I'm back and Happy New Year to you too, noble reader.
MAI OTOME
THE HAUNTING OF PRINCESS WINDBLOOM
CHAPTER 4
MOMENTS IN HISTORY
"My head hurts." Aoi complained.
Nao skew a glance at the depressed older girl. "Oh? You must be coming down with a fever or something?"
"No. It's not a fever," Aoi replied with a sarcastic gleam in her eyes. "You are currently the cause of my pain and suffering." She sighed and sat on a wooden box in the dark alley.
"You're going to blame it all on little ole me?" Nao made a cute face, feigning innocence. "Why Aoi-chan, I'm hurt... deeply. I thought that I was your buddy and now you're making a menace out of me for inadvertently revealing your secret." She noticed the maid's face grew a deep shade of red. "Besides, laying the blame on someone or something is the most dishonorable way of reasoning."
"Inadvertently, huh?" Aoi glanced up at Nao questionably. "I wouldn't call it that. You were being way too inquisitive for your own good."
A dark chuckle escaped the younger woman. "Ah... so you can't stand the taste of your own medicine, eh?"
"Whatever..." Aoi sighed.
"C'mon girl," Nao grabbed Aoi by her hand. "There's no need for you to feel so depressed over some pictures. You should be happy that the brat granted us a little vacation. The night is young. See?" She pointed towards the night sky embellished with bright stars. "Enough with the blues already." Something suddenly caught her eye down the alley. It was a royal caravan from another region. "What do we have here?"
Aoi trotted towards the younger girl and took a peek at what the said girl was surveying. "Oh? That must be a visitor of ours that is going to participate in tomorrow's festivities."
"Yeah, I know that already," said Nao with a gleam in her eyes. It wasn't the stagecoach that caught her eye. It was the bags of currency that was in plain sight that did. "Whoever it is, he or she should be more careful with their money. Girl, anyone has to be a fool to leave money laying around like this."
Knowing the redhead, Aoi warned, "Don't do it Nao," she advised. "This isn't another lonely businessman we're talking about here."
"With all of this money laying around here..." Nao advanced slowly towards the caravan. "No one is going to notice one missing bag."
Aoi grew fearful. "Nao!"
The redhead was hovering over the stash now. "Come to mama."
"You're so hardheaded!" Aoi hissed.
"Say, what in tarnation is going on here?" A voice broke out.
"Oh no! Busted!" Aoi cried.
Nao quickly backed away from the carriage and put on an innocent front. The voice was male, so that means Nao can get out of this predicament with ease. No man can resists her girlish good looks and feminine wiles. Unfortunately for her she was in for a big surprise. True enough the voice was a male's voice... "Why there's nothing going on here, sir." Nao said in a sweet southern belle's voice. "We were just curious about whatever good visitors we're having for this here WindBloom."
"Oh really?" The voice said.
"Yes, really sir." Nao replied as she noticed the approaching shadow in the streetlight. When the visitor finally got in her view, the redhead gasped. "What in the heck!?"
It was a male all right but it wasn't her own species. "How do you do, ma'am? I'm Sheriff of Nottingham and it's darn tooting pleased to meet cha." He extended his huge clawed hand for a handshake.
Oh great... an obese bipedal shaggy wolf.
A gasp of laughter escaped from Aoi. The maid came from her hiding spot in the alley and gave the sheriff a welcoming. "Welcome to the Kingdom of WindBloom." She announced with a bow of civility. "This must be Prince Jon's party, am I correct?"
"That would be us, ma'am." Sheriff grinned while his huge belly bounced like Santa Clause's. "It has been a very, very long and tiring trip for us and Prince Jon is looking for a first rate hotel to vacate in before tending to tomorrow's merriment."
Damn. I forgot about these creeps, Nao thought. She surveyed the sheriff's massive frame. He may be a big fat ball of fur, but there was no doubt in her mind that he was a bit versed in combating lore behind the blubber. His size, teeth and claws were advantageous to him if such an incident should arise. Dealing with him would be far more difficult than dealing with an ordinary human. To say the least... things are definitely going to be interesting.
"Would you please cease your lollygagging and return to your task, Sheriff?" Another voice demanded. It was Prince Jon himself. He was carrying some brochures from the welcoming center. "We are dire need of rest and here you are talking with-- with... peasants." He gave the WindBloom girls a look of xenophobic derision. The sheriff immediately regretted introducing himself to the two humans. "Come now, we are on a tight schedule."
"Uh-- yes Your Majesty!" The big wolf immediately followed the mountain lion's orders.
So it's like that now? Nao thought with a smirk. I got your peasants, fleabag.
Just as Prince Jon was about to mount his caravan, Aoi was immediately behind him with regards. "Prince Jon of Nottingham."
"Ah ha... that would be me, my dear." The Prince remarked in a high and mighty voice.
"Please forgive us for troubling you if we did, sir." Aoi bowed once again, her long braid slapping her face this time. "We are direct servants of Princess WindBloom and it is our honor to welcome you to our wonderful kingdom." She skewed a glared at the ever blase Nao and grunted at her. "Hmm-umm! Get over here, stupid."
The redhead registered what the maid meant a little late. "Huh? Oh-- oh yeah, right! We welcome you, oh great Prince of Nottingham." She said with reluctance but it wasn't apparent to the Prince. Go smoke a pound of catnip, you feline fucker, you!
"You two serve the Princess?" Jon queried and found himself quite impressed by their behavior. "Well, it is an honor indeed. You two are so loyal. Ha ha ha..." He chuckled and glanced at Sheriff. "The people back at home can learn a great deal from these girls. Wouldn't you say?"
"Yes siree!" The wolf hailed. "Without a shred of doubt."
"Well, my friends... I do certainly hope that my visit to this kingdom will be worthwhile." The prince prodded his jewelry littered fingers in delight. "I would wake Hiss here and let him behold such devoted servants but time is of the essence. We will be seeing one another once again won't we? Now if you two nice people will excuse us, we shall be on our way to a chalet of incomparable eminence. Ah ha..."
"Y'all heard the man," Sheriff commanded to the knights that were now gathering around the caravan. "It's time to get a move on. Onward!" The group of guards hoisted the Prince's caravan and resumed their search for a inn to stay in that's worthy of Jon's standards.
One Prince Jon and his minions were out of sight, Nao shrugged. "Ugh. That guy is so full of himself. He kind of reminds me of someone I know. Oh well..." Her eyes brightened and a smirk returned to her lips. "I hit his ass up though. I couldn't resist." She took out a bag of money that was hidden under her shirt. Quite the sly fox.
Aoi gazed at the younger woman in disbelief and sighed, "Nao..."
MAI OTOME
Meanwhile, back in that weird dimension nicknamed 'The Highway of Time' by Haruka herself, they stood before a citadel that leads to many moments in the Princess' past. Mashiro, admittedly, was slightly impressed that this was actually happening. Haruka stood behind the mortal with her arms crossed over her chest as she surveyed the massive structure before the both of them. Now that they thought about it, the palace looks a lot like WindBloom Castle. The Princess neared the palace in wonder.
"Nice crib. It looks like my castle." She mentioned. "What is this place? Time Compression or something?"
"Didn't I told you that we're actually going into your past?" Haruka said in a slightly irritated tone. "This is not my abode, I assure you. In this dimension between existence and oblivion this space is known as the Highway of Time."
The Princess frowned. "The Highway of Time?" She wondered, as if the name left a bitter taste in her mouth. "What kind of Kingdom Hearts bullshit name is that? That is one hell of a corny name."
"Quiet, you little tyrant!" Haruka sassed, blushing guiltily as the Princess mocked the very nickname she gave to this universe. "As I was saying, we are literally walking through the canals of time. For every mortal that exists and/or existed in the known universe, there is a palace in this one. Each palace is actually a homage to the past of the said individual. You see, that's where I come in. I specialize in traveling through history thanks to these sanctions."
The Princess noticed that the quirky spirit just made an error in her lingo. Didn't she mean to say sanctuaries? Oh well... she let it slide.
"Hmm..." There was a cute look of wonder on Mashiro's face. "Couldn't we just call this universe Memory Lane? I'm pretty sure that's what everyone else would call this place."
"Ah... you're hopeless..." the blonde sighed and pushed open the huge doors of the palace. She looked back at the Princess, whom was looking as adorably clueless as Erstin Ho on a good day. "Well? Are you coming in here or not?"
"Um... of course I am!" Mashiro retorted. "Don't get your drawers in a bunch across that big bum of yours, Blondie."
"Hey! I am not big in the bum!" Haruka snapped but she couldn't help but take a glance at her posterior. Maybe Yukino was right about that after all... When it all comes down to it, her bum was always a sensitive subject... whether she's a mortal or spirit.
"If you butt isn't big then-- fuck it, it's a snowy day in hell." Mashiro rolled her eyes. "Or it could be worse... the Hulk got the gout or... that damn Aquaman drowned in a damn swimming pool."
Haruka scowled, ignoring the subject of her lovely derriere completely. "You just hurry up and come inside already! You got a lamenting section to do!"
Strangely enough, the Princess pulled a Yukino on her. "It's session, not section, you mispronouncing spook, you."
"ARGH!" Haruka wanted to pull her hair out of her head. "My friend does that! And it get on my nerves every time! Ooh, you're just as rude as that raven-haired delinquent back in your world!"
"So much for being a spirit..." Mashiro stared at the agitated apparition in marvel. "There's just as much anguish going on with you guys as it is back in the living." She hesitantly entered the citadel and was astonished even more by the sights inside the place. The surface of the floor was superb! It was probably made of the finest marble or perhaps some unknown materials that only existed in this dimension. The many staircases she saw seems to be made of fine diamonds and aesthetic crystals. The Princess gaped in awe. Not even the finest jewels of the living world couldn't touch these bad mother-- "Goodness gracious! Did I just died and gone to heaven?"
"I dunno..." Haruka commented with a very... dubious tone. "Heaven for you is probably the least possibly outcome for you when the judgment comes."
The Princess stared on, her eyes glazed over a bit. "I think I want to stay here..." Haruka grasped her hand as if she was guiding a child. "What are you doing?"
"Come," Haruka's voice was solemn and it didn't have the usual fastidious tone to it. "You know what we must do. Follow me and you may learn of what the implication of your actions in the past may affect your future. Have you ever thought of how grim the future of your kingdom may look?"
A frown appeared. "Don't you dare judge me, spirit. You just do your job." There was a touch of malice in her speech that it actually frightened Haruka. "Unless you can actually travel to the future as well, I suggest that the welfare of my kingdom isn't any of your concern."
Surprise etched the blonde's features. And what's is even more frightening, she realized that she was humbled by the Princess' sudden hostility. "To travel into the future... I'm afraid that I cannot do."
"Fine. Now show me the grave implications of my actions in the days gone by." Mashiro demanded sarcastically, once again being a tiny tyrant.
Haruka pointed to the end of the marbled studded den and a door appeared. On the door, there was an ethereal visage of a much younger Mashiro as a display. "Right this way."
MAI OTOME
"Hey barkeep, gimme another shot of that cherry rum would cha?" The billowy weed smoke inside the tavern alone was enough to make her high and yet she had already downed ten shots of the said beverage. "You gotta make this one tough, barkeep. I'm wallowing here."
The aged dreadlocks headed man eyed the pretty tomboy in pardon. "C'mon Chie, you know that's a little too much for you. What would happen if you get too smashed, girl? I'm not going to be responsible for anything that may happen afterwards."
Chie laughed, her sexy voice ranging through the thick smoke of the bar. "Oh don't worry about me. I'm good at holding my drinks." She cackled and lit up a joint and puffed it. "I'm more alcohol tolerant than a hesitant obese man on a faulty diet."
The dark skinned man sighed. "Alright Chie, I'll give you one more shot and that's gonna be it for you. If you get too fucked up then that means some fella in here is going to be one lucky bastard. Hell, and that bastard might be me."
Chie grinned at the insinuation. "So you're feeling lucky, old man?"
"You just keep on drinking and see what happens." He warned, washing a shot glass.
"Pff! Don't kid yourself, friend." Chie clicked her tongue. "Barkeep, you are old enough to be my father."
The barkeeper had a comeback. "I may be old but my dick wouldn't think so." He joked.
"Yeah," Chie scoffed. "When it's deluded on some of that male enhancement bull crap."
"Shit... touche." The barkeeper handed her the glass of rum. "Just be careful, Chie."
"I'm a big girl, Keep." The foxy brunette reassured. "You know how it goes." She took another drag and sipped on the eleventh shot of rum. "Heck, I'm plenty messed up anyway. But I trust you to take care of me if I can't make it home... daddy." An all too devilish grin of innuendo graced her lips.
"Don't play..." The man couldn't do nothing but nod his head.
"Ah, there you are, Chie-chan!" A girlish voice sang through the hazy atmosphere of the tavern. There was Aoi, dressed in civilian clothes; a stylish cerulean sleeveless shirt with a hood and semi-tight black breeches. Nao was with her, wearing a long sleeved blouse and a ostentatious miniskirt. Damn, that redhead was on the prowl again. What unlucky pervert is going to get it this time? "Whoa, you've been drinking without us, girl." Aoi chastised, counting the glasses on the bar before her.
"Humph. I guess it's just one of those kinds of nights." Chie remarked sardonically. Her gaze slowly wavered towards Nao, whom was analyzing the entire tavern for big money losers. "Why, howdy to you too, whore."
Unperturbed, Nao said, "What's happening, bitch?"
The grin on Chie's face widened. "I can't call it. You tell me." She noticed the many stares that the younger woman was garnering. "Just don't hurt the next victim of yours too much. Okay?"
Nao couldn't help but laugh. "Only if they're asking for it." She sat on a barstool next to Chie and snatch the joint from her fingers and began cheifing on it. "Darn, you're smoking this weak stuff again, Chie? I thought that you were past this stage."
Chie only shrugged. "Well, you know-- shit happens..." That was followed by a forced giggle and her lifelong friend, Aoi, could sense the distress behind it. "I'm so glad that you guys came here. I'm so messed up now that I'm sure that any guy in here would want to purloin me in this time of night."
Nao coughed. "Ta-- take it like... a woman then."
"Hmm... I've taken a lot of bullshit in my life but rape will not be on the list." Chie remarked. She softly laid her head down on the bar. "Nope, I absolutely refuse to be a victim."
"Chie, how was your stay back home?" Aoi queried with concern in her soft voice. She situated herself to the seat to Chie's right. She knew... she just knew that Chie encountered problems while she was there. "Is your mother doing fine? Was the weather bad?"
Chie lifted her head off the bar abruptly. "Girl, it was the same as usual. It was so hot down there I've though I saw the devil sitting back and relaxing at my mother's house. And he was drinking a big ass bottle of Tabasco sauce while eating a big bag of ripe jalapeno peppers. No worries though. I spent a lot of time at the beach. You've should have seen me. Whoever said that bras and panties were indecent must have been the biggest hypocrite that ever lived."
"You saw the devil, huh?" Nao said rather casually. "You know what you need to do then."
Aoi was glad that it was kind of dark inside the tavern. Otherwise, Chie would have been saw the blush on her face. Chie looked simply amazing in a bikini. She has never seen a more gorgeous beach body. "Umm... so I guess that means that the weather was great."
"Umm-hmm, so great that I wore a two piece that damn near look like dental floss across my body." Chie stated blatantly.
Nao did a false gesture of vomiting. "Yeah, good for you. I think I'm going to be sick." She grinned.
"Screw you." Chie retorted.
Damn, and I missed all of that eye-candy, Aoi thought darkly. But anyway... "So... how's the family? I know it's been a while since you last seen them."
There was a distant look in Chie's hazel eyes. "Oh... my family... They're going to be just fine." And there she goes with the forced laughter again.
Oh my god... it's worse than I thought, Aoi's mind said. "Tell me a little about your visit, Chie-chan? Did you spend some worthwhile quality time with them?" The baby-faced girl leaned on the bar and studied Chie's gestures and emotions very intently. Something went wrong while she was down there and Aoi was determined to find out what it was. The distress resonating from the older woman was astounding.
"Oh god, Aoi, why did you have to ask me that?" Chie was cracking now. "You know how they are. My mother and father are too old-fashioned for their own good." Aha! So the problems lies in her parents. "I've already told you that they're just fine."
"Oh shit! Lifetime!" Nao noticed the tension between Aoi and Chie and called the bartender over. "Hey there, could you get me a Blue Melancholy? An angst session is about to go down."
"Alright." The barkeeper told Nao. "You're on the hunt again, aren't you?"
"You better believe it." Nao assured with a wink.
"Chie, my parents are older than yours and we both know that none of them is that old-fashioned." The demand in Aoi's voice was strong. "Why are you lying to me?"
"You might as well let it all out, Chie." Nao said as she was received her drink from the keeper. "This seems way too entertaining to pass up."
"I told you my parents are going to be alright, Aoi." Chie replied. "It's nothing worth worrying about."
"Chie Hallard, you are a liar and you are going to spend an eternity in hell if you do so insist on your deceptive ways!" Aoi exclaimed and found herself surprised that she was suddenly upset over something that was overly trivial. She looked at the stunned expressions of damn near everyone in the bar. "Uh... don't mind us, please."
Nao, quite astonished, told Aoi. "Wow Aoi, you have been studying a great deal with Sister." And here she thought that Aoi only regards her deity when she was admiring eye candy in magazines a little too hard. Hard... Ha ha ha ha ha!
"I think it's time for me to leave..." Chie stated and slid off her stool. Aoi suddenly reached out and grasped Chie's hand and with an unconquerable grip. Chie registered shock and pivoted a glare towards the younger woman and tried to break free. "You let go of me, Aoi!" Chie demanded, the alto in her voice gone out the window. "This isn't even called for!"
Aoi's knuckles were white and enlarged in obduracy. "No Chie, you're going to tell me what's going on in your life." The fierceness about the usually cute maid was nigh frightening. "I've never known you to be the type of person that would let anger well up inside of you like this. You are obviously hurting yourself, Chie, and you will never be at peace if you don't resolve this issue."
"So you really want to know, Aoi?" Chie took on an atypical downcast expression. "Would you really like to fucking know what's eating me inside?"
Aoi nodded and her features softened. She released the older girl's hand. "I've been your friend for a very long time, Chie. You know what you must do."
"I'm engaged, Aoi." Chie revealed at last.
DUN DUN DUN!!
Warm liquor sprayed from Nao's mouth like an Uzi. "Whoa!"
Horrible... this is horrible news! The maid's mind raged. There were many distraught thoughts going through her head behind the otherwise blank expression of hers. "You're... you're betrothed? Are you really?"
"Yes I am. You're happy now?" Chie looked sharply in the shorter woman's eyes. "That's right. As I was visiting my parents... they told me everything. I'm fixed with this wealthy pretty boy that is so arrogant and bishonen that he thinks that he is even more alluring than a female. He's so uppity about himself that he makes me want to puke and he's so small that even I can beat him in a fair fight."
You don't have it that bad, Nao thought sinisterly. He's rich.
Aoi instantly regretted that she demanded these answers. "Chie... I'm sorry to hear that."
"He's way too feminine..." Chie sniffed-- did she now? "Someone needs to let the cat out of the bag on his ass though. He's butt-ugly. He's so damn ugly that God knows that his mother should had stuck to plan A and given his father some head instead."
Nao snorted and damn near choked on her drink. "Argh-- damn that's an ugly dude."
"And what's worse-- this fool thinks that I'm in love with him." Chie spat with vehemence. "Damn it all! Men are so stupid!" She earned indignant glares with the last line but she didn't gave a damn. "Most of them think that we're suppose to fall out and straight fall in love with them just because they got a little cash in their pockets. Ugh! I can fill a dictionary with how conceited men are!"
"Ooh, well spoken, Chie." Nao lauded.
"They're so absurd that it's not even funny," Chie raged on. "There needs to be a great mirror just to show how senseless the 'stronger sex' really are."
"Amen." Nao bobbed her head as though she was in an actual congregation.
"Oh my goodness gracious, Chie..." Aoi sympathized, sounding decidedly like an old woman. "C'mon, I think it's time for us to leave." She cradled Chie's head on her shoulder. "At an emotional moment like this, I think it's inappropriate in a place like this."
"Hey, let me finish this drink, Aoi." Nao protested immediately and downed her drink as fast as she can. "Okay. I'm ready. Even though our friend here kinda ruined the night, rest assured I am not mad at her. Chie here just taught me something valuable this evening."
A bead of sweat appeared on Aoi's temple. "Just c'mon, Nao."
MAI OTOME
"Wow!" Mashiro squealed like a kid at Disney World. "That was so awesome!"
Haruka followed the much smaller girl out of the door, nodding in annoyance in order to save her sanity. What they saw beyond that door was not Mashiro's past. It was an abomination. That experience really didn't happened. So... what the hell was it then?
An alternate reality, asshole.
"Man, was I kick-ass!?" Mashiro did a few high kicks followed by a leaping move that suspiciously looks like the Shoryuken. "Whoever the hell it was that faced me didn't even stand a chance." A peculiar look invaded her face however. "But there was something I just don't understand... Why was I crying?"
Haruka thought about the girl's query, even though she tried her best to ignore what they've just experienced. Apparently, in that universe that grape hair girl has the power to manipulate fire. She had wield so much flames that she seemed to be abusing her powers. And what was even weirder was that fact that she summoned a leviathan creature that can emit fire at a nuclear scale.
"I wish I haven't seen any of that," Haruka muttered. "That was a mistake on my part. What we just saw was a vision of an alternate past. To put it simply: a parallel dimension to your world."
"But still, that was cool as heck! I called out that big dragon-- whale... err, phoenix thingy. What was it's name?"
She was referring to Kagutsuchi. "I don't know." Haruka shrugged. "Maybe we should try another door."
"That's fine with me," Mashiro agreed and sprinted up a flight of diamond studded stairs. "Let's try this one." She pointed to a door that had a vision of herself with a smug, if not, content expression about her. "This one looks promising."
Haruka rolled her eyes and hope that it wasn't another loony vision of an alternate world. "Coming..."
Boy was she in for a surprise.
The Princess' eyes were wide in fascination. "Wow!"
After they both went through the door they found themselves on a foggy port near an ocean on the outskirts on some bustling city. It was midnight and the warehouse before them did not look at all inviting. Haruka's mouth fell to the floor. She knew it. This was another alternate past of Mashiro. Speaking of the Princess, the little joker was compelled to approach the foreboding warehouse. Damn, she was acting like a child high off sugar. "No you don't! You come back here right this instant!" Haruka demanded.
"Aren't we going to at least check this place out?" Mashiro replied as she neared a window.
"Nah-uh, you very well know that this is not part of your past." Haruka crossed her arms over her chest agitatedly. "So let's save time and get out of here."
"Aw, but I wanna see what's going on." Mashiro whined. "You know nobody can see us so why are you so worried?"
"That has nothing to do with it! C'mon!" Haruka trotted over and tried her best to retrieve the Princess. The tirade between the duo now looks like a quarrel between a mother and child. "Stop being so stubborn, girl!"
"No! I don't wanna!" Mashiro screeched, grasping a nearby lamppost.
"Let go, you ill-behaved daughter of a bastard!" Haruka cursed as she struggled to pry Mashiro free off the post. Then... something very interesting inside the warehouse caught her eye. "Oh my goodness..."
Haruka's grip on the Princess' legs went slack and the grape head met the ground with a soft thud. She hastily gathered herself off the floor and gazed in the window in anticipation. "What is it?"
Haruka only looked on with her finger pointing. She looked like she was doing a bad impersonation of a frightened Hanna Barbara or Warner Bros. Looney Tunes character. "Th-- duh... duh-- duh--duh!"
Mashiro looked on. "Ooh..."
Inside the place there were five people. They were all tied and bound to a chair each. Realizing this, Haruka and Mashiro both knew that this was going to be some sort of arcane execution by shadowy means. Two of the will be victims were women. To be more specific, it was Akane and Midori. The three gentlemen were Kazuya-- Akane's boyfriend, a guy that looks strikingly similar to Orlando Bloom, and a black guy that looked a little too much like Jamie Foxx. And all five of them had a look of defeat and pure hopelessness on their faces.
"Damn. These guys are about to get it." Mashiro whispered.
"This is about to get ugly." Haruka followed.
"Uh-oh! Someone's coming."
A far more imposing Fumi walked into the scene with gats in her hands and murder in her eyes. The pink haired killer was dressed in military fatigues. Another woman appeared as well: platinum haired, red eyed and emotionless, Miyu was carrying a katana. This version of the femme fatale was dressed in all black; a black skull cap, a darkness of a turtleneck sweater and a sinister pair of slacks of darkest night. Knowing those two, it didn't look good for the five captives, indeed.
The silent killers stood aside as a small, but malicious voice filled the room. "Ah, are you bitches ready for that one way trip to hell?"
The Akane of this world was terrified. "N--no!"
"Too bad, toots," a small figured appeared at last-- obviously the mastermind. "That's what you get when you get on my bad side." Flipping a silver dollar and dressed in a purple pinstriped suit along with a neat brimmed hat on the top of her head, Mashiro was a true example of a mobster. "Do any of you shit bags have anything to say about that?"
"Hey, technically, I didn't get on your bad side, baby-girl." The charismatic Jamie Foxx doppelganger humored, despite his very grim fate. "I didn't know shit about you until the FBI informed me about your criminal history."
Mashiro glared at the smart-ass. "You shut up!" She spat. "You're a damn cop. That automatically puts you on my bad side." She took a second to admire his physical build with pleasure. "With your fine ass... You should have kept your vice back in Miami."
"Well shit-- if I would have known that fact then I wouldn't have ever pursued a career in criminal investigations." The striking dark-skinned man said with regret. "Damn man... just my fucking luck and what a way to go. Killed by a grape headed gangster that was probably my secret admirer."
Mashiro only laughed. "Yeah, and you tell the devil that I said 'hi'." She pulled out a .38 and...
BLAM!
"AAAAIIIIEEEE!!!" Akane screeched, she never could stand the sight of blood or a dead body.
"Stop screaming, bitch!" Mashiro hissed and the older girl did so.
The tiny mobster approached the dashing Orlando Bloom dead ringer. "Ooh, and what do we have here?" She cooed as she studied his features. "Damn you're sexy but I assume that you're affiliated with my... former subordinate here." She pointed towards a sheepishly giggling Midori. "That would mean that you messed around with the wrong woman, chum."
"I cruel fate that I welcomed," the charming fellow said. His resolve was unmatched... as always.
"Ah... he's my boyfriend." Midori managed to say. "Isn't he cute though?"
Mashiro whipped her gaze at the curvaceous redhead. "Yes he is. He's quite a catch. I'm getting hot just by looking at him. And to be honest you should have took him and ran with him to the Caribbean and live out your honest life."
Somehow, hope returned to Midori. "Does that mean that you'll let us go then?" She chirped. "That does sounds like a good proposal."
"To you, it does..." Mashiro droned. "However to me..." She gave Miyu a nod and the platinum haired titan was behind the handsome sheik with her katana at his throat. "Off him, Miyu."
SLIT!
"Tampa!" Midori screamed.
Akane was now shaking like she's having a seizure. "Holy father in heaven..."
"Didn't I tell you to shut up already!" Mashiro roared... then a frown appeared and she once again regarded Midori. Miyu and Fumi had similar looks about them as well. "Hey... What the hell kind of a name is Tampa for a man?" She wondered.
All she got was a dark chuckle from Midori. "What does it matter now? I was going to be known as Midori Suguira Flourish and live happily ever after. You've destroyed my dream..."
The tiny terror arched a brow. "Midori, where are you going with this? So I killed two beautiful men..."
"You want to know?" Midori glared at the gangster with a very manic expression. "Then I'll be glad to tell you!" Somehow she managed to free herself from her bound because she hopped from her chair and successfully snatched the katana from Miyu's grasp. The three killers were too stunned by the incident. Then, in true fashion that would make the late Red Foxx proud, the redhead gazed at the ceiling. "Tampa Flourish, I'm coming to join you, baby!"
Then she plunged the blade right through her heart. She fell to the floor in a bloody mess... right along with a cool-sounding thud.
Hara-kiri, bitch.
"Good god! That's suicide!" An even more horrified Akane hollered.
Well damn. "I guess that's less work then," Mashiro muttered. "Alright then, now to resume this game... Hey-- what the!" A small (and peculiar) golden bird flew into the warehouse somehow. A certain platinum haired vixen began to show a little emotion as a smile graced her lips. "What the hell? Why do I keep seeing this freaking bird from time to time? And why would this shit-dipper be flying around this time of night?"
Miyu gasped and starts to fear for the worse. "Boss..."
"Oh well... I got something for it's ass." Mashiro aimed at the bird and...
BLAW!
"ARRGGHKK!" The bird went poof into a cloud of smoke and feathers.
A smirk of pure satisfaction graced her lips and she blew the smoke off the pistol. "Take that. Ha ha... I do wonder if there is a heaven for a bird. Although I doubt it, as much freedom they have in the skies during their lifetime." She hear a sniffing sound from Miyu. Genuine concern on her face, Mashiro addressed her. "Are you alright, Miyu?"
The enigmatic killer had tears glistening in her eyes. "I... I think... I think I got a cold." She sniffed.
Mashiro nodded in understanding. "Oh yeah? You got it too? It must be the bug going around. Say, I'll give you some time off. Why won't you go home and take care of that? With the right kind of treatment you can kill the bug in three days. Oh, and don't forget to eat some oranges and drink plenty of clear fluids."
Miyu rubbed her eyes. "Thank you, Boss."
"Oh, and throw this bird in the dumpster outside will ya," Mashiro continued, genuinely upsetting Miyu. "I'm feeling generous enough to give the little turd a proper burial."
"Yes Boss." Miyu hastily pried the bird from the floor and ran out the room.
"That Miyu is so loyal to me." Mashiro stated with enormous pride in her voice. "I don't know what I do without her. Nor my friend Fumi here."
Outside, someone was bawling. "Uh-huh-huh-huh-huh-huuuuuhhh!!"
"Damn... some woman's out there is unfortunate enough to stand in Miyu's way." Mashiro shrugged. "And now for the lawfully wedded couple that tried to thwart my schemes." She approached Akane and Kazuya. "Now, how should I off you guys?" Her stomach suddenly rumbled and an all too terrifying and insidious smile grazed her face. "Hey... I got just the thing. I had Mexican food for dinner."
"Oh no!" This time it was Kazu that cried.
Mashiro snapped a command to her pink haired aide. "Fumi, get me the flamethrower."
"Right, Boss!" She saluted and ran off to get the said hazardous device.
Akane was morbidly curious as to how she was going to leave this world. "What are you going to do to us, you sick woman?"
Mashiro grunted. "Ugh-- it's coming. I'm going to give you two a lovely sample of the smells and sensations of hell. Isn't that grand?"
"You-- you blackguard!" Akane hissed. "You're the one that's going to end up in hell!"
"Is that so?" Mashiro rose a brow as Fumi returned with the flamethrower. "Well, I guess the devil needs a right hand. Heck, if someone like Attila the Hun or Adolph Hitler couldn't get that position then I guess I'm openly eligible." She removed her pinstripped pants and, funny enough, the little gangster was wearing a cute pair of AlgaeJoe Sphere-Breeches underwear. Fumi ignited the flamethrower, awaiting her boss' next command. "Ooh boy! Here comes the fart."
"NOOOOO!" Akane and Kazu both shrieked to their impending doom.
Of the two visitors that were witnessing this from outside, Haruka exclaimed, "I've seen enough!"
"What do you mean?" Princess Mashiro asked the spirit in bemusement. "I like my style in this world. Don't you see how gangster I am in there? Make em say 'ughhh!'"
"That... monster has no regards to any walks of life whatsoever!" Haruka snarled in contempt.
"Hey!" Mashiro retorted, clearly affronted. "I am not a monster!"
"Not you!" Haruka shot back, pointing inside the warehouse. "I meant the you in there! Ugh-- whatever, let's just get out of here!" She snatched the Princess with one hand and did a karate chop motion with her other that created a small rip in the universe. She tossed the Princess in the portal and she followed, being careful not to let anyone see a giant zipper closing itself up.
They were back at the citadel of Mashiro's past. "I guess that was another mistake on your part." Said the Princess with an impish smile.
Haruka sighed, she really wondered if bringing this little imbecile with a little too much power in her hands here was worth it. "Let's keep trying..."
MAI OTOME
A few hours and many alternate worlds later, Haruka was seriously contemplating on giving up on the conceited Princess. In all those alternate worlds she had seen many things. Many disturbing thing... In one of those different realities Mashiro was actually a man that tried to end escalating tension betweens neighboring nations. But... 'Manshiro' was so... girly. In another reality Mashiro was a tall, voluptuous and a very adult prostitute that was infamous among businessmen known as the 'Crystal Princess'. Haruka shuddered... she had never seen such long legs in her life and afterlife.
Perhaps the most disturbing of all of the alternate realities was the one with Mashiro being a very mad and very bad sorceress. She was openly feared by civilians and political figures alike. The little girl may looked as exactly adorable as Princess Mashiro, but this little bitch was so immensely versed in arcane and mystical lore that it didn't even make any sense. Sorceress Mashiro was so insidious that she was able to salvage a machine straight out of the depths of hell itself. The said machine was capable of destroying every star in the universe. It was a weapon originally crafted by the devil himself just to show existence that he wasn't playing. Fortunately, he scrapped the idea... for he needed life in the universe.
Unfortunately, Sorceress Mashiro had the wicked weapon in her possession and Haruka fervently prayed that the sorceress never did get to use it. Still a little shaken up by that reality, the spirit was just about to give up until...
...they finally reached the appropriate past at last.
"Hey, I remember this ," Mashiro said to Haruka, recognizing the events at length.
"Good," Haruka nodded. "Heaven knows that it's about time."
Moment In History: Malevolent Tenth
"Happy Birthday, Mashiro!"
The ten year old Princess gazed at her many gifts with a bored expression. Whatever... there were books, civilian clothing, sports equipment, a GamePost 4, and another gaming console called Wie (why) which the controller is made in the shape of a shoe and you can put it on either foot. The birthday girl looked way too blase at the end of the royal table. Queen Tamura noticed this and addressed her daughter with concern. "Mashiro, are you okay over there?"
"Not exactly," the spoiled brat droned. She saw Mai and Akane coming from the kitchen with her birthday cake. "I want something cool. I want ta-tas like Mai's" She pointed to the ginger haired chef.
Tamura gasped. "Mashiro! Don't be ridiculous!" She looked over at the girl of the subject. "Mai has... special genes in her blood." And to be honest, the Queen thought that Mai was actually quite blessed. She had those things since she was eleven.
The said girl blushed in discomfiture. "Princess... you can't just get..." she hesitantly gazed down at her bosom, "these."
"That's what's pissing me off!" Mashiro spat. "I don't want any fake ones!"
"Grandma used to tell me that you shouldn't envy anyone else because of their assets or what they got." A younger Arika chirped.
"Fuck your grandma!" Mashiro cussed.
"Watch your tongue little missy..." Tamura warned.
"Uh, would you like to play ball Your Highness?" Nao asked her in an unusual plesant voice. Even in her late teens the redhead was undeniably alluring.
"No! Go trick a pervert out of his money, tramp!" Mashiro gave Nao the middle finger.
Nao sighed, closed her eyes shut, and brought both her hands to her temples to message them. She chanted a mantra to retain her anger. "Ooh-saa... ooh-saa... ooh-saa..."
"Golly, sometimes it just doesn't pay to get out of bed." Erstin said with a nod.
"You're freaking right about that, you airhead!" The Princess tripped.
Erstin simply rose from her chair and left the room.
"Ara, ara..." Mashiro frowned at the sound of her sister's voice. "Here's another present from Yours Truly." Shizuru approached her sister and handed her a long rectangular present. "I'm sure that you will like it, sister. It's very stress relieving."
"Why, that's so sweet of you Shizuru-chan." Tamura praised. "You're always there to lighten your little sister's bad mood, aren't you?"
"Is that so?" Mashiro wondered and quickly opened her latest present with vigorous gusto. Once she saw what was in the box, a frown of disappointment etched her features. "A guitar, Shizuru? A freaking purple guitar?"
Shizuru was sipping on some heavenly green tea. "It's pretty nice, ne?" The beauty smiled.
"It certainly is, Shizuru." Tamura nodded in approval.
Why you tea downing idiot, you! "So you say that I can relieve a great amount of stress with this thing, Shizuru-chan?" Mashiro queried.
"Why yes you can, little sister." Shizuru replied in delight. "It's very high quality. It was crafted by the finest modelers in Aswad. So I elected to buy it for you."
Mashiro was patting the surface of the guitar. Wow! It damn sure is high quality. It's rock solid. Maybe I can relieve stress with this thing, the Princess pondered. "Shizuru... I'm astounded. There is no words that I can possibly say to correctly express to you my gratitude."
"Hmm-hmm, your happiness is fair enough." Shizuru said, flattered.
The Princess rose from her chair and slowly trotted towards her big sister. "However, maybe I can show you just how thankful that I am." Her eyes suddenly widened as a manic expression appeared. She raised the instrument high in the air and pulled an El Ka-bong on Shizuru.
WHAM!
Everyone in the room gasped and Shizuru slid to the floor in an comatose heap.
"Thank you, Sister." Mashiro tossed the instrument on the table. "Damn that felt good. Shizuru gave me something useful for once."
"Mashiro...!" Queen Tamura growled threateningly.
Invisible to everyone in the room, Haruka gave the present Mashiro a seething glare. "Christ in a diesel truck-- you are bad!"
Mashiro was laughing. Ah, such good memories. "What can I say? That was one of my most memorable moments in my life."
There was no need to stay here any longer. Haruka could not identify a point of origin of Mashiro's animosity towards her mother and sister. It was time to search elsewhen. "Come, Princess. It's that time again."
Moment In History: Wondrous Bombshell In The Royal Medium
or
The Last Of Fumi's Lovable Smiles
"Ah. I'm all packed and ready to journey down to Artai." Queen Tamura announce as she left her royal quarters. Servants Chie Hallard and Fumi was helping her out with a few of her personal effects. "You guys are so sweet. Are you sure that you can handle the heavy luggage."
"No problem, Majesty." Chie assured as she carried some of the baggae without much struggle. "Somehow my body was built for a task like this."
"No worries, Tamura-sama." Fumi chirruped with her cute voice.
"Thank you, my friends." She lead them through the royal halls. Despite carrying the heaviest gear, the Queen moved the quickest. "I'm going to miss all of you guys. I'm going to be in Artai for a few weeks. I just pray that they're aren't up to anything rash over there."
Outside on the castle's terrace, a limo was awaiting the Queen. Lilie Adean was sitting on the bottom step and our beloved Princess was darkly chuckling to herself. Lilie stared at the young heir as though she was losing her mind. And frankly, maybe Lilie was right. Knowing the Princess, something mischievous was about to happen. That is for damn sure.
"What has you in such a state of mirth, Princess?" The six footer asked the younger girl.
The unusual serene expression on the twelve year old ruler spoke volumes of malevolence and it certainly frightened Sayuri-- I mean, Lilie. "Oh nothing. I just think that it is such a beautiful day today. Don't you agree, Lilie-chan?"
Oh shit... the tall brunette dreaded. "Snow is on the horizon, Your Highness."
The smile on the Princess face lengthened and rather than looking cute, the Princess looked beautiful. And I don't mean just plain ol' ordinary beautiful-- I mean Shizuru Viola type beautiful. As a matter of fact, she does look like a miniature version of the said woman except for the fact that their hair and eyes are not of the same color. "I know." She simply stated.
I knew it. She's up to something! That brain of Lilie screamed. "Yes. Snow is beautiful to me as well. I never get tired of being fascinated by it."
"Yes, the world is truly full of wonder, Lilie-chan." Mashiro replied, sounding as cute as the famous voice actress, Yukana. "Yes indeed, it is..."
I should warn the Queen! The said woman appeared just in the nick of time. "Oh! You're ready, Tamura-sama."
"That I am, Lilie-chan." Tamura stated, eager to get this trip over with and to return to her kingdom. "Chie, Fumi, go on ahead and load all of my effects in the back of the limo."
"Will do." Chie descended the steps and approached the limo. Once she opened the door and saw what was inside, the usually coolheaded woman screeched in horror. "YAAAAAHHHH!" She dropped the luggage and slammed the door, leaning on it while sweating profusely.
Tamura, Lilie and Fumi stared in confusion at the frightened girl. They never would have dreamed that Chie could release such a strident and high-pitched scream. "What is it, Chie-chan?" Tamura inquired with worry towards the woman that was like a daughter to her.
"Sno-- sn... snow..." Chie stammered frightfully. In a risky move, she lightening quickly opened the door again for the others to see what was scaring the hell out of her.
"RRRAAAAWWWGGH!"
"A cougar!" Chie screamed. "There's a goddamn snow cougar in the limo!"
Damn... could this be... Lilie glances toward the innocent looking Princess whom was humming a graveyard tune to herself. "Did you saw the beast, Princess?"
"Huh?" The Princess gazed up at the tallest female with mock shock. "I didn't even know the beast was there."
"Oh, good heavens!" Tamura cried. "We have to do something about him without actually doing any harm." Chie suddenly ran towards her and jumped in her arms. Now the Queen was cradling a full grown woman. "Ah! Chie-chan!?"
"Do something, Your Majesty!" Chie exclaimed.
"I'm afraid I don't know what to do..." The Queen admitted. She gave Lilie a hopeful look.
"Don't look at me!" The mocha haired Amazon exclaimed in fear.
"Ahh, I can be of help." Fumi piped up at last.
All of them, even Mashiro, stared at the pink haired maid. "You can?"
"Yep, I'm quite adept when it comes to handling the sudden appearance of a wild animal." Fumi assured. "You guys just sit back and watch."
"Okay then... just do your thing." Chie urged, still in the Queen's arms.
"Here kitty-kitty-kitty..." Fumi sang as she neared the limo. She slowly opened the door and gestured the beast to come out. "C'mon now, kitty. You know that it's not nice to sit in here and scare the beejebus out of us." She fished out a giant slice of ham from her pocket. "Umm... look what I got for ya. That's right-- this is a big juicy piece of morsel."
"RRAAAWWRGH!"
"Aw c'mon, don't be like that, little kitty." She giggled and miraculously, the beast got out of the car. Even more astounding was the fact that the cougar was humble now. It purred around the maid's legs as though it was a gigantic housecat. "That's a good sweet kitty. Follow me, little guy." Mashiro lead the beast several yards away from the super car and tossed the piece of ham with Herculean strength. The cougar roared and it pursued the amazing red meat that was soaring over the horizon. The maid glanced back and the stunned expression of the women on the terrace and dusted her hands. "You see. Problem solved."
They all heaved a sigh of relief, sans Mashiro who grunted a curse word.
"Now... where were we?" Just as the maid was about to return to her duties, a large paw jutted out of the bushes and snatched Fumi off her feet. To the horror of the Queen, Lilie and Chie (and to Mashiro's amusement) the sounds of flesh being ripped apart and eaten resounded through the air. Now, just to let everyone know, I love Fumi. A very beautiful and honorable woman, she is. But be damned if that cougar didn't have her ass for a snack.
"Lilie, to the limo and step on it!" Tamura commanded, dropping Chie and practically leaping in the backseat of the limo.
"Yes ma'am! Wait for me!" Lilie sprinted way to the driver's seat and started the car.
Chie began to cry...
... and the skies resonated with Mashiro's reverberating cruel laughter.
There was a funeral service dedicated to Fumi days later in which cut the Queen's visit in Artai short. It was definitely a unfortunate event. It was a closed-casket service. Even though the Princess didn't get who she wanted eaten, she was strangely satisfied. May the world's greatest maid rest in peace... Will she ever forgive Mashiro?
"I remember that," Mashiro said. "That was three years ago."
Haruka could only stare at the Princess in horror. "You're such a horrible little cretin, you know that!?" She lead the Princess back to the den of the mystic bastion. "How can someone so adorable be so damn evil!? Where did all of it come from, Princess!?"
Mashiro feigned innocence. "Hmm... I don't know."
Haruka gave a threatening glare to the Princess. "Ooh! I am purely determined to find out!" Then a sudden tremor invaded the sanctuary and both of them were now on alert. "What was that?"
The Princess nodded in uncertainty and out of the blue, a melodious voice bellowed, "Get out! You have no place here!" And the palace grew dark. It was a familiar and looming darkness.
Haruka took on a stance and held the Princess behind her. "Stay close to me, Princess!" Haruka cautioned as she sensed the familiar presence. "Damn it. Whatever this thing is, it was at the castle earlier. To be pacific, it was in your mother's room."
She was supposed to say specific, but Mashiro didn't have the gall to correct the blonde right now. The lurking darkness was proverbial to her as well. She saw a shadowy figure entering the castle and her eyes widened. "I... I know you."
INSERT OMINOUS ORGAN MUSIC
"Huh?" Haruka was surprised by the Princess' recognition of the shady fiend.
"Leave now." The shadow commanded. "You are impeding on everything!"
"Now way, Jose!" Haruka defied with a mask of determination. "You're behind it all! You're the reason that this young woman is so corrupted, demon!"
The evil enigma cackled. "Hmm... hmm... hmm... Mashiro?"
The frightened Princess regarded the demon right away. "Ye--yes?"
"Sleep." Deep lavender orbs began to glow behind the cowl. "Sleep, dear Princess. This isn't but a mere dream..."
"Goodnight..." The Princess' eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell limp on the marble floor.
"Princess!" Haruka bellowed and cradled the tiny ruler in her arms. "You! Now I know that you are responsible for all of this girl's ill deeds." Haruka growled in a challenge. "If you're so bad and demonic then try doing your worst to me!"
"Rest assured, Haruka..." the demon chuckled. "I can do bad all by myself. Girl, I'm the baddest daughter of a bastard on this side of the horns, goatee, and pitchfork. Don't you even dare to fathom that you can challenge me."
"Conceited devil!" The blonde tightened her free hand into a powerful fist. "Show me what you're made of! Show me if you got the guts to face me!"
"Very well..." The monster spoke and starts to unfastened the upper part of her robe of darkness. A gesture that confused Haruka. The Amazon counted on the demon to unleash something as evil as the Psycho Crusher or something of unbelievable insidious power as the Kaiser Wave. "Ha ha ha... you wanted to see just what I can do, right?"
The reality around Haruka began to ripple and she gritted her teeth as she felt herself being blown back by the demon's esoteric power. "Urgh... what are you doing, you freak?" Haruka grunted.
"Don't interfere ever again, Haruka." The melodious voice warned. "Or I will see to it that I will drag you into the abyss."
"You don't frighten me, demon!" Haruka raged, only to discover that she was back inside WindBloom Castle. She was in Mashiro's bedchamber. Haruka gazed at the snoring girl in her arms. That monster will not get away with this! Princess, I swear to you that I will shatter that scum's influence over you. She laid the Princess on her bed and gazed at the ceiling. "Did you get any of that, Yukino?"
A screen with the image of the said girl appeared. "Yes Haruka-chan. I got all of it."
"Good news, then. I'm returning at once." Sunrise was in another hour or so. She could tell be the faint light over the horizon. Damn. Something's must be done about that freak or else this kingdom wouldn't be seeing many more of these.
Haruka gave the Princess one last look for the night and vanished.
MAI OTOME
Back at the cabin on the outskirts of town, everyone inside the place was sleeping. The only people that was still awake were Yukino, whom was monitoring Diana, and Nina whom was drinking out of a mug of hot coffe. "Oh boy. What an ordeal that was." Haruka sighed.
"Yes it was, Haruka-chan." Yukino sighed as well. "And it was terrifying too."
"Uh-huh..." Nina grunted over her mug of coffee.
The most comedic display in the cabin was Natsuki and Shizuru sleeping on the floor. The chestnut haired woman had her head propped on the gypsy's butt as if it was a very comfortable pillow. "Ara..." she snored. "So soft..."
"Is see that everyone here is sleeping well." She skew her view towards Nina. "Girl, when is the next spirit is expected to arrive?"
Nina looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hmm... I'm not sure." A sudden rap on the door seemed to answer the inquiry. "I'll get it." The raven haired imp rose to her feet and went to the door to open it. Once the door was open, Nina eyes widened. "It's here..."
Before her was a man that was nigh six feet in height. He wore strange clothes made for constant traveling and they reeked of a masculine smell and rum. His face may appear unusual but he was a little on the handsome side. He wore a red bandana and his hear was a frizzled mess of careless dreadlocks. He sported a goatee as well. In fact, the beard of it was so long this it was in a double plait. From the looks of him, Nina guessed that he was a pirate. "Hello there, matey." He spoke at last. "Which one of you lasses summoned me?"
Nina pointed to herself. "Uh, that would be me, sir."
The pirate nodded in understanding. "Right. I was getting plenty tired of wandering aimlessly in purgatory. You've really done me a tremendous favor, dear." He reached for Nina's hand and kissed it. "The name's Sparrow. Captain Jack Sparrow. It's an honor."
Nina couldn't help but blush. This guy may be rough around the edges but damn was he charming. "Umm... likewise."
"Now I ask you a favor," Jack continued, pointing towards a ship hovering above the cabin. "I'm certain that the good people of this region would not appreciate seeing the sight of my ship up there. I wonder if you can discover the nearest imitation of the sea where I can dock the Pearl around these parts. Savvy?"
A smile appeared on Nina's lips. "I can be of help, mate."
END OF CHAPTER 4
NEXT TIME:
Haruka: "A pirate eh? Not too pleased to meet you..."
Jack: "A pleasure, love. Captain Jack Sparrow at your service."
Haruka: "I'm keeping my eye on you! I see to it that you shall not be up to any kind of buck... buck... buckle-nearing... antics whil--"
Yukino: "Buccaneering, Haruka-chan."
Haruka: "Damn it!"
Jack: "Appreciate it, love. I think I'm going to relish vacating here."
Nina: "Anyway, the next episode is "Festival! There's No Time Like The Present". Whew... there's going to be a heck of a lot of guests in the next chapter. What the heck? Why is Shizuru engaging Robin Hood in mortal combat? Oh well... tune in to find out.
Natsuki: (yawns) "Guys... did I miss anything?"
NEXT EPISODE
MAI OTOME
THE HAUNTING OF PRINCESS WINDBLOOM
CHAPTER 5
FESTIVAL! THERE'S NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT
Note: I had origianlly planned on six visions of Mashiro's past in this chapter but I decided to scrap it. Too much work. This chapter already exceeds over ten thousand words. There was also a scene I put down that featured the Kingdom Hearts protagonists; Sora, Donald and Goofy. They were to battle Mashiro-- an ex-member of Organization XIII and more powerful than even Xehanort/Xemnas. She is the strongest servant of Ultimecia: the ruler of eternal darkness. Or perhaps our favorite grape head was Ultimecia herself. Hmm... maybe I'll dedicate all this extra crap in a special 'deeted scenes' chapter in the future. Oh well... back to the Wii.