Hidden Weapons United CH 1
^^^=Flashback / "Japanese" / ' Thought ' / :Chinese: / {English} / [written]
"Come on you wrinkled old hag. Why won’t you even let me have a date with her?" Mousse slammed down the tray he had been carrying. "It’s not fair!"
Cologne gave him a nasty look. "Pick up that tray and get back to work. The lunch time rush is about to come in." She went back to setting up the cash register. "Besides, you haven’t beaten her in battle. Only son-in-law has. She is betrothed to him. That’s why you can’t have a date with her. She’s already taken."
Mousse pushed his glasses up and picked up the tray. "I hate this." He walked into the back and sat down. "Why do I put up with this?" He sighed. "If I can get Shampoo to love me this will all be worth it."
There was a tingling of bells behind him. He whirled around and saw Shampoo. "Why you here? You need be out there." She pointed to the front of the restaurant. "Great-grandma upset at you."
"So what else is new? She hates me remember?" He stood up and adjusted his glasses. "I’m going, I’m going." He stepped out just as the lunch time rush burst through the door. "Looks like I’m going to be busy." Mousse walked up to the closest table and did his best to put on a smile. "Welcome to the Cat Café can I get you something to drink?"
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"Thanks for coming." Mousse looked up to see Cologne waving to the last of the customers.
"Great. Now she and Shampoo will be too busy to help clean up." He started to clean the tables and take the dishes back to the sink to be washed. Just as he was finishing up the last table Shampoo walked up to him.
"Great-grandma say she want to talk to you."
Mousse nodded and walked over to the cash register. "You wished to speak to me?"
Cologne reached into the cash register and pulled out some money. "Here, we need more ingredients. Go to the market and pick them up. Here’s the list." She thrust a long list into Mousse’s hands. "And be back before three."
"Yeah, yeah I know the drill." Mousse pushed the money and list into his sleeve. "I’ll be back soon."
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"Yikes. This stuff costs a lot." Destine looked through the window of one of the stores. "Why did I have to forget my wallet?" She checked her sleeves and looked for some money. She pulled out a 100 yen and a paper clip. "OK, I need money. But how can I earn it? I haven’t seen a help wanted sign all day." She looked around. "Why did I come here?" A group of girls ran past her and knocked her off balance. "That was rude." She took off her glasses and cleaned them. "Why don’t they look where they’re going?"
"Because a fight just broke out down the street."
Destine whirled around and stood face to face with a young man. She scanned him quickly. He had jet black hair and blue-green eyes. His glasses were pushed up onto his forehead and he was carrying tons of bags. "I see." She smiled. "But can you?"
"Not really. My name is Mousse. I’d shake your hand if I could find a free hand." He shifted the bags and tried to put on his glasses.
"Here let me help you." Destine reached up and pulled his glasses down. She adjusted them and smiled. "Better?"
Mousse smiled and bowed. "Thank you. May I get your name?"
"My name is Destine. I have been traveling and am looking for a place to stay." She looked at Mousse. "Do you know of any places?"
Mousse blushed. "Um, if you’re hungry you can follow me back to the Cat Café." He shifted the bags again and started walking.
Destine fell into step with him. "May I help you with those bags?" She held out her hands to take some of the bags.
Mousse smiled. "Sure." He handed her some of the bags. "Thanks. The café isn’t too far from here. So where are you from?"
Destine sighed. "Where ever I wander."
"Oh, well here we are." Mousse pointed to a sign and stepped inside the restaurant. Destine quietly followed behind being careful not to make a sound. He walked up to the counter and set the bags down. "Here’s the stuff. Mind if I go get a drink before I wash up the dishes?"
Cologne smirked and leaned forward. "Why don’t I give you one right now?" She picked up a bucket full of cold water and threw it a Mousse. It hit him and instantly he transformed into a small white duck with glasses.
Destine jumped back to avoid getting wet. "Why did you do that? He just asked for water."
Cologne laughed, "He’s 20 minutes late. He needs to get his work done."
Destine took off her glasses and polished them being careful not to get near the water. "Still, it was very rude."
Cologne narrowed her eyes at Destine. "And who are you to say what’s rude?"
Destine bowed, "My name is Destine the Illusionist Extra-ordinair. I did not mean to sound uppity, I just thought that he didn’t deserve that. If he’s late them it’s my fault. I stopped to ask him for directions."
Cologne grinned and grabbed a glass of water. "Here, you look thirsty."
Destine raised her eyebrows and stepped back. Suddenly Shampoo burst through the door causing Cologne to spill the water on Destine. "Ohhh crap." Destine transformed into a mongoose.
Cologne laughed. "So that’s why you got so jumpy around water. Shampoo, take Mousse up to his room and heat up some water. I need to talk to this one."
Shampoo picked up Mousse and carried him to the back. She walked into his room and set him down. She ran down to the kitchen and grabbed a kettle of hot water. She ran back up to Mousse’s room and, turning her face away, poured the water on him. "There you better now. Why you go and get her angry?"
Mousse grabbed one of the blankets and wrapped it around him. "I don’t try to, she hates me." He walked behind his dressing screen and pulled on some clothes. "I just don’t see why she had to do that in front of Destine. I feel sorry for her." He sighed and sat back down on his bed. "She shouldn’t have had to see that." He looked at Shampoo. "Why did she say oh crap?"
Shampoo giggled, "She transform too. I bump Great-grandmother and she spill water on her. She turn into mongoose."
Mousse jumped up. "She what?!"
"She turn into falcon. Come I show." She grabbed Mousse’s sleeve and dragged him down stairs. They walked into the kitchen to see Cologne and Destine (still in cursed form) at the table.
"So, why are you here girl?" Cologne glared at Destine. Destine dipped her tail in some ink and started writing. Cologne picked up the paper and read it aloud, "I’m a wanderer." She set the paper back down and smirked. "So, why do you change?" Again Destine wrote on the paper. "I was attacked and thrown into one of the cursed springs. Lucky thing is that I can stop the process from happening if my guard is up."
Shampoo sat down at the table and giggled. "I change too. I turn to kitty cat." She smiled, "You want change back?"
Destine wrote on the paper, "Yes but not here."
Cologne looked at Shampoo, "Take her up to your room. Turn her back into her regular form and get her some clothes." Destine shook her head. Cologne raised an eyebrow, "You have a better idea?"
Destine nodded and wrote on the paper, "My robe should be dry. I wasn’t splashed with that much water."
Cologne nodded and looked at Mousse. "Go get her robe and put in Shampoo’s room. then come down here and finish up your chores."
Mousse nodded and walked back to the main counter. He picked up Destine’s robe and to his surprise tucked into the sleeves were many different objects. ‘I think I’ll ask her about this later.’ He picked up his robe as well and walked up to Shampoo’s room. "Here’s her stuff." He set it down on the bed and left the room. He walked downstairs and, pulling on an apron, started washing the dishes.
END CHAPTER 1
