Shanti had been given the responsibility to fetch water for the village, and do as her family had commanded her. Just weeks ago she had met her newfound friend, and now fellow villager, Mowgli. He was a strange boy, learning of his story he had grown up in the jungle, and wasn't like the normal boys she had grown up with. He was wild, unorderly, and always telling her about his life and adventures in the jungle. She didn't mind that he had taken a liking to him, although there were times where he could be too much to handle, and she wished sometimes that she could just take him down a notch. As she continued to walk to the river, she had noticed that Mowgli had followed her to the village outskirts, not far from where the two had originally met a few months ago.
"Hey Shanti, want to go on an adventure?" He asked enthusiastically, a wild grin on his face with a plan on his mind.
"Uh…Mowgli, are you sure? I'm supposed to get water for the village." She responded hesitantly.
"No need to worry Shanti we won't be gone long!" He exclaimed, jumping up and down.
He grabbed her by the hand, and as he did she dropped the vase into the soft ground at the river's edge, leaving soft footprints as they went deep into the jungle.
"Mowgli, I don't feel comfortable going this far in the jungle, take me back!" Shanti demanded, feeling awfully insecure about Mowgli leading her to someplace that she's never been before.
"Relax Shanti, relax. Remember those stories of King Louie I told you? Well, you're gonna meet him!" Mowgli said, as giddy as could be. While Shanti recalled his fondness for his 'monkey cousin' she also remembered Mowgli telling her that he was kidnapped by the monkeys, which made her shiver in fear as they got closer and closer to the ruins. She couldn't believe she was being brought there! Mowgli was being such a nuisance talking about how he danced around and was held by his feet. It's like he loved a life a danger, so reckless and irresponsible! If they were back at the village he'd surely be punished.
Upon entering the jungle ruins, Mowgli gave a bit of a knock to what was left of the throne room, remembering the last time he was here left the place in a bit of a mess; although King Louie's monkeys sure did clean up the place. Shanti had to step over many rocks and climb over debris while Mowgli just swung on a vine. Easy for you, Mowgli- she thought to herself. I'm going to get back at you.
"Cousin Louie! You here?!" Mowgli shouted into the ruins. Out of nowhere from the trees did King Louie and his swinging monkeys come down.
"Hey there mancub!" Said King Louie, scratching himself from his stone chair. "Long time no see, and I see here that you brought a friend!"
Shanti was hiding behind Mowgli when he called her out, now emerging behind his back to see the large, orange, and rather pudgy orangutan. He paid her little attention, however, as King Louie's focus seemed to be more oriented towards Mowgli.
"Say cousin, remember all the damage you caused? When your 'friends' offered a rescue?" King Louie asked, plopping a banana into his mouth.
"Uh, yeah King Louie, I remember." Mowgli responded sheepishly, looking down at his feet.
"Don't worry about it, in fact things are better than ever! Why don't you dance with your old friends while I get to know yours."
Mowgli looked up, and his eyes widened, he was going to be all cool with Cousin Louie again! As he went off to the other monkeys calling for him to dance to all the familiar beats before, King Louie scooped up Shanti. She responded by beating at his large furry arms, and was then set down on the armchair.
"So little gal, what do you think of the mancub!?" He asked, giving her a banana, his eyes rolling wildly.
"He can be a bit of an annoyance, he acts like he owns the place!" She said with exasperation.
"Oh don't worry about that, old King Louie here will show him that he's just a little boy. I'm the real King of the Swingers here!" He gave her a wink.
As Mowgli continued to dance, the monkeys got Mowgli right in front of throne, so King Louie and Shanti could both see Mowgli dance to the wild beats that were behind him. As Mowgli continued, eyes closed and not even knowing, King Louie looked at Shanti, and then to the monkeys directly behind Mowgli, giving them a nod. The beat faded out, and in an instant….
SWIPE!
Mowgli's loincloth was pulled down right in front of everyone!
The music then came to a sudden stop, and instead of drum beats laughter filled the jungle ruins, all pointing and laughing at Mowgli's nudity, and shortcomings.
Mowgli's loincloth was tossed to King Louie, who handed it to Shanti.
"Hey give that back!" Mowgli yelled, hands reaching out to grab it.
"Uh nuh mancub, it's time we put you down to size!" King Louie said!
Shanti looked at Mowgli, and saw things that she hadn't see from him before. It was certainly, little. She giggled loudly, almost snorting at Mowgli's embarrassment. The Monkeys then surrounded Mowgli, while King Louie grabbed his loincloth, hovered above him, and sang a little tune.
"See I figured out the secret mancub, why you wear that silly cloth,
you can't be sly, because you got no pride, you've got nothing there to hide!"
Mowgli's face went as red as his loincloth, and as he tried to reach for his red garment it was then tossed around between him and all the other monkeys, even Shanti, and Mowgli just couldn't reach it. All the other monkeys started jeering at Mowgli, just for being naked!
"I see why you wear that wacky cloth, Mancub!"
"Mancub? More like a boy-cub!"
"Haha yeah! Like a little boy! And you wanted to stay in the jungle with that!"
King Louie started to sing again, this time picking the boy up by his hands, showing off his lower half to the rest of the kingdom!
"Oooooh bee doo! It's really the truth mancub, just look at that little size.
Can you stay in the jungle, when you can't even rumble, I can't believe I wasted my time!"
Mowgli was then dropped down, with his loincloth conveniently landing over his crotch. Shanti was laughing the whole time, thinking Mowgli got his just punishment.
Mowgli quickly got his loincloth back on, and ran away from the jungle ruins. Shanti quickly followed him, as they ran as fast as they could to the man-village. Mowgli could still hear the jokes from the ruins,
"Just wait until the jungle hears about this one Mowgli!"
Soon they were back in the riverside next to the village. He gave Shanti a look that was both of shame and embarrassment.
"Promise you won't tell!" Mowgli begged.
"We'll see about that, little cub." She giggled, and began her walk back into the man-village.
The end.