It starts getting slower here. The next couple of chapters is basically
just for those people who feel like laughing every once in a while.
Although it might not be totally necessary, I think you should read this
chapter.
~* ShadowTide *~
____________________________________________________________________________
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Chapter II: The Fun Starts!
Once they heard the music abruptly stop, everyone rushed into Bunny's large bedroom. Marie-Louise and George got there first. They stopped at the doorway and stared at the bright red mark on Bunny's hand.
"Oh, my," Marie-Louise said, stunned.
George pulled Marie-Louise closer to him and whispered, "It can't be. Bunny barely even knows what a Gundam is. She can't be part of the Shuffle Alliance, let alone pilot a Gundam!" For the first time in his life, George de Sand completely lost his absolute politeness and almost unbending calm. "Bunny doesn't even know what the Shuffle Alliance is!"
Raymond hurried through the gathering crowd of servants. He was about to say something, when he saw Bunny's glowing hand. "But-how? Bunny-part of the." Raymond let the sentence go. He motioned for another servant to bring him some smelling salts, who did so promptly. Raymond handed the smelling salts to a still-stunned George, and started ordering people back to work.
After the crowd had dwindled away, Marie-Louise ran forward to her daughter, and placed the smelling salts against her nose. Bunny coughed weakly. "Oh," she moaned. "Mother, mother, my hand hurts," Bunny said softly. She clenched her hand in a fist. George looked at it. The mark had faded.
Marie-Louise hugged Bunny close to her and rocked back and forth. "Bunny, are you all right?" her father asked her.
Bunny opened her violet eyes to look up at his concerned face. "I'm fine father," she assured him. Bunny placed her hand on her forehead. "But what happened?" she asked curiously.
"You fainted, Miss Bunny," Raymond informed her.
"Oh," Bunny said and tried to sit up. She succeeded, and rose to her feet, holding on to her bedpost to steady herself. Marie-Louise remained on the floor, staring at the spot where her daughter had lain. "Mother, are you all right?" Bunny touched her mother's shoulder.
Marie-Louise nodded and touched her daughter's hand. The Queen rose and shook her head back and forth, as if to rid herself of an unwanted thought. It can't be true. My Bunny can't be part of the Shuffle Alliance! Marie- Louise thought helplessly.
* * *
"Bunny," George said at dinner that night, "we have something to tell you," he said and gripped Marie-Louise's hand confidentially.
Bunny nodded. It seemed like her parents had something really important to say.
"Well, Bunny." George rushed in, "Bunny, you're going to be fighting in the next Gundam Match, representing Neo-France. You're also part of the Shuffle Alliance." He breathed in. At least he had told her.
Bunny blinked. She blinked again. "I hate to be ignorant, but what's a Gundam? And what is the Shuffle Alliance?" Her parents had never told her about their adventure during the 13th Gundam match.
George gulped. This was going to be harder than he thought. "Well, a Gundam is a gigantic robot that is used in battle. And the Shuffle Alliance is a group of the best Gundam fighters-well, more like the chosen Gundam fighters. When you fainted, Bunny, there was a glowing mark on your hand. It was of the Jack of Diamonds. Any card symbol that arises on a person's hand means that that person-in this case you-is part of an elite group called the Shuffle Alliance."
Bunny was stunned. She was supposed to battle? She was supposed to fight? "What am I fighting for?" Bunny asked, trying to hide her surprise.
"Well, your father always said that he was only fighting for his country and his honor, which is true," Marie-Louise said and looked up at her husband accusingly.
The prospect of fighting brightened. "I'll be fighting for Neo-France?" Bunny asked excitedly. I'd be representing my country! I'd be representing all of Neo-France! I'll be the one to bring France honor-or disgrace.
George and Marie-Louise nodded in unison. Could their daughter actually enjoy the idea of fighting?
"It sounds wonderful!" Bunny said after a long pause. "I'd love to fight for my country! To represent Neo-France!" She clapped her hands together excitedly.
The Queen looked at her husband, the King. Bunny had not taken it as they had expected her too. "We'll call up an old friend of ours and see if he would be willing to train you," George informed his excited daughter.
"Wonderful!" Bunny exclaimed. She was about to rise from her seat, but remembered her manners. "May I be excused?" she asked.
Marie-Louise nodded. "Wouldn't it be nice if just once she forgot to be so polite?" the Queen asked wistfully.
"She's a perfect young lady," George said happily. "Tomorrow we'll call Domon."
* * *
"Hello, may I speak with Domon Kasshu please?" George asked over the phone the next day.
"Who's speaking?" a female voice replied.
"George de Sands," the King of Neo-France replied coolly.
"George? Is that really you? I haven't talked to you since.since your daughter's name day!" George recognized the voice as Rain's. "Remember how Chibodee named your daughter 'Bunny'?"
"How could I forget? She is my daughter after all," George said good- naturedly. "And how are you doing?"
"Oh, Domon and I are doing fine. And I'm expecting a baby soon. I'm so excited!" Rain replied happily.
George smiled, even though Rain couldn't see him "Congratulations!" he said, ever the gentleman. "Is Domon home? I need to talk to him about Bunny," George repeated his original request.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I haven't talked to anyone from those days in such a long time.One sec. DOMON!!!!!!" she screamed to him. "PICK UP THE PHONE UPSTAIRS! YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHO'S ON THE OTHER END!!!!!!!!!"
George laughed out loud. No one in the palace would ever yell to another. Life in Neo-Japan was certainly different from life in Neo-France.
"Hello?" George heard Domon say through the phone.
"Hello, Domon," George replied.
Domon recognized the voice immediately. "George! How have you been? I haven't seen you since Chibodee named your daughter 'Bunny'! Remember that?"
George sighed. Soon, he thought, Neo-France's flag will be of a bunny. "Of course I remember, Domon. She's my daughter!"
"Oh, yah."
"Domon, I have to talk to you about Bunny," George said seriously.
"What about her? Is something wrong? Is she all right-" Domon asked, concern in his voice.
"Bunny is part of the Shuffle Alliance," George replied quickly and calmly.
George heard a bang as Domon's phone dropped onto the floor. Quickly, he picked it up again. "She's part of the what?" Domon asked once he had recovered from the shock of the news.
"Bunny is part of the Shuffle Alliance. She's the Jack of Diamonds."
"YOU PASSED THE JACK OF DIAMONDS ON TO YOUR DAUGHTER?!?!?" Domon screamed in disbelief into the phone.
George held the phone away from his ear as Domon started cursing in five different languages. The King of Neo-France waited patiently until Domone was done. "May I go on now?" he asked calmly.
Domon gave a frustrated sigh in response.
"I swear on my Gundam Rose that I did not pass it on to her. It just showed up one day when she fainted. I promise, Domon, I was planning on giving my crest to a young man named Bersek Hamiltin of Neo-Germany." George said truthfully.
"Then how did your daughter get the crest?" Domon asked.
"I don't know but.Well, I need to ask you a favor," George cut to the chase.
"What?"
"Will you-could you train Bunny?" George asked.
"What?!?" Domon asked in disbelief.
"Would you do me the honor of training Bunny for the Gundam Tournament? Obviously, if she has the crest, she has to fight."
"But-but then you don't get to fight."
"Domon, you have an amazing talent of stating the obvious," George said good-naturally and laughed.
"He he. Very funny. What does Bunny know about Gundams?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? You expect me to waste my time training your daughter from scratch?" Domon asked.
* * * As George and Domon were discussing Bunny's future as a Gundam fighter, Bunny was in the royal library, doing all the research she could about Gundams. There were thousands of books about Gundams in the library-George and Marie-Louise had never thought that their daughter would ever find out what a Gundam was in the first place, and hadn't bothered to remove all the Gundam books from the library.
She stood up on a stool and reached for a thick book that looked like it would have a record of all past Gundam fights. She jumped up, grabbed it, and toppled backwards. She fell on her back and did a somersault from the impact of the fall. Her skirts went flying up and over her head. For a slit second, her underclothes were completely visible. Thank god there's no one else here, Bunny said thankfully as the pushed her skirts back down, combed her hair with her fingers, and walked over to a deserted table as if nothing had happened.
She opened the book, flipping through the pages. Father said he started fighting in the fourteenth Gundam tournament. I guess I just was never that curious about Gundams. From the little I know they seem violent. I wonder- Bunny's thoughts came to an abrupt end as she saw her father's name written in the chapter about the thirteenth Gundam fight. She started reading, eager to learn about the strange robots her father piloted for a living.
"George de Sand, Gundam fighter of Neo-France was involved in the catastrophic events of the thirteenth Gundam fight. He first met Domon Kasshu as he was about to face another Gundam fighter in battle. Kasshu interupted the battle and asked to fight de Sand. Like a gentleman should, de Sand plainly rejected the idea, since Kasshu had been rude enough to interrupt an ongoing battle." Bunny read on. But, but her father had only started battling in the fourteenth Gundam fight. Not the thirteenth. Then why was his name in there? There was only one George de Sand, right? Bunny finished reading until the end of the chapter, and then closed the book quietly.
She decided it would be better to leave to book on the table, for further reference. She went back to the bookshelf and picked out another book called Gundam Fighting for Beginners. It looked like a good place to start. Bunny jumped up again-she was only five foot five, and the bookshelf was at least fifteen feet tall-and grabbed the book. She went back to her table and started reading again. She would ask her father about the thirteenth Gundam tournament later.
* * *
"Domon, she needs to be trained!" Marie-Louise had now entered the conversation about Bunny.
"I'm sorry but I can't," Domon said thinking this would get him out of training a rookie. "I only take five students at once, and they have already been chosen."
Rain picked up the phone. "Domon Kasshu, if you don't tell the truth right now, I'm going to run upstairs and choke you!" Rain threatened.
"But I'm telling the truth, Rain," Domon lied.
"No you aren't! There is no fifthe recruit. You're waiting for one so you can start trianing the others. Well, here's your chance! George is practically giving you a fifth recruit," she accused him.
"Rain, honey-" Domon was interupted.
"Don't you 'Rain, honey' me, Domon! If you don't let Bunny train here, I'll leave this instant!"
"Where will you go?" Domon asked, somewhat amused.
"Neo-France. At least there, they'll like the fact that I don't lie to get out of things." Marie-Louise and George pressed the speaker button, and went to get some lemonade while Domon and Rain fought amongst themselves.
They sat on a couch, listening to the couple fight over Bunny. Finally, Rain won.
"George? George, are you still there?"
"Yes, and I think we are going to have a very expensive telephone bill this month," he replied.
Domon laughed. "Bunny can come train in Neo-Japan with me. Rain is in charge of ordering Gundams, so you won't have to worry about that. Send her over as soon as possible. The other four will be arriving soon, too."
"We'll all come over on the private jet immediately," George replied and hung up the phone.
I hope your enjoying my story. I made Domon a bit more light-hearted. After being so solemn for the first twenty-one years of his life, I thought he needed a little break. ~* ShadowTide *~
Chapter II: The Fun Starts!
Once they heard the music abruptly stop, everyone rushed into Bunny's large bedroom. Marie-Louise and George got there first. They stopped at the doorway and stared at the bright red mark on Bunny's hand.
"Oh, my," Marie-Louise said, stunned.
George pulled Marie-Louise closer to him and whispered, "It can't be. Bunny barely even knows what a Gundam is. She can't be part of the Shuffle Alliance, let alone pilot a Gundam!" For the first time in his life, George de Sand completely lost his absolute politeness and almost unbending calm. "Bunny doesn't even know what the Shuffle Alliance is!"
Raymond hurried through the gathering crowd of servants. He was about to say something, when he saw Bunny's glowing hand. "But-how? Bunny-part of the." Raymond let the sentence go. He motioned for another servant to bring him some smelling salts, who did so promptly. Raymond handed the smelling salts to a still-stunned George, and started ordering people back to work.
After the crowd had dwindled away, Marie-Louise ran forward to her daughter, and placed the smelling salts against her nose. Bunny coughed weakly. "Oh," she moaned. "Mother, mother, my hand hurts," Bunny said softly. She clenched her hand in a fist. George looked at it. The mark had faded.
Marie-Louise hugged Bunny close to her and rocked back and forth. "Bunny, are you all right?" her father asked her.
Bunny opened her violet eyes to look up at his concerned face. "I'm fine father," she assured him. Bunny placed her hand on her forehead. "But what happened?" she asked curiously.
"You fainted, Miss Bunny," Raymond informed her.
"Oh," Bunny said and tried to sit up. She succeeded, and rose to her feet, holding on to her bedpost to steady herself. Marie-Louise remained on the floor, staring at the spot where her daughter had lain. "Mother, are you all right?" Bunny touched her mother's shoulder.
Marie-Louise nodded and touched her daughter's hand. The Queen rose and shook her head back and forth, as if to rid herself of an unwanted thought. It can't be true. My Bunny can't be part of the Shuffle Alliance! Marie- Louise thought helplessly.
* * *
"Bunny," George said at dinner that night, "we have something to tell you," he said and gripped Marie-Louise's hand confidentially.
Bunny nodded. It seemed like her parents had something really important to say.
"Well, Bunny." George rushed in, "Bunny, you're going to be fighting in the next Gundam Match, representing Neo-France. You're also part of the Shuffle Alliance." He breathed in. At least he had told her.
Bunny blinked. She blinked again. "I hate to be ignorant, but what's a Gundam? And what is the Shuffle Alliance?" Her parents had never told her about their adventure during the 13th Gundam match.
George gulped. This was going to be harder than he thought. "Well, a Gundam is a gigantic robot that is used in battle. And the Shuffle Alliance is a group of the best Gundam fighters-well, more like the chosen Gundam fighters. When you fainted, Bunny, there was a glowing mark on your hand. It was of the Jack of Diamonds. Any card symbol that arises on a person's hand means that that person-in this case you-is part of an elite group called the Shuffle Alliance."
Bunny was stunned. She was supposed to battle? She was supposed to fight? "What am I fighting for?" Bunny asked, trying to hide her surprise.
"Well, your father always said that he was only fighting for his country and his honor, which is true," Marie-Louise said and looked up at her husband accusingly.
The prospect of fighting brightened. "I'll be fighting for Neo-France?" Bunny asked excitedly. I'd be representing my country! I'd be representing all of Neo-France! I'll be the one to bring France honor-or disgrace.
George and Marie-Louise nodded in unison. Could their daughter actually enjoy the idea of fighting?
"It sounds wonderful!" Bunny said after a long pause. "I'd love to fight for my country! To represent Neo-France!" She clapped her hands together excitedly.
The Queen looked at her husband, the King. Bunny had not taken it as they had expected her too. "We'll call up an old friend of ours and see if he would be willing to train you," George informed his excited daughter.
"Wonderful!" Bunny exclaimed. She was about to rise from her seat, but remembered her manners. "May I be excused?" she asked.
Marie-Louise nodded. "Wouldn't it be nice if just once she forgot to be so polite?" the Queen asked wistfully.
"She's a perfect young lady," George said happily. "Tomorrow we'll call Domon."
* * *
"Hello, may I speak with Domon Kasshu please?" George asked over the phone the next day.
"Who's speaking?" a female voice replied.
"George de Sands," the King of Neo-France replied coolly.
"George? Is that really you? I haven't talked to you since.since your daughter's name day!" George recognized the voice as Rain's. "Remember how Chibodee named your daughter 'Bunny'?"
"How could I forget? She is my daughter after all," George said good- naturedly. "And how are you doing?"
"Oh, Domon and I are doing fine. And I'm expecting a baby soon. I'm so excited!" Rain replied happily.
George smiled, even though Rain couldn't see him "Congratulations!" he said, ever the gentleman. "Is Domon home? I need to talk to him about Bunny," George repeated his original request.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I haven't talked to anyone from those days in such a long time.One sec. DOMON!!!!!!" she screamed to him. "PICK UP THE PHONE UPSTAIRS! YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHO'S ON THE OTHER END!!!!!!!!!"
George laughed out loud. No one in the palace would ever yell to another. Life in Neo-Japan was certainly different from life in Neo-France.
"Hello?" George heard Domon say through the phone.
"Hello, Domon," George replied.
Domon recognized the voice immediately. "George! How have you been? I haven't seen you since Chibodee named your daughter 'Bunny'! Remember that?"
George sighed. Soon, he thought, Neo-France's flag will be of a bunny. "Of course I remember, Domon. She's my daughter!"
"Oh, yah."
"Domon, I have to talk to you about Bunny," George said seriously.
"What about her? Is something wrong? Is she all right-" Domon asked, concern in his voice.
"Bunny is part of the Shuffle Alliance," George replied quickly and calmly.
George heard a bang as Domon's phone dropped onto the floor. Quickly, he picked it up again. "She's part of the what?" Domon asked once he had recovered from the shock of the news.
"Bunny is part of the Shuffle Alliance. She's the Jack of Diamonds."
"YOU PASSED THE JACK OF DIAMONDS ON TO YOUR DAUGHTER?!?!?" Domon screamed in disbelief into the phone.
George held the phone away from his ear as Domon started cursing in five different languages. The King of Neo-France waited patiently until Domone was done. "May I go on now?" he asked calmly.
Domon gave a frustrated sigh in response.
"I swear on my Gundam Rose that I did not pass it on to her. It just showed up one day when she fainted. I promise, Domon, I was planning on giving my crest to a young man named Bersek Hamiltin of Neo-Germany." George said truthfully.
"Then how did your daughter get the crest?" Domon asked.
"I don't know but.Well, I need to ask you a favor," George cut to the chase.
"What?"
"Will you-could you train Bunny?" George asked.
"What?!?" Domon asked in disbelief.
"Would you do me the honor of training Bunny for the Gundam Tournament? Obviously, if she has the crest, she has to fight."
"But-but then you don't get to fight."
"Domon, you have an amazing talent of stating the obvious," George said good-naturally and laughed.
"He he. Very funny. What does Bunny know about Gundams?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? You expect me to waste my time training your daughter from scratch?" Domon asked.
* * * As George and Domon were discussing Bunny's future as a Gundam fighter, Bunny was in the royal library, doing all the research she could about Gundams. There were thousands of books about Gundams in the library-George and Marie-Louise had never thought that their daughter would ever find out what a Gundam was in the first place, and hadn't bothered to remove all the Gundam books from the library.
She stood up on a stool and reached for a thick book that looked like it would have a record of all past Gundam fights. She jumped up, grabbed it, and toppled backwards. She fell on her back and did a somersault from the impact of the fall. Her skirts went flying up and over her head. For a slit second, her underclothes were completely visible. Thank god there's no one else here, Bunny said thankfully as the pushed her skirts back down, combed her hair with her fingers, and walked over to a deserted table as if nothing had happened.
She opened the book, flipping through the pages. Father said he started fighting in the fourteenth Gundam tournament. I guess I just was never that curious about Gundams. From the little I know they seem violent. I wonder- Bunny's thoughts came to an abrupt end as she saw her father's name written in the chapter about the thirteenth Gundam fight. She started reading, eager to learn about the strange robots her father piloted for a living.
"George de Sand, Gundam fighter of Neo-France was involved in the catastrophic events of the thirteenth Gundam fight. He first met Domon Kasshu as he was about to face another Gundam fighter in battle. Kasshu interupted the battle and asked to fight de Sand. Like a gentleman should, de Sand plainly rejected the idea, since Kasshu had been rude enough to interrupt an ongoing battle." Bunny read on. But, but her father had only started battling in the fourteenth Gundam fight. Not the thirteenth. Then why was his name in there? There was only one George de Sand, right? Bunny finished reading until the end of the chapter, and then closed the book quietly.
She decided it would be better to leave to book on the table, for further reference. She went back to the bookshelf and picked out another book called Gundam Fighting for Beginners. It looked like a good place to start. Bunny jumped up again-she was only five foot five, and the bookshelf was at least fifteen feet tall-and grabbed the book. She went back to her table and started reading again. She would ask her father about the thirteenth Gundam tournament later.
* * *
"Domon, she needs to be trained!" Marie-Louise had now entered the conversation about Bunny.
"I'm sorry but I can't," Domon said thinking this would get him out of training a rookie. "I only take five students at once, and they have already been chosen."
Rain picked up the phone. "Domon Kasshu, if you don't tell the truth right now, I'm going to run upstairs and choke you!" Rain threatened.
"But I'm telling the truth, Rain," Domon lied.
"No you aren't! There is no fifthe recruit. You're waiting for one so you can start trianing the others. Well, here's your chance! George is practically giving you a fifth recruit," she accused him.
"Rain, honey-" Domon was interupted.
"Don't you 'Rain, honey' me, Domon! If you don't let Bunny train here, I'll leave this instant!"
"Where will you go?" Domon asked, somewhat amused.
"Neo-France. At least there, they'll like the fact that I don't lie to get out of things." Marie-Louise and George pressed the speaker button, and went to get some lemonade while Domon and Rain fought amongst themselves.
They sat on a couch, listening to the couple fight over Bunny. Finally, Rain won.
"George? George, are you still there?"
"Yes, and I think we are going to have a very expensive telephone bill this month," he replied.
Domon laughed. "Bunny can come train in Neo-Japan with me. Rain is in charge of ordering Gundams, so you won't have to worry about that. Send her over as soon as possible. The other four will be arriving soon, too."
"We'll all come over on the private jet immediately," George replied and hung up the phone.
I hope your enjoying my story. I made Domon a bit more light-hearted. After being so solemn for the first twenty-one years of his life, I thought he needed a little break. ~* ShadowTide *~