Attack of the Wild Mousse

Mousse shurai (ムース襲来) is the 43rd chapter of the manga and the second chapter of the Full Body Cat's Tongue Arc.

Shampoo and her Great-Grandmother continue to bother Ranma about being engaged until a strange boy comes flying from nowhere. The boy seems to be a powerful martial artist, but keeps thinking Ranma and Akane are Shampoo until he puts on his glasses.

Shampoo Visits Ranma
Shampoo is out on her bike and thinking about what her Great-Grandmother has told her about Ranma will be wanting to marry her in no time now.

Just then Shampoo arrives Furinkan High School sports field, where she disrupts a Soccer match which Ranma is participating in. Akane hears Shampoo saying Nihao to Ranma. Shampoo the proceeds to chase after Ranma on her bike, asking him when he'll agree to marry her. Ranma responds by telling Shampoo to tell her ghoul of a Great-Grandmother that he's never felt better.

Suddenly Shampoo's Great-Grandmother and is frantically using her walking stick to keep ahead of Ranma and Shampoo, she then asks Ranma how long he thinks it will last. Ranma doesn't reply as he's shocked about Shampoo's Great-Grandmother's sudden appearance.

A New Rival Appears
Shampoo's Great-Grandmother jumps away and says she'll see them soon. Ranma declares not if he can help it, and kicks a large object used for flattening grass at the ghoul. However, the grass flattener goes higher than expected and looks like it's about to hit someone else who's jumping in the opposite direction to Shampoo's Great-Grandmother.

The male then splits the grass flattener into two halves with ease (much to awe of the crowd) and lands graciously onto the ground. However, the two halves of the grass flattener land on top of his head. After lying on the floor for a few moments, the male pokes his head up and asks for Shampoo (some members of the crowd are shocked that he's still alive).

Continuing, the male hugs who he believes in Shampoo, but it actually Ranma. Angered, Ranma kicks the male in the face and asks him who he's calling "Shampoo". Slightly confused, the male puts his glasses on and pushes Ranma away, asking him who is he. Undeterred, the male tries again and once again hugs who he thinks is Shampoo, but this time he hugs Akane and is soon set upon by both her and Ranma.

Akane asks the male who he is, and the male introduces himself as Mousse, he then states that he is to be Shampoo's groom. Shampoo, unimpressed, tells Mousse that they're only childhood friends. Shampoo's Great-Grandmother then reappears and reminds Mousse that Shampoo has already defeated him, but Mousse notes that was only when they were three years old.

Shampoo's Great-Grandmother continues by explaining that Ranma has been chosen to be Shampoo's groom (Soun then appears and yells down a microphone to Shampoo's Great-Grandmother's ear that Ranma is engaged to Akane). Mousse is angered by this news and turns to Ranma, calling him an enemy of women for having more than one fiancé.

Mousse begins to attack Ranma and is able to hit Ranma with a rather effective blow. As the other students look on in shock, Akane realises that Mousse is carrying a weapon. The blow Mousse just struck has pushed Ranma into a wall, where Shampoo sneaks up behind Ranma and tells him to be careful as Mousse is a master of Hidden Weapons Style.

With his style revealed, Mousse agrees with Shampoo that he is indeed as master of the style and just like the swan that looks grateful above but has trashing feet beneath, it is impossible to tell what's in his hands! Mousse then attacks Ranma again, but Ranma stops his attack with his feet.

Ranma's intervention reveals that Mousse's weapon is actually a potty training toilet shaped like a swan. Angered by this insult Ranma agrees to fight against Mousse. Mousse, however, sets up a condition of (after being told her can't have Shampoo by her Great-Grandmother) that should he win he'll take Akane.

Despite Akane's obvious protests, Ranma agrees. Mousse asks him if he has Ranma's pledge as a man, while Shampoo's Great-Grandmother looks on about what Mousse just said...

That Evening
Akane talks to Kasumi about the events earlier today, when they both hear terrible screaming coming from upstairs. The screaming is from Ranma, who pouring scolding water over himself, yet is in his female form (meaning the water must be cold). Kasumi and Akane walk into the bathroom, where Kasumi notes that the water is barely warm at all. Ranma says that the water was extremely hot before.

Suddenly, Shampoo's Great-Grandmother appears from beneath the bath water and explains that the pressure point she touched will make Ranma's body as sensitive as a Cat's Tongue so now even lukewarm water will scold him. The ghoul continues by saying that to become a man Ranma'll need warm water, so agree to become Shampoo's groom and she can be a man again.

Ranma disagrees and simply pulls out her tongue at the ghoul and tells her she can't make her. Akane then puts a towel around Ranma (having had enough of Ranma wandering around naked) and asks her what she plans to about her "pledge as a man". Ranma just stands is silence.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Shampoo (human)
 * Cologne
 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Akane Tendo
 * Mousse (debut)
 * Soun Tendo
 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Ranma Saotome (female)