Hi again! Now I'm warning everyone, this chapter gets a fair bit angstier, and the other characters are not going to be sympathetic to Julien at all. While I can't picture any of them thinking transsexuality is morally wrong in itself or hating him for being so, they've never heard of the concept and don't understand what he's getting at, and they don't really have the highest opinion of Julien's intelligence, so they will not believe he knows what's best for himself. And we all know Skipper's views on women (but we love him anyway because he's fictional). Characters' views are not necessarily mine, I'll remind you, and please do not treat transpeople and/or women of any anatomical configuration in real life this way. Do your research and don't be a jerk. On the other hand, I am not trying to demonise any of the characters here. They're just dealing badly with an unfamiliar situation, and while Marlene in particular is going to seem pretty horrible to Julien in this chapter, she's not really transphobic or homophobic - her worldview has just taken a nasty crack, so she's not really thinking things through properly. They will get better in future chapters, I promise. I like Marlene too much to make her into that much of a jerk. Also, Julien probably wouldn't actually know this, he's just going by guesswork, but the "female but not a girl" line is actually the most accurate way to describe it - "female/male" refers to biological sex, "girl/boy/man/woman" to mental gender. Just FYI.
Facts about ring-tailed lemur anatomy are, as far as I can find, accurate. I also discovered in the process of writing this chapter that there is no way that is both in-character and tasteful to describe the concept of a pseudopenis. Yes, that is what you think it is, and yes, female lemurs do have them - something to do with testosterone levels. Not upping the rating for the mention of that because it's very vague and if you're old enough to be reading on ffnet you're old enough to understand basic biology. Speaking of biology, poison dart frogs aren't actually among the few frog species which can change sex at will, but Barry's never felt the need to try it himself, so if he's seen other frogs do it he may think it's an option.
Mort's age was mentioned in a cut scene from one of the movies. I don't know if the scene being cut makes it non-canon, but I'm using it anyway because it amuses me, and this probably qualifies as an alternate-universe fic anyway. (Don't mock real people who behave like Mort either. They can't help it.)
Looking back on it later, Julien figured he should have been suspicious when Rico and Private showed up at his habitat shortly after closing time with flowers. Pink ones.
"Oooh! Thanking you, penguins!" he said, taking the flowers. "Very pretty."
"We wanted to apologise for upsetting you last night," Private explained, shuffling his feet. "We didn't realise."
"Oh, it's no problem." Julien plucked one of the flowers from the bunch and twisted the stem into the leaves of his crown, then started weaving the others around the slats of his throne. "Ah, just like back in Madagascar. Remember? We had flowers everywhere, all the time, not like here where it's cold ..." Julien sighed nostalgically.
"Yup," sighed Rico happily, remembering the penguins's sojourn in Madagascar.
"Your majesty, it's time to be going," Maurice called from on top of the habitat wall. Mort, standing beside him, waved.
"Ooh! Do you want me to get the door for you?" Private offered.
Julien looked at him strangely. "What door? I wasn't going to use the door."
"Oh. Sorry," Private giggled. "Automatic reaction, you know." Rico nodded and bowed as elegantly as a penguin can, and the two penguins followed the lemurs out over the wall.
As they headed for the Zoovenir Shop, Julien happily commented to Maurice "Well, looks like the silly penguins are finally treating me with the respect becoming of a king, yes?"
"Uh, are you sure that's what it is?" asked Maurice, pointing at the pink flower in Julien's crown.
"Of course! What else could it be?"
"I ... don't know," Maurice said, deciding now wasn't the time to explain. Julien would work it out on his own later.
They arrived at the Zoovenir shop to find the usual crowd. Some were missing – Joey and Pinky weren't there, and only one of the three baboons had shown up. The zoo-dwellers had got so used to Julien's bizarre decrees that they thought nothing of his "very important announcement". Some had shown up out of curiosity, or just to humour Julien's latest whim.
"Thanking you all for coming, everybody!" Julien shouted, causing the conversation to die down. "Now I'm sure you're all wondering why I've called you here for my very important announcement ..."
Marlene raised a paw. "Let me guess. Is this about your feet again?"
"Uh, think a bit higher up."
"You're still wearing your crown."
"Lower."
"You're hungry?"
"Bit lower."
"I don't wanna hear any more about your butt."
"Further forward."
"EW!" Marlene yelped, and slapped him.
"Not like that!" Julien rubbed his cheek, hopped onto the picnic table so everyone could see him, and drew himself up. "This is an important announcement I am announcing! I want you all to know that I ... I ..."
For once in his life, Julien found himself speechless. Everyone he knew was staring raptly at him, waiting to see what the heck he'd come out with this time. Everyone he knew ... Would they still feel they knew him after this? It hadn't been so difficult back home, where everyone had already known about Princess Julienne. They'd seen the contrast between the odd, awkward little princess and the happy, confident king. Besides, lemurs weren't known for overthinking an issue; if he said he was male, they'd agree, and nobody had reason to complain.
"I ..." He took a deep breath. "Well, you are seeing, when Maurice introduced me as 'self-proclaimed lord of the lemurs', the 'self-proclaimed' part was ... not really referring to the title so much as, uh, the ... implied ... gender. Aheh."
The crowd stared blankly. Julien searched for a better way to explain.
"Well, see, I am thinking the sky spirits were making a little mistake when I was born. No offence, sky spirits," he said, glancing up and waving. "But, attractive and good at dancing as my body is, there is one way I think it doesn't quite ... fit me. Erm. It ... is missing something." Julien glanced downwards at himself, then back up at his audience, who continued staring in confusion until Marlene broke the silence.
"Wait, Julien, you're saying ... you're a girl?"
Julien remained silent for a long time, then made a quiet affirmative squeak and nodded.
Marlene blinked, then burst out laughing. "Ha! That's a good one! Next thing you'll be telling me Mort's really twenty-five."
"Uh, well, actually, funny you should say that ..." Maurice shuffled awkwardly.
"I'm thirty-five!" Mort piped up indignantly.
Marlene stared at the lemurs. Maurice nodded.
"Ewwww! You disgusting little pervert!" Marlene sprang at Mort, who fled. She ran after him, yelling "I hugged you, you lying little monster! I thought you were a kid and I hugged you!"
"Hey, leave him alone!" Maurice told her sternly, grabbing her to hold her back.
She snarled at Mort and made a last half-hearted grab at him as he hid in the hedge. "Fine, but if he ever tries to pull the cute routine on me again I'm gonna flush him down the toilet!"
Everyone else tried to hide their laughter. Rico stared at Mort, then at Maurice. "Uh ...?"
"Yeah, mouse lemurs look like bug-eyed beanbags however old they get. I think going through puberty alongside the taller kids hit him hard. But that's not the point, we came here to talk about Julien," Maurice reminded them.
"Ahem. Yes, can everyone start paying attention to me again?" Julien said sternly.
Everyone stared at him. Barry the frog blinked. "So, uh, you're a girl. How's that working out?"
"Oh yeah ..." Julien shrank back. "Maurice, can I ask them all to stop paying attention to me now?"
"Sorry, your majesty, you wanted to tell them. Don't worry, it'll all be over soon," Maurice said soothingly, patting Julien's paw.
"Okay," Julien sighed. "Okay. Yes, I am, in fact, technically, just a little bit ... female. There, I said it. I wanted to tell you all today because some of you-" he gestured to Eggy and the penguins, "-have already found out, and so I thought I should get it over with before anyone else did."
Burt raised his trunk. "Wait, I've seen you go to the bathroom and-"
"Uh, yeah, that wasn't what you were thinking it was." Julien scratched the back of his neck nervously and glanced at Maurice for support, then gestured in the direction of his groin. "Female lemurs have a thing that looks like a ... thing ... but isn't the same as one. But they don't have the ... other things, and they do have the ... girl things." He tapped his armpit. "I don't have the scent glands here, see?"
"Are male lemurs supposed to have scent glands there?" asked Roger sceptically. "'Cos, you know, I'm not an expert on mammals."
"Yes." Julien held out his paws. "I don't have the spurs either. The boys have little claws on their arms, about here." He pointed to a spot above his wrist. The crowd still looked sceptical. Bing scratched his head and Bada shrugged. Roy tilted his head, as if seeing Julien from a different angle would help confirm his story.
Kowalski held up a test tube holding a few strands of lemur fur floating in water. "I'm afraid it's true. I ran his DNA sample through a few tests."
"Check it again!" Marlene protested. "We all know what happened last time you trusted a DNA test."
"I did. Seventeen times. It's definite," Kowalski said, nodding to Julien. "Ma'am."
Understandably, there was uproar. Everyone talked at once, gasping or laughing or shouting to make themselves heard. Julien, for once not pleased to be the centre of attention, shrank down and tried to hide under his crown.
"YAAAAY!"
Julien jumped as Becky and Stacey popped up and grabbed him.
"Like, this is soooo awesome!" Becky squealed. "We have another girl in the zoo!"
"What? No! No you are not having another girl!"
"This is soooooo great!" babbled Stacey, hopping on the spot. "C'mon, let's do her fur!"
"Paint her nails!"
"Braid her tail!"
"SPONTANEOUS MAKEOVER!" the badgers squeaked in unison.
"Okay, can I have gold glitter- wait, what am I saying?" Julien slapped his forehead. "Makeovers are all fine and good but I AM NOT A GIRL!"
Becky snorted. "Like, duh! You just said you are."
"Yeah. Make up your mind!" Stacey agreed.
"I can be female and not be a girl! Subtle difference!"
The badgers stared blankly, as did everyone else.
"O-kaaay ..."
"I mean I don't want to be a girl!"
"Of course not!" said Skipper, scuttling to Julien's side. "There's no need to be so insulting, people!"
Julien sighed with relief. "See, the bossy penguin is understanding-"
"What is she, five years old? Julien's a fine mature woman!"
Julien sagged and sighed "See, I think you are missing my point here."
"What? Oh, yeah, sorry – I forgot women are so touchy about their age ..."
"If it wasn't such a girly thing to do I would be slapping you right now."
"What? What'd I do?" Skipper blinked in complete confusion.
Barry looked puzzled. "So if you want to be a guy, can't you just switch to being one? We had some frogs over in Hoboken who-"
"Uh, mammals can't do that, Barry," Mason the chimp pointed out.
"Really? Huh. Sorry, I just thought it was worth a try," Barry said with a shrug.
"Look, peoples, can you please try and be understanding?" Julien asked plaintively. "This is harder than it sounds! I almost didn't get the crown because only lemur girls are supposed to rule! If I'd had a sister I'd have lost the kingship, I was just the nearest thing to a girl heir the tribe had."
"Oh, I see!" said Mason. "And all this time you've been so smug because you're glad you 'beat the system', as it were?" Phil nodded.
"Uh, no, he was always like that," Maurice interrupted. "Comes with being royalty."
"Well, yes," Julien said. "This does not define everything I do, you know."
"See, see, Momma! I told you he was a girl! I told you!" Eggy cheered, hopping up and down with the joy of a small child who's outsmarted his parent.
Momma Duck sighed. "Sir ... ma'am? You're confusing my son."
"Sounds like you are the one who is confused, Momma Duck," Julien commented sourly. "It is to stay being 'sir', understand?"
"Very well, 'sir'," said Momma Duck, the tone of her voice suggesting she was humouring him. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't play this game around my son. I've already had to persuade him he's not going to grow up to be a penguin or a lemur, I don't need him being convinced he's going to be a girl as well."
"Momma Duck, I assure you this is not a game," Julien said, sounding hurt. "And that makes no sense – why would JJ be thinking he is a girl from playing with me? Playing with other pups never made me think I was a girl!"
Momma Duck sighed and shook her head, then started to herd the ducklings away. "Come on, kids, I don't think you should be playing with him for a while."
"But why, Momma?" asked Eggy, looking sadly back at Julien.
"He – or she – is a bit confused, I think. She needs time to sort herself out."
The ducklings got in line and waddled away, hurrying to keep up with their mother, Eggy glancing back over his shoulder as he went. Julien tried to run after them, but Maurice held him back.
"No, let them go. I'll talk to her later, okay?" he said. "If you chase after her you'll only make her uncomfortable. Just let the information sink in for a while."
"JJ ..." Julien whimpered plaintively.
"It's okay, Julien, it's okay. He'll be back."
Julien smiled weakly. "Thank you, Maurice. I hope you're right." He looked back up to see Marlene approaching him, hackles raised. As usual, he disregarded the obvious body language, which was a mistake. "Marlene! Good to see you are still being my friend-"
"Are the ducks out of sight?"
Julien raised an eyebrow. "Uh, yes. Why?"
"Because I don't want the kids to see what I'm about to do," Marlene said through gritted teeth.
"Why, what-"
Marlene's paw connected at high speed with Julien's face. Not the fairly gentle "stop being disgusting" slap she'd given him earlier, but a real roundhouse blow that knocked him off his feet.
"I can't believe you!" she yelled. "Those times you hit on me were, what, trying to make yourself look more male? I'm not one of your 'girlfriends in Canada'!"
"What? No!"
"And you had the gall to lie to me about me coming on to you when I went feral that time-"
"Uh, actually, Marlene, you did do that," Kowalski interrupted.
"What? No way!" Marlene snapped at him.
"Sorry, I'm afraid you did," said Private. Skipper and Rico nodded.
"Really? Oh, oh my gosh, what does that mean? Does that make me ... Not that I think that's bad, but I don't wanna be ... I never thought I was ..." Marlene hyperventilated, clutching her head. She stumbled off towards her habitat, not looking back at Julien. "I ... I think I need some time alone."
Julien picked up his crown and shook himself, realising that everyone was glaring at him.
"Oh, very well done, Julien," said Mason. "While I do have sympathy for your plight, there was no need to upset Marlene."
"I upset – I upset Marlene? She punched me!" Julien spluttered.
"Well, of course she's upset; you lied to her!" Private said, sounding scandalised. "You lied to all of us! I know this is a difficult thing for you, but you shouldn't lie to your friends."
"I never lied! I just ... neglected to tell you I have a little problem! You never asked!"
"You told us you were a guy!" Becky said.
"I am!" Julien sobbed, and choked on his words. "I am."
Before anyone else could say anything, Julien turned and fled to the safety of his own habitat, leaping the wall at record speed and huddling behind the bouncy. He tore the pink flower from his crown and stomped it into the ground, truly wishing for the first time in his life that he was someone, anyone, other than King Julien.