Well... here it is FINALLY. Anyway, I just want to reiterate that
I am trying to do a character anaylsis in this story, so there
probably won't be much martial arts (maybe a bit later on).
ANYWAY, if you don't like mushy stuff, this may not  be the
best fic to read. Actually, it is not technically MUSHY, but
it does deal with relationships between the characters.
Oh, did I mention this is a RANMA fanfic! Sorry to those of
you who hate Ranma fanfics... I DO write other stuff... but
hey, this story has just been blooming inside of me and I had
to plant it somewhere before it wilted. I hope you like my
humble attempt at a story. Also, this is pretty much based
on the manga, and takes place AFTER Volume 38 (the final
Ranma manga). If you need this in a different format, please
let me know!! :)

-Misa
marisa@gladstone.uoregon.edu
http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~marisa/anime.html

p.s. CHRIS... tell me what you think ! :)



A Lesson In Love
By Marisa Price

Part 5: Moving On To A New Day

	Shampoo cautiously entered the Nekohantan, attempting
to sneak past her great-grandmother. Shampoo was not in the
mood to speak with Cologne at the moment; she didn't know how
she would answer the inevitable question, "How was your date
with son-in-law, Shampoo-dear?" Shampoo sighed, hoping that
she had escaped unscathed, when she heard a voice say, *Well
hello, daughter! Where have you been?*
	Shampoo turned and did her best to dredge up a slight
but reassuring smile. She said, as brightly as possible, *OH,
Father. I was just out for a bike ride.*
	Shampoo's father, a cigaratte hanging from his lips, gave
a slight grin to her from where he worked at the stove, and then he
went back to what he was doing. Shampoo breathed out in relief; at
LEAST it wasn't her great-grandmother. She moved down the 
hallway and wondered if she should go check on Mousse. She 
paused by his door, put her ear to the smooth wood, and listened.
Soft snoring could be heard, and Shampoo realized that he was
asleep and probably should stay that way, considering his 
condition. Instead of waking him, she went to go get a piece
of paper and a pen. She wrote in smooth black Chinese characters,
*Please come speak to me when you wake up. It is very important,
I have a question for you. -Shampoo*
	Shampoo clicked the cap back on the pen, folded  the
piece of paper, and taped the note to the door. She paused to
reopen the pen and scrawl, *Mousse* on the folded note. 
	Shampoo put the writing utensils away and went down the
hallway to her own room. She opened the door, the small cat
door-plate with "Shampoo" written on it swayed back and forth
on its string from the movement of the door, and it clattered
as Shampoo slammed the door shut behind her.
	She threw herself down on her bed and stared up at the
ceiling. She hated her room. In fact, she hated almost everything
about Japan and her life here. Back at Joketsuzoku she had her
own house, and it was decorated in high Chinese-Amazon style.
It was too expensive here in Japan for luxuries, and the small
cat-plate on the door (a present from Mousse) was about the
only decoration she could afford.
	Shampoo sighed.
	She missed her friends, her "sisters," her home, her
LIFE in China. Japan was the same cycle every day: chase Ranma,
work, sleep, chase Ranma. It was horrible. She knew, and she had
known all along, that Ranma did not love her. It was a battle,
though, and Shampoo did not like to lose a fight. Ranma might
be able to defeat her in martial arts, but she was determined
that he would not get away without losing his heart.
	However, Shampoo's plan had failed. Once again, Ranma
had escaped unscathed, and it was SHE, Shampoo, who had fallen
in love. Fallen in love with someone who did not love her back.
	Shampoo angrily reached up to wipe a stray tear away from
the corner of her eye. True warriors did NOT cry. She had given
in to that weakness too many times since she had met Ranma. 
Shampoo realized that she was losing herself; losing her identity
as a Chinese-Amazon.
	And all for WHAT?
	Shampoo picked up one of her bonbori and threw it
against the wall. It crashed with a loud bang, cracking the
plaster and denting the heavy wooden beam it had hit.
	*DAMN!* she cried.
	Shampoo turned over and let the tears come. And come
they did, a torrent which had long been held inside. She kept
muttering, *JERK! FOOL! IDIOT!*
	Shampoo didn't pause to wonder if she was cursing Ranma,
or herself.

*******

	Ranma had long since gone home, and Ukyou had left 
Ryouga to sweep the floors while she went to do dishes. She 
figured that since Ryouga would be getting room and board in
ADDITION to regular pay, he might as well do a little more work
than Ranma. Ukyou walked out of the kitchen, wiping her clean
but still wet hands on her pants, and realized that something
was wrong. Where was Ryouga?!
	"Ryouga?!" she called, hoping he hadn't managed to get
lost in the twenty minutes that she had left him in the restaurant.
	"JEESH!" Ukyou thought, sullenly, "Ranma wasn't kidding
about that jackass getting LOST."
	"RYOUGA!!!!!" She yelled.
	"I'm out here on the front porch, Ukyou! No need to yell!"
Ryouga's voice called back.
	Ukyou turned around from the front door and walked to the
back of the store. She stepped out the door and looked at the 
sitting Ryouga, commenting, "Actually, Ryouga-hon, you are on the
BACK porch."
	"I..I...I... am ?!" Ryouga said surprised.
	Ukyou nodded and said, sitting down next to him, "Ryouga,
please promise me that if you are going to work for me you will
ASK me before trying to go anywhere! That includes the bathroom
and your bedroom."
	Ryouga sighed and said, "Sorry, Ukyou. I am just such a
lucky guy that I have -two- curses."
	Ukyou frowned and patted Ryouga on the arm. "I'm sorry,
Ryouga. I didn't mean it to sound like that."
	Ryouga kicked a dirt clod with his foot and said, quietly,
"It's OK. Gods know I am used to it by now."
	There was an uncomfortable silence. Finally, Ukyou broke
it by saying, "So, Ryouga, why are you out here anyway?"
	"I was just thinking."
	"About what?" Ukyou wanted to know.
	"Akane." Ryouga sighed.
	Ukyou reacted as if she had been slapped. She growled,
"Why did you have to bring HER up? HUH? I don't see what you saw
in her anyway. What does RANCHAN see in her?!"
	Ryouga looked up at Ukyou, his green eyes glowing brightly
in the moonlight, and he replied sharply, "Well, I don't see what
you saw in Ranma any more than you can see why I love Akane!!"
	"Tell me then, Ryouga!" Ukyou yelled. "Tell me what is so
great about that stuck-up tomboy!!"
	Ryouga's eyes got a far-away, dreamy, love-struck look,
and he said, "Well, she is beautiful..."
	"Humph. Plain and she has that stupid bob haircut!"
	Ryouga came back with, "And she is so kind and caring."
	"What, when she is beating the crap out of Ranchan?"
	"She tries so hard to cook..."
	"And still comes up with the most noxious concoctions
known to man."
	Ryouga growled at Ukyou, baring his fangs, and said, 
"Well at least she DRESSES like a GIRL!!!"
	THAT got to Ukyou, she reached back her hand to slap
Ryouga. Ryouga caught her hand easily and said, "No comeback
for THAT one, huh?"
	Ukyou positively glowed with battle-energy and she 
screamed, "JACKASS! I HATE you!!"
	Ryouga dropped her hand, laid down on the deck, and
said, "I'm sorry Ukyou. That really WAS mean. You just really
got to me with your comments."
	Ukyou looked a tiny bit pacified by his apology, and
the aura REALLY began to fade when he added, "And it doesn't
really matter anyway, Ukyou, you look cute in what you wear."
	"Y...y....y.....you MEAN that?" Ukyou asked, shocked.
	Ryouga looked over at her, surprised at her sudden
stuttering, and said, "Uh, yeah, why?"
	"Well, uh, no one, um, has ever told me that before but
Ranma." she said quietly.
	"Really?" Ryouga asked, and then added, "What about 
Konatsu and Tsubasa?"
	Ukyou slugged Ryouga and said sharply, "Those two don't
count!! They could HARDLY qualify as men."
	Ryouga flushed at THAT statement and got out, "Uh, does
that mean that you think of ME as a man?"
	Ukyou just gave him a scathing look.
	Ryouga sighed and turned his gaze to the moon, saying
quietly, "If only Akane could love me as a man."
	"Akane, Akane," Ukyou grumbled, laying back also on the
deck to look at the night sky.
	"Well, what was so great about RANMA?" Ryouga suddenly
wanted to know.
	"Ranchan?" Ukyou asked, surprised.
	"Yeah! Why did you fall for that half-girl hentai?"
	"Well," Ukyou began, "I have always thought of myself
as being engaged to him, since we were kids, and we were always
friends...."
	"Friends don't make lovers. I know THAT better than
anyone," Ryouga commented.
	"Oh shut up. It was more than that. He is so handsome,
and he told me I was cute, and I just.. I just wanted to spend
the rest of my life with him."
	"But he is SUCH a stuck-up jerk!"
	"Well, he can be, but he as always been so nice to me,
even nicer than he has ever been to Akane. He was there for me
when I needed him."
	"Yeah?" Ryouga asked.
	"Yeah." Ukyou affirmed, and then sighed.
	"What?"
	"I was just thinking that, no matter how many times he
DID help me out, when it came down to helping Akane or helping me,
he...."
	"Always helped Akane?"
	Ukyou nodded sadly, turning her head to look at Ryouga,
who lay two feet away from her.
	Ryouga said, sadly, "It was the same with her. She was
always happy when I helped her, but, when it came down to it, she 
really wanted RANMA to help her, not me."
	"DOES she love him back?" Ukyou wanted to know.
	"I think she has always loved him. I just always tried
to avoid the truth...." Ryouga sighed again.
	Ukyou sat up and put out her hand to help Ryouga up.
"Come on, pig-boy, I think we have talked about this sad subject
FAR too much tonight. Let's get to bed. We have SCHOOL tomorrow."
	Ryouga pulled himself up, released Ukyou's hand, and
said, "Uh, SCHOOL?"
	"Yeah, you know, with books, and teachers, and students?"
	"Well, uh, I have sorta skipped out on school since, uh,
Junior High?" Ryouga said, blushing.
	Ukyou sighed and said, "Well, all the better to start
getting caught up now. I think I might have an extra uniform that
you can wear."
	"No WAY! I am NOT going to wear a girl's uniform!" Ryouga
shouted.
	"Baka." Ukyou conked Ryouga on the head. "I wear a BOY'S
uniform to school, remember?"
	"Oh, heh heh," Ryouga giggled inanely.
	Ukyou stood up and dragged Ryouga off into the building.
	"Ukyou?"
	"I am taking you to your room, baka. No WAY you could
find it yourself." Ukyou said without turning to look at Ryouga.
	"Ukyou?" Ryouga said again, stopping.
	Ukyou turned to look at Ryouga and asked, puzzled, "What?"
	Ryouga smiled at Ukyou, reaching one hand up to scratch
the back of his head and blushing furiously. He got out, "Uh, um,
Ukyou? Thanks for taking me in, and, uh, thanks for listening."
	Ukyou smiled back and said, "Well, I guess this means that
we are friends now, huh?"
	Ryouga blushed even harder and said, "Uh, yeah, if you,
uh, want to be..."
	Ukyou squeezed Ryouga's hand and said, "Hey, the heartbroken
have to stick together, right?"
	Ryouga looked a little sad again. Ukyou began to feel the
emptiness creep over her and plastered a smile on her face.
	"Come on Ryouga! Cheer up! Tomorrow is a NEW day."
	The both went to bed still saddened, but happy to know that
they were no longer alone. Ukyou thought as she finally succumbed 
to sleep that, indeed, tomorrow WAS a new day, a day to try and 
go on without Ranma. For better or for worse, that was the way it
was going to be.

******

	Mousse had knocked quietly on Shampoo's door several times.
He finally quietly opened the door a crack and said into the half-lit
room, "Uh, Shampoo?"
	He looked over to the bed and saw her curled up in a ball,
hugging her pillow to her. He opened the door wider and crept into
the room. He walked over to her bed and looked down at her.
	She looked so peaceful in her sleep, such a contrast to the
fierce facade she presented when she was awake. She was always ready
to defend herself, never letting anyone get close to her, even those
who loved her most. The only person she would physically touch was 
that BASTARD Ranma. Mousse sighed. He slowly reached a hand down to
touch her cheek. Her cheek was flushed, and her eyes were slightly
swollen, almost as if she had been crying.... Shampoo crying? It
couldn't be... unless? He touched her soft skin, reveling in the 
silky feel of her. Suddenly his hand was caught by Shampoo's and she
tossed it away from her.
	*DON'T touch ME!!!* she screamed at him.
	The fierceness was back.
	*Uh, SORRY, Shampoo! I just...* Mousse stuttered.
	*You were just doing what you ALWAYS do!* Shampoo yelled at
him.
	Mousse hung his head, saying quietly, *I am sorry... I was
just coming to talk to you as your note requested.*
	*I wanted you to TALK to me, not touch me while I was asleep!"
	"I'm sorry, Shampoo." Mousse said again, in Japanese this time.
	Shampoo grumbled, *It is not that I don't like you, Mousse.
I just don't LOVE you. You have never given me a chance to even think
about how I feel about you!*
	Mousse looked up at Shampoo, surprised lighting his eyes, and
asked, "W...w..what?"
	*It has always been, 'I love you Shampoo,' 'You are my 
goddess, Shampoo,' 'I worship you Shampoo!' Why can't you just try to
be my FRIEND first! I am not an object to be worshipped!*
	*BUT!*
	*But NOTHING, Mousse! It just makes me angry when you hang
all over me like that. If you kept your distance and helped me when
I really NEEDED you, I might feel differently!*
	Mousse looked dumbfounded.
	*If you really wanted me you would have long ago gone into
training to get good enough to defeat me! And you could have done
something about your eyes, so that you weren't talking to every
statue, dog, cow, and wall thinking it was me!!*
	*But... my family was so poor. We did not have the money for
operations... you know that. I am sorry I am a blind fool... and in
more ways than one.* Mousse sighed, and Shampoo could have sworn
she saw a sparkle of a tear under the rim of Mousse's glasses. She
suddenly felt a bit bad about what she had said; after all, Mousse
WAS a family friend, and she had known him since childhood. She stood
and walked over to Mousse, leading him to a worn chair near her bed.
She put her hand on his shoulder and said, Mousse, can't you try to
stop being obsessed, and just try to be... well... a normal friend
to me?*
	*It...it's difficult, Shampoo... My whole life I have loved
you...* he said softly.
	Shampoo cooed, *Mousse... I know. But before you love someone,
you have to like them. True love is love that is returned...*
	"True love is love that is returned..." sang through Shampoo's
head. Then, she realized the truth about Ranma. Ranma didn't return
her love... he already loved someone else... someone who returned
his love.
	*Mousse...* she spoke so quietly that Mousse almost didn't
hear her next words. *Mousse... if you try to stop being obsessed
with me.... I.... I... I will try to stop chasing after Ranma.*
	Mousse looked up at her; Shampoo was looking down at the 
floor, small tears trickling from her eyes.
	He raised his hand to wipe the tears away with a handkerchief
he pulled out of his voluminous sleeves. This time, she didn't knock
his hand away. Mousse smiled up at her and said, *I will do my best,
for you, Shampoo.*
	*NOT for me, Mousse, do it for YOURSELF!!" Shampoo said
sharply.
	*I... I have never done anything for myself before.*
	*Maybe it is time, Mousse.*
	Mousse stood up and hugged Shampoo, and she allowed him
to hold her. For once, he was just content to be near her, restraining
his emotions. Then he realized Shampoo was sobbing.
	*Shampoo, what is it?* he asked, concerned.
	*Mousse, I want to go home. I want to go back to Joketsuzoku.*
she cried. *I... want to be where people speak our language and where
our friends are. Ranma... he says he and Ryouga are going to look
for a cure to their curses... they are going back to China.*
	Mousse stiffened a bit and said, *Was this what you wanted
to talk about? Going to China with them?*
	Shampoo nodded and added, *But to be honest... I just want
to go home... but I thought it would only be fair to ask you if you
wanted to join them.*
	Shampoo pulled herself back from Mousse and looked up at
him, he was frowning... thinking.
	Finally, Mousse nodded, and said, *Alright. I think I want
to join them... at least to go back to Joketsuzoku... I am not sure
if I am ready to go on a longer quest than that. We can ask the 
village elders and the Jusenkyo Guide about other legendary cursed
springs.*
	Shampoo nodded in agreement, yet asked, *But Mousse, don't
you want to go on the quest to get a cure?*
	Mousse shook his head and said, *Not if it means going on a
long journey... I am content with my state, unlike those two. I...
I will be busy training and finding out if there is a medical operation
that can help my sight.*
	Shampoo smiled at Mousse, understanding. He pulled away from
her and said, *Goodnight, Shampoo. Better get a good night's sleep.
It is going to be a long day tomorrow with the old ghoul ordering
us around.*
	Then he left... no blathering, no simpering, no clinging...
He had just said goodnight, and gone to his room.
	Shampoo sat on her bed, a smile on her face, looking forward
to the future, a new day, the end of the endless cycle.
	"Ranma," Shampoo thought, "I WILL get over him."
	And, that though set firmly in her mind, Shampoo crawled
into bed and turned out the light.


End of Part 5

Coming SOON! Part 6