Dunno why the earlier chapters of this disappeared from the archives... but this chapter seems to have survived.

To reply, post publically or e-mail the author at hansholm@bredband.net
Enjoy!

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Well, my pre-reader hasn't brought up any complaints, so I guess I
can post this one now. (On the other hand she doesn't do grammar or
spelling.) It probably wouldn't hurt if I had a few more.

If, for some bizarre reason, you should want to read chapters 1 - 3,
they can be found at:
www.angelfire.com/md/MousseShampoo/index.html
(One day I might possibly try to work up the energy to get a
web page of my own, or something.)

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and co., and
there's nothing I can do about it. This, however, quite possibly 
falls under the fair use doctrine. I don't make any money on this and if
anybody does, don't. Unless you actually have the rights to Ranma 1/2,
in which case there's not much I can do to prevent it.

I know virtually nothing about babies, and I'm too embarrassed to ask 
those who do know.

C & C is appreciated, since it's the only indication anybody reads this.

This takes place after the end of the manga, and about ten months after 
Mousse's return (after training at Jusenkyo).


DUCK AND PEACHES AT THE FOOT OF FLOWER MOUNTAIN
CHAPTER FOUR
By Hans Holm

It seemed to Shampoo that Mousse took much too long to find an apartment.
Well, maybe not _too long_ quite yet, but he'd been looking for almost a 
week now. Even _with_ help from Nabiki! It couldn't be that hard, could it? 
In a city the size of Tokyo there had to be _thousands_ of empty apartments. 
Both great-grandmother and Ukyo had found entire buildings within days 
when they first came to Nerima. Maybe Mousse was just picky. He sure 
seemed to worry a lot more now that he had Hairspray to take care of.

"Anybody here?", a voice called from the restaurant. Customers!
There were two of them. One was a tall young man with almost waist-length 
white hair and small round sunglasses, wearing a voluminous black Chinese 
robe. She could glimpse an unnaturally shiny breastplate under the robe.
The other was a rather thin and nervous-looking girl her own age, with
long greyish-purple hair and dressed in a purple ninja uniform.

"Ah, Miss Shan Pu, I presume", the man said in Chinese, smiling. "Just the 
person we were looking for."
"Wh-what do you want?", Shampoo asked.
"Oh, I think you already know the answer to that question."
The man, still smiling, sat down at one of the tables and put his feet on it.
The girl was looking out the window, while fidgeting with some potted 
plants.
"I can't say I do."
The man didn't move an inch.
The girl dropped the potted plant she'd been holding.
"Now, see what you made her do! Who'll have to clean up that? Anyway
are you sure you have no idea?"
"Very sure." Stall. Great-grandmother or Mousse will be back any minute
now, or maybe Ranma will drop by for some ramen.
The man's smile shrunk a little, but he still didn't move. The girl dropped
another potted plant.
"WILL YOU STOP THAT!"
The girl started at Shampoo's shout...and knocked over yet another potted 
plant.
"Oh dear. It won't help shouting at her. Anyway, according to...a very
reliable source...something was delivered to your boyfriend just a few
days ago."
"MOUSSE IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND!!"
"Ok, ok. So he dumped you. That's not important. What's important is 
that...something that was delivered to him. By some circus people, I'm lead 
to believe."
Hairspray! These people were looking for Hairspray!
"N-no, still no idea what your talking about."
The girl turned her attention, or lack thereof, towards a lamp.
"Don't play games, Shan Pu. This is a small house and you spend more time
here than he does. Of course you know what I'm talking about."
"M-mousse is a master of hidden weapons. If he doesn't want you to find 
something, you won't..."
Suddenly, he was holding her around the throat and lifting her off the floor,
one-handed.
"You're beginning to make me angry, Shan Pu. You wouldn't like me when 
I'm angry."
"I won't let you take her", Shampoo growled.
"Her? Her?! Do you really think we're here for Tao Tao's damn brat?! No, 
the _other_ thing that was delivered."
"What other thing? The blanket? The basket?"
"What's going on here?", Cologne demanded, suddenly appearing from the 
kitchen.

The strangers and Cologne stared at one another for a moment. Then the girl 
made a sound like an angered rodent and vanished into thick smoke. 
Coughing and temporarily blinded, the Amazons could hear the other
stranger making a hasty retreat. The smoke quickly billowed out after him.

Cologne was out of the restaurant moments after their strangers, but they
were nowhere to be seen. A figure on a nearby roof caught her attention.
There was something familiar over that silhouette... It couldn't be a
co-incidence. The closer she came, the more familiar the figure seemed. A 
few quick leaps and she caught up with him. 

The figure stopped as it heard her catch up with it and turned to face her.
"A little far from your usual habitat, isn't it?...Raggedy Man", Cologne 
said. 
The figure looked at her quizzically, cocking its gas-masked head to the
side like a bird. Then it shrugged and turned around to leap. It seemed
to hesitate for a moment, before turning back again.
"You'rre mistaking me forr someone ellse", it told her, before diving of the 
building and faded into the crowd.

* * * * * *

"Why do I have to come along?", Ranma muttered.
"Because we need might need a third opinion", Akane said. "And Ryoga
managed to get away."
"It probably wouldn't hurt if we got you some new clothes too", Nabiki 
added.
"Nothing wrong with my clothes."
"Except that they make you easy to recognise, same as Mousse", Akane
said. "And a little variation in your male wardrobe wouldn't hurt."
"Unless there's a reason you have more girls' clothes", Nabiki added. "I
mean, you've got lots of cute girls' clothes, but as a guy you hardly ever
wear anything other than a red shirt and black pants..."
"Mousse always wear that robe...", Ranma muttered.
"Which is why we're helping him by new clothes."
"...And Ryoga...", Ranma continued.
"Got away", Akari said. "Or he would be getting a new wardrobe too."
"This is all your fault, Mousse", Ranma muttered under his breath. No...
that didn't sound quite right...He really had to work out a battle-cry of his 
own for situations like this. Preferably one that would sound good 
regardless of who you blamed.

"Sorry we're late", Mousse said, as he arrived with Hairspray. "Hairspray
didn't want to eat."
"She's not sick, is she?", Akari asked.
"I hope not. I think she's just picky with her food", Mousse answered.
"Just like her mother...", he added quietly.
"How can she be picky?", Ranma asked. "All she gets is milk, it's not like 
it comes in different flavours."
"Maybe it's the packaging. She has to drink from a _bottle_ while 
Shampoo's bouncing arou..."
"NABIKI!!"
"Sorry. I couldn't resist. Anyway, now that we're all here, let's get going."

* * * * * *

In an abandoned building, not far away...

"Well, that was pointless", Wu Jing muttered. "I thought you were supposed 
to keep an eye out for the old ghoul."
"I did", Lumpen replied.
"You were supposed to _warn us_!"
"No, I was instrructed to keep an eye out forr her and, if necessarry, keep
herr frrom interrferring with yourr getaway. She wasn't, so I didn't."
"I gather you were unsuccessful in your attempt to retrieve the item."
"Ananzi! What are you doing here?"
"A little spider whispered in my ear that Kemuri will return in a moment
with new information and that my skills might be required."

As if on cue, a tendril of smoke entered through one of the broken windows
and coalesced into the thin ninja girl.
"Sirs? I think you should see this."

* * * * * *

"You know, it's much easier if you help a little."
"Even if you're here against your will."
"I'll just get some shirts, pants and a jacket or two, OK? There's no need to 
make a big production out of it."
"But...when are we going to get a chance to see you in a tuxedo again."
"Just prod Akane or Akari a little in the right direction. And then I'll _rent_ 
one."
"That maybe so, but neither of you are getting out of here until we've found
you some new clothes and made sure that they look good on you."
Mousse and Ranma groaned in unison.
"Don't roll your eyes at me, young man", Nabiki commanded. "On to the
fitting room!"

"See, Mousse? You look _much_ better dressed like this."
"Too bad you can't make a second impression on Shampoo."
"Well...a haircut and new glasses and she would never recognise him. Or
maybe contacts..."
"You're _not_ touching my hair, or my glasses. And I'm not buying these 
pants, it feels like they'll burst if I move."
"Oh, you're no fun anymore."
"And I can hardly hide _anything_ in these sleeves."
"On the other hand, it isn't really Mousse, is it? And the idea was to get him 
clothes that made him look less like someone whose rivals will show up to
wreck the neighbourhood."
"I guess you're right - nice, boring and durable is more appropriate."
"Let's see how they look on Ranma!"
"Wait! I just remembered something!"
"Anything to get out of shopping for clothes, eh, Ranma?"
"Aren't we supposed to meet Mom and Kasumi at the airport...in, like,
just two hours?"
"Damn, I can't believe I forgot about that!"
"It's alright. I think I can handle Mousse on my own. I've helped him shop
before, remember?"
"Ok, see you later!"

* * * * * *

Considerably later...
"That wasn't so terrible was it? You look much better when you're not 
wearing a tent", Akari said, while they were having a rather late lunch.
"Let me put it this way: as soon as I find a reason, we're spending the 
weekend at a D.I.Y. or hardware store, and maybe a baseball match.", 
Mousse muttered, still rather uncomfortable in his new, nice, boring and 
durable clothes..
"Ok, let's change the subject. What was Hairspray's mother like?"
"Her name was Tao Tao...I have her photo here somewhere..."
"Oh...She's beautiful. How did you meet her?"
"After I went to Jyusenkyo, I joined a circus which was going on tour to
Japan. Well, actually some of the performers saw me practising as a duck
and caught me. Tao Tao helped take care of the animals...She accidentally 
found out about my curse..."
"Accidentally?"
"She walked in the moment I managed to get hold of hot water."
"Not a good way to make a first impression."
"It could have been worse...she didn't attack me or start screaming...or
laughing."
"Does that happen to you a lot? I mean..."
There was as awkward silence, thankfully broken by Hairspray who 
discovered that her plush ducky had disappeared.

* * * * * *

"Mousse, isn't this just the cutest romper suit, you've ever seen? Aren't
the piglets just adorable?"
"More pigs? Don't you think we should have some variation?"
"Hmpf. You could at least see how Hairspray looks in it before rejecting it."
So they did. It was almost perfect...just one thing...
"...Do you think they have it in green?"

"Didn't you just demand more variation?"
"Huh?"
"You told me to not simply grab anything with pigs on, and now _you're_
picking up everything with ducks on."
"I do? Must be subconscious or something. I'll put them back..."
"Wait! You don't have to put everything back. Let's see how Hairspray 
looks in that overall first. They don't seem to have any more with pigs on,
anyway..."

"How about this snow suit? Isn't it just the cutest thing ever?"
"Wasn't that romper suit the cutest thing ever just a few minutes ago?"
"That was a romper suit. _This_ is a snow suit. See it's got pig ears and
everything."
"But...it's the wrong season. She'll grow out of it before she needs it."
"...I guess you're right. But it _is_ very cute, isn't it."

"Ooh, look at this! A romper suit with _both_ Pippo _and_ Pekkle!"
"Imagine that...Uh, who are they?"
"They're Sanrio characters, silly! See? Pippo is the pig with a green shirt
and Pekkle is the duck with a red shirt."
"I guess there's no way I can avoid buying it then, is there?"

The shop assistant was a rather thin and nervous-looking girl their own age, 
with long greyish-purple hair.
"Your daughter's very cute. How old is she?"
"Just over a month...uh...She isn't _my_ daughter, I'm just helping her 
father", Akari said, blushing.
"Ooh, just like in the comics or a movie!...He's very handsome. You're
so lucky to have a guy like that!"
"I-it's not like that! We're just friends!"

* * * * * *

"That's him isn't it?", Kemuri asked.
"Yes. He's changed style, but it's definitely him", Wu Jing said. "And Tao
Tao's brat too. The girl must be his current girlfriend. No wonder he 
changed style if he was chasing her instead of the bimbo."
"Harrrumph. Doesn't llook llike much of a fighterr", Lumpen noted.
"No. More of a lover, maybe. Or just some easily charmed girl who just 
adores babies...or young, handsome single fathers", Wu Jing replied.
"Then again, appearances can be deceiving. I believe we should find out 
more about her before doing anything", Ananzi commented.
"Exactlly. No need to rrepeat the Dakarr mess."
"I thought that little spider already told you everything, Ananzi."
"Uh...What Dakar mess?"
"How much sense do you think one can make out of a small spider? And you 
don't want to know about Dakar, child."
"Anyway it seems our information was out-dated. Kemuri, you stay 
here and keep an eye on him, while we go back to see what Mr. B thinks."

* * * * * *

"We're back!"
"You're safe! I was worried they'd find you!"
"Safe? They'd find me? What are you talking about, Shampoo?"
"We had some visitors. They..."
At this point Shampoo suddenly realised that she had glomped onto Mousse
the moment he stepped inside and, after briefly considering beating him up
for getting fresh, settled on simply letting him go.
"They were looking for something they said the circus people had sent you",
she continued. "They were starting to wreck the place when great-
grandmother chased them off."
"What did they look like? Did you get any names?"
"The one doing the talking had long white hair, a black robe like yours and
a metal breastplate, I think. He seemed to know about you and...Hairspray's
mother. Then there was a nin..."
"Wu Jing!"
"Huh?"
"He's Tao Tao's ex-boyfriend. He worked at the circus too for a while..."
"There was a third", Cologne interrupted. "I didn't get a good look at him,
but he looked a lot like an old...acquaintance of mine. But tell me more 
about this Wu Jing."
"As I said he worked at the circus too for a while, but he kept...let's call it
misbehaving so we threw him out..."
"We, as in?", Cologne asked.
"Me, Tao Tao and some other martial artists who worked there. Anyway, he
and Tao Tao had worked together for some time before joining the circus. 
I'm not exactly sure of what they did but I know it included being hired to 
steal things."
"How powerful is he? How many were you?"
"Uh...There were four of us, but he's not that powerful. After all, he's a 
mercenary, not a mystical prince or an Inner Asia warlord."
"Could you be a little more specific?"
"_I_ could beat him without help, OK? If he has any special powers or 
techniques he didn't use them when we fought."

"But why would he show up here? Now?", Cologne wondered. "It clearly
wasn't for a re-match."
"Maybe...Hairspray's mother stole something from him", Shampoo said. 
"Or kept something that they had been paid to steal for someone else? And
maybe he thinks she gave it to Mousse."
"That's one possibility", Cologne said. "And considering that they were 
here looking for something, I'd say it's the most likely one. Any ideas, 
Mousse?"
"...No, I hadn't even heard from the circus before Hairspray arrived."
"Then there's his companions - the ninja girl and...the other one. Do you 
know if he worked with someone other than Tao Tao?"
"No, nobody I know of. But I suppose he'd work with others if he had to...
or if he would gain something from it."

"Great-grandmother, what about the one you recognised?"
"Ah yes, Raggedy Man, or possibly a student of his. I'm afraid I can't help
much - I never really saw him in action, other than the occasional firefight.
Plunger said he'd made an armoured train completely disappear when she 
first met him, but never told us how..."
"No wonder your grandfather was forced to study Hidden Weapons, 
Mousse."
"Anyway, I always got the impression he was just another of all the
Western mystery men running around Asia during the civil war. Martial arts 
training, a few tricks, some firearms and a mask. Well, the masks usually
appeared once they returned to the West."

* * * * * *

Meanwhile, in the throne-room, a group of people was clustered around a 
beach ball-sized crystal ball. Attached to a printer. 
"She's a farmer", Mab noted. "And her farm is pretty far from Tokyo."
"Sounds almost too good to be true", Graveyard Sammi said.
"Welll...therre's the matterr of herr Sumo pigs", Lumpen pointed out. 
"They'rre not exactlly push-overrs."
"I think we should send King...", Mab said.
"King? Come on, King couldn't find his own backside with two hands", 
Graveyard Sammi laughed.
"That's because he doesn't have a sense of touch", Blumberg remarked. "So
you're going with him, Sammi. Now."

* * * * * *

To be continued...


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