Subject: Tales of Shampoo chap 5
From: marvin e peace
Date: 4/22/1997, 8:05 AM
To: fanfic@fanfic.com

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Chapter Five:  Research and Reasoning


  "So this is Pier 39, huh?"  Ran-Chan said.  "Nice place."  She looked
around at the wooden structure, a cozy little shopping and entertainment
plaza located at the eastern end of the Embarcadero.  "Really nice place.
Don't remember anything like this in Japan...."
  "Yeah, it's great, isn't it?  I remember when my dad used to take me to
the carousel all the time,"  Libby said, nostalgia in her eyes.  "We'd
drive up for the weekend from where we lived, and just spend so much time
here.  I'd ride all the attractions and watch the magicians and street
buskers, and he'd sit and watch me, with a smile on his face, as I ate
entirely too much cotton candy.  It was a real break from all my schooling,
archery, and martial arts training.  Ah, those were the days.  Sometimes I
really wish that he hadn't decided to move the family to Seattle when I was
twelve...." She looked around and saw a cotton candy vendor.  She dug in
her pocket and realized that all her money was in her purse, in the car.
"Well, I guess I'll have to go without," she sighed.
  "Be right back."  Ran-Chan said.  She went over to the vendor, had a
small chat with him, and about a minute or so later, walked up with two
cotton candies...all without pulling out her wallet once.
  "How did you do that?" Libby was absolutely puzzled.
  "Natural talent," was the Japanese girl's only reply.
  A bead of perspiration formed on Libby's brow.


  The pair walked into the Magic Duck.  Mousse was dusting off a shelf.
"Ran-Chan!  Welcome to my little store!  Libby!  Long time no see!"  He
went up and hugged both girls in turn.  "So, Ran-Chan, did you want a tour
around this store, or di--"
  "I trust you, Mousse.  Whatever pay, hours, et cetra, you have set for a
full-time employee, I'll take.  Just remember that there'll be times when
I'll need time off for an attempt at a newspaper career, and we've got a
deal.  Just tell me when you want me to start."   She winked.  "Now that
the business part is done and out of the way, let's go to lunch; I'm
starved."  She looked at one corner of the store.  "Do you, uh, we carry
manga?"  She wandered off towards the comics display.
  "How did she know?  You didn't tell her, did you?"
  "Not at all; I figured you wanted to tell her."
  "Then how did she--"
  "'Natural talent,'" was the blonde's reply.
  A bead of perspiration formed on Mousse's brow.

*   *   *

  "Hello, you've called the World Famous California Cat Cafe.  Gil
speaking.  Would you like a reservation, or be connected to our tak--"
  "Ni Hao, Gil, it's me.  Look, I have to take care of some business
regarding--"
  "Shampoo, it's not gonna work.  I think you'd better come up with a plan
that's a little better than going over to Pier 39 and putting on your
little 'innocent China girl' routine.  Around here, that's about as old as
a British Hong Kong flag."
  She laughed a little at that.  "Well, then, what do you suggest?"
  "Oh, offhand, I say a little champagne, soft music, a black neglig‚e, the
words 'I do.'  I think you can figure it out."
  "Maybe later.  But I doubt you'd look good in one of my teddies," she
teased.  "But why I'm calling has nothing to do with Mao Tse."
  {Why is it they only use their Chinese names when expressing their love
for each other, or when they're in the middle of an argument?}  He
wondered.  "Well, if not that, what then?"
  "I need you to cover for me.  I told Libby and Ran-Chan that I'd be
working today.  In actuality, I'm going to be in Chinatown at the
Chinese-American Historical Center.  Tyler's gonna be help me on a project
that requires me to really do some research.  If anybody calls, let them
know I'm with the wholesaler.  Or the wine dealer.  Or with somebody.
Anybody.  Just cover my back."
  "Okay, just what the hell are you up to this time, Shampoo?"  Gil knew if
she were present, she would've tried that Innocent-China-girl routine on him.
  He could even hear it in her voice, despite the bad connection.  "Who,
me?  Um...nothing, nothing at all.  Just an idea I wanted to check on.
Really."
  {Sure it's nothing.  And I'm secretly the emperor of China.}  "Well, if
you say so...."
  "If you want, I'll fill you in later.  I'll even let you chew me out for
last night.  Which I'm surprised you haven't started on yet."
  "That's Maria's job.  I'm the practical joker, remember?"
  "Unfortunately.  My hair just barely recovered from your last one," she
muttered.  "Well, I'm here; gotta go.  See ya."
  Quickly, he said, "What if Mousse calls?"
  The other end was silent.  Had she already disconnected?  Then, she
spoke, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness.  "Tell him....tell him the
same as the others."  She paused again, then  added, "Also, tell him...tell
him I, um, I...tell him 'Wo ai ni'."  There was a click at the other end, a
second of silence, and then the phone went back into ready mode.
  "As long as I live, I'm never gonna understand those two.  Why didn't she
just say that she loves him?" he said to himself, a bead of perspiration
formed on his brow.

*   *   *

  Shampoo pulled into the CAHC parking lot, then hopped off her bike,
carrying her bag, and a few boxes from Jasmine's Chinese Take Out Pagoda.
{Oh God, I'm not going through that again,} Shampoo thought, still flushed
with anger from the ordeal.  {I knew I shoulda stopped at McDonald's or
something.  Good thing Ukyou wasn't there; she'd've died laughing on the
spot!}
  Just after leaving the house, she took the time to stop at a gas station,
and swap her Cali Cat uniform for what she was currently wearing:  her new
leather jacket, Grateful Dead "dancing bears" tie-dye sweatshirt, jeans,
and boots.   After that, she raced down to Chinatown.  As soon as she
pulled into Chinatown, she stopped at the first place, a new restaurant, no
less.  She parked the bike, and walked in.  She made an order--in English;
she never learned the Szechwan dialect--then, unfortunately, was recognized
by the owner--from her picture in the Examiner, she said.
  Jasmine was a nice enough sort: she just moved here last year from
Kowloon, and this was her opportunity to shine, she'd said.  Shampoo
chatted with her for a minute or two (the girl knew Cantonese, it turned
out), wished her well, and told her to stop by the Cali Cat anytime.  The
other girl agreed to a "meeting of the minds," so to speak, and with her
order in hand, Shampoo strolled out of the Pagoda.
  {Moral of the Story:  Never Leave Your Bike Unattended.}  Apparently, all
the other restaurant owners in the area recognized her bike, from last
month's picture.  So when she stepped out, she was accosted by the other
owners, who, it seemed, had a bone of contention with her:  "So, there's
Ms.-Best-Chinese-Restraunteur.  Whaddaya doing here?  Slumming?...Probably
sniffing out the competition...She comes from China, and doesn't have a
dedicated Chinese restaurant.  Talk about burning your bridges...She's not
from China, I hear she's actually from Chinatown in Yokohama...She must be
using the China bit as a cover story...Don't see how a stuck-up kid could
be Number One for so many years...Maybe she's a spy for the PRC...Well I
heard that she stole the Cat Cafe name from another chain of restaurants in
Australia...Word on the street is that she's dating Jason Priestly...I
heard...."
  Shampoo took it all with good grace and style.  She also suppressed an
immediate urge to pound them all silly, but stopped because she had neither
the time for a battle; temperament to deal with another media crisis; or
particular desire to put up with multiple lawsuits.  {Good thing I have my
own spin doctor and attorney at home,} she smiled inwardly; Ran-Chan and
Libby would be an asset--as well as the great friends that they were--if
something like that ever happened again.  But that was not the embarrassing
part.
   No, that honor belonged to the mutt of one of the owners, who decided to
use her bike's front tire as a urinal.  The other owners laughed on how
much taste the dog had as opposed to the bike's owner.  Plus, when she
kicked towards it in an attempt to shoo it away, it clamped onto her boot
and refused to let go.  Shampoo wasn't hurt, but the dog ruined her
favorite pair of boots.  She drove off, the bane of Chinatown and the dog,
hero of the day, who let go of her foot as she gunned the engine and raced
off.
  {Why the hell is that damn list so important anyway? she thought. The
only ones who pay attention to that list are the local restaurant owners.
I couldn't care less about it, and to be honest I'm getting kinda of tired
of the guy from the Examiner coming by every month for a new photo.}  She
thought about it more, than laughed and brushed it off.  {They just don't
understand the meaning of it all.  To be the best, you have to be *your*
best, first.  I once thought as they did; I became a total nut case in the
process.  It's been six years since I made the vow not to be better than
anyone else, just be myself, and that would make me the best.  And I've
never looked back since; no apologies, no regrets.  
  Okay, maybe one.  But that's my business, and no one else's.}
    

  With that, she walked into the center, and found Tyler and a girl--{Did
he have a date? Uh oh}--waiting at the front counter.  "Here you go,
Tyler," she thrust her hands out and bowed her head in mock submission.  "I
hope you're happy.  Look what you made me do."
  "Oh, you'll get over the trauma, Shamps," he grinned, deftly taking the
food out of her hands.  "We have archive room five set up for us; it's not
the biggest, but it's the only one they'll allow food in."  He glanced over
his shoulder  "Oh--I nearly forgot...Shan Fu Lao, this is my friend
Veronica Carter.  Ronnie, this is Shampoo."  He then added, "Ronnie's an
expert on Oriental legends and archeology.  She's the best for the job."
  Shampoo stared at the girl.  Curly brown hair, glasses, kinda plain, but
a little makeup would do wonders.  Then she looked straight into the other
girl's eyes and saw a flash of anger.  {Oh, so I did interrupt their lunch
date.  That's why she's probably annoyed at me.}  She held out her hand.
"Hi.  Nice to meet ya.  Sorry about ruining your lunch plans."
  Ronnie glared right at Shampoo.  {Jeez, how old is she?  She looks
younger than me!  So maybe I do have an advantage.}  Nonetheless, she
reached out and shook the other girl's hand, and replied in flawless
Chinese, "It's a pleasure.  Don't worry about lunch; I'm sure there'll be
other times."
  Shampoo was taken aback.  "Y-you speak Chinese?" she shot back in her
native tongue.  A faint grin came to her face, as a thought came to mind:
Smart too.  I'll have to work on pairing these two together.....
  "I speak all the dialects.  Growing up on a farm in Missouri, well,
there's not much you can do.  I wanted to do something different with my
life, something that didn't involve milking cows,"  she joked.  "Well,
let's begin, shall we?"
  "Hey, um, ladies, can we, um, swing back to a language I can understand?"
 Tyler asked.
  "Oh! Sorry, I just don't get much practice," both girls said
simultaneously, then looked at each other and laughed.  Well, at least
Shampoo did.  Ronnie only went through the motions, surprised that she
found something positive about the girl that she liked.  {Wow, she seems to
be nice enough.  Probably a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality, then.}
  With that, Shampoo went to the front counter and addressed the clerk.  "I
need all the information you can get on the following subjects: a village
in China called Joketsuzoku, the history of a family in that village by the
name of Lao, and an object called the Phoenix Eye."

*   *   *

  The three were seated at Paulette's, a beautiful little French place
across the street from the B of A building.  The three together made an
interesting sight:  Mousse, in his white shirt, blue and tan design tie,
tan pants, and brown loafers; Libby, wearing a simple soft green summer
dress; and Ran-Chan, with her ash gray Smashing Pumpkins T-shirt, 501
shorts, and black tennis shoes, sitting amongst the rich and powerful of
San Francisco, being stared at as if those people who were the so-called
powerful could see their battle auras--and thereby knowing what true power
really meant.  The trio, however, either didn't notice this, or just
outright ignored it; they were too busy wrapped up in chatting along as
three friends are prone to do, and eating lunch, or in Ran-Chan's case,
practically swallowing it whole.  


  They were thoroughly engaged in this when something tapped at the back of
Ran-Chan's mind.  Ran-Chan could see that Libby and Mousse were distracted
by the Seattle topic, so Ran-Chan called out to that something--no, someone:
  <Who are you?> she "spoke" in Japanese, in the odd event it turned out to
be her brother.
  <I AM YOUR SALVATION AND YOUR DOOM,> the voice replied...in English.  To
her mind, the voice didn't sound like her brother--or anyone human, for
that matter.  Supernatural, perhaps; she'd learned a long time ago that
there was no such thing as impossible in this world--her own birth was a
sign of that.
  <My *doom*?>  She replied in mocking tones.  <I'm a Saotome.  We don't
die that easily.>
  <I AM SORRY, I FORGOT THAT YOU ARE RELATIVELY NEW TO ENGLISH.>  She
thought she heard the voice chuckle.  He (hey, it was as good an identifier
as any, she thought) switched to Japanese.  <IS THIS BETTER?  I UNDERSTAND
THAT YOU USUALLY "COMMUNICATE" WITH YOUR BROTHER IN JAPANESE, AND I USED
ENGLISH, PRIMARILY BECAUSE THERE MAY BE THINGS YOU MAY NOT WANT HIM TO KNOW
AT THIS TIME.>
  That means that this guy can "speak" in the same manner as me and my bro,
 Ran-Chan noted, then filed away in her mind for future reference.  She
switched back to English.  <We can speak in whichever language you'd like.
He and I speak the same ones:  Japanese, Canton Chinese, and English.  My
guess is that you know those three, plus a few more.>
  There was that sense of a laugh again.  <VERY PERCEPTIVE OF YOU, CHILD.
I ACTUALLY KNOW MORE THAN YOU CAN COUNT.  BUT WE SHALL USE ENGLISH, BECAUSE
I AM AMUSED BY ITS NUANCES.  LIKE THE WORD "DOOM".>
  <Yeah,> she commented sarcastically.  <Death, destruction, a 3-D
videogame....>
  <"DOOM" DOES NOT ONLY MEAN THOSE THINGS.  IN THE OLDER ENGLISH DIALECTS,
IT IS ALSO INTERPRETED AS FATE, KISMET-->
  <Karma, Wyrd, or Destiny.  I'm aware of that too,> she commented.  <Is
that what you meant?>
  <OF COURSE.  I CANNOT HARM THOSE WHO I AM BOUND TO.>  The voice was
silent for a second, then continued.  <OH, THERE IS ALSO ONE OTHER THING:
YES, YOU ARE A SAOTOME.  BUT YOU ARE ALSO A MYSTICAL CONSTRUCT FILLED WITH
RAGE AND HATE.  IT IS WITH IN YOUR HANDS TO CHANGE YOUR FATE, IF YOU CAN
FIND ME.>
  <Who are you?>
  <CHILD, IF YOU DO NOT KNOW, THEN YOU ARE ALREADY LOST, AND THERE IS
NOTHING I CAN DO.  BUT MY KIND HAVE NOT LIVED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS
WITHOUT BELIEVING IN THAT WHICH IS CALLED "HOPE".  IF YOU WISH TO SAVE
YOURSELF--AND THOSE YOU LOVE--THEN YOU HAD BEST FIND OUT WHO I AM.>  And
then there was silence.
  <Wait!  Don't go!>  she cried out.  <Tell me you you are!  I need to know!>
  <Ua...Nan da?  Is that you, Ranko?> Whoever it was, he was gone.  Plus,
her "screaming" had gotten her brother's attention.  She remained silent,
only sending a feeling of love his way.  She could feel his love returned,
"hear" his heartbeat.  In the distance she could hear another
heartbeat--Akane.
  {Smooth move, you idiot}, she chided herself.  {It's 4:30 in the morning
in Japan, and you had to wake him up!}  She simply said, <Gomen ne.  Sleep
well.  I love you, Ranma.>
  <I love you too, sis.>  And then he drifted back to sleep.
  In her mind's eye, Ran-Chan shed a tear of joy.


  Apparently not only in her mind's eye, either.  She snapped to with Libby
waving her hand in front of Ran-Chan's face, and asking, "Hey, you okay?
Why are you crying?"  Mousse had a look on his face that told her he had an
idea why.
  She decided not to tell the whole story.  "Yeah, Mousse, you're right; I
*was* 'talking' to him."  She wiped away the tears.  "I didn't think I'd
miss them all as much as I do."
  "Why not?"  Mousse asked.  "You two have always been close--possibly even
closer than he and Akane.  Of course you'll miss your family.  It's not
easy just to pack up and go.  Take it from me--I haven't seen my parents or
brothers in years, but that doesn't mean I don't miss them.  I call them
occasionally, although,"  he grinned, "I don't have the 'direct connection'
that you do."
  "Wha?  'Talking to him?'  Him who?  'Direct connection?'  Did I just walk
into the Twilight Zone?"  Libby asked, completely confused.
  Seeing the redhead's unsure expression, Mousse took charge.  "Let me
explain.  Ranko and her brother Ranma have a psychic link to each other.
They can feel other's emotions, read other's thoughts, even communicate
telepathically."
  Libby turned to Ran-Chan.  "Your ki powers are actually *psychic* powers?
 that's amazing!  I've never heard of that before!"
  "Actually, it's an aftereffect of the curse."  Looking at Ran-Chan's
slightly miffed expression, he realized he said a little too much.  He said
nothing more and tried to hide behind his lunch, not wanting to be the
recipient of one of her ki blasts.
  "Curse?"
  "Um, don't worry about it, Libby.  It would take too long to explain."
She waved her hand, trying to play it off.  "Remind me again some other
day, and I'll tell you then.  Besides, don't we have other matters at
hand?"  She looked at Mousse, who was busily hiding from her.
  Caught like a rat in a trap.  "Um...what other business?"  he gulped.
  Libby rolled her eyes in that I-don't-believe-he-didn't-get-that way,
then explained.  "Mousse, you're talking to two women who have an
obsessive-compulsive need to meddle in other peoples' affairs.  Do you
really have to ask?"

*   *   *

  The clerk looked back at her.  "I'm terribly sorry, miss, but we are not
able to access that kind of information.  We are the Chinese-*American*
Historical Center.  We only have information that goes back to the arrival
of Chinese immigrants here in California.  Data on the Chinese empire, the
Peoples' Republic, or Taiwan is unavailable here.
    Everybody looked stupefied.  Shampoo looked down, then back to the
clerk.  "Is there any way I can get that data?  I *really* need it!"
  "I'm sorry.  There's nothing that we can do."
  "Look, there may be somebody's life on the line if we don't get that
information."  {You're playing a real stupid bluff, Shampoo,} she told
herself.  {The Phoenix Eye may have nothing to do with Ranko's problems,
she thought, She's a magical manifestation of Ranma-chan; the spell, juju,
mojo, or voodoo, or whatever may be going bad.  It may even be that she'll
disappear, just like all the previous clones.}
    "There...."  She didn't know what to say.  {No, damn you, don't give
up!  If this is Ranko's problem, then what happened to you?  Besides,
you're the reason she's alive.  More importantly, she's your best friend.
You owe her.  You owe Ranma.  Furthermore, if this is what you think this
is, this whole mess--Ran-Chan's insane behavior, Natsume's injuries, your
stunt last night--it's all *your* fault.}
  She was silent for a moment, then emotionally blurted out,  "I need that
info!  There has to be a way!"
  Before the clerk could give another negative response, he was
interrupted.  "Oh, yes there is."  Ronnie went up to the clerk, speaking
Cantonese.  "Don't play stupid with me.  I know you guys have a Fortuna
terminal back there.  I've used it.   I know Dr. Chen--remember him?  The
founder of this Center?--he teaches my Chinese Literature course.  He's
given me the password, and carte blanche use.  Now, either you let me back
there, or I can call him, and we can have all hell and chaos.  Also, you'd
be pissing me off.  I'm not very nice when I'm pissed off."  She grabbed
the clerk's shirt, and pulled him to face her.  "Let us in,
or...I...will..not...be...happy."  She set him back again and dropped him
gently.
  To Shampoo's eyes, she could see the beginning flicker of an orange glow
around her.  {She's a fighter?}  Shampoo thought.  {I had no idea.  Wonder
what her style is.}
  Ronnie turned to her.  "Is there really a life on the line?  If not, then
we're doing something incredibly stupid."
  "Possibly my best friend's, maybe even my own.  I gave her a gift for her
birthday eight years ago, and I now have reason to believe that that object
may be cursed, and that it's driving her slowly insane.  I don't know how
to explain that, except that all my leads point to it."
  "Ran-Chan?"  Tyler asked.  "She seems so stable!"
  "As long as I've known her, she has been.  But over the few years or so,
everybody back home says she's been acting strangely; in fact, the reason
she moved here is to start anew.  I thought it might be just her, but it
affected me too, most likely because I was the previous owner of the
Phoenix Eye."
  "The Phoenix Eye?"
  "Ran-Chan's ruby pendant.  It's actually some kind of magic talisman, but
I'll tell you the whole story later."  She then looked at Ronnie.  "We need
that information.  You're my best chance of getting it.  Please."
    "I understand."  {She's not doing this for herself, Ronnie realized.
Maybe I was wrong about her.  Perhaps in a different situation, I could've
called her a friend.  I still intend to take Mousse from her, though; she
can't possibly give him the love that I can.}  "Okay.  We can do this."
She turned to the clerk.  "Lead the way.  Now."  The clerk, in no mood for
a confrontation, complied.
  As the trio walked towards the Fortuna room, she thought about something.
 "Oh, before I forget:  thanks for lunch.  And sorry about the holes in
your roof."
  "Uh, holes in my roof?"
  "You'll see."  Ronnie smiled like the cat who ate the canary.

*   *   *

  "Look you two, I know you mean well, but I have come to a conclusion.
I'm 27.  I've known Shampoo all my life.  And the truth is, I realize I'll
never be more than a friend to her.  I love her very much, ever since the
day I first saw her.  But it's not the same for her."  The words flowed
from his mouth torturously, as if he was saying the hardest words of his
life.  Which he was.  "I have wasted years of my life chasing her.  I can't
do that anymore."
  "Mousse," Ran-Chan whispered. Libby couldn't even speak.  This couldn't
be happening.
    "I'm giving up."  He sat there for a second, which seemed to span
eternity.  "I'm getting too old for this kind of thing.  Oh, I have no
doubt she loves me.  But she doesn't *love* me.  When we were children, all
I was to her was a friend her age.  During out early teenage years, she
hated, *despised* me.  Then she met Ranma.  Even now, after a decade of
failure on her part to capture his heart, eight years after he told her
that he could never love her like he loved Akane, six years after he
*married* Akane, she still pines for him.  All I seem to be is nothing more
than a physical vent for her romantic frustrations."  He looked at her,
then Libby, his brown eyes matching the intensity of their blue and green
ones.  "Don't deny it.  I know she has a picture of him by her bedside,
still."


  {Yeah, she does...along with the rest of her family in that picture.
Christ, Mousse, are you that intent on losing the woman you've told me you
loved for your entire life?}  Libby told him, "Look, I don't know much
about your past in Japan, or that in China.  I do know that you two have
been inseparable since you've lived here in Japan.  You don't realize how
much she does love you, Mousse, really loves you.  Let me ask you this:
  "When she first got here, she was nervous as hell...a wallflower.  She
couldn't speak English worth a damn.  Who was the first person she always
turned to?  I was her friend, but we really couldn't communicate.  She was
intimidated by Gil cause of his size; she hadn't met Maria or Tyler yet.
Who forced her to go the extra mile in those ESL classes? Who was primarily
responsible for getting that voice coach?  You were.
  "When that mix-up in your green card nearly resulted in you being
deported, who fought the State Department tooth and nail?  Wasn't me; I
wasn't sure if I wanted to be a lawyer back then.  Who threatened to burn
the city to the ground if you weren't left the hell alone?  Who marched
right into the INS offices, kidnapped the local officer in charge, and
forced him to give you two your citizenship tests?  Who pushed for a formal
apology from the Government?  She did.
  "When her grandmother died, and she cried for days and days, who took
care of her?  When she was depressed for weeks and weeks, who ran around
for her?  Who ran himself into exhaustion making sure that she was happy?
Who pulled every connection he had to get her back to the PRC for the
funeral?  It wasn't me; I still lived in my college dorm, and she still had
that little apartment on Lombard. You were.  
  "Who has taken the time out for you, no matter how busy her schedule is?
Who's brought you lunch when you're too busy to leave the store?  Who's
been there every time your family comes to visit?  When you were down with
pneumonia, who nearly caught it herself while nursing you back to health?
Who's the only one who never forgets your birthday?  Who's the only one who
really likes those ugly Coke-bottle-lens glasses of yours?  When your pet
died--and for the life of me, I have no idea why you have a duck as a
pet--who stayed at your side for that week, then bought you Abracadabra?
Who's the only girl you know willing to go to football games with you even
though she hates them?  She is.
  "It's obvious.  You two are destined for each other.  Nothing, not
Ran-Chan's brother, not this argument, *nothing* will stop the fact that
you really love each other."  Libby stared Mousse down, with her best
dare-to-tell-me-I'm-wrong look.
    

  Before he could say anything, Ranko took his hand in hers.  "Mousse, how
does the old maxim go?  'You never forget your first love.'  Yes, she still
loves my brother.  Very much.  She tries not to admit it, but I see it in
her eyes, in the way she says his name, in her reaction to anything about
him.  I would never deny that.  But she also has you in her heart.  Just as
much, if not more.  Ranma is nothing more than a very dear friend to her
now, a fond memory.
  "What I'm about to tell you is something my brother told me and Akane the
day after you both left.  You repeat this and I will hurt you, provided he
doesn't hurt *me* first for telling.  Remember, this is in the strictest
confidence.
  "Two days we got back from Vietnam, the day he finally proposed to Akane,
he and Shampoo went out a no-holds-barred date--you were still in the
hospital.  It was the last time he'd go out with her, and Akane suggested
it to break her off gently, in fact, she'd told him in no uncertain terms
that she knew where his heart was--just make Shampoo happy that one night;
I believe Akane's exact words were, 'Tonight, Ranma, for one night, I don't
have a claim on you.  For one night, Shampoo is your girl.  Go make her
happy.'  
  "Things were going smoothly on their date, until it was time to say
good-bye.  He kissed her good-bye, but she--she, mind you, not he--backed
off.  He asked her why, isn't this what she wanted?  She said yes,
but....and didn't finish her sentence.  He asked if she was afraid of Akane
retaliating, then he explained that Akane 'let him go' just for this one
night.  She said no, not only was that unfair to Akane, but more
importantly...and then she mumbled something.  He asked her to repeat it.
She said, 'Shampoo sleeping with Ranma not fair to Mousse.'  Then she
hugged him goodnight, and that was the end of that.
  "Think about this:  from that day on, she pursued him still, but not with
the same intensity.  That was also the day she began her plans to leave.
She pursued Ranma because he was her first love, but her friendship with
Akane dampened it, and the fact that she'd already made plans slowed it to
a crawl.
  "Those plans included--have always included--you.  You have been by her
side all her life, just like Cologne said, six years past.  She knew you
would come after her--she *wanted* you to come here.  She *needed* you to
come here.  There was--has never been--no other choice for her in life.
  "'You never forget your first love.'  Cologne knew that from the very
start, even through the years you were tossed aside in favor of Ranma.  You
were born Mao Tse Jiang, but everybody calls you Mousse.  Why is that?
It's because any member of the Lao clan must have their true name hidden by
tribal law.  You have been called Mousse since you were a kid.  Why?
Because it was plainly obvious since birth that you would end up a member
of that clan, no need for an arranged marriage or anything.  You and
Shampoo hit it off since birth.
  "She loves you.  You love her.  She gave up Ranma, her home, her life,
for you.  You have nearly been killed twice trying to defend her--once at
Tomba's island, and in Vietnam. Even in our days in Nerima, the so-called
days that she despised you, how many times did she open her heart to you?
Not Ranma--you.  You were younger, and a lot less experienced then.  You
couldn't have seen it, as you were too busy engaged in macho strutting or
fighting with my brother for her hand.  But try to remember this nugget of
truth: that one fight in the park, the one that Akane told him to lose on
purpose--the one he didn't because you two agreed to make it a fair fight
after all--who stopped the fight?  Who was moved to tears because of your
determination to win?  Who nursed your injuries?  I'll give ya three
guesses, and the first two don't count.    
  "Mousse, my friend, you haven't even noticed the primary reason why she
hasn't married you yet.  That reason is, is that she doesn't know how to
show that the love she had for you as a friend has become the love she has
for you as a boyfriend.  'Boyfriend.'  She called you that the day I moved
here.  She's *not* afraid to show how much she loves you.  She *is* afraid
that she doesn't know how to.  And unfortunately, she's hidden herself
behind the status quo.  It took Ranma and Akane four years to get past that
status quo.  It has taken both of you over a quarter of a century.
    "She is finally coming around to realizing that she need only be
herself to be with you.  Don't you give up now.  You do, and it'll be
something you'll regret for the rest of your life."  She smiled briefly,
then her eyes flashed with anger as she said sweetly,  "Plus, if she *is*
hurt because of your stupidity, I will make it a life goal to see that you
*regret* your error."  Mousse's face blanched, and she flashed him another
smile to let him know she was joking.  Partially.


  Libby spoke again.  Mousse, I want you to march right over to the phone
booth and call her.  She's at work this morning, and probably a hurting
unit, too.  This may sound strange, but I think that punch hurt her worse
than it hurt you.  From what Ran-Chan told me last night, she was up all
night waiting for your call."  The redhead nodded.  "All night, Mousse.
I'm actually surprised that she went to work this morning; apparently Gil
or Maria told her not to come in this morning.  But my guess is that she
had to take her mind off her sadness."  She rolled her eyes towards the
direction of the phones.  "Go call, now.  Don't worry about us, we'll still
be here when you get back."  
  With that, he calmly got up, and then leapt over tables, in his mad,
gleeful dash to the phone booths, knocking over people and dishes alike.
  "Think he's just a bit happy?"  Libby asked.
  Ran-Chan put her fingers together in a squeezing motion, declaring, "Just
a tiny bit."  The pair shook hands.  "Daijobu job, partner," she added.
  "Thanks,"  Libby grinned.  "Now, tell me which part you were BS-ing about."
  "Gee, you could tell?"  Ran-Chan laughed.
  "By the impish look in your eyes, of course.  Let me guess: it was about
all that Chinese tribal law stuff, right?"
  "No, actually, that's all true--I got that stuff from Shampoo or Cologne
at one time or another.  I was actually BS-ing about the date."
  "Akane didn't 'let' your brother go for that one night, then?  He did it
on his own?"
  "No, actually, there was no date--Akane wouldn't let him out of her room
for a week after he proposed."  Ran-Chan blushed, then smiled wickedly.
"There are times when having a psychic link to your brother has its
disadvantages.  I didn't get a bit of sleep that week--I was too busy
trying to shut all the moaning out of my head."

*   *   *

  "Good afternoon!  You've called the World Famous California Cat Cafe.
Dana speaking.  Would you like a reservation, or be connected to our tak--"
  "Hiya Dana, it's me, Mousse.  Is Shampoo there?"
  "Hold on.  I'll see."  The girl at the Cali cat already knew to give the
phone to the shift manager.  She put the phone on hold, then called the
intercom connection to the back office. "Gil, I have Mousse on line one."


  "I'll take it from here.  Thanks."  He pressed the button on the phone,
then spoke.  "What's up Mousse?  How're you feeling today?"
  "Hey, Gil.  A bit better, thanks.  Is Shampoo there?"
  {Well, he sounds okay enough, even called her "Shampoo."  At least one of
them is acting rationally.}  "Sorry, she's playing racquetball with the
President.  Something about discussing 'Strategic Talks with the PRC,' or
something along those lines."
  "Ha, ha, Gil.  Seriously, she's probably at the wholesaler's, right?"
  "Actually, she's in the company building talking to Ghirardelli's
Employee Affairs department.  They want the Cali Cat to cater for their
company picnic, and so...."  Fortunately, the EA department did call about
that; he'd have to call her later to let her know.  "Also, I wouldn't call
her.  Her bag is down here, and that's where she keeps her cel phone, right?"
  "Can you let her know I called?"
  "Do you really have to ask, Mousse?  'Course I will."
  "Well, I gotta go; I'm having lunch with Libby and Ran-Chan and don't
want to keep them waiting forever."
  "Libby's back?  Tell her I said 'Hi.'  Also, have Ran-Chan give me a
call, would ya?  I wanted to ask her something."
  "Sure thing.  I'll catch you later."
  "Oh--before I forget, Shampoo told me to tell you something, but it was
in Chinese.  Sounded like 'Woah Eye Knee' or sorta....  Did I get that right?"
  "'Wo ai ni?'  YEEEESSSS!!!!!!"  He heard Mousse shout for joy.  "Thanks,
man!   Gotta go!  Hasta!"  With no further delay, he hung up.
  Gil had a broad smile on his face as he put the phone down, happy for his
friend.  {Must've been something good.}  Thinking about it for a second, he
then wrote down on his "Things To Do" notepad, --BUY CHINESE-ENGLISH
DICTIONARY.

*   *   *

  The Fortuna terminal room actually contained three systems:  one terminal
linked into the Contextus database, arguably the world's foremost
information subscriber service; one terminal linked into Fortuna, a
Chinese/English system similar to Contextus, and thus more frequently used
than the Contextus system; and an Internet-capable Macintosh.  The three
sat down, ready to begin their assault on the information that they would
require.
 The keywords were punched in:

KEYWORD: CHINA: PEOPLE: MAYORS: JOKETSUZOKU: LAO K'O LON aka K'O LON LAO
aka COLOGNE
KEYWORD: CHINA: HISTORY: FAMILY TREE: JOKETSUZOKU: LAO
KEYWORD: CHINA: REGIONS: QINGXAI: JUSENKYO PROVINCE: JOKETSUZOKU VILLAGE
aka VILLAGE OF THE CHINESE AMAZONS aka JUKUSETSO
KEYWORD: CHINA: LEGENDS: TALISMANS: PHOENIX EYE PENDANT

  "I thought that the name of the village was 'Joketsuzoku', not
"Jukusetso'," Ronnie asked.
  "The Government changed it from Jukusetso--the original name--to
Joketsuzoku when the People's Republic came into power.  The elders in the
village have always referred to it by the original name."

  The headsets for verbal entry were placed on by the two on the database
stations:

  "Confirm English," Tyler said into the headset's mike.
  VOICE INPUT CONFIRMED.

  "Confirm Cantonese," Ronnie commented into her microphone.
  CANTONESE INPUT CONFIRMED, it typed in Chinese kanji.
  "Confirm Szechwan," she added.
  SZECHWAN INPUT CONFIRMED.
  "Confirm Mandarin," she said, completing her repertoire.
  MANDARIN INPUT CONFIRMED.

  Shampoo sat at her terminal, the Internet Mac.  Because Tyler was a whiz
at Contextus, he dived onto that one.  Ronnie's knowledge of the three
primary Chinese dialects gave her command of the Fortuna system.  That left
Shampoo with the Mac, a computer not even remotely like the Pentium 200 she
had at home.  "Computer's a computer I guess...."  She put on her
headphones--these connected to her portable CD player, since she processed
info faster with a distraction like music, popped her favorite techno disc
into the player and let loose, her fingers flying over the keys at
breathtaking speeds.

  The hunt had begun.

*   *   *

  "Look, guys, I really can't begin to thank you enough for this," Mousse
said as he peered at a ridiculously expensive engagement ring set.  "Giving
advice on my love life is one thing.  But this...."
  "Mousse, let me ask you this," Ran-Chan commented "You've asked her to
marry you how many times?"
  "All the time when we were kids.  Off and on when we all lived in Japan.
Since she and I moved here, twice before Cologne died, not since.  I
figured at that point she'd start dropping hints when she was ready."
  "Good; you're learning.  But let me point this out to you:  all that time
and you didn't have a set ready?"
  "Didn't think I'd need it until it was time."
  "Man, you are *dense!*  I can't *believe* you, sometimes!"
  The trio, after lunch, had decided to move on to the mall to do some
shopping for Shampoo, at the girls' suggestions and Mousse's
discretion--not to mention funds.  Turned out that although he dreamed
about being married to Shampoo all the time, he hadn't actually put any
thought into the process.  Like an engagement ring, for example.
  That was rectified by their presence at the Golden Gate Mall.  Libby had
pointed out a jewelry store that she and Shampoo always went to.  In doing
so, they discovered two things:  that Libby was an absolute jewelry
fanatic--evidenced by the gleam in her eyes and the drooling; and that
she'd be of absolutely no use to them at the moment, as she was far too
busy, attracted by the hypnotic siren's song of the jewels.
  Fortunately, Ran-Chan was more the earthy type, not prone to wear
anything more than her ear studs, watch, and the Phoenix Eye; this meant
that she was not going to suggest buying up half the store as Libby was
attempting to do.  Unfortunately, this meant that she was out of her league
here; so she went by guidelines once passed onto her by the only person who
she knew had a taste for this kind of stuff.
 Which made it worse.  Nabiki's taste in jewelry tended to be unnaturally
expensive, sometimes....
  "What do you think about this set?" Mousse asked, now looking at
something a little more in his price range.
  Libby took a quarter of a second to glance.  "If you're gonna get that,
then I suggest that you fly down to Mexico, buy a soda, take the pull ring,
and give that to her.  It'd be less of an embarrassment."  She glanced down
at an emerald broach, seated on a pillow in the display rack.  "Hey,
Ran-Chan, what do you think of this?"
  "You planning to weld it to some white armor?" she teased.
  "Shut up, Ran-Chan."
  "Make me."
  "I'm warning you...."
  "Did you just say, 'I'm really Fuu'?"
  "I'm not in the mood for this, Ranko!"
  "Well, go back to designing your magic armor and leave us alone!" she
snapped, arms at her sides, fists clenched.  "If you're busy, that's fine;
leave us be.  If not, get your ass over here and give a hand!  *We* have
work to do."  With that, she huffed, and turned back to Mousse.
  "Do you always have to argue with somebody at any given time?" Mousse
teased.
  She winked at him.  "You know me, the Wild Child.  Ranma was always the
placid of the two of us."  She turned her attention to the set he had been
looking at, not seeing him roll his eyes at her remark.  "Libby does have a
point, Mousse.  That is pretty weak.  You'd have gotten away with it,
maybe, say, ten years ago.  Not now."
  "Well, then what do you suggest?"
  "That other set you were looking at earlier."
  "$5000 for the engagement ring, $3000 for the wedding bands, not
including tax and all the other things!"
  "Well, they *are* special.  Says here that they're an exclusive, designed
by Shiratori Fashions Ltd. of London."
  "Couldn't we just call um--" he struggled to remember to pull the name
from memory, "--Azusa in London, and have her whip up something?"
  "She's a friend of Akane and Ryoga, not me.  I couldn't impose."  She
didn't mention that Azusa hated her for what she had done to Kodachi and
Mikado's marriage.  "Besides, do you really want to explain why to Akane?
She'll never let you hear the end of it."
  "You have a point there.  But the price...."
  "Haven't you ever heard of a payment plan?"
  He nodded his head slightly, looking at her just above the rims of his
glasses.  "I'm not going to win this, am I?"
  "This isn't a fight, Mousse.  This is your future."  The two looked at
each other intently, not taking their eyes off each other for what seemed
like minutes.
  The clerk snapped them out of it.  "It is quite easy to see why you two
are here, shopping for your tokens of true love." At that comment, the pair
snapped out of it, Mousse turning and scratching his head, and Ran-Chan
also turning, blushing.
  "No, I'm not the lucky girl," she explained.  "My friend here asked for
my help in choosing a set for his beloved.  I was just staring him down,
that's all."
  "Such a shame," the clerk replied, artfully.  "Such a beautiful woman as
you, with such clearly exotic looks as you have, deserves only the finest
in life."  Ran-Chan blushed again, entranced by his words.
  Mousse looked at the nearly $10,000 set, then blinked.  "I'll take it,"
he said.
  "Mousse?" Ran-Chan said.  This was a quick move for him, and she wasn't
expecting it.  She gave the clerk her most beguiling smile, and a look that
seemed to say, {Distract the girl before she overloads the guy?  You know
your job.}  The clerk flashed a return smile back at her that confirmed her
suspicions.
  "Shampoo is my future.  You're right when you say that I can't scrounge
on it.  It's gonna hurt me for a while--so much for those 49ers season
tickets--but it'll be worth it."
  "That's great!"  Libby said, pausing from her trance long enough to come
over and clap him on the back.  "Now, if we can only get you to upgrade
*all* her jewelry...."
  "Shut up, Libby," both Mousse and Ran-Chan said simultaneously.

*   *   *
     
  From her location in the cafe across from the jeweler, Jade watched the
redhead--the present owner of her talisman--chatting with two others, a
casually dressed gentleman and an apparently businesslike blonde.  They
were mulling over something in the store, and it vaguely occurred to Jade
that she'd seen the redheaded Japanese girl somewhere before.
The blonde wandered off, doing her own thing, leaving the two lovebirds
together, as they looked at what seemed to be wedding bands.
  *That's* where she'd seen that girl before, Jade suddenly recalled.  She
recognized the girl now.  She was Lao's roommate, an old friend that moved
here with her from Japan.  That's the answer.  The guy must be her fianc‚e,
the blonde a mutual friend.
  {I'm going to have to look up the information on that girl.  I want to
know all about her before I make the move to take my rightful jewels, so I
may dispose of these useless blue pieces,} she thought, her hand brushing
the one of the opals that once were the jade Heart of the Demon.  
  The opal flickered, and a small snap of static electricity stung her
hand.  I need to get rid of these nuisances and replace them for real
power, she muttered.  She looked at the trio again. While the blonde was
apparently entranced by the jewels, the lovers were entranced with each
other, staring deeply into one another's eyes, and remaining that way until
the salesman got their attention.
   As the redhead looked into her lover's eyes, Jade took the time to look
into hers.  From what she could see, she could tell that the girl was the
determined type, but a wallflower in the end.  She probably wouldn't
consider selling what was most likely an heirloom, but would wilt like a
hothouse flower if Jade threatened force.  In fact, it would work doubly:
she could get the gem, and strike a blow at Lao at the same time.
  The only problem would be the blonde.  From the way the guy moved, it was
obvious that he was a klutz.  The blonde, however, moved with a style and
grace that denoted a master of the marital arts, perhaps a chi master like
herself.  Lao could feasibly be shattered at the news of the assault on her
friends.
  Jade made a note to have Kaguro, or one of her other people, get a photo
of her.  Then she could call her contacts in Japan and discover who she
was.  {After all, it's best to cover all your sides before attacking. When
it's a prize like ultimate power,} she thought, {smiling inwardly, there
must be no mistakes.}

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