The Proposal - Part 2

The rest of the dinner was horrible. Just horrible. After the proposal-gone-wrong that left a Mystical Elf and Celtic Guardian engaged instead of me and DMG, I had retreated to sulk at the table. The cook came by and apologetically offered me another cake, but I stared at him. No. Today was obviously the other couple's day. I wasn't going to ruin it further. He brought in a replacement dessert and quickly removed the tentacle mess that was previously on our table.

At least DMG was happy. She had found the proposal so romantic and perfect. She didn't stop talking about it the entire time, which made me feel like I had just taken a White Lightening blast from a Blue-Eyes head on. I don't really remember what had she said. I was thinking only one thing. That was my proposal!

That memory still burned in my mind. It was a day after the whole fiasco, but I had a horrible feeling in my gut. Maybe I just wasn't meant to propose to the girl?

Don't be silly, I told myself. You just need to propose in a way that suits her. Sure she found that romantic, but it wasn't her.

Then what is her?

………

I really shouldn't have asked myself that question.

"Get off my face!" I muttered for the umpteenth time, swatting away the giant brown fuzz ball with green eyes. The Kuriboh looked at me. It wasn't any less enthusiastic about licking my face. At least it was just one of them.

The other Kuriboh floated around randomly. They were cute, I had to admit, but I had been working with them all through the morning and afternoon, and I had only gotten most of them to understand that I was neither a scratching post nor a postage stamp.

Why did I go and answer my own question?

Most people might find it insulting if they were compared to a Kuriboh, but not DMG. They were actually similar enough to be considered freaky. They both had green eyes and the same softness of hair. They were both equally empty-headed and impossible to control. And they both liked me way too much.

"Stop licking me!" I shouted again, finally grabbing the one persistent Kuriboh and throwing it back with the others. It was light as a balloon. There was one difference. I enjoyed it when DMG kissed me. These creatures were another thing all together…

"Okay," I said, well aware that I was talking to a bunch of Kuriboh. "Now, we practice this. I want to get it done by evening, okay?"

Did they understand me? They all looked at me with their questioning green eyes.

"It's easier than you guys think…" if they could think… "All you need to do is align yourselves the way I say so." The Kuriboh looked at me weirdly. I didn't know how I could really tell their expressions, but somehow I knew. And whether they understood what they were doing or not, Ra dammit they were going to obey me by the time nightfall arrived.

………

I felt the familiar dread of the previous night come over me. There was no waiter to wink at me or confuse platters. There were no people watching. It was just me, DMG, and a bunch of Kuriboh. Oh, yes, and a very large expanse of black sky sprinkled with stars and a lovely full moon. Good light. Maybe I would be lucky.

"What is it you want to show me?" my girlfriend asked, looking around. She was wearing a long blue dress that sparkled lightly. I took her hand in my own. Who cared about the sky? Her dress could outshine those stars. And those eyes of hers were brighter than any moon.

"This way," I said, taking her down the path. We came upon a small clearing soon enough. It was much like the clearing that I had first expressed my love to her, but it was smaller, and there was no tree stump in the middle.

"Kuriboh!" DMG squealed before I even had a chance to introduce them. They all rushed at her and she immediately embraced them all. I sighed, waiting patiently. Take your time, DMG, I muttered silently. Just ignore the fact that my heart is about to beat right out of my chest!

"Is this what you wanted to show me?" I turned back to DMG. She was on her knees in the grass, three DMG somehow squeezed into her arms. One was floating near her hair and the others were crowded around her on the grass. I placed my foot firmly down. I really wanted to run over there and kiss her, forgetting about this whole proposal thing until I properly showed her how much she affected me.

"Uh…" I said, my brain's energy being spent on fantasizing rather interesting situations with her. She kept her eyes on me. "Actually, the Kuriboh want to help me show you something." DMG raised her eyebrows.

"Really?" she asked. I cleared my throat and clapped my hands. The Kuriboh immediately perked up.

For one painful second, I feared they had forgotten what I had taught them. Then, they suddenly started to float away from DMG into a formation. She watched as they formed words in the air with their bodies. She gasped silently.

Yeah, and right about there was when my fear became reality.

"Willy oogle muck?" she asked me, reading the words. I had been fingering the ring and watching her. I hadn't really paid attention to the little beasts.

"What?" I asked. I looked at them. Believe it or not, that's what they said. Willy oogle muck. Not 'will you marry me'. Willy oogle muck.

Must. Not. Bang. Head. Against. Ground.

"No! Remember what I taught you!" I yelled at them. They all collectively swarmed and tried again. Wilk oy mang. Nope…it was hopeless! I sighed in defeat.

"Sorry," I apologized. "They don't seem to be getting it." DMG looked saddened. She turned back to the Kuriboh, who at least had the decency to be ashamed. I think.

"Come on, sweethearts!" DMG urged them. "I know you can remember what he taught you!" They looked at her. I looked at her. She stood up, her hands forming into little fists of determination.

"DMG…" I started, but she was no longer paying attention to me. There was a weird sort of fire in her eyes.

"Come on you guys," she said. "I know you can do it." The Kuriboh watched as she came closer into their little circle. She closed her eyes. I watched her with mine wide open.

"DMG…" I whispered.

"Listen to me! All of you!" she continued after ignoring me. "A few years ago, I was in your same position. I was an Apprentice, and this man behind me was my Master. Every day he would try long and hard to teach me everything he knew so that I could be successful. And every day I would try my best to listen and learn! It wasn't easy. I was small. I wasn't very smart. It was hard work!" DMG opened her eyes and looked at all the Kuriboh.

"But I kept on doing what I had to because I know he taught me because he believed I could do it! And that's why he's taught all of you! Because he knows he can count on you!" DMG lapsed into silence, looking at all the Kuriboh in the eye.

I slowly blinked once, then twice. Was she…giving them…a don't-give-up speech? My girlfriend was giving a speech to…a bunch of Kuriboh? What?

"Now listen. It might be hard for you to remember what he told you. But there's a time for play and there's a time for work. And right now, you guys have to pull together and fight! Remember the formation he asked you! Show him that he can count on you!"

Yes, it was true. She was giving them the encouraging speech. My girlfriend, the Dark Magician Girl, was…oh my Gods. This was just way too unbelievable to believe.

What was even more unbelievable was that they were listening to her. Yes, the Kuriboh that I had spent the entire day training to only end up with a bunch of jumbled letters were actually forming up correctly because DMG had "fired" them up to do it.

Maybe they ran on the same wavelength and she could connect to them better?

Should I be worried that my girlfriend potentially ran on the same wavelength as a bunch of Kuriboh?

As I watched, and then nervously made a wild grab for the ring in my pocket, the Kuriboh lined up just as I had taught them to. I watched DMG's face. She looked proud of their accomplishment.

"Will you marry me!" she read and clapped her hands. "It makes sense. Good job, you guys!" Then, she turned to me. "Is that what you wanted it to say?"

I nodded. She smiled.

"See, I knew they could do it! Now come on, I want to go back to the building's roof and see the stars up close!"

I gaped at her. Did…she…not…read?

DMG started to walk passed me. I stared at the Kuriboh, mortified. She didn't get it?

Her feet made soft sounds on the grass. Then…she stopped. I could hear the silence. Well, not really…

She came running back to me. I saw her eyes looked a little more surprised and her cheeks were starting to tinge light pink.

HA! So she didn't run on their wavelength. She could comprehend! I was a little bit relieved.

"Is that…was that…"

I got down on one knee. I held out the ring. I told the knee on the ground not to suddenly give away.

"Darling. You are just too amazing for words. Marry me?"

I took in a breath.

She smiled.

"You are also too amazing for words." She rushed into my arms. My knee didn't listen to me. We both promptly fell over the grass.

Of course, a little later, when my fingers were tangled in her hair and her lips were pressed against mine, I decided it was actually not that bad.

She pulled away.

"That was almost as romantic as the cake," she said. "Did you get inspired by Celtic Guardian?"

Must. Not. Slap. My. Forehead.

"No words, my dear," I said. "Just kisses." I fingered the ring, now securely on her finger. She smiled and obeyed.