mabli@idirect.com

A Different Brand Of Mousse

What Must Be Done Part 3

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. (Hmm, this
disclaimer leaves room for crossovers doesn't it?)

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"

Author's incoherent babble: It seems that I haven't much of a life to
begin with so it took me real quick to get everything back in order.
Here's part 3. Oh yeah, I almost forgot again, this fic will be crossing
over with OMG some time. I just don't know when, but sometime.

Prevous chapter: Mousse comes back to Japan and fights Ranma. During the
fight, he sees that Shampoo has absolutely no feelings for him (aww).
Gets advice from Nodoka Saotome (yup, Ranma's mom) to make him choose.
Goes to Nabiki for help.

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

     "So, where do you want me to begin?" Nabiki asked, heading towards
the restaurants.

     Mousse thought about it and said, "I don't know. I guess you should
start from the beginning." He followed and thought, <Great, she's going
to try and sponge on me now.>

     Nabiki nodded and said, "Well, Ranma and his father arrived here
about a year ago. He was coming to honour an agreement between our dads
to marry their children to carry on the Anything-Goes art. Me and Kasumi
picked Akane for the arranged marriage because she had a problem with
boys."

     Mousse brow raised and said, "She doesn't like..."

     Nabiki cut him off with her hand and said, "My sister is not like
that. She had to fight a whole bunch of guys every morning before school
because of a speech made by Kuno that only people who can defeat her
have the honour of dating her. Anyways, a few weeks later Ryoga came to
settle a feud with Ranma because Ranma had deserted a pre-arranged fight
and had accidentally pushed him into the spring of drowned pig."

     "I already know that. How about if I just tell you what I know
about him and then fill me in on anything I don't know?" Mousse asked.

     "Fine by me. What do you know duck-boy?" she asked.

     "I'll have you know I'm cured." Mousse said, "I already know he's
got a girl form and he's a heck of a fighter. What I need know is how he
got involved with all the trying to get him?"

     Nabiki saw a coffee shop first and started leading Mousse towards
it. "Since you know about Shampoo, I'll go on to the others. Tatewaki
Kuno hates guy Ranma because he's engaged to Akane. He likes Ranma's
girl form because of the bod. Kodachi Kuno hates the girl form because
she thinks girl Ranma's after guy Ranma. Kodachi likes Ranma's guy form
because of the bod." she said, easing herself into a chair near the
windows. Mousse sat across from her and said, "So, both Kunos like and
hate Ranma at the same time. Heh, my duck form was a lot easier."

     They were interrupted by a waitress coming to take their order.
Nabiki ordered an expresso and Mousse ordered some tea. Nabiki turned
back to Mousse and said "Okay, back to the task at hand. Ukyo got
engaged because Ranma's father, Genma, wanted her dowry, an okonomiyaki
cart. Genma took the cart but left Ukyo behind. She repressed her
feminity and dressed as a boy and practiced her okonomiyaki martial art.
She came to Nerima to settle the score buy Ranma found out that she was
a girl and said she was cute. That got to her good side real quick."

     The waitress came back with their orders. This time, she took time
to scrutinize the two. <Hmm, that's one of the martial artists that hang
around here. These two look to be planning something big. Good thing I'm
leaving in four days.>

      Nabiki waited until the waitress left before saying, "That's
pretty much it, is there anything else you have in mind?"

      Mousse thought back and asked, "Tell me about Ranma's relationship
with his mom."

      "Why?" she asked. <Damn, I must be losing my touch if he keeps
surprising me like this.>

      "I met her today in a park. I noticed that I've never seen her
around at your house. I guess my curiousity's just getting the better of
me." Mousse answered.

      "Well, she doesn't know about Ranma and Genma's curse. Ten years
ago, Genma made a promise that when he came back with Ranma, her son
would be a man among men. If not, she would make them commit seppuku.
It's kinda hard to be a man among men with a curse like Ranma's..."

       "What's seppuku?" Mousse asked.

       "Sorry, I forgot. It's an old Japanese tradition that when you
are greatly dishonoured, you must commit seppuku, suicide. You take a
small knife, a tanto, and disembowl yourself. If you hesitate or try to
escape, someone, usually a family member, conveniently standing over you
will cut your head off. Nodoka will be the one to watch over the both of
them. The bundled package she's always carrying around is a katana. It's
the Saotome sword and she has it ready to use it if she sees that Ranma
isn't a man amongst men. Whenever she comes over to my house, Ranma and
Genma go into their cursed forms to disguise themselves. Ranma pretends
to be our cousin from the country and Genma is her pet panda."

      Mousse looked slightly overwhelmed by all the information. Nabiki
noticed this look and asked, "Do you need me to repeat any of this?"

      Mousse snapped out of it and said, "No, I'm okay. I just have a
lot of work to do." He finished off his tea and got up. "Thanks for the
info. Now, how much to keep your silence?"

      She smiled and said, "Not many people remember about that. Any
amount will do... but if someone were to give me a higher amount, I may
have to tell them what I know."

      Mousse gave her an unsurprised look and placed another nugget on
the table. "You're paying for my tea right?"

      "But of course, Mousse baby. Anything for my best customer." she
said with all the sweetness of Kasumi.

      Mousse left the cafe and took out the recorder he hid in his
robes. "I had no idea Ranma had such an intersting life."

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

     Nabiki held both nuggets in her hand. <Mousse is planning something
big... Looks like I'll also be doing a lot of work.> She got up and
payed for the both of them. <How the heck did he get these?>

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

     Ranma walked the streets of Nerima deep in thought. <Damn, where
the heck did Mousse learn those moves? I've got to learn a counter or
something.> He looked up from his walk to notice that he was approaching
the Nekohanten. <Cologne might know but I don't want to have to owe
her.> He turned around and walked another way. <At least Mousse has
nothing to fight for anymore. That should give me enough time to learn a
weakness or something.>

     "Ranma!" a voice called out from nowhere.

     Ranma looked for the owner of the voice to see Mousse coming
through his void. <What the heck's that?> Ranma thought to himself.
"What could you possibly want Mousse?" Ranma said, irritation showing in
his voice and face.

     Mousse took out a piece of paper, gave it to Ranma and said, "I've
come to issue a formal challenge. In a week's time, we will fight in the
vacant lot near your house. If you win, I'll teach you my new moves. If
I win, you must choose a fiancee."

     "WHAT?! Who's putting you up to this?!" Ranma yelled. <If it's pops
or old man Tendo, I'll... I'll...>

     "These are the terms of my challenge. Do you accept?" Mousse asked,
ignoring Ramna's questions.

     Ranma took the paper and said, "I, being the heir to the Saotome
School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts is honour bound to accept." He felt
like beating up Mousse for his arrogance but he knew he couldn't do
anything.

     Mousse nodded and said, "Well, then I'm off." He materialized the
void once again and was about to enter when he said, "You should know
that I will be inviting certain people to the fight. You don't mind
right?"

      Ranma stared at Mousse and said, "Your confidence will be your
downfall Mousse. I don't care who shows up, I won't lose."

      "Either way, you better start thinking about who you like the
most. It should be obvious but I know how thick you are. I'm giving you
the week to choose, not to train." with that, he walked in and
disappeared.

      <Life never gets boring.> thought Ranma, putting the challenge
letter in his pocket.

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

      Ukyo looked at the challenge letter Mousse had given to her. "So,
you're fighting Ran-chan again?" she asked, looking at the Chinese boy.

       "Yeah, I have to. I want to end all this useless waiting." Mousse
said tiredly.

       "Take my advice Mousse, you should look for new people other than
Shampoo. You deserve better." she said in a motherly voice.

       Mousse seemed to think about her word for a moment, then said,
"Don't worry, I've given up on Shampoo. I'm fighting Ranma for somehing
else right now. It concerns you so I hope you'll show up."

       "Don't worry, I'll be there for Ran-chan. Oops, sorry. I'll be
cheering you both on." said an embarrassed chef.

       "I hope you'll forgive me afterwards." said Mousse said, leaving
through his void.

       <I wonder what he meant,> Ukyo thought, <Waitaminute! How'd he do
that?!" She inspected the place where Mousse had once occupied. <This
fight's going to be interesting.>

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

       "Hello, Shamoo?" Mousse asked unsurely.

       "Shampoo no forgive you for leaving Shampoo yet." Shampoo said
coldly, ignoring him as much as possible.

       Mousse sighed and said, "I'm sorry Shampoo but I need to speak
with you and Cologne."

       "What do you want to talk about duck-boy," Cologne said, throwing
a bucket of cold water at the boy.

       Mousse looked down at himself and thought, <I still can't believe
I'm cured.>

       Both women gawked at the wet boy.

       "So, you have found the cure, have you Mousse?" Cologne said,
looking at Shampoo, who threw more cold water at Mousse just to be sure.

       "Mousse give Shampoo cure?" Shampoo asked cheerfully, forgetting
that she was trying to ignore Mousse earlier.

       Mousse shook his head and said, "I'm sorry Shampoo but I was only
able to find the cure for myself. It seems as if every curse has a
specific cure."

       Shampoo's shoulders slumped and she returned to ignoring Mousse
as much as possible.

       "It seems as if there have been many happenings to you over the
past few days." Cologne said thoughtfully, "have you come to return to
your old job?"

       Mousse took out the invitation and said, "I'm inviting you to the
fight at the end of the week between me and Ranma. I suggest you come
because it concerns you greatly."

       Shampoo, who had been listening to the other two, came in and
asked, "Why you fight? You lost chance for Shampoo?"

       Mousse smiled secretively and said, "Only Ranma and I know the
prize for the winner." The void materialized behind him and he walked
backwards into it.

       Shampoo was surprised but Cologne looked deep in thought. <Is
this what Lather saw when he was little?> she asked herself.

**   A middle-aged looking Cologne looked through the village they had
laid waste to. They had completely devastated the village. As she looked
through a barely standing house, she heard crying. She looked around to
find that the voice was coming from a hidden compartment under the
floor. With a punch, she opened it to reveal a baby boy.

       <Hmm, just a boy. Perhaps he would make a good servant.> she
thought.

       "What have you found there Cologne?" asked someone from outside.

       "It's a baby. The villagers must have hidden him here while
fighting. What should we do with him?"

       The owner of the voice came in to the batter house and said,
"There seems to be a strange field around him." The elder took the baby
from Cologne and coddled him. "Yes, there is something magical about
this little one. A very powerful spell has been cast on him. We shall
raise him to see if he has any latent powers. He could be of use to us."
The elder left carrying the baby.

       Cologne looked around at the ruined house. <Perhaps there's still
something here.>

       In the village, the wisest Amazons took turns trying to learn the
secret of the magic surrounding the boy. All they were able to find out
was that it the boy was completely emersed in the spell.

        The elder who had taken the baby from Cologne, Lather, held up
the baby for everyone to see. "Hear this, this boy is to be raised as an
Amazon, no one will reveal the true nature of his beginnings. He will be
given to the family of Cream. Come and claim your first child Cream.

        Cream came up to where Lather was standing and took the baby.
"For now and forever, this baby will be called Mousse."  **

        Cologne thought of Mousse's new powers. <Could this be what
Lather had told us about?"

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

       Mousse sat down cross-legged to concentrate on the position of
his next target. <I haven't made anymore mistakes but it still takes so
long to get the target.> he thought absently. He stretched the Mind's
eye to look for Ryoga Hibiki.

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

       Ryoga looked at the two piles of wood he had already cut up. They
were already knee high. <Maybe a few more.> He readied the next piece of
wood on the tree stump and pulled back his arm. He chopped the wood and
the two pieces fell into one of the two piles.

       "Oh my! I don't think I need that much wood!" a voice from behind
him exclaimed.

       Ryoga turned to see Akari Unryuu coming towards him with a tray
of lemonade.

       "Hello Akari. I didn't hear you come up." he said unsurely.

       Akari was still looking at the two piles of wood. "Ryoga, maybe
you could take some wood on your travels and sell them. I can't possibly
use all this wood by myself."

       "That's a good idea." Ryoga said, clearing a way for her. He gave
her the chair he had been sitting on. He sat on the ground.

       Akari set the tray down on the tree stump and poured out two
drinks for them and sat down. "What's bothering you?" she asked,
concerned.

      Ryoga looked at the two piles and said, "Doing this kind of work
clears my mind. I don't always do it because something is bothering me."

      Akari seemed satisfied with the answer and looked at the chair she
was sitting in. "Ryoga, where did this chair come from?"

      Ryoga looked shyly and said, "Oh, I made it while I was here. I
guess it's a talent."

      Akari seemed impressed and said, "Can you show me?"

      Ryoga took a pile of wood and in a couple minutes, had fashioned a
small chair from the wood and sat on it.

      "That's very good. It looks very strong." she said.

      "Yeah, it is." he said, putting his hand behind his head and
laughing.

      "Am I bothering you two?" asked a voice.

      Akari turned around while Ryoga looked behind her.

      "What are you doing here Mousse? Did you get lost or something?"
Ryoga asked.

      "No, I'm not lost. I just need to speak with you, privately if
possible." he said, looking at Akari.

      Akari stood up and said, "I was about to check on Katsunnishiki
anyway. It was nice meeting you..."

      "Mousse." the Chinese boy answered.

      She left the two, heading for the famous Unryuu pig stys.

      "Two girls... you're beginning to be like Kuno." Mousse said after
deciding Akari was no longer within earshot.

      "Hey, it's not like that!" shouted Ryoga. "Me and Akari are just
friends!"

      "Whatever." Mousse said tiredly, "Anyway, I've come to invite you
to a fight at the end of the week between me and Ranma. When I beat him,
maybe you can finish him off if you want to."

      "Why should I come? I want to beat him myself!" Ryoga said,
slightly quieter than before.

      Mousse looked at him and said, "This is important. You'll just
have to trust me. So, are you coming?"

      Ryoga thought about it and said, "I'm coming because I want to see
Ranma beat the crap out of you. I still haven't completely forgiven you
for placing Akane in danger with that bomb from before."

      Mousse nodded and said, "As long as you're coming. You might want
to bring Akari. She could be interested too." Mousse materialized the
void in front of himself and said, "If you're not there, I'll come and
pick you up."

      Ryoga gawked as Mousse stepped through a hole in mid-air and
vanish. <I'm coming for sure now!> he thought. <Maybe Akari would like
to come with me. She deserves a break from raising all these pigs all
day long.> "Hey Akari, you're not doing anything next week are you?" he
called out to the girl.

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

      In the Tendo Dojo, Genma-panda and Soun were shogi, in a world all
their own, trying to hide their plans from each other. <If I can
distract him, I can get at least three pieces back.> Soun thought. <If I
can sneeze hard enough, maybe I might be able to blow my pieces forward
and his back.> Genma thought, <This panda form must be good for
something.>

       "I'm home!" Ranma called out.

       Ranma caught both men in mid-cheat. Soun in mid-fake-point and
Genma-panda in mid-fake-sneeze.

        <Damn, better cover up the cheat.> Soun thought. He placed the
hand he was going to use to point and put it behind his head. "So,
what's new today Ranma?"

        Genma-panda covered his cheat with a fake yawn, then joined Soun
in asking Ranma, [Yes, anything new?] in sign format.

        Ranma looked at the two and said, "Mousse challenged me. Hey
Pop, I think I need to go on a training trip for this one."

        [Mousse?!] Genma signed.

        "Yeah, he has some new moves that almost beat me last time."
Ranma said, sitting down beside the shogi board.

        [Sure.] Genma signed. <I thought Nabiki was exaggerating, but
now...>

        "Ramna, you'll go with your father and Akane. You two need some
time to get to know each other better." Soun said, hoping Akane wouldn't
be too upset with him.

        "Dad! I have school. What are you going to say to Miss Hinako?
She won't like me and Ranma being gone for so long." Akane scolded her
father.

        "Akane, it's really important that I go train. How could I ever
call myself the heir to the Anything-Goes Martial Arts Dojo if I can't
beat Mousse?" Ranma asked.

        "Fine, but I'm not going. I don't care if you two fight for
Shampoo." she said, starting off to her room.

        Ramna turned and saw the two men coming towards him. "It's not
like that!" Ranma shouted. "We're fighting for something different!"

        "What are you fighting over this time then?" asked Akane, who
hadn't completely left.

        "If I win, Mousse will teach me the moves he used on me earlier.
That way I could show I'm worthy of the Saotome school." Ranma said
confidently.

        "What if he wins?" Akane asked.

        "Uh, if he wins, he uh..." Ranma trailed off. <Oh great, think
of something. Off the top of your head.> "If he wins, he uh... becomes
the heir to the Saotome school?"

        "HE WHAT?!" Genma shouted.

        <Hey, when did pops turn human?> Ranma thought absently. "He,
uh... wanted to join because he... wanted to get engaged to a Tendo
girl?"

        "HE WHAT?!" Soun shouted, going into demon-head mode.

        <Oops.> Ramna thought. <Note to self, never think of something
off the top of your head.>

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

End Part 3

Author's Notes: Heh heh heh, as you can see, I like to twist things
around. Heck of a twist huh? How do I come up with them? So, it so good
that you had to be hospitalized after being stunned at reading such an
amazing piece of literature? (Author's head gets as big as a house) Was
it so bad you banged your head on the nearest wall to try to erase your
memory? (Author packs up and gets lost to become a hermit) Tell me at
mabli@idirect.com. BTW, here's something I forgot to put at the end of
the last part. If you want any previous parts, you could email me for
them.