Hi everyone! Okay, so I know I've put up a million (4) chapters up in the last 2 days. Since this is my side story, for when I'm stuck on WU, the updates will be ridiculously sporadic. I have… let's see… 9 chapters written, so far, so I may just post them all in rapid succession, or spread them out for sake of giving you guys a fun snippet often, instead of an enormous chunk in a day, whatever I feel like. ;) just know that if Ifinish chapter (once you catch up to where I am) I'll post it. :) and there's a pretty important a/n at the end of the chapter, so read it!
Oy and reviews! I got a bunch in response for starting this story, and I just want to say thanks a ton! I was worried what you guys'd think of it, but looks like I'm in good standing! XD and constructive criticism is always received with much gratitude, both on this story and all my others, so if something's off, tell me!
ML-AWESOMENESS: yay I'm glad u like it!
Kirbyfan8386: haha I hope so! And what kinds of season 5 things were you thinking of?
iluvninjagothenextstepgirl: hehe you'll have to find out! Well… there will be a bit of love triangle involved… ',:)
Wow that is one enormous a/n… :O
Chapter 3: Matchmaker
She was a… large woman, dressed in a deep violet outfit similar to the ones her examinees wore, except many sizes bigger. She regarded the girls with a look that could only be described as a mix of disgust and boredom. All was silent as the girls waited for their names to be called.
"Flam-yi, Nya?" she said loudly.
Nya shot to her feet, trembling slightly from nerves. "Present!"
The matchmaker frowned and made a mark on her notepad. "Speaking without permission…"
Nya winced. "Oops…" She followed the matchmaker inside, with one final glance back at her hopeful mother and grandmother.
Granny Mystake frowned and muttered to Hiroki-ma, "Who spit in her bean curd?"
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Once they were inside, the matchmaker inspected Nya closely, muttering to herself, "Too skinny ... not good for bearing sons."
Nya tried to hold herself well, telling herself to calm down. Of course she would pass. Suddenly, her cricket hopped out of his cage and skittered away. Nya gasped and frantically tried to put him back in-a difficult task, thanks to her long, flowing sleeves.
The matchmaker, oblivious to her examinee's struggling, ordered, "Recite the Final Admonition." She turned to face Nya, and in desperation, the pink-clad girl shoved the squirming cricket in her mouth and tried to smile daintily.
It was revolting. It kept moving around, legs churning. She tried to turn her expression of disgust into a light giggle, but it came out as a ridiculous sounding, "Mmm-hmm-hmm…"
In a final burst of desperation, she whipped out the paper fan from her sash and opened it quickly, using it to hide her face behind as she spat out the cricket. It skittered away quickly.
"Well?"
Oh yes. The Final Admonition. "Fulfill your duties, calmly and…" She glanced down at the notes written on her arm, which were smeared slightly. What came next? "Respectively. Um, reflect before you ... snack." No! "Act! This shall bring you honor and glory." Sweating like no lady should, she fanned herself in relief. At least that part was over.
The matchmaker grabbed the fan and inspected it, and Nya realized she was looking for cheat notes. Finding none, she grabbed Nya by the arm, where the notes were, and pulled her toward a table. The inky writing came off in her hand, but she didn't appear to notice.
"This way," she ordered, "Now, pour the tea. To please your future in-laws, you must demonstrate a sense of dignity and refinement." She traced her fingers over her mouth in what was probably meant to be a wise-looking gesture, but the ink rubbed off with a squeak, and Nya's eyes widened. "You must also be poised," the matchmaker added, still completely oblivious to the ink that traced her lips like a man's mustache. Nya, staring at the Matchmaker, poured the tea obediently, but missed the cup. Realizing what she had done, she regained her composure and quickly filled the teacup.
She noticed the cricket relaxing happily in the tea. That pesky creature! Even as she was watching, the Matchmaker took the teacup.
"Um, pardon me…"
The matchmaker glared at her and snapped, "And silent!" She sniffed the tea and sighed in apparent pleasure.
Nya knew that if she let the matchmaker drink the cricket, her examination would be over. Complete fail. So she did the unthinkable. "Could I just take that back? One moment…" She grabbed for the cup.
The Matchmaker fought for the teacup, and they both fell back. The tea spilled all over the matchmaker, and the cricket hopped down her dress.
The matchmaker gasped in disbelief. "Why, you clumsy! ... Oh! Ah! Woo!" Nya watched in horror as the ample woman tripped over the fire-pot, spilling the coals and then sitting on them, the bottom of her dress smoking. Nya desperately fanned the burned spot, but instead of going out, it burst into flames. The matchmaker shot to her feet and started to run around, screaming.
Outside, Granny Mystake leaned calmly over to Hiroki-ma and said cheerfully, "I think it's going well, don't you?"
They watched, smiles disappearing, as the matchmaker ran outside, screaming, "Put it out! Put it out! PUT IT OUT!" Nya appeared next, teapot in hand. She threw tea over her, putting out the fire and soaking the woman.
Completely humiliated, she handed the teapot to the Matchmaker and quickly walked toward Hiroki-ma and Granny Mystake, face burning.
Absolutely furious, the matchmaker glared at her and yelled, "You are a DISGRACE!" Then she scowled and hissed, "You may look like a bride, but you will NEVER bring your family honor!"
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Back at the family farm, Nya sighed, completely destroyed inside. That could not have gone any worse. She blew it-her one chance to bring her family honor. Gone.
She passed by the house, where her father sat on the porch. He greeted her with a warm smile, but, ashamed, she turned away and took Flame to the stable.
She paused as she passed her horse's water trough, her reflection staring back at her. So perfect, so done up. But it wasn't her. She sadly wiped the right half of her face clean of the makeup, the glanced back at her reflection. It was split-half Nya, and half… someone else. She felt tears spring to her eyes, not for the first time since the matchmaker catastrophe, and she quickly wiped off the rest of the makeup.
Leading Flame to his stall, she leaned against the wooden post and began singing softly.
Look at me ... I will never pass for a perfect bride
Or a perfect daughter
Can it be?
I'm not meant to play this part?
Now I see
That if I were truly to be myself
I would break my family's heart.
Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me
Why is my reflection someone I don't know
Somehow I cannot hide
Who I am, though I've tried
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
When will my reflection show
Who I am, inside?
Haha I love the matchmaker scene… did I do ok at capturing it on paper?
And that important a/n… I need your opinions on the music. I LOVE the music from the movie, and you've seen me capture it in two ways-the song when they're getting her ready for the matchmaker, and the reflection song. Notice-with one, I treated the lyrics as rhyming dialogue, and with the other, I just played the lyrics as is. I know there are more songs later (which I may possibly tweak some lyrics… harhar…) so what do you guys want to see? Esp. with the Be A Man song, should I describe it, or just play the lyrics? Let me know! And thanks for reading!
