================================================================
About my comments before the beginning of chapter one, the actual scene that I'm dying to put into this story will not actually happen 'til chapter 3 "A Princess Gone Downhill". I thought about things, and I don't wanna rush through this story too much. It'd make it to dull and boring. Well, enjoy.
Terms In This Chapter:
Fried Octopus Rolls: These are a very nice food you'll find in Japan. They're basically a nicely fried pastry with a bit of octopus meat in the center. If you like seafood you'll love these things. They don't look like octopus when they're served either. I know how many people don't like things to look like what they are when put on their plate.
Pocky Sticks: An Asian snack orginated in Japan, but sold in many of the surrounding countries as well. These are a biscuit snack covered in a creme-like coating. These things are very addictive, and if you have a China Town or Little Tokyo nearby you're bound to find them there.
Swallow: No, this isn't the kind that comes in the eating part that comes after chewing. This kind of swallow is a double edged blade with a grip in between. If you've ever played Chrono Cross, a swallow is Serge's first weapon.
===============================================================
Chapter 2 - A Quest To Uncloud Fogged Memories
A silence between the two inidividuals commenced, which lastest for at least five minutes before Taichi spoke up once more. "Miyuzami, my memories are practically in the gutter. I do remember what happened, but the faces and voices are clouded. You were older than me. Don't you remember anything?"
"Unfortunately no I don't. Because of the work I got myself into, over the years I've had damages on my head, which has caused bits of memory loss," she replied walking away from him slowly. "I wish there was a way to remember, but I doubt there is."
FLASHBACK BEGINS
"Taichi, if anything should ever come up we can use this passage to get in and out of the palace. Daddy told me to tell you that. Oh and by the way, I know one other we can use to sneak in and out in the middle of the night," the young princess told him before giving him a peck on the cheek.
FLASHBACK ENDS
It had hit him. He knew how to get his memories back. It was a small chance, but it might as well been worth taking. "Wait Miyuzami. I think I've got an idea." Taichi explained briefly what Princess Michelle had told him and the two of them were off.
About fifteen minutes later Taichi & Miyuzami were in front of the hidden entrance to Kykaw's palace. Now stood before them was one more problem.
"So, how do we get in?" Miyuzami asked giving Taichi a quick annoyed firm stare.
"Use the security bar." He flipped a section on the side of the wall only to reveal a set of security features.
"Do you remember what to do?"
"Yup. I wrote it down and put it inside the locket Michelle gave me to hold onto," he replied pulling a gold locket from underneath his shirt.
Suddenly a phone rang. Miyuzami reached into her coat pocket, pulled out her cel phone, pressed the talk button and said holding it to her ear, "Hello. Miyuzami Sakamoto speaking."
"Hun. Where are you? I've been worried," came the voice on the other end.
"Sweety, I'll be late tonight. We're at the Ramada Inn on the sixth floor, right?"
"Yeah. It's room 604. Who are you with?" he asked beginning to sound a little upset that she'd walked out on their special night.
"Taichi Yagami. We're trying to get into the palace. We wanna find out some information to figure out who and where the royal family is," she replied. Then changing her voice to sound a little romantic she added, "I'm sorry about this, but don't worry, I got a special surprise for you when I get there."
"Nope. I'm coming down there. Where is it?" he said firmly.
Miyuzami gave her husband some quick directions and then the two of them hung up after a quick goodbye.
"I got it. The door won't stay open long, so we must hurry," Taichi explained running through the small door.
"What about my husband? He said he was coming down here," Miyuzami asked worried.
"Then stay here," he replied. Then he handed her the locket. "Here's the instructions to get in." Taichi allowed the doors to close. Then lit a glow stick for some light and began to make his way down the tunnel. "Huh? I figured this place would be covered in filth and mice, but it's actually quite nice down here. It's probably because of that bubble shield thing though. The red carpet's actually a nice touch. Just makes you wonder why they'd spend that much on a secret tunnel," he thought to himself as he walked along looking around him.
A few moments later Taichi lifted up a floor tile revealing the throne room. He climbed the ladder and for once in eleven years Taichi stood inside the room where King and Queen Tanasaki would most commonly be found in the past.
Suddenly, something caught his eye. Sitting on the princess's seat was her old hat she used to wear outside while she'd been gardening during the warm summer days. Her mother had always had a thing for flowers, and had always insisted that Michelle help her out with the work. He picked it up and turned it over to look at the tag. However, all that was on the tag was the Royal Family Crest and the name Princess Michelle Tanasaki. It seemed almost hopeless, 'til one more clue caught his attention. There was a strand of hair caught to the rim of the hat. Taichi pulled it off and examined it for a moment, but got nothing. He needed more light to see, so he searched the walls and eventually found the light switch. However, as he proceeded to take a look at the strand of hair he realized he'd dropped it. "Ah, dammnit!" he exclaimed sending a punch at the wall. "I was so fuckin' close to a good clue!"
Next he wandered off looking around. As he entered the kitchen he found a recipe for what used to be his and Michelle's favorite appetizer; Fried Octopus Rolls. Then he found some old boxes of Bluebery Mousse flavored Pocky Sticks. Taichi opened them and took a sniff, followed by a quick taste test. They seemed okay, so he started munching them down. "Thank God these things don't go bad easily," he said to himself taking another bite.
Meanwhile back outside by the hidden entrance Miyuzami sat on a small pillow she always kept with her waiting for her husband to arrive. Suddenly, it began to snow and the young woman held her tongue out trying to catch a few snowflakes.
"There you are," she heard a voice say from behind her.
Miyuzami turned her head to see her husband Kyle standing there. "You didn't bring the car?" she asked.
"No. I didn't wanna attract any attention," he replied before adding, "What's all this about finding the royal family? I thought we were supposed to spend Christmas Eve alone together this year. After all, it is the holidays, and as Elite Guardians we get very little time off from our duties."
"We just need to find some information and then we'll go back to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the Christmas holidays together, okay?" she replied before giving him a kiss on the lips.
He smiled blushing and replied, "Okay, but make this trip worth my time."
The two of them began to passionately French kiss.
Back inside Taichi was still wandering around the palace looking for information while muching down eleven-year-old Pocky Sticks. Suddenly, he walked by his old room that King Tanasaki had assigned to only him for whenever he'd stay over night. Realizing this, he stopped and entered the room.
FLASHBACK BEGINS
"Hey Taichi, c'mon wake up," the princess said softly tapping him on the side of the arm. "Time to go out to the park."
"Huh? How'd you get in here without getting caught?" young Taichi asked with a yawn stretching his arms.
"This room is usually intended for my personal bodyguard, so there's a secret passage into my room through the fireplace that goes both ways," she explained before handing him his jacket and giving him a peck on the cheek.
FLASHBACK ENDS
"How come every time I have a flashback I never get a face?" he asked himself. "It's almost like my memories are trying to hide something from me." Noticing a box full of old stuff he sat down and began to go through it hoping that he'd find at least a clue to whatever his memories were trying to keep from him. "What could my memories be possibly trying to keep me from knowing? What happened in the past that my subconscious wants to suppress?" he pondered as he scavenged through everything.
Meanwhile Miyuzami and Kyle had just made it into the throne room. They brushed themselves off and took off their jackets.
"Wow, it's been such a long time since we were last here," Miyuzami said looking at everything around her.
"Yeah it has. I wonder where Taichi is around here," Kyle replied leaving the throne room and entering another, which had nothing but two doors and a staircase. Figuring that Taichi had already searched those two rooms Miyuzami and him ascended to the next floor.
Back in his old bedroom the teenage knight-in-training was still rummaging through the box when suddenly he pulled out a photo. Wiping the dust off revealed it had been torn and that the person in the photo was none other than King Tanasaki.
FLASHBACK BEGINS
"Taichi, this room is yours. As absurd as many of my other royal guards believe this to be I want you to always be closest to my daughter. That is why I'm giving you the room next to her's," the king told him. Finally a face stood where a blur had been before. His hair was brown and he was cross-eyed. His left eye was green and the other was brown. He had a stern yet caring warm face. One that was welcoming to his friends, family and allies while struck fear into his enemies. "You know what Taichi, but I would be honored if one day you grew up to be my son-in-law," King Tanasaki added with a smile. Then he left to attend to his duties.
FLASHBACK ENDS
"Huh? Did I really mean that much to him? I wonder why," he asked himself. "Still, I wish it had've been Michelle's photo I found. Hey, maybe the other half of the photo's in here somewhere," he rambled to himself out loud before beginning to rummage through the box once more.
After looking for ten minutes he found the other half of the picture, but the only people who were in it were himself and Miyuzami. Then he left that room and entered Michelle's.
Surpisingly, the room was neat and tidy. Michelle had always been the direct opposite. She'd throw her dirty clothes on the dresser top or bed 'til the maids picked them up, unless her mother got on her case about it, which happened every time she was caught in the act. Well, that's how she'd been for as long as he'd known her anyhow. Taichi wondered if she'd picked up the habit from him, which was most likely the case. He opened the bottom dresser drawer to find on the top pile of things a photo of himself standing beside King Tanasaki, and behind them in the pool was a small girl. Taichi looked hard at the picture, but it was too difficult to make out who the person was, since a patio chair was blocking the view and the individual was too far to the other side of the swimming pool. Still, his gut feeling told him exactly who it was. It absolutely must've been her.
After looking through the drawer he turned his head to see something he remembered that King Tanasaki told him that he wasn't supposed to get into, because it was highly confidential, and if the information ever got out it could put his family in serious danger. It was a locked file cabinet. "There has to be a way to pry that open," he said to himself looking around him for something he could use as a crowbar.
"Here, use my swallow," he heard a voice from behind him say.
Taichi turned his head to see Kyle Burns standing there offering out his weapon. "Maybe you should do it. I was never taught how to use that weapon."
By the doorway stood Miyuzami dreamily staring at her husband while playing with her hair. Finally speaking up she said, "Is there anything you need me to do?"
"How 'bout you and Taichi clean up the mess from the princess's dresser?" Kyle replied throwing his jacket onto the bed.
While Miyuzami and Taichi cleaned up the mess Kyle working on prying the file cabinet open.
"I ccann'tt believe hhoww ssttifff thiss thinngg is," Kyle said struggling with the file cabinet.
Suddenly, the top drawer of the cabinet came flying open and an envelope sailed out and landed in front of Taichi.
Curious he opened the brown envelope and pulled out the papers inside. There in front of him was the answer the three of them had been looking for. It read:
ROYAL BIRTH CIRTIFICATE
Name: Tanasaki, Sora Michelle
Birthdate: May 5, 2001
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
Blood Type: B
"There's no way. It couldn't be," he thought to himself. Then he pulled back the certificate, and there smack dab in front of him was the perfect photo of Michelle, or should I say Sora Takenouchi.
===============================================================
Sorry for leaving you all hanging again, but I hope you're all happy with the results of the end of chapter 2. Btw, Miyuzami and Kyle are going to eventually become very significant characters later on. Oh, and if any of you have a hunch that Yamato's King Tanasaki's killer he isn't. Just think over facts. It's impossible. Yamato would've only been five years-old. After all, he is one year older than Taichi. Well, I'll have chapter 3 up asap.
===============================================================
About my comments before the beginning of chapter one, the actual scene that I'm dying to put into this story will not actually happen 'til chapter 3 "A Princess Gone Downhill". I thought about things, and I don't wanna rush through this story too much. It'd make it to dull and boring. Well, enjoy.
Terms In This Chapter:
Fried Octopus Rolls: These are a very nice food you'll find in Japan. They're basically a nicely fried pastry with a bit of octopus meat in the center. If you like seafood you'll love these things. They don't look like octopus when they're served either. I know how many people don't like things to look like what they are when put on their plate.
Pocky Sticks: An Asian snack orginated in Japan, but sold in many of the surrounding countries as well. These are a biscuit snack covered in a creme-like coating. These things are very addictive, and if you have a China Town or Little Tokyo nearby you're bound to find them there.
Swallow: No, this isn't the kind that comes in the eating part that comes after chewing. This kind of swallow is a double edged blade with a grip in between. If you've ever played Chrono Cross, a swallow is Serge's first weapon.
===============================================================
Chapter 2 - A Quest To Uncloud Fogged Memories
A silence between the two inidividuals commenced, which lastest for at least five minutes before Taichi spoke up once more. "Miyuzami, my memories are practically in the gutter. I do remember what happened, but the faces and voices are clouded. You were older than me. Don't you remember anything?"
"Unfortunately no I don't. Because of the work I got myself into, over the years I've had damages on my head, which has caused bits of memory loss," she replied walking away from him slowly. "I wish there was a way to remember, but I doubt there is."
FLASHBACK BEGINS
"Taichi, if anything should ever come up we can use this passage to get in and out of the palace. Daddy told me to tell you that. Oh and by the way, I know one other we can use to sneak in and out in the middle of the night," the young princess told him before giving him a peck on the cheek.
FLASHBACK ENDS
It had hit him. He knew how to get his memories back. It was a small chance, but it might as well been worth taking. "Wait Miyuzami. I think I've got an idea." Taichi explained briefly what Princess Michelle had told him and the two of them were off.
About fifteen minutes later Taichi & Miyuzami were in front of the hidden entrance to Kykaw's palace. Now stood before them was one more problem.
"So, how do we get in?" Miyuzami asked giving Taichi a quick annoyed firm stare.
"Use the security bar." He flipped a section on the side of the wall only to reveal a set of security features.
"Do you remember what to do?"
"Yup. I wrote it down and put it inside the locket Michelle gave me to hold onto," he replied pulling a gold locket from underneath his shirt.
Suddenly a phone rang. Miyuzami reached into her coat pocket, pulled out her cel phone, pressed the talk button and said holding it to her ear, "Hello. Miyuzami Sakamoto speaking."
"Hun. Where are you? I've been worried," came the voice on the other end.
"Sweety, I'll be late tonight. We're at the Ramada Inn on the sixth floor, right?"
"Yeah. It's room 604. Who are you with?" he asked beginning to sound a little upset that she'd walked out on their special night.
"Taichi Yagami. We're trying to get into the palace. We wanna find out some information to figure out who and where the royal family is," she replied. Then changing her voice to sound a little romantic she added, "I'm sorry about this, but don't worry, I got a special surprise for you when I get there."
"Nope. I'm coming down there. Where is it?" he said firmly.
Miyuzami gave her husband some quick directions and then the two of them hung up after a quick goodbye.
"I got it. The door won't stay open long, so we must hurry," Taichi explained running through the small door.
"What about my husband? He said he was coming down here," Miyuzami asked worried.
"Then stay here," he replied. Then he handed her the locket. "Here's the instructions to get in." Taichi allowed the doors to close. Then lit a glow stick for some light and began to make his way down the tunnel. "Huh? I figured this place would be covered in filth and mice, but it's actually quite nice down here. It's probably because of that bubble shield thing though. The red carpet's actually a nice touch. Just makes you wonder why they'd spend that much on a secret tunnel," he thought to himself as he walked along looking around him.
A few moments later Taichi lifted up a floor tile revealing the throne room. He climbed the ladder and for once in eleven years Taichi stood inside the room where King and Queen Tanasaki would most commonly be found in the past.
Suddenly, something caught his eye. Sitting on the princess's seat was her old hat she used to wear outside while she'd been gardening during the warm summer days. Her mother had always had a thing for flowers, and had always insisted that Michelle help her out with the work. He picked it up and turned it over to look at the tag. However, all that was on the tag was the Royal Family Crest and the name Princess Michelle Tanasaki. It seemed almost hopeless, 'til one more clue caught his attention. There was a strand of hair caught to the rim of the hat. Taichi pulled it off and examined it for a moment, but got nothing. He needed more light to see, so he searched the walls and eventually found the light switch. However, as he proceeded to take a look at the strand of hair he realized he'd dropped it. "Ah, dammnit!" he exclaimed sending a punch at the wall. "I was so fuckin' close to a good clue!"
Next he wandered off looking around. As he entered the kitchen he found a recipe for what used to be his and Michelle's favorite appetizer; Fried Octopus Rolls. Then he found some old boxes of Bluebery Mousse flavored Pocky Sticks. Taichi opened them and took a sniff, followed by a quick taste test. They seemed okay, so he started munching them down. "Thank God these things don't go bad easily," he said to himself taking another bite.
Meanwhile back outside by the hidden entrance Miyuzami sat on a small pillow she always kept with her waiting for her husband to arrive. Suddenly, it began to snow and the young woman held her tongue out trying to catch a few snowflakes.
"There you are," she heard a voice say from behind her.
Miyuzami turned her head to see her husband Kyle standing there. "You didn't bring the car?" she asked.
"No. I didn't wanna attract any attention," he replied before adding, "What's all this about finding the royal family? I thought we were supposed to spend Christmas Eve alone together this year. After all, it is the holidays, and as Elite Guardians we get very little time off from our duties."
"We just need to find some information and then we'll go back to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the Christmas holidays together, okay?" she replied before giving him a kiss on the lips.
He smiled blushing and replied, "Okay, but make this trip worth my time."
The two of them began to passionately French kiss.
Back inside Taichi was still wandering around the palace looking for information while muching down eleven-year-old Pocky Sticks. Suddenly, he walked by his old room that King Tanasaki had assigned to only him for whenever he'd stay over night. Realizing this, he stopped and entered the room.
FLASHBACK BEGINS
"Hey Taichi, c'mon wake up," the princess said softly tapping him on the side of the arm. "Time to go out to the park."
"Huh? How'd you get in here without getting caught?" young Taichi asked with a yawn stretching his arms.
"This room is usually intended for my personal bodyguard, so there's a secret passage into my room through the fireplace that goes both ways," she explained before handing him his jacket and giving him a peck on the cheek.
FLASHBACK ENDS
"How come every time I have a flashback I never get a face?" he asked himself. "It's almost like my memories are trying to hide something from me." Noticing a box full of old stuff he sat down and began to go through it hoping that he'd find at least a clue to whatever his memories were trying to keep from him. "What could my memories be possibly trying to keep me from knowing? What happened in the past that my subconscious wants to suppress?" he pondered as he scavenged through everything.
Meanwhile Miyuzami and Kyle had just made it into the throne room. They brushed themselves off and took off their jackets.
"Wow, it's been such a long time since we were last here," Miyuzami said looking at everything around her.
"Yeah it has. I wonder where Taichi is around here," Kyle replied leaving the throne room and entering another, which had nothing but two doors and a staircase. Figuring that Taichi had already searched those two rooms Miyuzami and him ascended to the next floor.
Back in his old bedroom the teenage knight-in-training was still rummaging through the box when suddenly he pulled out a photo. Wiping the dust off revealed it had been torn and that the person in the photo was none other than King Tanasaki.
FLASHBACK BEGINS
"Taichi, this room is yours. As absurd as many of my other royal guards believe this to be I want you to always be closest to my daughter. That is why I'm giving you the room next to her's," the king told him. Finally a face stood where a blur had been before. His hair was brown and he was cross-eyed. His left eye was green and the other was brown. He had a stern yet caring warm face. One that was welcoming to his friends, family and allies while struck fear into his enemies. "You know what Taichi, but I would be honored if one day you grew up to be my son-in-law," King Tanasaki added with a smile. Then he left to attend to his duties.
FLASHBACK ENDS
"Huh? Did I really mean that much to him? I wonder why," he asked himself. "Still, I wish it had've been Michelle's photo I found. Hey, maybe the other half of the photo's in here somewhere," he rambled to himself out loud before beginning to rummage through the box once more.
After looking for ten minutes he found the other half of the picture, but the only people who were in it were himself and Miyuzami. Then he left that room and entered Michelle's.
Surpisingly, the room was neat and tidy. Michelle had always been the direct opposite. She'd throw her dirty clothes on the dresser top or bed 'til the maids picked them up, unless her mother got on her case about it, which happened every time she was caught in the act. Well, that's how she'd been for as long as he'd known her anyhow. Taichi wondered if she'd picked up the habit from him, which was most likely the case. He opened the bottom dresser drawer to find on the top pile of things a photo of himself standing beside King Tanasaki, and behind them in the pool was a small girl. Taichi looked hard at the picture, but it was too difficult to make out who the person was, since a patio chair was blocking the view and the individual was too far to the other side of the swimming pool. Still, his gut feeling told him exactly who it was. It absolutely must've been her.
After looking through the drawer he turned his head to see something he remembered that King Tanasaki told him that he wasn't supposed to get into, because it was highly confidential, and if the information ever got out it could put his family in serious danger. It was a locked file cabinet. "There has to be a way to pry that open," he said to himself looking around him for something he could use as a crowbar.
"Here, use my swallow," he heard a voice from behind him say.
Taichi turned his head to see Kyle Burns standing there offering out his weapon. "Maybe you should do it. I was never taught how to use that weapon."
By the doorway stood Miyuzami dreamily staring at her husband while playing with her hair. Finally speaking up she said, "Is there anything you need me to do?"
"How 'bout you and Taichi clean up the mess from the princess's dresser?" Kyle replied throwing his jacket onto the bed.
While Miyuzami and Taichi cleaned up the mess Kyle working on prying the file cabinet open.
"I ccann'tt believe hhoww ssttifff thiss thinngg is," Kyle said struggling with the file cabinet.
Suddenly, the top drawer of the cabinet came flying open and an envelope sailed out and landed in front of Taichi.
Curious he opened the brown envelope and pulled out the papers inside. There in front of him was the answer the three of them had been looking for. It read:
ROYAL BIRTH CIRTIFICATE
Name: Tanasaki, Sora Michelle
Birthdate: May 5, 2001
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
Blood Type: B
"There's no way. It couldn't be," he thought to himself. Then he pulled back the certificate, and there smack dab in front of him was the perfect photo of Michelle, or should I say Sora Takenouchi.
===============================================================
Sorry for leaving you all hanging again, but I hope you're all happy with the results of the end of chapter 2. Btw, Miyuzami and Kyle are going to eventually become very significant characters later on. Oh, and if any of you have a hunch that Yamato's King Tanasaki's killer he isn't. Just think over facts. It's impossible. Yamato would've only been five years-old. After all, he is one year older than Taichi. Well, I'll have chapter 3 up asap.
===============================================================