-------------------
DISCLAIMER: If I owned Outlaw Star, then there would be a second season. Do you see a second season anywhere? Nope, didn't think so.
------------------
A/N: I'm so proud of myself. Updating twice in two days. That's, like, a huge accomplishment for me. Besides, the faster and more I update, the longer I stay at the top of the list under Outlaw Star. *cackles evilly* I know, I'm a schemer. What can I say? ...Nothing, actually. T_T Oh well. Anyways, I've already had two more reviews since I put up Chapter Two, Nausea Ensues. I'm so glad that people are actually reading this. Hopefully I can persuade more people to read my other fics that way. For those of you that like Cowboy Bebop, I've already published two more of my one-shotters, and am planning to put up a story called Just Let Me Sleep (It'll be about 7 – 10 chapters long). I've also got For Better or For Worse, But Mostly Just For Worse, a Cardcaptors fic, in the works. I've been working my ass off trying to get all of my fics finished. It's been freakin' difficult, but I'm holding strong. Anyways, have fun.
-----------------
Review Responses:
Yukikaze: I know. I'm evil like that. D And to meet your bloodthirsty demands, I've updated. Now please, DON'T kill me. Thanks for reviewing!!! D
StoryWeaver1: Hey! Didn't you review on one or two of my other fics? Cool! I've got continuing readers! *Sniff sniff* I'm so happy...I feel so loved! Anyways, any theories are welcome. Hey, you might be right, for all we know! I'm planning on revealing the reason in about two or three chapters. So if you are right, you can drop me a review! I kinda hope that you are, so I can laugh at myself and my boastings of "such an original idea". Arigato for your review!!!
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Prince Charming: Chapter Three
------------------
Melfina felt horrible.
And it wasn't just the receding pain in her chest and stomach, either.
She'd been very cruel to Jim. That had been the last thing she wanted, but it had kind of slipped out. All she had wanted to say was that she wanted to be alone for a little while, and everyone else had picked up on that pretty quickly, except for Jim. And Mel knew she couldn't blame him.
He was, after all, only eleven, no matter how mature and intelligent he could be.
Melfina sighed a little to herself and settled down on the bench she had occupied on the day before. This was the very bench she'd sat on when she heard the fairytale. Just being there brought back little pieces of the story.
-----------
' "And the handsome prince knelt before Sleeping Beauty, holding her slender hand in his. Just as he asked her for her hand in marriage, she smiled and drew him to his feet, and they embraced as only lovers can..." '
----------
She wondered for a moment if Sleeping Beauty had truly loved Prince Charming. They'd only known each other for the briefest of times. But the concept of love-at-first-sight was too romantic to not believe in.
Melfina smiled and tucked her legs up to her chest, fingering a leaf of the bush growing beside the bench. She would give anything to be loved as Sleeping Beauty had been loved...
' "Are you sure you're alright?" '
Melfina's eyes widened as Gene's voice rang out in her head. As though to clear him from her thoughts, she shook her head rapidly.
Oh, why? Why was this happening? What was wrong with her? Why wouldn't it stop? What –
"Mommy, look!"
Melfina's head swung up at the voice. It sounded the same as the little girl's, Alice, from yesterday.
It WAS the same little girl. And her mother was standing right beside her, holding her hand. They were both looking expectantly at her, and Melfina realized she was sitting on the wrong bench. This was the bench THEY'D been sitting on.
For some reason, Mel felt guilty, as though she was sitting in their spot, their own special place.
"Hello, dear," said Alice's mother. "Do you mind if my daughter and I sit here as well?"
Her words took a few moments to process, but then Melfina shook her head and smiled.
"Not at all."
She scooted over to give the woman and her daughter some room.
The little girl sat right next to Mel and stared up at her with big blue eyes.
"Hi!" she exclaimed, grinning innocently from ear to ear. "I'm Alice!"
Melfina's first response was, "I know" but that seemed like it might be an odd comment, considering that it might make her sound crazy.
"Hello, Alice, I'm Melfina."
Alice turned to her mother, who was watching this was a delighted smile on her face.
"Mommy! Isn't she pretty!"
Melfina blushed.
"I'm sorry, dear, she gets a little carried away sometimes," said the woman, reaching over her daughter's hand and placing it on Mel's shoulder.
Melfina smiled up at the older woman. "It's alright."
"MOOOMMMMYYY!" shouted Alice, jumping up and knocking her mother's hand off Mel's shoulder, "I wanna hear a fairytale!!!"
Her words caused Mel to jump. Another fairytale?
Mel wondered if it would be okay for her to even listen to it. What if it was the fairytale causing all the anguish going on inside her? What if another fairytale caused similar effects?
The woman reached down and pulled her daughter into her lap. "Alright, alright. Which fairytale this time, Alice?"
"The one about the princess!"
Melfina began to wonder if she was having déjà vu.
The woman sighed, though it wasn't so much as exasperated as humored. "They're all about princesses, Alice! How many times must I tell you? There's Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Cinderella..."
"Sleeping BEAUTY!!!" Alice cried in a singsong voice.
"AGAIN?"
"Yup, yup! Sleeping BEAUTY!!!"
Melfina giggled, drawing the woman's attention.
"Have you ever heard that story before, Melfina?" the woman asked, eyes crinkling in silent laughter.
Melfina shook her head, lying so that she could hear the story again.
Alice chose this moment to spring up from the bench and investigate the destination of a passing butterfly, completely forgetting that she had requested a story.
The woman laughed at her daughter's antics and then turned back to Mel, holding out her hand.
"Hello, my name's Retsuna."
(A/N: Hey, hey, I couldn't come up with anything better, and I wanted her name to begin with an "R" for some reason. Besides, I think it fits her pretty well.)
Melfina accepted Retsuna's hand and shook.
"It's very nice to meet you," Retsuna said. "Do you come here often?"
"Yes, I come here almost every day on my way home from grocery shopping," answered Mel.
The woman nodded, eyes closed in an understanding smile.
(A/N: Can anyone help me come up with a better synonym for "smile" than "grin"? I'm sorry, but it feels like I'm using that word over-extensively. It's starting to get annoying. Sorry for the interruption.)
"We come here everyday to wait for my husband," Retsuna said, a far-away look in her eyes. "He passes through here on his way home, too."
Mel smiled.
(A/N: ARGH! See!? Again, I am forced to use the accursed word! DAMN THE WORD "SMILE"!!!)
Mel suddenly felt like she could place a huge amount of trust in this woman. She wondered if it would be alright, if this seemingly kind woman named Retsuna would allow her to.
"I know," Mel said, finally making up her mind. "I saw you and your daughter here yesterday."
Retsuna laughed. "I thought you looked familiar! Weren't you sitting over there?" She pointed at the bench on the opposite side of the path.
Mel nodded, taken aback. She'd had no idea that anyone had seen her at the park the previous day. It was a little unnerving, but she didn't care.
"Ummm...Retsuna?" Mel subconsciously was testing her to see if it was alright to call her by her first name.
Retsuna must have caught the glimmer of unsure curiosity in her voice.
"It's fine, dear, you may call me Retsuna."
Mel nodded her appreciativeness. "Umm...may I ask you a question?"
Retsuna looked a little curious. "Alright."
"Well, you see..." And, then suddenly, everything just started pouring out. Mel told the woman everything, about hearing the fairytale the previous day, to walking home, to seeing Gene and feeling breathless, to flushing at his touch, to feeling almost nauseas when he looked at her. To trying to escape these feelings by returning here.
Never in her life had Melfina talked so much at one time.
When she was finished and breathless, Retsuna smiled (A/N: AHHHH!!!!) widely and took the younger girl's hand in her own.
"Well, dear, it's quite simple. You're in love."
--------------------
MWAHAHAAHA!!! I love cliffhangers. When I leave with cliffhangers, it urges people to yell at me, so they review, and I write more. So, if ya'll review, I'll write. I tend to resort to blackmail when I'm bored, so you'll have to forgive me. D I'm a little evil. Oh, by the way, I've already started Chapter Three and it should be up by March 11th, 04 ...which is tomorrow, by the way.
Does anyone like the way this story is going? I'm really enjoying writing it, but I don't feel like it's right for me to like it if no one else does. Please review. If you don't, I might discontinue this...And then you'd ALL BE SORRY!!!! *laughs hysterically*
Sere: Umm, you'll have to forgive her. She's a little on the crazy side tonight. You see, it's 8:51 and she hasn't had her medication yet... *Bites that edge of Himiko's pants and drags her downstairs to dose her up on her pills*.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, SERE IS HIMIKO'S CAT + MUSE. SHE'LL BE HERE FOR CHAPTER FOUR TOO!!!
Ja ne.
DISCLAIMER: If I owned Outlaw Star, then there would be a second season. Do you see a second season anywhere? Nope, didn't think so.
------------------
A/N: I'm so proud of myself. Updating twice in two days. That's, like, a huge accomplishment for me. Besides, the faster and more I update, the longer I stay at the top of the list under Outlaw Star. *cackles evilly* I know, I'm a schemer. What can I say? ...Nothing, actually. T_T Oh well. Anyways, I've already had two more reviews since I put up Chapter Two, Nausea Ensues. I'm so glad that people are actually reading this. Hopefully I can persuade more people to read my other fics that way. For those of you that like Cowboy Bebop, I've already published two more of my one-shotters, and am planning to put up a story called Just Let Me Sleep (It'll be about 7 – 10 chapters long). I've also got For Better or For Worse, But Mostly Just For Worse, a Cardcaptors fic, in the works. I've been working my ass off trying to get all of my fics finished. It's been freakin' difficult, but I'm holding strong. Anyways, have fun.
-----------------
Review Responses:
Yukikaze: I know. I'm evil like that. D And to meet your bloodthirsty demands, I've updated. Now please, DON'T kill me. Thanks for reviewing!!! D
StoryWeaver1: Hey! Didn't you review on one or two of my other fics? Cool! I've got continuing readers! *Sniff sniff* I'm so happy...I feel so loved! Anyways, any theories are welcome. Hey, you might be right, for all we know! I'm planning on revealing the reason in about two or three chapters. So if you are right, you can drop me a review! I kinda hope that you are, so I can laugh at myself and my boastings of "such an original idea". Arigato for your review!!!
------------------
Prince Charming: Chapter Three
------------------
Melfina felt horrible.
And it wasn't just the receding pain in her chest and stomach, either.
She'd been very cruel to Jim. That had been the last thing she wanted, but it had kind of slipped out. All she had wanted to say was that she wanted to be alone for a little while, and everyone else had picked up on that pretty quickly, except for Jim. And Mel knew she couldn't blame him.
He was, after all, only eleven, no matter how mature and intelligent he could be.
Melfina sighed a little to herself and settled down on the bench she had occupied on the day before. This was the very bench she'd sat on when she heard the fairytale. Just being there brought back little pieces of the story.
-----------
' "And the handsome prince knelt before Sleeping Beauty, holding her slender hand in his. Just as he asked her for her hand in marriage, she smiled and drew him to his feet, and they embraced as only lovers can..." '
----------
She wondered for a moment if Sleeping Beauty had truly loved Prince Charming. They'd only known each other for the briefest of times. But the concept of love-at-first-sight was too romantic to not believe in.
Melfina smiled and tucked her legs up to her chest, fingering a leaf of the bush growing beside the bench. She would give anything to be loved as Sleeping Beauty had been loved...
' "Are you sure you're alright?" '
Melfina's eyes widened as Gene's voice rang out in her head. As though to clear him from her thoughts, she shook her head rapidly.
Oh, why? Why was this happening? What was wrong with her? Why wouldn't it stop? What –
"Mommy, look!"
Melfina's head swung up at the voice. It sounded the same as the little girl's, Alice, from yesterday.
It WAS the same little girl. And her mother was standing right beside her, holding her hand. They were both looking expectantly at her, and Melfina realized she was sitting on the wrong bench. This was the bench THEY'D been sitting on.
For some reason, Mel felt guilty, as though she was sitting in their spot, their own special place.
"Hello, dear," said Alice's mother. "Do you mind if my daughter and I sit here as well?"
Her words took a few moments to process, but then Melfina shook her head and smiled.
"Not at all."
She scooted over to give the woman and her daughter some room.
The little girl sat right next to Mel and stared up at her with big blue eyes.
"Hi!" she exclaimed, grinning innocently from ear to ear. "I'm Alice!"
Melfina's first response was, "I know" but that seemed like it might be an odd comment, considering that it might make her sound crazy.
"Hello, Alice, I'm Melfina."
Alice turned to her mother, who was watching this was a delighted smile on her face.
"Mommy! Isn't she pretty!"
Melfina blushed.
"I'm sorry, dear, she gets a little carried away sometimes," said the woman, reaching over her daughter's hand and placing it on Mel's shoulder.
Melfina smiled up at the older woman. "It's alright."
"MOOOMMMMYYY!" shouted Alice, jumping up and knocking her mother's hand off Mel's shoulder, "I wanna hear a fairytale!!!"
Her words caused Mel to jump. Another fairytale?
Mel wondered if it would be okay for her to even listen to it. What if it was the fairytale causing all the anguish going on inside her? What if another fairytale caused similar effects?
The woman reached down and pulled her daughter into her lap. "Alright, alright. Which fairytale this time, Alice?"
"The one about the princess!"
Melfina began to wonder if she was having déjà vu.
The woman sighed, though it wasn't so much as exasperated as humored. "They're all about princesses, Alice! How many times must I tell you? There's Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Cinderella..."
"Sleeping BEAUTY!!!" Alice cried in a singsong voice.
"AGAIN?"
"Yup, yup! Sleeping BEAUTY!!!"
Melfina giggled, drawing the woman's attention.
"Have you ever heard that story before, Melfina?" the woman asked, eyes crinkling in silent laughter.
Melfina shook her head, lying so that she could hear the story again.
Alice chose this moment to spring up from the bench and investigate the destination of a passing butterfly, completely forgetting that she had requested a story.
The woman laughed at her daughter's antics and then turned back to Mel, holding out her hand.
"Hello, my name's Retsuna."
(A/N: Hey, hey, I couldn't come up with anything better, and I wanted her name to begin with an "R" for some reason. Besides, I think it fits her pretty well.)
Melfina accepted Retsuna's hand and shook.
"It's very nice to meet you," Retsuna said. "Do you come here often?"
"Yes, I come here almost every day on my way home from grocery shopping," answered Mel.
The woman nodded, eyes closed in an understanding smile.
(A/N: Can anyone help me come up with a better synonym for "smile" than "grin"? I'm sorry, but it feels like I'm using that word over-extensively. It's starting to get annoying. Sorry for the interruption.)
"We come here everyday to wait for my husband," Retsuna said, a far-away look in her eyes. "He passes through here on his way home, too."
Mel smiled.
(A/N: ARGH! See!? Again, I am forced to use the accursed word! DAMN THE WORD "SMILE"!!!)
Mel suddenly felt like she could place a huge amount of trust in this woman. She wondered if it would be alright, if this seemingly kind woman named Retsuna would allow her to.
"I know," Mel said, finally making up her mind. "I saw you and your daughter here yesterday."
Retsuna laughed. "I thought you looked familiar! Weren't you sitting over there?" She pointed at the bench on the opposite side of the path.
Mel nodded, taken aback. She'd had no idea that anyone had seen her at the park the previous day. It was a little unnerving, but she didn't care.
"Ummm...Retsuna?" Mel subconsciously was testing her to see if it was alright to call her by her first name.
Retsuna must have caught the glimmer of unsure curiosity in her voice.
"It's fine, dear, you may call me Retsuna."
Mel nodded her appreciativeness. "Umm...may I ask you a question?"
Retsuna looked a little curious. "Alright."
"Well, you see..." And, then suddenly, everything just started pouring out. Mel told the woman everything, about hearing the fairytale the previous day, to walking home, to seeing Gene and feeling breathless, to flushing at his touch, to feeling almost nauseas when he looked at her. To trying to escape these feelings by returning here.
Never in her life had Melfina talked so much at one time.
When she was finished and breathless, Retsuna smiled (A/N: AHHHH!!!!) widely and took the younger girl's hand in her own.
"Well, dear, it's quite simple. You're in love."
--------------------
MWAHAHAAHA!!! I love cliffhangers. When I leave with cliffhangers, it urges people to yell at me, so they review, and I write more. So, if ya'll review, I'll write. I tend to resort to blackmail when I'm bored, so you'll have to forgive me. D I'm a little evil. Oh, by the way, I've already started Chapter Three and it should be up by March 11th, 04 ...which is tomorrow, by the way.
Does anyone like the way this story is going? I'm really enjoying writing it, but I don't feel like it's right for me to like it if no one else does. Please review. If you don't, I might discontinue this...And then you'd ALL BE SORRY!!!! *laughs hysterically*
Sere: Umm, you'll have to forgive her. She's a little on the crazy side tonight. You see, it's 8:51 and she hasn't had her medication yet... *Bites that edge of Himiko's pants and drags her downstairs to dose her up on her pills*.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, SERE IS HIMIKO'S CAT + MUSE. SHE'LL BE HERE FOR CHAPTER FOUR TOO!!!
Ja ne.