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|Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!|
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=> Warning!  This fic contains excessive amounts of sugar!  With 
Valentine's day nearing, every single media in existence has been 
turning out sugar bombs that try to mutate all of us into starry-eyed 
idiots.  Sad to say, they have converted me into their sorry lot.   

=> Although I'm *not* proud to be among the few people who dread the 
coming of February, I am forced, under the pain of insanity, torture, 
slow death, (and lots of other horrible things to graphic to mention), 
to write this fic.  Writing romance stories makes me feel all good 
inside.  <gasp>  It's starting already!  Somebody!  Whack me on the 
head!  <Whack, whack>  Thanks, I needed that.  

=> I'm warning you at this point in time that the fic has a *really 
cheesy ending*.   

=> Also, the plot (actually the ending) is not really my original idea.  
I would like to thank my contributor (who still desires to remain 
nameless) for coming up with the cheesy ending that started the wheels 
turning in my mind to come up with a story to match.  May she (and all 
those other nameless people) find our own cheesy ending sometime in the 
foreseeable future.

=> Some notes on notation.  Things in {curly braces} are author's 
comments within the fic.  Signs and sound effects are in... uh... 
<pointy braces> 

=> The disclaimer is at the end, and the more people I would like to 
thank.   

=> Will somebody whack me so I can start?  Thanks.  
********  


8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F  
                 Twenty Less Lonely People in the World
   <otherwise known as Mayhem's Valentine Fic with the Cheesy Ending>  
   By the currently sessile (not senile) Nikholas "Mayhem" F. Toledo  
8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F  

Chapter Nine
Aftermath

	"SHAMPOO!"  Ranma's scream echoed through the now-silent theater.  
He hurriedly dug through the rubble, expecting to see Shampoo's broken 
body.  A sigh of relief came over him as he realized that Shampoo was 
still breathing.  He collapsed on the floor.
	An enraged Ukyo picked Mousse from off the floor using just one 
hand.  "JUST WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!!!"  She was about to 
strike him when she felt water fall on the hand that was holding Mousse 
a few feet from the floor.  Mousse cried hot and bitter tears, tears 
that he had kept for so long, tears dripping down his cheek.  Ukyo threw 
him roughly to the floor.  "My God, what have I done," he sobbed.
	Akane stood up in shock, suddenly remembering.  "WHERE'S 
JUNIOR?!?"
	"Over here!"  Sayuri called from a portion of the theater where a 
piece of the upper balcony caved in.  "It's Junior!  I think he's okay!  
Someone get him to the hospital, quick!"
	The exit doors at the far end of the ruined moviehouse crashed to 
the ground as two figures entered.  Dr. Tofu grasped the situation at a 
glance.  "Kasumi!  Go and help Shampoo.  I'll take care of the little 
kid."  He hurriedly ran over to the little kid, while Kasumi went to 
check on Shampoo.  In his haste, Dr. Tofu dropped his glasses. 
	Akane heard a third person enter the room.  "Son!"  the man 
bellowed.  "Where is my son?!?"
	"Oh no," Akane thought.  "It's Junior's father!"
	Hiroshi held Sayuri protectively as Dr. Tofu and the man checked 
on Junior's vital signs.  "He's stable now," Dr. Tofu declared after a 
few terse seconds.  Sayuri breathed a sigh of relief, and Hiroshi held 
her tighter, sharing her pain.  He led her away, to fresh air.
	"Someone take him to the hospital."  The father was only too happy 
to comply.  Junior began to moan.  "Dad..." he said, coughing, "I'm 
okay.  You can put me down now."  "No son, we have to go the hospital, 
just to make sure."  The father and son ran out through the broken doors 
and disappeared, stepping over Dr. Tofu's glasses in the process. 
	Dr. Tofu stumbled his way over to Kasumi, who applied first aid to 
Shampoo.  After a few minutes, she was weakly complaining.  "Shampoo 
Chinese Amazon.  It take more than stupid punch to beat Shampoo." 
	Ukyo walked over were Ranma was still on the floor, weak with 
relief.  Ukyo held Ranma's hand protectively. 
	Akane felt warm hands on her shoulder.  Ryoga wanted very much to 
comfort her, to take her in his arms, but it was not his place.  She 
cared for Ranma, he knew, she cared for Ranma more than anything else in 
the world.
	It was too much for Akane.  Mousse going berserk, Shampoo almost 
getting herself killed, Junior... It was all her fault.  She should have 
kept an eye on Junior.  She should have been sitting beside her and not 
beside Ryoga a while ago just to spite Ranma.  She hated herself.  She 
had this tremendous desire to run away, to just run away. 
	There was the sound of running footsteps.  Ranma sat up to see 
Akane's departing figure.  "AKANE!" he yelled, forgetting everything.  
He ran after her, as fast as he could. 
	Ukyo was stunned to see Ranma jump away like that.  At the same 
time, there was this loud crashing noise where Ryoga crashed to the wall 
in a fit of depression.  Ukyo didn't ask herself which path to follow.  
She just upped and ran.  
	Seeing that it was all over, Kasumi leaned on Dr. Tofu's arm.  
"Let's leave them alone..." she said, whispering quietly in his ear.  
Dr. Tofu was amazed that he wasn't going crazy. He reached out to take 
Kasumi's hand.  "Please lead the way," he smiled sheepishly, "I can't 
see very well without my glasses."  Kasumi smiled a quiet and simple 
smile.  The two of them walked out hand in hand. 
	They left Shampoo and Mousse in the ruins of the empty theater. 

	One floor above, another couple stepped out of the doors of the 
upper balcony.  "Well, that was a good movie," Nabiki said in her normal 
coldly calculating tone.  "Going out on this date was such a good idea, 
Kuno.  If you find yourself buried neck deep in the ground, give me a 
call, okay?"
	Kuno, covered with dust, said with much pain in his voice, "How 
could you be so insensitive, Nabiki Tendo?"  He left Nabiki staring at 
his back dumbfounded.
	"What the heck was that?"

Nikholas F. Toledo Zu @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/mezza9.html
Vector, Switch, Yebah, Rain Man, goo, Pervert, Scruples, Hollie, NomaD,
Blitz, Gee, Datzo, Jewel, Elf, Radler, Pinball, Mayhem, Chaos, Father, Attar
Fanfiction @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/fanfics.html
Warp Zone @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/thirteen.html
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The logo of the Church of All Worlds is nine concentric circles.
Word from the Laity:  Wipe yer feet!  Bloody 'ell...
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Gallery/3145/index.html
Currently under construction... confessional at the links.
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