Eduardo's Tales

Story 6: The Curious Tale of Funny-Coat

Chapter 2

(Rated T for violence, brief nudity, adult content and mild language)

(DISCLAIMER: No, I do not own Eduardo Rivera and Kylie Griffin from Extreme Ghostbusters, nor do I have the right to copy the anime series, Mushi-Shi, which has inspired me to bring our favorite slacker and goth girl into a strange world that exists beyond time. So, enjoy the show!)

The kunoichi led the travelling party to a strange cave as it had a large Shinto temple inside. Eduardo and Kylie were impressed to see such a magnificent sight as they got off their horses. Tsukino, however, was very well acquainted with the kunoichi, Tohru, as he got off his horse and followed her into the stables. Both of them were very close as they even had an agenda to fulfill. Eduardo and Kylie were the main targets of the witchsmellers as they were also part of a different destiny in mind. Both knight and kunoichi were willing to give their lives to protect the Muah as they later accompanied Eduardo and Kylie in the main hall of the Shinto temple.

"This place is a sanctuary for those who are hunted by witchsmellers," said Tohru as she sat down near an altar. "We are also honored by your presence, my lord and lady."

"But we're not royalty," said Kylie.

"By the way, weren't you dressed under the alias, Funny-Coat earlier?"

"We're Muah," said Eduardo gravely. "We are being hunted like dogs by those god-awful witchsmellers."

"That's just the tip of the iceberg," said Tsukino. "King Gothmog of the Nagini Empire shows no mercy no matter what anyone says. If the Muah are extinct, then both their realm and our own become one desolate wasteland."

"We should all get some rest for tomorrow morning," said Tohru.

Everyone had been showed into their rooms as Eduardo later stayed behind to pray for the safety of his other allies. He had never been care-worn before, but he was also concerned for his new role as the future King of the Muah Realm. It wasn't long until he went straight into the men's bathhouse as he was about to clean himself and relax in the hot spring. He eventually took a long time after stripping his clothes off and scrubbing himself off in the shower. The travels had worn him out as he rinsed himself off and got into the hot spring to relax. The hot water made him feel much better as he was beginning to unwind from all the stresses that he endured. This was the best thing he had in a long time as he was about to get drowsy.

Getting out of the hot spring, he wrapped a towel around his waist as he returned to his room. Without being noticed, Kylie was staring from far away as she saw Eduardo close the door behind him. Even she was cleaned and newly dressed as she was wearing a white kimono and a grey robe. Seeing Eduardo in the nude with a towel around his waist had made her heart skip a beat as she was also happy to see him despite the past arguments and many times that they saved each other. She cared about him and he cared about her as they were both being hunted by the dreaded witchsmellers at the behest of King Gothmog. Night was settling in as everyone was going to bed, especially Eduardo and Kylie. Tomorrow was just another day as the travelling party was about to reach the last leg of their journey to Chagum, This time, the travelling party needed to unwind for the time being as they were ready to face not only the witchsmellers and their employees, but the notorious King Gothmog of the Nagini Empire as well. The Muah needed to survive this ordeal, for the mission to protect Eduardo and Kylie was merely just the beginning of the long run ahead.

###

Eduardo woke up in the middle of the night as he saw Kylie sleeping next to him. What was she doing in his bed? She had her own after all, but being alone all time really took a toll on her. She felt content sleeping next to Eduardo as she was stirring in her sleep. The girl, who was once dressed as the manservant, Funny-Coat, was sleeping next to him as she didn't let go of him. Eduardo looked at the girl as he gently touched her cheek. He didn't mind if she dressed like a boy, but it was also the first time that he saw her next to him as he felt a grave concern for her safety..., but not yet... All he wanted was for her to be safe in his arms.

"I love you, Kylie," he said as he kissed her soft lips.

He loved her very much as he began to stroke her hair. He wasn't alone anymore as he felt grateful for Kylie's presence, especially when it came to dressing as the persona as Funny-Coat. Ever since he saw her naked in the lake, he began to care about her even more as he was willing to lay his life down for her. His mind and heart raced as he began to feel a strange type of urge creeping up on him. He had to suppress it as he got it out of his mind quickly. The urge was a mortal reminder about how he was most likely to make the wrong move at the wrong time. He couldn't risk hurting her like that as he subdued the inner urge and fell back asleep. Soon, he had to face that inner urge again, but this time, he needed to bide his time for now...

###

Tohru rang the morning bell as morning had came along. Today was the day that the travelling party was ready to set off towards Chagum as the kunoichi climbed down the bell tower and began to walk towards the Shinto temple hall. She wanted to accompany Tsukino as well as Eduardo and Kylie as she was all dressed in ninja garb. Tohru had loved Tsukino for a long time as they saved each other's lives during the battles against King Gothmog's forces. They were even lovers as well when they were together for a brief time. Sometimes, she felt a great concern for the man who was the son of Souichiro Imazato as she would even lay her life to protect the man she loves.

"Tohru," said Tsukino as he was all dressed for the travels ahead. "I want you to come with us."

"Are you sure, Tsuki-kun?" she asked.

"Eduardo and Kylie are on their way to Chagum as planned, but the news of the witchsmellers and their employers are starting to bother me."

"Tsuki-kun, you're the son of Souichiro Imazato and you would be willing to lay your life down for the future King and Queen of the Muah Realm. We can't let them fall victim to those witchsmellers who serve King Gothmog."

"If that happens then both our worlds would be no more. Eduardo and Kylie are in dire need of protection and we can't let those witchsmellers bring harm to them."

Tsukino and Tohru walked inside of the Shinto temple as they saw Eduardo and Kylie bowing in prayer at the altar. Both slacker and Goth girl were ready to go as they were even dressed for the journey ahead. With a few supplies and some extra change of clothes, they got on their horses as they were escorted by Tsukino and Tohru, who were waiting for them at the gate. They all left the Shinto temple as they were back on the Roads again. After travelling all this time, they finally reached the city of Chagum as it was near the ocean. The place itself was a vast large castle as it had a lot of shops and inns that prospered. Chagum was beautiful as it had many cloistered buildings all around it. The journey to this large city was over and everyone was ready to relax as they got off their horses when they stopped at an old-fashioned inn.

"We made it," said Kylie as she brought her horse to the stables. "This place is huge!"

"Let's hope that our friends are here as well," said Eduardo.

"First, we need to unwind and see if our friends are present," said Tohru.

"As for me, I'm going to find something more suitable for Kylie than boy's clothes."

"Make sure you be back before dusk," said Tsukino.

Eduardo ran towards a woman's clothing shop as he was ready to find more clothes for Kylie. Even though she had a few kimonos to wear, he wanted her to wear something more elegant as he saw something that caught his eye. Although it was another kimono, it was more of a Heian-style as it was all colored black with blue chrysanthemums decorated all over it. With only a few coins left from travelling the Roads, he didn't have enough to get it for her as he left the store. He hated being broke as he decided to return to the inn without some new clothes for Kylie. He needed to find a job as he even saw a "help wanted" sign plastered on the inn door. The same opportunity had greeted him before as he was working at the inn in the Western Region. The place needed some new workers as Eduardo was about to get started on his work.

"The manager told us that he was going to the Northern Stride," said Tohru.

"How long is he gonna be?" asked Eduardo as he was dusting off the old desk.

"Not too long, but right now," said a familiar face as he was coming downstairs.

"Dr. Naegino, I presume," said Tsukino as he came in with a pitcher of water.

The good doctor sat down next to a table as he had his medical bag with him. It had been a long time since he last saw Eduardo as he was eager to give him another annual checkup. To his surprise, he saw Kylie come out of the kitchen as she was dressed in a dark grey Qin Dynasty dress with her hair put up. The persona of Funny-Coat was no more as she was standing next to Eduardo, who was all dressed in farm clothes. Tohru and Tsukino stared at Eduardo not only because he wasn't slacking on the job, but he was dressed too much like a country bumpkin who needed to be cleaned up and well-presented to Dr. Naegino.

"You should've put on some normal clothes, at least," said Tohru.

"I'm working at this inn, you know!" cried Eduardo defensively.

"You should've cleaned up and put on those new clothes, you know!" said Kylie.

"There's no need to be too rash," said Dr. Naegino. "Eduardo's fine as he is."

"He still needs to change his clothes," said Tsukino."

"I work at the inn now and-"

Without warning, Eduardo was dragged away from the desk by Kylie and Tohru as he was hurled upstairs. When both women hauled him into the bathroom, they stripped him of all his "country bumpkin attire and his underclothes as they tossed him into a soap-filled bathtub. They both scrubbed him down real well as they later rinsed him off and hauled him out of the bathtub. Naked and wrapped up in a towel, Eduardo was later shoved into his room as he was introduced to some new clothes that he had never seen before. Putting on his underclothes, he began to examine the new clothes thoroughly, he found them to be a black Qin Dynasty outfit with silver on the front and sleeves. Putting them on, he also began to slick back his hair and put it up in a hat as he walked back downstairs towards the desk. He had plenty of work to do as he decided that he liked his new outfit. With Kylie and Tohru coming downstairs afterwards, they resumed work here as Tsukino and Dr. Naegino were also impressed at Eduardo's new clothes.

"I see that the both of you are quite a matching pair," said Dr. Naegino as he was impressed with Eduardo and Kylie's clothes. "It seems to me that the both of you are ready for business."

"Hey, Eduardo needed to get cleaned up first," said Kylie.

"It's better than dressing up like a country bumpkin," said Tohru.

"The clothes are okay, but the farm clothes are needed to wear while cleaning the inn," said Eduardo.

"You're not taking those clothes off!" scolded Kylie as she grabbed Eduardo by the tuft of hair on his chin. "Besides, you look good in them."

"You look a lot better than me,... Funny-Coat."

"Don't make me step on your foot again,... Goat Boy!"

Everyone laughed at Eduardo and Kylie as they were astonished to see them all dressed in nice looking clothes while staying in the vast city of Chagum. Everyone was there for the future King and Queen of the Muah as they were also ready to lay down their lives to protect them as well. Even Dr. Naegino was ready to watch over them as he was also aware of the mere threat of witchsmellers that were looming around the likes of the evil King Gothmog. He had to put his trip to the Northern Stride on hold for a while as he was also glad to see his friends as well.

###

"The Muah are dead," said the witchsmeller as he bowed in front of heavy-set man sitting on a throne in the main hall. "All I found was this!"

"Is that all?!" said the heavy-set man as he saw Kylie's old cloak.

"That is what I found in the cabin, for we witchsmellers are susceptible to fire scents because it deafens our sense of smells, King Gothmog."

"You call yourself a witchsmeller?! Those dastardly Muah created that diversion to escape! Don't you ever bring up another failure like that again, you got that?!"

"Yes, sire."

"Eduardo Rivera and Kylie Griffin will never claim the Muah throne and I will see to it that I get what I want! As soon as we're ready, we descend upon Chagum!"

King Gothmog was as ruthless as his father, the late King Lurtz, as he was dressed in the same armor with the snake design on the front. He hated the Muah as he perceived them as a threat. Sooner or later, he would stop at nothing to get rid of Eduardo and Kylie as his grip on power was put to the test. Chagum was right in the crosshairs and King Gothmog was about to raze it to the ground and kill the perceived threat.

###

Eduardo was laying in bed after having a lot to do at the inn. He was tired as he saw a full moon come into the night sky out the window. He was very content with having Kylie at last as they were there to care for one another, regardless. To his shock, he saw Kylie walk into his room as she slept right beside him. She was happy with him at last, despite all the debates that they had in the past as she began to kiss him on the lips. They were together at last as the full moon was shining all over the whole city. Soon, they would be hunted, but not for tonight...

The End