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The SecretDisclaimer: I don't own the characters in this story, or the idea of Ranma 1/2.
Muu Tsu slowly swept the storage room in the back of the Nekohanten, eyes hidden by his thick glasses, face turned towards the floor. He pushed his glasses up suddenly, mussing his thick bangs, and wiped viciously at his eyes. Tears were threatening to well up and spill down his cheeks. Muu Tsu, usually a fountain of optimism, was having a down day. He was barely able to control himself in front of his beloved Xian Pu, hardly able to withstand her constant rejections. Closing his eyes, Muu Tsu wrapped his large hands around the middle of the broom handle, pretending it was his Xian Pu...wishing it could be her. After standing still in the middle of the floor for a minute, he forced his hands to properly hold the broom again, swiping it along the floor to clear up the mess. Xian Pu walked almost silently to the door, her Chinese slipper clad feet padding softly on the hard floor. She stood without speaking or making a sound, watching Muu Tsu sweep, her brown eyes moving up and down him swiftly, mouth straight. His shoulders, beneath the large white Chinese robe he wore, were broad and strong, his long hair moved softly in the slight breeze, floating behind him like a raven cloud. His hands, their size not betraying the delicacy with which they could work, were wrapped firmly around the broom handle. He had his face down, turned away from her, unaware of her presence. She wondered if he could even tell she was there if he looked up; his glasses were resting on his forehead. He looked sad, and his sadness made her lower her head for a moment. 'He loves me...' she thought, 'That man loves me.' Muu Tsu had never seen her clearly. She had tried to deny that he didn't feel for her like he acted. She'd tried to tell herself many times that he didn't feel deeply for her, that it was just her beauty...the beauty she'd been told she possessed so many times. That one fact stuck in her head every minute of every day. 'He's never seen me clearly, even with his glasses...he must love me for the person I am...can I ever find that kind of love again?' Silently she moved closer to him and caught his attention by gently placing her hand on his arm. She was mystified that she couldn't tell his weapons were there, one would think they could feel them, he carried so many things...weapons, tools, chains, kitchen equipment....the flowers he so often presented her with. Flowers. She smiled at the thought. Muu Tsu had never known how much she valued those flowers. Every one of them she'd gathered, no matter how mangled they were from her stage rejections, no matter how they were ground to a pulp, she always gathered them gently with her delicate fingertips and dried them in her great-grandmother's huge Chinese herb book. She kept them under her bed in a battered album. Muu Tsu's grey-green eyes turned on her as she placed her hand on his arm, summoning his attention. She smiled up at him, trying to set him at ease. What she had to tell him would probably shock him, and she was worried about the consequences... "Xian Pu?" he said softly. "Yes, Muu Tsu, is me." she replied in her awkward Japanese. He recklessly wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. The movement brought tears to her eyes. He was squeezing so tightly she could hardly breathe and her heart beat hard. Gently, she pushed away from him, separating his clasped hands and slipping from his encircled arms. Confusion clouding his eyes, he turned to look at her. 'Probably wondering why I was so gentle.' she thought ruefully, 'Wondering why...when all I want is to be gentle to him.' "Muu Tsu, the restaurant is closed now." she said in fluent Chinese, "Please, come with me. Great-grandmother and I must have a talk with you...we haven't...we haven't been entirely honest with you about our situation." His face blanched, and Xian Pu could see horrible thoughts rushing through his mind, "I...you mean...I don't have to leave...do I? Oh, please Xian Pu, say I don't have to leave!" he wailed in Chinese. She put her hand on his arm again and he stopped and stared at it, "No...no, Muu Tsu, you don't have to leave unless you want to." "I never want to leave you, Xian Pu." he said, his voice thick with emotion. She smiled. "It is a matter of great importance. Come, please." He followed her silently out of the room and to the booth where Khu Lon waited for them silently, her huge eyes resting on Muu Tsu. Xian Pu slid in beside her great-grandmother and Muu Tsu settled across from them, facing Xian Pu. The gathering had the solemnity of a trial, mixed with a strange relief and freedom. "As you know, I was recently away on a trip to the Amazon village." Khu Lon said in Chinese, "The trip consisted partly of a long debate on a long debated subject with the other elders of the tribe. It concerns you, Muu Tsu, and my great-granddaughter. The matter was finally settled only a few days ago...Xian Pu, you may tell him now." Muu Tsu's eyes didn't waver from her, although his face blanched again as his imagination ran with horrible ideas about what she might tell him. What if she was really his sister? What if he had been disowned from the tribe? What if she was to marry someone else? Xian Pu lifted her face, eyes full of tears, and, without thinking, Muu Tsu reached out and took her small, delicate hands in his. "What is it, Xian Pu?" he asked softly, his voice remaining amazingly steady, considering his emotional state. "I...I love you, Muu Tsu. I have for so long..." she whispered. His world stopped. It was the last thing Muu Tsu had ever suspected he'd hear from her. He blinked several times and slid his glasses out of his bangs, hand shaking. They slipped from his fingers and fell to the table with a fragile sound that startled Xian Pu. She looked up into his face, reading his amazement and confusion. "You...you love me...? But...but why...?" he gasped. "Why the abuse? Why chase Ranma?" Khu Lon asked, fixing her eyes on Muu Tsu's white face. His eyes were shining as he nodded, delicately squeezing Xian Pu's hands. He was still not entirely sure this was real, not entirely sure it wasn't a trick to get rid of him. "Why?" "Let me explain." Khu Lon said, "Many years ago, at the age of eleven, Xian Pu made it clear to me that you were the one she wished to have as her mate. Of course, I didn't agree with the choice, considering your physical handicap." she paused, and Muu Tsu blushed, "No matter how many times I refused to let her have you, my great-granddaughter would not be swayed from her choice. Finally, I took the matter to the other elders, hoping for some way to keep this from happening. After long deliberations, we proposed to her a test. In order to produce strong children, a strong woman must marry the strongest man she can find, you know this, Muu Tsu?" "Yes." "Also, an Amazon woman wants a man who can protect her and care for her, as any woman wants. Since you could not be the strongest man in the tribe physically, and my great-granddaughter would not give up on you, we struck a compromise of sorts. Many of the elders feel that a man who is strong mentally and cannot be swayed by emotion may be just as strong as the best fighter. The test was this: Xian Pu was not permitted to show her true feelings for you, and had to refute every affection you showed for her." Anger built up in Muu Tsu for a moment, as his mind caught up to what had happened. If it was true, Xian Pu had been suffering as much as he had for the past five years. He felt angry that anyone could hurt his Xian Pu like that. "But...what about Saotome...?" "When Ranma defeated Xian Pu, she put the Kiss of Death on him. It was acceptable. However, when it was discovered that he was, in fact, a male, there was a meeting of the elders of the village. We discussed far into the night which course of action to take, and finally decided that this was to work in our favor. What better way to test a man's strength and true love than to dangle in front of him every day the love of his life chasing another?" The anger built up further and Muu Tsu made a fist of one hand, under the table, in his lap. Even if it had won him Xian Pu, both had suffered more than they needed to, and they had risked hurting Saotome as well, if his heart had lain with Xian Pu. Muu Tsu found himself not hating Saotome as much as he usually did. "Xian Pu was instructed to act as if she loved Ranma...to lead everyone to believe you were only a childhood friend, at best. My great-granddaughter has done a very good job of this, and you should be proud of her strength." Khu Lon said, "I have traveled back to the village many times to share with the elders your progress, so to speak. We have finally concurred, after your act of saving her from the bird-man at Togenkyo, that you have proven yourself worthy of her love." The anger evaporated and he stared at his Xian Pu. Khu Lon stood up. "I will now leave you children to talk." she said, leaving the room in startled silence. Muu Tsu looked deeply into Xian Pu's eyes and...pinched himself savagely on the arm. Confusion filled Xian Pu's wide eyes. "Why did you do that?" she asked, gently rubbing the place where he'd pinched himself to ease any pain he'd caused. "I've had this dream too many times." he said, "Too many times...I need to wake up now..." Xian Pu laughed softly, eyes crinkling, as tears welled up and spilled down Muu Tsu's face. She felt like a bubble, like a terrible burden had been lifted from her shoulders and she could float away. She was free to love him, free to touch him gently, to go a day or a lifetime without hitting him or kicking him or refuting her feelings. Her life, at long last, belonged to her. "You're not dreaming." she said, speaking in Chinese, "It's real. I love you, Muu Tsu, more than anything. It feels so good to say so." He laughed through his tears, his mind barely able to keep up, the elation making him feel light as a feather. Xian Pu delicately wiped away some tears from his face, glad she was feeling his joy for once, instead of feeling his pain. Muu Tsu fumbled in his right sleeve for a moment, and pulled out a perfect red rose, just blooming freshly from a bud. Xian Pu smiled at the sight of it, another flower to add to her collection. A special flower, symbolizing the mutual love they shared. "To put a smile on your beautiful face." he whispered, "The knowledge you are happy is more precious to me than the most beautiful bloom in the world." "Knowing we can finally be together makes me happier than anything." she said softly, "I wear this with pride." She tucked the rose behind her ear and her face shone as it never had before. The sight was precious to Muu Tsu. And finally, Muu Tsu leaned forward and kissed her. And she responded, touching his face and hair, as he had so often longed for her to do. An empty part of him felt filled for the first time in his life. For the last time, he spoke the soft words he'd spoken so many times before, "Xian Pu, will you marry me?" "Nothing would make me happier." - finis Final Note: There. That was just a strange idea that popped into my head one day. I hope you liked it. All comments, criticism, flames, commendation...whatever feedback you have, can go to: thepond66@hotmail.com
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