Chapter 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?!" Ukyou was surprised at her own vhemence, but the pain in her
heart seemed to drive each harsh word.
	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 yelled, "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, surprise 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..." continued to reverberate 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. But… that is all I can give you right
now. Maybe the only thing I can EVER give you. I just don’t know.*
	Mousse looked up at her. Shampoo was looking down at the floor, small tears
trickling from her eyes. This was the first time he had ever seen her cry.
	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,  *Yes… that is what they thought too…" Her
eyes became puzzled again and she 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.

Marisa Price
marisa@gladstone.uoregon.edu
Anime Page!!! includes my Ranma and MI picture pages!!
http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~marisa/
Mermaid Saga Web Page!!
http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~marisa/mermaid.html
Member of COR and UDIC.
Anime otaku forever! Medieval Studies and English major.