Weird Ranma reincarnation oneshot

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

I see, thank you for explaining what you were saying about Soun. In that case, I really can't help but feel that he simply withered away and died after a few years- perhaps an unspoken theory around Sakura and Ume is that the disappointment when they didn't immediately begin acting like Akane and Nabiki back from the dead is what caused him to stop holding on to life? Because, really, Soun probably wouldn't have handled things all that well if Ranma actually had married Akane- with two of his girls dead, the third married, and his cherished dream of uniting the Tendo and Saotome Schools of Anything-Goes utterly shattered, Soun's will to live could probably fit in the eye of a needle.

Hmm... Cologne running the Nekohanten makes sense and sounds good to me. And having Ling-Ling & Lung-Lung move to Japan, perhaps even becoming (surrogate?) aunts to Sakura and Ume, also sounds good. And I agree, Cologne makes a far better part-time trainer, particularly for the rookie students, than Genma does.

When you put it that way, I feel the same way about the Saotome elders. Perhaps they have their own seperate home to live in, and to raise their new children, as the Amazon dojo is already crowded enough with the young Saotomes and the Hibikis living there?

I thought I had mentioned some ideas about how Ukyo and Ranma might have "broken up" in the timeline. But I agree that she could easily have said or done something that really offended Ranma, and that would have broken things off. In fact, I think I actually said that myself, in a more round-about way.

Hmm... could you be a little more specific about what we need to do with Mousse? I did post some vague thoughts on him before, so I'll just repost those... ah, here they are. This is vestigial garbage, but there might be some seedlings that can be germinated.
Mousse: undoubtedly went ballistic when Shampoo volunteered to be "the host", was probably lucky to avoid being killed when he went after Shampoo and/or Ranma. Quite likely has been given the Joketsuzoku equivalent of a restraining order- only if he breaks this, it's a death sentence he's facing, not a term in jail. Most likely is either dead (having committed suicide in a moment of overemotional drama) or, more likely, brooding hatefully somewhere- might even have become a "Big Boss" type figure, training one or more teens in an attempt to make them tools for exacting his revenge on the Saotomes. A less evil fate for him does occur, but it's probably not worth mentioning. Let's just say it ties into the possibility with Ukyo.

[Spokavriel]

One thing with Mousse is that he already back near the very beginning of his inclusion of the adventures found ways around Cologne's wishes that he not interfere with Shampoo's quest for her Airen.

There is nothing I can see that anyone could do short of killing him that would be more effective to side line him than sticking him in a cage as a Duck. And even that being the most effective is far from a permanent solution for him.

I don't see him Suiciding. Kinda like Kuno his delusions won't let him see things wrong enough to allow that option to come to mind. But for the sake of protecting unborn lives I could see many people involved in this fighting to the death to stop him from trying to "Save" his love form the abuse the ritual is doing to her body.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Very good points all... though, out of curiosity, how/when did Mousse find ways around Cologne's wishes? I thought he just ignored them?

Anyway, what can we possibly do with this pest? Hmm... after the Ultimate Weakness Moxibustion story, Cologne did have a legible chart related to that moxibustion... perhaps it would have allowed her to inflict the same strength-sapping effect on Mousse that Happosai inflicted on Ranma?

But would that actually nullify his threat, come to think of it...

If the moxa-weakness would be valid, then perhaps Mousse tried to "free" Shampoo, and promptly got seven shades of shit kicked out of him, was burned with the moxibustion, formally exiled from the Joketsuzoku and then literally thrown out of Nerima? ...Though I suddenly can't help but wonder if that would actually invalidate the idea of Mousse plotting vengeance via teenage proxies...

Or is the best option in this scenario really just to have it that Cologne finally grew tired of Mousse's constant misdeeds, declared him too psychotic and dangerous to live, took him somewhere "offscreen" (so to speak), and executed him?

[Spokavriel]

While he could be a non entity for the fic. That just never sits well with me if Shampoo is the one to get pregnant. Maybe it's just that it's now after 1 AM and I probably should head to bed again soon but I can't shake the feeling that if he is alive he's a pest. Maybe there would be some way to make him someone else's pest but I can't think of that way at the moment.

Ok this is it for the night. Strange timing though my brain did it's flatline thing when I was typing moment. Goodnight I'll be back around after I wake up again.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Again, good point; if Shampoo is an important character, then you logically expect Mousse to be a personage of note unless he's somehow miraculously gotten together with another girl.

I just feel compelled to ask; is the idea of him as a Big Boss really that unworkable? It does mean he can still be a pest, it just means that he's more subtle now than his original "run around screaming and throwing hails of steel death" motif. True, the added implication is that there's something preventing him from going after them himself, but still.

...And now I wonder something; a variation of the Big Boss idea, where it's actually something he "moonlights" at. Basically, he has a girlfriend/fiancee, maybe even a kid or two, but he just can't let go of Shampoo and so he leads a double life; one where he is Mu Tsu, fairly average guy from China, and one where he is Mousse, sworn enemy of the Saotome family.

Looking at that bit of nonsense, I'd say it's past time for me to call it a night as well. See you later.

I'm starting to wonder; given all the material this has and will have, perhaps Twin-Carnations should be a serial, rather than a oneshot?

[Spokavriel]

I did say a few times that there are some aspects that would keep this from being able to remain a one shot.

And sadly anything to make Moose more than a humanoid mosquito (Annoying and just needs a good swat) could take some effort to sell. While he has enough imagination to join up with a circus he hears is going to tour Japan to get back across the sea. Even the way he walked into Jusenkyo shows he doesn't have the patience to think things through. Or get the information about results after he has an idea he suspects will work as he wants. While his prescription may claim he's far sighted his actions don't agree.

Moose being a boss at all would require him growing up. And the fact he has had no maturing progress between the time he was a little kid and the teen in Nerima makes it so something would have to be shown to prove it to make it believable to the readers.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Come to think of it, is it all possible that Mousse has given up and accepted his loss here? I mean, he's lost more thoroughly in this situation than he's ever lost before, and in canon he really came off more in denial about the truth than truly delusional- by fixating on Ranma Saotome as a woman-stealer who could be fought off, he could ignore the ugly truth that Shampoo doesn't share any of his feelings for her and he's chasing a dream.

Here, however, he has Shampoo actually marry Ranma and willingly bear his children- he can't really rationalize that, particularly if she declares that to be the case and points out that she has never shared his feelings and has been declaring her disdain for him for a good 13 years before they ever heard of Ranma Saotome. Before, he always had some hope to cling to; before Nerima, that he could persuade her to accept his suite, during Nerima, that by defeating Ranma he'd impress her enough to marry him. Now, however, he hasn't got any room to stand on it.

[Spokavriel]

I can see him snapping and becoming like Dr Drakken in Kim Possible allot easier than I could see him being able to rekognize the defeat.

Edit: That needs a little clarification. Dr Drakken may claim to be in charge and throw tantrums until his plan is being followed but it's clear to anyone with eyes that She-Go is the only one on the team with any actual authority. Could you imagine Moose hooking up with a Curse Locked Herb to build a vendetta against the Saotome clan?

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Not with Herb specifically, for reasons mentioned before, but yes, I see your point. Only problem is, who on Earth would be stupid enough to team up with Mousse?

...I think I just had a crazy idea. But I don't know if it's the good or bad kind of crazy. We know that in Ranma 1/2 there are all kinds of magic items and critters. We know that these have a rather bad habit of falling into the possession of people who shouldn't be trusted with them. What if Mousse gets some kind of item that gives him the "She-Go" to his "Dr. Drakken"? Basically, some talisman or amulet or ring or other macguffin that gives him power over a bound yokai (used here in its literal sense, which means monster) and who is the real brains behind everything? It's not powerful enough to stand up to the denizens of the Amazon dojo, but it does have enough power to make Mousse into a serious threat.

Even crazier idea; what if said yokai is female and has, over the years, grown attracted to Mousse? Perhaps its motivation to help him with his goal now is less compulsion and more a desire to get Shampoo out of the way so it can force Mousse to get over his original obsession and take him for herself?

[Spokavriel]

I think a Yuki-no-Onna might be enough of a sucker for underdogs to get into that kind of emotional attachment with Moose. My real problem though with him becoming any kind of threat is his curse. It's not like he would be allowed a cure. And well a Snow Woman with a duck on her shoulder is almost too silly a mental image to take seriously.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

...Wait, you actually think that it's an idea that could work?

Funny thing is, there actually has been a Yuki-no-Onna show up in the anime; she seemed to fall in love with Ryoga before she left. But I don't think that an Ice yokai would be such a good match, seeing as how the 'lowlands' of Japan are too hot for them to live in comfortably (or even survive). I don't have any other ideas on what to have him get, though for some reason a "Snake Woman" (don't remember the proper name for that yokai) seems weirdly viable...

True, Mousse probably wouldn't be allowed to go to Jusenkyo for a cure... if he's still cursed by the time that he makes his big mistakes and gets thrown out. Mousse got his curse on his own initiative and could technically have gone back and gotten himself cured any time he wanted- he just didn't trust Ranma around Shampoo that he would dare to leave for that long. He could have gotten cured when Cologne and Shampoo went to Jusenkyo to grab Nanniichuan and Nyanniichuan.

Alternatively, his "slave" yokai could have given him a cure (or a replacement curse) with its magic.

[Spokavriel]

I just thought of a weird scenario. Since there are foxes in Japan (Not as many as there once were) But what if a Kitsune is the mystical creature that happens across Moose. And of course he would pull his knife trick. I also remember some myths have Kitsune having a kind of a Soul Gem which if someone got a hold of they could be effectively the master of the Fox spirit. It's obscure but not worse than allot of other legends that got brought into the series.

Edit: Kitsune are second only to Tanuki when it comes to transformation and illusions. And as a predator the possibility for an attempted meal to lead to a fight is higher than with the Scavenger Raccoons.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Hmm... sounds intriguing to me. If I recall right, Kitsune are also shapeshifters as well as illusionists, which means she could have been the one to cure Mousse... perhaps she's even taught him shapechanging magic? After all, if I recall right, both Japanese and Chinese legends have powers of transformation being something a person can study- that was one of the things Son Goku (the Monkey King) did before getting his magic staff, erasing his name from the Register of the Dead, and becoming a heavenly stablekeeper.

Actually, a Tanuki is its own species with its own quirks- but because it's native solely to Japan, it's usually deemed a raccoon in dubbed manga/anime, as it's the animal it most closely resembles. But that's besides the point.

Anyway, the idea that Mousse's "She-Go" is a female kitsune sounds good and makes sense to me. If I remember correctly, some variants of kitsune were sexual spirits (albeit on the line of succubi & incubi), so her falling in love/lust with Mousse makes sense as well.

...A sudden dark, hideous thought comes to mind, but I won't spoil things by mentioning it.

So, Mousse was outcast from the Joketsuzoku for his refusal to accept Shampoo's marriage to Ranma, he somehow managed to find and bind a female kitsune to him as the She-Go to his Dr. Drakken, and he now exists as Ranma & Shampoo's not-so-secret archnemesis, constantly plotting and scheming ways to exact revenge... does this sound right?

[Spokavriel]

That is where the thought ended up. As to how Moose would have gotten the soul gem it is often hidden as a piece of jewelry. And rarely kept with the Kitsune it's self. Easiest way for him to get a hold of it would be to fish something out of an unseen opening trying to get his glasses or a thrown weapon back. He might not even know he has it putting things away rapidly in his Weapons space after a practice to try to avenge Shampoo.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Alright, I need to leave town for a few days, so it'll be a while before I get back to you on this, but how about we determine what we have done and what still needs to be done before Twin-Carnations is ready to roll?

Things Known:
*Appearances and personalities of Sakura and Ume Saotome
*Ranma & Shampoo are cured
*Soun has passed away
*Cologne officially lives in and runs the Nekohanten, with the aid of Ling-Ling, Lung-Lung & possibly Kasumi
*Ryoga has married Kasumi and the two live in the former Tendo Dojo, generally referred to now as the Amazon Dojo
*Genma has moved back in with Nodoka and the two have at least one new child- and likely more, given Nodoka's desire for children...
*Genma and Ryoga are mostly likely cured as well
*Happosai has been thrown out of the dojo, if he's still alive
*Mousse has hooked up with a female kitsune and still seeks revenge; they are something of a Drakken & She-Go duo
*Kodachi and Tatewaki have become teachers at Furinkan