Episode 8: "Yusuke and Momiji to the Rescue! Could it get anymore embarrassing?!"
Momiji and Yusuke arrived at the front doors of the castle to discover, to Momiji's surprised horror and to Yusuke's annoyed frustration, that they weren't allowed in.
"What do you mean 'we're not allowed in?!'" Yusuke questioned the hefty and very large Amazon guard furiously.
"We have a summons!" Momiji added, holding up the summons. "From Lord Koenma!"
"I can see that," the guard spoke, folding her arms crossly. "And I understand your predicament, but I still can't allow you in."
"But why not?" Momiji asked desperately.
"Actually, I should correct myself," the guard began, clearing her throat. "I can't allow YOU in." And she glared at Yusuke.
"Hey! What's wrong with me?!" Yusuke interrogated angrily.
The Amazon raised her head and stated matter-of-factly, "Law 117: 'No man, no matter what the reason may be, may be allowed to enter King Korenaga's castle other than the King himself.'"
"Well, that's a stupid law!" Yusuke declared irately.
"But why would the king make such a law?" Momiji inquired curiously. The Amazon let out a blunt laugh.
"You don't know?" Both shook their heads. "You two haven't been in the Keiki Kingdom all that long then." She sighed and began to explain. "As you may or may not know, a princess must be sacrificed to the demon Zenko every year. However, a princess has many people who love her - fathers, brothers, knights, fiancés - who will attempt to rescue her or seek revenge on the man - King Korenaga - for sacrificing their beloved princess."
"So?" Yusuke bitterly questioned. "What's your point?"
"The point is that," the Amazon guard continued raising an eyebrow, "37 years ago a knight from some foreign kingdom disguised himself as one of the knights of the Keiki Castle and almost rescued his princess, which would have caused Zenko to destroy the entire kingdom. From then and there, the King made all of his knights and guards women and got rid of all his male servants. That way, he knew that no male imposter could get by without being spotted almost immediately, no other man besides the King occupying the castle."
"Well, that's just great!" Yusuke exclaimed sarcastically. The Amazon shrugged and smirked.
"Hey, it makes our job a lot easier," she commented. "See a man in the castle and we attack. Just this morning a man tried to save this year's princess."
"Hmm?" Both Momiji and Yusuke looked puzzled.
"Some guy in a tuxedo."
"Darien," they flatly muttered at the same time and then sighed.
"At least it wasn't another assassination attempt," the Amazon remarked. "We've gotten a lot of those lately."
"Gee, I wonder why," Yusuke snapped sardonically and scoffed.
"Hey, rules are rules, kid," she replied and glanced over at Momiji. "SHE can come in if she likes."
"But I HAVE to get in there!" Yusuke insisted stubbornly. "It's IMPORTANT!" And Momiji nodded in agreement.
"There's nothing I can do about it," the Amazon stated casually. Yusuke let out a growl of exasperation, beginning to lose his temper.
"Listen - I am getting into that castle, and I'm going to talk to King Korenaga even if I have to fight his whole damn army!" Momiji, however, held him back, quickly taking him by the arm.
"You can't do that!" she whispered into his ear. "How do you expect to fight a WHOLE army and THEN a dragon?" Yusuke grimaced bitterly, knowing Momiji was right. And then, nervously glancing at the seven foot Amazon who towered over them with a murderous glare, Momiji was quick to add, "Besides, she's really big!" Yusuke stood there for another stubborn moment before sighing in frustration, pulling away from Momiji, and marching away in anger.
"Hey! Wait! Yusuke!" Momiji called out. She frowned and whimpered, realizing he wasn't stopping, and quickly turned back to the Amazon guard. "Bye! Uh…thanks, miss!" She then hurriedly followed after Yusuke.
She finally caught up to him when they were outside the castle gates. "YUSUKE!" she cried. He halted and spun around in anger.
"You're going to have to go in there by yourself!" he finally decided, face still furious.
"ME?!" Momiji questioned in horror. "By myself?!"
"Well, I can't get in!"
"But - what am I supposed to do?!" Momiji continued to ask worriedly. "I can't fight a dragon! YOU have to fight the dragon!" Yusuke let out an aggravated sigh.
"Then Serena's just going to have to die," he stated flatly, cynically crossing his arms. Momiji gasped.
"You can't mean that!" she cried.
"There's nothing I can do about it," he replied sincerely.
"But - she's going to be raped and eaten!" Yusuke looked away, guilt in his eyes. Momiji let out a sigh, almost giving up herself, when another idea struck her. A slow smile spread across her face and she said to Yusuke, "Give me my bag."
"Hmm?" He turned back to her and quizzically handed her the bag. She grinned even wider, placing the bag on the ground.
"I knew it was a good idea to pack!" she exclaimed to herself, opening the bag and shuffling through it. "Now, let's see…" She pulled out her school uniform and held it in front of Yusuke, a pensive look in her eyes as she deliberated for a moment. "Hmm…I think it may be a bit tight, but you're not very big, so I think it should fit you all right." Yusuke's face turned a bright shade of pink then as he suddenly realized what her newest plan was.
"Oh, no! Just hold on a second here!" Yusuke shouted, stepping back warily.
"What's wrong?" Momiji asked innocently as Yusuke glared down at the uniform.
"You want me to - for that blonde idiot?!" he questioned both fearfully and angrily.
"Well, why not?" Momiji inquired innocently.
"BECAUSE!" Yusuke declared and spun around from her stubbornly.
"But, Yusuke! It's a great plan!" Momiji argued.
"It is NOT a great plan! It's a STUPID plan!" Yusuke snapped back.
"But how else do you plan to get into the castle?"
"I DON'T plan to get in!"
"But Serena's going to die then!"
"SO?!" Momiji sighed in frustration, growing annoyed by Yusuke's stubborness.
"You're just being selfish!"
"No, I'm not!"
"Yes, you are!"
"Fine!" Yusuke finally admitted. "Maybe I am! I'm still not doing it!"
"But all you have to do is pretend you're a girl and you'll get in without any problems!" she insisted. "It's not that difficult."
"I'm not doing it!" Yusuke repeated.
"It's just a skirt, Yusuke!" Momiji snapped. "Girls wear them all the time, you know!"
"Exactly! And I'm not a girl!" There was a long moment of silence between the two, each refusing to look at each other out of sheer stubbornness.
Finally, Momiji commented casually looking at the uniform, "You know, now that I think about it, I actually think it would be a perfect fit."
"NO!" Yusuke exclaimed.
"Yusuke!"
"What about my hair, hmm?" Yusuke questioned heatedly. "What do you propose to do about that?"
"Well…" Momiji trailed off, unsure of an answer, and Yusuke scoffed, ready to turn away. "I know!" Momiji exclaimed, however, before his back was to her. "We'll go back into town and trade some of my things for a cheap wig. Or we'll go to a pawnshop, trade some things there for some money, and then buy a wig. It wouldn't be too hard!" Yusuke thought about this for a moment, before shaking his head, deciding at once the notion was ridiculous.
"No! I'm not - I can't believe I'm even CONSIDERING this stupid plan!"
"But it'll work! You KNOW it will work," Momiji insisted.
"That's not the point!"
"Then what is the point?!" Momiji questioned angrily. "That you can't put on a stupid wig and skirt for a few hours to save Serena's life?!"
"My answer is no!" Momiji sighed, near defeat. Then she glanced up at Yusuke with pleading eyes. He glanced down at her bitterly. "No," he repeated sternly.
"Please?" she asked innocently, widening her eyes.
"Momiji -"
"Pretty please?" Yusuke sighed in frustration, turning his face from her, afraid that she'd notice his eyes already shone with defeat.
Momiji watched from the gates as the Amazon guard from earlier that afternoon switched with another Amazon at the front doors. "Okay, Yusuke," she called to him in a whisper. "The guard from before just changed shifts. Now you don't have to worry about being recognized." However, when she heard no answer, she turned her head and inquired, "Yusuke?"
"I'm not doing it," she heard him say in a quiet voice.
"Yusuke! Why not?!"
"Because…I'm not," he repeated quietly and then added, "I look stupid."
"You do not!" Momiji insisted, still whispering. "Now will you come out?!"
"I - I can't."
"Don't tell me you're embarrassed!" she exclaimed.
"Well…"
"Yusuke!"
"Well, it's embarrassing!" Yusuke declared in a loud whisper. Momiji sighed.
"Well, you've already gotten dressed up," Momiji reasoned. "And that's probably the hardest part!"
"NO," Yusuke corrected. "Walking around in public like this is the hardest part."
"Yusuke! People in town already saw you like that!" Momiji further reasoned.
"I know…unfortunately…" Yusuke muttered.
"Besides, it's not like anyone you REALLY know we'll see you, anyway. Well, besides me and Serena and Darien."
"I guess so…"
"So, come on!" Momiji then proceeded to take him by the arm and pull him through the gate.
"No! Wait!" he cried, but it was futile.
"See!" Momiji exclaimed with a grin as she looked him over, Yusuke decked out in her school uniform, with black shoes and a black wig of straight shiny, although fake, hair that reached his shoulder and came with neatly trimmed bangs that fell over his forehead and hid his scar. He looked rather awkward standing there in Momiji's skirt, not exactly sure how he was SUPPOSED to stand while wearing a skirt, his face a bright red - the brightest red Momiji had ever seen. "You look so cute!" Momiji excitedly declared and, if it was at all possible, Momiji thought Yusuke's face got even redder. Then he snapped in an angry embarrassment:
"I do not!"
Momiji frowned and meekly mumbled, "It was supposed to be a compliment." Yusuke glared away.
"Yeah, yeah…can we just get this over with?" he asked bitterly, crossing his arms. Momiji smiled pleasantly and nodded, leading the way to the main doors of the castle.
"Hi!" Momiji cheerfully began as she and Yusuke reached the guard at the doors. Yusuke continued to grimace in annoyance. "We're…uh…here to see King Korenaga." She handed the new Amazon guard, equally tall and hefty as the original, the summons. "See?"
"Lord Koenma, hmm?" the Amazon questioned, eyeing them suspiciously. "And you two girls are?"
"Oh, I'm Momiji!" Momiji introduced herself with a foolish grin.
"And the OTHER one?" the Amazon further interrogated and Yusuke's face grew nervous.
"Oh, this is…uh…my friend…" Momiji began with a stutter, face becoming nervous as well. "Her name is…uh…Yolanda!"
"YOLANDA?!" Yusuke exclaimed in disgust, his voice far from feminine, and Momiji immediately slammed her hand against his mouth, laughing awkwardly. The Amazon glared down at them, still highly suspicious, looked over the summons again, and then sighed.
"This way," she told them reluctantly and gestured them to follow her through the door. Momiji released Yusuke's mouth and the two began to follow the Amazon guard.
"What you do that for?!" Yusuke whispered fiercely to Momiji after she released him and the two had begun walking into the castle. "And what kind of stupid name is -"
"If you're going to talk, you're going to have to change your voice," Momiji cut him off, whispering as well as they followed the Amazon through the corridors of the castle.
"Change my voice?!" Momiji nodded.
"Your voice sounds too much like a guy's voice," she explained. "It sounds too low; you have to make it sound higher, otherwise you're going to get caught."
"It's bad enough that I have to wear a skirt," Yusuke began in a loud whisper. "I am NOT changing my voice"!
"Fine; be stubborn," Momiji replied, turning her head from him. "Just don't talk then."
"Fine," he remarked coldly, turning his head from her as well.
The two remained silent until they reached the throne room of King Korenaga.
"I have a summons for you, Your Majesty," the Amazon guard informed the King upon entering the throne room. The King looked up quizzically.
"Hmm?" He took the summons from her and examined it curiously. "A summons, huh?" he muttered to himself, almost smirking. "I hadn't expected that. I suppose those two are going to do things differently then, rather than breaking into the castle. No matter, though." He turned back to the Amazon guard. "All right. You can allow them into the castle," he ordered.
"I already did, your majesty," the Amazon guard replied, much to King Korenaga's confusion. "They are waiting outside your throne room right now, sire."
"Hmm?"
"Two girls," the guard continued. "About fifteen. Names are Momiji and Yolanda."
"Yes, yes," King Korenaga quickly stated, barely paying attention as he glanced over the summons again. Then he repeated back, "'Two girls, about fifteen…Momiji and -'" The king stopped himself, however, and glared at the guard in angry puzzlement. "What?"
"Just like you were saying, sire; two girls, about fifteen. Names are Momiji and Yolanda."
"You mean a girl AND a boy, don't you?" the king inquired, nearly desperate. "A girl and a boy, about fifteen. They go by the names Momiji and Yusuke." But the guard shook her head in bafflement.
"Nope - just two girls," she replied. Then, pausing, she hesitantly asked, "Shall I send them in?" King Korenaga gritted his teeth, and glared back down at the summons.
"Fine!" he exclaimed, frustrated by his own perplexity. "Send them in!" She bowed and then left him alone in the throne room. "What is going on?!" King Korenga questioned in a low growl. "Danjuro said -"
The doors opened again to reveal the Amazon guard again, followed by two timid girl, one looking very nervous and the other rather awkward - almost embarrassed. King Korenaga studied them with fierce eyes before turning toward the guard.
"You may leave us," the guard bowed once more and left the two girls to King Korenaga.
Both Momiji and Yusuke stood there looking terribly nervous, Momiji strangely more so than Yusuke although it seemed that it should be the other way around.
"Come closer," King Korenaga ordered and both warily obeyed. "Stop." They halted. "Hmm…" The King then proceeded to circle around them like a vulture, causing both to become stiff and upright. First, he examined Momiji, who's body began to tremble in fear as she felt King Korenaga's eyes stab into her. He then moved onto Yusuke in his "Yolanda" disguise, who's face flushed to a deep scarlet as King Korenaga scanned him over suspiciously.
He took a step back from the two and pensively placed a hand to his chin. Then he questioned, "Which one is Momiji?"
"I am!" Momiji quickly blurted out, stupidly raising her hand. Embarrassed, she lowered it and frowned.
"I see." He glared towards Yusuke. "And that makes you Yolanda." Yusuke smiled nervously and glanced over at Momiji, who nodded.
"Yes, yes she is!" Momiji stated firmly.
"And what is…this summons all about?" he further questioned.
"Oh, that!" Momiji exclaimed. "Let me explain. You see, our friend Serena happens to be a sacrifice this year and although we understand that you have to save your kingdom, we came up with a better alternative than sacrificing an innocent princess!"
"'Al…ternative?'" the king inquired, raising a suspicious eyebrow.
"Yes, alternative!" Momiji continued on eagerly. "You see, instead of sacrificing our friend Serena, we thought that us three - Serena, Yolanda, and myself - could…uh…fight the dragon! Then you don't have to worry about your kingdom being in danger any longer and you don't have to sacrifice innocent girls."
"'Fight the dragon?'" The king scoffed. "Impossible!"
"But we really can!" Momiji insisted. "And even if we lose, I promise you that even if Serena doesn't stick around, you can sacrifice me. I happen to be a princess, myself, actually, so you wouldn't have to worry about the risk."
"But…how can you be so sure?"
"Well…I just am! We're all very powerful…well, Yolanda is, anyway. I'm sure she can take out that demon Zenko!" Yusuke smiled awkwardly and pulled at his skirt a bit.
"'Powerful,' huh?" King Korenaga questioned with a smirk. "She looks like a pathetic little girl if you ask me." Yusuke scowled and went to shout some profanity back at the king, but Momiji came in first.
"She is NOT just some 'pathetic little girl!' She can take on any demon!" Momiji declared proudly.
"Is that so?" He glared back at Yusuke. "Yolanda?" Yusuke rapidly nodded and King Korenga nearly laughed out loud. "Don't you talk?" An awkward expression fell across Yusuke's bright red face as his eyes immediately darted toward the ceiling. "You're not telling me that this 'very powerful' dragon slayer is scared of a little old king!" he stated mockingly and burst into a fit of laughter.
"It's not that she's shy!" Momiji jumped in hastily. "It's just that she's…mute!" Yusuke's mouth dropped open in horror.
"'Mute?'" King Korenaga's laughter faded into a surprise. "What do you mean she's -"
"She can't speak - ever since she was born!" Momiji explained decisively to the king, and she laughed nervously as she notice Yusuke eyeing her very angrily.
"Oh," King Korenaga replied and cleared his throat. "Anyway, so what you two are proposing is that I allow you to fight Zenko and, in exchange, I'll allow your friend Serena to go unharmed, is that it?"
"And Darien!" Momiji added and King Korenaga looked puzzled. "I mean, Tuxedo Mask. You have to let him go, too."
"I see…" He turned from them then placing a pensive hand on his chin as he began to deliberate. Something in his eyes seemed to be worrying him a great deal. He snapped back to them hopefully. "Are you sure there isn't a boy with you or anything like that?" he asked and both Yusuke and Momiji nearly jumped out of their skins, shaking their heads nervously.
"No, no! Of course not!" Momiji immediately exclaimed, laughing frantically as Yusuke's red face turned a deeper scarlet. "Just me and Yolanda!" The king sighed, shaking his head himself in some sort of defeat.
"I don't know…I just don't know…" he replied in a distant voice, placing his hand on his forehead now and looking very distraught. He then turned to them with his answer, "I don't know."
"But…how could you not know?!" Momiji persisted in horror. "You HAVE to know! There's nothing wrong with the plan! It's a GOOD plan! Right, Yolanda?" She gave Yusuke a pat on the back and Yusuke nodded hastily. "See? And we have a summons from Lord Koenma! That makes us legitimate!"
"I know, but…" The king's voice trailed off as a scowl formed across his face. "I have to think about it," he answered abruptly.
"But - " Momiji went to protest further, but King Korenaga cut her off.
"I'll have my guards escort you down to the dungeon to see Tuxedo Mask. Then you can visit the princess Serena. By then I should have my decision." And there was nothing Yusuke or Momiji could do but obey.
"I can't believe you said I was mute," Yusuke muttered to Momiji as the two followed the Amazon guard down the corridor toward Darien's cell.
"Well, I had to say SOMETHING!" Momiji insisted. "I couldn't say that the reason you wouldn't talk was because you really were a guy and refused to disguise your voice, you know." Yusuke merely scowled, crossing his arms in aggravation.
"I still think this is a stupid plan," he grumbled in annoyance. He then tugged his skirt downward. "And I feel so naked wearing this skirt; I feel like anyway just can see right up it."
"You look cute in the skirt, Yusuke," Momiji complimented with an innocent smile. "I think you make the perfect school girl!" She chuckled good-naturedly, but Yusuke sneered in disgust.
"Yeah, thanks a lot," Yusuke mumbled sarcastically, pulling his skirt down further and then repeated for the umpteenth time, "I still think this is a stupid plan." Momiji sighed in frustration.
"It is not! It's gotten us this far, hasn't it?" Yusuke rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, except we aren't actually allowed to fight the dragon yet."
"He's thinking about it!"
"Whatever…if you ask me, that King Korenaga is hiding something." Momiji frowned, contemplating this idea.
"He DID seem kind of suspicious…"
"Here's the prisoner," the Amazon called out to them and the two abruptly ended their conversation, rushing to the barred cell. "I'll leave you three to yourselves. You have five minutes." The guard then departed, leaving the three to converse privately. As soon as Darien saw them, he ran to the bars excitedly and yet surprised at the same time.
"Momiji! You're here!" he exclaimed, wrapping his hands around the bars. "Where's Yusuke?"
"Oh, he's right - " Before Momiji could finish, Yusuke slammed his foot on Momiji's, Momiji letting out a yelp. Whimpering, she looked up at Yusuke, who was glaring at her fiercely. Laughing nervously, she began to correct herself. "I mean…uh…Yusuke couldn't make it. He said he was really sorry, but he had another…uh…assignment! Yes, that's it!"
"Oh…" Darien frowned. He then noticed Yusuke. "Who's your pretty young friend?" Yusuke's face turned pink as Momiji started laughing again, scratching the back of her head nervously.
"Oh, this is my friend from school - Yolanda! She wanted to come and help and all…Yolanda, meet Darien!" Darien smiled warmly and put his hand through the bars for Yusuke to shake. Yusuke took it awkwardly, giving Darien a half smile.
"It's nice to meet you, Yolanda," he greeted her and Yusuke gave him a nervous nod, cheeks still flushed. After studying him for a moment, Darien said quizzically, "You know, Yolanda, you look kind of familiar." Yusuke frowned, pressing the bangs from his wig down on his forehead to make sure his scar was hidden, shaking his head in a slight panic. Momiji quickly jumped in.
"Oh, no! You don't know her!" she stated, pulling Yusuke's hand from Darien's. "She's just some ordinary school girl…" Darien scratched the back of his head in puzzlement.
"But…why would you two come here, then? I mean, it was nice of you both to come to help Serena, but what are you two going to be able to do to rescue her?"
"Don't worry, Darien!" Momiji assured him. "We have a plan - a really good one, too! Serena's going to be just fine!"
"Is she all right?" Darien anxiously asked. "What do they plan to do to her?"
"Well, we haven't seen her yet," Momiji answered honestly. "But I'm sure she's just fine! She hasn't been sacrificed yet, anyway!" Yusuke cringed at this, placing his head in his hand with a groan as Darien grew panicked.
"Sacrificed?!" he asked fearfully.
"Oh, well, there's no need to worry about her!" Momiji insisted with a laugh. "Me and Yolanda are going to defeat that dragon long before it gets a chance to rape and eat Serena, that's for sure!"
"WHAT?!" Darien now questioned, his fear evolving into horror.
Yusuke immediately grabbed Momiji by the arm and whispered harshly in her ear, "Don't tell him that! Are you TRYING to upset him?!"
"No…" Momiji replied quietly, pondering this thought for a moment. "I guess I must be upsetting him…"
"Momiji!" Darien called out with worry, wanting some sort of explanation from her. Momiji snapped from her thoughtful daze and turned to Darien again.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Darien!" she apologized with a bow of her head. "But there's really nothing to worry about! I promise! So you just sit here and relax and me and uh…Yolanda…will be back for you as soon as we rescue Serena!" She hastily took hold of Yusuke's hand now and started pulling him away.
"But, wait!" Darien protested, calling out to her for her to stop. "Momiji!" But Momiji and Yusuke left, leaving a confused Darien alone to his prison cell.
"What?" Danjuro questioned in fury after hearing King Korenaga's predicament.
"It's just like I said - two GIRLS! And they want to fight the dragon!" King Korenaga cried in dismay.
"But you said one was named Momiji?" Danjuro asked hopefully. The king nodded.
"And the other was a mute child named Yolanda," he stated and then added sardonically, "Momiji said that this Yolanda was a pretty powerful - "
"Nonsense!" Danjuro snapped before the king could finish and then let out an exasperated sigh. Snarling, he spoke, "I must have overestimated Yusuke and his…KINDNESS; he couldn't even be bothered to at least ATTEMPT to rescue his friend." He sighed again, raising his head indignantly. "No matter; let them try and fight Zenko. I'll deal with Yusuke on my own. I'll enjoy watching them die a horrible death. And don't fret - you'll still be paid well, I assure you." Danjuro then turned and stalked off into the shadows.
"Serena!" Momiji cried, falling to her knees before her friend as her and Yusuke entered Serena's room, the door being locked behind them by an Amazon Guard. Serena stared at her with a startled expression.
"Mo-Momiji?" she stammered in shock.
"I'm so sorry, Serena!" Momiji continued to sob, tears in her eyes. "I didn't mean to get so mad! But don't worry; I'm not angry anymore! I promise! And I don't hate you either! I just wanted to make sure you knew that, just in case you didn't!" Serena smiled, her eyes tearing up as well.
"It's all right, Momiji!" she assured her eagerly. "I'm sorry, too! I didn't mean to be nosy and pry into your life or anything like that! I was just trying to help - really! But I promise I won't do anything like that again!"
"Oh, Serena!"
"Momiji!" The girls then hugged and Yusuke couldn't help but scoff and roll his eyes at the sight.
He cleared his throat, growing slightly unnerved. "AHEM." Both girls released each other then and turned to him.
As soon as Serena's eyes set on Yusuke's, she burst into laughter, recognizing Yusuke immediately even in his wig and Momiji's school uniform. Yusuke's face reddened in rage.
"Hey! It isn't funny!" he shouted fiercely, lifting a tightly clenched fist. But Serena just laughed harder. "And you guys better not tell anyone either, or I'll - "
"Yes, it is!" she cut him off through her hysterics as she nodded, giddy with laughter. Yusuke scowled, growling in aggravation. Meanwhile, Momiji frowned in disappointment.
"I can't believe you recognized him," she began sadly. "No one else did…not even Darien. And I really thought it was a good disguise…"
"Well, I think it's a great disguise! Just hilarious!" she declared, laughing even harder than before.
"I swear to God, I'm going to kill her!" Yusuke exclaimed in fury and went toward Serena with a murderous look in his eyes. Luckily, Momiji stepped in front of him.
"Now, Yusuke, you really ought to calm down…" She frowned, however, noticing that Yusuke was still fuming, and then turned to Serena, deciding to try her luck out on her. "Come on, Serena; don't laugh! Yusuke's doing this all for you, you know!"
"Yeah, that's right!" Yusuke agreed. "But right now I feel like just leaving you here to be raped and eaten! It's better than having to undergo this humiliation any longer!"
"WHAT?!" Serena's laughed ceased, quickly being replaced with a look of horror. "'RAPED AND EATEN?!' But I was saving myself for Darien!"
"Don't worry!" Momiji assured Serena. "That's why me and Yusuke are here, after all! To rescue you!"
"Really?" Serena inquired. Momiji nodded. "But why is Yusuke dressed like THAT for?"
"BECAUSE there seems to be some STUPID law that states that no men are allowed in the castle except for the king," Yusuke explained angrily. Serena's eyes widened in revelation.
"I knew something was strange around here!" she cried and both Momiji and Yusuke turned to her with puzzled eyes.
"Hmm?" they asked.
"I noticed that there weren't any other men in the castle besides the king. Except there was this one man I heard! I can't believe I almost forgot!"
"What are you talking about?" Yusuke questioned.
"There was this one man who paid King Korenaga to set us all up to be killed today," Serena explained. "At least, that's what it sounded like from there conversation."
"WHAT?!" Yusuke and Momiji exclaimed in shock.
"I knew that that King Korenaga was up to no good…" Yusuke muttered bitterly to himself.
"But why did the other man pay the king to have us all killed?" Momiji then asked Serena, but Serena shook her head with a frown.
"I'm not sure. All I know is that he wants us dead," Serena answered solemnly. "But what was his name…" She thought for a moment and then the answer came to her. "Danjuro!"
"Danjuro?" Momiji inquired. Yusuke gasped, recognizing the name.
"That's that guy…"
The door opened, to all of their surprise, to reveal an Amazon guard.
"His majesty, King Korenaga, has agreed with your proposal," she told them flatly. "You will meet him outside on the sacrificial altar behind the castle - on Dragons Cliff. I will escort you there now." Each exchanged a glance of worry before all three cautiously followed the Amazon guard to Dragon's Cliff to meet Zenko.
When they reached the cliff, the castle only a few yards away, it was raining hard, the harsh wind billowing all around them. Yusuke nervously held down his wig with one hand, afraid it would blow off, and his skirt with the other. He turned to Momiji and whispered, "Say if my wig blows?"
"Don't worry," Momiji assured him.
"'Don't worry,' eh?" he questioned with a sarcastic sneer. "You've been saying that a lot lately, you know that?" Momiji winced.
"Well…I pinned it to your hair really good. I promise."
"But what about my skirt?"
"Now you know how it feels to be a girl," Serena whispered, popping her head in between them. Yusuke grimaced.
"But how am I supposed to fight a dragon like this?!" he asked, infuriated. "I can't be worrying about my hair blowing off or my skirt blowing up if I want to actually SURVIVE this fight!"
"Well, I don't know much about the hair thing," Serena began, "But as for the skirt, I always have to fight in one. It's not that bad once you get used of it."
"I don't WANT to get used of it!"
"Besides, it rarely blows up, anyway," Serena added. Momiji frowned miserably.
"I wish," she muttered, thinking about her own many embarrassing experiences.
"But - " Yusuke continued to protest, but Momiji cut him off.
"Sh!" she whispered, noticing they were approaching King Korenaga. "Remember? You have to be MUTE!"
"'Mute?'" Serena asked, and then began to snicker. "Hey, that's funny."
"Yeah, yeah - laugh it up," Yusuke grumbled bitterly.
"Just be quiet!" Momiji scolded Yusuke softly. And Serena nodded in agreement with a smug grin.
"Yeah! 'Just keep quiet!'" she repeated decisively. Yusuke looked nearly ready to strangle her, but King Korenaga fortunately spoke up.
"You're here," he called out to them, standing on a white marble platform with matching marble columns (that all three assumed to be the sacrificial altar) and gesturing them forward with nervous hands. "Come, come! Up here!" The three obeyed, climbing up the steps and stepping onto the altar. They stared down at the marble to see that the platform was no longer white; instead, it was stained a dry, fading, brownish-red, rotted with the blood of past sacrifices and Serena let out an "eep" at the sight of it, clinging to Momiji in fright as Momiji held up a hand to her mouth, looking sick. Yusuke, however, stepped over the blood stains and walked to the end of the platform, which sat on the edge of a cliff, looking downward into the dark massive canyon - the seemingly endless black void - with determined eyes and the wind seemed to pick up, and the rain appeared to pour down harder, and the sky looked grayer. King Korenaga grinned as he placed a hand on Yusuke's shoulder.
"That's where Zenko lives," he told him in a menacing whisper. "That's where he'll come from." His smirk widened viciously. "If you're not careful, he may eat you all…among other things." He began to snicker, but Yusuke's face did not flinch with fear, however, nor did Yusuke make any heed of the king. King Korenaga gave him a spiteful look because of this, and then, clearing his throat, took a step back to address them all. "Zenko should be here soon. It's almost sunset," he informed them, although the gray sky showed no sign of the sun. "You," he turned to Serena sternly. He glared downward, toward the left at two shackles, the chains digging deep into the platform's hard stone marble. "Put those on."
"WHAT?!" Serena questioned in horror. "But - how am I supposed to fight if I'm in chains?!"
"You don't," King Korenaga answered sharply. "Zenko must not know that I allowed this attack on him. Therefore, you will remain a sacrifice, chained to this altar as previously planned. If these two - " he gave Momiji and Yusuke a scornful look - "Are able to defeat Zenko, then I shall free you. If not, you will be sacrificed accordingly."
"But - "
"Let me be the sacrifice!" Momiji cut in anxiously. "Serena has a better chance fighting and I really can't do anything, anyway…" She then added, "After all, I'm used of being a sacrifice," and let out an awkward chuckle. Both Serena and Yusuke frowned at this as King Korenaga gave her an annoyed glare.
"And how do I know that you're REALLY a princess, hmm?" he asked, staring at her suspiciously. "You say you are, but how am I to know if you are really a liar?" Momiji cringed and tried to come up with some sort of reliable answer
"Well - "
"And how do you know if you're REALLY a virgin?" King Korenaga interrogated further and Momiji blushed wildly.
"But I - "
"No," King Korenaga snapped stubbornly. "I will not allow it. Much…RESEARCH goes into choosing the princess right for the annual sacrifice. It is a very difficult and tedious process. Not just any old princess can be chosen. And all this…hard work…it mustn't go to waste just because of a young school girl's whims. Especially when this young school girl may be a liar! No! I simply won't have it! I cannot risk my kingdom in such a way. Princesses are chosen for very important reasons - not just because of there royal blood and virginity, but because of other very imperative reasons, reasons that are too complex for children like you to understand and are highly classified anyway - and I will not cast aside decades of the Keiki Kingdom tradition just to fit three young girls' needs! No - it's bad enough that I am allowing you to even fight Zenko - but these rules - these OTHER rules we must abide by! For very significant, and, again, CLASSIFIED reasons and that is that!" When he was done with his lengthy, barely comprehensive speech, his face was only a couple of inches from Momiji's, spit flinging from the corner of his mouth in a worked-up rage, as Momiji stared up at him with much terror, nodding rapidly, hoping that his fierce eyes would leave her nervous ones.
Meanwhile, Serena let out a snicker and whispered into Yusuke's ear, "The only 'classified' reason he has is who pays him more money," and Yusuke almost began to laugh himself. Luckily, he managed to keep his snickering relatively quiet as to not blow his cover, whereas Serena laughed with no shame. King Korenaga turned to them suspiciously and both quickly drew blank faces, Yusuke staring up at the sky as Serena looked down at her feet, although a few snickers cracked from the corner of her mouth.
"Is something funny?" he questioned bitterly.
"No! Not at all, sir!" Serena exclaimed and Yusuke shook his head for an answer.
"Good," he coldly remarked. "Now hurry." Then he proceeded to chain a reluctant Serena to the altar. "Good day," he said to them all as he bowed his head and walked off the platform. "And good luck; you're going to need it." As soon as his back was turned from them, Serena turned her head and stuck her tongue out at him. Then, she proceeding whining to the others as soon as King Korenaga was out of hearing distance.
"This isn't fair!" she complained, pulling at the chains that held her by her wrists as she stood on the altar. "How am I supposed to do anything like this?!"
"You don't," Yusuke answered flatly. "I do."
"And what should I do?" Momiji asked Yusuke with a genuinely generous grin on her face. "I want to help."
"Then stay out of my way," he told her frankly and Momiji frowned.
"Hey! Don't be mean!" Serena scolded him.
"Look, I put on this ridiculous getup for you both, didn't I?" he began in slight annoyance. "The least you could do is let me just fight this stupid dragon on my own so we can get home as quickly as possible."
"Fine…" Momiji muttered miserably as she stepped beside Serena. "I'll just stand here and…uh…keep Serena company, I guess..."
"Whatever," Yusuke muttered and pointed his finger out toward the cliff. "Just one shot," he said to himself, narrowing his eyes. "As soon as Zenko comes up - just one shot. That's all I need."
"That Yolanda girl looks awfully familiar…" Danjuro noted as he stood on the roof of the castle looking down at the altar where the three girls stood, the rain and wind billowing down hard on him.
"Danjuro," a voice came in and Danjuro turned to see King Korenaga had joined him.
"King Korenaga," he greeted the king with a nod.
"There they are," King Korenaga told him, gesturing to the altar where the three stood.
"I know, I know," Danjuro brushed him off, his attention already focused on them.
"Zenko should be rising any moment," the king added. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he asked, "As for my gold - "
"Yes, yes - you'll get your precious gold," Danjuro interrupted carelessly, half paying attention to the king's words. "As soon as their dead." King Korenaga nodded and shivered slightly in the cold of the rain.
The earth then began to shake and King Korenaga lifted his head. "The beast is coming." Danjuro grinned wildly.
"Well, then - let the bloodbath begin."
Yusuke held his ground in front of the two girls as he saw a demon emerge from the great black void of the canyon, his aim set directly on the beast, as Serena and Momiji stepped closer to each other in fear. However, to Yusuke's surprise, the demon Zenko wasn't a dragon - yet, anyway. It glared at all three of them with condescending eyes.
"Three girls?" he asked with a grin. "Well, today's my lucky day, isn't it? King Korenaga must be feeling generous this year!"
"More like greedy," Serena muttered and Momiji frowned. Then she added, "Why don't I feel safe in these chains anymore…?"
"Yusuke will protect us," Momiji began. "Don't worry, Serena."
"Yusuke's right; you DO say 'don't worry' too much," Serena commented and a look of disappointment fell across Momiji's face.
"Well, I just like trying to be optimistic…"
"Now, who'd like to be my appetizer?" Zenko asked with a smirk. "Then that leaves me with the main course and desert." A look of voracity filled his red eyes. "I'm feeling very ravenous today - and I don't just mean I'm hungry." Momiji's face reddened in embarrassment as fear fell into her eyes as terror and anger filled Serena's.
"You pervert!" Serena cried aloud, and Momiji immediately slapped her hand over Serena's mouth.
"Don't say that to the big scary demon!" she whispered and Zenko laughed aloud.
"You two are too much!" he exclaimed and this his eyes set down on Yusuke, who's face and stance had stubbornly remained the same since Zenko's arrival. "And you - you seem brave compared to the others. Would you like me to make you desert? Then you can watch me ravish and devour your friends!" He burst into obnoxious, vindictive laughter, and although Yusuke's face remained fierce, he slowly lowered his finger to his side.
"What are you doing?!" Serena cried out to him. "You're supposed to shoot him!"
"I don't need to waste a shot on him," Yusuke replied sternly, eyes narrowing. "An asshole like him isn't worth it." Zenko scowled furiously as Yusuke then charged forward, fists raised. He gave Zenko several hard hits, Zenko not even having the chance to fight back, before Yusuke gave him his final blow - one tremendous punch to the jaw. Zenko went flying backwards, back down into the endless black void. Yusuke blinked a few times in surprise and he stepped over toward the edge of the cliff, peering downward. He couldn't see anything except darkness. Momiji now cautiously stepped away from Serena and next to him, looking down as well.
"Does that mean…you beat him?" Momiji asked.
"I guess so…" Yusuke answered slowly. The two then turned toward Serena. "Hey! We won!" he exclaimed. "That wasn't too hard, was it?" He then began laughing loudly as did Momiji, only much quieter. Serena's face, however, dropped in horror.
"Guys…" she called weakly, voice cracking, but could not be heard over their laughter. "Guys…" she called louder. Both looked up at her in perplexity.
"What's wrong, Serena?" Momiji inquired innocently.
"Dra…dra…" she stammered.
"Well, spit it out already!" Yusuke shouted impatiently.
"Dragon!" she cried. Yusuke scrunched his eyebrows in puzzlement.
"What are you talking about? I just defeated the dragon." But Serena shook her head in dismay.
"Behind you!" Both Momiji and Yusuke turned around together to see a dragon lower its head to them, baring its fangs as it screeched in a wild rage. Yusuke's eyes widened in terror as Momiji let out a scream of fear, stepping back with horror in her face. The dragon raised its ugly head, flapping its wings furiously, causing a heavy wind to blow about them.
"Yusuke…it's a lot bigger than the snake…" Momiji noted, taking another fearful step back.
"I've notice," Yusuke answered a bit shaky himself.
"You three pathetic girls dare challenge me?!" the dragon questioned in rage. "I will enjoy hearing your screams as I eat your flesh off your bones!" It then flew forward with incredible force and speed.
"Shoot!" Serena screamed and Yusuke, in a panic, realizing he had only seconds remaining before the dragon's fangs were in his flesh, obeyed, raising his hand quickly and shooting his Spirit Gun. The shot, however, went a bit wide, and the dragon easily dodged it, simply raising it slightly. Yusuke's mouth dropped open in horror as he lowered his arm, the dragon heading directly for him, it's mouth opening as a flame formed in its throat. Serena looked horrified. "He MISSED?! He's not supposed to miss!"
"Yusuke!" Momiji cried, running for him and pushing him out of the way, just as a blast of fire escaped from the dragon in a terrifying roar. The fire burned Momiji's back slightly as it flared past her and Yusuke, and then a still chained Serena who let out a cry as the flames swirled by her, barely missing her. Momiji let out a whimper as her and Yusuke fell to the ground, Momiji on top of Yusuke, the back of her shirt tattered and her skin scorched a bit. She bit her lip to try to deal with the pain.
"Momiji, are you all right?" Yusuke questioned as he sat up and she kneeled beside him. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," she told him with a nod, lowering her head to shield her eyes with her bangs. "I'll manage, anyway."
"Momiji…" He gave her a bittersweet smile. "Hey, thanks, all right?" She nodded again, tears in her eyes as the pain increased.
"I was just trying to help out the team, that's all," she managed to answer before the dragon turned on them again.
"It's coming back!" Serena cried in warning to them and they looked up to see the ferocious beast glaring at them with savage eyes. Yusuke stood up then, looking more angry than before and holding out his finger again, the tip glowing brightly. He did not move his feet from the ground and kept his finger pointed directly at the dragon as it soared toward him with its sharp claws and its violent screeching. And as the wings flapped brutally, the harsh wind blew up the bangs of Yusuke's wig to reveal the scar on his forehead.
"That shot…that scar…" The pieces suddenly fell together in Danjuro's mind and he grew furious, grabbing hold of King Korenaga by the collar in his rage. "You idiot!" he shouted. "That isn't a mute school girl! That's Yusuke Urameshi in disguise!" He then released him, pushing him to the floor of the castle roof in the process. "Damn it; that little cheat!" he muttered bitterly to himself. "I'm just going to have to find other means to DEAL with him."
"But, Danjuro - my gold! My beautiful gold!" King Korenaga cried out, reaching out a desperately greedy hand to him. Danjuro simply scoffed and turned from him.
"Why should I reward you? Yusuke Urameshi will defeat the dragon. Then he, the two girls, and Tuxedo Mask will return back to the human world. I have gained nothing."
"But I - "
"Be happy, King Korenaga," Danjuro interrupted. "I didn't overestimate Yusuke Urameshi's kindness; I underestimated, it seems." He then laughed to himself. "Disguised as a school girl. I never would have guessed. But you - you should be happy. He will be ridding you of a great burden that has been crushing your kingdom for centuries. And that I am not killing you for wasting my time." He then disappeared into nothingness.
Yusuke's shot directly blasted through the dragon's head and the dragon let out a shrill shriek as it wielded to the left and skidded down to the ground, dead. Yusuke let out a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat off his brow with his arm.
"Is it really dead now?" Serena asked hopefully.
"I think so…" Yusuke answered, walking over to it and examining it thoroughly. Noticing that its head was nothing more than a splatter of blood on the ground, he nodded decisively and said, "Yep; it's dead."
"Well, that's good," Serena replied. She then frowned, yanking at her chains. "Hey, how do I get out of these things?"
"Beats me," Yusuke told her honestly.
The two then looked to Momiji who had slowly managed to rise to her feet, although her head remained lowered. "Momiji…are you all right?" Serena asked with concern. Momiji nodded as she slowly walked forward.
"Momiji - " Yusuke began to protest, but Momiji interrupted.
"I'm fine…really…" She then fell forward, Yusuke catching her in her arms.
"Momiji!" Serena cried out, pulling at her chains with all her might.
"Don't worry; she's just passed out," Yusuke assured her and Serena suddenly laughed. "What's so funny, Serena?"
"Nothing. It's just that, she's got you saying 'don't worry,' too, now." Yusuke smiled himself and looked down at the unconscious Momiji.
The rain continued to poor down.
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
Momiji: Hey, everyone! Momiji here! And back in good health, might I add, thanks to a little help from Yusuke's friend Kurama in the beginning of the next episode!
Serena: Hey! Don't be giving everything away!
Yusuke: I'm just glad to be back home and out of that damn skirt. Which reminds me - you two better not tell ANYONE about that, all right? Otherwise -
Serena: We won't! We won't!
Momiji: It's our little secret! We promise!
Yusuke: Well, it better be!
Serena: Anyway, onto the next episode! To begin with, Momiji gets her first run in with Danjuro…
Momiji: Finally! I'm the only one who hasn't yet! I'm so excited!
Yusuke: It's NOT a good thing, you know.
Momiji: Well, I know that…
Serena: And there's a riddle!
Momiji: There is?! But I've never been good at riddles…
Serena: And for all you folks who missed me last episode, considering Yusuke ALWAYS has to hog the spot light…
Yusuke: I do not! It's not my fault you guys need my help ALL the time…
Serena: You just THINK we do! We can handle ourselves just fine without YOU interfering all the time!
Yusuke: Me?!
Momiji: Anyway, as Serena was saying, even though she didn't get to do as much in last episode, she gets to do a lot in the next one!
Serena: That's right! And did I mention that YUSUKE'S not in it so much? This is definitely an episode worth watching just for that alone!
Yusuke: Hey! I just humiliated myself to save YOUR pathetic life and this is the thanks I guess?!
Serena: That's the way the cookie crumbles, I guess.
Yusuke: Like that's fair…
Serena: Anyway, while Momiji's talking to the mysterious Danjuro, I get to talk to a mysterious stranger myself!
Momiji: You do?! Who?!
Serena: With that weird little kid who the first Baken-Ai was trying to kill!
Momiji: No way! And I just saw him in the Keiki Kingdom, too! I wonder why...and why do the Baken-Ai want him dead? And what's the deal with that Danjuro guy anyway?!
Serena: Well, maybe SOME of those answers will be mentioned in the next episode!
Momiji: Only SOME?! Well, it's still exciting anyway!
Yusuke: Yeah…WONDERFUL…
Serena: Don't be so bitter, Yusuke, just because you can't be the star all the time! Besides, you wouldn't want to talk to that little kid, anyway! He's a big brat, if you ask me!
Momiji: I thought he seemed nice enough…
Serena: Yeah! For an annoying brat!
Momiji: Well, the audience is just going to have to decide for themselves and check out the next episode of "What's My Line Again…?," Episode 9, "It's all so mysterious! Who are these two strangers, anyway?!"
Yusuke: At least you two will be harassing someone who ISN'T me for once...
Momiji and Yusuke arrived at the front doors of the castle to discover, to Momiji's surprised horror and to Yusuke's annoyed frustration, that they weren't allowed in.
"What do you mean 'we're not allowed in?!'" Yusuke questioned the hefty and very large Amazon guard furiously.
"We have a summons!" Momiji added, holding up the summons. "From Lord Koenma!"
"I can see that," the guard spoke, folding her arms crossly. "And I understand your predicament, but I still can't allow you in."
"But why not?" Momiji asked desperately.
"Actually, I should correct myself," the guard began, clearing her throat. "I can't allow YOU in." And she glared at Yusuke.
"Hey! What's wrong with me?!" Yusuke interrogated angrily.
The Amazon raised her head and stated matter-of-factly, "Law 117: 'No man, no matter what the reason may be, may be allowed to enter King Korenaga's castle other than the King himself.'"
"Well, that's a stupid law!" Yusuke declared irately.
"But why would the king make such a law?" Momiji inquired curiously. The Amazon let out a blunt laugh.
"You don't know?" Both shook their heads. "You two haven't been in the Keiki Kingdom all that long then." She sighed and began to explain. "As you may or may not know, a princess must be sacrificed to the demon Zenko every year. However, a princess has many people who love her - fathers, brothers, knights, fiancés - who will attempt to rescue her or seek revenge on the man - King Korenaga - for sacrificing their beloved princess."
"So?" Yusuke bitterly questioned. "What's your point?"
"The point is that," the Amazon guard continued raising an eyebrow, "37 years ago a knight from some foreign kingdom disguised himself as one of the knights of the Keiki Castle and almost rescued his princess, which would have caused Zenko to destroy the entire kingdom. From then and there, the King made all of his knights and guards women and got rid of all his male servants. That way, he knew that no male imposter could get by without being spotted almost immediately, no other man besides the King occupying the castle."
"Well, that's just great!" Yusuke exclaimed sarcastically. The Amazon shrugged and smirked.
"Hey, it makes our job a lot easier," she commented. "See a man in the castle and we attack. Just this morning a man tried to save this year's princess."
"Hmm?" Both Momiji and Yusuke looked puzzled.
"Some guy in a tuxedo."
"Darien," they flatly muttered at the same time and then sighed.
"At least it wasn't another assassination attempt," the Amazon remarked. "We've gotten a lot of those lately."
"Gee, I wonder why," Yusuke snapped sardonically and scoffed.
"Hey, rules are rules, kid," she replied and glanced over at Momiji. "SHE can come in if she likes."
"But I HAVE to get in there!" Yusuke insisted stubbornly. "It's IMPORTANT!" And Momiji nodded in agreement.
"There's nothing I can do about it," the Amazon stated casually. Yusuke let out a growl of exasperation, beginning to lose his temper.
"Listen - I am getting into that castle, and I'm going to talk to King Korenaga even if I have to fight his whole damn army!" Momiji, however, held him back, quickly taking him by the arm.
"You can't do that!" she whispered into his ear. "How do you expect to fight a WHOLE army and THEN a dragon?" Yusuke grimaced bitterly, knowing Momiji was right. And then, nervously glancing at the seven foot Amazon who towered over them with a murderous glare, Momiji was quick to add, "Besides, she's really big!" Yusuke stood there for another stubborn moment before sighing in frustration, pulling away from Momiji, and marching away in anger.
"Hey! Wait! Yusuke!" Momiji called out. She frowned and whimpered, realizing he wasn't stopping, and quickly turned back to the Amazon guard. "Bye! Uh…thanks, miss!" She then hurriedly followed after Yusuke.
She finally caught up to him when they were outside the castle gates. "YUSUKE!" she cried. He halted and spun around in anger.
"You're going to have to go in there by yourself!" he finally decided, face still furious.
"ME?!" Momiji questioned in horror. "By myself?!"
"Well, I can't get in!"
"But - what am I supposed to do?!" Momiji continued to ask worriedly. "I can't fight a dragon! YOU have to fight the dragon!" Yusuke let out an aggravated sigh.
"Then Serena's just going to have to die," he stated flatly, cynically crossing his arms. Momiji gasped.
"You can't mean that!" she cried.
"There's nothing I can do about it," he replied sincerely.
"But - she's going to be raped and eaten!" Yusuke looked away, guilt in his eyes. Momiji let out a sigh, almost giving up herself, when another idea struck her. A slow smile spread across her face and she said to Yusuke, "Give me my bag."
"Hmm?" He turned back to her and quizzically handed her the bag. She grinned even wider, placing the bag on the ground.
"I knew it was a good idea to pack!" she exclaimed to herself, opening the bag and shuffling through it. "Now, let's see…" She pulled out her school uniform and held it in front of Yusuke, a pensive look in her eyes as she deliberated for a moment. "Hmm…I think it may be a bit tight, but you're not very big, so I think it should fit you all right." Yusuke's face turned a bright shade of pink then as he suddenly realized what her newest plan was.
"Oh, no! Just hold on a second here!" Yusuke shouted, stepping back warily.
"What's wrong?" Momiji asked innocently as Yusuke glared down at the uniform.
"You want me to - for that blonde idiot?!" he questioned both fearfully and angrily.
"Well, why not?" Momiji inquired innocently.
"BECAUSE!" Yusuke declared and spun around from her stubbornly.
"But, Yusuke! It's a great plan!" Momiji argued.
"It is NOT a great plan! It's a STUPID plan!" Yusuke snapped back.
"But how else do you plan to get into the castle?"
"I DON'T plan to get in!"
"But Serena's going to die then!"
"SO?!" Momiji sighed in frustration, growing annoyed by Yusuke's stubborness.
"You're just being selfish!"
"No, I'm not!"
"Yes, you are!"
"Fine!" Yusuke finally admitted. "Maybe I am! I'm still not doing it!"
"But all you have to do is pretend you're a girl and you'll get in without any problems!" she insisted. "It's not that difficult."
"I'm not doing it!" Yusuke repeated.
"It's just a skirt, Yusuke!" Momiji snapped. "Girls wear them all the time, you know!"
"Exactly! And I'm not a girl!" There was a long moment of silence between the two, each refusing to look at each other out of sheer stubbornness.
Finally, Momiji commented casually looking at the uniform, "You know, now that I think about it, I actually think it would be a perfect fit."
"NO!" Yusuke exclaimed.
"Yusuke!"
"What about my hair, hmm?" Yusuke questioned heatedly. "What do you propose to do about that?"
"Well…" Momiji trailed off, unsure of an answer, and Yusuke scoffed, ready to turn away. "I know!" Momiji exclaimed, however, before his back was to her. "We'll go back into town and trade some of my things for a cheap wig. Or we'll go to a pawnshop, trade some things there for some money, and then buy a wig. It wouldn't be too hard!" Yusuke thought about this for a moment, before shaking his head, deciding at once the notion was ridiculous.
"No! I'm not - I can't believe I'm even CONSIDERING this stupid plan!"
"But it'll work! You KNOW it will work," Momiji insisted.
"That's not the point!"
"Then what is the point?!" Momiji questioned angrily. "That you can't put on a stupid wig and skirt for a few hours to save Serena's life?!"
"My answer is no!" Momiji sighed, near defeat. Then she glanced up at Yusuke with pleading eyes. He glanced down at her bitterly. "No," he repeated sternly.
"Please?" she asked innocently, widening her eyes.
"Momiji -"
"Pretty please?" Yusuke sighed in frustration, turning his face from her, afraid that she'd notice his eyes already shone with defeat.
Momiji watched from the gates as the Amazon guard from earlier that afternoon switched with another Amazon at the front doors. "Okay, Yusuke," she called to him in a whisper. "The guard from before just changed shifts. Now you don't have to worry about being recognized." However, when she heard no answer, she turned her head and inquired, "Yusuke?"
"I'm not doing it," she heard him say in a quiet voice.
"Yusuke! Why not?!"
"Because…I'm not," he repeated quietly and then added, "I look stupid."
"You do not!" Momiji insisted, still whispering. "Now will you come out?!"
"I - I can't."
"Don't tell me you're embarrassed!" she exclaimed.
"Well…"
"Yusuke!"
"Well, it's embarrassing!" Yusuke declared in a loud whisper. Momiji sighed.
"Well, you've already gotten dressed up," Momiji reasoned. "And that's probably the hardest part!"
"NO," Yusuke corrected. "Walking around in public like this is the hardest part."
"Yusuke! People in town already saw you like that!" Momiji further reasoned.
"I know…unfortunately…" Yusuke muttered.
"Besides, it's not like anyone you REALLY know we'll see you, anyway. Well, besides me and Serena and Darien."
"I guess so…"
"So, come on!" Momiji then proceeded to take him by the arm and pull him through the gate.
"No! Wait!" he cried, but it was futile.
"See!" Momiji exclaimed with a grin as she looked him over, Yusuke decked out in her school uniform, with black shoes and a black wig of straight shiny, although fake, hair that reached his shoulder and came with neatly trimmed bangs that fell over his forehead and hid his scar. He looked rather awkward standing there in Momiji's skirt, not exactly sure how he was SUPPOSED to stand while wearing a skirt, his face a bright red - the brightest red Momiji had ever seen. "You look so cute!" Momiji excitedly declared and, if it was at all possible, Momiji thought Yusuke's face got even redder. Then he snapped in an angry embarrassment:
"I do not!"
Momiji frowned and meekly mumbled, "It was supposed to be a compliment." Yusuke glared away.
"Yeah, yeah…can we just get this over with?" he asked bitterly, crossing his arms. Momiji smiled pleasantly and nodded, leading the way to the main doors of the castle.
"Hi!" Momiji cheerfully began as she and Yusuke reached the guard at the doors. Yusuke continued to grimace in annoyance. "We're…uh…here to see King Korenaga." She handed the new Amazon guard, equally tall and hefty as the original, the summons. "See?"
"Lord Koenma, hmm?" the Amazon questioned, eyeing them suspiciously. "And you two girls are?"
"Oh, I'm Momiji!" Momiji introduced herself with a foolish grin.
"And the OTHER one?" the Amazon further interrogated and Yusuke's face grew nervous.
"Oh, this is…uh…my friend…" Momiji began with a stutter, face becoming nervous as well. "Her name is…uh…Yolanda!"
"YOLANDA?!" Yusuke exclaimed in disgust, his voice far from feminine, and Momiji immediately slammed her hand against his mouth, laughing awkwardly. The Amazon glared down at them, still highly suspicious, looked over the summons again, and then sighed.
"This way," she told them reluctantly and gestured them to follow her through the door. Momiji released Yusuke's mouth and the two began to follow the Amazon guard.
"What you do that for?!" Yusuke whispered fiercely to Momiji after she released him and the two had begun walking into the castle. "And what kind of stupid name is -"
"If you're going to talk, you're going to have to change your voice," Momiji cut him off, whispering as well as they followed the Amazon through the corridors of the castle.
"Change my voice?!" Momiji nodded.
"Your voice sounds too much like a guy's voice," she explained. "It sounds too low; you have to make it sound higher, otherwise you're going to get caught."
"It's bad enough that I have to wear a skirt," Yusuke began in a loud whisper. "I am NOT changing my voice"!
"Fine; be stubborn," Momiji replied, turning her head from him. "Just don't talk then."
"Fine," he remarked coldly, turning his head from her as well.
The two remained silent until they reached the throne room of King Korenaga.
"I have a summons for you, Your Majesty," the Amazon guard informed the King upon entering the throne room. The King looked up quizzically.
"Hmm?" He took the summons from her and examined it curiously. "A summons, huh?" he muttered to himself, almost smirking. "I hadn't expected that. I suppose those two are going to do things differently then, rather than breaking into the castle. No matter, though." He turned back to the Amazon guard. "All right. You can allow them into the castle," he ordered.
"I already did, your majesty," the Amazon guard replied, much to King Korenaga's confusion. "They are waiting outside your throne room right now, sire."
"Hmm?"
"Two girls," the guard continued. "About fifteen. Names are Momiji and Yolanda."
"Yes, yes," King Korenaga quickly stated, barely paying attention as he glanced over the summons again. Then he repeated back, "'Two girls, about fifteen…Momiji and -'" The king stopped himself, however, and glared at the guard in angry puzzlement. "What?"
"Just like you were saying, sire; two girls, about fifteen. Names are Momiji and Yolanda."
"You mean a girl AND a boy, don't you?" the king inquired, nearly desperate. "A girl and a boy, about fifteen. They go by the names Momiji and Yusuke." But the guard shook her head in bafflement.
"Nope - just two girls," she replied. Then, pausing, she hesitantly asked, "Shall I send them in?" King Korenaga gritted his teeth, and glared back down at the summons.
"Fine!" he exclaimed, frustrated by his own perplexity. "Send them in!" She bowed and then left him alone in the throne room. "What is going on?!" King Korenga questioned in a low growl. "Danjuro said -"
The doors opened again to reveal the Amazon guard again, followed by two timid girl, one looking very nervous and the other rather awkward - almost embarrassed. King Korenaga studied them with fierce eyes before turning toward the guard.
"You may leave us," the guard bowed once more and left the two girls to King Korenaga.
Both Momiji and Yusuke stood there looking terribly nervous, Momiji strangely more so than Yusuke although it seemed that it should be the other way around.
"Come closer," King Korenaga ordered and both warily obeyed. "Stop." They halted. "Hmm…" The King then proceeded to circle around them like a vulture, causing both to become stiff and upright. First, he examined Momiji, who's body began to tremble in fear as she felt King Korenaga's eyes stab into her. He then moved onto Yusuke in his "Yolanda" disguise, who's face flushed to a deep scarlet as King Korenaga scanned him over suspiciously.
He took a step back from the two and pensively placed a hand to his chin. Then he questioned, "Which one is Momiji?"
"I am!" Momiji quickly blurted out, stupidly raising her hand. Embarrassed, she lowered it and frowned.
"I see." He glared towards Yusuke. "And that makes you Yolanda." Yusuke smiled nervously and glanced over at Momiji, who nodded.
"Yes, yes she is!" Momiji stated firmly.
"And what is…this summons all about?" he further questioned.
"Oh, that!" Momiji exclaimed. "Let me explain. You see, our friend Serena happens to be a sacrifice this year and although we understand that you have to save your kingdom, we came up with a better alternative than sacrificing an innocent princess!"
"'Al…ternative?'" the king inquired, raising a suspicious eyebrow.
"Yes, alternative!" Momiji continued on eagerly. "You see, instead of sacrificing our friend Serena, we thought that us three - Serena, Yolanda, and myself - could…uh…fight the dragon! Then you don't have to worry about your kingdom being in danger any longer and you don't have to sacrifice innocent girls."
"'Fight the dragon?'" The king scoffed. "Impossible!"
"But we really can!" Momiji insisted. "And even if we lose, I promise you that even if Serena doesn't stick around, you can sacrifice me. I happen to be a princess, myself, actually, so you wouldn't have to worry about the risk."
"But…how can you be so sure?"
"Well…I just am! We're all very powerful…well, Yolanda is, anyway. I'm sure she can take out that demon Zenko!" Yusuke smiled awkwardly and pulled at his skirt a bit.
"'Powerful,' huh?" King Korenaga questioned with a smirk. "She looks like a pathetic little girl if you ask me." Yusuke scowled and went to shout some profanity back at the king, but Momiji came in first.
"She is NOT just some 'pathetic little girl!' She can take on any demon!" Momiji declared proudly.
"Is that so?" He glared back at Yusuke. "Yolanda?" Yusuke rapidly nodded and King Korenga nearly laughed out loud. "Don't you talk?" An awkward expression fell across Yusuke's bright red face as his eyes immediately darted toward the ceiling. "You're not telling me that this 'very powerful' dragon slayer is scared of a little old king!" he stated mockingly and burst into a fit of laughter.
"It's not that she's shy!" Momiji jumped in hastily. "It's just that she's…mute!" Yusuke's mouth dropped open in horror.
"'Mute?'" King Korenaga's laughter faded into a surprise. "What do you mean she's -"
"She can't speak - ever since she was born!" Momiji explained decisively to the king, and she laughed nervously as she notice Yusuke eyeing her very angrily.
"Oh," King Korenaga replied and cleared his throat. "Anyway, so what you two are proposing is that I allow you to fight Zenko and, in exchange, I'll allow your friend Serena to go unharmed, is that it?"
"And Darien!" Momiji added and King Korenaga looked puzzled. "I mean, Tuxedo Mask. You have to let him go, too."
"I see…" He turned from them then placing a pensive hand on his chin as he began to deliberate. Something in his eyes seemed to be worrying him a great deal. He snapped back to them hopefully. "Are you sure there isn't a boy with you or anything like that?" he asked and both Yusuke and Momiji nearly jumped out of their skins, shaking their heads nervously.
"No, no! Of course not!" Momiji immediately exclaimed, laughing frantically as Yusuke's red face turned a deeper scarlet. "Just me and Yolanda!" The king sighed, shaking his head himself in some sort of defeat.
"I don't know…I just don't know…" he replied in a distant voice, placing his hand on his forehead now and looking very distraught. He then turned to them with his answer, "I don't know."
"But…how could you not know?!" Momiji persisted in horror. "You HAVE to know! There's nothing wrong with the plan! It's a GOOD plan! Right, Yolanda?" She gave Yusuke a pat on the back and Yusuke nodded hastily. "See? And we have a summons from Lord Koenma! That makes us legitimate!"
"I know, but…" The king's voice trailed off as a scowl formed across his face. "I have to think about it," he answered abruptly.
"But - " Momiji went to protest further, but King Korenaga cut her off.
"I'll have my guards escort you down to the dungeon to see Tuxedo Mask. Then you can visit the princess Serena. By then I should have my decision." And there was nothing Yusuke or Momiji could do but obey.
"I can't believe you said I was mute," Yusuke muttered to Momiji as the two followed the Amazon guard down the corridor toward Darien's cell.
"Well, I had to say SOMETHING!" Momiji insisted. "I couldn't say that the reason you wouldn't talk was because you really were a guy and refused to disguise your voice, you know." Yusuke merely scowled, crossing his arms in aggravation.
"I still think this is a stupid plan," he grumbled in annoyance. He then tugged his skirt downward. "And I feel so naked wearing this skirt; I feel like anyway just can see right up it."
"You look cute in the skirt, Yusuke," Momiji complimented with an innocent smile. "I think you make the perfect school girl!" She chuckled good-naturedly, but Yusuke sneered in disgust.
"Yeah, thanks a lot," Yusuke mumbled sarcastically, pulling his skirt down further and then repeated for the umpteenth time, "I still think this is a stupid plan." Momiji sighed in frustration.
"It is not! It's gotten us this far, hasn't it?" Yusuke rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, except we aren't actually allowed to fight the dragon yet."
"He's thinking about it!"
"Whatever…if you ask me, that King Korenaga is hiding something." Momiji frowned, contemplating this idea.
"He DID seem kind of suspicious…"
"Here's the prisoner," the Amazon called out to them and the two abruptly ended their conversation, rushing to the barred cell. "I'll leave you three to yourselves. You have five minutes." The guard then departed, leaving the three to converse privately. As soon as Darien saw them, he ran to the bars excitedly and yet surprised at the same time.
"Momiji! You're here!" he exclaimed, wrapping his hands around the bars. "Where's Yusuke?"
"Oh, he's right - " Before Momiji could finish, Yusuke slammed his foot on Momiji's, Momiji letting out a yelp. Whimpering, she looked up at Yusuke, who was glaring at her fiercely. Laughing nervously, she began to correct herself. "I mean…uh…Yusuke couldn't make it. He said he was really sorry, but he had another…uh…assignment! Yes, that's it!"
"Oh…" Darien frowned. He then noticed Yusuke. "Who's your pretty young friend?" Yusuke's face turned pink as Momiji started laughing again, scratching the back of her head nervously.
"Oh, this is my friend from school - Yolanda! She wanted to come and help and all…Yolanda, meet Darien!" Darien smiled warmly and put his hand through the bars for Yusuke to shake. Yusuke took it awkwardly, giving Darien a half smile.
"It's nice to meet you, Yolanda," he greeted her and Yusuke gave him a nervous nod, cheeks still flushed. After studying him for a moment, Darien said quizzically, "You know, Yolanda, you look kind of familiar." Yusuke frowned, pressing the bangs from his wig down on his forehead to make sure his scar was hidden, shaking his head in a slight panic. Momiji quickly jumped in.
"Oh, no! You don't know her!" she stated, pulling Yusuke's hand from Darien's. "She's just some ordinary school girl…" Darien scratched the back of his head in puzzlement.
"But…why would you two come here, then? I mean, it was nice of you both to come to help Serena, but what are you two going to be able to do to rescue her?"
"Don't worry, Darien!" Momiji assured him. "We have a plan - a really good one, too! Serena's going to be just fine!"
"Is she all right?" Darien anxiously asked. "What do they plan to do to her?"
"Well, we haven't seen her yet," Momiji answered honestly. "But I'm sure she's just fine! She hasn't been sacrificed yet, anyway!" Yusuke cringed at this, placing his head in his hand with a groan as Darien grew panicked.
"Sacrificed?!" he asked fearfully.
"Oh, well, there's no need to worry about her!" Momiji insisted with a laugh. "Me and Yolanda are going to defeat that dragon long before it gets a chance to rape and eat Serena, that's for sure!"
"WHAT?!" Darien now questioned, his fear evolving into horror.
Yusuke immediately grabbed Momiji by the arm and whispered harshly in her ear, "Don't tell him that! Are you TRYING to upset him?!"
"No…" Momiji replied quietly, pondering this thought for a moment. "I guess I must be upsetting him…"
"Momiji!" Darien called out with worry, wanting some sort of explanation from her. Momiji snapped from her thoughtful daze and turned to Darien again.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Darien!" she apologized with a bow of her head. "But there's really nothing to worry about! I promise! So you just sit here and relax and me and uh…Yolanda…will be back for you as soon as we rescue Serena!" She hastily took hold of Yusuke's hand now and started pulling him away.
"But, wait!" Darien protested, calling out to her for her to stop. "Momiji!" But Momiji and Yusuke left, leaving a confused Darien alone to his prison cell.
"What?" Danjuro questioned in fury after hearing King Korenaga's predicament.
"It's just like I said - two GIRLS! And they want to fight the dragon!" King Korenaga cried in dismay.
"But you said one was named Momiji?" Danjuro asked hopefully. The king nodded.
"And the other was a mute child named Yolanda," he stated and then added sardonically, "Momiji said that this Yolanda was a pretty powerful - "
"Nonsense!" Danjuro snapped before the king could finish and then let out an exasperated sigh. Snarling, he spoke, "I must have overestimated Yusuke and his…KINDNESS; he couldn't even be bothered to at least ATTEMPT to rescue his friend." He sighed again, raising his head indignantly. "No matter; let them try and fight Zenko. I'll deal with Yusuke on my own. I'll enjoy watching them die a horrible death. And don't fret - you'll still be paid well, I assure you." Danjuro then turned and stalked off into the shadows.
"Serena!" Momiji cried, falling to her knees before her friend as her and Yusuke entered Serena's room, the door being locked behind them by an Amazon Guard. Serena stared at her with a startled expression.
"Mo-Momiji?" she stammered in shock.
"I'm so sorry, Serena!" Momiji continued to sob, tears in her eyes. "I didn't mean to get so mad! But don't worry; I'm not angry anymore! I promise! And I don't hate you either! I just wanted to make sure you knew that, just in case you didn't!" Serena smiled, her eyes tearing up as well.
"It's all right, Momiji!" she assured her eagerly. "I'm sorry, too! I didn't mean to be nosy and pry into your life or anything like that! I was just trying to help - really! But I promise I won't do anything like that again!"
"Oh, Serena!"
"Momiji!" The girls then hugged and Yusuke couldn't help but scoff and roll his eyes at the sight.
He cleared his throat, growing slightly unnerved. "AHEM." Both girls released each other then and turned to him.
As soon as Serena's eyes set on Yusuke's, she burst into laughter, recognizing Yusuke immediately even in his wig and Momiji's school uniform. Yusuke's face reddened in rage.
"Hey! It isn't funny!" he shouted fiercely, lifting a tightly clenched fist. But Serena just laughed harder. "And you guys better not tell anyone either, or I'll - "
"Yes, it is!" she cut him off through her hysterics as she nodded, giddy with laughter. Yusuke scowled, growling in aggravation. Meanwhile, Momiji frowned in disappointment.
"I can't believe you recognized him," she began sadly. "No one else did…not even Darien. And I really thought it was a good disguise…"
"Well, I think it's a great disguise! Just hilarious!" she declared, laughing even harder than before.
"I swear to God, I'm going to kill her!" Yusuke exclaimed in fury and went toward Serena with a murderous look in his eyes. Luckily, Momiji stepped in front of him.
"Now, Yusuke, you really ought to calm down…" She frowned, however, noticing that Yusuke was still fuming, and then turned to Serena, deciding to try her luck out on her. "Come on, Serena; don't laugh! Yusuke's doing this all for you, you know!"
"Yeah, that's right!" Yusuke agreed. "But right now I feel like just leaving you here to be raped and eaten! It's better than having to undergo this humiliation any longer!"
"WHAT?!" Serena's laughed ceased, quickly being replaced with a look of horror. "'RAPED AND EATEN?!' But I was saving myself for Darien!"
"Don't worry!" Momiji assured Serena. "That's why me and Yusuke are here, after all! To rescue you!"
"Really?" Serena inquired. Momiji nodded. "But why is Yusuke dressed like THAT for?"
"BECAUSE there seems to be some STUPID law that states that no men are allowed in the castle except for the king," Yusuke explained angrily. Serena's eyes widened in revelation.
"I knew something was strange around here!" she cried and both Momiji and Yusuke turned to her with puzzled eyes.
"Hmm?" they asked.
"I noticed that there weren't any other men in the castle besides the king. Except there was this one man I heard! I can't believe I almost forgot!"
"What are you talking about?" Yusuke questioned.
"There was this one man who paid King Korenaga to set us all up to be killed today," Serena explained. "At least, that's what it sounded like from there conversation."
"WHAT?!" Yusuke and Momiji exclaimed in shock.
"I knew that that King Korenaga was up to no good…" Yusuke muttered bitterly to himself.
"But why did the other man pay the king to have us all killed?" Momiji then asked Serena, but Serena shook her head with a frown.
"I'm not sure. All I know is that he wants us dead," Serena answered solemnly. "But what was his name…" She thought for a moment and then the answer came to her. "Danjuro!"
"Danjuro?" Momiji inquired. Yusuke gasped, recognizing the name.
"That's that guy…"
The door opened, to all of their surprise, to reveal an Amazon guard.
"His majesty, King Korenaga, has agreed with your proposal," she told them flatly. "You will meet him outside on the sacrificial altar behind the castle - on Dragons Cliff. I will escort you there now." Each exchanged a glance of worry before all three cautiously followed the Amazon guard to Dragon's Cliff to meet Zenko.
When they reached the cliff, the castle only a few yards away, it was raining hard, the harsh wind billowing all around them. Yusuke nervously held down his wig with one hand, afraid it would blow off, and his skirt with the other. He turned to Momiji and whispered, "Say if my wig blows?"
"Don't worry," Momiji assured him.
"'Don't worry,' eh?" he questioned with a sarcastic sneer. "You've been saying that a lot lately, you know that?" Momiji winced.
"Well…I pinned it to your hair really good. I promise."
"But what about my skirt?"
"Now you know how it feels to be a girl," Serena whispered, popping her head in between them. Yusuke grimaced.
"But how am I supposed to fight a dragon like this?!" he asked, infuriated. "I can't be worrying about my hair blowing off or my skirt blowing up if I want to actually SURVIVE this fight!"
"Well, I don't know much about the hair thing," Serena began, "But as for the skirt, I always have to fight in one. It's not that bad once you get used of it."
"I don't WANT to get used of it!"
"Besides, it rarely blows up, anyway," Serena added. Momiji frowned miserably.
"I wish," she muttered, thinking about her own many embarrassing experiences.
"But - " Yusuke continued to protest, but Momiji cut him off.
"Sh!" she whispered, noticing they were approaching King Korenaga. "Remember? You have to be MUTE!"
"'Mute?'" Serena asked, and then began to snicker. "Hey, that's funny."
"Yeah, yeah - laugh it up," Yusuke grumbled bitterly.
"Just be quiet!" Momiji scolded Yusuke softly. And Serena nodded in agreement with a smug grin.
"Yeah! 'Just keep quiet!'" she repeated decisively. Yusuke looked nearly ready to strangle her, but King Korenaga fortunately spoke up.
"You're here," he called out to them, standing on a white marble platform with matching marble columns (that all three assumed to be the sacrificial altar) and gesturing them forward with nervous hands. "Come, come! Up here!" The three obeyed, climbing up the steps and stepping onto the altar. They stared down at the marble to see that the platform was no longer white; instead, it was stained a dry, fading, brownish-red, rotted with the blood of past sacrifices and Serena let out an "eep" at the sight of it, clinging to Momiji in fright as Momiji held up a hand to her mouth, looking sick. Yusuke, however, stepped over the blood stains and walked to the end of the platform, which sat on the edge of a cliff, looking downward into the dark massive canyon - the seemingly endless black void - with determined eyes and the wind seemed to pick up, and the rain appeared to pour down harder, and the sky looked grayer. King Korenaga grinned as he placed a hand on Yusuke's shoulder.
"That's where Zenko lives," he told him in a menacing whisper. "That's where he'll come from." His smirk widened viciously. "If you're not careful, he may eat you all…among other things." He began to snicker, but Yusuke's face did not flinch with fear, however, nor did Yusuke make any heed of the king. King Korenaga gave him a spiteful look because of this, and then, clearing his throat, took a step back to address them all. "Zenko should be here soon. It's almost sunset," he informed them, although the gray sky showed no sign of the sun. "You," he turned to Serena sternly. He glared downward, toward the left at two shackles, the chains digging deep into the platform's hard stone marble. "Put those on."
"WHAT?!" Serena questioned in horror. "But - how am I supposed to fight if I'm in chains?!"
"You don't," King Korenaga answered sharply. "Zenko must not know that I allowed this attack on him. Therefore, you will remain a sacrifice, chained to this altar as previously planned. If these two - " he gave Momiji and Yusuke a scornful look - "Are able to defeat Zenko, then I shall free you. If not, you will be sacrificed accordingly."
"But - "
"Let me be the sacrifice!" Momiji cut in anxiously. "Serena has a better chance fighting and I really can't do anything, anyway…" She then added, "After all, I'm used of being a sacrifice," and let out an awkward chuckle. Both Serena and Yusuke frowned at this as King Korenaga gave her an annoyed glare.
"And how do I know that you're REALLY a princess, hmm?" he asked, staring at her suspiciously. "You say you are, but how am I to know if you are really a liar?" Momiji cringed and tried to come up with some sort of reliable answer
"Well - "
"And how do you know if you're REALLY a virgin?" King Korenaga interrogated further and Momiji blushed wildly.
"But I - "
"No," King Korenaga snapped stubbornly. "I will not allow it. Much…RESEARCH goes into choosing the princess right for the annual sacrifice. It is a very difficult and tedious process. Not just any old princess can be chosen. And all this…hard work…it mustn't go to waste just because of a young school girl's whims. Especially when this young school girl may be a liar! No! I simply won't have it! I cannot risk my kingdom in such a way. Princesses are chosen for very important reasons - not just because of there royal blood and virginity, but because of other very imperative reasons, reasons that are too complex for children like you to understand and are highly classified anyway - and I will not cast aside decades of the Keiki Kingdom tradition just to fit three young girls' needs! No - it's bad enough that I am allowing you to even fight Zenko - but these rules - these OTHER rules we must abide by! For very significant, and, again, CLASSIFIED reasons and that is that!" When he was done with his lengthy, barely comprehensive speech, his face was only a couple of inches from Momiji's, spit flinging from the corner of his mouth in a worked-up rage, as Momiji stared up at him with much terror, nodding rapidly, hoping that his fierce eyes would leave her nervous ones.
Meanwhile, Serena let out a snicker and whispered into Yusuke's ear, "The only 'classified' reason he has is who pays him more money," and Yusuke almost began to laugh himself. Luckily, he managed to keep his snickering relatively quiet as to not blow his cover, whereas Serena laughed with no shame. King Korenaga turned to them suspiciously and both quickly drew blank faces, Yusuke staring up at the sky as Serena looked down at her feet, although a few snickers cracked from the corner of her mouth.
"Is something funny?" he questioned bitterly.
"No! Not at all, sir!" Serena exclaimed and Yusuke shook his head for an answer.
"Good," he coldly remarked. "Now hurry." Then he proceeded to chain a reluctant Serena to the altar. "Good day," he said to them all as he bowed his head and walked off the platform. "And good luck; you're going to need it." As soon as his back was turned from them, Serena turned her head and stuck her tongue out at him. Then, she proceeding whining to the others as soon as King Korenaga was out of hearing distance.
"This isn't fair!" she complained, pulling at the chains that held her by her wrists as she stood on the altar. "How am I supposed to do anything like this?!"
"You don't," Yusuke answered flatly. "I do."
"And what should I do?" Momiji asked Yusuke with a genuinely generous grin on her face. "I want to help."
"Then stay out of my way," he told her frankly and Momiji frowned.
"Hey! Don't be mean!" Serena scolded him.
"Look, I put on this ridiculous getup for you both, didn't I?" he began in slight annoyance. "The least you could do is let me just fight this stupid dragon on my own so we can get home as quickly as possible."
"Fine…" Momiji muttered miserably as she stepped beside Serena. "I'll just stand here and…uh…keep Serena company, I guess..."
"Whatever," Yusuke muttered and pointed his finger out toward the cliff. "Just one shot," he said to himself, narrowing his eyes. "As soon as Zenko comes up - just one shot. That's all I need."
"That Yolanda girl looks awfully familiar…" Danjuro noted as he stood on the roof of the castle looking down at the altar where the three girls stood, the rain and wind billowing down hard on him.
"Danjuro," a voice came in and Danjuro turned to see King Korenaga had joined him.
"King Korenaga," he greeted the king with a nod.
"There they are," King Korenaga told him, gesturing to the altar where the three stood.
"I know, I know," Danjuro brushed him off, his attention already focused on them.
"Zenko should be rising any moment," the king added. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he asked, "As for my gold - "
"Yes, yes - you'll get your precious gold," Danjuro interrupted carelessly, half paying attention to the king's words. "As soon as their dead." King Korenaga nodded and shivered slightly in the cold of the rain.
The earth then began to shake and King Korenaga lifted his head. "The beast is coming." Danjuro grinned wildly.
"Well, then - let the bloodbath begin."
Yusuke held his ground in front of the two girls as he saw a demon emerge from the great black void of the canyon, his aim set directly on the beast, as Serena and Momiji stepped closer to each other in fear. However, to Yusuke's surprise, the demon Zenko wasn't a dragon - yet, anyway. It glared at all three of them with condescending eyes.
"Three girls?" he asked with a grin. "Well, today's my lucky day, isn't it? King Korenaga must be feeling generous this year!"
"More like greedy," Serena muttered and Momiji frowned. Then she added, "Why don't I feel safe in these chains anymore…?"
"Yusuke will protect us," Momiji began. "Don't worry, Serena."
"Yusuke's right; you DO say 'don't worry' too much," Serena commented and a look of disappointment fell across Momiji's face.
"Well, I just like trying to be optimistic…"
"Now, who'd like to be my appetizer?" Zenko asked with a smirk. "Then that leaves me with the main course and desert." A look of voracity filled his red eyes. "I'm feeling very ravenous today - and I don't just mean I'm hungry." Momiji's face reddened in embarrassment as fear fell into her eyes as terror and anger filled Serena's.
"You pervert!" Serena cried aloud, and Momiji immediately slapped her hand over Serena's mouth.
"Don't say that to the big scary demon!" she whispered and Zenko laughed aloud.
"You two are too much!" he exclaimed and this his eyes set down on Yusuke, who's face and stance had stubbornly remained the same since Zenko's arrival. "And you - you seem brave compared to the others. Would you like me to make you desert? Then you can watch me ravish and devour your friends!" He burst into obnoxious, vindictive laughter, and although Yusuke's face remained fierce, he slowly lowered his finger to his side.
"What are you doing?!" Serena cried out to him. "You're supposed to shoot him!"
"I don't need to waste a shot on him," Yusuke replied sternly, eyes narrowing. "An asshole like him isn't worth it." Zenko scowled furiously as Yusuke then charged forward, fists raised. He gave Zenko several hard hits, Zenko not even having the chance to fight back, before Yusuke gave him his final blow - one tremendous punch to the jaw. Zenko went flying backwards, back down into the endless black void. Yusuke blinked a few times in surprise and he stepped over toward the edge of the cliff, peering downward. He couldn't see anything except darkness. Momiji now cautiously stepped away from Serena and next to him, looking down as well.
"Does that mean…you beat him?" Momiji asked.
"I guess so…" Yusuke answered slowly. The two then turned toward Serena. "Hey! We won!" he exclaimed. "That wasn't too hard, was it?" He then began laughing loudly as did Momiji, only much quieter. Serena's face, however, dropped in horror.
"Guys…" she called weakly, voice cracking, but could not be heard over their laughter. "Guys…" she called louder. Both looked up at her in perplexity.
"What's wrong, Serena?" Momiji inquired innocently.
"Dra…dra…" she stammered.
"Well, spit it out already!" Yusuke shouted impatiently.
"Dragon!" she cried. Yusuke scrunched his eyebrows in puzzlement.
"What are you talking about? I just defeated the dragon." But Serena shook her head in dismay.
"Behind you!" Both Momiji and Yusuke turned around together to see a dragon lower its head to them, baring its fangs as it screeched in a wild rage. Yusuke's eyes widened in terror as Momiji let out a scream of fear, stepping back with horror in her face. The dragon raised its ugly head, flapping its wings furiously, causing a heavy wind to blow about them.
"Yusuke…it's a lot bigger than the snake…" Momiji noted, taking another fearful step back.
"I've notice," Yusuke answered a bit shaky himself.
"You three pathetic girls dare challenge me?!" the dragon questioned in rage. "I will enjoy hearing your screams as I eat your flesh off your bones!" It then flew forward with incredible force and speed.
"Shoot!" Serena screamed and Yusuke, in a panic, realizing he had only seconds remaining before the dragon's fangs were in his flesh, obeyed, raising his hand quickly and shooting his Spirit Gun. The shot, however, went a bit wide, and the dragon easily dodged it, simply raising it slightly. Yusuke's mouth dropped open in horror as he lowered his arm, the dragon heading directly for him, it's mouth opening as a flame formed in its throat. Serena looked horrified. "He MISSED?! He's not supposed to miss!"
"Yusuke!" Momiji cried, running for him and pushing him out of the way, just as a blast of fire escaped from the dragon in a terrifying roar. The fire burned Momiji's back slightly as it flared past her and Yusuke, and then a still chained Serena who let out a cry as the flames swirled by her, barely missing her. Momiji let out a whimper as her and Yusuke fell to the ground, Momiji on top of Yusuke, the back of her shirt tattered and her skin scorched a bit. She bit her lip to try to deal with the pain.
"Momiji, are you all right?" Yusuke questioned as he sat up and she kneeled beside him. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," she told him with a nod, lowering her head to shield her eyes with her bangs. "I'll manage, anyway."
"Momiji…" He gave her a bittersweet smile. "Hey, thanks, all right?" She nodded again, tears in her eyes as the pain increased.
"I was just trying to help out the team, that's all," she managed to answer before the dragon turned on them again.
"It's coming back!" Serena cried in warning to them and they looked up to see the ferocious beast glaring at them with savage eyes. Yusuke stood up then, looking more angry than before and holding out his finger again, the tip glowing brightly. He did not move his feet from the ground and kept his finger pointed directly at the dragon as it soared toward him with its sharp claws and its violent screeching. And as the wings flapped brutally, the harsh wind blew up the bangs of Yusuke's wig to reveal the scar on his forehead.
"That shot…that scar…" The pieces suddenly fell together in Danjuro's mind and he grew furious, grabbing hold of King Korenaga by the collar in his rage. "You idiot!" he shouted. "That isn't a mute school girl! That's Yusuke Urameshi in disguise!" He then released him, pushing him to the floor of the castle roof in the process. "Damn it; that little cheat!" he muttered bitterly to himself. "I'm just going to have to find other means to DEAL with him."
"But, Danjuro - my gold! My beautiful gold!" King Korenaga cried out, reaching out a desperately greedy hand to him. Danjuro simply scoffed and turned from him.
"Why should I reward you? Yusuke Urameshi will defeat the dragon. Then he, the two girls, and Tuxedo Mask will return back to the human world. I have gained nothing."
"But I - "
"Be happy, King Korenaga," Danjuro interrupted. "I didn't overestimate Yusuke Urameshi's kindness; I underestimated, it seems." He then laughed to himself. "Disguised as a school girl. I never would have guessed. But you - you should be happy. He will be ridding you of a great burden that has been crushing your kingdom for centuries. And that I am not killing you for wasting my time." He then disappeared into nothingness.
Yusuke's shot directly blasted through the dragon's head and the dragon let out a shrill shriek as it wielded to the left and skidded down to the ground, dead. Yusuke let out a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat off his brow with his arm.
"Is it really dead now?" Serena asked hopefully.
"I think so…" Yusuke answered, walking over to it and examining it thoroughly. Noticing that its head was nothing more than a splatter of blood on the ground, he nodded decisively and said, "Yep; it's dead."
"Well, that's good," Serena replied. She then frowned, yanking at her chains. "Hey, how do I get out of these things?"
"Beats me," Yusuke told her honestly.
The two then looked to Momiji who had slowly managed to rise to her feet, although her head remained lowered. "Momiji…are you all right?" Serena asked with concern. Momiji nodded as she slowly walked forward.
"Momiji - " Yusuke began to protest, but Momiji interrupted.
"I'm fine…really…" She then fell forward, Yusuke catching her in her arms.
"Momiji!" Serena cried out, pulling at her chains with all her might.
"Don't worry; she's just passed out," Yusuke assured her and Serena suddenly laughed. "What's so funny, Serena?"
"Nothing. It's just that, she's got you saying 'don't worry,' too, now." Yusuke smiled himself and looked down at the unconscious Momiji.
The rain continued to poor down.
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
Momiji: Hey, everyone! Momiji here! And back in good health, might I add, thanks to a little help from Yusuke's friend Kurama in the beginning of the next episode!
Serena: Hey! Don't be giving everything away!
Yusuke: I'm just glad to be back home and out of that damn skirt. Which reminds me - you two better not tell ANYONE about that, all right? Otherwise -
Serena: We won't! We won't!
Momiji: It's our little secret! We promise!
Yusuke: Well, it better be!
Serena: Anyway, onto the next episode! To begin with, Momiji gets her first run in with Danjuro…
Momiji: Finally! I'm the only one who hasn't yet! I'm so excited!
Yusuke: It's NOT a good thing, you know.
Momiji: Well, I know that…
Serena: And there's a riddle!
Momiji: There is?! But I've never been good at riddles…
Serena: And for all you folks who missed me last episode, considering Yusuke ALWAYS has to hog the spot light…
Yusuke: I do not! It's not my fault you guys need my help ALL the time…
Serena: You just THINK we do! We can handle ourselves just fine without YOU interfering all the time!
Yusuke: Me?!
Momiji: Anyway, as Serena was saying, even though she didn't get to do as much in last episode, she gets to do a lot in the next one!
Serena: That's right! And did I mention that YUSUKE'S not in it so much? This is definitely an episode worth watching just for that alone!
Yusuke: Hey! I just humiliated myself to save YOUR pathetic life and this is the thanks I guess?!
Serena: That's the way the cookie crumbles, I guess.
Yusuke: Like that's fair…
Serena: Anyway, while Momiji's talking to the mysterious Danjuro, I get to talk to a mysterious stranger myself!
Momiji: You do?! Who?!
Serena: With that weird little kid who the first Baken-Ai was trying to kill!
Momiji: No way! And I just saw him in the Keiki Kingdom, too! I wonder why...and why do the Baken-Ai want him dead? And what's the deal with that Danjuro guy anyway?!
Serena: Well, maybe SOME of those answers will be mentioned in the next episode!
Momiji: Only SOME?! Well, it's still exciting anyway!
Yusuke: Yeah…WONDERFUL…
Serena: Don't be so bitter, Yusuke, just because you can't be the star all the time! Besides, you wouldn't want to talk to that little kid, anyway! He's a big brat, if you ask me!
Momiji: I thought he seemed nice enough…
Serena: Yeah! For an annoying brat!
Momiji: Well, the audience is just going to have to decide for themselves and check out the next episode of "What's My Line Again…?," Episode 9, "It's all so mysterious! Who are these two strangers, anyway?!"
Yusuke: At least you two will be harassing someone who ISN'T me for once...