Sadz: Do you know what I think…?
Mochu: What…?
Sadz: Nothing… absolutely nothing… and yet this story is still progressing somehow…
Hotaru: Retard…
Mikan: Hotaru~! Don't be mean to Sadz~!
Natsume: Is it just me, or does this feel like a complete waste of a chapter…?
Kitsu: I think so too!
Sadz: Shut up! It's very important!
Anna: How so?
Sadz: Bonds of friendship shall grow…
Everyone: Uh… O_O
Sadz: Disclaimer!
Anna: Sadz doesn't own anything except the story and ideas! Please be kind and patient with her~!
Sadz: Hey! What is that supposed to mean? Are you calling me stupid? Huh? You trying to pick a fight with me, Pinky?
Nonoko: You said it, not her…
Sadz: So the twins are ganging up on me, huh? I can take you to on!
Mochu and Kitsu: You were saying…?
Sadz: Damn it…
"Talking"
'Thinking'
"Other person on phone line"
(A/N: … or just a random comment)
A Servant's Duty
Chapter 9: Truth?
Mikan stared at the concealed dress, not really knowing what to do with it. She was frozen in place, and then she realized that she was going to the masquerade ball with a prince even though she was a peasant and servant.
"This is like… like that Cinderella story daddy used to read to me as a bedtime story!" Mikan announced with sparkles in her eyes, looking up to the heavens like they just bestowed a gift of enlightenment to her. All of a sudden, Mikan's head clicked with an idea. There was only one thing she can do at a time like this. "Hotaru~!" Mikan screamed out, dashing toward the stoic woman's house.
"Hotaru~!" Mikan shouted as she ran up the stairs until she reached the third floor. Hotaru didn't even look up to see Mikan as she was too fixated on drilling a nail into her latest invention. "Hotaru, Hotaru, Hotaru, Hotaru, Hotaru, Hotaru, Hotaru, Hotaru, Hotaru-!"
"What?" Hotaru asked harshly to the annoyingly happy yet worried Mikan.
"Hotaru-!"
"Stop saying my name as if you're in love with it and like it's the only word you know in your dictionary!"
"Natsume asked me to go to the masquerade ball with him and I don't know what to do!" Mikan blurted out as Hotaru stared emotionlessly at her. All of a sudden, Hotaru put her driller down, grabbed Mikan's hand and dragged her to the second floor into her room. "Hotaru…?"
Hotaru picked up a landline that was on her side table and called three different people to come over to her house.
"Hotaru…?" Mikan asked as Hotaru finally looked at her.
"We're going to ask Anna, Nonoko and Sumire for some help about this issue…" Hotaru explained as Mikan looked confusedly at her.
"Demo… I didn't tell them about Sakura Miki…"
"Then you're going to tell them the truth…"
"Truth?" Mikan asked, thinking what Sumire would do to her if she found out. Mikan started shaking in fear and shook her head in denial at Hotaru.
"Shut up, you're doing it whether you like it or not…" Hotaru stated in a final tone as Mikan nodded slowly at her friend. Ten minutes later, everyone was sitting in Hotaru's room.
"So…? What did you call us here for Hotaru…?" Sumire asked as she lay on the bed like a model would pose as in the middle of a photo shoot.
"Mikan will explain everything…" Hotaru stated stoically, as everyone directed their attention to the nervous looking Mikan.
"Um… where do I start…?" Mikan stated with a nervous laugh and then started off from the time when she met Sakura Kenta long ago ten years ago when she thought he was a fisherman, until the time now when Prince Hyuuga Natsume asked her to be her partner for the masquerade ball. It took almost more than half an hour to explain the whole story to her friends. As she finished, everyone (except Hotaru) were looking at her with wide disbelief eyes. "And that's that…"
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! Hold it!" Sumire shouted out as everyone looked questionably at her. "You're dating a fire manipulating god-handsome prince, YOU, while I'm stuck with an idiotic mind-reader…?"
"Demo, you love Koko…" Mikan pointed out.
"But you get to spend more time with him then I do! I always did wonder how you two became such fast close friends, but you two were doing this behind my back!"
"Sumire~!" Mikan whined.
"I always wondered who that mysterious guy was… but to be a prince…?" Anna stated as Mikan nodded at her.
"So you called us here to tell us this out of the blue…?" Nonoko asked confusedly as Hotaru cleared her throat, indicating that it was her turn to talk.
"I called you all here so that you can help Mikan about her problem about going to the masquerade ball with her prince charming. Apparently, she has to work as Sakura Miki and be the prince's partner as Yukihara Mikan at the same time …" Hotaru informed as everyone shrugged.
"Sure, why not? I'm going anyways…" Sumire stated.
"We'd love to help anyway we can Mikan-Chan!" Nonoko and Anna stated at the same time.
"Wow… twins are kind of freaky…" Mikan stated light-heartedly, smiling widely at her friends and gave them all a big warm hug.
"So where is the dress he gave you…?" Sumire asked as Mikan brought the concealed dress out to them.
"You haven't opened it yet…?" Nonoko asked as Mikan shook her head.
"Well then, let's see it!" Anna chirped in excitedly. Hotaru opened the zipper and took the dress out, revealing it to the other girls who were awestruck and dumbstruck, depending on who you're pointing the word to.
"Holy…" Nonoko started.
"Flipping…" Sumire continued.
"Cow…" Anna finished.
"He said there was a mask in it also…" Mikan pointed out a bit dazedly as Sumire pulled out the mask. It matched with the dress being a red mask that concealed the part around her eyes with silver glitter on it making curling patters on it with small white feathers sticking out on the sides. "O-k… I'm a beautician, so I call doing Mikan's hair!"
"Fine! Then I'll do her make-up!" Anna piped in.
"I'm doing her jewelry!" Nonoko stated excitedly as tears started to form in Mikan's eyes.
"I love you guys to death~!" Mikan shouted out as Sumire sighed at her childishness.
"Shut up…" Sumire stated, pushing the crying Mikan away so the girl wouldn't give her a hug.
"How about asking Kokoro-Kun for some help as well…?" Nonoko asked as Mikan smiled at her.
"I'll ask him when I go back!"
"Why are you sulking for…?" Natsume asked as he saw Ruka sitting across the small round table from him, looking a bit under the weather recently. They were in the garden, having tea with Aoi as Natsume finished explaining everything to her.
"How come all these thing happen to you, the arrogant tough badass guy Natsume who always swore that he would never fall for any girl because all they do is attack you to get you for your good-looks, money and nobility…?" Ruka asked as Aoi giggled.
"I'm sure there is someone out there for you, Ruka-Kun!" Aoi stated as he just sighed.
"I guess it's just not my time yet…" Ruka breathed out as he took a sip of his tea.
"You lovesick romantic…" Natsume teased as Ruka turned red in embarrassment.
"Anyways, Nii-Chan, this Mikan girl sounds extraordinary!" Aoi squealed and clapped her hands for her brother as he sighed.
"Yeah, extraordinary… I really know how to pick them…" Natsume stated to mostly himself as Ruka and Aoi quirked a brow at him.
"What do you mean, Natsume? I thought you love her…" Ruka asked.
"She beautiful, hard-working, and stubborn and a lot of other things, but she has her bad points also…"
"Everyone has bad points, Nii-Chan…" Aoi started. "Like how your arrogant, mean, sly, teasing and-!"
"That's enough!" Natsume interrupted as Ruka and Aoi both laughed at him. "What I mean is that she's also stupid, clumsy, and loud, she's really weird-!"
"How weird…?" Ruka asked with a raised brow as both Aoi and Natsume eyes widened at him, since he looked dead serious.
"Does that really matter? Is there a level of how weird one person can be?" Aoi asked as Ruka nodded.
"Yome Kokoro weird, but with her own twists and for the fact that she's a girl…" Natsume answered as Ruka pondered on this and then shrugged.
"You really know how to pick them, Natsume…" Ruka stated as he patted his friend's back and Natsume sighed.
"I guess I do…"
"So how are we going to get Mikan ready at the ball?" Sumire asked as everyone looked weirdly and wide eyed at her.
"We're still on this topic…?" Nonoko asked in disbelief as Sumire quirked a brow at her.
"Well apparently I wasn't paying any attention to what you people were talking about then! What are you people talking about anyways?"
"Penguins~!" Mikan exclaimed as Sumire sighed.
"Seriously…? Isn't what I'm asking a bit more important than penguins?" Sumire blew up as Anna and Nonoko hugged each other for protection and Mikan hid behind the emotionless and unaffected Hotaru.
"When we go there, we'll enjoy the party for a while as Mikan is Miki and serving the guests. When Miki has a break, Yome will signal for us to get into motion. We'll meet Miki in the girl's bathroom and transform her into a Mikan the prince would drool for…" Hotaru explained.
"Piece of cake…" Sumire stated as she lay on Hotaru's bed and yawned.
"Is it really that simple…?" Anna asked as Mikan shrugged with a smile.
"Let's just hope so!" Mikan commented.
"Trust me, with this idiot, even the simplest things can be made into a challenge…" Hotaru exclaimed as the other three girls laughed and Mikan was left sitting there trying to process what Hotaru said.
"… Hey! You just insulted me, didn't you? Hotaru-Chan is a meanie~!" Mikan yelled out, making the three girls laugh even harder at her. "Meanness! I got to go now, since I have work!" Mikan stated with a pout as they all waved.
"Bye-bye idiot~!" they all stated in unison as Mikan slammed the door close.
"Meanness~!" Mikan screamed at the door before storming away.
"So… word has it, Natsume asked Mikan-Chan to be his partner for the masquerade ball tomorrow night… Do you know anything about that…?" Koko asked slyly as Mikan in Miki disguise pouted at him.
"How do you know that?" Mikan asked him with a frustrated tone as he just smiled at her and pointed to her head. "… Oh right, you read minds…"
"Was there something else you wanted to tell me…?" he asked her as she puffed her cheeks at him.
"If you already know, then don't ask me!" Mikan shouted in his face as his smirk didn't lighten up even a smidge.
"Ask me and then I'll tell you if I accept or not…"
"Fine!" Mikan stated, and then pulled his ear close to her mouth so she could whisper in it. "I need your help at the masquerade ball so I could be with Natsume and at the same time serve people as Miki!"
"Sure, why didn't you just ask…?" Koko stated and then walked away with a smirk playing across his face as Mikan blushed angrily at him.
"Koko is a bully~!" Mikan shouted out while sticking her tongue out at his chuckling retreating back.
"What did that guy do now…?" Kitsu asked, appearing out of nowhere, startling Mikan.
"Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!" Mikan was flustered, her eyes swirling around in circles as she was at a loss for words. Kitsu quirked a brow at her, but he didn't seem like he was going to give up for an answer to his question anytime soon. "Ah! Ah! Ah! Nothing~!" Mikan stated before dashing away, leaving a confused Kitsu behind.
"Why do we have to clean up the ball room of all things?" Mikan groaned out in the wide ball room as everyone glared at her.
"That is because, you simpleton, the masquerade ball is tomorrow!" Mochu shouted and smacked Mikan backside the head.
"Ouch~!" Mikan whined as Mochu just snorted at her.
"Hurry up already, right after we clean this place spotless, then some other people are going to decorate this place…" Kitsu exclaimed as Mikan pouted.
"Why can't I decorate too?" she asked as Koko patted her back like he pitied her.
"That's because Miki, everything will be destroyed if you try to decorate and the rest of us will have to start cleaning all over again…" Koko explained as Mikan became teary eyed.
"Koko is a bully~!" Mikan shouted out as the other servants in the room roared with laughter at them. All of a sudden, Mikan got an idea and smiled evilly. Koko looked back at her, and then started smiling evilly alongside her.
"You guys… are kind of… freaking me out right now…" Mochu stated as Mikan and Koko ran to the floor scrubbers, tied them around their feet and then started skating and gliding along the ball room floor.
"We~!" Mikan squealed out as everyone laughter their asses off at them.
"This makes working so much more fun and easier!" Koko yelled out as all the other servants shrugged and then joined in. A few minutes later, the servants were having a skating ball for themselves. They all found themselves grabbing the hand of a dance partner and skating along the dance floor, fast waltzing to some music they put on in the background. Mikan and Koko were skate-dance-waltzing right in the middle of the dance floor.
"This is what it'll be like dancing with Natsume tomorrow," Koko whispered as Mikan smiled broadly at him.
"Nah, it'll be totally different!" Mikan stated. Koko, reading her mind, understood what she meant and smiled at her. "Mochu, some help here!" Mikan called out as he was dancing with Kitsu. He winked, smiled and then lifted both Mikan and Koko into the air, dancing along to the music like everyone else. All of a sudden, glitter and rose petals exploded and swirled all around the two of them.
"Miki… I have something to confess to you…" Koko stated in a manly deep voice as Mikan caught along to what he was playing at.
"Yes, Koko… what is it? I'll listen to whatever it is you have to say…" Mikan said in a girlie love struck voice as everyone stopped to watch the drama unfold in front of them.
"Miki, I love you with all my heart… yes, that means I'm gay, but I can't deny these feelings anymore…"
"Oh Koko~! I've been waiting for so long for you to tell me that! I love you too~!"
"Marry me… Miki…"
"I don't think the kingdom arranges for gay marriages…"
"Then we'll run away together! I don't care what we do! Just as long as we're together!"
"Koko, stop! You're making me blush…" Mikan cooed. They were silent for a moment before Mikan and Koko burst out laughing, followed by everyone else joining in.
"What is going on here?" Jinno roared, slamming the large double doors leading to the ballroom from atop the grand stairs open. Everyone froze as he surveyed the mess in front of him (mess meaning the glitter, rose petals and soap bubbles everywhere in the room since everyone is more into the idea of dancing right now and not cleaning).
"Uh…" Mochu started.
"Run away!" Mikan and Koko shouted out as Mochu set them both down and everyone ran away in a panic frenzy to get away from the enraged Jinno. Some people jumped out the window, some people ran into the doors leading to one side of the kitchen, some left from some small doors as no one dared run up the stairs to go out from the large double doors where Jinno was standing at.
"Get back here you all!" Jinno yelled out as the ballroom was vacant by this time.
"Ok… I know we were all running away from Jin-Jin… but how did you all end up in my room…?" Mikan asked as Koko, Kitsu and Mochu were all in her room panting for breath.
"We just… went with the flow…" Kitsu panted out as Mikan shrugged.
"So… you got COD…?" Mochu asked as Mikan smirked and they all ran to her TV to play. (For those who don't know, COD is Call of Duty. It's a video game…)
"Natsume… are you ok…?" Ruka asked. He was standing in front of Natsume who was just sitting outside in a secluded part of the garden, who had a fire in front of him, as the raven haired lad was just sitting there cooking a marshmallow over the burning heat.
"I'm hungry…" he stated simply as Ruka raised a brow at him.
"Elaborate a bit, please…" Ruka stated as Natsume sighed.
"My mother is accusing me of not being able to live without the luxury we have, so I'm supposed to prove her wrong. So she said that I had to forage for my own food for my own dinner like some kind of barbaric caveman!" Natsume ranted as Ruka nodded his head slowly at his enraged friend.
"So you bought a pack of marshmallows and are now cooking them over a fire you made…?" Ruka asked, confirmed his assumption as Natsume nodded. Ruka sighed, thinking how he ever ended up in this kind of situation.
"I read in books that they do this when people go out camping in the woods and stuff, and that it supposedly tastes good…" Natsume informed as Ruka sighed. He shuffled through his pocket, took out a candy bar and threw it in front of Natsume. "Don't die…"
"I won't…" Natsume stated, opening up the candy wrapper and nibbling on the chocolate.
"Don't resort to eating insects and other disgusting creators…"
"I won't…"
"Don't start killing and hunting for animals, or else I'm going to hunt you…"
"I won't…"
"Are you coming in anytime soon…?"
"I won't…"
"I'm sleeping in your comfy bed if you're not inside within the next two hours…" Ruka stated and walked away with a satisfied smile playing across his face.
"What a great best friend you are!" Natsume yelled out at the chuckling blonde as Natsume just sighed and went back to his dinner.
Sadz: Yes, this was a complete waste of a chapter. I needed to put in the part in which Mikan told the other girls her secret, but it would have been too short so I put randomness in it as well…
Hotaru: How much more dumber can you get?
Koko: Just because you're a genius doesn't mean the rest of us are idiots…
Hotaru: Says the idiot himself…
Sumire: Hey! Imai! No one is allowed to insult my idiot except me!
Koko: Love you to babe… -_-'
Tsubasa: So the next chapter is going to finally be the masquerade ball, right? Mikan is finally going to have her Cinderella moment?
Sadz: Yes…
Misaki: Any insight to get the readers interested and anticipate for it…?
Sadz: Craziness, randomness, pairings get together, nervous Natsume, flustered Ruka, clumsy Mikan, suspicious Hotaru and~ other things that I haven't thought of yet! ^_^
Everyone:You haven't thought of it fully yet? O_O
Sadz: Don't worry, it'll all work out!
Kitsu: That doesn't sound too convincing…
Sadz: R&R and stay tuned for the next chapter! Love you guys, take care! Bye-bye for now~!
To Be Continued!
