Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Forgotten Memories ❯ After All These Years ( Chapter 11 )

**** All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. This is just one of my ideas! So don't judge me just because of my imagination! ^_^ (\/) Cyancat ****

Forgotten Memories

Chapter Eleven - After All These Years

Shampoo clutched her left hand to her chest as she sat on the bed in Kisa's room. Earlier, it had been elected that Shampoo and Mousse stay with Kisa in her room while the other Mousse still occupied the guest room.

Looking out the window, she watched Ranma and Ryoga revive the fallen Mousse from his unconscious state. The blow she dealt him had taken him out for over five hours now and it still amazed everyone that it had happened. Shampoo smiled lightly as she saw Mousse groggily sit up and hold his head. Clasping her hand closer to her, Shampoo looked away and closed her eyes as she remembered what had just happened that morning. She could still feel the warmth of his hand upon hers, seeing his blue-gray eyes stare down at her, and his mouth curve into a bright smile.

It had just been too much at one moment for her. Everything that she had kept inside for the past years finally broke out and she couldn't hold it back. It almost seemed to be like it used to be sixteen years ago, smacking him around whenever she felt that he was being idiotic. But now, what with having a child and all, it could never be the same as it was.

Shampoo looked up as she heard the sound of heavy footsteps upon the stairs and then voices, belonging to Ranma, Ryoga, and Mousse.

"Sorry about this Mousse. Shampoo, she… she's gone through a lot and I guess you just caught her off guard. Honestly, she doesn't do that to everyone."

"You could've fooled me! Urgghh, my head feels like a top. I've been out for how long? Five hours? She does know how to pack a punch, I must say. Never even saw it coming…"

"Well, I don't think you could have missed it even if you saw it coming! She's able to always get her way, no matter the consequences. Heck, this guy knows that better than anyone else here!"

"Hey Ryoga, just shut up for once! Mousse, just rest up for a bit. Supper'll be ready in a bit so we'll send someone to call for you when it's done. Okay?"

"Yeah, thanks. Ummm… you're Ranma, right?"

"You got it. Just don't worry about names, learning them can be done during supper."

"I'll be there, I can assure you that. Food is something I always look forward to, just… no leeks please. I hate those things."

"Sure, I'll tell my wife you said so. Come on Ryoga, let's leave him to rest."

"Ha! Rest? He's been sleeping for five hours already! He's had enough rest…but if you say so. See ya, Mousse."

As Ryoga and Ranma's footsteps faded down the stairs, Shampoo listened as Mousse entered his room and closed the door behind him. She sighed once and looked around the room. How silly was this? Here she sat in a child's room while the man that used to be one that she loved was only 10 feet away. Why couldn't she make herself face him? Tell him the truth about everything? Shampoo shook her head knowing her own arrogance. Because, he wouldn't believe a word of it. He'd deny everything. Then it'd be even harder for her to get answers out of him to figure out what happened in his past. She didn't need that and neither did her daughter.

"Mousse, why couldn't you remember me?"

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Tonic paused to listen as he stood in front of Shampoo's door. He heard what he thought to be a muffled gasp, but he figured that it was nothing.

"Come in." was the faint call back and Tonic obediently opened the door.

He first saw Shampoo sitting at the desk in the room. She was hurriedly rubbing her face as if she was trying to hide something. As she turned to face him, though with a smile on her face, Tonic could see what she wanted to hide. Tears.

"Hey, ummm. Akane says that supper's ready. Did you want to come down and eat with us?"

Shampoo shook her head as he reached a hand up to wipe her eyes once more. "Yes, thank you Tonic. I'll be down in a bit. Where's Mousse?"

Tonic scratched the back of his head. "Oh, she's helping out with the food. Akane needed some extra help."

"I see, well go on ahead. I'll be there, don't worry about me. Alright Tonic?"

Tonic nodded in understanding and backed out of the doorway, closing the door along with him. He stared blankly for a moment at the wooden door before turning his head to glance down the hall at the next door he was to visit. With an exasperated sigh, Tonic turned and walked towards the guest room door. Raising his hand to rap on the door, his mind reeled as he tried to think of the best thing to say to Mousse. It wasn't everyday you had to talk to your girlfriend's father, nonetheless who didn't even know that she existed. Ranma had told him to be careful about what he said to Mousse, so he had to clear his mind of anything that he might blurt out.

Finally after a long pause, Tonic rapped on the door and waited for an answer.

"Door's open." He heard and just like before, obediently entered.

Gazing around the room, Tonic noticed Mousse sitting by the window, who turned to look at his visitor and smiled.

"Hello there. I don't think I've met you yet." Mousse said as he stood up and walked towards Tonic, "What's your name?"

Tonic noticed Mousse extend his hand in greeting and slowly reached out to take it. "Tonic, sir."

Tonic smiled up at the man before him and relaxed a bit as he realized he too was nervous. "Good to meet you Tonic. I'm Mousse, if you haven't already learned that. Are you… a part of this family?"

"Umm... well sort of... in a way. I'm from the tribe that Mast… Shampoo is from. We traveled here together from China. But anyway, I'm supposed to tell you that supper is ready. You going to come down?"

Mousse leaned down close to whisper to Tonic. "Are there any leeks?"

Tonic's smile widened laughingly at Mousse. "No, not that I've seen so far sir."

Mousse smiled back at the boy, glad to hear that he was part of that joke too. "Good, that's good to hear. I'll be down in a moment. I still have yet to clear my mind from my… earlier event."

"Sure sir. I understand, just hurry though. Ranma can really pack it in quick."

With his final words, Tonic hurried out of the room and down the stairs. Mousse laughed to himself at the boy's exuberance. So he was from the same tribe as her, hmm? He hadn't thought that the children were from there as well. But now he noticed the similarities between Shampoo and that girl from earlier.

Shaking his head once more to clear himself, Mousse exited his room and as soon as he shut the door behind him, he heard another door slam down the hall. Spinning around to see what had made the sound, his eyes widened as he stared eye to eye with the woman he had "met" earlier that day.

Shampoo could only stare in shock at the man before her. Slamming the door had only been a reaction from seeing him again as he exited his room. Shampoo couldn't help it as her whole body locked up and their eyes met. Her hands fidgeted as she stared ahead. There was an uneasy silence between them as the two could only stare at the other.

Finally Shampoo broke the silence as she stammered out a few words. "Sorry to… startle you like that."

Mousse seemed to blank out for a moment before coming back and regaining his composure. "No, it's alright. Not everyday someone gets the jump on me, twice even."

Shampoo blushed and looked away from Mousse's gaze. "Well, I guess we'd better get to supper then."

Mousse nodded in agreement as Shampoo started walking towards him. As she walked past, Mousse gulped once before hesitantly reaching out and tapping her shoulder. When Shampoo felt his hand upon her shoulder, she spun around in an automatic reflex. Her eyes, which had hardened because of her reaction, softened the moment she saw Mousse's uneasy face, eyes cast down to the floor.

"Listen, I ah, well I wanted to say sorry. I feel as if we got off on the track. I got out of line earlier and I deserved what you gave me. I am sorry about it. Could we try again, maybe?" Mousse uneasily looked up at Shampoo, hoping for the best.

Shampoo looked up at him, studying his face, scrutinizing to see if he really spoke the truth. Finally after a few moments of silence, Shampoo smiled and nodded. "Sure, I'd like that very much."

"Great." Mousse held out his hand. "I'm Mousse."

Shampoo looked at his hand before placing her hand in his. "And I'm Shampoo."

"It's nice to meet you Shampoo. Say, shall we head to supper?" Mousse questioned, a smile broadening his face.

"Yes, I think we should. I just hope there aren't any leeks there." Shampoo spoke as Mousse lead them down the stairs.

He nearly faltered a step hearing her words, but quickly caught himself. "Did-did you say leeks?"

"Yeah, I hate those silly green things." Shampoo looked back up at Mousse, her eyes catching the surprise in his face. "Even though I know they're good for you and all, but I just can't stand'em."

The pair rounded the corner towards the living room. "Really? You know, I feel the same way. Leeks are just terrible." Mousse gripped Shampoo's hand tighter. "Well Shampoo, it seems we do have something in common."

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The next five days seemed to quickly pass by for Shampoo. Ever since that first night she had talked with Mousse, she had hoped that something would come of it. But every morning she would look in his eyes, searching for that past spark and would find nothing. Maybe it was hopeless, but she kept hoping that something would happen. Though, it had been long ago that they had even last seen each other, maybe he had forgotten her forever.

Shampoo sat up from her futon on the floor from where she had been laying for the past few hours. Sleep wouldn't come and she knew why. Standing up, she looked to the bed in the room and smiled at Mousse's sleeping form next to Kisa. She swept a hand across Mousse's forehead, pulling back stray hairs behind her ear. She pulled the blanket back up to cover her shoulders and paused a moment staring at her sleeping form before turning and walking to the window.

Night had swept across the city as easily as it did every night. The sky had opened up to show the vast amount of stars that were scattered across the night plain and made it seem as if everything was all right in the world. Shampoo sighed once before opening the window and stepping up onto its ledge. She had done this many a time in the past to get into the Tendo house and it was just as easy to get out. The roof ledge was just close enough to the windows that any person with good physical strength could pull themselves up. Tonight, she just wanted to have the night to herself.

Sitting on the crown of the roof, Shampoo hugged her legs to her chest and looked around her. Might it have been something she said to him that made him never come back? That night, did she falter and tell him something that he couldn't take? Closing her eyes, she thought back to the last time she had seen Mousse. The night that stayed alive through her dreams.

*****

"Mousse…are sure you want to leave?" Shampoo said as she held his arm, looking up at the pained face of the boy that had come to her for comfort and all it seemed to be was that she pained him more.

"You, you don't mind me being here? I mean, I must seem so weak and stupid right now…" Mousse said as he put a hand to his face, rubbing his face to try and rid himself of the tears.

Shampoo sighed and shook her head. "No, you don't seem that way at all. We all need a time to release. Just sit down, please?"

Mousse stared at her for a moment before shaking his head obediently and sitting back down on the bed next to Shampoo.

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

Shampoo reached out and took off Mousse's glasses as his body shuddered from a streak of tear-filled grieving. Placing the glasses on the bed stand next to her, she turned to look at the boy next to her. She looked to his face and then to his closed eyes and she knew he couldn't look at her for fear of being pained any more. Shampoo felt something stir within her and she couldn't help but to reach out for him. Biting her bottom lip, she reached out her left hand and brushed it against his cheek, wiping away a tear with her thumb.

Mousse's eyes fluttered open at the touch of her hand and looked at Shampoo. He opened his mouth to speak, but was stunned as Shampoo pulled him towards her body in a crushing hug. He closed his eyes once more and wrapped his arms around her, feeling that if he let her go, he let go of his own life.

After a few moments, Shampoo released her arms that were wrapped around Mousse and brought them to his face. She pulled his head up from laying against her shoulder and stared at his face for a moment before succumbing to what her heart wanted. Quickly she moved in close and brought her lips against his. She knew that this was what he needed and what she needed.

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

Shampoo's head jerked up as the images of the past flew by her eyes. Kami, why did this torture have to go on? She rubbed the bridge of her nose as she fought back any tears that might threaten to escape. Now wasn't the time for crying. She had done enough of that in her lifetime. She looked up and watched a falling star pass by in the sky. The star lead her eyes down to the opposite end of the roof and to where the guest room window would be. She thought to herself for a moment. Maybe she could just look in on him. See how he was doing tonight. Maybe even seeing him would help to strengthen her for another day of trying.

Standing up quickly, she scurried over the rest of the roof towards the edge that hung over Mousse's room. Locking her legs on the edge rail as she had so many times seen Ranma do, she flipped herself over the edge. As soon as she opened her eyes to look inside the room, they widened in fear as they met a pair of equally surprised blue-gray eyes. Her mouth fell open as best it could in the upside down position and Shampoo felt her whole body lock up. Her legs began to slip off the roof edge and she scrambled to grab something to stop herself from falling.

Mousse at first hadn't expected a thing as he sat beside his open window, staring at the starry night. He was very startled as the form of Shampoo suddenly appeared before him outside his window. He didn't know how to respond but to stare back at her surprised face. Then he saw her falter from her place and start to fall off the roof. Quickly he reached out and grabbed her by the arms, pulling her close and inside the room.

Shampoo stood catching her breath and staring at the open window were she just entered from. She hadn't expected this to happen. Heck, she hadn't even expected him to be awake! Then she put herself into danger and couldn't help herself when the time came to do so. It was then that she noticed the pair of arms that still surrounded her protectively and a warm body held against her. She turned to look and blushed as she noticed Mousse staring down at her, with a most questionable look on his face.

Shampoo pushed out his grasp and walked towards the window before turning back to Mousse. "I'm sure you're wondering what I was doing outside your window."

He pulled over a chair and sighed as he sat down. "Well, I think I know what you were doing. I'm more interested in why you were up there. Care to explain?"

Shampoo bit her lip, nervous as how to explain her actions and paced in front of the window. "I, well, maybe, umm… I guess I wanted to see how you were doing?"

"In the middle of the night?"

"I couldn't sleep!" Shampoo turned the subject on Mousse. "Well, you weren't asleep either! What're you doing up this late?"

Mousse turned his head away from Shampoo's glowering gaze. "If you must know, I haven't really slept much since I got here. I can't sleep without having nightmares."

"Oh, I see. What kind of nightmares?"

Mousse turned to look at Shampoo and was surprised to see that she was actually concerned about him. He shook his head and stood up. "It doesn't matter what kind they are. Tell me, why were you above my window? And don't say it was because you forgot what side your room was on, Shampoo. I know you know this house better than that."

"Mousse, its just not that simple." Shampoo pleaded, edging slowly for the door, as she felt that familiar twinge in her chest. She wanted this to happen and yet a part of her wanted him to stay in the dark.

"What isn't that simple?" Mousse stepped to the side and blocked her way. "Shampoo, I just want a plain explanation as to why you decided to peek in on me!"

"It harder than you think for me to say why! Please, just forget about it." Shampoo tried to push him out of the way only to have Mousse firmly grasp her arms, which made her look up at him.

"Shampoo, I know everyone's been keeping something from me." Mousse spoke as his eyes met with Shampoo's. "First I'm kidnapped, then told I used to know everyone here over sixteen years ago, then nothing else! If it deals with that in anyway then tell me, please! Why are you here?"

Shampoo turned her face away from his gaze, closing her eyes. She felt the tears come back, forcing their way through her defenses. "It was…it was because you never came back to me Mousse!" she cried as she felt the tears release and buried her head in his chest. "You left me behind and never even gave me a second look! I had to know why! I had to know why you forgot everything!"

Mousse stared down silently at her, not believing what he heard.

Shampoo caught her breath for a moment as she cried. "Mousse, I came because I just wanted to see you again. After all these years, I still feel the same. I hoped that if you saw me again, you'd remember how we used to be, but now…" Shampoo broke off as another torment of tears streamed down her face.

Mousse stared down at the crying woman that lay against him. There was so much going on in his head that he didn't know what to do but what his heart told him. Slowly he wrapped his arms around Shampoo and held her tight against him, feeling her warmth and her tears. "Shampoo, you really believe I'm the same man that left you behind?"

Shampoo looked up at Mousse and nodded. "I know you're him. Mousse you and only you are the same person that I used to know…and love."

"Then…then why act like you never even knew me?"

"I hoped that you would remember on your own. Everyday I hoped, but everyday I just saw you…not him."

Mousse heaved a sigh and pulled Shampoo closer to him. "You know, there's something that I've been wanting to tell you. Through everything that I've been through," he paused as he looked back down at Shampoo, "Well, as long as I've known, I've never met a person like you.

You are so different from any other person. The first time I saw you, something happened to me. I never said anything, but I knew that I wanted to hold you as hard as I could. Even though I had never seen you before, I felt that I had to grasp you tight, just like this. Maybe I don't deserve someone like you, but if I ever could…I swear, I'd love you for the rest of my life."

"Oh Mousse, I…" Shampoo choked out as she heard his words.

Mousse closed his eyes, pained by what he knew. "No, I understand now. I see how much you love him and even though I am him, you still won't love me."

"I'm so sorry Mousse. You have to see, I just can't choose like that."

Mousse shook his head in understanding before opening his eyes and looking back at Shampoo. "So you really wish to have him back?"

As she nodded her head yes, Mousse released Shampoo and walked to the window. He paused for a moment in front of it before pacing back and forth. His brow was contorted with thought in a way that made Shampoo start to worry. "Mousse? Is there something wrong?"

He stopped in mid-step and turned towards Shampoo. "Do it."

"Do what? What're you talking about?"

"You came here, knowing that I forgot everything about you and here, right? You had to have had an idea of how to get my memory back. I don't want to cause you any more pain then what's already been given. Just…do it."

Shampoo stared at Mousse, her eyes shining with new and old tears. Moments later she fell to her knees on the floor. "I…I just can't do that to you Mousse. Yes, I do have a way, but I don't want to use it. If something goes wrong, you may never return at all, memories or not."

Mousse hurried over and knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his. "Shampoo, please! I want to be the man that you used to love so much. You know that I love you and I'd do anything to keep you, but just I can't hurt you anymore. As a last request, please Shampoo!"

She stared at him through blurred eyes, before numbly shaking her head. "Okay Mousse. If that's what you want."

Sniffling away her tears, Shampoo slowly slid her hand into the top of her shirt and pulled out a small packet. She kept it close to her always, wanting to believe that she wouldn't have to use it. Also out of fear that someone might find it and harm themselves in the process.

Shampoo gestured towards the floor, "Lie down." Mousse did as he was told and laid down in front of her. Staring down at Mousse and meeting his eyes, she continued. "Mousse, this is Delina pollen. It dominates your senses and overrides your subconscious. You must know that this is banned from our village because it caused great harm to its past users. Once you breathe it in, it only takes a moment before its activated. I don't know what it'll do after then, but just remember what is here for you when you return. Understand?"

He nodded. "Yes, I understand." He reached over and grasped her empty hand, bringing it over his chest. "I can't forget about you twice, Shampoo. Don't worry, I will be back, both of us will." With that he closed his eyes and waited.

Shampoo hesitated completing the act until she felt Mousse squeeze her hand reassuringly. Smiling as best she could, she stretched out her hand holding the packet over his head and shook out its contents. As soon as the packet was empty, she watched his face for the signs when the drug would start working. At first nothing happened, but suddenly Mousse's body jerked from its place on the floor. His back arched up and his mouth opened wide, gasping for as much air as possible before suddenly going limp. Shampoo observed the scene of events from behind teary eyes and she knew, the drug had begun its work.

Mousse hadn't known what to expect from the powder that he felt flutter around his face. When he breathed in, he was aware of the pollen flowing into his lungs and then a strange solid feeling that flowed though his veins. Suddenly there was a strong pull on his body and he could help but let the spasm take its course. As his body went limp, so did his consciousness.

The next thing he knew, he was staring into the dark. The silence around him was deafening. Then he heard or at least he thought he heard whispering behind him. Turning, he saw young girl with purple hair sitting on a bench. She swung her legs and hummed to herself, seeming very content at the moment. He slowly walked towards her, intrigued by the little girl. As he got closer, she turned and looked at Mousse. Instantly he stopped in step and stared. The little girl just giggled at Mousse and leaped off the bench. Running towards Mousse, she grabbed his hand and tried to pull him along with her.

"Come Mousse. We play, we play!" she squeaked, giggling the whole time. Suddenly her image faded and the darkness set in again. Then there was an explosion of light that surrounded him and what he saw, he couldn't believe. He saw the little girl again, yet now in fast-forward. She aged within minutes and Mousse realized who she was. The little girl was Shampoo as a child and he started to understand that he had been a part of her life. There was a sharp turn of events to the motions before him and he soon recognized Ranma and Ryoga in their younger years. Akane and Ukyo were there as well. The events started flowing faster and faster until he felt as if he was in the middle of a high-speed highway, then there was nothing.

Now before him appeared a room and he noticed that it was meagerly decorated for a girl. He saw it was night as he looked through a window. Shampoo appeared then in the room, sitting on the bed. Next to her appeared the boy he had seen from earlier in his own dreams. He couldn't hear what she said, but what happened amazed him. She brought a hand to his past image's face and then pulled him into a hug. A fast-forwarded moment later, she lifted his head towards hers and kissed him and he responded with his own feelings. Mousse sank to his knees as he felt an aching pull to his chest, until he finally blacked out.

Mousse came to, blinking his eyes to the bright light that shone into his eyes. Sitting up on one arm, he noticed another form beside him on the bed. Smiling he looked down at Shampoo sleeping beside him. He trailed the back of his hand against her cheek, feeling the softness of her skin. Sighing, he pulled a strand of hair away from her face and tucked it in behind her ear. How lovely she was when she slept. Though now a deep regret started to form in his mind. He couldn't stay here, not without earning this love from her first. He had done nothing in his life to deserve her, or this, and he knew that he had to leave. He had to go and find a way to deserve her respect, to bring honor upon her.

Stealthily and hastily, he dressed himself and packed his bag. She stirred for a second and he froze instantly, not wanting her to wake and see him, as it would be even harder for him to leave. Pausing a moment before he left, he sat down on the bed beside her and stared at her, imprinting her image into his memory. Softly he leaned down and kissed her lips once more.

Darkness abruptly settled around Mousse, with Shampoo and her room dissipating into nothing. A heavy thickness spread through his body and it felt as if he was falling, falling into a bottomless pit. Sharply his eyes were forced open as he felt a slamming blast upon his chest and he hectically looked around at his surroundings. He shook his head, there was nothing wrong. Just a bad dream of some sort. He was still in the tent that he had gone to sleep in last night. He had been traveling for four months now and still had nothing to show for his effort. Nothing to say he was worthy of Shampoo's love. Shaking away any sleep left over in his mind, Mousse sat up and opened the flap to his tent. The light that shone upon him was blinding and before he could shield it from his eyes, it enveloped his whole body once more.

Once again it felt as if he was falling, faster and faster into the never-ending pit. He was then slammed against the ground, pain driving its way through every nerve of his body. He feebly opened his eyes, and noticed before him the image of a young woman with long blue hair that hung to the ground. The woman knelt over him, smiling in a way that Mousse couldn't place it as either happy or malicious. Her clothes, well they at least covered the most basic parts of her…anatomy. He quickly diverted his eyes, trying not to do what most young men would in his situation.

"Silla ting." She said with a high toned and long-drawled demeanor. "You shouldna be doin' thos kinda tings."

"What was I doing?" Mousse managed to say between gasps for air, since the blow had literally knocked the wind out of him.

The woman giggled. "You were talkin to dat tree lik it was some kinda woman or someting. Den it fell on ova ya and rolled ya down de hill a bit. You all rite?"

"Yeah, I will be, soon enough. Hey, is there an inn or something I can stay at for the night?" He questioned as he sat up and rubbed his head, kneading the pain away.

"Sure der is hon! I gots an inn just down the way! You can stay der for de nite, if ya want." The woman said as she played with her hair, waving it in front of her face

"Thanks, umm… What was your name?"

The woman stretched out her hand towards Mousse, willing for him to take it. "My name's Suko."

Mousse stared at her hand for a minute before grasping it with his own and standing up beside the young woman. But as soon as he stood, the ground beneath him disappeared and so did the lovely young lady. Frantically Mousse looked around before wandering blindly through the darkness. At last after searching in the dark for so long, his hands came to rest upon a pair of cold metal bars. Abruptly three sets of bars clamped around him, encasing him within the metal bars. His clothes were torn and ripped by an unseen force and new wounds opened upon his exposed skin. Suko then appeared before him, yet now garbed in what seemed to be tribal robes and her blue hair floated in braids around her. She lifted a hand to her smiling mouth and laughed maniacally at Mousse.

"You foolish man. Try to escape my home, did you? I guess my act wasn't good enough to fool you for more than one night." Suko cackled out in a hideously dangerous pitch. "So sad. And here I was hoping to keep you too…"

Mousse growled low beneath his breath. "You bitch! You could never keep me here! Not ever in a million years! I already love one woman and it'll be only her for the rest of my life! I could never be captured by something as low and demeaning as you!"

"Oh really? For the rest of YOUR life, huh?" she commented, a little offended by his outburst. "Well, I think I can fix that. I can make you forget everything!"

She pointed two fingers together at Mousse and mumbled a few words under her breath. Suddenly four blue streaks flew from her outstretched fingertips and darted straight for Mousse. They dove straight into Mousse's chest, glowing brighter and brighter as they plunged deeper in. Mousse screamed out in pain, falling to his knees as the blue streaks hit their mark inside and encased his heart with their eerie blue light.

"Now tell me, my young man," Suko chided. "What do you want more than anything?" She listened, waiting to hear her name be spoken by the broken boy.

"Shampoo." Mousse weakly whispered.

"What?!" she screamed, not comprehending what she had just heard.

"I said, SHAMPOO!" Mousse screamed as he raised himself on wobbly legs, bracing himself against his cage. "I want her more than anything! I promised her! Don't you understand!!"

"Understand? All I understand is that I didn't use enough power before. I didn't think you to be so strong in spirit. Don't worry, next time will work for sure!" And with that she pointed her fingers at Mousse again, a multitude of blue sparks flying out from her fingertips. They penetrated into Mousse once more and his scream rang out louder than before.

"Just let me see her again!" he choked out, fighting as best he could against Suko's power, "I can't lose her now!"

But before he could do anymore, he fainted upon the ground with Suko's power taking over his body.

She laughed to herself as she walked toward the fainted boy. Reaching the cage, she grabbed his hair, lifting his head up so that she could see his face. Her laughing quickly died out as she stared intently at him. She pried an eye open to find it glazed over and shining a faint blue. "Damn it!" she screeched and dropped his head with disgust. "You had to fight it out to the end, didn't you! Now you're worthless to me! With no memories what so ever, I can't use you for a servant now!"

Sighing disappointedly, she walked back to a velvet covered chair and plopped herself onto it. She snapped her fingers together and within seconds two young men appeared before her.

"What may we do for you Mistress Suko?" they said as one, bowing before her.

Suko waved her hand towards the cage that held Mousse. "Take out that…trash. It has no use to me now. Drop him off somewhere, just get rid of him!"

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

Mousse's eyes opened unseeing and his body began to seize, shaking and jerking from his place on the floor. Shampoo woke from her sleep as she had been sitting beside him still and when she saw what was happening to him, she screamed out in fear, "MOUSSE!"

His back arched and his eyes rolled back, still seeing nothing before them. His skin started to change color to a bluish gray and he let out a stiffened cry as air was forced out of his lungs. He gasped again and again trying to pull in oxygen. His limbs, body and head began to jerk rhythmically.

Frantically Shampoo threw herself upon him, trying her best to hold him down. "Mousse, no don't do this!" she cried, clutching his convulsing body to herself. "Don't leave me! You promised me you wouldn't leave!"

As Mousse continued convulsing for another minute before the jerking of his body slowed and the seizure had ended, Shampoo kept repeating those same words over and over again as she embraced his body. "Don't leave me, Mousse. Don't leave me. Please, don't leave me!"

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

Hello!

Hey! How did you like Mousse's past? Was it too much? Let me tell you, it took me many a day to even figure out what really even happened to him. Was it a guy or woman that captured him? Did they know of the Amazons or not? Did they know Mousse in the past or his family? Or Shampoos? It was a very confusing time!

Anyway, if you're wondering about Tonic calling Mousse, 'Sir' I felt that it was a way that Tonic could show appreciation to an elder man that he doesn't know very well, as in the Japanese culture there are very many terms and names to call every person around you and 'sir' sounded good for the moment.

Also, if you've seen Fruits Basket, then you know what leeks are. In actuality, I have no idea what they are except that they look like a long thin green herb of some sort. Kyo didn't like them, so I figure others don't either. If you know what they are, tell me so that I may reference them better in the future.

Next Chapter and It Had Better BE The Last ONE!:

You find out what happens now with Mousse. When he wakes, does he remember or not? And the relationship that starts between the newly formed Amazon family. Oh and an epilogue! Just for kicks! ^_^

Thanks so much!

^_^ (\/) cyancat