Three and a half hours later....
"This is boring!!" Naoko cried.
"Huh...?" Sakura said. She had found a clear image of Sora.... only it was hanging upside down from a branch in a nearby tree.
"Speak for yourself!! Riku said as he ran behind ca, who was trying to create a new equation, except this time is was for cake. A screaming hoard of fan girls followed him, much to the dismay of Ca, who was once again interrupted from her mathematics.
Mooie sat down next to Naoko. "I know, but its only a half an hour to go!" she said cheerfully and twirled a grenade by the ring.
Naoko paled. "Erm... where did you get that?" She asked.
"Portal girl!" Mooie said. "I bought it off her."
The said employee walked out of the preserve. "hello!" she said. "I see you are all here!"
"Hmm?" Sakura said and looked up from her screen for a second.
"Yes," Naoko said. "and it's really boring."
"Just WHAT are you doing?" Portal Girl asked and sat down next to them.
"Trying to catch Sora," Mooie responded.
Portal Girl looked around. "I see no Sora around here..." she said.
"Sakura claims that he will come here in about..." Naoko looked at Mooie's watch "Twenty minutes."
"AHOY MATIES!" Rika's voice called from above.
Everyone looked up. Rika was in a rowboat that was floating in the air. Her 1000-something cookbooks were with her.
Rika landed her boat in the tree, right on top of Sakura and knocked her out of the tree. Sakura lost the transmission of Sora and fell to the ground. She quickly looked at the watch.
"You," she said and glared at Rika. "How could you!?"
"Sorry deary, you were in the way," Rika replied. "I have a new concoction that I want you to try."
Sakura slowly backed up. There was a loud buzzing sound in the air followed by some strange music. Sakura's head quickly shot up to see a multicolored ship heading straight for them.
"WE'RE GONNA CRASH!!!!!!!!!" a squeaky voice yelled.
"SHUT UP DONALD! I'M TRYING!" a male's voice called out.
Sakura eyes lit up. "Sora..." she said quietly.
Naoko turned to Sakura. She was standing directly in the planes crash path.
"Sakura!!!" she yelled and leaped at her, pushing her out of harms way.
The plane crash-landed an inch away from the building's wall. Sakura and Naoko slowly walked over to the ships door and opened it. The end of a keep found it's way out the door and right in front of Sakura's face.
"Heartless... I thought I got rid off you all," the male's voice called out.
As the voice's head appeared through the door Sakura's eyes lit up even more.
"SORA!" she shouted and glomped him.
"What the?!" Sora shouted back and tried to swing Sakura off of him. "Get off!"
In the process of trying to remove Sakura from Sora's back, the hood on the Heartless costume, revealing Sakura's shoulder length brunette hair and dark brown eyes.
"Hello there," Sakura said happily.
"What... what are you?" Sora asked confused.
Riku and Naoko both removed their hoods as well.
"Riku... what are you doing here?" Sora asked. "I've been looking everywhere for you."
"Really?" Riku asked looking at Sora.
Sora nodded.
Sakura sobbed loudly. "It's so sweet! A reunion of friends! It's party time! Oh, and Sora, you are now part of the bishie preserve. You were officially caught 3.64532 seconds ago."
"Caught?" Sora asked questioningly.
"Just smile and nod, Sora, just smile and nod," Naoko told him.
Sakura lead Sora and the others back into the preserve where Portal Girl greeted them warmly.
"WELCOME NEW BISHIE! ENJOY YOUR STAY!" she shouted and set off a bomb and some fireworks.
Sora winced. "This isn't what I was expecting..."
"Nothing is, anymore," Riku said dryly.
"Shh!!" Naoko cried to Portal Girl. "He's easily scared!"
"I am not!" Sora responded.
"Pshhh!! Are too!" Naoko responded.
"What have we here? Another dangerous suspect???" Link demanded and popped into of the hallway and stared suspiciously at Riku.
"No... He's just another hero..." Naoko said.
"I am?" Riku asked.
"He is?!" everyone else demanded.
"You are too, pooky," Naoko said and patted Riku on the arm. "At least in my eyes..."
Everyone sweat dropped.
Rika flew back into the preserve. "Why do you do this to me?!? Why don't you tell me when you are coming inside?!"
"To miff you!" Sakura said. She then giggled. "Miff... how funny!"
Mooie and Ca walked in. "These two want to see Sora," Ca said and pointed to Goofy and Donald.
"WELCOME TO THE - " Naoko cut Portal Girl off by clobbering her.
"Ow!" Portal Girl said. "That hurt!!"
"I know..." Naoko said and rubbed her shoulder where she had hit the said person.
"What say we have a party!! And everyone is invited!!" Sakura said and posed, one hand in the air, much like a disco pose.
"Yay!! I get to cook more!" Rika said.
"Yay!! I get ice cream!!" Naoko said.
"It's not like it's a special occasion," Link pointed out. "You eat it all the time."
"............................................................... So?"
Sakura cocked her head at Link. "Well aren't we Mr. Poopy-pants today. Are you still angry that Apricots won the contest for Naoko?"
Link glared at her then turned away.
"I'll take that as a yes," Sakura said and turned back to Sora. "So, tell me, what was it like beating the crap out of Ursula?"
Sora blushed slightly. No one had ever paid this much attention to him before. "It was difficult.. swimming and fighting is kinda hard to do."
Sakura stared at him in awe.
"Hey! We have a mission, we have to find the king!" Donald shouted.
Sakura turned to Donald. "King Mickey?"
Sora turned to Sakura. "You know King Mickey?"
Sakura nodded. "I saw him just the other day... he was running around in a black trench coat."
"Garsh, that doesn't sound like the king to me," Goofy said.
"King Mickey does have big ears and a tail, right?" Sakura asked using her hands to show them.
"Yesh," Donald replied.
"Then it was he, I'm sure of it. He'll be back in a few days. I told him that we'd give him room and board for free," Sakura smiled.
"Well, I guess we're staying here then," Donald said.
"Hold on just one moment," Natsumi, who had just appeared in the door way said. "Which of you were caught?"
Riku and Sora raised their hands.
"And which of you were not caught?"
Donald and Goofy raised their hands.
"We don't allow free loaders. Have a nice day," Natsumi said and pushed Donald and Goofy out the door.
Sakura and Naoko stared at Natsumi.
"The madness of being Projects Coordinator," she laughed evilly.
Sakura turned her attention back to Sora and Riku. "Off to the cafeteria for you two, it's almost time for the feast!"
Sora turned to Riku. "Feast? What feast?"
Naoko twisted her hands. "We shall be eating you two!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!"
The bishies stared at her. Riku and Sora looked a bit scared.
"Don't pay any attention to her," Rika said. "She's just crazy."
Naoko shook her head. "No one ever takes me seriously...."
"I shall go announce to everyone that we are having a party!!" Sakura said.
"I'll help you cook, Rika!" Naoko said.
"I'll organize a decorating party, and send the rest to you, Rika," Sakura said.
"EE... Just send Syaoran. He is the only bishie that can really cook," Rika responded.
"What are we doing going with you, then?" Riku demanded.
"I TOLD you, we are going to eat you!!" Naoko said.
Rika closed her eyes and hit Naoko with a ladle. "Shut up." She said. "You two," she said. "Shall run errands."
"Yay?" Sora said
"Don't worry, working with Rika is fun," Naoko said.
"If you don't get on my bad side," Rika added.
"Hehhhh..." Naoko said.
Sora looked a little uneasy.
"Ne, Sora-kun, are you ok?" Sakura asked.
Sora nodded slowly.
"You know, if it's about Kairi--" she started.
"You know where she is?!? Tell me!" Sora demanded.
Sakura looked up at him. "All you have to do is look in your own heart. She'll always be there."
Naoko sighed. "Sakura, that was the deepest thing you ever said."
"I know, cool isn't it?" Sakura replied.
Sora stared at her. She was right, Kairi would always be in his heart and his heart would lead him to her. Riku watched and Sakura started telling Sora about all of the other bishies there at the preserve. They were both laughing as she told him about the time when Q-Bert had somehow managed to summon frogs when they were falling off the building after Riku.
"Hey wait up!" Riku called after them and ran to catch up as the two entered the cafeteria.
Q-Bert ran up to Sakura. "Where have you been?"
"Uh... maybe out doing my job?" Sakura asked as she turned to him with a questioning face.
Q-Bert blushed. "Well, I didn't, I mean... sorry."
Sakura smiled. "That's ok. I need your help decorating, we're having a party this evening."
Syaoran, followed by the rest of the bishies, walked over to where Sakura was standing and listened in as she explained the party.
"Ok, so, this evening, you all have to wear a tux because it's a formal party," Sakura finished.
The bishies looked uneasy.
"You all have a tux, right?" Sakura asked.
Some of the bishies nodded and some of them started to slink off away from the group.
Sakura sighed. "Ok, I'll have some tuxes made for you tonight, pick them up at 6, the party starts at 7:30. So, se you then!"
The group started to disperse when Sakura realize that Rika wanted Syaoran in the kitchen.
"Oh, Syaoran. Rika, our cook, wanted your help in the kitchen, so could you go give her and Naoko a hand please?" she asked.
Syaoran shrugged and headed off towards the kitchen.
Sakura twiddled her fingers. "Now... time to create the decorating committee..." She walked into the bishie room and looked around. "Not much here..." she said. She turned around and was about to leave, when she heard a small sound coming from the direction of the forest. "heh heh....." She walked over to a random tree and kicked it. "INU YASHA!" she bellowed.
"What?" was the reply.
"I need your help!" Sakura told him.
"Bah... you don't seem to need it when you capture bishies anymore," he returned.
"Well, you see, Naoko and I are big girls now! We can do it on our own! Now, hurry up and get down before I invite Kagome here for a little visit...."
Inu Yasha jumped down from a tree a couple of feet away. "What do you need?" he asked flatly.
"I need a decorating committee, and you are now on it!" she said. "Now, go round up all of the other bishies that are hiding and report to me in the dining hall."
"Isn't that a bit small?" Inu Yasha asked. "Why don't we have it in the gym?"
"Excellent..." Sakura said. She saluted Inu Yasha, said, "I'm counting on you," and turned around to head to the gym.
~In the Kitchen~
"Can I have this?" Naoko asked, holding up a tub of ice cream.
"When you help me," Rika returned.
"But!!"
"Hey!" Riku said. "We're not here to complain, are we?"
"Well, you might not be," Naoko returned. She picked up a giant knife. "Can I have THIS?" she asked.
"Sure!" Rika said and beamed at the bishie captor.
"Heh heh....."
"Um... are you sure that is safe?" Sora asked as Naoko grabbed a bunch of carrots and started chopping them into tiny, tiny pieces.
"If she causes trouble, call either Link or Apricots. They'll keep her under control." Syaoran told them.
Naoko gave a particularly loud chop. "That's not fair!" she whined.
"IT is when you threaten us!" Sora said.
Naoko turned around indignantly. "Have I threatened you?"
"Well," Riku said. "With your continuous insuations or outright statements that we are going to be the main course, I would say you are."
Naoko grumbled and continued chopping while glaring menacingly at a nearby pot.
~In the gym~
"Hm..." Sakura mumbled as she walked around in circles inspecting every inch of the gym. "I guess that would work there... and that thing would definitely have to go over there."
"Erm... Sakura-onee-chan?" a voice called from the doorway.
"Yes?" Sakura replied and turned to see who was calling her name.
It was Cael and he seemed to be troubled by something.
"Um.. Onne-chan, am I invited to this party too?" he asked.
"Of course you are Cael. We wouldn't leave you out of it for anything," Sakura replied and wrapped him in a hug.
"Ok, I just wanted to make sure," he said and hugged her back. "Um... I have another question too."
Sakura cocked her head. Cael sure seemed to be in a questioning mood right now.
"Well, I was just wondering..."
"Yes?"
"Well... what exactly is going to happen tonight? I mean, what is it that you have planned? Are you expecting more bishies to be attracted to the party atmosphere so you and Naoko-san can catch them?" he asked looking down at his feet.
"Cael, tonight is a feast to celebrate the one year anniversary of Naoko and my arrival here at the preserve.... and the reunion of two friends, Sora-kun and Riku-kun," Sakura replied smiling. "Now, go get cleaned up a bit. And find Q-Bert, he'll help you get ready.
Cael nodded enthusiastically and ran out of the gym looking for Q-Bert.
"He sure is a sweet kid..." Sakura said to herself as she continued the envisioning of the party tonight. "I wonder if Naoko realizes that it's our one year anniversary..."
Inu Yasha enter the gym followed by a long line of bishies.
"You're here!" Sakura cried happily.
"Humph," was Inu Yasha's only reply.
"Anyway, ok, you 6," she said and pointed to a group of bishies, "will be in charge of hanging that box of lights that are shaped like stars." She pointed to a box of yellow sparkly lights sitting next to a ladder. "Just to warn you though, if you break any of them I will hunt you down and chop you into little pieces and bury in the backyard so my dog can later dig up the remains of you bones and chew on them," she said darkly.
The six bishies sweatdropped and headed over to the box of lights.
"Inu Yasha, I would like you and 3 other bishies to hang the curtains on the walls and tie them back with the gold ribbon over there," Sakura instructed and pointed to 5 large boxes labeled 'curtains and ribbon.'
Inu Yasha pointed to 3 bishies and headed over there.
"Ok, the rest of you I'm putting in charge of setting up the tables. I do hope that you have some sense of style, because if you didn't you really wouldn't be bishies, now would you?" she said more to herself than the other bishies. "Well now, I'm off to get all the tuxes. Have fun, and I hope to be surprised by how good this place looks when I get back. Get it? got it? good."
Sakura walked out of the gym and down to the kitchen to tell Naoko that she'd be back in about 45 minutes. When she got there a pot flew out the door and there was loud screaming.
"NAOKO NO!!! YOU CAN'T FRY HIM! HE'S A HUMAN BEING FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!" Rika's voice rang out.
Sakura peeked her head in the door. "Am I intruding on anything?"
Naoko was attempting to force Sora into a pan of boiling hot oil, but Sora, by chance really, had grabbed a hold of the rack that hung from the ceiling and was holding on for dear life.
"No Sakura-chan, I was just trying to show Sora here how to put rice patties into oil properly so they don't break up," Naoko explained.
Sakura gave a doubting look. "Well, can I take Sora with me? I need to pick up some tuxes for the bishies tonight. Is there anything you need while I'm out Rika-chan?"
"Nah, that's ok. thanks for asking though!" Rika replied.
Sora let go of the rack and ran over to Sakura, almost hugging her in relief.
Riku walked out of a supply room armed with potatoes. He stopped, looked at the quaking Sora and Naoko, whose face was turning purple. "What's going on here?" he asked.
"ahh....... I can't take it anymore..." Naoko said. She burst out laughing and Rika joined her.
"teaching........" Rika started, tears streaming down her face.
"Sora....." Naoko continued, and grabbed onto Rika for support.
"Rice paddies!" Rika said and sank to the ground, Naoko following her as the support.
The two continued to laugh until Naoko started hyperventilating and collapsed.
"Eh.........." Sakura said.
Riku looked at the two laughing girls then to the quacking Sora and back to the two girls.
"I'm not going to ask anymore..." he said.
"Uh... anyway... yeah. Let's go Sora," Sakura said and took Sora's hand and led him out of the kitchen and to the front door.
"HAVE A--" Portal Girl started.
"Don't even think about it," Sakura said and walked out the door followed my Sora.
As they walked down the street an old man came up to Sakura.
"My dear, would you happen to have any idea where the nearest restroom would be?" he asked.
"Uh..." Sakura replied. "No, I wouldn't, I'm sorry."
"That's fine my dear," the man said and continued walking.
"What was that about?" Sora asked Sakura.
"I haven't the foggiest idea..." Sakura replied.
They continued walking and soon arrived at a very large clothing shop. When they entered Sakura was immediately dragged away by some girl and off towards a dressing room.
"Hey!" Sora called after the girl. "What am I supposed to do..."
"Come with me sir. I will give you the perfect evening wear," a voice behind Sora said.
Sora turned around quickly and came face to face with a very tall and pale man.
"Uh... I just came here with Sakura, she was dragged off, and all we needed were some tuxes. I think that's what she said," Sora told the man and started to back up.
"I see," the man replied. "We'll get the sorted out after we dress you in the perfect evening wear."
"But, I don't need any!" Sora demanded.
"That's what they all say," the pale man said and grabbed Sora's collar a dragged him off towards the other end of the store.
"But, noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" Sora cried as he disappeared around a corner.
~With Sakura~
"Ah..." The woman said. "You would look wonderful in green."
"eh?" Sakura had time to say before a dress was thrown into her hands and she was shoved into a dressing room.
~With Sora...~
"Hm.... black is a good color," the pale man said and examined a room full of black tuxes.
"Erm... They're all black..." Sora said.
"That's why it is good."
~Back at the preserve....~
"OH MY GOD!! IT'S GOING TO EXPLODE!!" Rika screamed and flew towards the microwave.
Riku, Syaoran, and Naoko watched as Rika opened the door, took an egg out, and threw it out a random window. It exploded. (A/N: that really happens, too!! my German teacher knew someone who died from a microwaved egg. The woman bit into it and it blew the roof of her mouth out. so, kids, NEVER MICORWAVE EGGS!!!)
"Who did that?" Naoko asked dryly.
Riku raised a hand,.
Syaoran and Naoko hit him on the head at the same time. "Don't," they said.
Portal Girl, followed by Hikaru burst into the room.
"Who's been stealing my grenades?!" Portal Girl demanded.
"It wasn't it was - "Rika started. Naoko whipped her hand over the cook's mouth.
"Nothing!" Naoko finished. Everyone sweatdropped.
Sakura and Sora staggered back into the kitchen looking scared out of their minds.
"Sakura-chan? Are you ok?" Naoko asked.
Sakura stared at her friend with distant eyes. She was dressed in a long sparkling emerald green spaghetti strapped dress and had a transparent overlay of shimmering gold on it. Her hair was pulled up into a messy, but very elegant looking bun and she had two emerald green chopsticks in her hair. Weaved throughout her hair were gold ribbons and little gold stars.
"Help... me..." she gasped and fell to the floor.
Naoko and the others in the kitchen looked alarmed.
"What... happened?" Riku asked.
Sora walked in looking half dead. He was dressed in a black tux with tails hanging down in the back and had a charcoal(sp?) button up shirt on with no tie. the last few buttons were left undone and his messy brown hair was still left untouched. He slid down the wall next to Sakura and lay flat on his stomach wheezing.
"Oh dear...," Rika said and walked over to them.
Sakura looked up at her. "Never, never go to that clothing store..."
Apparently, the rest of the bishies had heard the commotion and came running to the kitchen. A few of them gasped as they saw a fellow bishie and captor lying on the ground. Q-Bert and Cael wiggled their way to the front of the crowed and stood in awe staring at the two.
"Your... your tuxes... are out there," Sakura said and gave a quick wave of her hand pointing back towards the entrance.
"Ne, Sakura-chan, tell us what happened," Naoko urged.
"It was.... horrible," Sora said.
"Yes.... first the woman made me try on - " Sakura started to tell the tale
"Countless tuxes... I don't know how many -" Sora continued.
"There were, but there were a lot. Then, after the "best" one was chosen, - " Sakura said.
"he decided that I needed another one, so I had to try them all on - "
"Again.... when we finally got out of there, - "
"we couldn't even carry them all...." Sora rolled over on his back wearily.
"Aww!! You poor things!" Naoko said. She helped Sakura into a sitting position.
"You and all the other girls have dresses too...."
"He made me try on all the other guy's tuxes...: Sora mumbled.
"What if some of them are taller than you, Sora?" Naoko asked.
"Even then...."
"Well!" Vash said. "It seems as if I don't need to wear one then!"
Sora reached up and grabbed his coat. "No, I mean that he made me try on the ones that were too big, also.
"You wonder about those people." Rika clucked. "It's as if they don't have many customers..."
Sakura gave a long sigh and slid down the wall into a strange sort of slouch. "let me die in peace..."
The other bishies made murmuring noises and gathered closer. Q-Bert picked Sakura up. "These two need some fresh air..." he said and turned around to leave.
Vash picked Sora up. "Poor kid..." he said.
"Bah... He is only a human," Knives said.
"It's not like he didn't deserve it," Inu Yasha said and crossed his arms.
Naoko brandished a knife at the bishies. "OUT!!" she bellowed. "WE NEED TO FINISH!"
The bishies scattered like a flock of geese with a cat let loose in them.
~Outside~
"It's really nice out here," Sakura said as she took a deep breath. "Much better than that store, ne Sora-kun?"
"Yep. It really is Sakura-chan," Sora replied and smiled.
Q-Bert looked back and forth between the two and clenched his fists.
"Sakura-san, are you sure you got *all* of the tuxes?" Vash asked.
Sakura glared at Vash. "You want me to go back to that store?!?"
"No, no!" Vash replied waving his hands in front of him. "I was just asking!" "Man... I didn't think she could be scary..." he thought. "I'll just go back inside now..."
Vash quickly ran back into the preserve and a loud explosion erupted inside.
"Well... I guess I should be going back in there. I need to hand out all of the tuxes and get the other girls ready too," Sakura said and stood up. "Gah... these shoes are killing my feet."
Sakura bent down and took off a pair of gold colored high heels that had a star situated right on the top of her feet.
"Much better," she said.
She walked back into the preserve barefoot and left Q-Bert and Sora outside.
"What are you trying to do?" Q-Bert asked suspiciously.
"What do you mean?" Sora asked confused.
Q-Bert glared at Sora and then walked back into the preserve. Sora stood there for a few minutes trying to figure out what Q-Bert meant when he asked him what he was trying to do. He shrugged and walked back into the preserve.
"I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts!" Naoko was singing as she was taking some food on a platter into the dining room. They were all donuts. Vash was following her like a lost puppy, and other bishies were sorting through some of the tuxes, Sakura supervising them.
"Ne, Naoko-chan! The room isn't quite ready yet," Sakura told her.
"It looks ready to me." Naoko said, peeking into the gym.
Sakura followed her and opened the door. Countless tables for food and eating at were set up, with different colored tablecloths at each table. Hung up in the air were star shaped lights and many Chinese lanterns. There was a karaoke bar on a stage on one side of the gym, and a dance floor right in the middle of the room.
"Wowie! You guys can work fast!" Sakura said to the bishies who were lounging on some chairs. "Where did you find the other lanterns?"
"In storage," one said.
Naoko put the tray of donuts down on the nearest table, grabbed Vash's collar, and dragged him out of the room. "There's more stuff to do," she said.
Sakura stared in awe at the room. Her decorating crew really knew how to decorate.
"This is great you guys... I can't wait for tonight," Sakura said. "Well... it's 6:15, you had better start getting ready. Be back here by 7:30."
The bishie's nodded and headed out to get dressed.
"NAOKO-CHAN!! RIKA-CHAN!!! HIKARU-CHAN!!! NASUTMI-CHAN!!!!!!!!! PORTAL GIRL!!! MOOIE!!! CA-CHAN!!!!!!!!!! IT'S TIME TO GET READY!!" Sakura bellowed through the preserve.
Each of the said girls cam running up to Sakura.
"You have good timing Sakura-chan. We just finished with the food preparations(sp?)," Rika said.
Sakura smiled. "Ok, go up to Naoko and my room and I'll meet you up there with your dresses," Sakura explained.
The girls took off running up the stairs. Sakura walked back to the front of the preserve and picked up a green box with a silver bow on top.
"I guess that lady at the shop wasn't all that bad. She did give me a good price on everything. Oh well, time to get ready," Sakura said to herself.
She carefully walked up the stair so she wouldn't step on her dress. She was humming a little as she walked into the room.
"It took you long enough!" Naoko said.
Sakura shot her a glance and Naoko shut up immediately. She set the box down and took the silver ribbon off. She pulled out some square packages and some long bags. Each on had a name written on it.
"AW!!!" Natsumi said. "Our names are written on them!"
Sakura sweatdropped. "The woman did that while I was trying on the other dresses."
Hikaru shook her head. "It must have been pretty uncomfortable trying on dresses that were for people shorter than you..."
"Heh......"
Right before Sakura could hand anything out, the door burst open. Ca screamed and Mooie yelled "Pervert!" before Q-Bert, Syaoran, and Sora ran in panting.
"Fan girls... invited.. themselves..." Syaoran panted before he slammed the door shut.
"........................... Uh oh...." Rika said.
Portal Girl gasped. "I haven't been doing my job!! What should I do?"
"Arm everyone with machine guns and help us flush them out?" Naoko said.
"Poor guys... I wonder what they are doing to the poor bishies..." Sakura said.
"Let's go save Kni- I mean them!" Mooie said and rushed out of the door.
Sakura and Naoko dashed after them, followed more slowly by Natsumi and Hikaru, who were discussing what songs they should sing together, Rika and Ca, who were discussing the best possible equation for stuffed mushrooms, and Portal Girl, who gave up her frantic search for some sort of weapon and ran out of the door after everyone else.
When Portal Girl caught up, she saw all of the employees of the preserve watching the scene from behind a wall. All the fan girls and bishies were chatting quietly with one another, some flirting, or some comparing their adventures.
"I'll get 'em!" Portal Girl said and hefted a semi-automatic machine gun.
"Where did you get that" Sakura asked.
Portal Girl smiled at them and said, "I keep it in my pants for crises like this," she said.
All of the girls fell down, anime style, except for Mooie, who looked impressed.
"It's like, everything is civil once they're in nice clothes..." Rika breathed.
"Maybe they just don't want to mess up their dresses," Natsumi observed dryly as she watched a girl daintily pick up her dress and tiptoe over a dust bunny.
"I wonder when the other girls are going to get here," Vash said, talking to Knives.
"Who cares?" Knives asked, looking hopefully at the hallway that the girls were hiding in.
"Aww! Knivesu! do you by any chance have a crush on Mooie?" Vash teased.
"No!" Knives said quickly. "Her... violence interests me!!"
"Well, it looks like everything is ok!" Hikaru said.
Ca breathed happily. "people are interested in my equations!" she said and pointed to several bishies, who were looking at them curiously.
"Eh....." Naoko said.
"Well, we should go get dressed now," Sakura told the group.
"Violins he says," Mooie said. "I'll show him violins...."
"He said violence," Ca said before Sakura dragged her off. Everyone else followed them.
~Back in the room~
Sakura pulled up the bag labeled "Naoko" and unzipped the bag reveling a blood red strapless dress with a crescent moon cut out around where the belly-button would be. She also picked up a small box and opened it, revealing metallic silver slip on sandal heels with crescent moons on them. Also in the small box, was a bag of metallic silver ribbons and small moon clips.
Naoko's eyes widened. "Sugoi (awesome)!!! That's so pretty Sakura-chan!" she exclaimed.
Sakura smiled and handed the dress over to Naoko who happily ran to one of the bathrooms to change. Next Sakura picked up a back labeled "Portal Girl."
"Ooh!! I hope it's black!" Portal Girl said happily.
Sakura unzipped it to show a pure black dress with long sleeves that came to a point that went to her middle finger. Around the collar and ends of the sleeves was a thin layer of black lace. She picked up another one of the small boxes and opened it reveling black strapy shoes and black ribbons. Inside was also a black lace chocker with a small dragon charm hanging down. Portal Girl's eyes lit up.
"Sakura! You're the best! Thank you!" she said and took the dress and headed off to another bathroom.
"Hm... who should be next?" Sakura mumbled. "I know! Hikaru-chan!"
She picked up another one of the bags and unzipped it. Inside was a sea- green dress with sleeves that went to Hikaru's elbows. Around the edges were small foam white wave designs. Inside another one of the smaller boxes was a pair of foam white slippers that looked perfect with the dress. On them were the same wave designs, yet this time, they were sea green. The hair accessories that were in the box consisted of small sea green and foam with sea shells, along with some sea-green ribbons. Hikaru ran up and hugged Sakura tightly then ran off to another bathroom.
"Hm... who do we have left?" Sakura said and turned to the remaining girls.
There, just about standing one on top of the others were Rika, Ca-chan, Mooie, and Natsumi. Sakura smiled. She pulled up another bag labeled "Natsumi."
"HA! I won. Pay up Rika, we had a bet that I would be next," Natsumi said as she turned to Rika.
Rika grumbled and handed over about 11 cents.
"The madness!" Natsumi cackled and hopped up to where Sakura was standing.
Natsumi's dress was a dark, midnight blue with small, embroidered, powder blue music notes. Natsumi's eyes lit up. The dress had only one thin strap that held it up over one shoulder and that strap was made from powder blue music notes.
"The madness..." Natsumi said dreamily.
In the smaller box that Sakura picked up was a pair of soft powder blue heels and some midnight blue and powder blue ribbons. Natsumi quickly snatched the dress from Sakura and ran off to another one of the many bathrooms.
"Next is... Rika-chan," Sakura said with a smile.
Rika squealed with delight. Sakura opened a bag in which a pale purple dress lay with long sleeves. All of the edges were lined with a much darker, richer purple that shimmered in the light. Centered at the top of the dress was a small simple rose that matched the trimming of the dress. In the other box, was a pair of dark purple sandals. Also, there were some dried roses in the box, that were, apparently, going to be used to decorate her hair.
Rika looked as if she was about to faint. "You out-did yourself Sakura- chan."
Sakura gave her and 'I know' look and handed her the dress.
"I'm going to be next!" Mooie said.
"And I'm going to be last!" Ca-chan said proudly.
Sakura watched as the two discusses to possibilities of what their dresses would look like.
"Oki doki, Mooie. You're up!" Sakura said.
Mooie bounced over to her happily. "Come on! Open it already!"
Sakura unzipped the bag and opened it showing a beautiful auburn colored dress with criss-crossing straps. Along the edges were small dark chocolate brown leaves that made it look like the moved with Mooie twirled around in the dress. In the box was a pair of dark chocolate brown heels with small auburn leaves on them.
"Pretty..." Mooie said quietly.
Sakura also pulled out a set of chocolate brown and auburn leaf hair clips for Mooie's short hair.
"Yay! I'm next!" Ca said happily.
Sakura lifted the last bag out of the box and opened it showing Ca a pale yellow dress with one-inch straps. Like Mooie's dress, it had a solid gold leaf pattern all around it. In the smaller box lay a pair of gold shoes and a small necklace with a golden leaf hanging down. Down in the bottom of the smaller box lay two simple gold ribbons. Ca-chan's eyes were sparkling and it almost looked like she was going to cry.
"Thank you so much Sakura-chan!" she said and gave Sakura a small hug and hurried off to the last unoccupied bathroom.
Naoko walked out and Sakura gestured for her to sit down so she could do her hair. Naoko quickly sat down and Sakura started her work. She pulled Naoko's hair into an elegant twist and clipped it up with the moon-shaped clips. After that she grabbed a few bobby pins and tied the ribbons in bows around them and stuck the pins into Naoko's twist. She sprayed on some hair spray and moved onto the next person.
Next Mooie quickly sat down, she was already dressed and she was one of the last people to go into the bathroom. Sakura sweatdropped. She brushed Mooie's hair back and did about six little twists, alternating clipping each with a chocolate brown or auburn leaf. Once again she sprayed some hair spray, coughing a little.
The next person to sit down was Portal Girl. Sakura quickly, and expertly took a small section of her hair and braided a thick black ribbon down it. The rest she straightened and arranged some of the little black clips in a small spiral design.
Next to sit down in front of Sakura was Rika. Sakura quickly pulled her hair up into two high pigtails and twisted them around making two small, tight buns. She stuck in some of the dried roses in another spiral design and sprayed more hair spray, causing herself to cough some more.
Sakura turned to the remaining girls and gestured for Natsumi to sit down. She pulled her hair into a long flat braid pining small music notes of various kinda through out it. She took to midnight blue ribbons and two powder blue ribbons and tied them at the base of the braid, using the curling iron to make them come down in ringlets.
Hikaru looked at Ca-chan, "Is it all right if I go next?"
Ca-chan nodded.
Hikaru quickly sat down and Sakura quickly went to work. She pulled half of Hikaru's hair into a ponytail and skillfully twisted it into a seashell shape and took the rest of it and pined it up around the shell shape. The way that they were pinned up allowed them to hang down but not touch Hikaru's shoulders. Sakura curled them into ringlets and tied a single sea- green ribbon into a bow on a bobby pin and pushed the pin up to where it hung at the base of the shell that her hair created. Sakura smiled happily and sprayed a lot of hair spray on making them both cough.
"Last, but definitely not the least, is Ca-chan," Sakura said and turned to face Ca-chan.
Ca scrambled onto the seat and sat down patiently awaiting the final picture. Sakura quickly pulled Ca's hair into a low ponytail and tied the two ribbon around her head and tied them in a bow on the side. She cut the ends making them two different lengths. She pulled the ponytail holder out of Ca's hair and curled her hair into ringlets. She sprayed Ca's hair with hair spray and then turned to see her work on everyone.
"You all look so beautiful!" Sakura cried happily.
Naoko, who was on the other side of the room with Rika to avoid the hairspray, gestured dramatically. "Shall we.............. go?" she asked.
"Yep!" Ca said and Natsumi got up and opened the door.
To be continued...
"This is boring!!" Naoko cried.
"Huh...?" Sakura said. She had found a clear image of Sora.... only it was hanging upside down from a branch in a nearby tree.
"Speak for yourself!! Riku said as he ran behind ca, who was trying to create a new equation, except this time is was for cake. A screaming hoard of fan girls followed him, much to the dismay of Ca, who was once again interrupted from her mathematics.
Mooie sat down next to Naoko. "I know, but its only a half an hour to go!" she said cheerfully and twirled a grenade by the ring.
Naoko paled. "Erm... where did you get that?" She asked.
"Portal girl!" Mooie said. "I bought it off her."
The said employee walked out of the preserve. "hello!" she said. "I see you are all here!"
"Hmm?" Sakura said and looked up from her screen for a second.
"Yes," Naoko said. "and it's really boring."
"Just WHAT are you doing?" Portal Girl asked and sat down next to them.
"Trying to catch Sora," Mooie responded.
Portal Girl looked around. "I see no Sora around here..." she said.
"Sakura claims that he will come here in about..." Naoko looked at Mooie's watch "Twenty minutes."
"AHOY MATIES!" Rika's voice called from above.
Everyone looked up. Rika was in a rowboat that was floating in the air. Her 1000-something cookbooks were with her.
Rika landed her boat in the tree, right on top of Sakura and knocked her out of the tree. Sakura lost the transmission of Sora and fell to the ground. She quickly looked at the watch.
"You," she said and glared at Rika. "How could you!?"
"Sorry deary, you were in the way," Rika replied. "I have a new concoction that I want you to try."
Sakura slowly backed up. There was a loud buzzing sound in the air followed by some strange music. Sakura's head quickly shot up to see a multicolored ship heading straight for them.
"WE'RE GONNA CRASH!!!!!!!!!" a squeaky voice yelled.
"SHUT UP DONALD! I'M TRYING!" a male's voice called out.
Sakura eyes lit up. "Sora..." she said quietly.
Naoko turned to Sakura. She was standing directly in the planes crash path.
"Sakura!!!" she yelled and leaped at her, pushing her out of harms way.
The plane crash-landed an inch away from the building's wall. Sakura and Naoko slowly walked over to the ships door and opened it. The end of a keep found it's way out the door and right in front of Sakura's face.
"Heartless... I thought I got rid off you all," the male's voice called out.
As the voice's head appeared through the door Sakura's eyes lit up even more.
"SORA!" she shouted and glomped him.
"What the?!" Sora shouted back and tried to swing Sakura off of him. "Get off!"
In the process of trying to remove Sakura from Sora's back, the hood on the Heartless costume, revealing Sakura's shoulder length brunette hair and dark brown eyes.
"Hello there," Sakura said happily.
"What... what are you?" Sora asked confused.
Riku and Naoko both removed their hoods as well.
"Riku... what are you doing here?" Sora asked. "I've been looking everywhere for you."
"Really?" Riku asked looking at Sora.
Sora nodded.
Sakura sobbed loudly. "It's so sweet! A reunion of friends! It's party time! Oh, and Sora, you are now part of the bishie preserve. You were officially caught 3.64532 seconds ago."
"Caught?" Sora asked questioningly.
"Just smile and nod, Sora, just smile and nod," Naoko told him.
Sakura lead Sora and the others back into the preserve where Portal Girl greeted them warmly.
"WELCOME NEW BISHIE! ENJOY YOUR STAY!" she shouted and set off a bomb and some fireworks.
Sora winced. "This isn't what I was expecting..."
"Nothing is, anymore," Riku said dryly.
"Shh!!" Naoko cried to Portal Girl. "He's easily scared!"
"I am not!" Sora responded.
"Pshhh!! Are too!" Naoko responded.
"What have we here? Another dangerous suspect???" Link demanded and popped into of the hallway and stared suspiciously at Riku.
"No... He's just another hero..." Naoko said.
"I am?" Riku asked.
"He is?!" everyone else demanded.
"You are too, pooky," Naoko said and patted Riku on the arm. "At least in my eyes..."
Everyone sweat dropped.
Rika flew back into the preserve. "Why do you do this to me?!? Why don't you tell me when you are coming inside?!"
"To miff you!" Sakura said. She then giggled. "Miff... how funny!"
Mooie and Ca walked in. "These two want to see Sora," Ca said and pointed to Goofy and Donald.
"WELCOME TO THE - " Naoko cut Portal Girl off by clobbering her.
"Ow!" Portal Girl said. "That hurt!!"
"I know..." Naoko said and rubbed her shoulder where she had hit the said person.
"What say we have a party!! And everyone is invited!!" Sakura said and posed, one hand in the air, much like a disco pose.
"Yay!! I get to cook more!" Rika said.
"Yay!! I get ice cream!!" Naoko said.
"It's not like it's a special occasion," Link pointed out. "You eat it all the time."
"............................................................... So?"
Sakura cocked her head at Link. "Well aren't we Mr. Poopy-pants today. Are you still angry that Apricots won the contest for Naoko?"
Link glared at her then turned away.
"I'll take that as a yes," Sakura said and turned back to Sora. "So, tell me, what was it like beating the crap out of Ursula?"
Sora blushed slightly. No one had ever paid this much attention to him before. "It was difficult.. swimming and fighting is kinda hard to do."
Sakura stared at him in awe.
"Hey! We have a mission, we have to find the king!" Donald shouted.
Sakura turned to Donald. "King Mickey?"
Sora turned to Sakura. "You know King Mickey?"
Sakura nodded. "I saw him just the other day... he was running around in a black trench coat."
"Garsh, that doesn't sound like the king to me," Goofy said.
"King Mickey does have big ears and a tail, right?" Sakura asked using her hands to show them.
"Yesh," Donald replied.
"Then it was he, I'm sure of it. He'll be back in a few days. I told him that we'd give him room and board for free," Sakura smiled.
"Well, I guess we're staying here then," Donald said.
"Hold on just one moment," Natsumi, who had just appeared in the door way said. "Which of you were caught?"
Riku and Sora raised their hands.
"And which of you were not caught?"
Donald and Goofy raised their hands.
"We don't allow free loaders. Have a nice day," Natsumi said and pushed Donald and Goofy out the door.
Sakura and Naoko stared at Natsumi.
"The madness of being Projects Coordinator," she laughed evilly.
Sakura turned her attention back to Sora and Riku. "Off to the cafeteria for you two, it's almost time for the feast!"
Sora turned to Riku. "Feast? What feast?"
Naoko twisted her hands. "We shall be eating you two!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!"
The bishies stared at her. Riku and Sora looked a bit scared.
"Don't pay any attention to her," Rika said. "She's just crazy."
Naoko shook her head. "No one ever takes me seriously...."
"I shall go announce to everyone that we are having a party!!" Sakura said.
"I'll help you cook, Rika!" Naoko said.
"I'll organize a decorating party, and send the rest to you, Rika," Sakura said.
"EE... Just send Syaoran. He is the only bishie that can really cook," Rika responded.
"What are we doing going with you, then?" Riku demanded.
"I TOLD you, we are going to eat you!!" Naoko said.
Rika closed her eyes and hit Naoko with a ladle. "Shut up." She said. "You two," she said. "Shall run errands."
"Yay?" Sora said
"Don't worry, working with Rika is fun," Naoko said.
"If you don't get on my bad side," Rika added.
"Hehhhh..." Naoko said.
Sora looked a little uneasy.
"Ne, Sora-kun, are you ok?" Sakura asked.
Sora nodded slowly.
"You know, if it's about Kairi--" she started.
"You know where she is?!? Tell me!" Sora demanded.
Sakura looked up at him. "All you have to do is look in your own heart. She'll always be there."
Naoko sighed. "Sakura, that was the deepest thing you ever said."
"I know, cool isn't it?" Sakura replied.
Sora stared at her. She was right, Kairi would always be in his heart and his heart would lead him to her. Riku watched and Sakura started telling Sora about all of the other bishies there at the preserve. They were both laughing as she told him about the time when Q-Bert had somehow managed to summon frogs when they were falling off the building after Riku.
"Hey wait up!" Riku called after them and ran to catch up as the two entered the cafeteria.
Q-Bert ran up to Sakura. "Where have you been?"
"Uh... maybe out doing my job?" Sakura asked as she turned to him with a questioning face.
Q-Bert blushed. "Well, I didn't, I mean... sorry."
Sakura smiled. "That's ok. I need your help decorating, we're having a party this evening."
Syaoran, followed by the rest of the bishies, walked over to where Sakura was standing and listened in as she explained the party.
"Ok, so, this evening, you all have to wear a tux because it's a formal party," Sakura finished.
The bishies looked uneasy.
"You all have a tux, right?" Sakura asked.
Some of the bishies nodded and some of them started to slink off away from the group.
Sakura sighed. "Ok, I'll have some tuxes made for you tonight, pick them up at 6, the party starts at 7:30. So, se you then!"
The group started to disperse when Sakura realize that Rika wanted Syaoran in the kitchen.
"Oh, Syaoran. Rika, our cook, wanted your help in the kitchen, so could you go give her and Naoko a hand please?" she asked.
Syaoran shrugged and headed off towards the kitchen.
Sakura twiddled her fingers. "Now... time to create the decorating committee..." She walked into the bishie room and looked around. "Not much here..." she said. She turned around and was about to leave, when she heard a small sound coming from the direction of the forest. "heh heh....." She walked over to a random tree and kicked it. "INU YASHA!" she bellowed.
"What?" was the reply.
"I need your help!" Sakura told him.
"Bah... you don't seem to need it when you capture bishies anymore," he returned.
"Well, you see, Naoko and I are big girls now! We can do it on our own! Now, hurry up and get down before I invite Kagome here for a little visit...."
Inu Yasha jumped down from a tree a couple of feet away. "What do you need?" he asked flatly.
"I need a decorating committee, and you are now on it!" she said. "Now, go round up all of the other bishies that are hiding and report to me in the dining hall."
"Isn't that a bit small?" Inu Yasha asked. "Why don't we have it in the gym?"
"Excellent..." Sakura said. She saluted Inu Yasha, said, "I'm counting on you," and turned around to head to the gym.
~In the Kitchen~
"Can I have this?" Naoko asked, holding up a tub of ice cream.
"When you help me," Rika returned.
"But!!"
"Hey!" Riku said. "We're not here to complain, are we?"
"Well, you might not be," Naoko returned. She picked up a giant knife. "Can I have THIS?" she asked.
"Sure!" Rika said and beamed at the bishie captor.
"Heh heh....."
"Um... are you sure that is safe?" Sora asked as Naoko grabbed a bunch of carrots and started chopping them into tiny, tiny pieces.
"If she causes trouble, call either Link or Apricots. They'll keep her under control." Syaoran told them.
Naoko gave a particularly loud chop. "That's not fair!" she whined.
"IT is when you threaten us!" Sora said.
Naoko turned around indignantly. "Have I threatened you?"
"Well," Riku said. "With your continuous insuations or outright statements that we are going to be the main course, I would say you are."
Naoko grumbled and continued chopping while glaring menacingly at a nearby pot.
~In the gym~
"Hm..." Sakura mumbled as she walked around in circles inspecting every inch of the gym. "I guess that would work there... and that thing would definitely have to go over there."
"Erm... Sakura-onee-chan?" a voice called from the doorway.
"Yes?" Sakura replied and turned to see who was calling her name.
It was Cael and he seemed to be troubled by something.
"Um.. Onne-chan, am I invited to this party too?" he asked.
"Of course you are Cael. We wouldn't leave you out of it for anything," Sakura replied and wrapped him in a hug.
"Ok, I just wanted to make sure," he said and hugged her back. "Um... I have another question too."
Sakura cocked her head. Cael sure seemed to be in a questioning mood right now.
"Well, I was just wondering..."
"Yes?"
"Well... what exactly is going to happen tonight? I mean, what is it that you have planned? Are you expecting more bishies to be attracted to the party atmosphere so you and Naoko-san can catch them?" he asked looking down at his feet.
"Cael, tonight is a feast to celebrate the one year anniversary of Naoko and my arrival here at the preserve.... and the reunion of two friends, Sora-kun and Riku-kun," Sakura replied smiling. "Now, go get cleaned up a bit. And find Q-Bert, he'll help you get ready.
Cael nodded enthusiastically and ran out of the gym looking for Q-Bert.
"He sure is a sweet kid..." Sakura said to herself as she continued the envisioning of the party tonight. "I wonder if Naoko realizes that it's our one year anniversary..."
Inu Yasha enter the gym followed by a long line of bishies.
"You're here!" Sakura cried happily.
"Humph," was Inu Yasha's only reply.
"Anyway, ok, you 6," she said and pointed to a group of bishies, "will be in charge of hanging that box of lights that are shaped like stars." She pointed to a box of yellow sparkly lights sitting next to a ladder. "Just to warn you though, if you break any of them I will hunt you down and chop you into little pieces and bury in the backyard so my dog can later dig up the remains of you bones and chew on them," she said darkly.
The six bishies sweatdropped and headed over to the box of lights.
"Inu Yasha, I would like you and 3 other bishies to hang the curtains on the walls and tie them back with the gold ribbon over there," Sakura instructed and pointed to 5 large boxes labeled 'curtains and ribbon.'
Inu Yasha pointed to 3 bishies and headed over there.
"Ok, the rest of you I'm putting in charge of setting up the tables. I do hope that you have some sense of style, because if you didn't you really wouldn't be bishies, now would you?" she said more to herself than the other bishies. "Well now, I'm off to get all the tuxes. Have fun, and I hope to be surprised by how good this place looks when I get back. Get it? got it? good."
Sakura walked out of the gym and down to the kitchen to tell Naoko that she'd be back in about 45 minutes. When she got there a pot flew out the door and there was loud screaming.
"NAOKO NO!!! YOU CAN'T FRY HIM! HE'S A HUMAN BEING FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!" Rika's voice rang out.
Sakura peeked her head in the door. "Am I intruding on anything?"
Naoko was attempting to force Sora into a pan of boiling hot oil, but Sora, by chance really, had grabbed a hold of the rack that hung from the ceiling and was holding on for dear life.
"No Sakura-chan, I was just trying to show Sora here how to put rice patties into oil properly so they don't break up," Naoko explained.
Sakura gave a doubting look. "Well, can I take Sora with me? I need to pick up some tuxes for the bishies tonight. Is there anything you need while I'm out Rika-chan?"
"Nah, that's ok. thanks for asking though!" Rika replied.
Sora let go of the rack and ran over to Sakura, almost hugging her in relief.
Riku walked out of a supply room armed with potatoes. He stopped, looked at the quaking Sora and Naoko, whose face was turning purple. "What's going on here?" he asked.
"ahh....... I can't take it anymore..." Naoko said. She burst out laughing and Rika joined her.
"teaching........" Rika started, tears streaming down her face.
"Sora....." Naoko continued, and grabbed onto Rika for support.
"Rice paddies!" Rika said and sank to the ground, Naoko following her as the support.
The two continued to laugh until Naoko started hyperventilating and collapsed.
"Eh.........." Sakura said.
Riku looked at the two laughing girls then to the quacking Sora and back to the two girls.
"I'm not going to ask anymore..." he said.
"Uh... anyway... yeah. Let's go Sora," Sakura said and took Sora's hand and led him out of the kitchen and to the front door.
"HAVE A--" Portal Girl started.
"Don't even think about it," Sakura said and walked out the door followed my Sora.
As they walked down the street an old man came up to Sakura.
"My dear, would you happen to have any idea where the nearest restroom would be?" he asked.
"Uh..." Sakura replied. "No, I wouldn't, I'm sorry."
"That's fine my dear," the man said and continued walking.
"What was that about?" Sora asked Sakura.
"I haven't the foggiest idea..." Sakura replied.
They continued walking and soon arrived at a very large clothing shop. When they entered Sakura was immediately dragged away by some girl and off towards a dressing room.
"Hey!" Sora called after the girl. "What am I supposed to do..."
"Come with me sir. I will give you the perfect evening wear," a voice behind Sora said.
Sora turned around quickly and came face to face with a very tall and pale man.
"Uh... I just came here with Sakura, she was dragged off, and all we needed were some tuxes. I think that's what she said," Sora told the man and started to back up.
"I see," the man replied. "We'll get the sorted out after we dress you in the perfect evening wear."
"But, I don't need any!" Sora demanded.
"That's what they all say," the pale man said and grabbed Sora's collar a dragged him off towards the other end of the store.
"But, noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" Sora cried as he disappeared around a corner.
~With Sakura~
"Ah..." The woman said. "You would look wonderful in green."
"eh?" Sakura had time to say before a dress was thrown into her hands and she was shoved into a dressing room.
~With Sora...~
"Hm.... black is a good color," the pale man said and examined a room full of black tuxes.
"Erm... They're all black..." Sora said.
"That's why it is good."
~Back at the preserve....~
"OH MY GOD!! IT'S GOING TO EXPLODE!!" Rika screamed and flew towards the microwave.
Riku, Syaoran, and Naoko watched as Rika opened the door, took an egg out, and threw it out a random window. It exploded. (A/N: that really happens, too!! my German teacher knew someone who died from a microwaved egg. The woman bit into it and it blew the roof of her mouth out. so, kids, NEVER MICORWAVE EGGS!!!)
"Who did that?" Naoko asked dryly.
Riku raised a hand,.
Syaoran and Naoko hit him on the head at the same time. "Don't," they said.
Portal Girl, followed by Hikaru burst into the room.
"Who's been stealing my grenades?!" Portal Girl demanded.
"It wasn't it was - "Rika started. Naoko whipped her hand over the cook's mouth.
"Nothing!" Naoko finished. Everyone sweatdropped.
Sakura and Sora staggered back into the kitchen looking scared out of their minds.
"Sakura-chan? Are you ok?" Naoko asked.
Sakura stared at her friend with distant eyes. She was dressed in a long sparkling emerald green spaghetti strapped dress and had a transparent overlay of shimmering gold on it. Her hair was pulled up into a messy, but very elegant looking bun and she had two emerald green chopsticks in her hair. Weaved throughout her hair were gold ribbons and little gold stars.
"Help... me..." she gasped and fell to the floor.
Naoko and the others in the kitchen looked alarmed.
"What... happened?" Riku asked.
Sora walked in looking half dead. He was dressed in a black tux with tails hanging down in the back and had a charcoal(sp?) button up shirt on with no tie. the last few buttons were left undone and his messy brown hair was still left untouched. He slid down the wall next to Sakura and lay flat on his stomach wheezing.
"Oh dear...," Rika said and walked over to them.
Sakura looked up at her. "Never, never go to that clothing store..."
Apparently, the rest of the bishies had heard the commotion and came running to the kitchen. A few of them gasped as they saw a fellow bishie and captor lying on the ground. Q-Bert and Cael wiggled their way to the front of the crowed and stood in awe staring at the two.
"Your... your tuxes... are out there," Sakura said and gave a quick wave of her hand pointing back towards the entrance.
"Ne, Sakura-chan, tell us what happened," Naoko urged.
"It was.... horrible," Sora said.
"Yes.... first the woman made me try on - " Sakura started to tell the tale
"Countless tuxes... I don't know how many -" Sora continued.
"There were, but there were a lot. Then, after the "best" one was chosen, - " Sakura said.
"he decided that I needed another one, so I had to try them all on - "
"Again.... when we finally got out of there, - "
"we couldn't even carry them all...." Sora rolled over on his back wearily.
"Aww!! You poor things!" Naoko said. She helped Sakura into a sitting position.
"You and all the other girls have dresses too...."
"He made me try on all the other guy's tuxes...: Sora mumbled.
"What if some of them are taller than you, Sora?" Naoko asked.
"Even then...."
"Well!" Vash said. "It seems as if I don't need to wear one then!"
Sora reached up and grabbed his coat. "No, I mean that he made me try on the ones that were too big, also.
"You wonder about those people." Rika clucked. "It's as if they don't have many customers..."
Sakura gave a long sigh and slid down the wall into a strange sort of slouch. "let me die in peace..."
The other bishies made murmuring noises and gathered closer. Q-Bert picked Sakura up. "These two need some fresh air..." he said and turned around to leave.
Vash picked Sora up. "Poor kid..." he said.
"Bah... He is only a human," Knives said.
"It's not like he didn't deserve it," Inu Yasha said and crossed his arms.
Naoko brandished a knife at the bishies. "OUT!!" she bellowed. "WE NEED TO FINISH!"
The bishies scattered like a flock of geese with a cat let loose in them.
~Outside~
"It's really nice out here," Sakura said as she took a deep breath. "Much better than that store, ne Sora-kun?"
"Yep. It really is Sakura-chan," Sora replied and smiled.
Q-Bert looked back and forth between the two and clenched his fists.
"Sakura-san, are you sure you got *all* of the tuxes?" Vash asked.
Sakura glared at Vash. "You want me to go back to that store?!?"
"No, no!" Vash replied waving his hands in front of him. "I was just asking!" "Man... I didn't think she could be scary..." he thought. "I'll just go back inside now..."
Vash quickly ran back into the preserve and a loud explosion erupted inside.
"Well... I guess I should be going back in there. I need to hand out all of the tuxes and get the other girls ready too," Sakura said and stood up. "Gah... these shoes are killing my feet."
Sakura bent down and took off a pair of gold colored high heels that had a star situated right on the top of her feet.
"Much better," she said.
She walked back into the preserve barefoot and left Q-Bert and Sora outside.
"What are you trying to do?" Q-Bert asked suspiciously.
"What do you mean?" Sora asked confused.
Q-Bert glared at Sora and then walked back into the preserve. Sora stood there for a few minutes trying to figure out what Q-Bert meant when he asked him what he was trying to do. He shrugged and walked back into the preserve.
"I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts!" Naoko was singing as she was taking some food on a platter into the dining room. They were all donuts. Vash was following her like a lost puppy, and other bishies were sorting through some of the tuxes, Sakura supervising them.
"Ne, Naoko-chan! The room isn't quite ready yet," Sakura told her.
"It looks ready to me." Naoko said, peeking into the gym.
Sakura followed her and opened the door. Countless tables for food and eating at were set up, with different colored tablecloths at each table. Hung up in the air were star shaped lights and many Chinese lanterns. There was a karaoke bar on a stage on one side of the gym, and a dance floor right in the middle of the room.
"Wowie! You guys can work fast!" Sakura said to the bishies who were lounging on some chairs. "Where did you find the other lanterns?"
"In storage," one said.
Naoko put the tray of donuts down on the nearest table, grabbed Vash's collar, and dragged him out of the room. "There's more stuff to do," she said.
Sakura stared in awe at the room. Her decorating crew really knew how to decorate.
"This is great you guys... I can't wait for tonight," Sakura said. "Well... it's 6:15, you had better start getting ready. Be back here by 7:30."
The bishie's nodded and headed out to get dressed.
"NAOKO-CHAN!! RIKA-CHAN!!! HIKARU-CHAN!!! NASUTMI-CHAN!!!!!!!!! PORTAL GIRL!!! MOOIE!!! CA-CHAN!!!!!!!!!! IT'S TIME TO GET READY!!" Sakura bellowed through the preserve.
Each of the said girls cam running up to Sakura.
"You have good timing Sakura-chan. We just finished with the food preparations(sp?)," Rika said.
Sakura smiled. "Ok, go up to Naoko and my room and I'll meet you up there with your dresses," Sakura explained.
The girls took off running up the stairs. Sakura walked back to the front of the preserve and picked up a green box with a silver bow on top.
"I guess that lady at the shop wasn't all that bad. She did give me a good price on everything. Oh well, time to get ready," Sakura said to herself.
She carefully walked up the stair so she wouldn't step on her dress. She was humming a little as she walked into the room.
"It took you long enough!" Naoko said.
Sakura shot her a glance and Naoko shut up immediately. She set the box down and took the silver ribbon off. She pulled out some square packages and some long bags. Each on had a name written on it.
"AW!!!" Natsumi said. "Our names are written on them!"
Sakura sweatdropped. "The woman did that while I was trying on the other dresses."
Hikaru shook her head. "It must have been pretty uncomfortable trying on dresses that were for people shorter than you..."
"Heh......"
Right before Sakura could hand anything out, the door burst open. Ca screamed and Mooie yelled "Pervert!" before Q-Bert, Syaoran, and Sora ran in panting.
"Fan girls... invited.. themselves..." Syaoran panted before he slammed the door shut.
"........................... Uh oh...." Rika said.
Portal Girl gasped. "I haven't been doing my job!! What should I do?"
"Arm everyone with machine guns and help us flush them out?" Naoko said.
"Poor guys... I wonder what they are doing to the poor bishies..." Sakura said.
"Let's go save Kni- I mean them!" Mooie said and rushed out of the door.
Sakura and Naoko dashed after them, followed more slowly by Natsumi and Hikaru, who were discussing what songs they should sing together, Rika and Ca, who were discussing the best possible equation for stuffed mushrooms, and Portal Girl, who gave up her frantic search for some sort of weapon and ran out of the door after everyone else.
When Portal Girl caught up, she saw all of the employees of the preserve watching the scene from behind a wall. All the fan girls and bishies were chatting quietly with one another, some flirting, or some comparing their adventures.
"I'll get 'em!" Portal Girl said and hefted a semi-automatic machine gun.
"Where did you get that" Sakura asked.
Portal Girl smiled at them and said, "I keep it in my pants for crises like this," she said.
All of the girls fell down, anime style, except for Mooie, who looked impressed.
"It's like, everything is civil once they're in nice clothes..." Rika breathed.
"Maybe they just don't want to mess up their dresses," Natsumi observed dryly as she watched a girl daintily pick up her dress and tiptoe over a dust bunny.
"I wonder when the other girls are going to get here," Vash said, talking to Knives.
"Who cares?" Knives asked, looking hopefully at the hallway that the girls were hiding in.
"Aww! Knivesu! do you by any chance have a crush on Mooie?" Vash teased.
"No!" Knives said quickly. "Her... violence interests me!!"
"Well, it looks like everything is ok!" Hikaru said.
Ca breathed happily. "people are interested in my equations!" she said and pointed to several bishies, who were looking at them curiously.
"Eh....." Naoko said.
"Well, we should go get dressed now," Sakura told the group.
"Violins he says," Mooie said. "I'll show him violins...."
"He said violence," Ca said before Sakura dragged her off. Everyone else followed them.
~Back in the room~
Sakura pulled up the bag labeled "Naoko" and unzipped the bag reveling a blood red strapless dress with a crescent moon cut out around where the belly-button would be. She also picked up a small box and opened it, revealing metallic silver slip on sandal heels with crescent moons on them. Also in the small box, was a bag of metallic silver ribbons and small moon clips.
Naoko's eyes widened. "Sugoi (awesome)!!! That's so pretty Sakura-chan!" she exclaimed.
Sakura smiled and handed the dress over to Naoko who happily ran to one of the bathrooms to change. Next Sakura picked up a back labeled "Portal Girl."
"Ooh!! I hope it's black!" Portal Girl said happily.
Sakura unzipped it to show a pure black dress with long sleeves that came to a point that went to her middle finger. Around the collar and ends of the sleeves was a thin layer of black lace. She picked up another one of the small boxes and opened it reveling black strapy shoes and black ribbons. Inside was also a black lace chocker with a small dragon charm hanging down. Portal Girl's eyes lit up.
"Sakura! You're the best! Thank you!" she said and took the dress and headed off to another bathroom.
"Hm... who should be next?" Sakura mumbled. "I know! Hikaru-chan!"
She picked up another one of the bags and unzipped it. Inside was a sea- green dress with sleeves that went to Hikaru's elbows. Around the edges were small foam white wave designs. Inside another one of the smaller boxes was a pair of foam white slippers that looked perfect with the dress. On them were the same wave designs, yet this time, they were sea green. The hair accessories that were in the box consisted of small sea green and foam with sea shells, along with some sea-green ribbons. Hikaru ran up and hugged Sakura tightly then ran off to another bathroom.
"Hm... who do we have left?" Sakura said and turned to the remaining girls.
There, just about standing one on top of the others were Rika, Ca-chan, Mooie, and Natsumi. Sakura smiled. She pulled up another bag labeled "Natsumi."
"HA! I won. Pay up Rika, we had a bet that I would be next," Natsumi said as she turned to Rika.
Rika grumbled and handed over about 11 cents.
"The madness!" Natsumi cackled and hopped up to where Sakura was standing.
Natsumi's dress was a dark, midnight blue with small, embroidered, powder blue music notes. Natsumi's eyes lit up. The dress had only one thin strap that held it up over one shoulder and that strap was made from powder blue music notes.
"The madness..." Natsumi said dreamily.
In the smaller box that Sakura picked up was a pair of soft powder blue heels and some midnight blue and powder blue ribbons. Natsumi quickly snatched the dress from Sakura and ran off to another one of the many bathrooms.
"Next is... Rika-chan," Sakura said with a smile.
Rika squealed with delight. Sakura opened a bag in which a pale purple dress lay with long sleeves. All of the edges were lined with a much darker, richer purple that shimmered in the light. Centered at the top of the dress was a small simple rose that matched the trimming of the dress. In the other box, was a pair of dark purple sandals. Also, there were some dried roses in the box, that were, apparently, going to be used to decorate her hair.
Rika looked as if she was about to faint. "You out-did yourself Sakura- chan."
Sakura gave her and 'I know' look and handed her the dress.
"I'm going to be next!" Mooie said.
"And I'm going to be last!" Ca-chan said proudly.
Sakura watched as the two discusses to possibilities of what their dresses would look like.
"Oki doki, Mooie. You're up!" Sakura said.
Mooie bounced over to her happily. "Come on! Open it already!"
Sakura unzipped the bag and opened it showing a beautiful auburn colored dress with criss-crossing straps. Along the edges were small dark chocolate brown leaves that made it look like the moved with Mooie twirled around in the dress. In the box was a pair of dark chocolate brown heels with small auburn leaves on them.
"Pretty..." Mooie said quietly.
Sakura also pulled out a set of chocolate brown and auburn leaf hair clips for Mooie's short hair.
"Yay! I'm next!" Ca said happily.
Sakura lifted the last bag out of the box and opened it showing Ca a pale yellow dress with one-inch straps. Like Mooie's dress, it had a solid gold leaf pattern all around it. In the smaller box lay a pair of gold shoes and a small necklace with a golden leaf hanging down. Down in the bottom of the smaller box lay two simple gold ribbons. Ca-chan's eyes were sparkling and it almost looked like she was going to cry.
"Thank you so much Sakura-chan!" she said and gave Sakura a small hug and hurried off to the last unoccupied bathroom.
Naoko walked out and Sakura gestured for her to sit down so she could do her hair. Naoko quickly sat down and Sakura started her work. She pulled Naoko's hair into an elegant twist and clipped it up with the moon-shaped clips. After that she grabbed a few bobby pins and tied the ribbons in bows around them and stuck the pins into Naoko's twist. She sprayed on some hair spray and moved onto the next person.
Next Mooie quickly sat down, she was already dressed and she was one of the last people to go into the bathroom. Sakura sweatdropped. She brushed Mooie's hair back and did about six little twists, alternating clipping each with a chocolate brown or auburn leaf. Once again she sprayed some hair spray, coughing a little.
The next person to sit down was Portal Girl. Sakura quickly, and expertly took a small section of her hair and braided a thick black ribbon down it. The rest she straightened and arranged some of the little black clips in a small spiral design.
Next to sit down in front of Sakura was Rika. Sakura quickly pulled her hair up into two high pigtails and twisted them around making two small, tight buns. She stuck in some of the dried roses in another spiral design and sprayed more hair spray, causing herself to cough some more.
Sakura turned to the remaining girls and gestured for Natsumi to sit down. She pulled her hair into a long flat braid pining small music notes of various kinda through out it. She took to midnight blue ribbons and two powder blue ribbons and tied them at the base of the braid, using the curling iron to make them come down in ringlets.
Hikaru looked at Ca-chan, "Is it all right if I go next?"
Ca-chan nodded.
Hikaru quickly sat down and Sakura quickly went to work. She pulled half of Hikaru's hair into a ponytail and skillfully twisted it into a seashell shape and took the rest of it and pined it up around the shell shape. The way that they were pinned up allowed them to hang down but not touch Hikaru's shoulders. Sakura curled them into ringlets and tied a single sea- green ribbon into a bow on a bobby pin and pushed the pin up to where it hung at the base of the shell that her hair created. Sakura smiled happily and sprayed a lot of hair spray on making them both cough.
"Last, but definitely not the least, is Ca-chan," Sakura said and turned to face Ca-chan.
Ca scrambled onto the seat and sat down patiently awaiting the final picture. Sakura quickly pulled Ca's hair into a low ponytail and tied the two ribbon around her head and tied them in a bow on the side. She cut the ends making them two different lengths. She pulled the ponytail holder out of Ca's hair and curled her hair into ringlets. She sprayed Ca's hair with hair spray and then turned to see her work on everyone.
"You all look so beautiful!" Sakura cried happily.
Naoko, who was on the other side of the room with Rika to avoid the hairspray, gestured dramatically. "Shall we.............. go?" she asked.
"Yep!" Ca said and Natsumi got up and opened the door.
To be continued...
