I know you all have been looking forward to this one for quite a while now. At last, there is a sequel to Ambushed! If you haven't read Ambushed yet…DO IT! Don't read this one without it! I really would like these types of stories to continue, so if you have any ideas, please let me know in a review. Thank you!
A Sinister Plot
It was hot. There was simply no other way of putting it. The sun beat down on the castle as if it were trying to burn everything inside to ashes. Even the lush grass of summer was turning a pale shade of brown as it died off from the lack of rain. Dust clouds formed around people's feet as they walked across the desolate tract.
The summers of Shin Makoku were warm, but this seemed unbearable to everyone in the castle and the surrounding kingdom. What's worse was that everyone was bored out of their minds. It was too hot to do anything active outside, and too hot to just sit around doing nothing inside either. The troops had been given leave for the time being as it was just too much of a risk to have them working out.
Since there was no such thing as air conditioning here in this world, they all just had to put up with it and think of ways to stay cool. Annisuna had come up with a few ideas, but so far there was only more heat created by the explosions, and the aftermath to clean up.
Yuuri thought hard as he stared out into the blazing desert that his kingdom had become in the last few days and sighed. He stood up from his spot on the castle staircase, and was about to turn to go into the shade of the castle when a small object shot past him and almost had him toppling off the stairs.
"Greta don't run on the steps you'll—" Yuuri said while trying to regain his balance, he failed and fell down the three steps to the dirt causing a small cloud of dirt to rise. "—fall…" He finished from his new position on the ground.
Wolfram appeared on the staircase behind him suddenly with a loud burst of laughter.
"Always the hypocrite." The blond retorted smartly as he walked down the castle steps, before offering his hand to the fallen king. Yuuri took it after rolling his eyes and was hoisted onto his feet.
"Sorry daddy." Greta said from her spot in the fountain. "The ground was hot." She excused herself with her normal I-don't-get-in-trouble-because-I'm-cute face…which always worked on Yuuri.
"It's alright. Just be careful on the stairs." Yuuri advised with a smile playing on his lips. Then a thought donned on him as he watched his little girl splashing around in the water.
"What are you doing?" He asked Greta, who currently sitting in the royal fountain water was wearing only a simple pink dress and no shoes. She just smiled and shrugged.
"Playing?" She said innocently. Wolfram narrowed his eyes and scolded her gently. Yuuri was always amazed at how gentle Wolfram could seem when he tried.
"Greta, it is impolite for a lady to be sitting in a royal fountain. Please remove yourself at once." Leave it to Wolfram to step up and become the disciplinary figure. Greta pouted, but got out nonetheless.
"It's not fair! It's so hot outside and I just wanted to cool off a bit." Greta whined. Wolfram looked at her in a disapproving manner and made an offhand disciplinary remark about her whining.
"Greta, please don't whine, it's quite un-lady like-" Wolfram began till he was interrupted by an idea springing to life in Yuuri's brain.
"I know just what to do." Yuuri said as he dived headfirst into the fountain. Wolfram blinked for a moment and was about to reprimand his fiancé for being a hypocrite again when he realized that Yuuri had pulled himself away to his own world.
"Papa Wolfram?" Greta questioned after a moment. The water still rippled from Yuuri's disappearance. Wolfram was still blinking in confusion as to why his king left so suddenly.
"Yes?" he answered moving his gaze from the fountain to the young girl standing off to his left. Greta looked up to the blond and gave him a scrutinizing glare.
"How come Daddy gets to jump into the water and I can't?" She asked with a pout. Wolfram rolled his eyes.
"He doesn't. I'm going to kill him when he gets back for leaving us like that." Wolfram said with a mild tone of anger. He hated when Yuuri left without saying goodbye, and even more when he left without any apparent reason. The young girl seemed appeased with this solution and they walked back into the castle hand in hand to read a story at Greta's request.
"Mom!" Yuuri called as he crawled out of his bathtub and grabbed a towel from the rack his mother now kept there for his random returns to Earth. His mother had also started a small stack of clothing under the sink for times like these. Yuuri quickly pulled on the jeans and T-shirt and walked over to the top of the stairs.
"Yuu-chan!" His mother called excitedly from her normal spot in the kitchen. "You're back!" She was already halfway up the stairs to greet him with a bone-crushing hug.
"Yes, though only for a bit. Is that box still in the attic mom?" He inquired, struggling to squirm away from his mother's grasp. Jennifer thought for a moment before letting go of her son and replying.
"The one with the foam darts?" She asked, remembering the last time Yuuri had returned home with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. Yuuri shook his head, but smiled as the memories of the ambush on Wolfram returned to him.
He had loved the look in his daughter's eyes, and though he would never admit to it, he had loved his first kiss with his fiancé.
Wolfram and Yuuri had grown closer since that night, and regularly spent fun times playing games with their daughter. Yuuri loved to bring home toys from Earth and watch with amusement as the looks of pure wonder began to play on his family's faces.
He hoped that he could witness yet another war with his family that ended with so much fun and bonding.
"No mom, not that one, the box with the pistols." He said with a plotting grin. His mother nodded a confirmation and Yuuri bolted for the staircase. There it was, just as he had seen it a few months ago after he and Greta had ambushed Wolfram in the garden, the box with the water balloons and water pistols. Yuuri smiled brightly as he began to imagine scenarios that could unfold.
"This whole overly hot summer ordeal could turn out to be a real blast." Yuuri thought as he imagined what his family would think of his newfound idea.
Yuuri arrived at the castle late that evening due to the time change, though it had only been about thirty minutes in Earth time.
He took his toys up to his room quietly and asked everyone who passed him not to give away his secret. After stashing the weapons under the large bed in his room, Yuuri went to the dining hall to have dinner with the rest of the castle residents before retiring to bed.
"Hey Wolf?" Yuuri said lightly, after pulling off his uniform shirt and throwing it into the laundry basket. Wolfram looked over his own bare shoulder at the double black.
"What?" He called back with all hints of anger from that evening gone after a heartfelt apology had been forced out of the young king. The blond was pulling on his pink frilly nightgown while Yuuri spoke.
"I was thinking…Y'know how Greta and I got you with dart guns a few months ago?" Yuuri asked curiously, Wolfram nodded his reply.
"Well…" Yuuri continued, "I was thinking of doing something similar, but this time you and me against her. What do you think?" Wolfram blinked at first, since Yuuri had never tried to plot something with him before.
"We are going to attack our daughter with those dart guns?" Wolfram said skeptically, Greta would not like the game so much unless she had a team mate.
"Well…Actually it would end up being every man for himself, but we could surprise her with the first attack. And it wouldn't be dart guns. These shoot water." Yuuri said with a smile while holding up a small green gun for the blond to see. Wolfram contemplated this idea, and then nodded, while his own plans began to take wing.
"She has been looking for a way to cool off." Wolfram said with an air of mystery.
The blond was beginning to like the way he and his fiancé worked together. They both had a tendency to act mischievously when given the opportunity. The boys plotted their game well into the night, then fell asleep with dangerous smiles on their faces.
"Greta would you like to go on a special mission with me this afternoon?" Wolfram asked brightly to the little brunet. She smiled brightly and nodded.
"Yes!" She jumped up into the blonds' arms and he cuddled her close.
"Glad to hear it. But I warn you now Greta. This mission will be very dangerous. We may very well be killed unless we are careful." Wolfram said seriously. Greta moved her head up and down in a wary fashion before agreeing to accompany her papa.
After lunch the mission was set into motion. Wolfram and his daughter mounted the blonds' white steed and headed out of the town towards the riverside where Yuuri was waiting.
"Remember Greta, Keep your wits about you and you head clear. Pay attention to any movement no matter how small because anything can be a threat." Wolfram was passing along some of the information he received while in training to become a soldier so as to keep the girl occupied on the way out of town. She quickly lost interest.
"Remember that story you read to me yesterday? The one with the frog?" She interrupted at one point. Wolfram laughed to himself and nodded.
"Yes, I recall." He answered. Greta smiled brightly and looked up at her Papa.
"Have you ever been turned into an animal before?" She asked curiously. Wolfram thought for a moment, an idea taking root.
"No…I have never been turned into an animal. The magic is quite impossible." He said in a reasoning tone. Greta looked disappointed.
"There are however," Wolfram continued, "ways to make someone believe they have become an animal. It can only be done by princesses though, and only with a special magic water shooter loaded with proclaimed water." Wolfram finished with a mysterious grin. Greta gasped in wonder.
"I wonder how I could get one of those...I'm a princess after all." She with wonder. Wolfram smiled and gave a thoughtful stare to his pocket.
"I can give you one Greta…but you must promise only to use it during very special occasions. Only at the right time will something of this power actually work." Wolfram explained. Greta nearly spun around in the saddle she was so excited.
"I promise! Oh please can I have one papa?" She begged, still wriggling in the seat to look at Wolfram, who reached into his pocket and pulled out the only green water gun that had been available. He handed to Greta with a few words of wisdom.
"Okay, you can have this, but only use it when it feels like you might lose a battle okay? It's dangerous to mess with people's thoughts. I'll tell you when, and how to use it okay?" He said with authority. If this was to be used in the game like Wolfram was now hoping, he would have to get the message across to Yuuri when the time came.
The sun was just reaching its highest point in the sky when they arrived in the valley a few minutes later and noticed many barrels at random points in the area. The heat was almost unbearable, and Wolfram was getting more and more happy that their game was about to begin.
"What are those?" Greta asked as Wolfram helped her down from the horse. Greta went to inspect them as Wolfram tied the reins to a nearby branch.
"They're barrels…but what are they doing here?" Wolfram asked, though he already knew the answer. A twig broke nearby, Wolfram gasped and Greta screamed. They whipped around to face a man in the shadows as Greta's worst fear came to life. She and her papa were about to be attacked.
A bright colorful object flew towards Wolfram and hit him in the arm. It exploded and water soaked his side. He yelled in false pain and fell to the ground. Greta knelt down by him and blinked confused when she noticed that her father had no real wound.
"It's just water…" She said inquisitively, and then looked back over to the tree line where Yuuri stood next to a barrel with two other colored balls in his hands. Greta then realized that this was a game and took off to hide behind a nearby barrel. Yuuri smiled and launched another one towards the girl as she ran.
"Missed me she screamed happily as she picked up two water balloons and threw one towards her father, who ducked behind his barrel. Wolfram, in the meantime had found a barrel of his own and started launching his own attacks on the two others.
It took no time at all to go through the balloons, and next were the small water pistols that floated in the bottom of the barrels.
All three warring parties were dripping with water, and excited for more. Yuuri retreated back into the small wooded area behind him with Greta hot on his heels. Wolfram took the more tactical approach and went around the backside of the woods to give them a sneak attack.
"Gotcha!" Greta shouted as she sprayed Yuuri with water. Yuuri yelped and fell to the ground.
"No! No please! Let me go!" Yuuri crawled backwards until his back was against a boulder. Greta smiled and pointed her red water gun at his chest. Yuuri pretended to grovel for his life, and Greta laughed before spraying him in the knee just to watch him overact.
As Yuuri was rolling on the ground in 'pain' Wolfram was squatting behind the boulder with his blue gun in hand. He launched himself over the boulder in front of Yuuri and shot Greta in the arm. She tried to act as Yuuri had done, but ended up laughing as she rolled around instead of screaming. Wolfram was able to keep a straight face, but Yuuri had begun to laugh as well.
"You dare to laugh at me?" Wolfram said as he spun around to face Yuuri, who suddenly became 'afraid for his life' again. Just when Wolfram thought he had his fiancé beat, Yuuri pulled out a yellow pistol and shot Wolfram in the face. Wolfram fell to the ground in 'agony' and Greta gasped when Wolfram choked out her name.
"Papa!" she said, cradling his head in her arms.
"Greta…it…it's time…use the magic water Greta. Defeat Yuuri by making him think he is a frog. The water…the water will work when you say the word…alakazam." Wolfram used the word he had heard Yuuri speak of when talking of Earthen magic. He gave his message loudly so that Yuuri would hopefully catch on. Wolfram then 'died' and left Greta to finish the game.
The little girl stood up proudly and pulled out her magic green pistol. She then pointed it at Yuuri, who pretended to be frightened.
"Alakazam!" she shouted loudly as she pulled the trigger. Yuuri was hit in the chest and he immediately squatted like playing leap frog on Earth.
"Ribbet, Ribbet" Yuuri said with wide eyes. Greta blinked, and Wolfram burst out laughing.
"Frogs don't say Ribbet Yuuri," Wolfram said matter-of-factly. "They say Pyu, pyu." Yuuri blinked that time.
"Aren't you supposed to be dead?" Yuuri retorted under his breath, before continuing to hop around like a frog, and changing his sound to a pyu even though he thought he sounded more like a baby chick.
"I revived myself." Wolfram said haughtily, as if it was obvious. Yuuri was quickly regretting teaching them about the mythical side of magic from Earth.
"It worked!" Greta exclaimed. Wolfram smiled and picked her up.
"Yes it did! We won the war!" The blond said happily as he spun his little girl around in a circle.
"Yes, but…now I want Yuuri back…how do I do that?" Greta asked, watching her father hopping around the area. Wolfram sighed.
"Unfortunately there is no such way." Wolfram said sadly. "He will think he is a frog forever. No one has ever thought of a way to fix it." Yuuri narrowed his eyes at Wolfram and Greta gasped.
"Oh no!" she said, wiggling out of Wolfram's grasp and running to her father's side. Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she looked over to her papa.
"Papa! What if this spell is like that story we read yesterday?" She said excitedly. Wolfram smirked, it was just the response he was waiting for, and just what had sparked this change of events. His expression turned thoughtful, and Yuuri looked confused.
"Perhaps it is Greta." Wolfram smiled encouraging a certain scene in said story to arise to the girl's memory. "In the story, the frog prince turns back to a human by a kiss." Yuuri blushed, knowing where this story was headed, and Greta continued to get seemingly spontaneous ideas.
"You're right! It was by a beautiful princess! I'm a princess Papa!" She exclaimed with inspiration. Wolfram paused. The story was suddenly not going in the direction he had hoped.
"If I kiss him, he will go back to being daddy!" Greta continued. Wolfram could only nod and go on with her theory, abandoning all thoughts of getting to kiss Yuuri himself.
"Of course." Wolfram said with slight disappointment on his face, but with excitement in his voice. "Your kiss would be perfect since you are the most beautiful princess I know." He said encouragingly, though his version had been of himself returning his beloved back into a human. Yuuri nearly laughed out loud when he realized that Wolfram's idea was being thwarted by their daughter.
Greta walked over to her hopping father and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. Yuuri stood up with a confused look on his face.
"Huh? What happened to me?" Yuuri asked Greta, who was clinging to his arm in a hopeful manner.
"You're back! It worked! I am a beautiful princess!" Greta shouted with a smile.
"You certainly are!" Yuuri said happily as he scooped up Greta and walked over to Wolfram who was pouting slightly, but also had a smile on his face for show.
"Daddy! That was tons of fun! Can we take these back to the castle and have everyone play tomorrow?" She asked sweetly. Yuuri agreed, and Wolfram nodded his approval. They returned to the castle that afternoon covered in grass, water, and small pieces of balloons. Greta told the entire castle what a fun time they had and before the family knew it, it was time for bed.
"Goodnight Greta." Yuuri said softly as he tucked in the little girl's feet. Wolfram stroked her hair softly while sitting next to her.
"It was fun." Greta said tiredly. She was almost asleep as soon as her head had touched the pillow.
The boys walked out into the hallway after kissing their daughter goodnight and Yuuri nudged Wolfram with his elbow.
"You so plotted to kiss me." Yuuri accused with a grin. Wolfram blushed furiously and shook his head.
"I did no such thing!" He exclaimed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Yuuri laughed lightly and snaked his hand around the blonds' waist casually.
"I'm sorry your plans were ruined." Yuuri stated softly. Wolfram remained stubborn for a while, keeping his arms tightly crossed, then took Yuuri's hand from behind his back without a word and continued walking that way to their bedroom.
After a few minutes of lying in bed, Yuuri's brain sparked an idea and he leaned over his fiancé to place a small kiss on the boy's lips. Wolfram sat up quickly and pushed Yuuri away.
"What was that!" Wolfram demanded, as it was not like Yuuri to be so forward with intimacy. Yuuri smirked and grabbed the blonds' hands to hold them above his head. He then straddled the younger looking boy and lay down on top of him. Wolfram attempted to struggle, but was too interested in their new position to do much more than enjoy himself.
"All part of my own evil plans." Yuuri said darkly, before leaning down to kiss him again. Wolfram gave in to the other boy's line of attack and returned the kiss, eagerly waiting to see what the rest of this sinister plot would behold.
Oooh! I love this ending! You have no idea how much fun this was to write! Someone told me to continue the story line of Ambushed, and I'm glad I finally did. This turned out to be much longer than I anticipated, but I am so happy with it. If you liked it too, please review!