On a clear clean day in Yagami High School, a boy with dark brown hair showed a small glass case with small holes, with a yellow and brown-striped hairy bug inside. It was the size of a baseball, as it was buzzing in the glass case.
The boy said, "For my show and tell project, I have presented a rare specimen of a bombus distinguendus. It is a huge yellow bumblebee."
The students in 2-C were amazed, as he continued explaining the bee's credentials. Eri, a girl with long blonde hair, in pigtails, was bored, as she was moaning, "A bug? All it is was a stupid bug… But seriously… a bee. Some bee."
As she sighed in boredom, Tenma, a girl with long black hair in tiny pigtails, smiled, "Oh, it's so cute!"
Eri snuffed, "Shows what YOU know…"
She looked at the bee, as the bee suddenly looked at Eri's face, leaving a small chill in her. She shuddered, "Ew… I can't be intimidated by a bug…"
She then watched on, as the boy continued to talk about the bee. He was about to call for Q&A, as Tenma asked, "Hey, where did you find such a weird-looking bee?"
The boy explained, "It was a very rare breed. It's hairy and it's beautiful. In fact, no bee this big would be around. According to science books, the Bombus Millicendus, as the species is dubbed, is a rare breed of bees that make different types of colonies. The female can lay about 50 bees in one week, with or without the use of being in a beehive. Now, the male, as you see here, can pollenate, just like the female, but in breakneck speed."
Eri thought, "Weird… A bee that can pollenate very fast?"
Megumi asked, as she raised her hand up, "Yeah, do the Bombus Millicendus sting?"
The boy explained, "Oh, yeah. Of course, their stinger often is used as a signal for mating. This only works, if the male and female are romantically linked, once the male bee shows signs of affection of the female. And, as you see…"
The bee stared at Eri, as it buzzed a bit. Eri, in her seat, felt nervous. She whispered, "There's just no way. I mean… I'm not in love with this bee."
The bee's eyes glistened, as it paid attention to the blonde heiress. She then nervously said, as the boy picked up the cage, "Besides… What are the chances of a bee loving me?"
The boy sat down, as the class continued on.
Yagami City, a city in Japan, home of many classy and funny characters. Enter the main character of our funny, yet strange story – a small insect, aptly called a Bombus Millicendus, or in layman's terms, an unknown species of bumblebees. The item of its duties: mating season. Its secret admirer: Miss Eri Sawachika, who, in a moment, will experience a very weird love, firsthand.
To coin the phrase: "Bee very careful", when you least expect it… because this isn't no Bee-Minus fan fic. This is, in fact, a Tale of the Bizarre…
Tales of the Bizarre in:
Queen Bee
Minutes later, after class ended, Eri was out by the hallway. She was relaxing, as Tenma walked to her.
"Hey, Eri!" She smiled.
Eri said, "Hey, Tenma. That last class was boring, wasn't it?"
Tenma replied, "I don't know. That bee was interesting."
"Please, like I liked the bugs that they showed. Two weeks ago, it was a pill bug, and last week, a tick! And I get scared of bugs, easily…"
"NO, you're not."
"Trust me. I do. But that bug he had… That bee must've been infatuated at me. But it's just a stupid bug."
"Maybe so, but don't feel upset. I'm sure it'll be free, one day."
"WHAT? And have that bumblebee sting at me? NO WAY!"
She marched off, as Tenma asked, "Eri… Are you okay?"
Eri said, "I know it's too soon, but while that guy was talking, it was looking at me… like I was his mate."
Tenma chuckled, "Oh, don't be silly. Only big bees like him can mate with others. What was it called, again, Bombardment Millicent?"
Eri corrected, "Bombus Millicendus."
She continued, "Still, I wish I didn't have to set foot with that bug… I feel upset over that bug."
Mikoto, a girl with blue hair and D-cup breasts, walked by, as she called, "Hey, Queen Bee Eri!"
Eri yelled, "Oh, don't act like you're being cocky!"
Mikoto replied, "Sheesh, I'm sorry."
She asked her, "So, you hated that bug?"
Eri replied, "Yeah, I hated it. It's staring at me, like I was his mate."
Mikoto laughed, as Eri was angrily huffing, "Damn it. I know what I saw!"
She grumbled, "Look, I have all I have seen in from that bee…"
She walked off, as she was upset. Tenma asked Mikoto, "Hey, Mikoto, where's the bee, right now?"
Mikoto said, "That thing is kept in the science lab, for the night. The boy was nice enough let it stay for the night, since the Bombus Millicendus loves nighttime moonlight."
She blushed, "Ooooh… I bet Eri has a date with the bee, tonight…"
Tenma laughed, "Wait'll she finds out that the bug isn't staying another day longer."
As they laughed, Eri was outside, as she was sitting by the tree, viewing a small bright white sunflower. A bee flew down, landing in the flower, as she smiled.
"Oh, it's cute… That's how I like my bees – small and harmless."
She then thought, as Eri pondered, "Maybe… Maybe I should free it, and find itself a mate."
She continued to relax, as she fell asleep. The bee flew up and landed in Eri's long blonde tresses. It slept inside, as it was buzzing quietly. She then moaned, "Unh… No, Whiskers… I don't mean it as a compliment…"
She then fell fast asleep, as the bee buzzed off. Eri quietly moaned, "Stupid Harima… You dumb idiot…"
XXXXX
That night, Eri remained by the tree, as the sky was dark. She woke up and said, "Huh? How long was I asleep? School's over."
She got up and stretched her arms a bit. She then said, "Well, I hope Tenma and Mikoto remembered to get me… I wonder if they missed me."
She went into the school building, walking down the dark corridor. She then grumbled, "Man, why did I sleep, too long? I should call Mikoto, to pick me up… I mean, I-."
She continued walking to the cubbies, as she replaced her shoes on, placing her slippers inside. She then said, in complete distraught, that she was feeling uneasy. She looked at her watch and saw that it was a quarter to seven. She then grumbled, completely agitated, "Damn it all. I hate this school…"
She then thought, "Hey, wait a minute… The big bee…"
She then decided to walk up to the second floor, heading up to the science room.
XXXXX
Eri stepped inside, as she turned on the lights. The science room had a couple of cages, glass bottles and beakers, a chrome sink, and the cage with the Bombus Millicendus inside. She walked closer to the bee, as she was nervous. She opened the cage, as the bee looked at her, buzzing in a quiet tone. Eri moaned, "You… You're nothing but a stupid bug. What do you have for me?"
She then whispered, feeling slightly agitated, "I bet this is Akira's doing… or Harima's… Or, anybody!"
She approached the cage. She stuck her hand, inside, as she was nervously reaching for the bumblebee. She then whispered, repeatedly, "Don't sting me…", as her eyes closed, tightly. She picked it up and the bee suddenly buzzed around her. She shrieked in fear, as the bee hovered over her body. Eri trembled in fear, but the bee did nothing to scare or hurt her. Eri smiled and said, as she felt relieved, "Oh, good. And here I thought that the big bee was harmful. Who knew you were a gentle bug?"
She held the bug and gently placed it back in the cage. She whispered, "I'm sorry… I should be going, real soon… I can't stay out, this late. You'd understand. Besides, I don't think I'll ever see you again…"
The bee buzzed and hummed, as Eri smiled, "Oh, don't be sad… I'll visit you, again…"
She petted the bee, lightly, and smiled. Now, you may think that this is the end. Well…
PONK!
"OW!" It wasn't. Eri was petting the bee, out of happiness, that it stung her in the left palm. She screamed in pain, as she roared, "You stupid bug! WHAT THE HELL?"
The bee buzzed in joy, as it rested in its cage. Eri growled in anger, as she held her stung hand, which was a bit swollen and showing a little red mark.
She walked off, as she snarled, "I hate that bug… ALL bugs!"
She then left the school, as the bug buzzed in a tired fashion.
XXXXX
That night, Eri, in her yellow nightgown, with her long hair flowing down, was getting ready for bed. She then held her bandaged left hand and said, "Well, this is a day that I want to forget. Oh, why did I fell asleep, and be stuck with it."
She sighed, as she sat on her bed. She then whispered, "But… that sting was deadly. I hope I wasn't poisoned. I feel okay. But I wonder…"
She then remembered the show and tell project of the bee, as the boy explained that if the male bee stings the female bee, it solidifies their mating ritual… finding a soul mate. Eri sighed and said that it was ridiculous. Of course, her hand was only stung, and she felt okay. As she fell asleep, lying on the bed, her hand started to fidget a bit, as the sting of the Bombus Millicendus was coursing slowly into her veins. It traversed upward from her hand, into her brain, as it was producing small black bees, flying inside Eri's skull. They began to pollenate inside her, as Eri was snoring peacefully.
"Zzzzzzz… Zzzzzzz… Zzzzzz…" she snored, as she was sleeping like a bee.
Suddenly, her eyes opened, showing her brown eyes, which changed into dark bronze eyes. She sat up, as she was getting up from her slumber. She stood up and said in a controlled voice, "Yes… my love… I am coming to see you again…"
She walked out of her bedroom, without her slippers on, all trance-like, as she was leaving her home, heading to wherever she was going. As she was outside, in the dark, walking down the street, heading to her destination, she then spoke in a mildly romantic tone, "My love… I shall come to you, at once… My love… My darling… My King…"
She then asked, "Where are you, again? Yes, my love… I know of that place."
She continued to walk down the path, she was heading back to the school.
XXXXX
At around 11pm, Eri entered the science room again, and then proceeded to approach the bee, in its cage. She picked it up, as she said, "Hi, my darling."
She kissed the cage and said, "My darling king of bees… My name is Eri, your queen bee…"
She was entranced by the huge bee, after the sting to her hand. He made her into his queen, and wanted to communicate with her, by making buzzing noises. It buzzed at her, as she nodded, "Leave you here, my king? I suppose I should…"
He also buzzed at her that no one must know about the relationship with each other. She bowed and kissed the glass case. She then placed it down and said, "Sleep well, honey. Let me see your caretaker, so we can be together, forever…"
She walked off, heading back to her house, as she was still in her nightgown. She walked in a small motion, as she buzzed, "Bzzzz… Bzzzz…"
The next morning, Eri, in her bed, was moaning in pain, as she was tired and completely worn-out. She moaned, "Ungh… What a night… I didn't sleep well. Stupid bee… That thing was the bane of my existence, next to Whiskers, of course."
She got out of bed, but then noticed a tiny trail of dirt and blood. She then gasped, "HUH? A prowler?"
She looked down at her feet and shivered, "Oh… my… What the-?"
The bottom of her feet had small dirt spots and small cuts, with a small splotch of blood on it. She then looked at the trail, and then proceeded to follow it. She whispered, "What could it be?"
She looked downstairs, as she noticed the trail headed to the front door, which had a bigger patch of dirt on it. She then said, "Was I-? Was I imagining this?"
She shook her head and felt uneasy. She then said, "I better get some iodine on my wounds, and then get ready for school…"
She then said, in a trance-like state, "My darling king is leaving… and I have to stop him from going…"
She spoke normally, as she said, "AUGH! Man, my feet hurt… Was I sleepwalking, or something?"
She went to the bathroom, as she was getting ready for school.
XXXXX
At school, the boy was picking up the bee, as he felt unhappy. He said to it, "Sorry, old buddy. I can't have you stay here, any longer. If you don't mind, once school ends, I'll be happy to take you back home, buddy."
Eri walked to the science room, as she asked him, "Oh, hey! What are you doing?"
The boy said, "Oh, I'm taking this bee home. It's feeling lonely."
Eri suggested that if she'd keep it, for a while. The boy agreed, but noticed her left hand, bandaged up. He asked her why the bandaged hand. Eri then suddenly said, without hesitation, but under the bee's control, that she had an accident, last night. She lied that she punctured her hand, and is under examination. The boy smiled and gave her the case. She smiled and said, "Thank you."
She left, as he replied, "Such a nice girl, this Sawachika… I hope she takes care of it."
He left the science room, as Eri was walking down the hallway, with the bee in her arms. She then whispered, "Yes, your highness… I am the queen bee. What shall we do, today?"
The bee buzzed, as she said, "Oh? That sounds weird… but if it's what you want, honey, I will."
Mikoto asked, "You will what to the bee?"
Eri gasped, as she spoke normally, "AAH! Uh… Sorry… I mean-. Uhhhh…"
She and Tenma saw the bee in her arms, as Mikoto asked, "Uh, why the bee?"
Eri said, "Oh, well, I had to care for the kid's bee. He was generous to me that he gave him to me, as a favor."
Mikoto huffed, "That didn't make any sense… You're keeping the bee?"
Eri smiled, "I am."
Mikoto responded bluntly, "I thought you detested that bug."
Eri nervously said, "Well, I had a change of heart. In any case, I'm going to take this bug to my house. You can visit it, if you'd like."
Tenma asked, as she noticed her hand, "Oh! Did you hurt your hand? You need help!"
Eri ignored her, as she walked off. Mikoto asked, "Hey… Where are you going?"
Eri said, "I'm going to buy me a bee costume, so he can feel right at home… and then, I need to head down to the electronics shop."
Mikoto gasped, as she noticed the faded lip marks on the case. She then said, "Weird… She's been acting strange. It feels like that she's being infatuated by that bee. Maybe she did and maybe she didn't; but I think there's something fishy about this…"
Eri pranced on, down the hallway, as she sung in bee-language. Tenma said, as she was amazed, "I never knew she sung Bee language. She could sing it to me, as well."
Mikoto said, "This is ridiculous… I'm going to find Akira. Maybe she'll shed some light."
"What do you mean?"
"I noticed that the school was invaded by an intruder, as there were footprints on the science room floor and the hallway. Dirt tracks, a little blood, and I think there was gravel."
"What kind of shoes were they?"
"Well, from the looks of it, the lurker was barefoot."
"You mean… Someone tried to invade the science room?"
"I don't know… I think Eri could be the culprit. But I don't think so. Eri is acting normal, since she had a change of heart. Plus, there's no way that the bee stung her. Maybe that wound she had was mildly severe."
Tenma felt worried, as she asked if she wanted to see the bee at Eri's house. However, Mikoto chose not to come. She and Mikoto headed back to class. Down the hallway, the bee buzzed to his 'queen' and she replied, "Yes, darling? What do you want?"
She nodded, and then corrected, "Oh. Okay. Sunflowers in the park? I'll get right on it. After that, we shall start the colony…"
What colony?! Are Eri and the bee about to create a flock of wasps?
That night, at the Tsukamoto House, Tenma was having rice with her sister, Yakumo, who was worried about her. She asked her, "Sis, are you feeling okay? You haven't eaten much, lately."
Tenma asked, "Did you get a chance to see that bee in our class?"
Yakumo replied, "Uh, no. I don't. Why?"
"Well, Eri is keeping it, for a friend. And Mikoto suddenly said that she felt infatuated by it. Sadly, I don't believe her. Eri just loved to care for that bee."
Yakumo giggled, "Oh, Sis. She's obviously doing this boy a favor. But I think we shouldn't believe want Sawachika-senpai is up to. Besides, I don't think it's weird that she is lovesick over a bee."
"It was a Bombus Millicendus."
Yakumo gasped, as she felt worried, "Listen… I'm going to see Eri, okay? I'm going to make a call."
She sat up and headed to the phone. Tenma asked, "Wait, Yakumo? Uh, Sis?"
At the hallway, she called Eri, as she answered it. She spoke, via the receiver, "Hello? Zzzawachika rezzzidenzzz."
She was speaking a bee accent. Yakumo asked, "Miss Sawachika, it's Yakumo. Tenma said that you have a Bombus Millicendus."
"You mean the bumblebee? Yezzz, I do have it. It was a favor from a-."
"Can I come over? I want to see this bee."
"Sure thing. In fact, I need your help on zzzomething…"
She giggled, as Yakumo replied, "What do you need?"
Eri said, "Well, I need help on a machine I'm working on… and I have the whole weekend to fix it. Would you mind coming over?"
"Uh, I'm not much of a technician… but I guess I can help."
"Oh, thankzzz. You made uzzz zzzo happy."
"Us?"
The phone hung up, as Yakumo was confused. She then called to Tenma, "Sis, go wash up and get ready for bed. I'm going over to Eri's house, for the night."
Tenma said, "Okay!"
Yakumo put on her blue jacket, as she called out, "Oh, yeah! If Sarah calls, tell her that I'm at Sawachika's."
XXXXX
Hours later, Yakumo knocked on the door, as she was waiting for Eri. However, there was no one to answer, and the lights were on. She knocked on the door again, as she was completely upset.
"Eri! ERI!" She cried, "Where are you?"
She pounded the door, as it opened up. She then gasped, as the door opened by itself. She stepped inside, as she was whispering, "Hello? Eri-senpai? Hello? I'm here!"
She then went upstairs, as Eri called to her, from above, "I'm in here!"
She headed to her room, as she saw the bee in the case, as it turned to her. He then buzzed hazily, as Yakumo whispered, "Oh… He looks… rare. I've never seen such a bug, before."
It buzzed again, as Yakumo barked, "How rude! You didn't have to bite my head off."
She called out, "ERI! Eri-senpai? Are you there?"
The bee buzzed again, as Eri stepped in her room. Yakumo cringed, "This isn't funny! What did you do to Eri-senpai?"
Eri replied, from behind her, "He says that you're not a worthy bee queen. You should be my worker drone."
Yakumo turned around and gasped, seeing Eri in a yellow and black-striped leotard, with fuzzy armbands and leather boots, with white fuzzy hair on top. She had antennae on her hair, as it was in her pigtails, along with a small gold tiara on it. She then giggled, "Welcome, Yakumo… My king has been expecting you, as do I."
She buzzed, as she approached Yakumo, who was trembling in fear, "Uh, Eri? Are you okay?"
Eri smiled, "Of course… I never intend to hurt you, so badly…"
"What do you mean? You said that-?"
"The machine?"
She showed her a chrome machine, which was shaped and built like a Langstroth hive. She then said, "It's not finished yet… My darling king wanted to produce more children, by creating a brand-new colony of bees. It needed one more item… and that's a woman's DNA. The female DNA, along with the male bee's DNA, in order to recreate the duties of the Bombus Millicendus, or the Millicent Bumblebee. It is a rare bee, found in… outer space."
Yakumo gasped, "An alien wasp?"
She looked at her hand, as it was still bandaged. She asked Eri why the hand. She responded that she was chosen, since she was the perfect specimen for the Queen Bee. And all the others she know are her worker bees. She then stated, "I was stung by him, last night… After all, every king needs a queen."
Yakumo whispered, as she was sobbing, feeling sick, "What… have they… done to you?"
Eri buzzed and said, "I'd love to talk to you more, but there is but one more item to do."
"What's that?"
"YOU!"
Yakumo cringed, "Me? What do you want with me?"
Eri groaned in pain, as she was shaking, shifting her body into an insect form. She cried, "I'm… I'm changing…"
Yakumo stepped back, and then fell to the floor. Eri sprouted wings from her back and produced two extra pairs of arms. Yakumo felt sick, as she cringed, "No… You can't be…"
Her legs shrunk down, as she was turned into a huge bee. Her thorax produced a small black stinger, as she hovered to her. Yakumo choked and coughed a bit, as she was running out of Eri's room. Eri buzzed to her, "Wait! I need you, my drone. We need you, Yakumo… Zzz… Zzz…"
Yakumo cried, "GET AWAY!"
She ran out, through the doorway, and went to the garden. She then coughed up and collapsed onto a bush. She gagged and moaned, feeling nauseated by Eri's sudden transformation. She then puked on the ground, as she felt disgusted. She kneeled down onto the ground, as her body was shaken. The sky grew dark, as clouds began to loom, in a thick black formation. She held her head and moaned that it is all a nightmare. She dropped to her knees and shivered, "Eri-senpai… Why have you become this way?"
She heard a faint buzzing, as she was still lying by a tree. She whispered, as she was scared stiff, "Eri… No… Please, no… No…"
She continued to tremble, as Eri's shadow hovered over her. She spoke, "Yakumo… There'zzz no need to be scared of meeee… I just wanted to extend our friendzzzhip."
Yakumo cried, "No! You never liked me…"
She ran off, heading through the front gate. Eri appeared in front of her and said, holding her stinger up, "I do now… Hold still."
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
XXXXX
Tenma was on the phone, in her house, trying to call Yakumo, who was at Eri's. However, there was no signal. She then said, as she hung up, "No answer…"
She then moaned, "Aw, now I'll have to cook dinner, myself…"
She went to her heated table and sighed, "Oh… I sure hope Yakumo is okay."
XXXXX
Eri floated over her bed and carried an unconscious Yakumo, onto her bed, with a sting mark on her abdomen. Yakumo wasn't breathing, as she was feeling stiff and shaken. Eri felt her neck pulse and said, "It'll beeeee a matter of time, before she'zzz mine. I love having a worker bee with meeee…"
She flew over to her chrome hive, as she pressed the red button. She opened the top and then dribbled a small drop of blood, inside the machine. It then started to shake, as Eri buzzed, "Soon, my dearies… Your Queen Bee will repopulate your forgotten species. My love, have we not finished the preparations?"
The huge bee, in the glass case, was wearing a small crown, as he buzzed to her. Eri then giggled, "I love you, so much…"
She continued to buzz around, waiting for the bees to be produced, as Yakumo started to moan in pain, still unconscious. Her body started to pulsate, as her legs started to shrink down. Yakumo was about to become a bumblebee, like Eri.
Eri and Yakumo never returned to school, for one week. Tenma felt worried, as she was sad. She said, "Poor Eri… I miss her. She's been absent from school, since last week."
Mikoto asked, "You think it has something to do with that bee she had?"
"Yeah. I don't think it's a problem, since Eri is caring for that bee."
"I suppose you're right. Although… I wonder what she has been doing, all those days ago?"
Akira, a girl with short brown hair, said, "I know. I overheard Eri's conversation with the bee, during the science room, last week."
Mikoto asked, "Was it because she wanted to see that bee?"
Akira then stated, "Yes. Eri wanted to see the bee, in which, in turn, thinks she is their queen. She pet the bee, since she wasn't afraid of it, but was stung in the hand, inadvertently, because the Bombus Millicendus stings the female, like it was cupid's arrow, when mating season is around the corner. The tip of the stinger is not poisonous, but rather a rare side effect to the female's infatuation of the male's chosen spouse. In other words, a weird quick bee marriage."
Mikoto was worried, as she asked Akira, "Uh… Are you saying that Eri was stung by a bee, and she became the male bee's lover?"
Tenma chuckled, "WHAT? No way…"
The boy arrived and asked the girls, "Uh, guys, have you seen Sawachika, today? I wanted to get my bee back from her, after I let her borrow it."
Akira asked, "Tell me. What do you know about this bee?"
The boy explained, "Well, it's a very dangerous bee, called Bombus Millicendus, which is a rare breed of bees-."
Mikoto growled, "Get… to the point!"
The boy explained that when the bee stings its female counterpart, through mating season, then they would begin to produce about 50 bees, at a time, every single month, in order to increase production. After the male stings the female, after showing signs of affection, they elope to a huge field, build up a lovely hornet's nest, and begin to produce their kids. However, when a bee stings a human, the process of the bee's love to the human will respond in hours… but it only works on a female.
Mikoto said, "Yeah, about that… Eri's female…"
Tenma added, "And she got stung!"
The boy cried, "OH! That's bad! Is it infected?"
Mikoto replied, "No. Why?"
The boy then stated, "Well… I'm sorry, but the female human cannot be stung by the male, unless he was agitated or insulted. But… Should the Bombus Millicendus sting a human, out of affection, then god knows what will happen to her."
Akira asked him, "Then, you know something about this weird bee?"
He replied, "Yes… I do. I'm sorry, but I made a few contradictions to the bee's biography and stats… You see, I didn't find this bee in a huge forest. I was given the bee, by a man with a black coat. He told me that it was a rare Bombus Millicendus, hailed from the outer areas of Indochina… but it turns out, when I read the book on bees… there was a Bombus Millicendus, but it wasn't yellow and black. It was orange and black. So, I labeled it as a rare species of the Bombus Millicendus."
Akira said, "A Millicent Bumblebee…"
He gasped, "A Millicent? Is that even a name?"
Akira explained, "It's no wonder this bee is huge and has a different color scheme. This bee is a rare species of alien."
Mikoto and Tenma gasped in horror, as he replied, "That's stupid! But, I think you're right, Miss Takano. But I need to see Eri, right away."
Tenma said, "She's been absent, all week. I tried to give her a call, but-."
She sobbed, "Yakumo… She's gone, too! She wanted to help Eri, but she never came back!"
Akira whispered to Mikoto, "Say… You think you have an idea what they were up to?"
Mikoto said to the boy, "Don't worry. We'll get you your bee back. But afterwards, set it free. I don't want to have the human race endangered by-. Oh… You know what, I say we free Eri from his spell, and then, we SWAT THAT BEE!"
The boy cried out, "NO! NOT THAT! If that bee gets killed, the man that gave it to me will hunt me down! He also told me, which I forgot to mention, that he insures me of the bee's safety. But I couldn't bear to keep him longer, since I have homework and exams. So, I figured I would give him to one of you. But I noticed Sawachika liked him, so I gave it to her… for safekeeping."
Akira then stated, "Then, I'm afraid Eri's in danger. How about after school, we visit her, and see what is going on?"
Mikoto said, "Good idea."
The boy asked, "Can I come with you?"
The girls said, bluntly, "No."
Akira asked him, "One thing, what did he look like? The man, I mean, that gave you the bee."
He then whispered to Akira's ear, and then he walked away. Akira then said to the others, "We have to go to Eri's house, and quick."
They dashed off, heading to Eri's home.
XXXXX
They arrived, hours later, as the sky was turning dusky and red. Akira rang the doorbell in the front gate, but there was no answer. Tenma felt worried that Eri must've been busy with some sort of deal. But Mikoto stated that the bee must've isolated her from her friends. Akira decided to climb over the gate, as Mikoto stopped her.
"Crazy! You can't climb over the wall!"
"Well, it was a good idea."
Tenma sobbed, "What'll we do?"
The door suddenly opened, as Mikoto thought, "Strange… Does she know about us?"
They walked down the path, as a nest of bees flew around the house. Mikoto remarked, "She must've got a bee swarm in her mansion. Hope they exterminate them all."
Tenma whimpered, "I don't think they're here to welcome us…"
The front door opened, as they stepped inside her mansion. But in the front room, the entire room was covered in honey and pollen. Tenma gasped, "Ew… It's sticky and tasty, in a cosmic sort of way."
Akira said, "Something tells me that Masaru has some cleaning to do."
Mikoto cried out, "ERI! Where are you?"
A buzzing noise was made, as Mikoto and Tenma shivered in fear. Akira was completely nervous. Eri appeared from the doorway, as she was in bee form. She smiled, as she said to her friends, "Hello, my former human friends… I have been expecting you."
Mikoto gasped, "Eri? What happened to you?"
Akira said, "She mutated."
Mikoto cringed, "Did that sting made her a bee?"
Eri replied, "I'm going to share something with you. My king will make this world a better place, since I am its Queen Bee. I am Queen Eri, to you, but you can call me, your highness."
Tenma shrieked, "SHE'S WHACKED OUT!"
Mikoto shouted, "Where's your husband?"
Akira said, "In the bedroom. I bet that's where she kept him."
Mikoto stated, "Eri, that bee has got to go back!"
Eri replied, "WHAT? You can't!"
"I can, and I will! Look at you! You're a monster… literally!"
Eri smirked, "Thanks… But I think I'll need a second opinion, for you…"
Akira whispered, as the others huddled, "Our only option is to sting Eri, by using her own bees to manipulate her. However, it wouldn't be easy. I'm going to have you guys distract her."
Mikoto said, "But we can't hurt Eri… or the bee. We need to find an antidote on her…"
Eri said, "Uh, guys… I can hear what you're saying… and well, it won't work. Besides, don't you think I know what I am doing? Queen Eri will NOT let you ruin our plans at world domination!"
The girls gasped, "World domination?"
Eri remarked, as she floated by the doorway, holding the door open, "And since you were nice enough to visit, meet my children…"
She opened the door and a swarm of robot bees appeared, swarming towards the girls. They all had Eri's head and facial features on it. They also had Yakumo's head and face on it, as they fluttered around Tenma, Mikoto, & Akira. They attacked them, fluttering and zipping around them, taunting and buzzing at them. Tenma screamed, as Mikoto yelled, "WHY? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?"
Eri smirked, "To prove a point. You see, my husband, the Bombus Millicendus, chose me to be his queen, and want me to produce a future in bee-dom. That is why I am like this – free, caring, and albeit a ruler to my own kind! You three would join us, one day."
Akira said, "Is this bee from an outer area of the forest on Indochina? Or is it from outer space?"
Mikoto asked, "Outer space?"
Eri barked, or buzzed, "You fool! We are not alien bees! We just came from a race of super-intelligent bees that want to cover the world in honey, for all the world. Soon, you will join us, since my King and I wanted to take over. The bees will treat to you, well. You will join us, eventually."
Tenma shrieked, "GET THEM OFF ME!"
Mikoto shouted, "ERI! STOP THIS, AT ONCE!"
Tenma then noticed the bees, as Eri fluttered off. She said, "Sorry. I'm going to enjoy increasing the populace of the Bombus Millicendus, and then we'll take over the world. Once my minions sting you, it'll be a matter of time…"
She laughed evilly, as she flew to her room. Tenma saw a few of the Yakumo Bees, as she cringed, "No…"
She sobbed, "Yakumo? It's not true!"
Mikoto asked, "What about Yakumo?"
"Eri took her! I get it now! Those bees from a faraway planet, or faraway country, they're making bee colonies into people!"
Mikoto cried, as she swatted some away, "It's because that sting is lethal and deadly!"
She shouted, as she avoided the bee stings, "Whatever you do, don't let them get you!"
Akira used a nearby book and smashed some of the bees into pieces.
SWAT!
Mikoto smacked the bees with her hands, sending them into the floor. However, there were about five hundred bees flying around them. Tenma cringed, "I can't do this… I have to rescue Yakumo!"
She ran off, as Akira called, "Tenma!"
Mikoto shouted, "TENMA, NO!"
Tenma ran upstairs, pushing the bees out of the way. She roared, "Eri, I don't know what is going on, but I'm taking Yakumo home, and finding a cure for this lethal sting!"
She opened the door, but the doorknob was covered in honey. She gagged, and then licked her hand, and let out a smile, saying it was tasty. She kicked the door open and saw Eri, fluttering over her hive, dripping small drops of blood into the machine, producing 20 more Eri Bees. Tenma gasped, "No… What is that?"
Eri smiled, "Oh, this? Oh, don't worry. It's just a machine that will assure our freedom and duties. With this, my King will be able to produce many bees in Japan. Once everyone joins in, we shall begin the process of repopulating the Bombus Millicendus… or as we are called "Millicent Bees"! We are growing extinct, after people in beekeeping outfits ruined our homes! They steal our honey, they deface our hives, they treat us like common bumblebees, and they never give us credit, since we have been larger than the common bee. You think my King wants to see his race, dying?"
She flew to Tenma, as she buzzed to her ear, as she was entranced. Eri whispered to her, "Join us… Tenma… Join us… We wanted to have you join our colony, as a lowly little grunt. Think about it. No more acting like a ditzy human loser, and you can have Karasuma join you, too."
Tenma, entranced by Eri's buzzing, moaned, "I… Karasuma? My… Uh… I don't…"
Eri sighed, "Even you are trying to answer, you don't know what to say. Perhaps this will make you reconsider."
She summoned Yakumo, who was also in a bee form. She buzzed to her, "Dear Sizzz… Join uzzz… You and I are meant to stay… azzz a family…"
Tenma, completely mesmerized, then said, "Ya… ku… mo…"
Yakumo approached her and hugged her with her six arms. She then whispered, "Join uzzz… Tenma…"
Yakumo then whispered to her ear, "Help… me… Help me…"
Tenma's eyes began to produce tears, as she whispered, still hypnotized by Eri and Yakumo's hypnotic buzzing, "Yes…"
Eri smirked, as she said, "Now, hold still… This wouldn't hurt a bit… because it's a slight sting…"
Yakumo halted her and said, "My queen… Let me do it."
She flew upward to Tenma's left arm and stung her. Tenma yelped, as she was stung in the arm. She collapsed onto the floor, as Yakumo flew over to the bee machine. Eri cried, "Yakumo! What are you doing?"
Yakumo dribbled some of Tenma's blood inside, as she said, "I need more of her, since we're family…"
Eri smiled, "A wise decision… but next time, only I can produce bees. I'm the queen, after all."
Yakumo then smiled, "Yezzz… my queen… And since we have Tenma… I have something to say to you…"
She buzzed, as the machine produced more robot Millicent Bees, this time, with Tenma's hair, face, and small pigtails on it. Eri gasped, as she giggled, "Aw, Yakumo… They're beautiful."
There were 20 Tenma bees, as they fluttered all around their queen. Eri smiled, as she welcomed them, "Welcome, my new recruits. You shall obey me, fully, for my King and I will repopulate our race. What say you, my friends?"
One Tenma Bee shouted, "DOWN WITH THE QUEEN!"
Another shouted, "GIVE BACK MY SISTER!"
A third bee shouted, "ERI! COME BACK!"
They kept shouting at Eri, buzzing around her, viciously and violently. Yakumo replied, "Forgive me, Eri, I did not know about this…"
Eri shouted, "DECEPTION! STOP THIS, AT ONCE!"
She staggered back, as the Tenma Colony continued to attack her. She stepped backwards, and accidentally knocked the bee cage down. The case broke in pieces, as the male Millicent bee was freed. Yakumo cried out, "THE KING BEE!"
Eri yelled, as she swung at the Tenma Bees, "YOU DOUBLE-CROSSERS! LOOK WHAT YOU DID!"
The Tenmas produced stingers, as it flew at Eri. She cried out, as she ducked. But one Tenma Bee stung at the male bee, as Eri shrieked, "NOOOOOOOOO! MY KING!"
STING! STING! STING
Eri was stung by a few others, as she started to collapse. One Tenma Bee approached Yakumo, as she said, "It worked!"
Yakumo held the bee and said, "Sis… Thank you… I wanted to call you, but…"
The Tenma Bee said, "Don't worry, Yakumo. I knew exactly what to do… It was like you told me."
Yakumo said, "I only wanted to kill that bee, not sting it…"
"I can't hurt an innocent bug! But if it hurt you or Eri, that's going too far."
Yakumo giggled, as she felt funny. Eri moaned, as she croaked, "You… You have… ruined us… You traitor!"
She collapsed and moaned in a sigh. The bees that were attacking Mikoto and Akira died down, as they dropped to the floor. Mikoto, in exhaustion, asked, "Uh, what the hell happened?"
In Eri's room, the Tenma Bees fell to the floor, too. Yakumo moaned, as she dropped to the ground, moaning and buzzing, completely hurt. She groaned, "Eri… senpai…"
Her eyes closed, as Eri was out like a light. The male bee just stopped moving, as it buzzed weakly. Mikoto and Akira arrived, seeing what transpired. Akira found the male bug on the floor and held it gently, with her hands. She said, "He's okay. He was stunned, for a moment."
Mikoto approached Tenma, who was out cold, while Eri and Yakumo reverted back to their normal selves, but with their sting marks disappearing. Mikoto shook Tenma, as she was waking up.
"TENMA! TENMA! WAKE UP!"
Tenma moaned, "Mikoto?"
Mikoto hugged her and said, "Oh, thank heavens!"
Akira then noticed a small Tenma Bee on the ground, still dead, as she whispered, "So, that's why…"
XXXXX
Days later, at the hospital, Eri was in a hospital bed, as Tenma and Yakumo came by, giving her flowers. Eri then said, as she was upset, "Akira told me everything…"
Tenma said, "It's fine… I was worried about you. Mikoto, Akira, and I wanted to see the bee, only to realize that it was an evil bee."
Eri said, "It wasn't evil. It was a lonely little bug that wanted to be around, for a very long time. When I was made into his queen, I didn't understand it, until he told me so. His breed was dying, and I wanted to help. But what I didn't know was that I was his pawn for his attempts to repopulate the species. It's disgusting… And, in case you were wondering, I was a bee, and I could comprehend its language."
She held her hand and said to Yakumo, "Yakumo… I'm sorry about what I did. I was hypnotized by that bee…"
Yakumo said, "It's okay. I forgive you."
They hugged, as Tenma said, "Wait. What about the bee?"
Eri said, "The bee is back home. That guy was nice enough to get it off my hands. It'll never show up, again… not while I'm here."
Tenma smiled, "Good. Bees like that belong in a science lab… far, far away."
Eri replied, "You're right. I can't believe I was a sucker for a thing with six arms!"
Yakumo said, "Well what matter is that you're okay, and you will get some rest, now."
Eri responded, "Oh, I'll be leaving, tomorrow. They said that my body was not badly hurt. But they questioned my wound from that bee. It's nothing, but said to stay away from the outdoors, for one week."
Tenma smiled and said, "Okay. See you tomorrow, then?"
Eri nodded, as she said, "Yes."
The Tsukamoto Sisters left the room, as Eri waved goodbye to them. The door shut, as Eri smiled, "What good friends…"
A small wasp suddenly flew by and went in front of Eri's face. She saw the bee, as she giggled, "Oh, hello… I was wondering when you'd show up. Did you get what I needed?"
The wasp buzzed, as she giggled, "I'm so happy… You've made your queen proud. Tell the others that tomorrow that your queen is coming back. Now go!"
The bee buzzed away, as Eri giggled, "Soon… I will be the queen bee… again."
She relaxed, as she chuckled.
Portrait of an heiress; a blonde girl, with money, wealth, fame, and power. She has crossed the dark side and become her own bad bee, to coin a phrase. Miss Eri Sawachika, a.k.a. the Queen Bee, deceived her friends, her own king, and her own human race. To put it simply, she does what she wants, thanks to her ex-husband's sting. For Miss Eri Sawachika, she gets a lethal dose of tyranny, in her own personal matter, but by preparing for the inevitable.
File this under "B", and just a "B", for "Balance of Power"… in a "Tale of the Bizarre"…
Bizarre FAQ: This idea was made, since an episode of "Panty & Stocking". It was episode 2, in which they stopped a school queen, who turned out to be an evil queen bee ghost, controlling the school with her bee helmets.
Ironically, in the English Dub, Queen Barby was voiced by Leah Clark, who voiced Eri in "School Rumble", before "Panty & Stocking" was made.