There've been some very good responses to this challenge; here's mine. I
did think of the idea before I started writing, and I went back and
changed the beginning after I finished the end, so I don't know if this
counts. Anyway, enjoy, and C&C is most welcome!



		THE REFLECTION
		by Gary Kleppe
		Proudly designated as a Spamfic

"I've got good news and bad news, Ran-chan." Ukyo grinned as she deftly
slid the three oknomiyakis onto the table. It was dark outside due to an
impending thunderstorm, and Ukyo could see her reflection in her
restaurant's window.

"You're dumping Ranma?" Hiroshi joked as he dove into the lunch in front
of him. "What's the bad news?"

Daisuke winced in sympathy as Ukyo's spatula came crashing down onto his
buddy's head. Some things you just didn't joke about.

Ukyo turned to Ranma and smiled cutely, as if that last distraction
hadn't occurred. "Remember that guy Tsubasa who chased both of us around
that one time?" Ranma nodded in assent.

"I remember Tsubasa," Hiroshi said, groggily un-flattening himself.

"Wait a minute...  'he'?" Daisuke asked, a little embarrassed about some
of the thoughts he'd had the first time he'd seen Tsubasa.

"Yeah, of course I remember that little jerk, What about him?" Ranma
said between mouthfulls of okonomiyaki. He wanted to finish eating
quickly so he could get home before the storm. The reflection he saw in
the window was that of a guy; he wanted to keep it that way.

"The bad news is, Tsubasa's back. The good news is," Ukyo paused and
smiled, as if about to deliver the punchline on some hilarious joke,
"he's after someone else this time."

__________________

"Welcome to the Nekohanten," Mousse said as he held open the door. He
looked to check how many people were in the party. He saw no people,
only a refrigerator.

This can't be right, he thought. He pushed his glasses down over his
eyes.

The refrigerator was still there. "CHARGE!!" it yelled, as it suddenly
pushed past Mousse into the restaurant. Knocking aside several tables,
it made a straight line for the kitchen.

Mousse stared in confusion as he heard an unfamiliar voice from the
kitchen. "My dearest darling Shampoo! You're the only one for me! I --"
The voice was interrupted by the sounds of violence, and the
refrigerator crashed involuntarily through the wall back into the dining
room.

"Stupid girl-boy!" Shampoo yelled from the kitchen. "Shampoo see again,
I KILL!!"

Something rose out of the refrigerator. Looking through his glasses,
Mousse saw what looked to be a cute young girl in a Japanese school
uniform.

Mousse glared at Tsubasa. "Who are YOU?! You stay away from Shampoo,
girl!!"

"Never!" Tsubasa cried. "And I'm one hundred percent man. Tsubasa
Kurenai. Shampoo is the love of my life! We were meant for each other!
Someday she'll realize it."

"She said she'd kill you if she saw you again!" Mousse was finding it
hard to be angry at this pathetic creature. Anyway, he was obviously
nothing to worry about as a rival.

"I don't care what she says! She'll change her mind. I don't care if it
takes the rest of my life. I'll never NEVER give up on my dear, dear
Shampoo!!"

Mousse stared at Tsubasa. Was he insane or something? Shampoo's never
done anything to him other than beat him up, and he's ready to follow
her to the ends of the Earth for the rest of his life declaring his
undying love for her. Who wouldn't call that crazy?

Mousse's glasses rested firmly over his eyes, his vision clear. But when
he looked at Tsubasa, that wasn't who he saw.

Gary Kleppe
kleppe@execpc.com, Home page http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe
My fanfics and the FFML map are on my comics/manga page,
       http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics