Maybe Next Time
Okay, I'm going to bite the bullet and actually get working on this story without typing everything beforehand like I said I would. Hurray for jumping into things as always! ^_^;
Anyways, hope it is to your liking. Enjoy the prologue!
Italics: Narrator is talking, but to tell the difference from character thoughts there are no quotes around his dialogue.
Bold: Means a random voice is talking. Not to be confused with the Narrator.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hayate the Combat Butler.
I knew something was wrong with those eyes... That doll is possessed!!!
It was a beautiful day, at least outside the Sanzenin mansion. And to make sure the interior of the mansion matched the loveliness shown outside whom do you call? Why our favorite debt ridden butler of course! Already he was done with the scrubbing and dusting in the west wing of the house. But before leaving to finish the east wing he searched rather thoroughly for something.
And what would that be you may ask?
...Funny I have no idea myself...
Piping up from his work a certain butler decided it was time to speak up, "Aren't you supposed to be all-knowing?"
Just because I'm an invisible voice coming from nowhere does not automatically mean I know everything.
"Ah, many apologies for the mistake," he said.
No problem. Just don't make the same mistake again.
"I wonder if I annoyed the narrator?" our poor looking butler asked himself. Shaking his head he turned back to his duties. Nah, it didn't seem so. He was safe for now. It certainly was cutting it close since it was far too early in the day to be making such errors.
You know, you could be making a far greater error if you would so happen to-
"Why are the walls starting to get fuzzy?" Hayate interrupted.
Not the flashback?! The voice said in mild terror.
"Eh? I forgot narrator-san didn't like flashbacks..."
Of course, forgot about me entirely.... When it was written in fine print I did not like them!!!!!
Trying to placate an invisible voice was something Hayate did not think he would ever have to do in his line of work. But you never know in the future it would be expected so it was good practice!
Ugh, I guess your flashback is finally starting.
"Oh, I guess so."
And there in the middle of one of the many rooms was Hayate himself and his young mistress talking about something or another.
"Ojo-sama, is something wrong?"
Stopping her search Naji looked flustered at her butler. "Nothing is wrong. I'm just looking for something!"
"Why don't you leave it to me? I'm sure I can find it."
"No!!!" Startled the boy looked down at his mistress confused.
The room turned back to the way it was once before in a colorful stream of lights.
"Was that really necessary?" A disoriented Hayate asked when everything was back to somewhat normal. A few sparkles here or there. But surely they would fade...
...Right?
If you're going to have flashbacks I can do whatever I want when things go back to the present time.
Not wanting to argue the butler nodded in agreement. To calm the voice down he promised that would be the only flashback for today. Whatever made the disembodied voice happy. Thankfully it couldn't read his thoughts.
"Guess I better get started looking for whatever Ojo-sama was looking for. Though she never described what it was..." he thought worriedly to himself. That's when he noticed something sticking out under a chair.
Walking over Hayate carefully stuck his hand underneath the chair to grasp whatever the item was. Coming face to face with...himself?!
In his hands was a plushie version of himself! Dressed in an exact replica of his butler uniform from the cufflinks to a neatly tied ribbon under the collar.... Not that wasn't well made but creepy nevertheless. With huge staring eyes that looked like they were staring right at him.
"That's because I am staring at you!"
"What?!" Hayate yelled flinging the plushie in the air. Watching it trace an arc in the air as it fell on the coffee table.
And it did something else that made Hayate wonder if he was dreaming. It stood up and dusts itself off! Seeing the poor butler staring at him the plushie jabbed its hand out, pointing at Hayate's nose. "Now what's the big idea?! You could have killed me!!"
"Ah! I'm sorry!" He said waving his hands in the air. But then realizing exactly why he picked up the thing in the first place. "Hey, are you perhaps one of Ojo-sama's collectible plushies that arrived yesterday?" Hayate asked, revealing a new development.
After a long, awkward silence for no reason at all the butler finally spoke. "Anyways, Ojo-sama is looking for you-"
"Wrong!"
"'Wrong' weren't you supposed to say-"
"Ack, you mean I got it wrong?!" the toy cried out in despair.
"Eh? No worries. We all make mistakes," the startled boy said trying to comfort it.
Wiping its nonexistent tears it glanced up at Hayate sheepishly. "What I was trying to say was 'I'm not the only thing your Ojo-sama is looking for'. There's another plushie missing."
"There is?" As soon as those words left his lips the door opened.
Sewn on eyes widening in delight the plushie launched forward and hugged Maria-san?! Oops, my mistake, what I was supposed to say was a "Maria-san plushie!" And following right after it was Maria herself.
"Oh, Hayate-kun, what are you doing here?"
"I was searching this room when I found...him."
Looking at the two plushies talking on the floor Maria nodded. "I happened to come across her earlier and she was telling me that there was another plushie lying around."
"How exactly did you come across her?"
"Well it happened exactly-"
You lied to me!!!! You said there would be no more flashbacks!!!
Smiling on the outside Hayate was secretly glad he was the only one who could hear the narrator's booming voice just now. Though he knew that was his first strike. And that caused fear to rise in the butler's empty stomach. That reminded him he should eat something soon.
"Did someone say eat?"
All four individuals in the room gazed around the room looking for the source of who just spoke.
"Then your wish is granted!"
Before they could say or do anything the room turned dark and the floor fell out from underneath them. Our debt ridden butler heroically secured Maria next to him as they fell. Hayate quickly maneuvered his body to shield Maria's from the hard surface rushing up towards them.
"Uh, Narrator-san, I think we need your assistance!"
Author's note: And that's the end of the prologue. Came out shorter than I hoped, but it is just the beginning. ^_^ I hope the characters that appearted in this chapter are not too OOC. This is my first attempt at an HnG story so if I have any of the characters portrayed wrong please let me know. See you next chapter and please review!