Review replies here~~ ^^ If you need any kind of enlightenment for the plot, do ask!
x..lithium: (I know your username only has one dot in it, but ff automatically corrects it when there is only one dot and your name becomes 'x:'... I don't know why! I'm sorry! Please forgive me!) The praise is too muuuch! I think I'm going to go in a corner and hide and blush. But thank you soo soo much! I figure Oishi is worrying too much here... haha but I guess he turned out okay. As for Protective!Magical Buchou Tezuka, I plain love him, buahaha. Echizen... personally, I don't like Echizen either, he's always winning. I try not to make him too OOC, but trust me, he will not be beating Yukimura just because he found out he enjoyed playing tennis in the middle of a game he clearly was supposed to lose... (Though this is a crack fic, no nonesense will be tolerated! XDDD) Hopefully this chapter will entertain you as well!
melli-elle: I love review-replies as well! x3 They are always so... personal and it makes the reader and the author so happy!
I understand what you mean... I had no intention of copying anything... but hey, it doesn't hurt to disclaim myself, does it? XD I guess the plot just got to me one day when a friend was rambling about Sailor Moon and I thought it would be so cool to have it with some kind of Prince of Tennis twisted plot or something. XD;;
ROFL! I saw, I saw! The Chinese drama was... wow. Seriously. Thought Yuuta didn't look very cute in it, Fuji wearing a PINK SHIRT was epic win! XD And Tezuka hugging him was EPIC WIN NUMBER 2! And Fuji being the same height as Tezuka was just plain hilarious! As for Mizuki, I can't deny he doesn't look good. XD
No worries, now. DaneDane will be back! Mizuki will soon come on stage as well. Fear it! As for DaneDane, I'm not so sure if it means dude... but if it does, it makes it all the funnier! XDDD
wara ningyo: Well, Tezuka was just going to kill Yanagisawa for licking HIS wife, dane. Yes, I know, the Rudolphian syndrome gets to you... soon, it will take over your braaain! Fear Yanagisawa and his gigantic yellow rubber duck! XDD
I'm so glad you liked it! Hopefully this chapter won't disappoint you!
AniManGa19930: Glad you liked TezuFujii fluffness~ I can't pass a chapter without them snugging! XD;; As for Yuuta.... I can't reveal anything about him yet! And Fuji has a good role in the story too... hmm, you will find out soon enough! ^___^ Thank you so much for all your support! *snugs to death*
Ahaha, the time-zone can be quite annoying. But I love to read your comments in the morning. It's really refreshing and encouraging! Please don't stop writing you too!
BleuFleur: I love long reviews! Thank you so much for the detailed one you gave me! ::Tears of joy::
It was on your birthday? Happy birthday! I'm so glad you liked it... You can't believe how much your encouragement means to me! The next chapter shall be dedicated to you then, as a late birthday present.
As for Mizuki, I'm sure everyone knows he is responsible for the gay-purple snowflakes. XD (I'm so glad someone noticed that detail! All hail Mizuki's gayness~) And eventually, he will have a big role in this story. I can't reveal too much about him right now though! Please forgive me!
Oh noes, am I so obvious with the hints? I guess I'm blatanly obvious with the TezukaFuji though... hehe. But I still can't promise anything for the future... so Serenity might just not be the one you think! (But really, this chapter practically gives me out... Anyhow, stay tuned!)
Your comment was more than enough. I don't write for reviews, I do it for fun. Though a little encouragement here and there could help, I will definitely not stop uploading because people stopped commenting. Thank you so so much for the huge praise! Hopefully this chapter will be entertaining as well!
Sileny: XDXDXD I often have that reaction as well! "Just who the hell came up with such a lame idea?!" I asked myself, and then the answer came: "Myself!" I find it really funny somehow...
Eiji is so cute. He's my second fave character after TezukaFuji. (They are both first place because one can't exist without the other). I just hope he isnt' too hyper or too OOC here! Hurray for Eiji!
I think little hints of golden pair is cute! Huge doses kinda become a little... sappy, but Golden is really fun. Oishi is really a worrywart at heart, there is no denying. ^___^
Whyyyy?! Am I so blatanly obvious with all my characters? T___T Oishi's identity is revealed in this chapter. (I think I'll work on the subtlety a little more if everyone guesses who the character are... sighs)
Oh, and one last thing, Yanagisawa loves gigantic rubber duckies~~~ DaneDaneDaneDaaaane.
animeannie: Thank you sooo much! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you~ Thank you for supporting me, like always!
xad: Nooo why don't you like Sailor Moon? I think that it's epic win when it's mixed with prince of tennis! XD But thank you so so much for the comment! Hopefully you like this chapter as well!
Iamme: Thank you so much for the praise! Hopefully you will like this chapter as well!
yoshikochan: Nooooooooes! ::goes off hiding in a corner, blushing:: That was too much of a praise, I don't know what to say...! ::Hides::
shourin: Thank you so much! Chapter four is up~
LoveChronicles: Thank you, my twin. Hopefully you like chapter four as well! Unfortunately, Dane Yanagisawa is done for now. He will be back soon though, I promise~
lovefujitez: Junn-saaaan! ::Hugs to death:: You are the best beta on earth, do you know that? And currently, I'm really really busy... so I will update the chapters on Lj as soon as I can. I have a day off this friday, I will take all the time to write, alright? Gomen ne!
And noooo! I'm going to go off into hiding again! That was too muchhh... here I only write for the fun of it, I don't really... aaargh! :Goes hiding:
Oh, by the way, this chapter is dedicated to you, for always supporting me and being such a nice beta. (The world's best!)
lachrymosa13blue: Is internet going better? Thank you for the praise! This chapter is dedicated to you, because muses are currently still sleeping right? Do write soon! I can't wait for more fics from you!
And now, without further ado, I give you chappie four of Tales of the Magical Buchou!
Title: Tales of the Magical Buchou [Arc I: The intrusion of the Rudolphians]
Rating: PG-13.
Genre: Romance, Adventure, Drama.
Summary: Enter the first Guardian! Please welcome the foreseer!
Warning: Flood of Flashback. Relatively serious chapter… or not?
Disclaimer: The idea is mine… it's too bad I don't own any character from Prince of Tennis, or the Sailor Moon references. This is not a copy off Vihii1217's 'Seishun Moon' for I did not violate any laws of plagiarism by writing it. Please understand.
After writing it, I noticed how Oishi looked so much like those mages in Harry Potter… but I didn't even think about it when I wrote it. XD;; I don't own Harry either though.
ATTENTION, PART TIME BETA FOR THIS STORY NEEDED! This ficclet is in need of a part-time beta~ Is anyone willing to beta for me? Because Lovefujitez, the best beta in the world, is currently very very busy with work and I'm too shy to ask her to beta one chapter of around 5000 words every single week... I would love if someone could switch with here, working on a chapter each every two weeks...? Pretty please? I'm not exigent, really, just desperately want to take some unecessary burden off Lovefujitez, because she is so sweet to always accept my requests even though she is very busy... Please leave me a message at chibikaoruchan at gmail dot com. Thank you so much!
Therefore, this chapter was not beta-ed.
A/N: Major plot advancement. Beware.
This chapter is dedicated to my loyal Beta, LoveFujiTez because she is being really busy right now, and to Lachrymosa because she misses her muses and because she has been such a good friend to me! Happy reading guys!
~ Tales of the Magical Buchou ~
Chapter four: The Foreseer and the Recollection Ritual
It was a large bedroom, with a meticulous king-sized bed in the middle and a small window on the side. The place was tidy and organized, overly-lit from the inside. A wooden drawer figured beside the bed, with two silver rings silently resting on its surface. On the table adjacent to the previous one lied a glowing egg that was ten times bigger than those laid by hens, protected by a thick crystal barrier and warmed from the source of light above. The room was warm, welcoming even, despite its numerous oddities.
Next to the single open window stood a woman.
The strong, crystalline light that penetrated the room greatly blurred her profile. She wasn't very tall, but even from afar one could describe her as alluring. She pressed both her naked arms to the windowsill, and with eyes well camouflaged behind thick eyelashes, she seemed to be scrutinizing out the window. The off-white curtains that floated to the wind prevented one from perfectly grasping the shape of her delicate body; yet, one could flawlessly imagine the pale skin that lied beneath her majestic robe. Then, she turned around, making her short honey-brown hair flow elegantly aloft her delicate shoulders from the sudden movement. A breathtaking smile broke from her moist lips when she recognized her visitor.
"I did not notice you there, Foreseer," her mellifluous voice echoed throughout the room.
"I… Please forgive my rudeness, madam, but who…"
Her chuckle was even more melodious than a million tinkle bells reunited. "What are you talking about? Have you not awaken yet? I told you not to be so formal around me; it's not necessary. You are, after all, our loyal beep…"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Beep, beep, beep…"
BIBEEP, BIBEEP, BIBIBIBEEP, BIBIBIBEEP!
"AH!!!" Oishi practically jumped out of bed screaming. He panted, gradually recovering his consciousness while the after-effects of a good night's dream faded away. He pressed one hand to his forehead and closed his eyes, trying to remember his most unusual dream. He tried to fish out from his deepest memories who the picture of an elegant lady clad in a white dress could belong to. No woman he knew could fit the image though; he had known no one as breathtaking as that one he just saw in a dream. Who was she…?
"MOU!! Oishi, please turn off the alarm! I'm trying to sleep here, nya!"
It was only then the vice captain of the tennis club remembered the dorm room he shared with his doubles partner, Kikumaru Eiji. He hurriedly turned off his alarm clock and apologized to the red-head that was already fast asleep. He sighed, deciding that worrying too much over a simple dream was unhealthy. The clock showed it was 6:25 AM and he headed towards the bathroom knowing that sleep had completely eluded him.
Half an hour later, Oishi entered the school cafeteria, eagerly picking up his breakfast. Food tray in hand, he spotted Tezuka eating alone in a seduced area of the lunch court and swiftly settled himself in front of his captain. "Good morning, Tezuka. Is Fuji not with you today?" he asked, flashing a bright smile at the taller youth.
"Ah," was the monosyllable the bespectacled man provided him.
Oishi smiled uneasily. 'Ah' could mean anything from negative to positive! Was Tezuka feeling unwell? Did he quarrel with Fuji last night? Why did he seem so pissed off? It was around seven o'clock in the morning and already Oishi was already worrying. No wait, it was six twenty five some time ago and Oishi had already been worrying then. The mother hen sighed. It really wasn't doing any good to his mental health. He had to get it out of his system or else… "What's wrong Tezu—"
"NYA!!! Oishi you meannieeee!" his roommate wailed, promptly interrupting him mid-sentence. "You left without me! How could you, nya! I'm your partner!"
Oishi turned his head in the direction of the voice, and was surprised that his partner was already awake so early. He saw the red-head pacing towards him, his expression not as jovial as it was the last time he saw it. "Sorry, sorry, you were still sleeping when I left so I thought I shouldn't wake you up," he muttered.
Kikumaru super pouted. He put his own tray of food down on Oishi and Tezuka's table none so gently and brought both hands to his hips. "Fujiko waited for me and he isn't even sharing the same room!" he reprimanded.
Oishi spotted Fuji's golden-brown hair from behind Kikumaru's shoulder and apologized again to his partner. He stole a glance towards Tezuka, seeing his captain shifting to the side to leave an empty space next to him for Fuji to sit in. He smiled, realizing that Tezuka had always reserved an exclusive place on his left for his childhood friend to settle in. He did the same, patting the seat next to him to catch Kikumaru's attention. Automatically, his partner's eyes lit up with childish gleefulness. Eiji left him no time to react; he tackled him in a warm bear hug, his previous outburst gone and forgotten.
It was then Oishi heard a loud beeping coming from his partner's uniform pocket. He raised an eyebrow, wondering what on earth it could be that screeched so loudly. "Hum… I think it's coming from you, Eiji…"
Tezuka and Fuji continued eating, albeit keeping a watchful eye on them. Kikumaru ignored them, fondling with his pocket to get the loud instrument out. He couldn't have kept his alarm clock in his pants, could he? Oishi thought but quickly shoved the idea aside. There was no way Eiji's bear-shaped alarm clock could fit in his uniform pocket. After all, why would he even want to keep it on him?
"There it is!!" Kikumaru shouted. A grey TennisBall rested in his hand. The suspicious object glowed, beeping only louder as it came closer to Oishi.
In the blink of an eye, Echizen materialized before them. "Come with me, Oishi-senpai, Kikumaru-senpai!" he ordered and, without letting any time for his upperclassmen to react, pulled both of them towards the exit. The canteen fell silent and many students that were present that morning stared at them curiously for a minute or two before resuming their own conversations. When the noise went up again, the trio had already disappeared from sight.
Tezuka stood up at once, preparing to follow them when a hand grabbed his sleeve to prevent him from leaving. "Where are they going, Tezuka?" Fuji asked, his blue eyes open and inquiring. His ever-present smile was gone from his distressed face.
"Stay here," was all Tezuka said before shrugging free from the prodigy's grasp and running after the trio.
Fuji stared at his retreating form, his open eyes void of emotion. He resumed eating alone, a bitter smile stretched across his face. He did not notice when exactly the gay-purple snowflakes began falling from the ceiling.
~oO~Oo~oO~Oo~
The first thing Echizen did when he was sure they were alone on the rooftop was to snatch the grey TennisBall away from his red-headed senpai. Kikumaru gave a surprised yelp but did not protest after that. Tezuka joined them soon after, making sure the door was well locked behind him. He nodded to his future son, urging him to start the explanation. Without wasting time, Echizen handed the beeping object to a very, very confused Oishi-senpai, daring him to pronounce the four magic words.
"I'm supposed to say what?" Seigaku's nicknamed mother asked, disbelieving.
"Grey TennisBall power make up!" Echizen repeated.
"But that's five words!" Oishi protested.
Echizen growled. "Just press the center button and say it!"
"B-but why?" Oishi asked, blushing slightly. He did not know if Echizen was being serious or if he was just being mocked. He looked at Kikumaru –who was watching him with eager eyes– and blushed, quickly averting his gaze. How could he say such an embarrassing thing in front of his partner? He then stole a glance towards Tezuka, who didn't seem perturbed by the sudden turn of events in the least.
Echizen sighed, deciding that he had to use a different tactic when approaching the vice captain. He grinned as an idea hit him. He cleared his throat to catch his upperclassmen's attention. "You have to do it, Oishi-senpai, if you don't want the earth to end up in the hands of the evil Rudolphians. And when the Rudolphians take over humanity, they will kill all those stray cats you have been secretly nursing, torture them, and then burn them to ashes."
"WHAT! But that is inhuman! How can they—"
"Which is why," Echizen cut him, "you need to press the center button of that TennisBall and say the magic words to save the planet."
"But the kitties…" Oishi began.
"DO IT!" Echizen yelled.
This time, Oishi did as he was told without hesitation. After all, the lives of innocent stray cats were in his hands. (He forgot that the lives of many humans were also at stake, but his one-way mind could not exactly process the gravity of the situation just yet. Fear the Rudolphians' complicatedness.) Oishi lifted his grey TennisBall in the air and pressed the center button. "G-grey TennisBall power… er… make up, was it?"
An explosion occurred. Oishi's grey TennisBall began releasing a thick, grey fog that slowly but surely enveloped him. Echizen sighed. He had never thought that his job of gathering the Sailor and Guardian Fighters could be such a pain in the ass. A good half minute later, the fog began dissipating. Echizen had to scrutinize to see past the grey clouds.
"H-hum… guys, I'm not sure what happened but…" Oishi's silhouette became clearer as he approached his friends. He was clad in a grey hermit cloak, with a pointed hood and a shoulder cape. He had no mask and no necktie but a long wizard hat rested on his head. He carried in his left arm a glass Foreseer's ball (it was his grey TennisBall that had grown bigger in size and more translucent in color) and held in his hand an irregular wooden cane. His facial expression betrayed his uneasiness.
Tezuka remained expressionless while Kikumaru gaped at him. Echizen bowed slightly to him, a welcoming smile replaced his previous nasty grin. "Welcome back, Foreseer."
Oishi blinked in confusion. "I'm sorry…?"
Eiji pounced on him and patted his back comfortingly. "Now then, partner, ready for the big tale, nya?" the acrobat snickered playfully at Oishi's lost expression.
"Hum… I'm not sure where this is going… but I guess you have a lot of explaining to do," the vice captain glanced at the mysterious freshman suspiciously.
Echizen took a deep breath, preparing himself for the long speech that he had to furnish. "Tezuka-buchou there," he began, pointing at said person, "is my future father, King Millennium. He was married to my mother, Queen Serenity from the moon." Oishi opened his mouth to protest but Eiji silenced him quickly with a hand pressed to his lips. Echizen continued. "They both had respective Guardians and Sailors to protect them from danger and you are apparently one of them."
"The Foreseer used to be Prince Millennium's playmate when they were young. But because the Prince was very serious and strict, they did not play together very much…" Echizen shot a meaningful gaze at Tezuka, who glared at him in return. The freshman snickered. "The Foreseer could not fight due to his lack of physical strength, but he became a strong ally to the Prince when he discovered his sharp sixth sense; he could see a glimpse of the future through glass-made material. (Don't even ask me why.) When his extraordinary ability became known to human society, he quickly earned himself the honourable name of the Prince's Royal Guardian. You are that Foreseer, Oishi-senpai."
"Me…?" Oishi's eyes widened.
"Yay! Now we are Magical Partners, Oishi!" Kikumaru cheered, throwing himself at the vice captain's throat.
"But… why? How…?"
Echizen paid him no heed. "You met princess Serenity and the red sailor at a very young age. At that time, you had already become Buchou's Royal Guardian. You formed a sort of tie with the red sailor and became the Golden Pair. You joined forces and became a team on battle field. Finally, when you managed to land on the moon, a war raged between the Earthrions and the Lunarians. The rest of the tale is bitter."
Oishi was still gaping at him, disbelieving.
Echizen sighed. He had to convince Oishi-senpai in a different way. The poor vice captain was completely lost. "Because the Foreseer is a very visual person, I guess I have no choice but to show him. Karupin!" he summoned.
The Himalayan cat jumped out from behind the small freshman, waiting for new orders from his master. He meowed gently, eagerly, his huge chocolate eyes boring into Echizen's golden ones. "Buchou, Kikumaru-senpai, you must transform into your Magical forms for us to perform the Recollection Ritual."
"The Recollection Ritual?" the red-head and the captain chorused.
"It permits one to shut off one's senses and emerge him into the world of Recollection. It can only be performed when one's body is made of Magical Atoms." Echizen explained.
"Err… in Japanese, please?" Kikumaru pled.
"When you are in Magical mode, you body's atoms are rearranged. Or rather, they are filled with Magical substances and become Magical Atoms. It is what makes you stronger than a normal human."
"Oh." Kikumaru did not sound very convinced to Echizen, but he ignored it. At least his father wasn't a complete idiot.
Indeed, when Kikumaru turned around, Tezuka had already become the Magical Buchou dressed in his fancy black tuxedo. "Hey, no fair Tezuka! You changed before me!" With a pout, the red-head pressed his own TennisBall, muttered "Red TennisBall power make up!" and morphed into his red mini-skirt.
Oishi gaped. "Eiji!! What are you wearing!"
"I can't help it nya!" the acrobat's cheeks were more or less the same color as his hair by then.
"But that… that… skirt (if it could even be called a skirt… it was, what, three inches long!)is obscene!" Oishi protested.
"I know!! But I cannot help it!!" The red head wailed.
Tezuka rubbed his forehead. And here he thought nothing could go more wrong when Kikumaru joined his team… "SILENCE!" he snapped finally, unable to bear the commotion anymore. They all automatically fell silent. The Magical Buchou nodded towards his son, motioning for him to proceed.
"Form a circle around Karupin and I," Echizen commanded. The Magical Soldiers complied. "Now, hold your hands together and don't let go, no matter what," the trio did as told. "Close your eyes and repeat after me," he said finally.
Magical Bodies united,
Hands locked and eyes obstructed,
Together we remain rooted,
Bodies and mind connected.
At the sound of our plea, come in,J
oin our thoughts, Karupin,
Release the memories locked within,
And let the Recollection Ritual begin!
Karupin meowed one last time, and a strong light surrounded the rooftop. When the mystical flash faded, the Magical Soldiers became stone statues.
~oO~Oo~oO~Oo~
Before them stood the biggest castle they had ever seen. Evergreens surrounded its whereabouts, and the general brouhaha of a nearby village could be heard from their position. For quite a while, all they did was gawp at the regally structured fortress, admiring it for all its splendor. The architect that had designed the place was one to be praised; the castle was grandiose. There were four round towers with cone-shaped roofs on each corner of the construction. A diamond fortification stood, protecting its center from enemy strikeouts. The castle in itself was completely made out of marble, immensely well-maintained and glistening under the sun.
//"Where are we, nya?" Eiji asked.
"Inside Karupin's memories," Echizen answered simply.
"Karupin's memories?" Oishi questioned. Tezuka lifted one inquiring brow as well.
"The Recollection Ritual permits one's sense to be completely emerged into a scene, a place or a moment of one's memories. Basically, it shuts off reality completely. But because everything you see is just an illusion of the future, you will not be able to touch or change anything in this world," Echizen explained.
"In other words, we are like in a sensational movie theater, watching Karupin's memories unfold without being able to do anything to change its storyline," Oishi concluded.
"That's about it. Karupin is like a cat-sized memory card. He has two major abilities: hypnotism and Recollection Ritual. One can transfer his memories to Karupin; he stores them and, when asked, can replay them in front of others."
"That's so cool, nya!"
Echizen nodded. "We are now a thousand years in the future, on Earth, in front of the Royal Palace where father and his parents live." He stole a glance towards his buchou, trying to decipher his unreadable expression. Was that… nostalgia that flashed through his father's hazel eyes?
"Speaking of which, I don't see Karupin…" Oishi remarked.
"Of course not! He has to maintain a connection to the real world or we would be trapped in here forever," Echizen answered, as if it was blatantly obvious.
"What! But we can't stay here forever! It will be too lonely without the tennis club and Fujiko!" Kikumaru wailed. "Is your cat to be trusted?"
"Karupin does not fail! He is a machine!" Echizen defended.
They quarrelled for quite a while before Tezuka's voice brought them back to reality. Or rather, to the illusion they were seeing. "The scenery is changing," he stated.
Echizen, Oishi and Kikumaru nodded, staring right before them.//
They watched quietly as a thick white mist covered the castle, devouring the bright image little by little. When it dissipated, another scene flashed up. This time, they found themselves in a lovely garden, standing amidst roses and camellias. When they turned around, they saw the rear end of the royal fortress. Thus, they deducted that they were in the castle's backyard.
"Tezuka-kun! Hurry!" a gentle voice called.
A boy, around eight years old with disheveled chestnut brown hair appeared. He looked around, his imperial gaze resting on them for a while before running off in a random direction. They followed him until they reached a small lake in the middle of a forest, far from the flower garden where they previously stood. The castle could still be seen from their position but they knew they had crossed the safety zone.
"Over here!" that gentle voice said again. "Shhh, quietly. Don't disturb them."
They saw the young Tezuka leap through a bush and when they did the same, a beautiful young lady stood before them. She had shoulder-length honey-brown hair that swayed gently to the wind. Her eyes were shielded behind closed eyelids and she was smiling the most radiant smile one could imagine. She looked elegant despite her juvenile traits; just like a princess clad in her white silk dress. They could see a faint blush adorning the nicknamed Tezuka-kun's cheeks.
//"That's buchou when he was young," Echizen said. Tezuka turned away.
"Nyaa, how cute! Who is that little girl beside him?"
"I remember!" Oishi suddenly shouted. "She was the one I saw once in a dream!"
"Eh, not bad coming from you, Foreseer." Echizen congratulated. "Do you know who she is though?"
"I…" Oishi paused. "I don't have the slightest idea."
Eiji rolled his eyes. Echizen smirked. "She is Princess Serenity, from the moon. She's buchou's fiancée," he told Oishi.
Tezuka ignored them. His eyes were glued on the little girl that looked so much like Fuji… //
"Hurry, Tezuka-kun!" Serenity pressed, grabbing Tezuka's hand and leading him further in the woods. "We don't have much time left; our parents will start worrying if we don't return to the palace soon."
"Where are you bringing me?" the bespectacled prince asked.
"Don't ask so many questions! Just come!" the girl answered, pulling harder on his sleeve.
They walked around the lake until they reached the other side of it. There, lied two children, fast asleep on the grass. The one on the left was a red-head and the one on the right had black, fuzzy hair. Both were snoring quite loudly. Serenity chuckled.
"They just joined their souls so they are tired from the huge magical discharge," she informed Tezuka. "Should we wake them up?"
The bespectacled boy shrugged. "As expected from the Golden Pair."
Princess Serenity nodded in agreement. "I knew they would become one item sooner or later. It's just that they took longer than I thought. Do you think they will be able to handle themselves now that they share the same pains and pleasures?" She sat down near the lake, and Tezuka quickly followed suit.
"They will manage," he said.
"But their fighting style has changed considerably. It will take a while to get accustomed to it," she offered.
"Aah."
She chuckled again, her voice soft and melodious. She leaned on Tezuka's shoulder and entwined their hands together. The little prince flushed slightly, resting his own chin on the princess' head. He gave her hand a small squeeze and her smile widened. They closed their eyes, enjoying the silence and sharing an unbroken companionship. A soft wind blew, lifting some scattered leaves and flower petals from the ground and bringing them to the unperturbed lake. The open landscape was a never ending field of green, with soft grass underneath their feet and blue sky above their heads. Finally, Serenity spoke up. "Ne, Tezuka-kun, do you think we can become like them too?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"We don't need to. We share a different kind of bond," he said.
She snuggled deeper inside his embrace in response. "I guess we do…"
Suddenly, a loud beeping noise resounded. WARNING, WARNING, WARNING, it chanted. PLEASE EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY, I REPEAT, EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY…
//"Damn, something must have come up!" Echizen cursed. "Karupin, takes us back to reality, now!"
"Nya, I'm scared, Oishi!!" Kikumaru wailed.
"Hurry, join your hands together! We are going to be propelled from this place soon!" Echizen shouted. "Remember, never let go of the person next to you!"
Everyone nodded eagerly.
"Now then, close your eyes…" //
Before them, the little girl and his friends were still silently seating on the grass. It was the last thing they saw before the peaceful scenery gradually faded into nothingness.
~oO~Oo~oO~Oo~
The ground shook under their feet. The bright sunlight blinded their eyes. An evil laughter resounded. When finally the Magical Soldiers came to, the first thing they saw was a Rudolphian perched on the end of the Seishun Academy's roof. Immediately, they took their battle position. The enemy's smile widened, obviously pleased by their immediate reaction. He slowly paced towards them.
"At last, I managed to bring you back," the blood sucker said, stopping short just a few feet away from them. His short blue hair swayed in the wind. In his hand, he held a long, red headband. "I, Kisarazu Atsushi shall be your next opponent! Prepare yourselves!"
~To Be Continued~
A/N: Please do not hesitate to ask if there is anything you don't understand. Reviews are always loved and criticism is cherished. As for flames, I might want to toast marshmallows with them.
Also, part time beta is still needed! Please read the ATTENTION notice above for information! Thank you so so much!
Preview for the next chapter: The Golden pair is reunited! Now they have to accustom themselves to their new battling style! Just what is the act of joining souls, exactly? And why isn't Fuji like all the rest of the humans? Stay tuned!