When love is bound (Rough)
By Kahlil Noriega
Pre-read and edited by Kiwi Noriega

Disclaimer:
All rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi, creator of Ranma 1/2

Legend:
[Descriptions / Thoughts in Chinese]
{Sound Effects}

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

When love is bound 
(One-shot fic) 


The silence of the afternoon drew slowly to a close as the humming of a
young girl permeated through the air, accompanied by the soft sounds of
cloth upon wood as she carefully buffed the tables clean of dirt.

It has been a long busy day indeed for her, as she finished up the last of
the tables, eager for a quick shower and a long nap. 

* "Oh Ranma, why wouldn't you visit Shampoo?" * She sighed as she left the
rag clothe on top of the table, thinking.

***
 
Finished with her chores, she slowly made her way to the stairs when she
hears some grunts and shouts coming from the kitchen. Curious she stepped
down from the steps of the staircase and cautiously peeked through the
kitchen door. 

Seeing it empty, she entered quietly. The sounds were clearly of fighting
and it was coming from outside. Carefully she peeked behind the back door
and there was the cause of the noise she heard.

***

Mousse, minus his long robe stood there, naked waist up in a crane stance.
Glasses precariously balanced on top of his head as he held that stance for
a minute more before executing complicated fighting stances. 

Performing each technique perfectly as Shampoo continued to watch from
where she hid behind the door. She could only marvel at how good Mousse
performed each of the amazon fighting arts.

Watching him, as a thin coating of sweat rolled off his tight and muscled
body, his long black hair trailing behind him as he leaped and kicked,
moving from stance to stance. Never staying at the same spot for a second
more.

He was good, really good. This she had to admit to herself as she continued
to stare at him.

* "He's so beautiful..." * She said breathlessly in her mind before ducking
back behind the wall and leaned against it.

* "Why did I think of that?! I want only Ai lan. Ranma is the only one for
me." * And she stole a peek behind the wall as Mousse turned and spun,
cutting his fist through the air as if attacking an opponent.

Shampoo reluctantly hid back behind the wall again as she slowly sank down
to the floor. Mousse's image firmly fixed in her mind.

* "I want only Ranma..." * She tried to tell herself even as she tried to
force her eyes shut and forget about Mousse who was training just a few
meters away from her.

* "I want only Ranma�but why does Mousse keep popping back up in my mind.
Oh if only the laws weren't so restrictive, then maybe�" * She buried her
face in her hands as the voice of her great grandmother sped into her mind�

* "Shampoo you are an amazon warrior. You must adhere to the laws that bind
our clan to seek only the strongest of men. You are a warrior first and
foremost, and a woman only second. You are clan. And my only successor. Do
not bring shame upon me, or yourself...but most of all, that of the clan's"
* Great Grandmother's voice said in her mind.

* "Great Grandmother�" * Shampoo breathed.

* You must understand child, what it means to be an amazon warrior. Only
the strongest can survive. *

"I am a warrior..." she breathed yet the words gave no comfort. 

And she began to cry.

"I am a warrior..." she repeated softly through her cries. 

***
[In the backyard.]

Mousse relaxes into his final stance. Controlling his breathing as he
stretched tired and weary muscles, reliving the joy of the practice.
Thrilled in the exhilaration of having perfected his art.

Finally finished with today's training session, Mousse begins to clean up
after himself as he entered through the back door. Knowing all too well
that the old ghoul would probably sleeping along with his darling Shampoo
upstairs. Just thinking of his darling made him glaze over when he heard
the distinct soft cry of a girl weeping. Curious, he slowly turned around.
Curiosity quickly gave way to full-blown concern as he spots Shampoo
huddled in a corner crying. Concern for her quickly brought him to her side
as he knelt down in front of her.

"Shampoo, are you all right?" Mousse said breathlessly as he checked if she
was hurt or anything but before he could do anything�

"Mousse!" Shampoo cried out as she flung herself into his arms, embracing
his waist as she wept. 

Mousse for his part just knelt there dumbstruck as Shampoo continued her
embrace. And slowly his mind recovers from the shock as he gently places
both of his hands around her shoulder and slowly helped her get up and off
the ground to stand.

"Is it Ranma again?" Mousse said sadly and a bit pained as well, that she
could be thinking of him as he embraced Shampoo who still wept in his arms.

"No talk of Ranma, Ok..." Shampoo barely whispered to him as she continued
her embrace. Crying softly in his arms.  

"Ok, Shampoo..." Mousse said softly as Shampoo tightened her embrace on
him.

Mousse just gently held her in his arms.

* "I will always love you Shampoo, no matter what happens." * Mousse
thought silently in his mind.

* "I will always love you..." * and he leaned his head over hers as they
shared their embrace.


- The End

Sorry if it's a little too short, that's about all I could think off for
this fic. Anyway, this is only just a rough draft and as always C&C's MST's
Pre-readers for my other stories etc. are always welcome. Even flames too!

Explanation:

This is a "what's if" story where in Shampoo really loves Mousse deep down
inside, but because of the laws could not freely express her true feelings
for him. What's more, there is also her obligation to marry the one who
bests her, with all these restrictions. How could Shampoo deal with her
true feelings. 

Besides from the idea, I thought I'd try a new approach in writing
fanfiction. Those who are familiar with my story "A Chinese Ghost Story"
could probably see why�

Anyway, I just hope you enjoyed the story, as it gives me more reason to
continue writing. Thank you for reading this.

~ Kahlil Noriega ~


Ranma 1/2 A Chinese Ghost Story

" Frost fills the sky over Ten Mile Lake,
  Silken threads anxious of youth....
  Looking at the moon and feeling lonely...
  Envious of lovers, not of immortality.
  Envious of love, not of immortality. " 

        - Excerpt from the movie " A Chinese Ghost Story "

The anything goes Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction page:
http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/temple/9371

E-Mail:
becknkal@addax.bc.ca