Rejected

Part 4 - Wednesday

By Lord Archive

This is dark and sad series. 

Characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Video, etc..., and are 
used without permission. I'm only borrowing them. I'll return them. I 
can't afford the overdue charge Nabiki insists on.

--------------------------------

I awake to a blur. That's normal. I always have a hard time seeing. 
There is only one thing I can ever see clearly and that is my love 
for Shampoo.

The Old Ghoul sent me out on a fool's errand after Nabiki told her 
something. I really want to know what it is Nabiki said. They had 
better not be plotting to get Ranma together with Shampoo.

I'm not sure about how Nabiki is involved in this fiancee mess that 
surrounds Ranma. I know She makes a mint selling stuff to various 
fiancees, pitting them against each other. Never has she given full 
advantage to one over another, even her own sister. Perhaps the Dried 
Mummy decided to give Nabiki an offer she couldn't refuse. After all, 
their are some priceless Amazon treasures in her possession that also 
have powerful magic.

Whatever the plan is, I will stop it!

I sit quietly in my cage. What I put up with in the name of love. I 
live like I do, willingly, for my love. If anyone tried to force me 
to live like this, they would be dead.

Ah, the shining light of my love is here. Oh, Shampoo, how I have 
missed your glorious sight.

Note to self, stop spending time around Kuno.

My cage opens and the soft gentle hand of my love pick me up and toss me 
into the sink. She turns on the hot water, and now I am standing as 
man. My assets are in front of her face. "Shampoo my love!"

"Mousse should have some shame! Put clothes on!"

"Love does not know of shame!"

I see her head turn away. I'm not sure if I heard her correctly, but 
I swear I just heard her say, "Shampoo have to ask Akane that." She 
knocks me into the corner of the room and tosses my clothes on me. I 
quickly put them on.

"Does Mousse really love Shampoo?" she asks and my heart soars with 
the eagles.

"Yes! I really love you with all my heart and being and body..."

Shampoo interrupts, "Then Mousse promise Shampoo that Mousse will one 
day die an honored Amazon male."

"I promise Shampoo! I swear by all that is sacred that I will die an 
honored Amazon male."

She's smiling at me. Finally she sees that I love her! "Shampoo will 
never forgive Mousse if break that promise."

"I will never break it." I stand firm on this.

"Then today, Mousse must leave for China."

My eyes widen in shock. She finally gave up on Saotome. We can go 
home. Maybe she'll even be my wife. I'd jump for joy, but I can 
barely manage standing right now.

"Great-grandmother and Mousse must leave soon."

"Of course, we'll leave soon. I can have us packed and ready to go 
before the day is through." This is the happiest day of my life. I 
grab a box and start tossing stuff into it.

Shampoo stops me. "No, that stuff stays with Shampoo. Mousse and 
Great-grandmother leave."

"W-what?"

"Shampoo is wanderer now."

My legs give out. "W-wanderer... you can't mean..."

"Shampoo on hopeless mission to marry Ranma. Shampoo can no go home 
until married to Ranma, but Ranma married to Akane now. Shampoo will 
never marry Ranma, so Shampoo is wanderer."

"But Shampoo... why? Why can't you go home?"

"Because Shampoo got cursed for not returning with Ranma that first 
time. What would elders do if Shampoo returns when know Ranma will 
never be my husband?"

"Certainly they couldn't..."

"Mousse! Shampoo was greatest of her generation and heir to Khu Lon. 
Shampoo has failed to kill and failed to marry, so elders will make 
example if Shampoo returns. Shampoo may end up trapped in curse form, 
executed in a painful, public display, or some other sort of 
punishment that makes death look like something rather nice."

My darling Shampoo a wanderer... how can this be? This is wrong... so 
very wrong. All because she couldn't kill or marry Ranma. I... I will 
kill him for Shampoo. 

I stand up and take two steps towards the door. I stop because I feel 
Shampoo's sword at my throat. 

"Mousse, remember promise. Shampoo is already marked as wanderer. 
Mousse can no longer interfere or be dishonored. Dishonor in this 
means Mousse will never die as honorable Amazon male. Mousse would 
break promise, and Shampoo never forgive." She then sighs. "Shampoo 
still couldn't return if Mousse kills Ranma now. Only Shampoo can 
kill Ranma, or stay wanderer."

"But Shampoo... why can't I stay with you then? I can be your 
wandering partner."

"Because Shampoo no love Mousse. Shampoo barely tolerate Mousse now, 
Shampoo cannot bear thought of having to put up with Mousse for rest 
of Shampoo's life. Also then Mousse break promise to Shampoo and die 
dishonorably."

"But... Shampoo..." My legs once again give out. I can't take this. 
She is leaving me and I can't stop it. By Amazon laws Shampoo is dead 
to me now. Why? Why can't she just marry me? Why can't she let me at 
least stay with her as her wandering partner?

"Shampoo wish Mousse realize this sooner. That Mousse give up silly 
pursuit. At least Mousse can go home." The sadness in voice sings 
like a melody to my ears. One that'd move me to tears if I wasn't 
crying already.

"This isn't fair!" I cry.

"Mousse right, is no fair. It is what it is, and the law is the law. 
Shampoo have no choice."

"What... what are you going to do now?"

"Shampoo run restaurant. Is all Shampoo have left."

"Shampoo..." I sob.

"Mousse go pack. Mousse must leave wanderer as soon as possible."

Reluctantly I get up and do as she says. I don't want to leave her, 
but I must. Damn all the laws and honor, I want to be with Shampoo... 
but she wants me to die with honor. I... I must do as she wants.

I pack my things quickly into my robes. Hidden weapons school of 
martial arts certainly helps with the carrying the luggage. I wish I 
could laugh at my joke, but I don't feel like it.

I've been here for well over a year now. It's become a home of sorts, 
but I have to leave here. I can't associate with a wanderer. 

Wanderer. A cursed term of my people. A name for those who have 
entered into an impossible mission that has no hope of being 
completed and yet death would be preferable to failing that mission. 
A wanderer can't receive help from or even be with any Amazon unless 
they are their wandering partner. The wanderer must execute the 
conclusion of the mission, and not by anyone else's hands or by 
accident. At no time is a wanderer allowed to return home without 
proof of the completion of the mission or face a punishment where 
execution is one of the more lenient forms. 

What is worse is that the elders can now choose to add more missions 
for Shampoo to complete before she can return. They may even demand 
Shampoo honor both her missions, marry and kill Ranma before she can 
return. If they give her a mission and Shampoo fails it, she can be 
punished as if she had returned to the village.

My precious Shampoo is a wanderer, and I can't do a damn thing about 
it.

I may not be able to kill Ranma, but I can tell him what I think of 
him and what he's done to Shampoo.

I prepare to leave, perhaps to never again see this place or Shampoo 
ever again after today.

The Old Ghoul will likely take all day to finish packing her stuff. I 
will go to see Ranma and I will make him see what he's done.

"Where Mousse going? Great-grandmother isn't ready to leave," I hear 
my beloved ask to me.

"To see Saotome Ranma and bid him fair well." I'm sure there's an 
evil glint in my eye.

"Mousse no tell Tendo Ranma what happen to Shampoo."

Tendo Ranma? I guess he took Akane's name. But for Shampoo to say his full
name... she must have... No! She couldn't have accepted the marriage.

"Why should I? He  should know what he's done to you." The contempt in my
voice is thicker than tree sap.

"If Mousse does, Ranma may commit suicide. Ranma is not in healthy 
frame of mind right now."

Ranma commit suicide over this? Ha! The arrogant bastard would likely 
say sorry and nothing more.

"Mousse no know what happen to Ranma. Ranma married Akane because 
Akane accepts Ranma, where Ranma's mother did not. Ranma's mother 
ended Saotome line Sunday, because Ranma's mother saw Ranma as 
failure. Ranma was to be man amongst men, but Ranma's mother see 
curse as failure. Ranma's mother and father were killed because 
Ranma's mother blind to man in curse body." Shampoo is now crying, 
and my heart aches.

Failure? Ranma is a failure? How I wish that were true. Ranma is many 
things, but not a failure. There is nothing he has ever faced that he 
has not beaten. Nothing he has not overcome. Failure is not in his 
rather limited vocabulary. For his own mother to think that must be 
unbearable. Mothers are to lead, guide and protect and his mother has 
not done so.

"Mousse understand? Ranma thinks is failure. If Ranma knows of 
Shampoo's disgrace, may kill self. Then Shampoo have no hope of 
returning home. Shampoo's only hope is to outlive Akane. Then Shampoo 
may get to marry Ranma. It not much of hope, but all the hope Shampoo 
have."

"You're not going to convince try and Ranma to divorce Akane or 
something after he recovers?" I never thought I'd actually desire 
Shampoo to marry Ranma... but if I am to ever see her again, she must 
marry him.

Shampoo shakes her head. "I could try but no work. Ranma has married 
Akane. As much as Shampoo hate it, they are truly married. Shampoo 
has seen them together when they no see Shampoo, what Shampoo saw was 
not even two people who are very close, but one person in two 
bodies."

One person in two bodies... a bond beyond marriage. A bond laws and 
rituals cannot make, only love. A bond that likely means if one dies, 
both die. For Shampoo to say she saw that, it must be true. 

Oh my Shampoo, what shall become of you? I want to be with you 
always, and yet that is no longer possible. The world is a sad, 
lonely place for it is now without love.

Note to self, avoid seeing Ryoga. Especially if he knows what's 
happened.

---------------------------

I am now at the property of my most accursed foe. The one who 
unknowingly took my Shampoo away from me, and I can't do a damn thing 
to him. Think of him as a comrade in arms. One who has helped me in 
the past.

"Greetings Ranma, Akane," I say to them. I hope I cover my disgust at 
seeing them.

"Hi, Mousse," they return in unison. They show no signs of seeing how 
I really feel about them right now.

"I've come to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Ranma asks.

"Yes, I have a duty to perform back home. I wish I could stay here, 
in Japan, longer but that is no longer possible. I will miss you 
two." Even though I hate them, I do mean what I say. I will miss 
them.

"I wish you could stay too. It won't be the same without you." 
Akane's voice is filled with sorrow.

"Oh, you want me running around trying to kill your husband?"

Ranma starts studying the floor.

"No!" Akane flusters. "I mean you're our friend, and we will miss 
you."

"I guess we did have an odd sort of friendship born of rivalry. But 
that is past, and I must leave. I would have suggested you stop by 
and see me if you ever made it to China, but my tribe would likely 
try to kill Ranma if you did."

"Why's that?" Ranma asks.

"Because you didn't marry Shampoo."

"Oh. So... um, what happens to Shampoo now?" Now he asks?!

I remember the sort of lie Shampoo wants me to tell them. "She'll 
stay here. She can't return home until she finds a husband, and she 
made it impossible for it to be me."

"Sorry to hear that. I mean that you can't marry her." Ranma actually 
means it.

"I can't stay here much longer. The Old Ghoul and I are leaving 
tonight."

"The Old Ghoul's going to?" Ranma asks.

"Yeah, we have the same duty to perform."

"Will you ever come back?" Akane asks.

"It's not likely, but who knows. If I'm ever in the neighborhood, 
I'll drop by."

"You'll always be welcome here." Akane says, to which Ranma nods.

"Thank you. Goodbye." I bow to them.

"Goodbye," they say, sadly, as one.

I leave them, to their life, to their future. They are blissfully 
unaware of what they've done to Shampoo, to me, but at least they 
aren't blissful. The pain I saw in their eyes is deep enough to make 
the greatest of warriors cry.

I stop now, a block a way and cry. Ranma has one foot in the grave 
now. He looks ready to die. If Akane ever gets mad at him and says 
'die Ranma' as she has before, he will go and kill himself. For my 
Shampoo, Ranma must live. But I can't even try to help him live now.

If Shampoo is to ever return, she must marry Ranma. But for that to 
happen, Akane must die. If Akane dies, though, Ranma dies. Because of 
this Shampoo is dead to me, now and forever.

"Why Shampoo?! Why have you forced me away from you?!" I scream to 
the sky.

I have my life ahead of me, but the one I love doesn't. She lives on 
a hope she knows is false. I must live as my love wishes, to die an 
honored Amazon male. My life is so hollow now. Dying an honored 
Amazon holds no meaning to me, save that it is my love's wish that is 
what I should do.

She has used my love to reject me. I am nothing. I am without love. 
The love of my life has rejected me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
************************************************************************
------------------------------------------------------------------------

I watch as they perform the funeral services for my oldest and 
dearest friend. 

I don't really know what is going on. I'm crying to hard. Kasumi is 
comforting me.

At least... at least Saotome got to see his fondest wish fulfilled 
before he died. That our houses were joined. His son has finally 
married my youngest daughter. 

I was happy and sad when I heard Akane scream out in passion. That 
the marriage had been consummated made me happy, but the fact that 
Saotome wasn't around anymore to know it made me sad.

I hope there is some way that a person knows what happens after they 
die. That Saotome and my darling wife watch over us.

I look at my son-in-law, he's in his girl form. Akane is holding him 
while he cries.

We got what we wish for Saotome, but I wish it didn't have to happen 
this way.

Now I'm alone again. Having Saotome around was what helped me get 
through the day. Now what am I suppose to do? I have nothing left. My 
remaining days are to be filled with boring nothingness. These is 
little for me to do anymore.

I might consider joining my wife and my friend if I didn't have some 
things to live for. I still want to see all of my daughters get 
married and I want to see my grandchildren born.

Life will be so boring without you, my friend. At least your son will 
give me some excitement.



--------------------------------
Author's Notes:

Thanks to the Rams, Freemage, David Tatum, and all of you who've sent me
C&C of any sort.

I've had some e-mail problems lately which have finally been fixed. My web
page is working fine now and I access my mail again. TICv3C4 and reposts
of Tic V1 C3 - C5 will be posted in a day or two.


			 / LORD ARCHIVE \
************************************************************************
* The JAFO otaku.    *        A Knight of The True Fiancee, Akane.     *
* Slave of GRAAC     *     Addiction, The Footman of the Appocalypse.  *
************************************************************************
*      Web Page: http://www.mich.com/~archive - Ranma fan-fiction      * 
************************************************************************