Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Duckie Dearest ❯ Duck No More ( Chapter 1 )

Standard disclaimers apply

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Duckie Dearest

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Mousse was not a happy duck. He was a very happy man. In fact, he was happy because he would never be a duck again.

He would be a woman instead. This didn't bother him as much as it did Ranma, because his tribe valued men who would become women more than simple men. It was one of the reasons Cologne took after Ranma a cautiously and courteously as she did. Since Ranma could become female, he was more than just breeding stock.

Mouse was celebrating his god luck by taking a break even though Shampoo was not there to give him an excuse. She was off bugging Ranma, that was true, but he wasn't supposed to know that.

Cold water hit him. "Get back to work, Mr. Part..." The old woman trailed off when, instead of the expected duck, she saw a strange girl with dark hair the mossy color between brown and green. The girl turned to her and took of the thick glasses, looking directly at her.

<Elder Ku Lohn,> she said in perfect Chinese.

Cologne relaxed. <It's good to see you back to normal, Mu Tsu.>

"It's good to be normal again, Honored Elder." Mousse stretched and made a face when her back popped. "I got what I wanted."

"So I see. Normally, we would punish you for this, but I think you've helped Xian Pu's cause enough that that can be waived."

"I'm glad to hear it."

There was something added in her tone of voice -- an extra confidence -- that made Cologne pause. Mousse had been chafing under the women's thumb for a long time, it seemed. "Perhaps you would like to live as a woman?"

"If you wish it."

"What do you wish?"

Mousse shrugged. "Frankly, the idea of having a husband makes me gag." She shot Cologne a look. "I only wanted some respect, Elder. I don't wish to leave my place."

Then again, maybe there wouldn't be a problem after all. "An excellent response, child."

Mousse's eyes widened.

"Yes, I am. I think, having been her friend for so long, you will do very well supporting Xian Pu as her half-sister."

"Thank you, Elder."

"Grandmother."

"Grandmother," Mousse repeated. "Thank you so very much, Grandmother."

"You're welcome, child. No get back to work."

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"Yo, Duck-boy!"

Mousse turned calmly. "What is it, Ranma?"

Ranma had been intending to provoke a fight, but he saw that this time at least Mousse would not respond. He tried another tack. "Wanna spar?"

Mousse smiled. "I'm sorry, but not right now. If you beat me, there will be interesting complications."

"Not a fight," Ranma said. "Just to spar."

"And why would you wish to spar, Saotome? You know that I am nowhere near your skill."

"Yeah, well, Ryoga's lost, Pop's in the hospital, and I'm mad at the girls."

"I see." Mousse smiled. "If you wish to spar, then, by all means, let us do so. But we'll restrain ourselves to the dojo."

"But your chains--"

"Will not be used. They are for when I don't mind my opponent dying."