mabli@idirect.com

A Different Brand Of Mousse

A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by Mark Ferrer

Disclaimer: All rights are reserved to their respective owners. Only the
original characters are mine. Don't sue me, please. (I can't even afford
a free lawyer.)

Note: I honestly can't tell if I've taken some liberties with some/all
of the characters. Sorry, I couldn't help it.
Thoughts are in <>
Normal dialogue is in "quotes"
Text (panda sign/reading from written material) is in []

Author's notes: WARNING! THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THIS FIC WILL SUCK! This
fic desperately needs C&C. I may have gotten it finished, but it just
doesn't feel quite right.

Previous chapter: Mousse has learned as much about Ranma he could from
Nabiki and has issued a challenge to him at the end of the week. He has
also invited Ukyo, Shampoo, Cologne, Ryoga and Akari to the fight.
Through a flashback sequence, the audience learns that Mousse was
adopted by the tribe. He doesn't know that yet. Also, only the audience
and Cologne knows of the magical field surrounding Mousse. No one,
(except the author of course) knows the true nature of it. Ranma informs
most of the people at the Tendo Dojo of the challenge and asks Genma to
take him on another training trip. He doesn't tell them what Mousse
really gets if he wins and he lies that Mousse wants to fight to become
a Saotome heir and be able to marry one of the Tendo girls.

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

     Mousse sat in his world, looking at a beautiful sunset. The entire
countryside looked picture perfect. <I wonder how you make this world
and the outside world have the same time? Oh well, it doesn't really
matter. Now, I just have to wait for the end of the week.> he mused, <I
wonder if that's enough time for Ramna to decide who he really truly
loves.>

     Seeing that he had nothing better to do, he opened up the notebook
his future self had given to him. <Maybe this thing has the reason as to
why I can to ki blasts now.> He opened the book, flipping through the
pages. He found it after a few minutes.

     [Mousse, it seems that you are very different from other martial
artists.] Mousse snickered at the words on the page. [Unlike other
martial artists, you need a prerequisite to do ki blasts. A normal
martial artist just has to gather ki from those around him or get it
from within themselves. In order for you to be able to do your own
blast, you need two different sources of ki in order to overcome a very
powerful spell that has lodged itself firmly within your soul. I have
talked to the elders of the village and the most they could tell me is
that the spell needs huge amounts of power to keep it going. They were
unable to find the source of the power.] Mousse looked up from the
notebook and at the scenery. <Why would anyone want to put a spell on
me? It can't be Jusenkyo.> he thought. [A final word on ki blasts. I
have found it wise to compress your blasts via telekinesis as much as
possible in order to confuse your enemies. It has served me well in the
past.]

     Mousse got up and focused ki into his hands. A ball gathered
inbetween his palms. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the ball. If
Mousse had opened his eyes, he would have seen that it was rapidly
approaching his height in diameter. Mousse opened his eyes and used
imagined it compressing into the size of a baseball. Mousse smiled at
the glowing ball of ki in his hands. He aimed at a nearby mountain and
fired it at the mountain. He watched the ball fade into the distance and
clear out one side of the mountain. <Not bad... but it takes too much
time to gather that much ki.> Mousse looked at his hands. <Maybe I
should find other uses to these new powers.> He imagined himself
floating off the ground and suddenly he was floating a few feet in the
air. <Pretty cool.>

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

     Akane, Nabiki and Kasumi sat in front of their father, who was
still breathing deeply after knocking Ranma into the sky. Genma was
sitting beside him in human form trying to calm him down.

     Soun looked at his daughters and said, "It seems that Mousse has
challenged Ranma again."

     "Again? What could he possibly fighting over this time?" Akane
asked, looking at the two men for any clues.

     Soun cleared his throat and said, "Ranma informed me that he wants
to become a Saotome in order to become engaged to one of you."

     "WHAT?!" Akane and Nabiki screamed.

     "Oh my!" gasped Kasumi.

     "His challenge is definitely the strangest but it is still valid.
If Mousse wins, he becomes a Saotome." Genma said solemnly.

     "Wait, just being a Saotome man doesn't entitle you to become
engaged to a Tendo daughter does it?" Akane asked.

     "Well, no." Genma said, obviously confused, "It's certainly strange
that he would think that. I always thought that he was in love with that
Shampoo girl."

     "I'm certainly glad he's moved on." Kasumi said cheerfully. "I
never thought that they would make a good couple."

     <This sure doesn't sound like the normal Mousse.> Nabiki thought.
"Daddy, you said that Ranma was the one who told you this, right?"

     Soun looked confused but said, "Yes."

     "That doesn't sound like the normal Mousse. He wouldn't give up on
Shampoo so easily. My guess is that when he was talking to you two, he
panicked and just said anything." Nabiki reasoned.

     Soun looked over to Genma for any confirmation. Genma shook his
head and said, "Ranma would just say something like that. I've taught
him better than that. We must assume that Ranma was telling the truth."

     "I don't believe this." Akane said indignantly.

     "Hey Pop, so when are we leaving?" asked Ranma, glaring daggers at
Soun. <I can't believe he got past my defenses.>

     "Oh my. Are you going on another training trip?" asked Kasumi.

     "Yes, we are Kasumi." Genma said, "We'll be gone for the whole
week."

     "Back to what we were talking about earlier." Nabiki interrupted.
"Ranma, about Mousse's terms to the fight, were you telling the truth?"

     <Nabiki probably knows Mousse's real terms and told them to the
family. No point in lying anymore> "Yeah, Nabiki. It's true." Ranma said
glumly. <Now they know that I'll have to choose a fiancee if I lose.>

     He left the group and went to his room. He didn't notice everyone's
else's shocked reactions.

     Genma was the first to recover. "Come to think of it Tendo, our vow
was to marry any boy and girl to carry on the Art. Doesn't that still
leave Akane free if Mousse wins?"

     "How about Nodoka? What's she going to say when she finds out you
adopted a son who turns into a duck?" Soun argued.

     "Actually, there are rumors going around that Mousse is cured, and
is capable of defeating Ranma." Nabiki said, already thinking of any
money making possiblities Mousse being a Saotome opened up.

     "How? When?" Genma asked.

     Nabiki grinned and held out her hand. "I'll start talking when
there's enough money in my hand." the Ice Queen said.

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

     Mousse pulled himself out of the latest tree he had crashed into.
He landed at the base of the tree with a very ugly landing. His robes
were covered with grass stains and other such marks. <Damn, flying's
harder than it looks.> he thought, tallying up the injuries he felt in
his body. He examined his left wrist. <Damn, definitely something wrong
there. Better get a doctor or something.> He stood up and opened the
void. He used his Mind's eye to target Doctor Tofu's office and stepped
through the hole.

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

     Mousse looked around where his void had opened to. <Hmm, not quite
there, but close enough.> He walked down the street towards the Tofu's
office. <I wonder what Shampoo is doing right now?> he thought.

     "Hello Mousse." a kind voice said.

     Mousse turned to his left and saw Nodoka Saotome walking towards
him. "Hello Mrs. Saotome. Where are you off to today?" Mousse small
talked.

     "I was just going to the grocery store. My, what have you been
doing? Did you get into a fight?" she asked.

     Mousse looked down at himself. <Oh yeah, I forgot.> He looked back
at her and said, "Oh it's nothing. I was just trying out something new.
Nothing to be concerned about."

     Nodoka looked at him critically and asked, "Then why are you
holding your wrist like that?"

     "Oh, yeah. I think I sprained it or something. I was just on my way
to the doctor." Mousse said unsurely. <What do I say if she asks how I
got it hurt?> he thought.

     "Doctor Tofu's right?" she asked. Mousse nodded. "Well, you should
know that he left a couple days ago on family business. Maybe I could
take a look at it?" she offered.

     Nodoka looked over Mousse wrist and said, "Hmm, not too bad. Just a
little ice, that's all."

     "Thanks." Mousse said kindly. <Maybe I should fix this problem too.
She's got no one.> "Uh, Mrs. Saotome... uh... you're looking for your
son and husband right?"

     Nodoka looked a little surprised but said, "Yes, I am. Have you
seen them?"

     Mousse eyed the bundle and said, "The truth is that they have a
few... problems to take care of right now. Maybe we could talk a bit?"

     "I guess you can escort me to the store then?" she asked.

     Mousse nodded. "I'll even help you carry them home if you want."

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

     "Akane, can I come in?" Ranma asked.

     "What do you want Ranma?" she annoyed.

     "I need to talk for a bit." he said nervously.

     The door opened and Ramna went inside. He found Akane looking out
her window.

     "Uh... Akane... would you come on the training trip with me?" Ranma
asked shyly.

     "What? Why?" Akane asked. She turned around to look at him. He
looked very nervous.

     "You see, I uh... thought it would be nice if you came along,
that's all." Ranma said, putting his hand behind his head.

     Akane sized him up for a second and said, "Our dads think it would
be a good idea if I came, right?"

     Ranma nodded slowly.

     Suddenly, Akane's door burst open revealing a crying and begging
Soun and Genma. "Please Akane! Go with Ranma!" they said simultaneously.
"Akane, I've already called your school and told them that you'd be
gone. I can't go back on it anymore." Soun pleaded.

     Akane looked at the two men on the floor, kneeling at her feet.
Ranma had put his hand to his forehead in disgust. "I guess I'll go."
Akane said, "It gives me time to try out a new cookbook I just bought."

     Akane started packing while the three men left her room. Ranma
looked at the other two, who had amazingly stopped crying as soon as
they had left Akane's room.

    "Saotome, let's get in another shogi game while we wait." Soun said,
already going downstairs.

    Genma went into his and Ranma's room and came out with a large pack
on his back. "Wait for me Tendo!" he said, half-jumping, half-stumbling
down the stairs.

    "If I ever become like that..." Ranma trailed off. <Anyway, that's
one down, two to go.>

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

*ring* *ring*

     "Hello?" Ukyo asked.

     "Hi, Ucchan. It's me, Ranma." he said.

     "Hi Ran-chan. So, what's up?" she asked. <Something big's
happening.> she thought.

     "Uh, would you like to go on a training trip with me and..." Ranma
said shyly.

             "A camping trip! Of course I'll go! I'll be right there."
Ukyo exclaimed.

*click*

     "No! Wait! It's not...!" Ranma said. <Oh well, at least she's
coming. Now that's two down.>

     Ranma dialed the next fiancee on the list. <Bringing them with me
will give me a chance to decide. Not that I need to, it's just better to
be prepared.> he thought. Waited as the phone at the Nekohanten ring
several times. <Where could they be?> he wondered.

     "Airen, Ranma happy see Shampoo?" Shampoo said, glomping onto him.

     Ranma hung up the phone and tried to pry the girl off him. "Uh,
Shampoo, what are you doing here?"

     "Shampoo come help airen train." she said, still sticking onto him
like extra-strength glue.

     "Son-in-law, we've come to train you." Cologne said, pogoing
towards the two. "If Mousse wins, it nullifies Shampoo's engagement to
you. We're going to do everything we can to prevent that, won't we?" she
said questioningly.

     "Uh, whatever. Just as long as I win, right?" Ranma said, looking
around. <I wonder where Akane is. She should have seen me and Shampoo
here by now.>

     He never saw what hit him. Akane slammed her mallet in his face and
sent him up into the mid-afternoon sky. She slowly turned towards the
two Amazons. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

     Shampoo crossed her arms and said, "We here to help train Ranma.
Right great-grandmother?"

     "Why do you have to come along?" Akane asked to Shampoo. She turned
to Cologne and asked, "Can't you train Ranma by yourself?"

     "Yes, I can." the crone said slowly. "But he can also use some
training in the Nekoken. Shampoo is there to bring him into it."

     Genma and Soun came out of nowhere and started the water works up
again. "Akane, you're still going with Ranma right? right?"

     Akane nodded dumbly, still disbelieving how the had come out of
nowhere.

     <Pathetic.> thought the two Amazons.

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

     Nodoka walked towards the grocery store while Mousse followed
slightly behind her. He seemed nervous about something.

     "Aren't you going to tell me about my son and husband?" she asked
questioningly.

     <Oh well, here goes nothing.> Mousse thought. "During their
travels, your husband and son went to the Accursed Springs of Jusenkyo.
Have you heard of it?" he asked.

     Nodoka thought about it and said, "Isn't that the place that's
supposed to have magical springs?"

     Mousse nodded and said, "Yes, there are magical springs there. The
story is that whoever falls into the spring gets the body of whatever
drowned there. For example, if someone fell into the spring of drowned
duck, they would turn into a duck."

     "Don't tell me my husband and son fell into one of them." Nodoka
said, her voice rising slightly.

     "Well, they both did." Mousse said slowly. He noticed that Nodoka
had stopped walking. "Your husband fell into the spring of drowned panda
and your son fell into the spring of drowned girl."

     Nodoka's gaze turned from shocked to questioning. "How can I be
sure of this? There is no such thing as real magic is there?" she asked.

     "Well, I can show you my curse because I've been cured. But... I
can prove that there is such a thing as magic." Mousse said. <I hope she
believes this.>

     Mousse concentrated and formed a ball of ki between his two
outstretched hands. Nodoka's eyes widened slightly at the glowing ball.

     "I can tell you're an accomplished martial artist but that isn't
real magic." Nodoka said thoughtfully.

     <Great. Let's try this...> "Okay, how about this?" Mousse asked,
making himself hover a foot off the ground.

     Nodoka smiled and said, "Now I'm impressed. Aren't you going to fly
around now?"

     Mousse flew back down. "Well... I'm just learning. Flying is how I
got this sprained." He said, pointed to his left wrist.

     "So, what's the cure?" Nodoka asked, still not completely believing
Mousse's story.

     "Well, there is a temporary cure. With hot water, you turn back to
your normal form. With cold water, you turn back into your cursed form.
There are permanent cures but they are different for every spring." said
Mousse, checking Nodoka's expression for any signs of belief.

     "My husband a panda and my son a girl... wait a minute. Would this
panda use signs to communicate?" she asked the Chinese boy.

     "Uh, yeah." Mousse said lamely. <Did she figure it out already?> he
thought.

     "And my son, would he by any chance have red hair in his cursed
form?" Nodoka asked disbelievingly, pieces starting to fall into place.

     "Yes."

     "They were there all along. Why didn't they tell me?" she asked,
pleadingly.

     Mousse looked at the wrapped bundle. Nodoka caught his gaze and her
eyes widened in understanding.

     "They thought that you would force them into seppuku if you found
out that Ranma wasn't a manly man." Mousse said quietly.

     Nodoka's eyes started tearing up but there was still a faint smile
in her face. "Genma you fool. I never really expected him to carry out
his promise." She unwrapped the bundle and gazed at the katana.

     <Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.> Mousse guessed.

     "When Genma and I were dating, he promised me the moon. He was such
a dreamer. He always pursued his dreams, often sacrificing everything,
except me. I guess that's why I fell in love with him..." she trailed
off at the bittersweet memories.

     "I'm sorry to spring this on you like this." said Mousse bowing
down.

     "Oh, it's alright. Perhaps I should visit unannounced. Maybe I can
surprise them." she grinned, re-wrapping the katana.

     "So does this mean you'll force them into seppuku?" Mousse asked.

     Nodoka thought about it and said, "Ranma, never. I can't say the
same for my husband. He did keep Ranma away from me for ten years..."

     <Oh well, close enough.> Mousse thought.

     Nodoka stopped walking and asked, "Mousse, why are you telling me
all this?"

     "Well, remember my problem from before?" Mousse asked uncertainly.

     "The one where you want a girl to see that the boy she loves
doesn't love her back?" Nodoka recalled. "Are you telling me that my son
is the boy you're talking about?"

     "Yes, he is. Your son has many problems like that." Mousse said
glumly.

     "Genma always attracted trouble. It seems my son has inherited
that." Nodoka said, "Would you mind telling me the whole story?"

     "Okay. But I gotta warn you, there are some hard to believe things
that happened to your husband and son." Mousse said unsurely.

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

     Ranma stared as his three fiancees glared at each other with
daggers and emanated very dark ki which in total would easily knock a
full powered Goku into the year 10000+.

     "What is _she_ doing here?" they said simultaneously. Each girl
snuck their specialty weapons into their hands in a dangerously slow
manner.

     <I better get this right.> Ranma thought darkly. "Shampoo is coming
to help me get into the Nekoken, Akane is being forced to go and Ukyo...
uh... she's my friend so... I invited her?"

     All three girls took a few seconds to understand Ranma's words
through their quiet rage.

     Ukyo smiled and gave a 'He's mine' smirk to Shampoo.

     Shampoo readied her bonbouri to hit the okonomiyaki chef.

     Akane ran toward Ranma gave him an mallet attack combination the
likes of which no one had ever seen, which ended with Ranma doing his
best imitation of a bird right through the roof.

End Part 4

Author's Notes: See, I told you it was bad. Anyway, before you start
asking me why Ranma's inviting everyone, think about it. How will he
choose if he doesn't have any heart to heart talks? As for Mousse being
to nice to Nodoka, it's just that I feel really sorry for her. Not
seeing her husband and son for ten years and all. They deserve a happy
or at least semi-happy reunion.

To 'Brand of Mousse' readers, I've decided to get rid of the extra
subtitle "What Must Be Done." From now on, it'll just be "A Different
Brand Of Mousse."