Changes 1:
Dreams
By Jess Dougherty
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Disclaimer: By all rights by law, Characters in this story belong
to Rumiko Takashi and their respective companies. Please do not sue as
I am a student with NO source of income or any wealth. The story
however is something I had floating around in my head since Mousse is
one of my favorite Ranma 1/2 characters.
{Chinese speech}
_Thoughts_
"Japanese speech"
Remember, this is my first 'published' fanfic, hope you enjoy it.
Though if you do or don't, send flames, comments or just plain e-mail
to:
genryu_98@yahoo.com
Until then, later.
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The night was alive with cool breezes and millions of stars shining
brightly in mist of the deep velvety blue sky. The stars looking like
woven diamonds in the sky and the full large moon off to the south,
the crowning pearl. This was the time of the day that he loved most
because no matter where he was, the night sky looked exactly like his
hometown.
Mousse sat on the roof of his new home, which had been his home for
the past two years. Ever since the day he decided to follow the
woman of his dreams from his home in China to Japan. He following his
dream and she following hers, a young man. Muu Zhuu was his name by
birth but Mousse was the Japanese style he was growing accustomed to.
The same could be said about his love and her, dried up old monkey of
a great-grandmother.
They were all getting used to living here or so it seems, but he
knew better. His love as well as himself was getting tired of living
here, they all missed the simple life of Joketsuzoku and their tribe.
Or so he thought and felt.
Time can change a person and two years can be a very drastic time
especially for all of them and what they had been through. The time
was small and almost insignificantly but to him it was more than
enough. Because even through all this, they remained the same as
they had been. Though unlike them, he had changed even more
significantly than they had.
His face contorted when he thought about his personal views on the
past years of his life in Japan. Feeling new change within him for the
first time ever, Muu lowered himself onto his back. His mind in pure
jumbles trying to understand this new train of thought.
_Do I really want to leave?_
His mind raced with that question as it had before but not until
now had he ever considered really answering it. Looking back up to the
sky, Mousse started to really think about everything that had been
happening around him. Then, before he knew it, a low black mist began
to envelop him, surrounding him slowly but quickly.
As he was thinking he never noticed the roof of the Nekohanten
begin to disappear until all that was left was the mist. The city
lights and everything surrounding him all over Nerima vanished. Soon
the stars grew brighter and a tall shadow formed out of the mist he
was on. It took on the shape of a man but it was too dark to be able
to distinguish any of his features.
Any except that it was a he with long hair, the color unknown, but
it was tied in long and massive braided pigtail. It swished past what
looked like the man's hips or where his belt seemed to be. As he
stepped closer, Mousse finally felt the man behind him. Then, almost
as quickly, Mousse noticed that he was no longer in Nerima or rather,
the city was gone. He started to notice that everything was quite
gone, the roof of the Nekohanten he was just on and all buildings,
trees, etc.
Feeling a little fear but relying on his martial arts training to
keep his cool, Mousse leapt into the air. Somersaulting about three
times, he came to land on his feet no more than eight feet than where
he was. Two-twin katana's appeared out his arms and into his hands to
which he now had pointed to the intruder.
"Who are you?" Relying on his Japanese, he spoke. But no answer
came from the male figure.
Minutes, then hours seemed to pass and Mousse was getting rather
angry with the stranger. That is, until he spoke.
{Speak your native tongue.}
To say Mousse was stunned was an understatement, deep down he was
starting to feel a little bit worried as to what might happen to him.
Shaking off the feeling of fear, he tried to remain as tall and proud
on the outside as possible, calling on all his discipline. He looked
at the stranger with contempt, his true feelings probably showing in
his eyes were hidden by his thick lenses.
The stranger just stood there looking at him without so much as
another word until Mousse broke the silence. "Why do you wish for me
to speak my language." He again spoke in Japanese.
The stranger remained silent yet again.
Time seemed to stand still until finally Mousse gave in and began
to speak in Mandarin Chinese. {"Why you wish for me to speak in my
native tongue? Also, how did you know?"}
He spoke. {One question at a time Muu Zhuu. First, please, can you
put away your blades?}
Muu Zhuu looked at the katanas' in his hands and pondered whether or
not to put away his blades. As he looked unto his blades, he decided
to do as the man told him. For some unknown reason he felt as though
he could trust this man, and put away his swords.
The stranger talked again. {Thank you Muu Zhuu. Now, the reason I
asked you to speak in your tongue was to pay you better respect. After
all you did not spend your entire youth learning your heritage only to
lose it while you were in Japan. Also, as to how I know, well...
that's' my secret. For now.}
{What do you mean? Secret?}
The stranger became a little clearer exposing his gajin clothing
and some physical detail. As far as Mousse could tell, the man was in
deed a man. Standing about six foot two, his hair jet black but the
shadows covered his face entirely. He wore loose-fitting black jeans,
with a tight black turtle-neck along on top with a long white leather
coat.
The mans' hands were in his pockets, thus reassuring Mousse that
the man had come here only to talk. Though, Mousse kept his shuriken
ready in his long sleeves ready.
{For now Mousse, let me have that and my identity a secret please.
From you at the moment.}
Mousse did not like this but he still could not shake that feeling
of recognition and calmness that the man was giving him. All his
instincts told him to watch out, that this man meant a significant
change. To him and to the rest of his life, but he felt at ease.
{Muu I wish to talk to with you at the moment. Tell me, why did you
change?}
_CHANGE?_ Mousse could not understand what this stranger was
talking about, how had he changed? Was he still respectful to his
love, to... his elders and superiors? Mousse got it, or so he thought.
{No Muu, I mean the change from who you were as a child? You had
great dreams and goals. Why did you change?}
Mousse was in total shock, what did this man mean? And how does he
know he changed since childhood? Had he known this man in his youth
and cannot remember him? He still wondered though: HOW HAD HE CHANGED?
The stranger began to speak again. {I mean Muu, how did you become
the slave you are now?}
{Slave?} Then it hit what 'he' was referring to, his love and
devotion to his beloved Shampoo. Mousse began to become outraged and
angered at the insult just thrown not to him but his love. {How dare
you insult my...}
He spoke. {Shut up Muu!} His voice barely above a whisper but the
glow of dark purple in his eyes pretty much stopped him. Mousse
present train of thought lost its steam as fear began to replace his
anger.
Moments went by as the two males just stood where they were, just
staring at each other. Mousse kept regarding who this 'person' could
be to evoke such emotion over him and for him. He kept looking into
the shadows that covered him hoping that maybe, just maybe he'd
recognize him. He stayed like this, just staring at him, until he
spoke again.
{Listen Muu, please.}
Mousse wanted to leave but he would give this 'person' one last
chance, also allowing him to try and figure out who he is. Mousse
answered. {Ok.}
Mousse heard a sign. {Listen Muu for I don't have time to tell you
all but I will come again and again til you return to your real
senses. Then maybe all of your senses will return to.}
Mousse was puzzled by this.
{Muu Zhuu, try to remember how and who you were before you met
Xian Pu at the age of three. Think of the kind of boy you were, and
the kind of man you wanted to become.}
Mousse stood then but hesitated until he let himself try and see
what this stranger was talking about. Nothing happened at first but
then without warning, he was almost thrown back as something caught on
to his robes and pulled him back. When the movement stopped, Muu Zhuu
was seeing himself at the age of two.
The sun was bright and the wind cool. The nearby trees blew with
the wind as the scent of millions of flowers came with it. Muu Zhuu
was sitting with his father, more by his knee listening to him tell
stories. Stories of long ago males who proved their worth as warriors
and men who could not be tamed by women. Muu Zhuu could almost picture
himself as one of them, the great legendary males who were men but
helped the Amazons avert disaster.
Muu's father stops his reading and begins to tell him of another
male that not recently passed away. Around the time he, Muu, was born
and was married to sister of one of the tribal elders. A man named
Li Kai who was an unmatched warrior and no Amazon female could tame,
all but one. The Amazon he was married too, only because she loved him
and he loved her.
Muu Zhuu being the child he was disliked the idea of love, he felt
that it weakened warriors, but even he knew his role in the tribe. He
would always be less superior to the women, especially the one he
would marry, if he married since he didn't want to. He went outside
and he began to imagine himself as the warrior Li Kai that his father
just told him about. He began to punch imaginary opponents in front
and behind him.
Five months pass in the blink of an eye as bandits began to try and
raid the village. Muu Zhuu was behind his father's right leg as female
warriors were fighting off the male bandits. He sees his mother taking
on at least three of the men and she seems to be having a bit of a
problem against them.
His father grabs him and puts him away from his leg and tells him
to stay where he is as he is about to help his mother. As soon as he
leaves the hut, Mousse saw something he'd never seen his father do.
Out of nowhere a rather large sword escapes from the fold of his white
robes and strikes one of the bandits through his midsection. Then as
quickly his father jumps away, no other female seeing this, especially
his mother.
His father is back by lil Muu Zhuu's side while his mother finishes
off the remaining bandits. Within minutes the rest of the women have
ran off the others and they all cry out in victory. Mousse notices
that his mother is looking at his father and they are both smiling.
She knew that his father, her husband, had just saved her.
The next day we see lil Muu Zhuu is asking his father to train him
in what he saw the other day. His father goes and asks his wife
knowing the ways of culture he entered when he married her. Muu's
mother says yes and he starts down the path that will lead him to
become a master of the Hidden Weapons Martial Arts, like his father.
A year passes and Muu is now three and very good with wooden
weapons his father had made for him to learn. Muu Zhuu is walking
outside the village throwing pulling in and out a two foot long wooden
sword his father gave him, practicing his father's techniques. In a
year alone he had advanced almost impossibly quick, faster than his
own father. Muu is a master of all the wooden-weapons representing
every weapon known to the Amazons and outsiders. But then he sees
'her,' a little girl with long deep lavender hair practicing with a
pair of bondari on top a boulder. His world from there changes.
Muu Zhuu confronts this little girl the next day.
(He is walking toward the little girl as he sees that her teacher,
an old woman on a staff has left. Muu Zhuu is a little nervous but he
approaches her little by little. Within seconds he is about five feet
away. His mouth opens for him to talk but everything stops as someone
is now standing before him. The same man who was with him earlier.)
His road down memory lane is interrupted by his authoritve voice.
{Muu Zhuu! Wake up!}
Mousse is back again standing where he once was and now is again,
in front of the stranger. He is about to speak when the stranger
begins to talk first.
{So now you remember the day everything changed.}
Mousse is still confused and it shows in his face as it contorts
with his eyebrows raising. Then he could hear an anger filled sign
coming from the tall shadowy man.
{Muu, Muu, Muu. What are you not seeing what I'm trying to show
you? Do you at least remember how you thought before you met Shampoo?}
Mousse speaks. {Yes.}
The stranger signs. {Good. At least you still remember how you
used to be.}
{Yes, they were foolish dreams.}
{...} Silence comes from the stranger but then a whisper comes
from his side, though they quickly turn into shouts of rage.
{..foolish dreams?...FOOLISH dreams...FOOLISH DREAMS???? NEVER CALL
YOUR CHILDHOOD DREAMS FOOLISH!! You had the potential.}
Now it was Mousses' turn to remain speechless for a brief moment,
{What do you mean? Potential?}
{Why do you think your father and your mother both gave you
permission to learn the art you know? It was because they both saw the
potential to learn such a forbidden and dangerous art as the one you
learned. Remember it took your mother years to convince the elders to
finally allow your father to teach the other children your art. Even
then he did not teach them all of it to them, except you.}
Mousse was truly speechless, he had wondered why by the time he was
six so many others were taught later than him. Why he had always
trained away those first three years of his life, earlier than
everybody else. After those three years, every boy that wanted to
learn could be taught. Then when he was twelve it was finally allowed
to be used in the male Amazon tournament to which he won the next
year at the age of thirteen, the youngest male ever.
{Muu Zhuu, its time for a change. You'll still respect your betters
but you will no longer take the abuse you take from Xian Pu. You can
and no longer have to take it. You've been to passive to them and they
have taken to much advantage over you. Its is no longer a place your
being kept to but demoted to slave. You have to grow and maybe go
away, perhaps a training trip to clear your head and get back down the
path you had wanted to lead.}
Mousse began to feel a little different now, almost as though he
was remembering everything he was taught as a youth. EVERYTHING. Every
law and moral of his past. His training, everything how it should have
been had he never met Xian Pu. He would remember her but he would no
longer have to take their abuse.
He almost glowed with the change and then he fell to his knees,
Mousse, no Muu Zhuu he was once again. He felt as though a great
weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Getting up, he still felt
love for Xian, but he now remembered his dignity as an Amazon male
too.
The mist began to leave as well as the stranger but Muu cried out
to him before he disappeared.
{Tell me, who are you?}
The stranger smiled and walked out of the shadows to reveal Muu Zhuu
though a little bit older. To say that the young Muu was stunned would
have been an understatement. They both just stood there, in the
middle of nowhere as it seems. Then the older Muu Zhuu spoke.
{Remember what you have Muu Zhuu. Become the warrior you are and
were meant to be. In reality you are better than Xian Pu. But you have
given her too much respect and have made her spoiled for it. To defeat
her means to bring her back to reality and remember she is good, but
others are better. Remember she used to practice as you used to
everyday, perhaps 'our' leaving and her defeat will change you both
for the better, if not to survive as we all have to change.}
Mousse or Muu Zhuu finally understood what his shadow was trying to
tell him, it was time for a change.
_I thought I wanted to leave, but all I would've done is run away
from my destiny._
He looked up and screamed.
{I WILL CHANGE!}
Then he felt a slap to his face as the sunlight filtered into his
once closed eyes.
"Wha...What?"
Mousse was in his bed being propped up but his elbows seeing
nothing but blurs. The sun touched his still sleepy eyes making his
blurred vision worse, so in reaction he closed them. Shaking his head
he almost felt something snap in his head. Pain washed over his eyes
and he rubbed them furiously as he now sat up.
"Get up stupid duck boy. Shampoo sent up here by Great Grandmother
to wake up help. So Shampoo say wake up!"
She emphasized her words with another slap but this time found her
hand stopped a few inches away from Mousse. Looking at what stopped
her, she saw that her wrist was being held tightly by Mousse's hand.
His left still over his eyes as he spoke.
{I'll be down in a minute Xian, please let me get over this pain in
my eyes.}
Shampoo became furious that Mousse was holding her hand and talking
to her as though they were equals. Her face became red as a tomato
and with her left hand, went to strike Mousse with a bondari over his
head. Before her weapon even struck, Mousse threw a shuriken out of
his pillow with his other hand that disabled Shampoo of it.
With the other hand out of the way, Shampoo could see that Mousse's
eyes were crying, but instead of tears they were tears of blood. He
held eyes closed tightly as the light in the room hurt them still.
Shampoo's face lit in alarm as her eyes went wide and finally
realized that maybe Mousse was in 'real' pain.
"Ayiah! What wrong with Mousse's eyes?!?!"
{Argh. Nothing Xian, please just leave me be.}
Shampoo didn't believe Mousse for a minute and left the room, going
down the stairs to the kitchen as quickly as possible. Reaching the
floor in record time, she ran for the kitchen doors already finding
Cologne at the stove preparing the food for the day.
Cologne stopped what she was doing and turned toward where her
granddaughter just entered the kitchen. "Aw Great-granddaughter, has
that good for nothing, lazy duck alre..."
Her words stopped as she the face of Shampoo and saw worry. Her
face began to mirror her granddaughter. "What's wrong Shampoo?"
"It Mousse! Mousse's eyes bleeding!"
"What?!?"
With that said, Cologne moved faster than her Great-granddaughter,
hoping on her staff up toward the attic, Mousse's room. Reaching the
door, she slammed it open and saw Mousse was sitting upright facing
the window. Both his arms went toward his eyes as his hands covered
his face, his eyes in particular.
"Mousse, what is wrong boy?"
{Honored Elder?} Muu Zhuu spoke as he turned his head toward where
he thought he heard Cologne speak. Facing now his mirror, his left
hand still over his eyes he spoke. {I'm sorry to disturb you, it was
nothing, just woke up with a... like this.} _With a whole NEW look on
my life._
Cologne noticed that Mousse was still covering his eyes and hopped
over toward where he was facing. Stopping there for a moment, she
continued to hop, not making a sound but Mousse now acknowledging her
presence and movement. She did not miss this but put it aside for
later investigation.
Finally in front of Mousse, she blocked the rays of the incoming
sun and noticed his face soften with the darkness. Looking up toward
to Shampoo, she motioned for her to close the window in the room.
Shampoo did as she was told. As Shampoo moved around to close the
shades, Cologne took another notice that Mousse knew that Shampoo was
walking around the bed. She found this now most intriguing.
"Muu Zhuu, tell me. What happened here?"
Muu Zhuu was a bit stunned to hear Cologne use his Chinese name and
pronounced it with a bit of what sounded like respect. So, he decided
to calm himself and answer the Matriarch.
{Elder, for some unknown reason I awoke with pain in my eyes after
I had... it just pained me when I was awakened that is all. As for the
blood, I have nothing to answer you with, it was just like this as I
tried to open my eyes.}
This surprised Cologne that Mousse would use her official title and
not her name as he had for the past two years since they arrived in
Nerima. Though what she also noted was that he stopped short of saying
something else. She decided to continue speaking to him and Shampoo in
their native tongue.
{Tell me Muu, what were just about to say?}
{Uh...}
{Muu Zhuu?}
{It started hurting after I awakened by Shampoo after an unusual
dream I just had.} He sounded a bit more timative than usual.
{Tell me about it.}
{I cannot Elder.}
{Why not?}
Muu Zhuu remained silent for a moment remembering everything he had
learned in his dream. Remembering that it was time for a change,
perhaps this was a part of it. _No time like the present. Gotta make
plans though._
{Please Elder, allow me to tell you later in private. Please, can
you first examine my eyes.} He whispered to her.
Cologne nodded and respected Mousse. It had been a long time he had
shown any respect to her and which is why she hadn't shown none to
him. She guessed it was time to change for the moment to help this
young Amazon, though male, still under her care. She nodded and
whispered back to Mousse. {Ok, young Amazon. I will respect your
wishes if you promise to keep your own words.}
Mousse nodded back to her and she started to hop back to get a
better look at his eyes. She asked Shampoo to stand by the doorway in
case she was going to need any of her herbs and medicine to help him.
She hated to admit this but she had a soft spot for the boy as she
felt a grandmotherly role on him, strict with the role of being
another mother to him. To try and make him show some respect for her
and his superiors.
In truth, when Mousse was little she had hoped that he and Shampoo
would've married as their friendship had grown strong. She had even
seen a fire in his eyes of an undefeatable warrior as she had seen
in her sisters' husband. Yet the boy had seemed to have lost it when
he let his love cloud his judgment and weaken him. Sure their were
times he had shown that light again time and time again, but never
did stay burning long after.
The reason she approved of Ranma was because he too had that same
spark she had seen with Mousse. The difference was that his was on
almost twenty-four hours a day. It never left him especially around
the Tendo girl he was 'officially' engaged too. It was a shame that he
showed great disrespect for her laws and ways. She had at first
thought she could change him; in the tricks, training, and other
times, but no such luck.
_Hmm. Maybe his name does truly suit him. Wild Horse! Indeed._
Noticing Mousse, she acknowledged she had let her thoughts get the
better of her. _Time to get back to business._
Cleaning out the dried blood that had covered his eyelids, Cologne
spoke. "Ok Mousse, open your eyes. Slowly, please."
Mousse did as he was told and had to close his eyes quickly as the
light felt as though it were piercing needles. But he did not let that
stop him. Blinking a few more times he tried and tried to open them
and within moments he had them open entirely. Unfortunately he still
saw darkness, though that was because of the room.
Cologne nearly gasped when she saw Mousse's eyes. His spark had all
of sudden become a burning bonfire. She could see that whatever he
had dreamed had had a profound affect on the young lad. Then almost as
quickly, the fire resumed its spark nature as it died down but did not
diminish as it had before.
Mousse spoke. {Elder, Cologne, can you please open the shades to
the room, I'd like to see with the light on. Or am I blind?}
Cologne nearly lost it to that one, she could tell he was joking
but it was a good one. "No Mousse, you are not blind." Turning over to
look at her great-granddaughter, she made a suggestion to open the
curtains. Shampoo did as she was told.
When the curtains opened, Mousse noticed something almost
immediately, he could see. He could see as clear as the day, as he had
been able to before he was three, before he... met Xian Pu, Shampoo.
He looked down and began to wonder something, had his love blinded
him like this? Not knowing what to day, he did the only thing quickly
he could think off, as well as allow him to help him with this.
As he moved away, Cologne wondered if the light was still affecting
him in some way. She knew of no herb or medicine that she had that
could help Mousse. The only things she had were for other uses and
none seemed to connect with him. She did the only thing possible.
"Mousse, you are going to Dr. Tofu's. None of what had happened to
you at this moment is of what I know of. Maybe... the good doctor can
help you." Cologne ordinarily hated modern medicine but she had to
recognize its uses. Especially when it came to Dr. Tofu, he used the
ways of the old and mixed them with the ways of the new. A good
combination in her book.
Just as Mousse had wanted, he nodded and went for his robes with
his eyes closed, trying to remember if it was still where he had left
it last night. Cologne beat him to it, she threw it to him. What he
managed to see was that Cologne had thrown him one of his less used
robes, a deep black silk robe. This was one of his more dangerous
robes since in it contained most of his bladed weapons; spears,
swords, shuriken, etc. He didn't mind though, he had no reason to use
them and kept quiet as he began to dress in this solid black robe.
"Get dressed Mousse. Shampoo!" Shampoo looked directly at her
great-grandmother and waited for her order.
"Please take Mousse over to the Tofu's office, please."
She almost groaned at the thought but kept it to herself. So she
answered her with a nod and, "Yes Great-Grandmother." With that
said Cologne left to proceed to go and open the Nekohanten.
Looking over to Mousse she spoke. "Come stupid Mousse. Shampoo have
to take you to Dr. Tofu, so move lazy butt."
Mousse put on his robe and quickly took out a pair of sunglasses
out of his sleeve, along with a leather thong. Putting on his
sunglasses, he proceeded to tie in the thong, pulling all of his hair
back into a nice long ponytail. This almost made him look like a
totally different person, almost looking a lot like Ranma.
Shampoo was stunned with his new look and spoke. "Why Mousse do
that?"
{Do what Xian?}
This only increased Shampoo astonishment, that he had answered her
decently without his usual words of love or calling her beloved. That
he had called her by her real Chinese name. Shaking out of it, she
continued. "Forget it Mousse, time to take you to doctor."
She grabbed his arm and took him down the stairs, then out through
the front doors of the restaurant. Cologne too was taken back by
Mousse's new look when he passed her. It was already seven and the
breakfast crowd was barely gathering, so far she had had two young
men in business suits. There never was too much of a crowd as no one
wanted ramen for breakfast anyway. Though this time even the calm
suits were too stunned by his appearance. They were regulars.
The one in a grey suit spoke over to Cologne as though he knew her.
"Isn't that the young boy who usually helps out here? Mousse I think
his name is."
Cologne was in so a state of shock she answered without even
knowing. "Yes."
She started to think out this new turn of events and what they
could mean.
To be continued...
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Author's note: Well guys and gals, what do you think? Remember to send
the flames and what other to the above stated address.
Oh yeah, if your wondering why there's' no posted tease for the next
part, its because I usually write of the top of the bat. In other
words I just wing it. Later.
Dreams
By Jess Dougherty
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Disclaimer: By all rights by law, Characters in this story belong
to Rumiko Takashi and their respective companies. Please do not sue as
I am a student with NO source of income or any wealth. The story
however is something I had floating around in my head since Mousse is
one of my favorite Ranma 1/2 characters.
{Chinese speech}
_Thoughts_
"Japanese speech"
Remember, this is my first 'published' fanfic, hope you enjoy it.
Though if you do or don't, send flames, comments or just plain e-mail
to:
genryu_98@yahoo.com
Until then, later.
***********************************************************************
The night was alive with cool breezes and millions of stars shining
brightly in mist of the deep velvety blue sky. The stars looking like
woven diamonds in the sky and the full large moon off to the south,
the crowning pearl. This was the time of the day that he loved most
because no matter where he was, the night sky looked exactly like his
hometown.
Mousse sat on the roof of his new home, which had been his home for
the past two years. Ever since the day he decided to follow the
woman of his dreams from his home in China to Japan. He following his
dream and she following hers, a young man. Muu Zhuu was his name by
birth but Mousse was the Japanese style he was growing accustomed to.
The same could be said about his love and her, dried up old monkey of
a great-grandmother.
They were all getting used to living here or so it seems, but he
knew better. His love as well as himself was getting tired of living
here, they all missed the simple life of Joketsuzoku and their tribe.
Or so he thought and felt.
Time can change a person and two years can be a very drastic time
especially for all of them and what they had been through. The time
was small and almost insignificantly but to him it was more than
enough. Because even through all this, they remained the same as
they had been. Though unlike them, he had changed even more
significantly than they had.
His face contorted when he thought about his personal views on the
past years of his life in Japan. Feeling new change within him for the
first time ever, Muu lowered himself onto his back. His mind in pure
jumbles trying to understand this new train of thought.
_Do I really want to leave?_
His mind raced with that question as it had before but not until
now had he ever considered really answering it. Looking back up to the
sky, Mousse started to really think about everything that had been
happening around him. Then, before he knew it, a low black mist began
to envelop him, surrounding him slowly but quickly.
As he was thinking he never noticed the roof of the Nekohanten
begin to disappear until all that was left was the mist. The city
lights and everything surrounding him all over Nerima vanished. Soon
the stars grew brighter and a tall shadow formed out of the mist he
was on. It took on the shape of a man but it was too dark to be able
to distinguish any of his features.
Any except that it was a he with long hair, the color unknown, but
it was tied in long and massive braided pigtail. It swished past what
looked like the man's hips or where his belt seemed to be. As he
stepped closer, Mousse finally felt the man behind him. Then, almost
as quickly, Mousse noticed that he was no longer in Nerima or rather,
the city was gone. He started to notice that everything was quite
gone, the roof of the Nekohanten he was just on and all buildings,
trees, etc.
Feeling a little fear but relying on his martial arts training to
keep his cool, Mousse leapt into the air. Somersaulting about three
times, he came to land on his feet no more than eight feet than where
he was. Two-twin katana's appeared out his arms and into his hands to
which he now had pointed to the intruder.
"Who are you?" Relying on his Japanese, he spoke. But no answer
came from the male figure.
Minutes, then hours seemed to pass and Mousse was getting rather
angry with the stranger. That is, until he spoke.
{Speak your native tongue.}
To say Mousse was stunned was an understatement, deep down he was
starting to feel a little bit worried as to what might happen to him.
Shaking off the feeling of fear, he tried to remain as tall and proud
on the outside as possible, calling on all his discipline. He looked
at the stranger with contempt, his true feelings probably showing in
his eyes were hidden by his thick lenses.
The stranger just stood there looking at him without so much as
another word until Mousse broke the silence. "Why do you wish for me
to speak my language." He again spoke in Japanese.
The stranger remained silent yet again.
Time seemed to stand still until finally Mousse gave in and began
to speak in Mandarin Chinese. {"Why you wish for me to speak in my
native tongue? Also, how did you know?"}
He spoke. {One question at a time Muu Zhuu. First, please, can you
put away your blades?}
Muu Zhuu looked at the katanas' in his hands and pondered whether or
not to put away his blades. As he looked unto his blades, he decided
to do as the man told him. For some unknown reason he felt as though
he could trust this man, and put away his swords.
The stranger talked again. {Thank you Muu Zhuu. Now, the reason I
asked you to speak in your tongue was to pay you better respect. After
all you did not spend your entire youth learning your heritage only to
lose it while you were in Japan. Also, as to how I know, well...
that's' my secret. For now.}
{What do you mean? Secret?}
The stranger became a little clearer exposing his gajin clothing
and some physical detail. As far as Mousse could tell, the man was in
deed a man. Standing about six foot two, his hair jet black but the
shadows covered his face entirely. He wore loose-fitting black jeans,
with a tight black turtle-neck along on top with a long white leather
coat.
The mans' hands were in his pockets, thus reassuring Mousse that
the man had come here only to talk. Though, Mousse kept his shuriken
ready in his long sleeves ready.
{For now Mousse, let me have that and my identity a secret please.
From you at the moment.}
Mousse did not like this but he still could not shake that feeling
of recognition and calmness that the man was giving him. All his
instincts told him to watch out, that this man meant a significant
change. To him and to the rest of his life, but he felt at ease.
{Muu I wish to talk to with you at the moment. Tell me, why did you
change?}
_CHANGE?_ Mousse could not understand what this stranger was
talking about, how had he changed? Was he still respectful to his
love, to... his elders and superiors? Mousse got it, or so he thought.
{No Muu, I mean the change from who you were as a child? You had
great dreams and goals. Why did you change?}
Mousse was in total shock, what did this man mean? And how does he
know he changed since childhood? Had he known this man in his youth
and cannot remember him? He still wondered though: HOW HAD HE CHANGED?
The stranger began to speak again. {I mean Muu, how did you become
the slave you are now?}
{Slave?} Then it hit what 'he' was referring to, his love and
devotion to his beloved Shampoo. Mousse began to become outraged and
angered at the insult just thrown not to him but his love. {How dare
you insult my...}
He spoke. {Shut up Muu!} His voice barely above a whisper but the
glow of dark purple in his eyes pretty much stopped him. Mousse
present train of thought lost its steam as fear began to replace his
anger.
Moments went by as the two males just stood where they were, just
staring at each other. Mousse kept regarding who this 'person' could
be to evoke such emotion over him and for him. He kept looking into
the shadows that covered him hoping that maybe, just maybe he'd
recognize him. He stayed like this, just staring at him, until he
spoke again.
{Listen Muu, please.}
Mousse wanted to leave but he would give this 'person' one last
chance, also allowing him to try and figure out who he is. Mousse
answered. {Ok.}
Mousse heard a sign. {Listen Muu for I don't have time to tell you
all but I will come again and again til you return to your real
senses. Then maybe all of your senses will return to.}
Mousse was puzzled by this.
{Muu Zhuu, try to remember how and who you were before you met
Xian Pu at the age of three. Think of the kind of boy you were, and
the kind of man you wanted to become.}
Mousse stood then but hesitated until he let himself try and see
what this stranger was talking about. Nothing happened at first but
then without warning, he was almost thrown back as something caught on
to his robes and pulled him back. When the movement stopped, Muu Zhuu
was seeing himself at the age of two.
The sun was bright and the wind cool. The nearby trees blew with
the wind as the scent of millions of flowers came with it. Muu Zhuu
was sitting with his father, more by his knee listening to him tell
stories. Stories of long ago males who proved their worth as warriors
and men who could not be tamed by women. Muu Zhuu could almost picture
himself as one of them, the great legendary males who were men but
helped the Amazons avert disaster.
Muu's father stops his reading and begins to tell him of another
male that not recently passed away. Around the time he, Muu, was born
and was married to sister of one of the tribal elders. A man named
Li Kai who was an unmatched warrior and no Amazon female could tame,
all but one. The Amazon he was married too, only because she loved him
and he loved her.
Muu Zhuu being the child he was disliked the idea of love, he felt
that it weakened warriors, but even he knew his role in the tribe. He
would always be less superior to the women, especially the one he
would marry, if he married since he didn't want to. He went outside
and he began to imagine himself as the warrior Li Kai that his father
just told him about. He began to punch imaginary opponents in front
and behind him.
Five months pass in the blink of an eye as bandits began to try and
raid the village. Muu Zhuu was behind his father's right leg as female
warriors were fighting off the male bandits. He sees his mother taking
on at least three of the men and she seems to be having a bit of a
problem against them.
His father grabs him and puts him away from his leg and tells him
to stay where he is as he is about to help his mother. As soon as he
leaves the hut, Mousse saw something he'd never seen his father do.
Out of nowhere a rather large sword escapes from the fold of his white
robes and strikes one of the bandits through his midsection. Then as
quickly his father jumps away, no other female seeing this, especially
his mother.
His father is back by lil Muu Zhuu's side while his mother finishes
off the remaining bandits. Within minutes the rest of the women have
ran off the others and they all cry out in victory. Mousse notices
that his mother is looking at his father and they are both smiling.
She knew that his father, her husband, had just saved her.
The next day we see lil Muu Zhuu is asking his father to train him
in what he saw the other day. His father goes and asks his wife
knowing the ways of culture he entered when he married her. Muu's
mother says yes and he starts down the path that will lead him to
become a master of the Hidden Weapons Martial Arts, like his father.
A year passes and Muu is now three and very good with wooden
weapons his father had made for him to learn. Muu Zhuu is walking
outside the village throwing pulling in and out a two foot long wooden
sword his father gave him, practicing his father's techniques. In a
year alone he had advanced almost impossibly quick, faster than his
own father. Muu is a master of all the wooden-weapons representing
every weapon known to the Amazons and outsiders. But then he sees
'her,' a little girl with long deep lavender hair practicing with a
pair of bondari on top a boulder. His world from there changes.
Muu Zhuu confronts this little girl the next day.
(He is walking toward the little girl as he sees that her teacher,
an old woman on a staff has left. Muu Zhuu is a little nervous but he
approaches her little by little. Within seconds he is about five feet
away. His mouth opens for him to talk but everything stops as someone
is now standing before him. The same man who was with him earlier.)
His road down memory lane is interrupted by his authoritve voice.
{Muu Zhuu! Wake up!}
Mousse is back again standing where he once was and now is again,
in front of the stranger. He is about to speak when the stranger
begins to talk first.
{So now you remember the day everything changed.}
Mousse is still confused and it shows in his face as it contorts
with his eyebrows raising. Then he could hear an anger filled sign
coming from the tall shadowy man.
{Muu, Muu, Muu. What are you not seeing what I'm trying to show
you? Do you at least remember how you thought before you met Shampoo?}
Mousse speaks. {Yes.}
The stranger signs. {Good. At least you still remember how you
used to be.}
{Yes, they were foolish dreams.}
{...} Silence comes from the stranger but then a whisper comes
from his side, though they quickly turn into shouts of rage.
{..foolish dreams?...FOOLISH dreams...FOOLISH DREAMS???? NEVER CALL
YOUR CHILDHOOD DREAMS FOOLISH!! You had the potential.}
Now it was Mousses' turn to remain speechless for a brief moment,
{What do you mean? Potential?}
{Why do you think your father and your mother both gave you
permission to learn the art you know? It was because they both saw the
potential to learn such a forbidden and dangerous art as the one you
learned. Remember it took your mother years to convince the elders to
finally allow your father to teach the other children your art. Even
then he did not teach them all of it to them, except you.}
Mousse was truly speechless, he had wondered why by the time he was
six so many others were taught later than him. Why he had always
trained away those first three years of his life, earlier than
everybody else. After those three years, every boy that wanted to
learn could be taught. Then when he was twelve it was finally allowed
to be used in the male Amazon tournament to which he won the next
year at the age of thirteen, the youngest male ever.
{Muu Zhuu, its time for a change. You'll still respect your betters
but you will no longer take the abuse you take from Xian Pu. You can
and no longer have to take it. You've been to passive to them and they
have taken to much advantage over you. Its is no longer a place your
being kept to but demoted to slave. You have to grow and maybe go
away, perhaps a training trip to clear your head and get back down the
path you had wanted to lead.}
Mousse began to feel a little different now, almost as though he
was remembering everything he was taught as a youth. EVERYTHING. Every
law and moral of his past. His training, everything how it should have
been had he never met Xian Pu. He would remember her but he would no
longer have to take their abuse.
He almost glowed with the change and then he fell to his knees,
Mousse, no Muu Zhuu he was once again. He felt as though a great
weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Getting up, he still felt
love for Xian, but he now remembered his dignity as an Amazon male
too.
The mist began to leave as well as the stranger but Muu cried out
to him before he disappeared.
{Tell me, who are you?}
The stranger smiled and walked out of the shadows to reveal Muu Zhuu
though a little bit older. To say that the young Muu was stunned would
have been an understatement. They both just stood there, in the
middle of nowhere as it seems. Then the older Muu Zhuu spoke.
{Remember what you have Muu Zhuu. Become the warrior you are and
were meant to be. In reality you are better than Xian Pu. But you have
given her too much respect and have made her spoiled for it. To defeat
her means to bring her back to reality and remember she is good, but
others are better. Remember she used to practice as you used to
everyday, perhaps 'our' leaving and her defeat will change you both
for the better, if not to survive as we all have to change.}
Mousse or Muu Zhuu finally understood what his shadow was trying to
tell him, it was time for a change.
_I thought I wanted to leave, but all I would've done is run away
from my destiny._
He looked up and screamed.
{I WILL CHANGE!}
Then he felt a slap to his face as the sunlight filtered into his
once closed eyes.
"Wha...What?"
Mousse was in his bed being propped up but his elbows seeing
nothing but blurs. The sun touched his still sleepy eyes making his
blurred vision worse, so in reaction he closed them. Shaking his head
he almost felt something snap in his head. Pain washed over his eyes
and he rubbed them furiously as he now sat up.
"Get up stupid duck boy. Shampoo sent up here by Great Grandmother
to wake up help. So Shampoo say wake up!"
She emphasized her words with another slap but this time found her
hand stopped a few inches away from Mousse. Looking at what stopped
her, she saw that her wrist was being held tightly by Mousse's hand.
His left still over his eyes as he spoke.
{I'll be down in a minute Xian, please let me get over this pain in
my eyes.}
Shampoo became furious that Mousse was holding her hand and talking
to her as though they were equals. Her face became red as a tomato
and with her left hand, went to strike Mousse with a bondari over his
head. Before her weapon even struck, Mousse threw a shuriken out of
his pillow with his other hand that disabled Shampoo of it.
With the other hand out of the way, Shampoo could see that Mousse's
eyes were crying, but instead of tears they were tears of blood. He
held eyes closed tightly as the light in the room hurt them still.
Shampoo's face lit in alarm as her eyes went wide and finally
realized that maybe Mousse was in 'real' pain.
"Ayiah! What wrong with Mousse's eyes?!?!"
{Argh. Nothing Xian, please just leave me be.}
Shampoo didn't believe Mousse for a minute and left the room, going
down the stairs to the kitchen as quickly as possible. Reaching the
floor in record time, she ran for the kitchen doors already finding
Cologne at the stove preparing the food for the day.
Cologne stopped what she was doing and turned toward where her
granddaughter just entered the kitchen. "Aw Great-granddaughter, has
that good for nothing, lazy duck alre..."
Her words stopped as she the face of Shampoo and saw worry. Her
face began to mirror her granddaughter. "What's wrong Shampoo?"
"It Mousse! Mousse's eyes bleeding!"
"What?!?"
With that said, Cologne moved faster than her Great-granddaughter,
hoping on her staff up toward the attic, Mousse's room. Reaching the
door, she slammed it open and saw Mousse was sitting upright facing
the window. Both his arms went toward his eyes as his hands covered
his face, his eyes in particular.
"Mousse, what is wrong boy?"
{Honored Elder?} Muu Zhuu spoke as he turned his head toward where
he thought he heard Cologne speak. Facing now his mirror, his left
hand still over his eyes he spoke. {I'm sorry to disturb you, it was
nothing, just woke up with a... like this.} _With a whole NEW look on
my life._
Cologne noticed that Mousse was still covering his eyes and hopped
over toward where he was facing. Stopping there for a moment, she
continued to hop, not making a sound but Mousse now acknowledging her
presence and movement. She did not miss this but put it aside for
later investigation.
Finally in front of Mousse, she blocked the rays of the incoming
sun and noticed his face soften with the darkness. Looking up toward
to Shampoo, she motioned for her to close the window in the room.
Shampoo did as she was told. As Shampoo moved around to close the
shades, Cologne took another notice that Mousse knew that Shampoo was
walking around the bed. She found this now most intriguing.
"Muu Zhuu, tell me. What happened here?"
Muu Zhuu was a bit stunned to hear Cologne use his Chinese name and
pronounced it with a bit of what sounded like respect. So, he decided
to calm himself and answer the Matriarch.
{Elder, for some unknown reason I awoke with pain in my eyes after
I had... it just pained me when I was awakened that is all. As for the
blood, I have nothing to answer you with, it was just like this as I
tried to open my eyes.}
This surprised Cologne that Mousse would use her official title and
not her name as he had for the past two years since they arrived in
Nerima. Though what she also noted was that he stopped short of saying
something else. She decided to continue speaking to him and Shampoo in
their native tongue.
{Tell me Muu, what were just about to say?}
{Uh...}
{Muu Zhuu?}
{It started hurting after I awakened by Shampoo after an unusual
dream I just had.} He sounded a bit more timative than usual.
{Tell me about it.}
{I cannot Elder.}
{Why not?}
Muu Zhuu remained silent for a moment remembering everything he had
learned in his dream. Remembering that it was time for a change,
perhaps this was a part of it. _No time like the present. Gotta make
plans though._
{Please Elder, allow me to tell you later in private. Please, can
you first examine my eyes.} He whispered to her.
Cologne nodded and respected Mousse. It had been a long time he had
shown any respect to her and which is why she hadn't shown none to
him. She guessed it was time to change for the moment to help this
young Amazon, though male, still under her care. She nodded and
whispered back to Mousse. {Ok, young Amazon. I will respect your
wishes if you promise to keep your own words.}
Mousse nodded back to her and she started to hop back to get a
better look at his eyes. She asked Shampoo to stand by the doorway in
case she was going to need any of her herbs and medicine to help him.
She hated to admit this but she had a soft spot for the boy as she
felt a grandmotherly role on him, strict with the role of being
another mother to him. To try and make him show some respect for her
and his superiors.
In truth, when Mousse was little she had hoped that he and Shampoo
would've married as their friendship had grown strong. She had even
seen a fire in his eyes of an undefeatable warrior as she had seen
in her sisters' husband. Yet the boy had seemed to have lost it when
he let his love cloud his judgment and weaken him. Sure their were
times he had shown that light again time and time again, but never
did stay burning long after.
The reason she approved of Ranma was because he too had that same
spark she had seen with Mousse. The difference was that his was on
almost twenty-four hours a day. It never left him especially around
the Tendo girl he was 'officially' engaged too. It was a shame that he
showed great disrespect for her laws and ways. She had at first
thought she could change him; in the tricks, training, and other
times, but no such luck.
_Hmm. Maybe his name does truly suit him. Wild Horse! Indeed._
Noticing Mousse, she acknowledged she had let her thoughts get the
better of her. _Time to get back to business._
Cleaning out the dried blood that had covered his eyelids, Cologne
spoke. "Ok Mousse, open your eyes. Slowly, please."
Mousse did as he was told and had to close his eyes quickly as the
light felt as though it were piercing needles. But he did not let that
stop him. Blinking a few more times he tried and tried to open them
and within moments he had them open entirely. Unfortunately he still
saw darkness, though that was because of the room.
Cologne nearly gasped when she saw Mousse's eyes. His spark had all
of sudden become a burning bonfire. She could see that whatever he
had dreamed had had a profound affect on the young lad. Then almost as
quickly, the fire resumed its spark nature as it died down but did not
diminish as it had before.
Mousse spoke. {Elder, Cologne, can you please open the shades to
the room, I'd like to see with the light on. Or am I blind?}
Cologne nearly lost it to that one, she could tell he was joking
but it was a good one. "No Mousse, you are not blind." Turning over to
look at her great-granddaughter, she made a suggestion to open the
curtains. Shampoo did as she was told.
When the curtains opened, Mousse noticed something almost
immediately, he could see. He could see as clear as the day, as he had
been able to before he was three, before he... met Xian Pu, Shampoo.
He looked down and began to wonder something, had his love blinded
him like this? Not knowing what to day, he did the only thing quickly
he could think off, as well as allow him to help him with this.
As he moved away, Cologne wondered if the light was still affecting
him in some way. She knew of no herb or medicine that she had that
could help Mousse. The only things she had were for other uses and
none seemed to connect with him. She did the only thing possible.
"Mousse, you are going to Dr. Tofu's. None of what had happened to
you at this moment is of what I know of. Maybe... the good doctor can
help you." Cologne ordinarily hated modern medicine but she had to
recognize its uses. Especially when it came to Dr. Tofu, he used the
ways of the old and mixed them with the ways of the new. A good
combination in her book.
Just as Mousse had wanted, he nodded and went for his robes with
his eyes closed, trying to remember if it was still where he had left
it last night. Cologne beat him to it, she threw it to him. What he
managed to see was that Cologne had thrown him one of his less used
robes, a deep black silk robe. This was one of his more dangerous
robes since in it contained most of his bladed weapons; spears,
swords, shuriken, etc. He didn't mind though, he had no reason to use
them and kept quiet as he began to dress in this solid black robe.
"Get dressed Mousse. Shampoo!" Shampoo looked directly at her
great-grandmother and waited for her order.
"Please take Mousse over to the Tofu's office, please."
She almost groaned at the thought but kept it to herself. So she
answered her with a nod and, "Yes Great-Grandmother." With that
said Cologne left to proceed to go and open the Nekohanten.
Looking over to Mousse she spoke. "Come stupid Mousse. Shampoo have
to take you to Dr. Tofu, so move lazy butt."
Mousse put on his robe and quickly took out a pair of sunglasses
out of his sleeve, along with a leather thong. Putting on his
sunglasses, he proceeded to tie in the thong, pulling all of his hair
back into a nice long ponytail. This almost made him look like a
totally different person, almost looking a lot like Ranma.
Shampoo was stunned with his new look and spoke. "Why Mousse do
that?"
{Do what Xian?}
This only increased Shampoo astonishment, that he had answered her
decently without his usual words of love or calling her beloved. That
he had called her by her real Chinese name. Shaking out of it, she
continued. "Forget it Mousse, time to take you to doctor."
She grabbed his arm and took him down the stairs, then out through
the front doors of the restaurant. Cologne too was taken back by
Mousse's new look when he passed her. It was already seven and the
breakfast crowd was barely gathering, so far she had had two young
men in business suits. There never was too much of a crowd as no one
wanted ramen for breakfast anyway. Though this time even the calm
suits were too stunned by his appearance. They were regulars.
The one in a grey suit spoke over to Cologne as though he knew her.
"Isn't that the young boy who usually helps out here? Mousse I think
his name is."
Cologne was in so a state of shock she answered without even
knowing. "Yes."
She started to think out this new turn of events and what they
could mean.
To be continued...
***********************************************************************
Author's note: Well guys and gals, what do you think? Remember to send
the flames and what other to the above stated address.
Oh yeah, if your wondering why there's' no posted tease for the next
part, its because I usually write of the top of the bat. In other
words I just wing it. Later.