CP: Finally back in Grand Chokmah! This is like my favorite city in the entire game!
Peony: Oh really? Why is that?
CP: Because it's not a depressing place like Baticul and it's a wonderful place to be.
Syora: I like it too! Only because Jade lives there though.
Melody: CP owns only the unfamiliar.
"Lady Syora! Lady Melody! Where are you?!" Called one of the maids.
She ran through the house looking through every door she could find. Sometimes she wished the Curtiss manor was much, much smaller than it was. It was not only difficult to get around but it made the best place for people to hide. Now she was probably going to get fired for being unable to locate Syora and Melody for the Emperor's dinner party.
"What's wrong, Mary?" asked Vivi, another maid.
"Oh, I can't seem to find the mistresses. Have you seen them?" Mary asked tiredly.
"Ah, they're in the garden. Don't worry though. Diana and I have already dressed them for tonight."
"Thank goodness! Then I'll just get back to work."
Mary return to the 'gossip room' that Jade had provided them. He found that most of his maids quit faster if they didn't have a place to talk about their problems. The longest maid he has ever had was Mary and she had been employed with him for two years now. The other three were varying between six months and a year and a half.
Mary sat down and got something to drink. The other two maids were also in the room. Mary had brown hair, Vivi had coal black, Diana had pink hair while Ri had blonde hair. They were the maids of Curtiss manor. Thankfully, they were paid more than most maids because they had to deal with Jade. He wasn't exactly the easiest person to work for. Most maids left of broken hearts.
"You look awful! What happened?" Diana asked.
"I was running around looking for Syora and Melody. You know how they like to disappear."
"I remember the first time they disappeared on us. I thought for sure that the Colonel would skin us alive!" Ri agreed.
"Yes. They've only been here for a month, but they've caused such a headache." (Mary)
"But they're both very sweet. They always apologize and take the fall for our mistakes." (Diana)
"I remember when they first got here. I thought for sure that the Colonel had brought home a toy for sadistic pleasure." (Mary)
Flash back…
Jade walked into his manner with Syora and Melody walking behind him. Peony had returned to the castle to tell his advisors about what had happened. The four maids of his manor were waiting at the door. They all gasped at Syora and Melody. The two of them were covered in dirt and blood after all. Jade didn't really notice anymore. He turned to Mary.
"Get them cleaned up. They've had a long trip." then he turned to Vivi and Diana "Please prepare a room for them."
The maids bowed as he left. They also noticed the sad face that Syora made when he left and misunderstood completely. The maids all felt sorry for the two young girls. All of them assuming that the Colonel had brought them here for horrible reasons. Syora soon got over it though and smiled kindly at the maids. They smiled back. Melody was long gone from Syora's side. She was looking at the magnificent inside fountain in the middle of the room.It had three layers. The bottom layer was a large flower with small animal squirting out water. The second layer was three men holding up the third layer which was a woman spraying water from the palm of her hand. The fountain was very tall and large. There were even fish in the water.
Present…
"They seemed so innocent." (Diana)
The maids were thoughtful for a bit when the door slammed open and Vivi came rushing in. "You won't believe what just happened!" Vivi shouted as the door shut behind her.
What just happened…
Vivi walked to the garden, as it was almost time for the emperor to show up. She had to retrieve Syora and Melody so that they could greet him. Jade wasn't even home. He would be escorting the emperor to the manor himself.
Vivi looked around but couldn't find the two. The next thing she knew, she was tripping over the two gowns she had provided for the two girls. She picked them up, alarmed. She looked around and was beginning to panic again when she heard a familiar shout. But we hen did he arrive? Vivi ran toward the shout and found a ghastly sight. Syora was hugging Jade while Melody was hopping around non other than Emperor Peony. Te fact that the two men had come to the manor without notice was surprising enough but what really surprised Vivi was that both Syora and Melody were in their undergarment without shame. In fact, they didn't even seem to know that it was uncivilized to be so open.
Vivi ran over to them and bowed while apologizing. Jade's face was impassive (as usual) while Peony's was slightly red. "I'm so sorry!" Vivi shouted.
"Syora, why aren't you wearing your dress?" Jade asked in a monotone. Peony knew he was trying his best to control his emotions.
"Because it's stuffy and hard to move in!" Syora pouted with an extremely cute face. It made it very hard to look at her with a straight face. Who would have thought Jade had a fetish for cute things. Heck, even Jade didn't know.
"-sigh- Then please, just put on some clothes." Jade strained to keep an even voice.
"Oookaay." Syora said in a somewhat sad and disappointed tone before running off. Melody was running after her in a flash.
Gossip room…
"Oh my goodness. They really did that?!" (Diana)
"Yes and I thought I was gonna get fired! Thank goodness that he simply dismissed me to continue on with my work."
Dining room…
Syora and melody had redressed in their own styles. They were both in the clothes that Peony had designed for them though. Melody was in a white long sleeved pirate shirt and a brown leather corset. She also had on a short skirt that had two belts that hung in an 'X' shape from skulls on either side. Her boots were brown and all the way up to her thighs. It somehow seemed her style but she also wore pretty things. Skirts were all Melody styles.
Syora on the other hand was wearing a small white tube top that left her shoulders and stomach bare. It only covered her chest area. She had on long black baggy pants and steel toed boots. Fingerless black gloves went all the way past her elbows. A leather collar was around her neck. It wasn't completely closed off and the tips were metal. Once again, it suited her but she too also occasionally wore dresses. Both of them had their hair down.
"Well then, how was your day?" Peony asked them as they sat down to dinner.
"A lot of fun! We had so much time running around the place! This is the first time I've ever felt so free!" Melody launched into talking.
Syora smiled. Melody always got like this when Peony was around. She also seemed to be the only person that could keep Peony from wandering off topic. The chefs brought in the first course and Jade sat quietly listening to Melody and Peony chat. He never really talked all that much anyway. Syora normally stayed silent as well, since the only person she really wanted to talk to was normally as mute as a rock.
The night wore on and they eventually moved to the living room. Melody and Jade were talking animatedly. They seemed to be the perfect match since they got along so well and could talk about anything. Jade on the other hand only talked to Syora in private. She was kind of jealous at Melody for having someone she liked that was just as open as she was.
"Melody, could I speak to you in privet?" Peony asked after a while.
"Of course!" Melody chimed and dragged him out to the lamp lit garden, leaving Syora alone with Jade.
They were silent for several minutes. Neither wanting to start or knowing how to. Jade eventually took the initiative. "Peony and I are arranging for the two of you to be tutored." it wasn't the best thing to start with but it was a start.
"O-oh. I guess that would be fun…" Syora wasn't much of the studying type but if it would help her spend more time with Jade later on then he was all for it.
The room was silent again. An awkward air was floating in the room. Syora, lacking knowledge of Jade was unable to start an interesting conversation.
"Well then, I'll be off to bed." Jade started.
"But what of Peony?" Syora asked. It wasn't like Jade to leave Guests unattended, especially Peony.
"Melody will take care of him." Jade walked up stairs. Syora followed him with her gaze when an idea popped into her head. She smiled to herself before disappearing from the room as well.
One month later…
Jade woke early in the morning to meet the same fate as every morning for the past month. Syora was clinging to him in her sleep. He wasn't sure how she even got in the room. He had five locks on the door but she always managed to get into the room with out so much as brushing the locks. He was starting to wonder if she could transform into a mouse too. The windows were also locked so she didn't come through there.
Jade threw the covers off since it was too hot to have them on anymore. Syora added body heat which made it uncomfortably hot under the covers. Though he had to admit that he somewhat enjoyed the unexpected company. He had spent so many years alone that he didn't feel lonely any more but he was sure that if Syora didn't come to sleep with him he might feel it again.
"How is it you always get in this room?" He asked under his breath, not expecting an answer since she looked to be asleep.
"I can phase through walls. Mel can too." Sy answered sleepily. Jade was pretty glad at the moment that Syora didn't know how to lie.
That explains how she got out of her cell to take revenge. Now all I need to know is what else she can do. Jade unwrapped her arms and got out of bed. He was already late. Work was waiting for him.
"Shopping…?" Syora asked.
He turned to look at her to be attacked by the saddest and cutest face he had ever laid eyes on. Then he remembered that he promised to take her shopping today. After rubbing his temples for a few seconds he nodded. She immediately perked up and hugged him.
"Alright! Just go and get ready." Jade said while trying to dislodge her.
Syora kissed him on the cheek and ran out of his room. After breakfast, they went out to the city. Syora barely ever had the chance to go shopping anymore. Melody had moved into the castle at Peony's request so she had no shopping partner. Now a days, she only saw Melody during their afternoon classes together at the palace. They learned a lot faster than normal people so they only need to stay half the day. They've already learned three years work in one month. At this rate, there was a chance that they would reach Jade's level in a year or two.
"Jade! Look! What are these?" Syora asked while pointing to the grocery store.
"They're ingredients for cooking." Jade answered.
"Cooking? Do you know how to cook?"
"Only enough to survive.'
"Can you teach me?"
"Syora, I think it better if we hired a cook to teach you."
"Please?" Syora gave him her puppy eyes of doom.
"-sigh- Fine." he just didn't know how to say no. it sometimes felt like she was a master conspirator who always knew how to get what she wanted.
CP: I'm so sorry if that was boring. It'll get interesting again later. I kind of go brain dead when there's nothing to do and stuff.
Jade: Perhaps you could fall into a coma and never wake up.
CP: That's just mean!!
Syora: Jade! Don't be mean!
Jade: …
CP: Anyways, can anyone give me some ideas?? I'm like dead out. And thank you Culinaromancer and TechNomaNcer28 for reviewing once again!!
