"Hey Amu, why am I not in the story yet?" Ikuto asked with tears in his eyes.
Seeing a depressed Ikuto, she couldn't help but cuddle him, "I'm sorry Ikuto. But you don't come in till quite a bit. That's why you were in the prologue and we're narrating and talking nonsense before the chapter begins. It's to calm down the Amuto fans out there. Please realise your appearance in a story is not always necessary."
"I still wish the author would just hurry up and introduce me," Ikuto continued to say, "oh well, I guess it can't be helped. I'll quietly wait till I appear."
"Ikuto I'm so proud of you," Amu beamed at Ikuto, hugging him more, "so you finally understand a story's logical plot is way more important than satisfying the Amuto Fans hunger and your selfish desire to appear."
"Not really," Ikuto smiled, "the story only gets interesting when I appear and readers will be more aware of me if my entrance is flashy, e.g. if I help you when your a mess."
Amu bit her lips. Without saying a word, she got out a stick and pointed it at Ikuto, "Ikuto, how about a little experiment."
Ikuto twitched.
After sorting out Ikuto, Amu is now turning to look at readers, "This is the last time me and Ikuto are appearing talking nonsense before the chapter begins. That is because the plot gets more and more intense and we are busy - so I beg you readers to keep reading!"
A tied up Ikuto wants to say, "Please leave a comment. Your views are more precious than potions. Otherwise - please have fun!"
Trouble and Exile
Amu hid to a corner, spying at Tadase Hotori. She almost felt herself melt, (though melting is a taboo to witches), "he's so pretty..."
Kairi snorted, "don't drool over him, even though he is the prince of W.O.W. Have you forgotten your mission?"
"No way, to be able to date someone like him is like a dream come true," Amu replied, water dripping from her mouth, "I think I'm in love."
Agitated, Kairi stepped on Amu's foot, "quit it. You can drool on him later when he's agreed to be your boyfriend."
Amu chuckled. The atmosphere around her suddenly turning dark and evil, "Kairi Sanjo, let's head back."
Confused Kairi asked, "wha- why?"
Amu grabbed his shirt, her eyes sparkling, "of course to make a Love Potion."
Kairi's jaw almost dropped off, "WHAT THE HELL? You're planning to rely on a stupid love potion? AMU ARE YOU SERIOUS?"
"-I'll need dragon's claw and red raddish and horse milk and do I need badger's fur or butterfly wings..."
Kairi sighed, "she's not even listening to me."
--- --- ---
Sipping her tea calmly, Utau stared out the cafe window into the buzzing streets. She smiled to greet Lulu, who was pushing her way through the crowd carrying a load of bags. Utau looked back at her tea and thoughts crowded her. "It's such a festive day. Everyone's happy. If only you were here too. Where have you been for the past years. I really miss you."
"MEOW!"
Utau looked around at the source of the sound, feeling her heart about to burst from excitement. She clenched her chest in the disappointement in seeing the white cat being scooped up by its owner. "I used to have a cat too. But he left me...and I've always loved him..."
--- --- ---
O.K. Kairi signaled to Amu as they sneaked around the building to where Tadase was.
"Why are we sneaking around?" Amu complained carrying the made potion.
Kairi turned to stare at Amu in a serious way, "are you kidding here? Tadase Hotori is the only son of the great witch, our queen. He's a real prince. We are commoners, we not supposed to approach him just like- HEY AMU!"
Kairi's jaw dropped off as he saw Amu calmly, openly walk towards Tadase who was surrounded by many common witches. "I guess I may be wrong then." Kairi too dashed towards the mass crowd, who was pushing and shoving to get better spots.
"This isn't going to work at all," Amu whispered to Kairi, "its unfair that I lose if I can't even reach him."
"Its not like I could do anythi-" Kairi began to answer, "say, have you got some animal potion on you Amu?"
Amu blinked at Kairi, still struggling in the crowd, "how'd you know?"
"You're the mischievous witch of W.O.W. If there's anyone who's carrying weird stuff, it's you."
Amu smiled reaching in her pocket to retrieve a small bottle of clear contents. "It's gas to be more precise, but very strong." She began to unscrew the bottle top.
"Perfect then..." Kairi said, all of the sudden shoving Amu forwards.
The unexpected Amu, found herself lose her balance, lunging forwards out the crowd towards Tadase. "NOOOOOO!" she screamed fully aware that the bottle of Animal gas was opened, but it was too late. Witches around screamed, followed by the sound of breaking glass and a awful mixture of fumes arising from where Tadase stood, with Amu shivering in front. As the fumes cleared, Amu's worst nightmare came to view. The surrounding witches screamed even more.
"Oh, My God, the prince, the prince-"
"-how terrible-"
"It's disgusting. He's turned into a beast-"
"Get the Queen, get her quickly..."
Amu stared, all of the sudden frightened by how hideous and ugly Tadase looked, almost like a slimy slug, with insect eyes and a bushy fox's tail. Amu trembled uncontrollably, realising this was HER FAULT.
The crowd of witches stepped aside as the Queen slowly approached. Helen, the great witch who descended directly from the founder of this world, and who holds elegance in her looks. Accompanying her was her favourite witches or helpers, Utau Hoshina and Yaya Yuiki.
As expected from the Queen, there was no trace of sorrow or shock as she looked at her own son, "what happened here?"
The witches looked from one to the other. Utau turned away to look elsewhere as soon as she saw Amu next to the ugly being. Yaya on the other hand bounced towards the strange being that was now Tadase. She gave a quick sniff, "how troublesome, it's love potion mixed with Animal gas. No-one's done this combination before. It'll take awfully long to prepare an antidote."
The Queen's voice was slightly more demanding this time, "WHO?"
The surrounding witches immediately pointed towards Amu, who just sat on the floor, staring at the Queen.
"So, it really is you. The Mischievous Witch, Amu Hinamori," The Queen hissed, glaring at Amu. "On such a sacred day like this, to turn my beloved son into this thing, is a crime and mockery towards me. How dare you?"
Utau quickly stepped before the Queen, kneeling on the floor, "I'm sorry. I know Amu is too. Please don't execute her. I beg you, your highness."
The Queen, looked from Utau to a frozen Amu, "Utau Hoshina, for solely your sake, I'll spare her life, but her punishment in living will be as painful as death. Move out the way, Utau."
Utau felt tears prick her eye as she tried to remain there between Amu and the Queen. Her heart was about to rip apart. She had warned Amu not to cause trouble so why? She didn't want to experience the pain in seperating from her loved ones again. She didn't. As he tears blinded her, she felt Lulu approach her, grabbing her and pulling her away. "Please Utau, we'll think of a way..." was what Lulu whispered into her ears.
The Queen took out a crooked looking stick and pointed in at Amu, "be exiled and banished, Mischievous Witch, Amu Hinamori, to the dreaded Cauldron of Hell."
"No, please..." Amu screamed as she felt herself melt away, disappearing in the bright green light.
All the witches in the room were silent, as the Queen raged and cancelled the festival, carrying the prince away. Utau and Lulu, cried on eachothers shoulder. Kairi Sanjo smiled in the corner of the crowd, whispering to himself, "That's what you get for rejecting me as your future husband, Amu."
--- --- ---
Amu screamed again, as she felt a searing pain run throughout her body, the heat of the flames burning at her skin. Blood dripping from ripped open flesh throughout her body. It was pitch black, and empty, there was nothing but her and this pain. The Cauldron of Hell was a prison of tortures for exiled Witches who had commited crime equivalent to death. "I-I'd rather die...Help me Utau, Lulu, anyone..." Amu barely whispered through a moutful of blood.
She outstretched her hands to the darkness and suddenly, as if she was dreaming, she saw two pair of sparkling blue eyes stare back at her. Then a voice called out to her, "do you want to be saved?"
