Unknown Happen Stance

Chapter 52: Overconfidence & Bias

Flashback: Musa's P.O.V. (10 years old)

I was far away from home, from my aggressively angry father, who no longer acknowledged my existence. My face was strained from the odd jobs I did to survive, jobs my father would never stoop to. His behavior grew increasingly erratic, less and less people-friendly with each passing day. I spent my days cleaning instruments at the musical cafes, my small hands diligently working to earn my keep.

Mistress Courtnay took me in, providing shelter from persistent abuse. She gave me work around Melodia to cover the rent and began seeking ways to foster my budding musical talents.

One day, Tesha, one of the music teachers, approached Mistress Courtnay.

"Mistress Courtnay, I noticed Miss Musa does an incredible job at the guitar instrumental talent shows. Do you mind if I assign her to a music camp? This is bound to get the attention of higher-ups."

Mistress Courtnay remained unconvinced. "I'm not sure someone who comes from an abusive past is ready for such competition. She's way too overconfident, Tesha. Not a noble flaw; it might end up masking something evil if I don't hold you off on that, Teacher."

Flashback ends.

The difference between Stella's and Musa's Mogwai-imbued shadow shard was stark. Stella wasn't overconfident; only the shadow residue was. Musa was the opposite with residue.

Musa woke with a start, realizing she'd been napping at the table where they'd finished crafting the handheld fans. Mulan noticed her sudden, jerky movement. Mulan, a seasoned warrior, instantly recognized the unusual tension in Musa's posture. Her own war-hero experiences had mostly only been with overconfident people except for Shang and the Advisor who had ultimately been fired. That was probably the only good trait the irritable man possessed. Cautious Caution.

"Musa, walk with me," Mulan commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument, Musa sat up and came beside Mulan. She wasn't used to such directness, to someone who resembled her mother in decisiveness. She scuffled to her feet, and then walked beside Mulan into the yard.

They walked to a small, trickling stream.

"Look into the water, and tell me what you see," Mulan urged.

Musa, unused to this type of insightful lesson, replied hesitantly. "I, I don't know... a strong girl with a friend?"

Mulan, without a word, splashed water onto Musa's face.

"That's not what I see. I see an overconfident girl forcing a fake, smirking smile. You feel agitated, irritated that I splashed you, don't you?"

"Yes—no, wait, no," Musa stammered, caught off guard.

"Answer truthfully and stop muttering. To beat a Mogwai, you must be bold in speech and deed," Mulan insisted, giving Musa a firm slap on the back once again. "Look harder at the water's reflection. The last time you looked recently, you weren't really looking, Musa."

The sting of the slap echoed the pain of playing guitar strings with bare hands, leaving deep, red lines. The water rippled, and half of Musa's reflection was obscured, cloaked in the blackness of the Mogwai's influence.

"Your overconfidence, your bravado, kept you from seeing the danger you carry within you, the one you've been carrying as long as you don't let go. As long as you don't confront it, the Mogwai will continue to feed on your buried insecurities, using them as a doorway to your heart - as well as any unguarded freshwater sources. The deeper I've looked, the more I see your reflection is taking on habits learned from your father, rather than your mother, Musa," Mulan stated, her voice filled with professional concern. "Evie is also overconfident; you both possess the same highly dangerous bravado, Miss Musa."

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