"A challenge is it? Very well, I accept."
             - Mousse, 'Nihao, my Concubine'

In response to Donny Cheng:

*Shampoo stopping Ranma from killing mousse when trapped*
>As someone already mentioned, Shampoo set up traps and her treatment of
>Mousse afterwards.

Shampoo is a good little Amazon warrior and has been noted to be *slightly*
stubborn at times. Whether she has feelings for Mousse or not, she is not
ready to let him beat her airen, and prove she was wrong in assuming him the
strongest. The fact of the matter is she doesn't want Mousse to be seriously
hurt, that's all you can really draw from that example. Why else would she
chase Ranma off?

*Reversal jewel: hate of Mousse*
>What about just pure neutralness?  She didn't go out of her way before
>and after this story to be mean to him, just when he bothered her, she
>pounded him.  The reversal of neutral is still neutral.  When she got
>the jewel on her and he went to bother her because he thought she would
>love him, she pounded him the same way, nothing more, nothing less.
>Mousse even admits how much Shampoo 'hated' Ranma was waaay more than
>how much she had ever hated him.

This has already been pointed out by Ronald Spillman *cheers* but here goes.
Shampoo isn't neutral to Mousse by kicking him down the stairs - with or
without the jewel. People were gushing over her as the prize for the martial
arts watermelon race for the pheonix pill and she didn't start knocking out
contestants. Firstly I could point out that generally Mousse's uninhibited
declarations of love usually only result in verbal dismissal or through
injury by proxy (ie. shampoo riding over him) not an actual full out attack.

Secondly Cologne cites it as evidence of -some feelings- and tells Mousse to
keep it to himself.  What's all this about?

Finally if it is seen to be dislike then that means at one point, other then
just face value feelings must be being exhibited by Shampoo re her hostility
to Mousse.  Whether this is pride, observance of tradition or just a natural
reaction to his excessive attempts to woo her, you need to ask yourself when
would she be adding hostility to her attitude. When in a normal
circumstance, when she has many more reasons then just love to hang onto
ranma? Or under the influence of the ring? *phew, took a while to get to the
end of this one*

*Invincible glasses arc, meeting on the rooftops*

>I don't think the tears were for Mousse.  She was there for Ranma.  The
>little kindness that she has shown Mousse in the past in other stories
>really gets overblown.  She has known the guy since she was three and if
>she shows a little compassion for him, she has feelings for him.  Could
>be that she just pities him, has an ounce of compassion within herself,
>etc.

Oh come on. This is all about Mousse. If Shampoo was really worried about
ranma she wouldn't have refused to watch the fight. She wouldn't have run
off crying on the roof either, she would have just charged at Mousse - he
wouldn't use the glasses on her and she knows it. Just look at the dialogue
and it's obvious these aren't tears for Ranma. (fan translated, sorry, not
very apt in japanese. <g>)
**** Volume 27 ****
M: What did you call me out here for, Shampoo?
S: Those glasses, you know what they are right? And you understand what
happens when you use them...
M: Protection for weaklings and children... What's wrong with that?
S: So if you know, why are you still using them?
M: Keep treating me like that and I'll just keep on using them. Until you
respect me and stop being so cold, I'll do as I please.
S: Mousse. Is that so? I was wrong...
-runs off-
M: Shampoo! *Her cold looks.. They became tears...*
**********************

Now if this is creative translation then sorry, I'm just taking it at face
value because I have little other choice. To me, this whole arc hinges on
the fact that Shampoo does respect Mousse as a warrior and can't believe
he'd stoop to such levels of dishonour. (Whether or not this is justified is
another debate altogether :) When she thinks she was wrong she cries and
runs off and when she finds, at least this time, she was right she offers to
go on a date with him. Surely this qualifies as *some feelings*

Well that's about that. Sorry if I've irritated ppl with the length of this
post, I'm still feeling my way around what is allowed here and what is
worthy of death by flame. If this is really too long I'll keep shorter next
time... <g>

Vigil
*******************
Reading too much fanfics.