about the 
completion of her goal was the first time she came to Japan. She 
found her goal then, she'd get it now. It was time to end the reign 
of the matriarch, and Shampoo would be the one to do it.

***

The door to the Nekohanten opened slowly. It was Shampoo. She 
had that downtrodden look to her. She must have been at Ranma's 
tomb. She always got that look after an episode with him. Cologne 
bounded over to her and came to a stop a few feet in front of her 
great-granddaughter.

"Are you done sulking?" Cologne asked in Chinese.

Shampoo nodded.

"Why were you at the Tendo's?"

Shampoo looked up at the old woman, shocked that she could 
possibly know that. A smile slid over Cologne's face.

"Did you think that I wouldn't know?" She asked, "Did you go 
there to see Ranma?"

A strange look washed across Shampoo's face in that moment. 
Cologne couldn't recognize it and therefore didn't say anything. 
Shampoo nodded again and wiped the remaining tears from her 
face. Cologne thought that it was probably just fear that her 
outburst earlier might entail some retribution. The thought almost 
made Cologne laugh out loud. She caught it before it escaped, but 
she allowed a smile to show. Shampoo was a young woman after 
all.

"Go and get cleaned up, Shampoo, I closed the shop for the 
evening, so don't worry about the customers," Cologne said, 
hopping back into the kitchen.

***

Cologne watched from her perch on the lamppost. So, he was 
living at the Tendo's. She should've known. It was probably the 
one safe refuge in all of Tokyo. She couldn't touch him there, but 
he'd have to leave sooner or later. When he left, she would kill 
him, it was that simple. She felt a slight tension on the wire to her 
right. It was Shampoo! But how...?

"You're wondering how I found you so quickly?" Shampoo asked 
in Chinese, "You taught me, remember? I want to marry Mousse. 
If it's a mistake, then I want it to be my mistake."

The old ghoul's eyes narrowed as she considered. Shampoo might 
be able to defeat her, but not likely.

"Shampoo, I'm only looking out for your best interests-" Cologne 
began.

"I find that highly unlikely since you've been trying to kill him for 
the last week," Shampoo said.

"Exactly in your best interests-"

"Shut up!" Shampoo yelled, losing her temper, "I'm tired of the 
constant lies from you. Ranma and the Tendo's have shown me 
that you don't have to lie all the time. If you would just accept the 
fact that Mousse beat me, then we could all finally work this out."

"Listen to me carefully Xian as I will only say this once," Cologne 
said dangerously, "You are not old enough to know what's best 
and that boy will be the end of you as an Amazon. I will 
discomindate you myself if you force the issue." 

Shampoo bowed her head in anger and disgust. She never wanted 
it to come to this. Being an Amazon was the only thing that 
Shampoo had ever been. She didn't know any other life, but it was 
as Mousse told her in the house, Shampoo was born an Amazon, 
Cologne could never take that away from her.

"If being an Amazon means that we always lie and cheat to win 
and kill innocent people," Shampoo said slowly, "Then maybe I 
don't want to be an Amazon anymore."

Cologne backed up a step. If Shampoo was willing to forsake her 
heritage for this...boy...then...

Cologne had no more chance to think about it as she dodged a 
bonbori thrown at her. She landed on her cane on the wire opposite 
Shampoo. Shampoo had her other bonbori out and ready.

"A deal," Shampoo started, "Just like the one you made with 
Mousse. If I win, you accept any terms I give you. If you win, then 
Mousse has asked me to forget him and he'll..."

"I'll complete my part of the bargain, old ghoul," Mousse said 
from below.

Cologne looked down and saw that Mousse was well appointed 
this day, in a black and gold tunic. A perfect funeral shroud. The 
gate across the street opened. Out came Genma and Nodoka 
Saotome and the Tendos. What...?

Akane stepped forward and held out her hand. The small lump of 
metal that began to buzz in her hand made Cologne's heart grow 
cold. The Punishing Seeker. My Gods-!

"Xian!" Cologne shrieked, "What have you done?"

"Akane is here to make sure that this is a clean fight," Shampoo 
said in Chinese, "If you make so much as one move toward a 
pressure point or use any weapon whatsoever, I've told Akane to 
have no mercy in taking you out. I'm through with having no 
choice in my future. I love you great-grandmama, truly I do. 
You're family, but this has got to stop. And it stops now."

Shampoo tossed her bonbori aside and began the attack. It wasn't 
her usual effort, Cologne mused, Shampoo seemed more organized 
and patient than she had ever seen her. It was almost a complete 
offense. Attack, dodge, parry, attack again, counter. At this rate, 
she would wear Cologne down before she was ready. Cologne may 
have been in excellent shape, but she knew her limitations, and a 
straight fight with an offspring of hers that she trained was not one 
of them. Time for a hasty retreat.

Shampoo noticed her attempt to escape and backed off. Cologne 
began to bound away, but came up short and almost fell from her 
staff when the seeker buzzed a figure eight around her head. 
Cologne looked sharply at Akane, who seemed to have no qualms 
about using the seeker against her. Akane simply regarded her 
coolly and closed her eyes, concentrating on the little buzzing ball 
of metal not two inches from Cologne.

Cologne slowly considered her options. There! Cologne attacked 
Shampoo, who backed away in a carefully controlled defense. The 
fight drew longer and Cologne worried as her opening may never 
come up. It did eventually show itself, just as she thought. Cologne 
threw herself backwards and tossed her cane at Akane's head. The 
seeker dropped in a panicked pattern to block the staff. Cologne 
took the opportunity to strike at Shampoo's neck, hopefully 
knocking her out.

Shampoo blocked, but was unable to completely stop her great-
grandmother in her attack. A sharp pain flared in Cologne's hand 
and she jumped back. Cologne regarded her left hand with quiet 
fury as it hung limply on her wrist. The seeker buzzed quietly near 
Shampoo's head, who apparently now controlled the seeker. 
Cologne looked to Akane and sneered in disgust. Akane had been 
saved as Mousse had blocked her staff. Akane sneered back and 
closed her eyes, taking the seeker back from Shampoo.

Cologne looked back to Shampoo and gasped. Shampoo, the cool 
steel gaze drawn and focused completely on her goal. The 
singularity of it. In that moment, Cologne saw a young Amazon 
warrior from a long time ago as she defended her tribes honor at 
Jusenkyo. Cologne realized that, at long last, Shampoo was ready. 
Cologne closed her eyes and dropped her stance.

"You win, Shampoo," she said quietly.

"I haven't defeated you yet," she replied, not letting her focus go.

"Yes you have. Look around you Shampoo. With Akane using the 
seeker, Mousse protecting her and you fighting me, I have no 
options. And you have shown you're willing to use force against 
me," Cologne choked back a sob, "You have shown to me that 
you're ready. Shampoo, you're ready to assume leadership of our 
tribe. I have been foolish in the past, but now, it is done."

With that, Cologne hopped to the ground. Shampoo followed and 
was cautious. Cologne hopped up to Mousse and held out her good 
hand. Mousse handed the staff back to her and she climbed to the 
top.

"Mousse, you young fool, I never thought you would have the 
courage to face up to me," she said to the boy, "You never really 
had to, but by standing by Shampoo and helping her in this, you've 
proven that you're worthy to be her husband. I am defeated 
utterly."

Cologne could feel herself being picked from her staff as Shampoo 
cradled the elder in her arms.

"Great-grandmama, we love you," she said in Japanese, "Ranma 
gone now, so have chosen only other man who defeat Shampoo. 
Shampoo choose Mousse."

"And now that you're the matriarch, you have the right to override 
my decisions concerning the...Letter of the law," Cologne said, 
sad regret in her voice.

"Only when it comes to this," Mousse said, "But let's get that hand 
taken care of."

Cologne clucked softly and held out her left arm. Shampoo almost 
dropped her as she and the others saw how the bones were knitting 
themselves together. Akane gulped in slight disgust at the 
occasional sickening pop that issued from it.

"You don't live to be my age without learning more than a few 
tricks," she said, covering her arm again, "We will leave in two 
days for China. When we get back to Joketsuzoku, I will formally 
step down as matriarch and Shampoo will take my place."

"Will you then allow me to marry Shampoo?" Mousse ventured.

"I won't," Cologne said, "But then, it will not be my decision to 
make either."

She smiled at the boy, whose glasses promptly fogged over.

***

Dear Diary,

About two weeks after they left for Joketsuzoku, Cologne came 
back alone. She snuck in to the grounds of the house and paid a 
visit to Ranma. I was the one who found her. When I approached 
her, she didn't even notice me, but was intent on staring at Ranma's 
body.

She told me that Ranma wasn't dead! When she explained it, she 
said that his soul had been split by the demon. She said she was 
foolish for thinking the demon killed Ranma. It was never the 
demon's intent to kill Ranma, only to give my heart to Ryouga. I 
still don't understand what she meant by all that, but I asked her to 
explain why she thought he was still alive.

She put my hand on Ranma's forehead. I could feel the heat, then 
the cold, then the heat. Pulsing back and forth. She said that the 
heat was the ties that led to wherever Ranma's soul was. She told 
me she would need to get confirmation on this theory, but she 
believed that Ranma was still alive!

I fainted at that point. Ranma would have laughed at me. I miss 
him so much, it's so hard sometimes to think about anything else. I 
try to continue with everyday life, but...It's just too hard. The 
blackness inside me pulls at my sanity daily. Do I think Ranma's 
alive? I don't know. But the hope I felt in that instant is more than 
enough to make me believe. Tomorrow, Dr. Tofu and Happosai are 
going to talk it over with Cologne. She'll tell them what she thinks 
and they'll talk on it.

With hope, there is always a tomorrow...

***