Seto in Chaos Land
Series: The Chaos Land Chronicles Part One
Author: Chaos Valkyrie
First Conceptualized: November 2003
Posted Chapter 12: April 9, 2004
Updated: August 1, 2006
Plot Twist: Ooooo…
Mai: What's he doing down here?
Ryou: Oh my, it looks like he's been through a rough patch.
Tomokato: Looks like he was beaten with a Hammer, then shoved down the tiniest hole that person could find.
Ryou: Oh well. The Authoress still doesn't own anything.
Chapter Twelve: Mai and the Seven Dwarves
(This chapter follows the adventures of Mai, Ryou and Tomokato, who are lost underground.)
Our next group of adventurers is still lost in the quite impressive underground cave complex beneath not-so-Happy Fun Land. They have been wandering aimlessly from cavern to cavern, trying to find a way out…
Ryou enters the latest cavern first, holding a glowing Millennium Ring up like a torch. "Well, this sure doesn't look like the way out."
"Lift the Ring up higher," Tomokato commands.
Ryou complies, and the light reveals thousands of stone pillars rising to a barely discernable ceiling. Mai whistles.
"Impressive. Who built this, I wonder?" she asks aloud. Tomokato pauses a moment, then answers.
"Dwarves, probably."
Ryou looks at him curiously. "Why would you say that?"
"Because of that." Tomokato points to a doorway at the far end of the chamber, where faint singing can be heard.
"Is it Orcs?" Mai squeals, latching on to Ryou in fear.
"Gah!" Ryou chokes out in surprise. Tomokato shakes his head.
"No, they're singing. Definitely dwarves."
The three make their way down the tunnel-of-many-steps, emerging into a heavily mined area. The three travelers can now hear the lyrics of the previously incoherent song…
"Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to work we go…"
"It's getting louder…" Ryou looks around worriedly.
"And also more annoying," Mai states flatly.
The group wanders down to the floor of the mine, where Seven Midgets are studiously working. The miners turn towards our heroes in surprise as they approach.
"Hi-ho!" they greet cheerfully. Mai veinpops.
"WHAT! Grr…" she growls.
"Well, that was extremely rude," Ryou agrees.
Tomokato ignores them both. "Pardon us, honorable Dwarves, but can you direct us back to the surface world?"
The Midge– er, Dwarves don't hear him, as they are staring at Mai tearfully. "Snow White!" they call out happily as they all as one group run to glomp Mai.
"GET OFF ME YOU LITTLE FREAKS!" Mai screeches, backing away hastily. The Dwarves look stricken.
"Hmph. Doesn't sound like Snow White," Grumpy grouses.
"Doesn't look much like her either," Doc agrees.
Bashful blushes. "But she's still beautiful like our Snow White!"
Dopey "Meeps!" cheerfully.
Tomokato rolls his eyes. "ANYWAY, can you give us directions back to the surface?" he asks more forcefully. The Dwarves once again ignore him.
"I know! Let's see how the animals like her!" Happy whistles shrilly. The Happy Little Forest Creatures appear out of nowhere. (Hey, I just write it – don't ask me how they got down into the mine, I don't know either!) The HLFCs squeal and converge on Mai.
Mai promptly pushes them away. "I'm sorry, I just don't do the friend-of-the-cute-forest-animals thing," she tells them.
The Happy Little Forest Creatures squeak sadly and start to wander off – until they notice Ryou. "Squeal!"
"What!" Ryou yelps as the HLFCs converge on him.
"There's our girl! Snow White!" Doc chuckles.
Ryou tries to break free from the fuzzy glomping. "I'm not a girl!" he screeches before the Ring flashes.
"Actually, you are, ahou," his Yami tells him. "Now, who wants meat for dinner!" Bakura grins, pulling out a flame thrower.
The Happy Little Forest Creatures turn frantic. "Squeeee!" They run for it, disappearing back into the mine shafts from where they came.
"Hmph. Or maybe she isn't," Grumpy grouses again.
"Surface world? Hello!" Tomokato growls, waving at the Dwarves. He finally catches their attention, and they share confused looks.
"Surface world, what's that?" Doc asks, scratching his head.
"Meep!" Dopey replies dazedly.
"We've never been there. What do you mine there? Zzzzz…" Sleepy drifts off.
Another dwarf, who had worked through the whole 'Snow White' episode, wipes his hands on his breeches and walks over. "Don't bother with these clowns. They've been down here so long they can't tell the difference between rocks and diamonds." He points to one of the carts, which sure enough, is just filled with rocks. "M'name's Peppy, maybe I can help you."
The Millennium Ring flashes again.
"I don't remember there being any Dwarves named Peppy," Ryou asks, tilting his head.
"There aren't. The Authoress could only remember six of their names, so I got stuck with Peppy. Anyway, there's no exit around here – believe me, I'd've taken it by now. Might try that Bridge over that's way, though." Peppy points over the lava pits towards an ominous Bridge in distance.
"Thank you, honorable dwarf person," Tomokato states, bowing to Peppy. "Let's go." He motions to Ryou and Mai to follow him.
Ryou: Well, that was rather random.
Mai: And pointless.
Tomokato: We need to find the Authoress again – maybe the plot will improve.
All Three: (pause, then shake heads) Nah.