Hi everybody. I finally finished this long story I was working on.

Rating: PG
Sorry it's unbeta.

Portrait of An Amazon as a Young Man
by Draqonelle

Mousse knotted his hands. He looked out the window of his Aunt's home on the Fumei compound. He wasn't listening to his uncle, a pale thin old man who had spent the last hour berating him.

"For you see you could not beat Shampoo's airen. Cologne holds him too dear. It is time to expel the boyish fancy of marrying her." Uncle swatted his fan into his long boney hand. His tiny mustache twitching like a rat's whiskers.

Mousse lowered his eyes. "Forgive me."

"Oh Husband. Don't be so hard on him." Auntie said, a fat good natured old warrior with a pot belly. "He's a boy. And no harm was done."

Auntie patted him on the head. "You are as brave as any fighting woman I know. Going after Kong Shampoo like that, fighting those barbarians. If you had been born a girl."

Mousse's uncle pursed his lips "Don't encourage him. Such behavior is shocking. Shocking. I had to lie to cover my shame. Saying you were at your other Aunt's house. To think a boy would travel unescorted.."

Auntie shrugged but winked at him.

Uncle sighed. "You are not without prospects. But you are getting past that age. You don't want to be an old maid now. Glasses off. Eyes down. Let me look at you."

Mousse obeyed playing the role of giddy perfect Amazon male.

He swallowed his pride.

"Well you are a tad scruffy, you little falcon. You could clean up if you were not so keen upon doing this martial arts."

Mousse looked up. "But-"

"What woman would want a man who could beat her?"

"Shampoo. She is-"

"Out of your reach. Now Mousse you must prepare for tomorrow. It's going to be a long day at the festival."

"The Festival. Is this punishment because I-"

"It's not punishment. It is our honor to celebrate our families great shrine."

"It just won't be any fun without Shampoo."

"Fun. Fun he says." Uncle shook his head "I don't think that I've heard it called that before." Auntie yawned.

"Speak to him so he understands. "It is family honor."

"It's family honor." Auntie said. "They'll be snow cones and lemonade."

"You will be groomed and ready, by tomorrow. We're walking."

"I hate those robes. They are so ugly and hot."

"No excuses. You will be there and beautiful and blithe and that's that." Uncle said.

"Your Uncle is right Mousse. You want to find a fine girl to take care of you and continue the line. You are a Fumei. I'm sure you'll find a nice enough girl at the festival."

"Unlike your Mother... these are decent suitors. Of good upbringing."

Mousse had a distinct impression that his uncle resented his father was a poor simple farmer's son marrying into the Fumei clan. Mother and Father had loved each other very much despite the fact Mother was so modern and Father was so traditional. Mother was international and wanted to move her family from Joketsuzoku to Beijing or some modern town. Of course it was perfectly all right for Uncle to take out his anger on him, now that Father was dead and Mother was away in another country on business.

He made it to his room eventually wandering the stone halls again as they would be as big as they used to. They weren't. He missed the walls in Japan, even the walls in the city. They seemed so strange at first, plastic, new, paper, light; as if they could blow away. But here in his home everything had been the same for a hundred generations.

Older and earlier than even Cologne.

He spread out the sleeping mats trying to think about the last few weeks. Facing Ranma down in the ring. Pulling out everything he had. He smiled. He had wanted one good fight to prove his worth. He would have one without the magic curse. That stupid old monkey. If she hadn't have changed the red haired girl back into Ranma. Shampoo was bewitched by the beauty.. Ranma was very pretty and at the same time possessed of the feminine and powerful character. He was not an Amazon boy. He was not some meek foolish dreamer. He was a warrior. Maybe the outside world was better, to treat a boy like a warrior. He wondered how well he would have done in such a world, where he did not hide his strength. Even his sensei Old Cologne told him never to hit someone. It was unboyish. They lead him to use weapons instead of his own body. But she had left him too. The old monkey.

He couldn't imagine standing there in front of all those women shirtless and beating a woman in single combat. And the same woman who had beat Shampoo. He felt strong that he had beat the woman who had beat the champion. It almost made the trip worth it. It almost made the loss worth it.

****

Uncle, of course, came with him to help him bathe, right at dawn And it was no easy task. Mousse's face was naturally pretty and he had prefect lips. Still there was something too strong about his eyes. Some painted their brows on. But Mousse liked his natural face.

Western style makeup fit his face better, only bringing out it's nice color. His skin was pale like a lily. And his eyes were teal like two seas. He did not need to ruin his skin. He winced as his Uncle and his Grandmother's Brother brushed out his hair. They must have yanked each one. He felt like he was going to cry they were pulling it so tight.

"What combs will you wear tonight? How about the yellow ones? Nice with your eyes."

Mousse wanted to protest any combs today, his hair hurt, but that was the time they were painting his lips. He couldn't talk at all. He had thin bitter lips. There was no other way he could look nice.

"These are lovely. Your mother sent some. Butterflies, or these little parrots or how about thes flowers..."

"No." Mousse said shaking his head. "Something simple."

"Hmm. You should try to bait the trap a little more than a bad attitude."

Mousse took out his lotus bud combs. It wouldn't make him look too ridiculous.

Besides they were his father's, and his grandfather's. It made him feel he was more than a doll. His father had not come from great wealth but all who had known him respected him greatly. Fine man who was kind and gentle with intregity and poise. It made him feel strong to have a part of him nearby.

He let them place the combs in his hair. They lifted his hair past his eyes onto his slender neck, above his nice ears The robe was the lower cut one that males wore on formal occasions. He had been down to the kabuki theater once on his visit. The styles of their actresses and actors were much similar and equally garish.

He felt like he was about to be on the stage not enter his old life.

Auntie came down. She blinked.

"Mousse. You look lovely. There hasn't been a boy this lovely since I saw your beautiful father marry my own sister. My. You should do this more often."

Mousse tried not to roll his eyes. It was nice to get some compliments rather than the incessant nit picking of his aunt. He looked like an Amazon again.

"Well off to the town again. I think I had better watch you so none of those girls get the wrong idea."

Mousse let his aunt pass and his uncle straightened his back.

"Straighten up. Stop slouching and stomping about."

And of course his uncle had to get one of the kitchen boys just to hold a parasol over his head. He felt stupid. It wasn't even raining. But it would help him walk in these tiny shoes.

"Master Mousse, you look beautiful."

He smiled "Thank you."

The party walked into Joketsuzoku. The Village green stretched out before them.

It hadn't changed. Girls and boys playing in the field chasing each other. Mousse sighed.

It was probably a nice day for flowers and sunshine. He did miss that in Tokyo. But he was on official business. He shouldn't have even turned his head Mousse looked all around at them staring at him.

"Dah it's a wonder how they go from children to young men in no time at all, with children of their own." Auntie mused, "Hmmm. I have the most beautiful nephew in the village."

"It would be a disgrace to Geru-san and Lo-shan if he wasn't." Uncle said.

The other Amazons in the village looked on envious and curious at the approach of the Fumei clan. They were the wealthiest family in the Joketsuzoku Valley, despite or because of the fact that the head of the family conducted her business so far away.

Lo-shan was a bit of an enigma

Finally they arrived at the Cherry Festival. it was not a large event but it was boring enough. Next to his Aunt, Mousse stood silently as she talked to the other women of the town. As landed and wealthy marriageable boy he was expected to wait around.

Unless some very rich and respectable girl decided to come near him. He wasn't very good at keeping their attention. Not like some of the boys, having two or three girls trying to court them. Either they were disgracing themselves with their feigned stupidity or they were just idiotic.

Behind the town square the young people had gathered under the pretense of avoiding the heat to escape their elders.

"Fumei Mousse." The boys glowered at the gorgeous new rival. It isn't fair that a rich boy be so beautiful and attract so much attention. He was of the Fumei clan and his dowry was big enough as it was.

"Wow he looks beautiful." one of the village girls said.

"Must be all that warrior training." one of the boy snapped his fan.

"But Mousse is so pretty. Why does he need to do anything? He doesn't need to train like a woman."

"His whole family is crazy. His mother ran away to America, after his father died. It's a wonder he doesn't know how to act."

"That's so sad." one of the boys cooed.

"Shampoo was the only one weirder than he is." the boy with the ice cone smiled.

"Shampoo and Mousse were made for each other. He doesn't know how to act like a man she doesn't know how to act like a woman." the girl in the mustard colored tunic laughed.

"Shampoo would cut you into little pieces if she heard you saying that."

"Ha. She's never coming back. That red haired girl must have killed her."

"I guess that means no one will marry poor Mousse."

"I'm going to go talk to him."

"You're crazy." they said, "He's a Fumei. Old Man Fumei will rip your tits off if you bother his nephew."

"He'll probably just hit you or something."

Lee straightened her collar and walked over to the beautiful Mousse.

"Hello Fumei Mousse."

Mousse blushed. "Hello Miss..."

"Oh I'm Mai Lee Fing. I just wanted to... You know you were all alone..."

"Yeah."

"You look very pretty today." Lee chuckled nervously.

Mousse smiled.

"So how was your trip?"

"It wasn't successful." Mousse frowned.

"I'm sorry. Do you want some shaved ice?"

"That would be nice..." Mousse said. This was like a gauntlet. He'd rather face Ranma again then think of something else to say. To perform for this person as if he were some animal. She didn't even realize it. She just thought she was being nice.

Mousse felt like he was going to faint. Maybe the makeup was preventing the flow of oxygen to his brain. Maybe he didn't like flavored ice at all.

Lee returned

Mousse took the ice. "Thank you." He started to drink. It was cold. He tried not to show any discomfort.

"You shouldn't feel bad. I mean Shampoo wasn't even... I mean that red head gir... I don't know what to say about her... you kno." Lee patted him on the back.

"Shampoo will do fine by herself. Trust me."

"I mean I know you're sad she's probably dead."

"She's not dead."

"Btu Mousse I mean. That red haired girl was"

"She's not dead. I just saw her. Well kind of."

"I bet you always think you are going to see her."

'She's with her grandmother in Tokyo. I wish they would stop talking like she was dead. Especially smack talking. One day she's going to come back and show everyone. Maybe with a foreign bride."

Mousse sucked his ice.

"Not that he is worth it. Just because he can break cement rollers with his feet and... You probably don't care."

"She's the best in the village but that girl she was amazing..."

"She wasn't so good. She just caught Shampoo by surprise."

"Well as a warrior, I mean her technique was flawless."

"Well as a warrior myself, if that girl were here I could beat her." Mousse "Her legs were too short."

"I think you are just being..."

"You don't believe me do you?" Mousse gasped.

"I think you're just exaggerating now."

"Come on I'll show you." Mousse said. Sprung up to his feet. Lee blinked "Excuse me."

"I'll show you how I would have beat her." Mousse smiled. He put on his glasses in his purse.

"Mousse. I couldn't-" Lee looked around.

"What? I want to prove it to you." He took off his cloak.

"Mousse I couldn't hit your pretty face."

"Hit me in the stomach." He took off his earrings. "I'll prove it to you."

Lee stared at him "You're serious?"

"Just attack me." Mousse motioned.

"Okay. If you want."

It was at this moment he missed Shampoo. Shampoo would have never spared him because he was a boy Especially these taunts.

" Oh my god I'm hitting..."

Lee ran at him. Mousse smashed her down with a fist of the white crane and knocked her over into the pond.

"See I told you."

"Wow You're good."

"Thank you." Mousse straightened his robes again. "If I could do that Shampoo could too. Easy."

Lee pulled herself up

"Oh my word Lee are you all right? I didn't mean to..."

"I'm cool." Lee sighed.

'You got beaten by a boy." the girls laughed at him.

"I'd like to see you try." Lee grumbled.

"Yeah. You aren't afraid a little defenseless boy are you." Mousse's voice cooed coquettishly as he bit his finger nail.

"Okay but I'll take it easy on you."

"Oh too bad, cause I won't." Mousse frowned playfully.

Of course the girl wouldn't hit him. So it gave him appropriate leverage to send another girl into the pond.

"Mousse. Where are you?"

Mousse gasped. "Uncle. oh dear."

Mousse flipped his glasses into his purse and flipped back into his seat.

The girls blinked at the sight.

"There you are. Mousse."

"Hello Uncle. I was just talking. Right" Mousse glared at them.

"Yes." the girls said in unison fearfully.

Mousse smiled and hid his feral smile behind the fan.

"Mousse where are your earrings."

Mousse kicked himself then brought up his fan.

"I was--"

"Here Mousse. you dropped them." Lee said.

"Thank you Lee."

Lee took a strange look at him and scuttled off.

"Stop leading her on. She is not of our station."

"What?"

"Back to the pavilion. This sun is too much. You look like you've been in a street brawl."

Mousse sighed and followed his Uncle.

"WOW. He is crazy." they laughed.

"But he is so hot." Lee fell back into the pond.

*****

Mousse returned to the stale and maddening conversations floating around his head. He tried to enjoy the ice drink.

"The way I see it is she's silly. Kandhi-chan is an old dear friend but to let her daughter go crazy like that, over some foreigner. Dah. That whole clan is loopy."

"Cologne is gone for a long time now. Probably going to stay in Nerima."

"Her day has come. She is no longer the woman she was. Running off to Japan. What is she thinking?" the miller said smoking her pipe.

"Well It's probably to save her own reputation. Can you imagine if your granddaughter wore odenki and lipstick, and high heels. I'll bet she wears lacey underwear. Shampoo is an odd one." The woman laughed

"With all those magazines. The only man she could have would be foreign. What kind of woman wears skirts?"

Mousse came into the crcle "I see you nephew is back from his visit. As lovely as ever." the miller said offering her seat.

"He really doesn't look like Geru. His face is much stronger. Very feminine."

Mousse tried not to pull her hand away.

"Did you enjoy your Aunt's house Mousse?"

"It was very different." Mousse smiled.

"Who would want to go anywhere if I was a Fumei?" Widow Zhang smiled

"You're father kept such a lovely home, and such gardens."from behind his fan.

"I don't like gardening that much. It's kind of boring." Mousse looked him straight in the eye The men stared at him. The women chuckled. They could not believe a boy as lovely as that could ever say such things/ The men glowered at the impudent boy. ow dare he say such things in public.

"I don't really like shamisen either. I'm much more interested in the art of battle...."

"What a ninny! Why I don't take this beautiful young boy away so you girls can talk seriously?" Uncle said.

"Just like his communist mother." He could hear the women mutter from the other room. As his uncle looked at him complaining about how he had to impress the fathers as well as the girls, or he would never find a wife.

"Just like that Lo-shan."

"I think Mousse takes after his mother. He has an adventurous streak in him."

Auntie smiled. "Lo-shan always told me there was a world outside of the Valley. I wish she would visit, see how lovely her boy is."

"Lo-shan, Shampoo, Cologne it's best they leave before they ruin our village."

Mousse walked away with his Uncle frantically pulling and scolding.

"How can you say such things. Who would want you in their house? Oh you are disgraceful. Over there and don't talk to anyone."

Mousse's uncle went back talking to himself.

He had not seen his mother in four years. She packed up a caravan of silk and moved out. Last week, Mousse got a postcard from San Diego, California. Typed out, might not even be from her. She was a successful merchant there too. She was a modern person and got on in the real world, beyond the Valley. Yet at the same time she hadn't given her only son a second thought in four years, letting him be raised by patrician and obnoxious snobs who did nothing all day except get dressed and gossip about people far more interesting then them. He was angry at her many times. If she was so modern how could she bear her son living this life. He was as restless, as strong, as curious as any woman.

*****

They were walking home when his uncle patted him on the shoulder.

"You did well Mousse. All the girls who saw you were interested. You will find a bride in no time at this rate." Aunt smiled.

"Yes." Uncle sighed.

"Well goodnight dear. Get your sleep."

"Thank you Auntie." Mousse kissed her on the cheek.

"Good night Mousse. Don't forget to put on your glasses. And don't let your robes get too wrinkled. Have the boy come in and help you get undressed." Uncle walked away before he was done..

Mousse rumpled himself on the delicate expensive robe. It was too heavy.

They left him in his room, and proceeded to their own. He placed the glasses on his nose. did he truly look so horrible. All those boys there did not know he was worthless without his glasses. All they cared about was looking pretty. He looked at the stuff in his room. The shamisen he never played. Books he read already, the proper and gentlemanly furnishings of a men's room. All of his weapons were in the closet. The claws, the chains, the ribbons.. He had kept them so artfully guarded for years. Trying to hide his hobby. Even Shampoo would not face him with his weapons. It had been his skill to hide his skill. To conserve it. He could have twined one of these chains and no one would have known. He was skilled at slight of hand.

Presenting one thing, giving another. A delicate dance of deception. He took his falcon claw. Deadly swift and slender and shattered the shamisen, just to here it twang.

He caught his breath in his chest. He felt better. He had wanted to do that all day. Sure, fooling around with the village girls was pleasant for a while. But they were not going be around forever. Even Shampoo had left him. His life was getting shorter and shorter. There was less and less he could do without disgracing the clan.

He couldn't live through another day of that. Blast it all.

All he wanted to do was try to get Shampoo. Casting off everything he knew about the world. Armed to the teeth, using all the Japanese he had learned in finishing school. Hitchhiking to the town. Then across the ocean. To Tokyo. Tokyo was so exciting. He had never been to a city. Not even Hong Kong or Kuanlin. The buildings were as tall as the pictures. He searched for a long time for the right neighborhood, days. He saw the regular city high school with hundreds of boys and girls all together. It was strange for him. But everything strange was nice. He wanted to find out everything about Japan.

Then there was Cologne. Cologne didn't care if he went outside alone by himself with or without a parasol. The old monkey treated him like dirt and not some spoiled Prince. He hated to admit it but he did miss her. At least when she insulted him, he could throw it back. Cologne treated him like she would her own daughter.

Even Cologne had left for Tokyo. Shampoo got years of adventure and freedom in Japan, chasing Ranma. Mousse had nothing. He was trapped. He could have never imagined he wanted something more than to marry Shampoo, but he did. He wanted to win her from Ranma. He wanted his dignity. He wanted Cologne's respect, he wanted Shampoo's. He wanted to follow his own heart.

Was it all over so soon? He lowered his head on the pillow and went to sleep.

*****

Three days later. The Matchmaker and another mother came to the house. It was a proposal.

Uncle got him up very early, laced and tied him into the bluish grey kimono that matched his eyes and took two hours to touch up his hair.

The Matchmaker came first introducing the mother. Mousse as appropriate didn't even make eye contact. He tried not to look at his future mother in law tried not to recognize her. Even though he couldn't.

He waited in the hall as they spoke.

"We will be arranging this marriage on behalf of my sister Fumei Lo-shan."

Auntie said.

"Good. I was afraid to meet the likes of her."

"Mousse has a large dowry, and of course his mother has provided him with a modest income of his own."

"His mother gave him a fortune."

"Geru-san insisted Lo-shan give him his own income under his control. But he is a good boy. He will share it with his family."

"I don't like that he has money of his own. It is the responsibility of a wife to care for her husband."

"You know Lo-shan. Always new fangled. Idea. But his dowry is excellent."

"That is nonsense. He is a Fumei. It is an honor to join with your clan."

"His mother said we must take care of him. Find him a good wife."

"Mousse, come here."

Mousse entered the room.

"He wears glasses?" The mother said, "They look awful. He must have weak blood. To much water."

"Well he wears them around the house to help him read. He is very intelligent."

Mousse smiled. They didn't tell him how bad his eyesight really was. His daughters would probably run into trees on her bicycle. "But you see how beautiful he can be without them. When he produces you fine daughters, he may have to wear them to take care of them."

"We have maids to do that." The mother said "Mousse need only look pretty and produce children. Tell me. Will he favor us with daughters or son? For his father did only produce one son."

"Oh, he is guaranteed to sire many daughters. His horoscope says so. You will sire a daughter within the first two years of marriage."

"Well he would live in my house until RanRan is old enough. I will not have an untrained husband for my daughter."

"A wise decision. Geru-san was much too young to handle the responsibility of child rearing." Auntie said "He was a sweet boy."

"To some. He was lower born- Those who do not obey there station do not end up well in the end. One son, early death, misfortune... Be a lesson."

They nodded.

Mousse felt a hot stab of anger behind his eyes.

Mousse glowered and stared at the woman "It was cancer."

"Excuse me?"

The mother was surprised that he had spoke at all.

"My father died of a cancer. Not because he was an unfit man. He was a gentle and honorable man. He did not die because he only bore my mother a son. I hate the implication of such a horrible thing."

Mousse's eyes glared. He had gotten too used to glaring down his opponents. if this had been Ranma they would have gone back into that ring and turned each others teeth bloody. But this was the Valley. He was a mere boy. He only got a scornful laugh.

"I don't like the look in his eyes. He doesn't look like Geru at all. He looks as surly as that ogre of a mother of his. The little falcon looks like he might nip. No one want a kitten who will bite."

"Mousse is a little bold. A little ill-tutored. So deprived of a father's love and a mother's guidance all these years." "I heard he chased Shampoo to Tokyo." "Such stories He was but visiting his aunt's house over a few villages over. Shampoo if she wants to come back." "Tell me yourself boy and don't lie to me. Did you love Shampoo?" "Did I love her? I saw her in Tokyo. I fought with her fiancee in front of hundreds of people until my body was bloody and bruised. I love her still." Mousse looked into her eyes.

"We shall talk in the room of this. It's all rumor anyway." Uncle laughed.

"Mousse you may leave."

"Yes Uncle." Mousse lowered his head and stood up. Try to talk their way around that. He had spoken his mind, that was that."

*****

Mousse went into the yard placed on his glasses, began his katas. This was good.

He'd felt like a lap dog. It was good to practice again, pretending he wasn't so lonely.

He could almost see Ranma over his shoulder.

"You think you can beat me?" Mousse muttered.

But then he saw that boy. With the bandanna. The one who had rest in the village while Mousse was training in the jungle. Ryouga Hibiki. Who held the map. His uncle and the mother looked out the window at him. His uncle shut the blinds. Mousse smiled and pretended he was fighting with Ryouga again.

Ryouga was on his way to find the ultimate battle technique. They faced in the jungle. He took out his umbrella. Mousse used his chains to pull it from his hand. It was a long struggle. But finally Mousse was victorious and took his map.

He wondered what it would be like to face other enemies, other warriors like him.

If he would fail, if he would succeed. He could fight them in his mind for a while.

*****

Mousse looked in the hall. Inside was a tiny girl in a brides costume. Very traditional Mousse straightened his robe. But she wasn't just short. She was young. No less than six years younger than him.

"That's my fiancée?" Mousse asked aloud.

"Yes, she is of the highest family."
"She's not old enough to know what a boy is. I can't believe."

"She was the only acceptable one. You don't want your dowry squandered."

"I don't want to marry a ten year old. And I don't want to wear earrings."

"Mouse you will obey. Now go and greet your future wife. Be nice."

"I am nice. But this is unbearable."

"Unbearable. This is a fine match." Auntie said.

He looked up at his Aunt.

"Do not destroy it because you are stubborn and tempramental. If you ruin this match you will have no place in our family. You are your fathers son and the the heir to the fortune. You must have a wife and you must bear her many strong daughters."

"Auntie." Mousse tried not to cry.

"Mousse. Do as your Aunt says." Uncle said.

"Okay." Mousse stood up.

Even his Aunt would not spare him from this. Even she saw him as nothing but something to be married off.

How could this be? How could they expect anyone to compete with Shampoo?

No they didn't. They could care less about how he felt. They wanted him to marry, the first stupid girl who offered. A real girl. Not even ten.

He stood in the hall. This was the fate of an Amazon boy.

This was the fate of his father, his grandfather, since before any of them remembered. To leave their family to their wives home, never to return to their innocence.

*****

The girls was playing with her sister, in the yard.

Eventually they came in.

She looked at him as if he was a dead frog on a stick.

"My iinazuke."

"You're Mousse."

"yes."

"I'm Ran Ran."

"Nice to meet you."

"Don't touch me. Eww boy germs."

Mousse tried to forget the stabbing headache he was developing.

"So does that mean you're mine."

"I'm not your slave. I am your groom. When you are old enough we will be married and have children together" Mousse corrected.

"But you have to do whatever I say."

"Um well."

"Yeah you do." Ran Ran said. "Wow this is great."

"No I don't."

"Yes you do. A man has to obey his wife."

"Yes. But she has to respect him as his wife. We'll be married till we die."

"What if I don't like you. My mother has two husbands." Ran Ran said "I could just get rid of you."

"Then I'd take my dowry with me."
"You can't do that. I'm your wife."

"When you're older you will understand what it means to be a wife. Until then I will live at your house."

"But not in my room. You should sleep in the kitchen."Ran Ran laughed.

"Well I'm going to go play now." Ran Ran said "Bye Groom."

She did not even care. He was going to spend the rest of his life with her and she didn't even want to talk to him. He covered his face trying to catch his tears before they fell.

She didn't care about him. No one could. Not Cologne not Shampoo anyone.

They all treated him as if he was a slave. What difference was it?

"I hate girls. I hate them. They think they are. they all treat me like. And the women are worse. They think they can do whatever they want just because I am a man, a boy they call me still."

It was a truth that came easy. His own mother not caring enough about him, left him to fend for himself all these years after his father died. He was seen as worthless and. Mother leaving him the money for his dowry, a personal income when he married.

He had a lot more power than most boys.

It was still so strange. How modern and antiquated his dear mother could be.

Now dowry. Wedding, children. His boyhood was over. Might as well bury him now. RanRan thought he was uppity for even trying the art. Mousse paced.

He couldn't be getting married. He still hadn't defeated Ranma. He still hadn't tasted the fruit of Shampoo's love. He felt as if his life was slipping out of his hands.

*****

The girls came into the room. Her sister, Lin Lin. They were closer than anyone.

Mousse bowed to his iinazuke.

"You're gonna marry him?" LinLin asked.

"Someday. When he stops being such a tammy girl and acts like a true groom."

"Honored iinazuke."

Mousse set the tea down. He smiled bitterly at RanRan.

"There. Are you comfortable Ran Ran?" He fluffed the pillow "I made you and your guest tea...." He grumbled to himself as he left. "Even though this is my house...."

"Yes Mousse. Now leave us alone to talk. Go get us some of those bean cakes."

"Your father said you could not have the bean cakes/ It will spoil your lunch."

"Well I'm your iinazuke. So go get them."

he was reduced to baby sitting his wife to be.

Mousse knelt gracefully spun out of the room..

"He is cute." Lin Lin laughed. Mousse wanted to evaporate into the atmosphere.

"Yeah. But so? Lots of boys are cute. He goes around acting like he's better than everybody else."

Mousse snapped the lacquer covered steel chopsticks. She was only a child. He shouldn't take offense.

"Oh my clumsy me." He gritted his teeth.

"And all this silly behavior. Acting like he is a warrior."

Mousse's mouth opened. Nothing came out. He demurely blinked his eyes. He couldn't kill her yet. How would that look?

"That is silly."

Mousse opened his mouth again. "I am a warrior."

RanRan stared "Excuse me?"

"I have trained for six years under Cologne you have no doubt, and amoung my age only Shampoo has yet to defeat me."

"Well Shampoo is a weirdo. She goes around running after boys and wears lipstick like a boy."

"She's a beautiful woman."

"She's a cross dresser."

"Don't talk that way about Shampoo." Mousse said quietly.

He could handle the slights against himself, but how could they insult Shampoo.

"You could never be a warrior. You are only a man."

"I can and I am. I've met male warriors who could beat every woman in this village in Nerima."

"Where is that? When you were chasing Shampoo the freak?"

Mousse's mouth quivered.

"I am a warrior and I won't let you talk about Shampoo like that. She is the woman I love. Even if I will be your husband."

"You shouldn't talk back to me. I'm your wife." Ran Ran growled.

"Well you shouldn't talk back to me." Mousse stood to his full height and menaced the girl. "I'm taller than you."

She glared at him just as hard. Mousse felt ridiculous. He was fighting with a child. Was there no dignity for a man in this life?

"Ooh. You are the worst. No wonder your dowry keeps getting bigger. You'd have to pay me to marry you, you vicious little falcon."

Mousse grabbed her new hat and tossed it outside.

RanRan looked up at him. She ran after her hat.

Mousse smiled.

"Enjoy your tea you little brat I'm out of here. There is no money in the world worth this." Mousse wiped off his lips and returned to his roomsto pack what ever he could stuff in his bag to get out of there.

He could not bear this place any longer. He would escape.

He could run away again.

*****

The shrine in the middle of the jungle. They had thought he went to the shrine nearby. He remembered when he thought only vagrants slept in shrines. Now he was glad it was so remote from the village..

He went to the shrine and lit some candles. To illuminate the room. He was alone.

"Father help me." Mousse wept. "Please."

He looked at the picture of his father. Nothing could capture the warmth. No photo no picture. All it showed was cold gentility And deep green eyes sea colored. A face gentle and rounded like a peach with soft peachy skin. He had told him to be a warrior. To not abandon the clan and the tribe. It made him feel honored to be a Fumei.

Now Mother was gone away and all his family wanted him to do was prostitute himself.

Even his kindly Aunt expected a good match, with that worthless angry brat.

"Father, Ancient Spirits. What can I do?"

In the woods there was a rustle.

A black piglet. Lost from it's mother.

For some reason he was reminded of Ryouga then. And it came clear to him His quest to win Shampoo was not over.

Then the memories came to him. The first time he had ever thought to leave his home. Ryouga. Oh sweet Ryouga. How could he forget? The night he cried over Shampoo's death. With a stranger who became closer to him in that one night than anyone. He had wondered what had become of him. If he did find Ranma. It was the same boy, or girl or whatever creature Ranma was. He was going to Jusenkyo. The cursed spring. With a thousand deaths. He lifted up his eyes to the horizon. In Ryouga's arms, the boy had told him about the curse of Jusenkyo. When they both had been so alone and so hungry for love. They touched each other tenderly, they kissed Peeling off clothes and inhibitions clouded at the same time with shame and confusion. It was barely a dream. But it had been his own virginity. He could not forget the words that hung in the air between them. When Ryouga recognized a picture of that Chinese girl, and Mousse left him forever. Alone in his parents shrine.

He had shown him the secret, Jusenkyo. In his dark sun brown arms and in the smell of his neck. Jusenkyo. Place of a thousand deaths. Place of great power. Mousse remembered it in his flesh being grabbed and pushed and massaged and prodded and coaxed into his flesh. His own beauty. His own life He panted. Then it became what he must go. He must return to his quest again. He hoped that Ryouga Hibiki was not dead. How else could he get this message. He headed out that night.

*****

It happened three days later. No one had ever fallen into the Jusenkyo springs quicker.

"Sir be careful. "

*****

A few days later Mousse appeared again He changed his robe, brushed out his hair. He placed his glasses in a pouch and asked his Uncle to call back his fiancée.

It was not long before he returned.

Mousse smiled. "Honored airen. Please accept my most humble apology for insulting you."

"Well thank you. I may forgive you. I mean your dowry is really big and I owe this duty to my family. It will be hard training you to be my husband. But you're kind of cute."

"And there should be no secrets between us." Mousse said..

Mousse grabbed a bucket of water.

"You're not throwing that at me."

"You're right..."

He poured the water down his back. On the expensive silk robe. Sky dark hair and white skin washed away into white feathers he could feel his form contract inside the clothes. He was changed.

The girl looked at him he worked his way out of the clothes.

She poked the empty pile with her finger

"Mousse Mousse?"

He quacked.

"You are cursed."

Mousse quacked.

"Mazouka. Demon! Monster."

The duck waddled towards her.

"MOMMY!"

Ran Ran broke through his door.

The duck would have smirked.

She was the last girl who would have married me. She is my last chance as a life of an Amazon.

*****

Mousse set to the road. His small pack over his shoulder. No parasol. No one really talked about him, they tried to look away. Or they waited till he was far away before they did. It must have been Black Magic. He smirked.

OWARI