It was a moment Mousse had never felt before, it was like fear but
it was a fear from deep within.  He stood motionless outside the Nekohanten
as the sun set over Nerima, the sky fading from it's firey red to the
gentle blueblack of night.
        It felt like he had been gone forever, he sometimes wished it had
been forever.  In reality it had only been a few months since he had last
seen the Nekohanten.  He spent some of the worst years of his life there,
but he missed it all the same.  Some of his fondest memories laid there as
well.
        A few came to mind but quickly faded as the front screen of the
Nekohanten opened.  In a moment she was there, dispelling thoughts of both
the past and future. Mousse had spent a decade pursuing the woman that
stood before him now.  She was still the vision of beauty he fell in love
with so long ago, little changed in years much less months.
        Shampoo slowed to a stop, mirroring of the person before her.  Same
but different, as sudden as he had left her life he had returned to it.
His hair was a little shorter and the glasses were gone but it was still
him.
        He wore a simple chinese shirt and pants.  Shampoo couldn't help
but notice a slight resemblance to Ranma, it felt a bit strange to have
never noticed it before.  They stood there in silence neither sure what to
say, it was a moment without the need for words.
        Mousse broke the silence with almost a whisper, "I just wanted to
let you know I was back in town.  I left rather suddenly."
        "I know.  Grandmother hired Ranma to take up some of the extra
workload."
        "You and grandmother must be happy."
        "He doesn't do as much as you did but he only works for meals."
        "That's not what I meant."
        "I know."
        The second silence seemed quieter than the first.  Mousse looked
away as he felt old feelings beginning their resurface.  He could feel
himself falling and that was something he couldn't let himself do again.
        Something inside Shampoo faught the urge to torment Mousse, the
desire to do so was gone.  It reminded her of the old practice post near
her home in China.  She hit it harder and harder right until the day it
broke.
        She fixed it better than new but could never find the strength to
hit it again.  It was almost fragile in her eyes, like Mousse seemed now.
        A slight drizzle could be seen hitting the pavement.  Mousse turned
his gaze from the ground to the sky as he produced a wooden umbrella.
Shampoo followed his gaze to the forming clouds.
        "I have to go.  I just came to say goodbye."
        "Do you have a place to stay?"
        "I'm staying with a friend."
        "You could stay here tonight."  Pause, "it looks like a big rain."
        It was a tempting offer.  "It's not far from here, but I should
leave soon before the rain picks up."
        They stared at each other for a few seconds, keeping their thoughts
to themselves.  Things changed, things that remained the same.  In the end
it came down to two people alone in the dark.  Shampoo closed her eyes as
the words left her lips, "do you still love me Mousse?"
        Mousse sighed softly and turning back down the path he had taken.
"Goodbye Shampoo."
        She opened her eyes and watched as his form disappeared into the
night, as the rain began to come down, as the world grew dark once again.
The streets were empty as Shampoo went back in and closed the Nekohanten
for the night.

fin.

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

        This story has a title.  I didn't write it down so I forgot it.  I
might be done with it, might not.  Just a little something I wrote while I
was in the mood, I guess it wasn't a happy mood.  It's loosely based on and
old fanfic I was writing awhile ago, if I ever rework that one I suppose
this could be part of it but as it is I like this by itself.  It's the only
thing I've written that I consider finished.  I hate writing, don't know
why I do it.
        I suppose I'll put it somewhere on my web page later, but for now
I'd like a nap.  Title, disclaimer, author notes later.  Just a story
folks, never finished one so never figured out what to do with one.
        BTW, they're speaking in Chinese.  Beyond that say whatever you
like, I wanted Shampoo easy to understand.
        Oh, and while I'm at it let me add this unrelated bit of
information:  Someone finally returned my Ranma fighting game for sfami,
the one with Herb.  I sold my snes so if anyone is interested in it mail me
an offer.  Have an XE-1 Joystick as well if anyone's interested.
        Also:  Where does Yinyang/Pic get all the stories?  I'd like to
read some like "The fanfic for you" but I have no idea.  I don't keep track
of anything anymore.  when I first started I read 200+ fanfics and most
were never finished, this was back when whitewolf's page was current mind
you.  ;)
        I have missed a ton but I'm not sure how to catch up or if I have
the time yet.  I'm rambling, I'll end here.

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