AN: This and "Distraction" are entries in a competition between authors Shaded Truths and Persephone Rosamunde. Please read both and vote for your favorite by reviewing. We will not reveal who wrote each story until after the competition is over. The winner will be the story with the most votes as of Monday, October 8th 2012, at 5pm.
Prompt: Travel to Planet Gummy Bear
Tamaki Suoh stared intently at the door. He was far from his normal boisterous self. Not only was he silent but his typically bright violet eyes were clouded with fret. The only hint to the other hosts that he was still alive was the quick blinks he would allow for as needed.
"What's he doing?" the twins, Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin finally asked.
The two identical first years stood on either side of one Kyoya Ootori, nicknamed the shadow king for his rather cold demeanor. Kyoya sighed in slight annoyance and adjusted his glasses, which reflected the light in a menacing manner.
"Haven't you noticed someone is missing?" he asked, continuing to write in his secret notebook and not bothering look at the two.
"Yeah, Haruhi," Hikaru said.
"But she said she'd be late today," Kaoru told him.
"If she came at all," Hikaru added.
"Is Haru-chan okay?" a third year, Misukuni Haninozuka, but better known as Honey, inquired.
"She had to take something to her father and wasn't sure if she would be able to get back here before we went home," Kyoya replied. "The idiot is just overreacting. Hardly anything to worry about."
"Or is it?" a mysterious voice asked.
The "idiot" jumped and as their classmate clad in all black with his usual Beelzenef cat puppet appeared behind him. Tamaki hid behind Kyoya, peeking over his friend's shoulder, being terrified of the scarier teen. Nekozawa slowly moved toward them, seeming like a ghost in his haunted movements.
"The host club is facing a grave danger," Nekozawa continued. "One of your own is missing, if you do not act quickly, they will never return!"
"Haruhi!" Tamaki exclaimed.
"A stranger from beyond asked me to deliver this message to you." Nekozawa held out a folded note.
"You've got to be kidding me," Hikaru muttered.
"Get out of here," Kaoru added, as the twins opened the curtains.
Nekozawa shrank away from the sunlight rushing from the room. "Murderers!"
As the other five watched the strange black magic club member flee for his life, Kyoya strode to where Nekozawa had dropped the note he'd intended to give them. Slowly reading the message, even the ever calm third Ootori son seemed slightly disconcerted over the words.
"What is it, Kyo-chan?" Honey asked, hugging his stuffed rabbit Usa-chan closely.
"It appears he was right. Haruhi has been kidnapped," Kyoya said simply.
"What?" Tamaki exclaimed. "We have to save her! Oh, our darling Haruhi, kidnapped? What if they're asking for a ransom? Haruhi is a commoner, her father couldn't possibly afford to free her! What if they're torturing her? What if we never see her again?"
"Will you shut up?" Kyoya snapped.
Tamaki fell to his knees in a rather pathetic position. His all too well-known puppy eyes stared up at the other hosts as they looked at the letter.
"Why would someone take Haruhi?" Hikaru asked.
"It doesn't matter why," Kyoya replied. "I can have my family's police force take care of this in an hour."
"Wait," the twins said, ripping Kyoya's phone from his hands and trying to ignore Kyoya's death glare.
"The note says if we involve anyone else-"
"-Haruhi will be killed."
"We can't lose Haru-chan!" Honey added.
"Ah," Takashi Morinozuka, known by most as Mori, Honey's typically silent cousin, nodded in agreement.
"Then what do you want to do?" Kyoya replied, glaring at the group ominously.
Tamaki suddenly leapt up and snatched the note from Kyoya's hands. He quickly skimmed it, before turning with a decisive look on his face.
"I have a plan," he announced.
The other five returned this statement with horrified looks. No one liked hearing these words from the mouth of the host king.
"We shall go to the place specified in the note and demand the return of our Haruhi," Tamaki announced.
"That's a dumb idea," Hikaru replied.
"It could be a trap," Kaoru added.
"But we have to do something," Honey insisted.
"That might be the only option we have if we want Haruhi back," Kyoya pointed out. "Trap or not, I hate to admit it but it doesn't seem like too bad of an idea."
The twins and even Tamaki seemed taken aback by Kyoya's words. Tamaki smiled, enthusiastically locking his best friend in a strangling embrace.
"Let go of me, you buffoon!" Kyoya shouted, shoving Tamaki away.
"Let us go!" Tamaki said, unfazed by Kyoya's annoyance. "To rescue our princess!"
An hour later found the host club in the middle of an abandoned lot.
"Are you sure this is right?" Honey asked.
"It's the address given," Kyoya replied, checking the note again.
Tamaki's eyes scanned the area, searching for any sign of his darling Haruhi. In the dim lighting, Tamaki's inner mind theater took over.
Haruhi was brought forward by gruff looking men in ripped jeans and faded t-shirts.
"Tamaki!" she shouted, her expression one of terror.
"Never fear, princess!" Tamaki shouted, appearing in regal armor.
He drew a sword causing the scruffy men to fearfully let go and flee for their lives.
"Oh, Tamaki! I knew you would save me!" Haruhi said, rushing toward him.
Tamaki stepped forward to kiss his princess-
Hikaru and Kaoru each stuck out a leg as Tamaki stepped forward, causing the blonde to fall on his face.
"Geez, boss, get a grip," the twins said at the same time.
"You devils! You ruined everything!" Tamaki shouted, glaring up at them.
"What were you imagining this time?" Hikaru said.
"He's probably being a pervert again," Kaoru replied.
"When is he not?"
"Shut up you heathens!" Tamaki shouted.
The twins ran away from the fuming king. He gave chase, always one step behind the identical devils.
"What's that?" Mori asked.
The tallest host gestured to a strange light in the sky. The club gathered back together as they stared at the abnormal sight.
"I don't like the looks of that," Hikaru said.
"There was nothing reported about meteor showers or anything else tonight," Kyoya murmured.
"Could it be a light show?" Honey asked.
"It's getting closer," Kaoru pointed out.
"I think we should leave," Kyoya suggested.
"But we have to rescue Haruhi," Tamaki argued.
The beam of light suddenly hit them and they were pulled through the air at a dizzying speed. It felt like hours that they were thrown around before they finally landed in a green grassy field. Tamaki fell onto Kyoya, and Hikaru landed on top of his brother. Mori landed nearby and managed to gently catch Honey before he could be injured.
"Get off me!" Kyoya growled, shoving his friend off of him.
The blonde scrambled away from the grumpy shadow king.
"Oh, Kaoru, are you alright?" Hikaru asked, gently caressing his brother's cheek. "Say something!"
"Hikaru…" Kaoru weakly replied.
The older twin suddenly found himself thrown onto his back as Kaoru rolled them over, his face mere inches from Hikaru's.
"Next time, I get to be on top," Kaoru whispered with a wicked smirk.
"Drop the act! We have more important things to focus on!" Tamaki shouted.
The two rolled their eyes but complied and got up.
"Where are we?" Hikaru asked.
"Planet Gummy Bear," Kyoya instantly replied.
"Do you know everything?" Kaoru asked.
"No, unlike you I was looking around," Kyoya pointed to a large sign a short distance away.
"Welcome to Planet Gummy Bear," the twins read aloud.
"What's Planet Gummy Bear?" Hikaru asked.
"I wonder if there's cakes and sweets!" Honey exclaimed.
"We have company!" Kaoru announced.
The club turned to see shadows appearing atop the hills surrounding them. They were quick to realize they were completely surrounded.
"Ready, Takashi?" Honey asked, striking a battle pose.
Mori nodded, joining the small child-like boy.
The shadows suddenly started coming closer, growing larger and larger until the host club was finally able to see the beings more clearly.
Hikaru blinked. "Are those-"
"-gummy bears?" Kaoru asked.
"Impossible," Kyoya replied, watching the approaching creatures with a great deal of confusion.
A small group of the life-sized gummy bears stepped forward thrusting what appeared oddly similar to spears at them.
"Licorice?" Honey asked. "I like this place already!"
"You've got to be kidding," the twins said in unison before bursting in to laughter.
The largest gummy bear, a red one who appeared to be the leader started talking in quick bursts that sounded like a high pitched gibberish.
"What are they saying?" Tamaki leaned over to ask Kyoya.
"How should I know?" Kyoya replied.
The red gummy bear stepped forward, poking at Tamaki with the licorice spear. Tamaki jumped back, swatting it away. In response there was a loud shout from the offended gummy bear clan. It appeared to give orders to the others, who then closed in and proceeded to bind the host club with thinner licorice ropes.
"Mommy, I don't like this," Tamaki whined.
"Just go with it," Kyoya replied. "You're the one who got us into this, and they might take us to wherever Haruhi is being held."
The army of gummy bears led the six across the field, entering a town of buildings that looked oddly similar to gingerbread houses. Lampposts made of candy canes lined the gumdrop cobblestone streets. Other gummy bears shuffled about, stopping to look at the strangers.
"It looks so delicious," Honey said gazing around in awe.
"Have you forgotten we're prisoners?" Tamaki dramatically shrieked.
"Shut up!" Kyoya ordered.
"You have a plan?"
"Of course not."
Tamaki sighed. The host club was taken straight into the large gingerbread palace, where they found the first signs that this wasn't just a world entirely of candy. Inside the palace was much the same as any palace at home they knew. The ended up in a large room, and lined up in front of the three empty thrones. The room was suddenly thrown into darkness as
"I find it insulting that you even bothered," a strangely familiar voice said. "Will you ever give up your claim on the maiden?"
"Benio," Kyoya stated.
As soon as the name was said, a spotlight was shined onto the center throne where none other than Benio Amakusa, president of the infamous Zuka club of Lobellia Girls' Academy, stood proudly.
"We knew they'd come, otherwise there wouldn't have been a note," Chizuro Maihara replied, a spotlight revealing her to the right of Benio.
"And look how easily they were caught, it just proves how inferior they are," Hinako Tsuwabuki, a third Zuka club member was also shown taking the last seat.
"Where's Haruhi?" Tamaki demanded.
"The maiden is safe, away from your barbaric ways," Benio replied. "I hope we are not too late to save such a beautiful woman from your destruction!"
"As if this couldn't get any worse," Hikaru muttered.
"Figures it was Lobelia," Kaoru said.
"Who else would kidnap Haruhi?" Kyoya asked.
"You knew?" the twins shouted accusingly.
"I'll admit the candy threw me off, however it was quite obvious in the note the kidnapper stated Haruhi was kidnapped for her own protection."
"That's enough," Benio shouted, her voice ringing in the chamber.
"What are you guys doing here?"
The host club turned, excited to see their very reason for being there emerge from a hallway to their left. Instead of her usual boyish clothing, she wore a pink dress that reached her knees. Her hair was pinned back with a butterfly clip.
"Haruhi!" the twins exclaimed. "You look like a girl."
"Haaaa-ruuu-hiiiiii!" Tamaki shouted, breaking free from the candied bonds to engulf Haruhi in an unwanted embrace. "Oh my darling daughter, we're here to rescue you! You look so cute! Daddy was so worried-"
"You're not my father," Haruhi snapped, shoving him away.
"Get your hands off of this purest maiden!" Benio shouted, throwing Tamaki away and pulling Haruhi into her arms.
"Haru-chan, we can go home now, right?" Honey asked.
"No!" Benio cried. "This is her home now! From this day forth Haruhi Fujioka shall be a member of the Zuka club and student at Lobelia Academy!"
"What?" the host club exclaimed.
"Huh?" Haruhi asked, looking at her captor. "I never agreed to that."
"You will join us! It is destiny!" Benio replied.
"You'll never take Haruhi from us!" Hikaru shouted.
"She's our toy, not yours!" Kaoru added.
"We don't share!" the twins said in unison.
"Perhaps we can come to an agreement," Kyoya suggested. "Haruhi does still have her debt."
"Of course he'd bring that into this," Haruhi muttered, shaking herself from Benio's arms.
"The Zuka Club is more than willing to pay it," Chizuro replied.
"You're not really leaving us, are you, Haru-chan?" Honey asked.
"Of course not," Haruhi answered. "I woke up here a little while ago. No one is telling what is going on."
"You can't possibly want to remain with these disgusting excuses for human beings!" Benio exclaimed.
Haruhi shrugged. "I wanted to go to Ouran for a reason. Lobelia just wouldn't be the same."
"Ha! She's staying with us!" Hikaru, Kaoru, and Honey shouted.
"How can she stay with you," Benio began, "if you're dead?!"
As she spoke the floor began to rumble. The host club just barely moved away as the ground beneath them opened up, revealing a vat of thick boiling liquid.
"Huh?"
"This is a new tactic," Kaoru said.
"It's chocolate," Honey informed them.
"Mitsukuni, stay back," Mori warned.
A small troop of the life-size gummy bears forced the host club to the edge of the flooring. They looked over.
"If we fall in we'll die," Kyoya said.
"I don't want to die," Kaoru replied.
A small splatter of the hot chocolate landed on Kaoru's cheek. Hikaru pulled Kaoru closer and leaned toward his twin, slowly licking the sweet substance off.
"Promise me we'll be brothers in the next life," Hikaru said.
"Hikaru," Kaoru whispered.
Tamaki looked over his shoulder again, feeling the intense heat burning his flesh even from the distance. He glanced over at the other hosts. Kyoya's expression was still calculating, as if he might figure out a last minute way out. The twins continued to be caught up in their twincest act, staring lovingly into each other's eyes. Mori and Honey appeared ready to fight, but being outnumbered and significantly smaller than the gummy creatures even those two would end up being thrust into their boiling demise.
"What are you doing?" Haruhi demanded. "Stop this! Let them go!"
"This is the only way to save you," Benio replied.
Haruhi found herself held back by two of the gummy guards. She struggled, finding she wasn't strong enough to break free. Tamaki tore his gaze from Haruhi, looking back to the gummy bears that were slowly moving closer and pushing them closer to the edge. Tamaki's foot slipped slightly and he struggled to regain his balance before falling.
"Tamaki-sempai!"
"Tamaki!" Kyoya shouted.
Tamaki jolted awake, falling off the couch and landing with a loud thud on the floor. He quickly looked around the room before looking down and checking to see he was still alive.
"Haruhi!" he shouted, looking wildly around the room.
"She's not here, Tama-chan," Honey said, calmly eating cake at the table with Mori.
"We have to find her! She's been kidnapped! Mother, we must save her before they can-"
"What are you talking about, Sempai, I'm here," Haruhi said, entering the room. "My dad apparently didn't need his eyeliner after all. He borrowed some from a friend I guess. So I came back. I would have been back sooner but I figured I'd stop and get some of that instant coffee you guys like so much."
"Oh, Haruhi!" Tamaki enthusiastically embraced the girl, swinging her in circles.
"Let go of me," Haruhi growled. "I hate it when you do that."
In the blink of an eye Tamaki was huddled in the shadows of his emo corner.
"Did I miss something?" Haruhi asked.
"The idiot king fell asleep," Hikaru said.
"And apparently was having a rather interesting dream," Kaoru added.
The two wore evil smirks as they put their arms around Haruhi.
"I don't want to know," Haruhi decided.
"I don't think any of us do," Kyoya muttered, returning to his work.
Haruhi shook the twins off and walked to one of the tables, starting to mix the coffee.
"Sempai, I'm not bringing this to you. If you want coffee, come get it," Haruhi said.
In a flash Tamaki was out of his rut and dashing over to Haruhi. But as he neared the twin devils stuck out their feet, causing the excitable host king to trip. Haruhi turned just in time for Tamaki to take her down with him. The porcelain cup shatter across the floor, spilling its contents. Tamaki's eyes were wide as he looked down at Haruhi.
"Are you alright, Sempai?" she asked.
He nodded, blush coloring his cheeks. "I think I just realized something. I'm not your father."
"Everyone else already knew that," Haruhi snapped.
"I still love you though…"
Haruhi blinked as Tamaki silently leaned down. Closing her eyes Haruhi let Tamaki brush his lips across her before hesitantly returning the romantic gesture.
Kyoya, who was inspecting the new stain on the carpet wrote a few notes in his book. "The cost of removing the stain will be added to your…"
The twins and Kyoya glanced at the couple, still lost in their kiss.
"What just happened?" Kaoru asked.
"It's about time," Kyoya muttered, adjusting his glasses and walking away.
Hikaru stared at the two, more closely at Haruhi. Kaoru gently tugged on his brother's arm.
"Come on," he said softly.
Hikaru nodded once, letting his younger brother pull him away.
At the same time Tamaki gently pulled back, getting up off of Haruhi and helping her to her feet. He smiled shyly as she avoided his eyes.
"Tama-chan, Haru-chan, look what I found!" Honey exclaimed excitedly. "Gummy bears!"
Tamaki's eyes widened in fear. "Gummy bears?"
The host king disappeared before anyone could react, ducking behind a sofa.
Honey pouted. "I was just gonna share them. What's wrong with gummy bears?"
Mori shrugged.
"Ah come on, boss, you're afraid of a little snack?" Hikaru teased.
"It's just junk food, nothing scary," Kaoru added. "I thought you liked gummy bears."
The twins exchanged devious glances before taking a bowl of the multicolored candies and they began throwing them at Tamaki relentlessly. Tamaki, having finally had enough, jumped over the sofa at them and the chase began. Honey laughed at their antics, thankfully not upset that his sweets had been stolen for this act. Even Mori had the hint of a smile as the three continued their game rounds about the room.
"What just happened?" Haruhi asked.
Kyoya shrugged. "Just a normal day in the host club I suppose. By the way, two hundred dollars will be added to your debt for the spilled coffee."
Haruhi sighed. "Of course."
She shook her head as Tamaki confiscated the bowl of gummies and fled the twins, who retaliated by picking up already thrown pieces to use as ammo instead. It was not long before Honey and even Mori joined, shortly followed by Haruhi, who decided if she was going to be a target she might as well join them. And the thus the gummy war began.
AN: Don't forget to review for your favorite of the two stories!