I am very, very, very SORRY for not upload new chapter for long time, almost year! I have very bad writer's block and I tried find good way to continue into next chapter. That moment I start to lose my interest to continue this fanfiction... BUT I don't going let it become one of unfinished fanfictions! You knew how it feel when you find good fanfiction to read...then you find out it had not upload since 2008? I am NOT allows it! Which it's why I decide next chapter will be longest chapter and final chapter! I want to make it bit longer but I don't want get another writer's block or lose my interest to write this fanfiction.I am going end this story no matter what! Good luck to me and please enjoy the new chapter! Once again, if you see mistakes, let me know and I will try my best to fix it! -B2679
The street are full of calm people who enjoying their time...
Then two guards running down the street, waving their arms like mad and screaming.
"HEEEEEEEEELP! THAT CRAZY DEMON TREE GOING KILL US!"
"AND IT'S ARMED WITH FIREWORK CROSSBOW!" Abe short at folks."NO, WE ARE NOT EVEN KIDDING! LOOK OVER THERE!" Kamo points over their back. A giant tree with red eyes armed with firework crossbow, moving in high speed.
"COME BACK, YOU BASTARDS!" demon tree shout at them as his roots crawling toward them.
Folks watch them run by without help them. All folks look each other if as they just lost their sanity points.
"Uh… mother? Did we just see giant tree with firework crossbow chasing down the guards without weapons?" boy ask his mother. "SHADDAP! We going home right now and forget what we see today! I have enough of this nonsense!" his mother hit her zero sanity, grabbed her son and run straight to their home.
7:52 PM
"Almost done!" Issun jump up and down, swing his brush if as it is sword.
"And I am done!" Issun fall back. Nanami stop use her magic, water fall down and splash everything. Kuni put down his giant wood sword.
"YES! YES! It's more way awesome than my last art!" Issun turn around his new art to show Nanami and Kuni. "Oh!" Nanami surprises. Kuni's face become very red.
Issun's new art show big wave behind Kuni and Nanami's back. Kuni and Nanami in art is realism-like and mature; Kuni is now adult with golden sword with pink flower on bottom of sword and Nanami is adult too, she is hold Kuni and point her hand at sky if as she cast water magic. Her hair is longer, make her hair look like waterfall.
"It's… so beautiful." Nanami's eye full of water from joy. "Uh..." Kuni admits art's awesome but see Kuni and Nanami as adult in art make him feels kind of embarrass.
"What's ya think?" Issun ask them. "It's very realism and full of life, I like it!" Nanami clean away her tears. "Uh… Yes, it's look cool." Kuni scratches his head."But why you make us look older? Why not..."
"You get problem with my art style? It may not look like you, but mature-look is waaaaay better than children-look!"
"Okaaay. IF you said so." Kuni rolled his eyes. "Never mind that! Thank to you and your new girlfriend, I made better masterpiece art!" Issun careful take his "masterpiece" art down and roll up it.
"You see. I was look good place to paint my next masterpiece art after I paid visit my best friend and she asks me to paint masterpiece art for her heaven home. She promises me she will pay me once I bring my masterpiece art to her!" Issun pushes his big rolled-up masterpiece art into his small bag.
"But I get many problems, I get artist's block and I waste my time by walking around Nippon! Then I see festival right here! That's when I get idea, if I can find bright place and paint that scene; this scene would be right here!"
Issun point Kuni and Nanami with brush. "It's you, kids!"
"Thanks to you, my best friend, Ammy. She will be the happiest goddess in Nippon!" Issun rises his brush at the heaven.
…
"Man, no pride light for me, Ammy?" Issun say to sky."Oh well, You are free to go, I gotta go back to Ammy. I hope you treat your girlfriend as well!"
"Issun, stop call her girlfriend! She's not my girlfriend… yet!" Kuni said.
"You are just shy. Nanami, it's nice to meet you, I wish we can chit-chat about you but I need go see Ammy. See ya later!" Issun give Kuni thumb up before leaping away.
"Your small friend is kind of… weird." Nanami turn to Kuni. "Don't mind him. Once you get used with him, he become less weird." Kuni laughs. "Now let's go to that Maze and Castle!"
Nanami nods, Kuni put her back wheelchair and move to Maze and Castle.
(And stalkers made their move!)
Abe and Kamo are sat on chair, breathing rapidly so loud that everyone look at them. They are hiding in one of random restaurants. Abe and Kamo look left and right, "Are you sure that demon tree don't going find us in this restaurant?" Abe ask."Maybe...or maybe not. I really hope we lost that demon tree." Kamo is shaking in fear."If you not rip off that X shape branch from that demon tree; we would never get chased by that stupid demon tree!"
"Look, I knew I am doing something stupid. I don't knew that tree is..."
"It's obvious the DEMON TREE! It's have red eyes, evil-look fruit, and big mouth!" Abe shout back."How could you miss it so much, I mean you rip off branch in front of demon tree's face!"
"EXCUSE ME, SIR. DID YOU ORDER THE TASTILY FRUIT?" Abe and Kamo's ear rises, they already knew who it's.
"It's found us, eh?" Abe ask sarcastic. "Yeah..." Kamo rolled his eyes.
Everyone stare at them in silent…
"LOOK OVER THERE, HOT AND BLOSSOM TREE!" Abe breaks the silent. "WHERE?" Demon tree turn where Abe point at. "WAIT A MINUTE! WHY THE HECK WOULD I FALL FOR THE OLDEST TRICK IN BOOK?"
Demon tree turn to guards, they are gone again. "BASTARDS!"
Kuni and Nanami finally reach Maze and Castle. "We are here!" Nanami said.
Once again, "Maze and Castle" is Himiko's Palace; Kagu's training grounds.
There are few changes; there are two red gates, one for enter another for exit. The building is more castle-like with sinister-feel paint: black and red. There a Buddhist monk next to enter gate; he wears straw basket, hide his head playing shakuhachi flute. "Huh? What's Buddhist monk doing there?" Kuni stares at him. "Maybe he's working time-part?" Nanami studying the monk.
Monk stop play his flute and look at Kuni and Nanami."Oh, customers! I'm sorry, for ignore you. Today's bit slow, there are not very many folks come here." He bows. "I am Komuso and are you ready to enter the Maze and Castle?"
"Of course!" Nanami nod. "Great! Before I let you in, you will need wear those." He hands them two blindfolds. "Once you are ready, I will call workers, they will guide both of you to the castle where you will have to solve puzzles and escape maze to get your prizes. You also will have limit time, you have only 30 minutes to solve puzzles and find way to escape."
Kuni and Nanami put on their blindfolds, Komuso waves his hand. "Do you see my hand?" he asks. "No." Kuni and Nanami shake their head at same time. "Just check. Hey, guys they are clear! Let them in." Kuni and Nanami don't see anything but sound of feet steps. "Good luck and just don't cheat! The castle will know if you do!" His voice go away as Kuni and Nanami move to anywhere.
Kuni and Nanami's workers take many turns to left and right path, so they don't know where path to exit. "Once we reach there, we will leave you behind. The game will start we tell you to take off your blindfold." One of workers said. However, worker's voice sound familiar to Nanami. "Excuse me but your voice..." she asks one of workers, but they already leave, "Now you may take off your blindfold!" worker said and slam the door loudly. Kuni and Nanami untie their blindfold, they are in the blue room with two trapdoors on floor. The door they come in is anywhere to be seen.
On other side of door, the "workers" are nothing more than Mai and Hoshi. "I told you! Don't use your normal voice!" Mai warmed Hoshi. "Sorry! I am bad at impersonation voice." Hoshi embarrassed.
Back to Kuni and Nanami, they was studying both trapdoors. One trapdoor have kanji on it read as "small", other one also have kanji read as "big". "Small and Big?" Nanami reads. Kuni look right and left, nothing but blue walls. He looks up, he sees words! "Nanami look up!" He points words on above floor.
If you are old and not very strong, however the gods give you a reward for your good life. The gods show you two boxes, one is small and other is big. Which box is better choice for your age?
Beware make wrong choice, the castle shall not allow you go on.- The Lord of the Castle.
"It's kind of joke?" Nanami's look annoyed. "Joke?" Kuni look up again and he sees nothing joke about it. "It's very obvious! Since you are old and not very strong, therefore you should choice small box as reward since you will hold it. You will hurt yourself if you try hold very big and heavy box. This puzzle remind me of old story I used to hear when I was very young." Nanami tell Kuni. "Old story? OH, I remember it! My mom tell me about it too! Why I don't think of it?" Kuni scratches his head.
Nanami open the trapdoor with "small" kanji, reveal the big slider enough for two.
"Ride down, without your wheelchair." the voice sudden heard from anywhere.
"Without my wheelchair? But I am..."
"Don't worry, workers will take care of it until you lose or win." the voice interrupt Nanami. "You must ride together… or else!" voice laughing as it go away.
Kuni and Nanami look beyond the slider, nothing but darkness. "Look like it's only way down." Nanami sits in front with Kuni in back, hold her, both feel somewhat awake. "Kuni, are you okay?" Nanami ask. "Y-yes! I don't scared of darkness! Let's win and get out of this castle with our rewards!" Kuni laughing nervously. Kuni and Nanami move back, "Court down to zero and we slide down." Nanami stare the darkness. "Three...two...one… go!" Both slide down the slider, screaming!
They can't see anywhere but wind and feel slide down, up, right, and left. "Nanami! Are you fine?" Kuni screams but Nanami don't answer back.
She is NOT front of him anymore!
"KUNI! KUNI! Help! Someone grab me- " Kuni hear Nanami's voice, as she moving away from him! "NANAMI! Where are yoooooou!" Kuni don't finish his sentence, next thing he knows, he is falling!
BLAM!
Kuni though he is dead from falling… he not. In the fact, he doesn't "really" falling. He looks his back, there big downhill slider. It's no wonder he feels like he is falling! "Whew! I think I really going dead as kid and I will never find out my past!" He laughing. "Now, where is Nanami?" He asks himself.
"Purple! We get a trouble!" Yaka shout though her seashell. "Green! What's happen?" Suzu become very uneasy about it.
"We saw a shadow flaw down to the slider and pick up Nanami!" Kaede screams. "It must be Girl-Kidnapper! You need go outside and watch any suspicious person get out of this castle! If you see one, go after that person!" Suzu give them order. "Yes, ma'am!" Yaka and Kaede said at same time. "But how that Girl-kidnapper get in the castle? There only two way: enter gate and back gate. Both gates are well-guard!" Yaka look map of castle. "Wait! Don't there open windows? It's mean someone can climb or fly..." Kaede points window locations on map. "Don't be silly. There no way normal people can climb or fly up without get catch by guards!" Both silent for while… then they become very uneasy…
"What IF we deal with someone that NOT normal? Like supernatural?" Kaede tell her what she thinks.
"It's not time to daydream! Let's go outside before Girl-kidnapper escape!" Yaka said before leave together.
Back to two guards…
Abe and Kamo are very tired. They can't keep run anymore. They are hide behind the house near many cherry blossom trees. "When will that stupid demon tree stop?" Kamo peeks his right.
"SHH! Long as we talk, demon tree will hear us! He will find us and kill us! He will clop up us to logs, cook us, put us in oven, then eat us for late snack which he will call it Abe and Kamo the Baked Guys!" Abe panics. Kamo covers his mouth. "Don't be scared! He can smell our fear!" Kamo look around.
"Guards? What are you doing behind my house?" old man with small cherry blossom tree on his head in pink clothes ask them. Both guards jump and scream in fear. "Don't kill and eat us! We are too handsome to die!" both hold up their hands.
"Uh… no. I not going kill or eat you. I am Mr. Flower and I only want to know why you hide behind my house?" Mr. Flower laughing nervous. "That demon tree thing keeping find us and try kill us for rip off X-shaped branch from him!" Kamo shaking Mr. Flower. "Also, we suppose to go back our job and looking that man littering and attempting murder innocent fly!" Abe reminds him.
"Demon tree? What it's look like?" Mr. Flower ask curiously. "It has two RED eyes, very tall and giant, it has one weird-look fruit on one of branch, always talk in BOLD, armed with firework rockets on crossbow, and it's 100% piss off!" Kamo explains.
"Mmm! That demon tree sounds somewhat familiar to me. I see trees like this one, however this one have red eyes and armed." Mr. Flower tried remember why it'd familiar to him. "You mean you see trees like that demon tree?" Abe ask him. "There kind of tree used be here around in Nippon called Cursed Tree, whatever people or animals near it, they throw their cursed fruit and when it hits someone, it explosive up. They are gone long ago when white wolf cure them with power of Bloom!" He turns around and strike his pose. "Which that's why I take good care of cherry blossom trees in our city!"
"Power of Bloom? It will stop that demon tree from kill us?" Abe fast grabbed Mr. Flower. "Can you help us? Please for sake our mind, we can't run or hide anymore! That demon is driving us crazy!"
"Of course! Before I can do it, I need see that demon tree."
"DO YOU CALL ME?" Abe and Kamo's ears rises. "D-D-Demon Tree is here..." Kamo points Demon Tree behind Mr. Flower's back. Mr. Flower turn to his back and see Demon Tree. He looks not scared. Demon Tree realizes it.
"HEY! OLD MAN! WHY YOU DON'T SCARED OF ME?" Demon Tree point his firework rocket at him. "So you are Demon Tree! I can fix you if you let those poor guards go." Mr. Flower said.
"WHY I SHOULD? THEY STEAL MY BRANCH AND RUINED MY BEAUTIFUL BODY!" Demon tree shout. "Yes, but they mean no hurt or ruin your body. Like I said I will make you most beautiful tree in the Nippon if you let go them."
Demon Tree move Mr. Flower beside. "I HAVE NO INTEREST IN REDEEMMYSELF. TWO GUARDS MUST BE DEAD." Mr. Flower was shocked to hear Demon Tree not want to change! "This must be very EVIL tree ever I see!" Demon Tree rise his crossbow points Abe and Kamo. "BEFORE I KILL BOTH OF YOU. YOU MAY HAVE FINAL REQUEST BEFORE YOU DEAD."Abe and Kamo was surprise by those words. "Do you mean we can have one request before we get killed?" Abe ask Demon Tree to make sure he gets it right. "YES. WHAT IS KIND OF ME IF I KILL BOTH OF YOU WITHOUT SOME HONORS? NOW YOU BETTER START TO THINK SOMETHING OR I WILL END BOTH OF YOU RIGHT NOW!"
Abe and Kamo turn each other and turn to Demon Tree. "Uh… give us few minutes to talk my partner… and we need talk Mr. Flower too." Kamo rise his hand as "Hold up for me". "Kamo? What..." Kamo grabbed him and drags him to Mr. Flower. They huddle up if as they ready for big showdown against final boss! "Listen up guys. It's may our final chance to survive!" Kamo whispers so low that Demon Tree can't hear them. "ARE YOU CRAZY?" Mr. Flower shouts. "Shh!" Abe silenced him and back to whispering. "TIME'S UP! DO YOU MADE YOUR CHOICE OR I WILL..."
"We had decided what we want to do this moment!" Kamo get up. "We going have…"
"THE OLDEST DANCE OF DEATH FOR US!" Abe screams.
"DANCE OF DEATH?" Demon Tree has no idea what "Dance of Death" is. "WHAT IS DANCE OF DEATH?" Demon Tree rises his eyebrow. "Uh! Well… it's very old dance of death! Before we die, we want to dance the OLDEST DANCE OF DEATH for...uh..." Kamo tried to find right word. "WE GOING DO IT! Because gods and goddess would give us the greatest gift of everything in the universe of everything of the highest top of the heaven! Only if we dance for… hour!" Ale add his words to the sharpest Kamo's words. "THE GREATEST GIFT OF EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE OF EVERYTHING OF THE HIGHEST TOP OF THE HEAVEN? ITS STUPIDEST THING I..."
"HOW DARE YOU! Are you doubt our gods and goddess?" Mr. Flower step in. "I had been help people who about to die with that dance for years! They get it once they enter the heaven and they become the happiest angels in the heaven! You better show your respect to our gods and goddess!"
"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! JUST DO IT THEN I WILL KILL THEM! WE DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!" Demon tree rolled his red eyes. "Thank you! Mr. Flower, please will you kind set up for us?"
Abe bows. "Will do! It's will take me about 10 minutes to set for both of you it's okay?" Abe and Kamo bows at same time… and winks at him. Mr. Flower return the wink.
Outside of Maze and Castle
Kagu is tipping her feet, she still in her disguise as short tomboy fisher with big straw hat. She checks her small red clock pocket she gets as birthday from year last.
Too bad, they only let two people enter that game. All I do is wait… oh my goddess how I hate waiting for someone! She thought. She still fishes at same place, watch the exit gate of Maze and Castle. She has no idea what is happened in the Maze and Castle. However, she knew they will solve many puzzles and puzzles are not THAT hard if you read carefully and don't miss one club. Everything will become easiest when they enter the maze since she is one of who help design the maze before it was build. Of course escape is possible if they solve puzzles on time and they can escape on time.
She feels somewhat funny… and it's not love or jealous, maybe she was worried about her love-bird friends? "Huh, they will be fine." Kagu shake off her feels. "Excuse me? Do you knew how long it takes couples to get out this game?" A young blonde lady in beautiful cheery blossom kimono hold basket full of peaches ask her. Kagu had never seen this woman before. "I am sorry but who are you?" Kagu suspected.
"I am nothing but as simple peach seller who sell the love fruit." blonde smiles and pick up one of peaches. "Would you like buy one? You are stand here, fishing for long time. You look bit hungry." Loud noise from Kagu's stomach. "Oh! I forget to eat something before I come here! How much?" Blonde lady tell her the price and Kagu was happy to buy it. Kagu take bit pink peach, it's very tastefully, juicy, and sweet. She had never tastes peach so great! "This peach are sooooo juicy and tastes beautiful! Do you pick up it from wild trees or you growing it yourself?" Kagu want to know how she get tastily peaches. "I grow those fruits. I always want to share my peaches. Who anyone would not share it when it's so great and tastefully that peaches can turn peach-hater to peach-lover?" she gives her answer. "Thank you for a peach, to answer your question about this game. If they work together, they would get out in about 15 or 20 minutes." Kagu takes another bit the peach. "I see. What kind of puzzles are in Maze and Castle?" peach seller ask.
"Pretty easy puzzles if you look and think hard enough. However, most of them running out of time because of maze or some logic puzzle that request to rid the logic from the puzzle which don't make any sense!"
"He He! Thank you, I am wait for my good friends. They are still in Maze and Castle, I promise to my friends to give one of my special peach." peach seller pick up a special peach. "This is not your regular peach. Love peach only grow in early spring and tree must be young. Love peach is pinkest than normal peach and skin is very smooth to touch. They only mean for lovers, if they truthful love each other and bite the love peach at same time… love peach will giant them unbroken love and living the happily ever after." peach seller end her sentence with dreamily sound.
"Really?" Kagu don't sure about her story. She not into too-good-to-be-true stories. "If you don't believe my story. Wait until you see the effect of love peach front of you… which I am about to do." She tried hide her suspect giggle but Kagu heard it clearly. Kagu step back few time away from her. "Oh, How impolite I am! I apologize it's my old habit I have yet to break off. Do you mind I sit next to you?" Kagu, unsure how to said but she nods. Peach Seller sit next to Kagu in disguise, watch the exit gate.
That weird feel again! I think that woman is not normal all at! Kagu thought. So her name is Kagu, Kuni and Nanami's friend I hear from Kuni. I need be careful around her, I believe she can sense my spell. Sakuya the Wood Sprite in disguise thought to herself.
Both have nothing to said each other for the rest of night.
Anywhere in The Maze and Castle…
"Nanami! Nanami! Where are you?" Kuni had been calling Nanami but he doesn't make any progress.
"Oh boy… I am in very big trouble. If I don't find her, her bodyguards will break my bones and I will never walk or learn to swim EVER!" Kuni worrying. "I can't give up! She is my girlfriend… well, soon-to-be my girlfriend!" Kuni return to his search for Nanami.
Someone is hide in the darkness is watching him from very far away.
"Heh...Heh… so he is Nanami's new boyfriend, huh? Don't make me laugh! No girls will resist my beauty and handsome face! How fool of her to fall love with him instead me like she used to! I shall make her fall love with me again!" the man teleport away.
Jail Cell, Unknown Location
Nanami find herself in Jail Cell. She doesn't remember how or why she is in this jail cell. Only thing she remembers is someone grabbed her and flaw up before her eyes was cover with something sand, fall sleep. Nanami take good look her jail cell, nothing but bars and a paper on floor next to her. "What's that?" Nanami pick up a paper and read it.
Dear Nanami,
I shall come back in few minutes. I have to see other cute girls to make they are comfy and restful, no one like to see girls get sad or angry, right?
- Your idol.
"My idol?It's nonsense! Queen Otohime is only my idol and she would never do this to me or her people… and I not ever one of crazy fangirls who chase their idols!" Nanami annoyed and tear down the paper.
"Heh..Heh.." Nanami heard kind-of familiar laughing from out of her jail cell. "Whatever you are, you better release me, NOW!" Nanami look through the bars to find where the laugh come from.
The man in the air fly to light-sport. The man's clothes is very shine like stars in night sky, blue and white however clothes look if as it's too small for him yet still fitted. His white hair is long as his body, almost touch the floor. His face is cover by his fan, he moves his fan away from his face.
His face is revealed.
"Nanami, tell me, how long has it been had, my little mermaid?" he smiles with soft and light voice.
"You… You… YOU!" Nanami gasped. She remembers now, if there's person she hates most… it's would be nothing more than:
"GENJI!"
OH MY GOODNESS! Genji!? How and WHAT he is doing in City?
Will Kuni save Nanami before Genji pull old tricks?
Will Abe, Kamo, and Mr. Flower able stop demon tree's rage?
Will dancers find Nanami?
What will Kagu and Sakuya doing in this moment?
AND where the heck is Susano the drag queen go?
Find out in the final chapter of Nanami's Date!