Part 2: The Transformation

Chapter 21

"Moonlight Proposal"

As he recovered from his injuries that he sustained in his battle with Shitani the leopard, Tarzan could still not believe how his jungle mate would be able to fight a leopard in combat, let alone defeat and kill it. Jane was nothing like Tarzan, small and petite while he was big and muscular much like an ape since he was raised in a gorilla family, of course. The only casualites that Jane sustained were her torn clothes and a few scratches and bruises while Tarzan had a big gash across his chest that was easily healed with time.

Of course, he still had the intention of doing what Archimedes had told him in regards to asking Jane for her hand in marriage. But to do that, he would have to wait until the sky fell into darkness when everyone would be asleep. So, that night, while everyone was asleep, Tarzan crept quietly into Jane's bedroom and sat down beside her. She was still lying awake reading a copy of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," a book that was nothing like the picture book that they had read together.

"Jane," asked Tarzan. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just reading this book called 'Pride and Prejudice,'" replied Jane. "It's a really fascinating story about the love between a woman named Elizabeth and a man named Mr. Darcy. I'm nearly finishing it and then maybe we can continue to work on your reading skills with it."

"Is book like other one we read?" remarked Tarzan.

"Not quite," said Jane, putting the book down. "You see Tarzan, this is a book for people and the book we read was for children. Of course, you are still in the beginners stage."

This had to make the both of them laugh for a second as Tarzan was not quite up to speed with his reading skills quite yet. Jane closed the book and placed a bookmark in it so as to not lose her place for the next time she opened it. Realizing that now was the time for his plan to take action, Tarzan plucked up courage to ask Jane for his hand in marriage, but Jane got out of bed and threw on a yellow shirt and green skirt.

"Actually Tarzan," said Jane. "Would you mind accompanying me for a walk through the jungle? I need to talk to you about something."

"Yes, Tarzan will come with Jane," replied Tarzan and the two of them left the tree house quietly so as to not wake up Archimedes who was asleep in a chair. Tarzan and Jane left the tree house and made their way down to a clearing near the edge of a waterfall. Normally, there would be jungle predators out in this part, but it appeared that was not the case.

"Jane tells Tarzan what is wrong," said Tarzan as they sat down on the field. Jane took in a heavy sigh and faced her jungle friend.

"Tarzan," she said. "I know that you are worried and probably angry at me for fighting that leopard today, but I just wanted you to know that the only reason I fought the leopard was because I didn't want to lose you today. When I saw you on the ground, lying injured, I had to do something and I felt my instincts tell me that I had to take action and so I did."

"Jane," he replied. "Tarzan not mad at Jane. You are becoming more ape every day."

"An Ape?" she gasped, a shocked and angry look appeared on her face. "Well, I never..."

She raised her hand to slap Tarzan, but she couldn't help herself to it and her angry face soon gave way to a happy one.

"…heard such a sweet sentiment," she laughed and Tarzan soon joined in.

"In fact," she said. "Maybe my experience from seeing the fencing matches in London may have helped me become who I am today. I was born to lead the life of young women and wives and instead here I am, in the jungle with you, Tarzan and your fellow gorillas. I guess that I was born to be here with them and you."

Tarzan now began to see the truth and taking the small box out of his loincloth, he looked down at the ground nervously and turned to face his jungle beauty.

"Jane," he said, trying to speak clearly like Jane.

"Yes, Tarzan?" she asked. "What is it?"

"Jane," he replied, clutching on to the box. "You are the most beautiful creature to ever come into this jungle and I don't know how you call it, but…"

"It's called 'Love,'" replied Jane, smiling and touching Tarzan's cheek. "I think you are confessing my love for me."

Remembering what Professor Porter had said to him, Tarzan held out the box to Jane and she opened it to reveal the ring which made her gasp in joy.

"Tarzan," she gasped. "Are you asking me to…?"

"Yes," he replied happily. "Will Jane marry Tarzan?"

Jane could not control herself and she leapt into Tarzan's arms, sobbing happily now realizing that she is going to be with a man who loves her and not be with Bobby for the rest of her life.

"Yes! Yes!" she cried, as she slipped the ring on her finger. "Oh, Tarzan, this is the happiest day of my life!"

As they hugged and celebrated their engagement, the sun was already rising and the two of them, just stayed there and laid down in the grass for a while and then a little while later, got up and returned to the tree house, as Archimedes looked on. He now could see that his daughter was going to be with a man that truly loved her and not like her ex-fiancée that only wanted her to maintain his status. Like all the rest of their friends and families, Bobby was told about Jane's 'death' in the jungles of Africa, but would not know the reason why until much later.

But for now, the King of the Jungle had gotten a Queen of the Jungle…