Threads of Fate: CARONA HIGH Chapter 40: Bloopers, a threads of fate fanfic

BLOOPERS!

Prologue: at the beginning of our story

His hair was platinum gray under his orange-and-olive-green cap, the shoulder-length locks tied back in a simple ponytail. He had on a knapsack for his school things and carried a heavy violin case with his left hand. He was also running as fast as his rubber shoe-clad feet could carry him.

"No no no no no, I'm laaaaate!! It's the first day of classes too—what'll my professors think!"

Across the street he practically flew—running a stop light, knocking over a (thankfully empty) garbage bin, and almost tripping over a poor innocent little kitty.

Suddenly he face-flopped as he tripped over a banana peel. "OW!! MINT! You did that on purpose!!"

"What, me?" Mint blinked her eyes at him innocently from the far end of the street. She grinned. "You can't prove it!"

"I don't have to!" He opened his violin case. But it wasn't the Arc Edge that was inside. "Hehe… Elena warned me that you were going to try something… Prepare to be pulverized! EAT PUMPKIN!!"

Ker-splawt! "AAAH! Get away, get away!" Mint shouted as she ran, the gooey green-and-orange pumpkin pie-mush dripping down her clothes. Rue had a couple more pies in hand, and he and Mint started chasing each other around the streets.

It took the entire Carona police department to calm them both down (since Mint, in desperation, started using her magic and Rue had retaliated by summoning the Polliwogs).

Chapter 03: in Elroy's library

"What's up there?" Mint asked, indicating the hole in the roof. She could see a ledge and railing. "It looks like there's another room."

"The ladder's broken, so I've never been upstairs yet. I suppose it's mostly empty, though."

"Hmm." Mint walked off to explore as Rue continued opening containers.

He heard a clang! followed by a loud crash. "What are you…?"

"I'm just going up to take a look! (Besides, I might find treasure… and rules do say finders keepers…)" she had already climbed to the top of the cabinet.

Rue could do nothing but watch. She jumped and caught the end of the broken ladder. "Mint! Be careful!" But either she didn't hear him or pretended not to notice.

CRAASH!! She broke a leg and two ribs. "Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow…"

Rue shook his head, annoyed, as he walked up to the fallen girl. "Tsk tsk tsk. I told you to be careful. This will set our story back a couple of months until you heal… idiot."

"Hasn't our author ever heard of the term 'stunt-person'?!" Her eyes narrowed suddenly. "And you—you dare to call me… mmmph!!" Rue stuffed some bubblegum into her mouth to keep her from making any more noise while he called for the paramedics on his cellphone.

Mint glared daggers at him, contenting herself with the bubblegum. Hey, it's watermelon!

Chapter 04: battling the skull beast

It was big, it was huge, it was scary—and although it didn't have a tangible mouth it looked just about ready to eat him. It attacked, its pincers bearing down on Rue.

Fire-breathing?! This is getting frustrating… He dodged and jumped to one of the platforms.

Suffice to say, he got eaten.

It took them four hours before Rod and Duke working together could pry him out of the skull beast's jaws.

Chapter 04: battling the skull beast revisited

It was big, it was huge, it was scary—and although it didn't have a tangible mouth it looked just about ready to eat him. It attacked, its pincers bearing down on Rue.

Fire-breathing?! This is getting frustrating… He dodged and jumped to one of the platforms.

Suffice to say, he got barbecued.

And then he got eaten.

It took them fifteen hours before Rod and Duke could break him out of the skull beast's hollow stomach.

Chapter 04: battling the skull beast revisited again

It was big, it was huge, it was scary—and although it didn't have a tangible mouth it looked just about ready to eat him. It attacked, its pincers bearing down on Rue.

Fire-breathing?! This is getting frustrating… He dodged and jumped to one of the platforms.

And then he slipped and ingloriously fell into the abyss.

It took Rod and Duke two days before they found him and managed to carry him back up to ground level.

Chapter 04: battling the skull beast revisited once more

It was big, it was huge, it was scary—and although it didn't have a tangible mouth it looked just about ready to eat him. It attacked, its pincers bearing down on Rue.

Fire-breathing?! This is getting frustrating… He dodged and jumped to one of the platforms.

And suddenly the room came crashing down, burying both Rue and skull beast alive.

"MINT! YOU'RE NOT HELPING! This is already our twenty-seventh take…" Rod shouted as he and Duke whipped out their shovels.

Mint blinked her eyes innocently. "Oops. The script says I'm supposed to bring the tunnel crashing down on the skull beast…"

"Not while Rue's still fighting it!"

It took Rod and Duke a week before they managed to dig Rue out.

Chapter 04: battling the skull beast revisited yet another time

It was big, it was huge, it was scary—and although it didn't have a tangible mouth it looked just about ready to eat him. It attacked, its pincers bearing down on Rue.

Fire-breathing?! This is getting frustrating… He dodged and jumped to one of the platforms.

SPLOOSH! The room was suddenly flooded with water to the ceiling.

"Hurrrgk… Help! I can't …uggrk… swim!" Rue gasped between breaths as he flopped about in the water.

"MINT!!" Rod shouted.

"What?!" Mint's voice shouted back from above, oblivious of what's happening down at the skull beast cavern. "I'm just trying out Belle's new console! Oooh, a shiny red button…"

"That's the sewage control system!"

Without warning they heard a loud click, and then an eerie Spizz--FLUSSH! The water drained, taking a drowning Rue and the skull beast with it out into the ocean.

Rod and Duke both raised their hands in a gesture of surrender. "WE GIVE UP."

It took an entire month before Rue managed to float, delirious, half-naked, mostly dead and clinging to some driftwood, back to Carona.

Chapter 04: after Mint saves Rue from the skull beast

She was sitting down, leaning heavily against the wall and gripping her shoulder in pain. Her left sleeve was torn, and his eyes followed a stream of blood as it trickled down her arm… What arm?

"AAAAHH!! RUE!!! MY ARRMM!!! YOU CUT OFF MY ARM!!! Just kidding…" Mint held up the fake plastic bloody arm stump.

But Rue had already fainted.

Chapter 05: Mint vs. Belle

Belle's face was flushed at being called a balloon by the two-bit high school kid she was looking down upon. Even in the past, Mint always had a way of provoking her. Don't mind it, rubber and glue, they're just words… "We want the tiara! If you know what's good for you, you'd better hand it over quick!"

"You want it, you'll have to take it!" Mint spoke sideways to Rue, "This old witch is mine." Wielding her rings, she ran towards the mechavehicle, Belle jumping down to meet her.

Belle slipped and face-flopped. "OW!! DUKE!! I TOLD you NOT to wax this thing!"

"Oops, sorry, Milady. I thought you wanted it shiny…" Duke just scratched his head absently.

Chapter 07: drinking chocolate at Fancy Mel's

"See? Free hot chocolate." Mint smiled smugly at Rue as she sipped her warm drink.

After a while, her face turned purple and she clutched painfully at her stomach. Quickly excusing herself, she ran off towards the bathroom.

Chapter 07: drinking chocolate at Fancy Mel's revisited

"See? Free hot chocolate." Mint smiled smugly at Rue as she sipped her warm drink.

Her eyes rolled up, and she fell face down on the table, snoring.

Chapter 07: drinking chocolate at Fancy Mel's—Rue gets his revenge

"See? Free hot chocolate." Mint smiled smugly at Rue as she sipped her warm drink.

Suddenly she screamed. "OWW!! PEPPER PEPPER PEPPER!!!" She ran towards the kitchen sink, quickly turning on the faucet and not even bothering to use a glass.

Mel took Mint's chocolate and sniffed at it. "Who's the guy that keeps putting trick condiments into Mint's cup?!"

Off to the side, Rue was grinning wickedly.

Chapter 08: kitty chase

The cat was standing on the wall behind Rue, and Mint reached for it. Deciding that it wanted to play cat-and-mouse, with it being the mouse, it jumped down the wall and Mint started chasing it.

They circled twice around Rue, and then the cat circled around the girl before making its way between her legs. It nipped her ankle as it passed, causing Mint to stumble onto her knees. (Mint: "Ow ow ow… hurt… stupid tabby!") When next she looked, it had disappeared into a nearby thicket.

Only to reappear with an entire horde of cats.

"MONSTER KITTIES!!!"

She and Rue ran off, panicking, the cats giving chase.

Chapter 09: Aero-Scooter repairs

Tonia's year-old Aero-Scooter of foreign make broke down on her way to school that morning. Annette found out about it, so Annette told Mint. Mint, thinking quickly, snapped her fingers and went over to Rue. And so the two of them were stuck until late in the school parking lot, Rue doing his best to fix the busted motorbike while Mint handed him the tools.

After some final tuning of the motor, Rue stood up. "I think I'm done. Let's try it out." He powered it on.

It blew up in their faces.

"Right," Rue said, his entire face and body covered with soot and charred ash. "I think I need to read that manual again."

Chapter 09: meeting Johnny Wolf

Annette didn't get to answer, for right then, a swift moving (yet mere two-foot high) figure was very quickly making its way towards them.

"J-Johnny Wolf! Nooo!!"

Too late. Johnny Wolf tried to head-butt Mint but missed. Like a fluffy blue basketball, he shot straight into a nearby trashcan.

Chapter 09: meeting Johnny Wolf revisited

Annette didn't get to answer, for right then, a swift moving (yet mere two-foot high) figure was very quickly making its way towards them.

"J-Johnny Wolf! Nooo!!"

Too late. Johnny Wolf head-butted Mint in the stomach. She flew several meters through the air and straight into a trashcan on the opposite side of the street. CRAAASHH!! Its contents spilled all over the unlucky girl, and a banana peel got stuck on her left cheek. "OWWWOOO!!! Not so hard, you [expletive]!!"

Johnny Wolf barked angrily in answer. Annette was laughing madly.

Chapter 10: Rue gets a phone call

The next thing he knew, the phone was ringing, and it was already seventeen minutes past ten o'clock. Rue quickly grabbed the phone. "Hello?"

"Good evening. This is the local water service… could you please see if your sink faucet is leaking?"

"Hold on a sec," Rue ran off to the kitchen to check. "No, it's working fine."

"Thank you very much sir. By the way, you have an outstanding account of several hundred zenny."

Rue scratched his head absently. "I already paid that in the Carona bank yesterday."

"Oh. In that case, that will be all for tonight, sir. Thank you very much. Good night."

"Good night." He hung up the phone. That was weird. What was I supposed to do again?

Chapter 10: Rue gets a phone call revisited

The next thing he knew, the phone was ringing, and it was already seventeen minutes past ten o'clock. Rue quickly grabbed the phone. "Hello?"

"Domingo's Pizza Delivery, how may I help you?"

Rue blinked. "Uh… I'd like to order a medium pepperoni with extra mushrooms?"

"CUT!" Rod shouted from off-screen. "Dangit Rue, if you're gonna order pizza, make it the Big Bacon Classic!"

Chapter 10: Rue gets a phone call revisited again

The next thing he knew, the phone was ringing, and it was already seventeen minutes past ten o'clock. Rue quickly grabbed the phone. "Hello? C-Claire?!!"

"…please, Rue… It's been so hard to find those special hams for the Big Bacon Classic. Can't you guys just stick to the ordinary Supreme Special?!"

"What are you doing in Domingo's Pizza?!"

He could almost see her shrug on the other end. "Hehe… I got hungry."

Chapter 11: to break free of the madness…

(A/N: this is actually a 'deleted' paragraph, not fit for the story, not a blooper either, but someone suggested I put it here anyway…)

It was as if he wasn't Rue at all…

There was only one thing she could think of to stop him right then.

She kissed him.

"Mmph!!" Arc Edge and Dual Haloes dropped to the floor, and Mint wrapped her arms about Rue's neck, pulling his head down so she could kiss him better. His glazed eyes suddenly returned to normal, but she wouldn't have noticed it anyway.

Rue was fully aware now—fully aware of the girl and her warm body that was pressing against him. She was so close, and he found himself unable to think clearly. In fact, he found himself unable to think at all. He was aware, yet it was as if his body had a mind of its own… he embraced her about the waist and pulled her even closer. He returned the kiss, groaning involuntarily as he felt her respond to his movements.

"Riiiiiggght. This is getting too weird for words… I'm outta here." Narcius was shaking his head in disdain. The other two were so busy that they didn't see him leave.

"M-Mint?" Rue whispered when she finally let him up for air. "Mint, wha-a?"

She opened her eyes and gently pulled away. "Hello. I see that you're back." She blushed deeply, uncharacteristically. "Sorry, that was the only way I could think of to stop you…"

"Huh?"

"You almost killed Trap Master." She was suddenly serious now. "But he escaped while we were… err…"

Rue blushed too. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "This never happened?"

"You got it," she said evenly, matching his tone. "I think it's time we get out of here."

Chapter 11: opening the life capsule

Rue was already fiddling with the controls. "Gotcha!" They heard an eerie fizz, and cold steam escaped from the capsule's linings.

It blew up in their faces.

"Riiiiggghhtt…" Mint remarked sarcastically. Both of them were covered with dry ice from head to toe. "I take it you didn't read the manual for this thing either?"

Chapter 12: Vs. Starlight Duke

A huge, inane yellow-plastic-and-spandex Star-Costumed Duke came hopping stupidly towards Rue. "WELCOME TO THE STARLIGHT MALL!!"

"AAAHH!!!" Rue wasn't quick enough. Duke ingloriously fell on top of him with a disgusting-sounding GLOMP.

Chapter 12: Vs. Starlight Duke revisited

A huge, inane yellow-plastic-and-spandex Star-Costumed Duke came hopping stupidly towards Rue. "WELCOME TO THE MARLIGHT STALL!!"

"Umm, Duke…" Rue interrupted him. "That's 'Starlight Mall…'"

Duke stopped short. "Oh, oh yeah…" he scratched his head sheepishly. "Next take?"

Chapter 12: Vs. Starlight Duke revisited again

A huge, inane yellow-plastic-and-spandex Star-Costumed Duke came hopping stupidly towards Rue. "WELCOME TO THE STARLIGHT MALL!!"

"AAAHH!!!" Rue found himself reflexively jumping backwards in surprise bordering on shock from another very noisy idiotic embodiment of strangeness.

"GUARANTEED CHEAPEST BUYS!! ONLY FOR TODAY! GET ONE FOR THE PRICE OF TWO!!"

"Umm, Duke…" Rue interrupted him, "that's 'two for the price of one…'"

Duke slipped and face-flopped. "Aargh, sorry guys! I keep forgetting my lines!" He tried to stand. The spandex was too heavy. "Umm… a little help??"

Rod scratched his chin thoughtfully. "You know, it would be better if he did that in the actual story. Don't you think so guys?" Rue and the entire cast (off-screen) were too busy laughing their heads off to disagree.

And so it was done.

Chapter 12: in the bar with Duke

Jargen promptly served them their drinks—strawberry sherry for Duke and a plain, un-spiked malted for Rue—before going off to the other end of the counter to leave the two undisturbed. Duke raised his glass tentatively. "Say, Rue… you didn't spike this thing, did you?"

"Wait, wait!" Mel called suddenly from off-screen. "That's NOT in the script!"

"Well, you expect me to drink this without making sure?" Duke turned towards the older woman. "Rue spiked Mint's hot chocolate several times, you know."

"WHA-AT?!" Mint screamed. "SO IT WAS YOU!!"

"Duke, you colossal idiot!" Rue whispered fervently to his companion. "You just blew my cover!!" There was no further time for argument, as Mint was swiftly bearing down on him with her Dual Haloes. "AAH! OUT OF THE WAY!!" Rue quickly made for the side exit and almost tripped on a bar stool.

"COME BACK HERE, YOU [EXPLETIVE]!!"

Chapter 13: Monday morning chemistry

Mint scowled as she looked at him. Rue was usually quiet, but not usually this quiet. [Expletive], he's thinking about that fake Claire again. She had tolerated it (barely) for the entirety of the past week, and frankly, she was starting to get really annoyed at his misguided self-imposed guilt. She stomped over to where he sat and forcibly pulled his cap down over his face.

She pulled the cap down too hard. Oopsie… Rue ingloriously crashed onto the floor. "OWW!! NOT SO HARD, MINT!"

"SorrySorrySorrySorrySorrySorrySorrySorrySorrySorrySorrySorry …" Mint apologized profusely as she helped him up. "I got carried away…"

Chapter 13: confronting the Kendo team

Mint coughed sideways, muttering under her breath, "I-am-not-a-playboy-yeah-right."

She didn't stop coughing. Tonia turned to her, concerned, "Mint, are you alright?" Mint continued to cough, more violently now. "Mint?!" Mint's face was starting to turn blue.

"She's choking!" Rue rushed to stand behind the girl and wrapped his arms about her waist. "STAT!!"

Ptui! A piece of bubblegum fell out of Mint's mouth. Using a tissue, Tonia picked it up and threw it to a nearby trashcan. "Tsk tsk tsk. That's what you get for trying to talk with food in your mouth."

Chapter 15: dance practice with Rue (suggested by Katrina Flores)

"Stand over there, like that…" Rue stepped into the place Mint indicated. "Where's your boken? Oh, nevermind." She grabbed her rings and stepped to her place opposite him. Tonia, who had somehow slipped inside the room unnoticed, turned on the portable radio from the side stands.

"THRILLER!!! Dumdumdumdumdum…" (Michael Jackson song)

"AAH!!" Rue jumped backwards involuntarily. He watched wide-eyed and open-mouthed as Mint danced. Outside suddenly turned dark, and thunder crashed. Zombies rose out of the ground and began dancing to the music as well, although Mint seemed oblivious to them.

Rue turned to see that Tonia by the radio was dancing too. He shrugged. "Oh well, like they say—if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." He stepped to his place beside Mint and started dancing.

"YEEHAAH!"

Chapter 16: Belle's flashback

Belle grabbed her sister and ran. A shadow passed in front of her, and Ruecian was there. He hit her hard across the face, forcibly knocking her aside and she bodily hit the wall.

Crashing straight through it. "Umm, was that supposed to happen?" Mel asked from off-screen. "Belle? Belle, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Belle called from the other side of the gaping hole. She raised some rubble up for the rest of the cast to see. "Looks like we need better stage props. This thing's defective."

Chapter 16: the second Mint vs. Belle fight

"Why aren't you using your magic?" Belle sighed heavily. "Fine, if you insist on playing innocent…" she circled so that she was suddenly behind the girl. "I'll go first."

Click! Belle pushed the button on her psyche-amp, but nothing happened. "The heck?!" She pushed the button several more times. Still nothing.

Mint was laughing her head off. "You forgot to change the batteries!!"

Chapter 17: Rue enters the Ghost Temple

He found the computer terminal by the main gates and inserted the disc card into the slot.

"Yikes!" A picture of a very young Rue in the bathtub (wearing nothing) popped up on the display, and Rue immediately covered the screen with his hands. "Wrong disc card! (These are my childhood photos!)"

"Ooh, ooh, let me see!" Mint ran towards him excitedly.

Rue's face was very red. "NO WAY!!"

"I wanna see, Rue!" Mint was insistent, and she moved to peer over his shoulder. She tugged at his arm. "Ooohh… so cute! Baby white skin!" Rue's face turned even redder. He quickly grabbed the disc card and broke into a run.

Chapter 17: Duke vs. the Chimera

"FISTS OF FURY!!" Duke punched the monster, hard.

His face turned white, then red, then blue, then green, all within five seconds. Duke's scream of pain could be heard until two kilometers away.

Chapter 19: entering Wylaf's compound

Mint stomped her foot twice in annoyance. "Oh, let me!" she elbowed him slightly as she took his place, and started clicking away at the console.

After a long while with nothing happening, Rue was starting to get impatient. "Well?! It doesn't look like your method is working either." Frowning, he peered over her shoulder. "MINT!!"

Mint jumped, surprised. She wrinkled her nose at the console, and then pouted angrily at Rue. "Awl, and I almost beat the high score!!" She was playing Pinball.

Chapter 19: entering Wylaf's compound revisited

Mint stomped her foot twice in annoyance. "Oh, let me!" she elbowed him slightly as she took his place, and started clicking away at the console. Nothing happened. "[EXPLETIVE]!!" Finally giving up, she loudly kicked the console. It sparked violently, and within five seconds it started to emit smoke. "Oopsie…"

They heard a loud bleeping. "That doesn't sound good," murmured Rue.

And then it blew up in their faces.

With a heavy sigh, Mint asked, "Say, Rue, isn't this joke already getting really old really fast?" Rue merely shrugged.

Chapter 20: asking Mint out

"Umm, Mint…?" He pried his eyes away from his shoes and hesitantly turned towards her. "It's tradition for the class reps to open the fair, and since you're my assistant… umm… how about…" he coughed just a little, and prayed that his face wasn't as flushed as it feels. "How about we go together?"

Mint's eyes narrowed at him mischievously. "Ooooooooooooooooh… you're asking me for a date?"

Rue almost gagged as he fell backwards. "Wh-wh-wh—" his face was so red it could almost erupt into flame. "It's just in the SCRIPT!!"

"That's enough, you two!" Rod shouted as he palmed his face in frustration. "Let's keep our personal lives out of this, shall we?"

Chapter 20: Rue gets a Christmas gift

Neil accompanied him to the gates after they got Rue's school things, with the promise that he'd go back to the group after seeing Rue off. When no one was looking, he handed Rue a small package, indicating the other to open it quickly.

Splawt! As soon as he opened the package, a cream pie hit him in the face.

Chapter 20: Rue gets a Christmas gift revisited

KA-POW!! As soon as he opened the package, a trick boxing glove hit him in the face, sending him sprawling backwards.

Chapter 20: Rue gets a Christmas gift revisited again

The brown paper wrapping was a bit too flimsy. Before Rue could open it, the multi-tool dropped straight onto his foot, making him scream painfully for the next five minutes.

Chapter 20: Rue gets a Christmas gift revisited once more

It started ticking the moment Rue touched it. But Rue was ready this time. He threw the package into the nearby trees, where it exploded.

A few seconds later, Mint ran out of the woods screaming, her skirt on fire.

Rue was laughing at her. "Hah! I caught you!! It's your fault, anyway!"

"You'll pay for this!" she shouted. Rod and Duke eventually came with the fire hose and doused the girl. Dripping wet and without a change of clothes handy, Mint had to wait for a full two hours until Klaus arrived to take her back to her dorm.

Chapter 22: the Pulsar Inferno Typhoon Omega

Rue and Mint went towards Rod's arcade. Rod greeted them and led the way to his garage at the back, where he showed them his vehicle.

"I haven't told you her name, have I? She's the Pulsar Inferno Typhoon Omega."

"Pulsar Inferno Typhoon Omega," Mint repeated after him.

"That's right, Pulsar Inferno Typhoon Omega."

"I must admit that the Pulsar Inferno Typhoon Omega is a very good name."

"Yes, the name Pulsar Inferno Typhoon Omega really fits the Pulsar Inferno Typhoon Omega."

"True, true, there can be no better name than the Pulsar Inferno Typhoon Omega. I mean, can anyone think of a name that's better than the Pulsar Inferno Typhoon Omega?"

"The Pulsar Inferno Typhoon Omega must be the best name there is…"

Rue slouched in exasperation. "We're gonna have to redo this scene."

Chapter 23: meeting Valen for the first time

When Mint recognized him, she screamed. "You!! You're the black man of my mother's dreams! She died because of you!" Rage blinded her like she had never experienced before. Without thinking, she jumped him, her bare hands aiming for the exposed neck.

She bawled straight into him. "OWW!!"

"Yaaah!" Valen shouted. The wheelchair fell, with the old man and the girl sprawling ingloriously onto the ground. Eventually they managed to stand up with Ruecian's help.

Valen, standing straight, dusted himself off. "Mint, you're getting heavy. You'd better start on a diet soon." Mint's face flushed in embarrassment.

Chapter 24: Rue climbs the Winding Tower

He carefully climbed out the window and, gritting his teeth, he struck at the tower wall. The gap widened just enough for him to use as a foothold. He dropped the Arc Edge on the inside tower steps and made his way across the outside.

Of course, he slipped on his first attempt.

Chapter 24: Rue climbs the Winding Tower revisited

He slipped on his second to sixteenth attempts too.

Chapter 24: Mint gets drunk at Jargen's bar

It was late dusk when he finally found her at the bar. She was slumped over the counter, seemingly asleep. Rue walked over to the girl and gently shook her. "Mint? Mint, are you okay?" She muttered something incoherent, and he brushed the hair from her face. "Mint?"

Mint was fast asleep, and she was snoring. Absolutely nothing would wake her up for the next nine hours, so they had to reschedule the take.

Chapter 24: Mint gets drunk at Jargen's bar revisited

"Hey, Rue!" At his touch, Mint abruptly sat up. "What's the summation of the cosine of X when it's derived from the real number vector space at infinity?"

Rue could only gape at her openmouthed.

Chapter 24: Mint gets drunk at Jargen's bar revisited again

"Hey, Rue!" At his touch, Mint abruptly sat up.

She moved too fast, and Rue was still leaning very close to her. Their foreheads collided with a painfully loud thngk! and they both fainted from the impact.

Chapter 26: Klaus figures out the Chroma poisoning

The thought came suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, and Klaus unconsciously placed his right thumb on his lower lip. Something clicked. He remembered Rue's and Prima's almost identical data from the captured life capsules. The chroma strain. Prima has it too. "That's got to be it. It's not an ordinary poison—not a poison at all, actually, and it's not even physical… no wonder the tests all turn up negative. It must be the chroma strain that caused this."

Rue looked up at the professor expectantly. "What is it?"

"The blood of a chroma child." Klaus sharply turned to the younger boy, "Think, Rue. Did you ever kiss Mint at any time?"

The question caught Rue totally off-guard, and his jaw dropped. "I-I-I…" When the question sank in, his face turned very, very red. "Wheredidthatcomefrom??!!"

Mira walked over to her husband and bonked him on the head. "Idiot. You know better than to ask him those things!"

"(Ow!) Well, it's true! Some pathogenic bacteria thrive on saliva and that could be transferred by kissing (and you should be grateful I didn't mention to him about you-know-what…)"

"Augustus!" Mira said sternly. "Rue's not old enough for that!"

Rue was starting to get unnerved by the discussion. He excused himself to go to the bathroom and splash himself with cold water.

Chapter 28: Mint makes a promise

He felt a weak tug on his shirt, and he turned to see half-closed burgundy eyes gazing at him. "I will come to take you back. Do you hear me?" Her voice was feeble, and she was barely conscious, but her eyes shone with an inner brightness. "I will come for you. That's a promise."

"Mint…" Rue took her hand, carefully pulling her stiff fingers off of his shirt.

At least he tried to. "Umm, Mint…" Mint's hand was locked in a death-grip. "Mint, you can let go now."

Rue found himself standing awkwardly by her bed, doing nothing, for the next three hours until he realized that she really wasn't going to let go. Mira had to cut his shirt for Rue to be able to leave.

Chapter 28: Belle escapes from the Tower

The data retrieval took longer than expected, and Belle tapped her foot impatiently. Just as she pulled out the disc card, however, she heard the strained squeal of the modified fusion engines through the soles of her boots. She gripped the sides of the computer terminal in alarm.

Blast it, they're launching early! Out, out, she had to get out, right bloody now!!

In her haste to leave, she bumped her head against a door.

Chapter 28: Klaus runs the simulation of Valen's machines

Mint peered over Klaus's shoulder to see his laptop screen. "What's this, professor?"

He answered her, "Atenacius sent me a disc card a couple of days ago. He was able to develop a special circuit simulation that factors in the effects of magick."

Klaus ran the simulation again. Mint frowned involuntarily as she looked at the laptop screen.

Much, much, much later, Prima came down the basement to see that Mint and Klaus were still glued to the laptop. Atenacius had sent them the latest episodes of XenoSaga the Anime.

Chapter 28: Klaus runs the simulation of Valen's machines revisited

Mint peered over Klaus's shoulder to see his laptop screen. "What's this, professor?"

He answered her, "Atenacius sent me a disc card a couple of days ago. He was able to develop a special circuit simulation that factors in the effects of magick."

Klaus ran the simulation again.

Suddenly they heard the eerie fizz of static, and then the power went out.

Chapter 30: Rod and Duke vs. Wylaf

When Rod and Duke made no move towards him, Wylaf pulled out a plastic bazooka from behind the dragon's seat.

"Woah! Don't shoot!" Duke shouted. Too late. Wylaf pulled the trigger.

The resulting explosion was heard all the way to Carona.

Chapter 30: Rod and Duke vs. Wylaf revisited

When Rod and Duke made no move towards him, Wylaf pulled out a plastic bazooka from behind the dragon's seat.

"Woah! Don't shoot!" Duke shouted. Too late. Wylaf pulled the trigger.

Sploo-ffwrt!! "Eww, yuuuck!!" Rod exclaimed. He and Duke were dripping with fake (yet still ultra-disgusting super-stinky) dragon snot.

Chapter 30: Rod and Duke vs. Wylaf revisited again

When Rod and Duke made no move towards him, Wylaf pulled out a plastic bazooka from behind the dragon's seat.

"Woah! Don't shoot!" Duke shouted. Too late. Wylaf pulled the trigger.

When the blinding flash had cleared, Rod and Duke where nowhere to be seen. Wylaf blinked twice. "Odd, I didn't think this actually worked."

Weeks later, Rod and Duke were dropped off in the Carona High soccer field by some friendly neighborhood UFOs.

Chapter 30: Maya pulls out Ruenis's Aeon Shard

Before Rue could blink, Maya's hands glowed with the power and she forcibly pulled out Ruenis' Aeon shard.

"OOOWW!!!" Ruenis shouted suddenly, grabbing Maya's arm. "Careful!" The Aeon Shard wouldn't come off.

"Hey!" Maya shouted. "This isn't supposed to be glued to your forehead!" She pulled her hand away, only to realize that her hand was stuck too. "What the—??!"

Behind the wall, Mint was sniggering. She checked twice to see if anyone could see her before throwing the empty tube of instant glue into a nearby trashcan.

Chapter 31: Maya carries Ruenis to the hangar

One more floor to go. Maya and Ruenis were almost to the lower hangars when the alarms sounded.

"EEEK!" Maya really did drop Ruenis in shock.

"What the--?" Rod shouted from behind the camera. Ruenis's unconscious face-down form started shivering, and weird sounds emerged from his mouth. He was laughing.

Maya's face was flushed. "He—he tickled me!"

Chapter 31: Ruecian confronts Rue

The sound of heavy boots on broken glass echoed in the small room that was once the prison of Ruenis Gallagher.

"OUCH!" Ruecian shouted. He started jumping up and down while clutching his foot. "Sorry," he winced. "Some glass broke through my sole," he explained, to the sound of Belle, Duke, Mint and Rod's combined laughter.

Chapter 31: Ruecian pays a visit to Lucine

Ruecian kept her company, as he did almost every day now. He had brought a fresh bouquet of chrysanthemums--her favorite flowers. Lucine smiled whenever she saw them, but in spite of this there was no hiding her unhappiness.

She abruptly sat up and sneezed. "Achoo! Achoo achoo achoo!!"

Ruecian started forward, concerned. "Are you alright?" Lucine was frantically waving the bouquet at him, and her skin was already starting to rash.

"These are daffodils, George! Achoo! I'm allergic!"

Chapter 32: Mint vs. Rue

Rue lunged towards her instinctively, grabbing her by the wrists and they both toppled to the ground, with him managing to land on top of the girl. He pinned her hands down either side of her head, his knees straddling her legs. For what seemed to him an eternity they remained in that position.

Rue felt heat rush up to his face. Damn it, no-- it wasn't just his face… Thank the heavens he had been able to brace himself when they fell, or there was no way she could have missed it…

Mint started to blush too. "Err, R-Rue…?"

Rue cursed so loudly that the people off-screen jumped. He forcibly pulled Mint up by the arm and half-dragged her to the exit stage left.

"The heck—??!" Rod raised one hand to stop the two kids from leaving, but Rue cut him off.

"You let us out, or I'm gonna do something indecent right here and now." Rue's tone left no room for argument. Mint squeaked and placed her free arm over her chest. But as red as her face was, it didn't compare to Rue's (which was practically on fire).

Seeing no other choice, Rod stepped aside. "Say, Mira," Klaus said as soon as Mint and Rue were gone, "Do you think Mel already put down the hidden cameras in the broom closet—OW!!" his wife slapped him hard on the back of the head.

Chapter 33: en route to Undercity

Belle stood behind Duke, one hand resting on the driver's seat, her eyes never straying from their built-in GPS. A message console on the far side of the cockpit beeped, and she walked casually towards the terminal. "Message from Atenacius," she read aloud.

Three simultaneous expressions alternately passed across her face, right before turning a violent shade of purplish-green. "The hell— BEN!!"

On-screen blinked the words in glaring red: BELLE IS STUCK-UP!

Chapter 33: the final battle

Mint's words had made him angry then. His grip on the Arc Edge tightened, and his jaw was set with determination. He believed in his own will, and that he had his own purpose in this world.

He chanced a sideways glance at Mint--at the fiery redhead whose ravaged body was being pinned against the wall by Valen's invisible hand of magick, her feet dangling helplessly on empty air.

Suddenly he froze, and the Arc Edge dropped to the floor with a loud clang.

Valen raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Rue, you are supposed to rush at me."

Rue stood unmoving, apparently still staring at the wall. After a while, he stammered, "O—orange… p-p-p-panties…"

Mint's face flushed. "You… you [EXPLETIVE]!!" The resulting jump-kick sent Rue flying all the way out the room and past the fifth corridor.

Chapter 33: escape from the Tower

Rue was about to go through the elevator doors when he turned back to see that his companion had fallen by the opposite end of the hall. "Mint!!" He ran back towards her, immediately going down on one knee at her side.

"I'm sorry," she said weakly. "I think I overexerted myself. Go on ahead, or Rod will be worried."

Rue nodded. "Okay." He turned and left.

Epilogue: Rue opens a door

And then there was a loud knock on the door.

"Will you see who that is, Rue?" Claire asked. Rue nodded somberly. He stepped past the living room to the front door and raised his hand towards the knob.

KAPOW!! Mint kicked him so hard he crashed through the opposite wall, out of the house, and halfway across the adjacent vacant lot.

Beyond the Weave: Rue gets the Ephlesia U. entrance results

It rained the entire morning of the day he got his Ephlesia U. entrance results.

Rue was gaping. "F-FLUNKED??!"

Not even ice cream could console him for the next three weeks.

Beyond the Weave: at the tower of sunset

Suddenly he found himself with an armful of girl. Mint threw herself against him, embracing him tightly about the waist and burying her face into his chest.

"M-Mint, are you crying?!"

She nodded. "I missed you so much, Rue."

His arms tightened reflexively about her, drawing her close. I missed you too, Mint. More than you'll know. "Yeah, Mint. You still owe me money."

"WHAT?! Don't tell me you still remember that?!"

"Yup. And with ten percent compounded interest per anum, and you being gone for two years… that amounts to about a couple of thousand zenny. So, give." He held out his hand.

"B-b-but… I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY WITH ME!!"

Rue grinned wickedly. "Then it's kitchen duty for you tonight. And Belle is cooking… HWAHAHA!!!"

Beyond the Weave: at the tower of sunset revisited

Suddenly he found himself with an armful of girl. Mint threw herself against him, embracing him tightly about the waist and burying her face into his chest.

"M-Mint, are you crying?!"

She nodded. "I missed you so much, Rue."

His arms tightened reflexively about her, drawing her close. I missed you too, Mint. More than you'll know. "Mint…"

"Rue…"

"Mint…"

"Rue…"

"Mint…"

"Rue…"

"Mint…"

"Rue…"

"Mint…"

"Rue…"

"Mint…"

"Rue…"

*several hours later…*

"Mint…"

"Rue…"

"Mint…"

"Rue…"

Everybody does animé-style sweatdrops. *Dang-ed love-sick idiots…*

Beyond the Weave: at the tower of sunset revisited again

Suddenly he found himself with an armful of girl. Mint threw herself against him, embracing him tightly about the waist and burying her face into his chest.

"M-Mint, are you crying?!"

She nodded. "I missed you so much, Rue."

His arms tightened reflexively about her, drawing her close. I missed you too, Mint. More than you'll know. He started to cry too. "BOO HOO HOO… I MISSED YOU TOO MINT!!"

"WAAH! RUE!! LET'S GO FISHING LATER, OKAY?!"

"YEAH, LET'S!!"

And so they went fishing.