Tomorrow's Child in Trouble
Disclaimer: Same as before. EPCOT Center isn't mine either.
~ ~ ~ ~
As Miranda got out of the shower and dressed for the next day, Nani asked, "So what's the story with you and Halb?"
"We're just friends, if that's what you mean." Miranda replied.
"Quite defensive there." Lilo quipped, as she rose from her own bed, below Nani's. The two alternated bunks every week.
"I'm just saying we're just friends." Miranda replied, unsure what Nani's devilish grin was all about.
"If you're not interested..." Nani said.
"Aren't you with David now?" Miranda smiled, jokingly.
"Yes, but I think a fling with our resident swashbuckler would be..." Nani said, mischievously.
"Absolutely not! I'm not about to let you use him like that!" Miranda replied.
"That sounded dangerously like, 'Stay away from my man, Nani', to me." Lilo replied.
"What? No? I just don't wanna see him get hurt like that." Miranda said, "No friend would want to see a friend hurt that way."
"Right." Nani smiled mysteriously, "You guys spend a lot of time together."
"Aside from Bonkers, Halb's the only other person I really knew before coming aboard." Miranda replied, "I'm going to get some breakfast. You coming?"
"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." Nani replied, winking.
As Miranda rolled her eyes and walked out the door, Nani, Lilo, and Stitch looked at each other. "She likes him." Lilo said.
"Maybe." Nani replied, "Definitely. I refuse to believe that they're 'just friends' if you catch my drift."
"Do you think Halb likes Miranda?" Lilo asks.
"I don't know." Nani said, "But I think there's definitely a possibility. She's single, available and definitely a real beauty."
"And Halb is single, available, a great guy, and definitely he's hot." Lilo replied.
"LILO!" Nani remarked, "Whenever did you get such a dirty mind?"
"Dirty mind?" Lilo said, "The way you talk about David sometimes..."
"LILO!" Nani said and the two girls got into a pillow fight.
~ ~ ~ ~
"Very good Johann." Halb said, "Your swordsmanship is getting better, for do not be too reliant upon your firearms. Many a time I was able to hack my way through musketeers before they could reload. Their swordsmanship was shoddy enough that one or two slashes with my sword was enough to dispatch them."
Johann had his short, broad sword out, and was sweating rather profusely. Halb had barely broken a sweat. "How art thou capable of such feats of swordsmanship? Many times the harquebusiers decimated swordsmen before they could close."
"Johann, those 'swordsmen' were little more than conscripts from villages and townships of Ziegsturhl." Halb replied, "They were barely trained in the art of fencing."
"Quite instructive, Halb." Cobra Bubbles said. He was carrying an ornate fencing sword, "Do you fancy a test of your skills? I was instructed by the same master swordsman of Parmas that trained you."
"Master Guillon?" Halb asked.
"The one and only." Cobra Bubbles said.
"Thanks for bailing us out. We've been busting our butts, but Halb beat us every single time." David said, soaked in sweat.
"Well, let's see if I can't challenge our great swordsman of Parmas." Cobra Bubbles said.
"How did you meet Master Guillon?" Halb asked, "He disappeared shortly after I had reached but seventeen years."
"Master Guillon vanished into the many worlds." Cobra Bubbles said, "He knew this day would come, and he was to keep a page of the prophesy safe. He knew that one of his students would piece together the puzzle and lock the doors. He also knew that another of his students was a traitor. Defend yourself, swordsman of Parmas."
"Gladly." Halb replied, drawing his reversed blade sword, "First blow landed shall decide this match."
Cobra Bubbles smiled, ever so slightly, as he drew out a fencing foil of his own and he thrust forward with the weapon. Halb parried the first probe with deceptive ease. What followed was a rapid succession of blows and counterblows. Both men moved with such speed and the clash of steel against steel drew everyone on the ship not piloting into the gymnasium. Only blurs of motion and flashes of steel were visible as the two swords clashed together.
"You are dead, swordsman of Parmas." Cobra Bubbles said, touching Halb's collar, signifying the match was over, "I might add that Master Guillon taught me."
"So I gathered. I have never once beaten Master Guillon in a match." Halb replied, "He was truly a master of swordsmanship."
As Halb walked out of the gymnasium, Miranda fell into step beside him, "So who is this Master Guillon?"
"As the child of the upper middle class I was required to master the art of swordsmanship. All gentlemen of Parmas are taught this at an early age. Master Guillon was one of the finest swordsmen of our land. It was an honor to be his student." Halb replied.
"Then why did he choose your family? Couldn't wealthier noblemen have paid him?" Miranda asked, "I'm certain a prince would have."
"'Tis a tradition of the master swordsmen that they pick their students. When he watched me play with the other children he claimed he saw potential in me." Halb replied.
"And look at you now." Miranda smiled, as they took a table in the galley.
"I greatly look forward to see Master Guillon once more. From him I learned all that I know." Halb replied.
"I'm sure he'd be proud." Miranda said.
"I can only hope." Halb replied.
~ ~ ~ ~
"He likes her, I can tell." Nani said.
"Excuse me, what?" David said.
"David, don't you pay attention?" Nani asked.
"I'm still trying to get over how in trying to fight Halb five times I lost within one or two strikes." David said, "Who likes who?"
"Halb. I think, no wait, I know, he likes Miranda." Nani said.
David had been sipping his coffee and suddenly he spewed it into the wall at his side, "WHAT?"
"Not so loud, David!" Nani said.
"What makes you think that, they're just really good friends." David said.
"You idiot, anyone can see Halb obviously likes her." Nani said, "But you're MY idiot, and that's all that counts."
"Hey, I'm not an idiot." David said, "But I can kinda see Miranda likes Halb."
The two were on the other side of the galley, watching Miranda and Halb talking about something or other. Halb must've said something amusing because Miranda laughed suddenly, leaving Halb with a puzzled look on his face.
~ ~ ~ ~
"I fail to see what is so funny." Halb had said, he looked puzzled as Miranda began to regain her composure.
"Halb, sometimes the culture gap is hilarious." Miranda said, wiping a tear away.
"I fail to see why cultural misunderstandings are funny. Wars have resulted from them." Halb said, "Because of a cultural misunderstanding hundreds of years ago, the states of Nachtholm and Stahlberg have often been at odds."
"Halb, sometimes they're funny." Miranda said, "Especially if it involves you saying, 'The o-ring is busted' when you made a report about the engine."
"The rubber o-ring on one of the cylinders on our starboard engine was busted." Halb said.
"Halb, it's called a double meaning." Miranda said, "And you did it in the most serious voice too."
"It was an engineering plant status report Cobra wanted." Halb replied, "So I gave it to him. David often says that when referring to that part of the engines."
"It was funny to see Cobra actually smile when you said that." Miranda said.
~ ~ ~ ~
Maleficent and several villains were clustered around a table. Prince Terroenza, the corpulent Prince of Steinchroe came forward, joining Lilith Duprave and Al Vermin. "So they are on their way to EPCOT?" Terroenza said.
"Yes, their course has been plotted. The next page of the prophesy must be located there." Maleficent said.
"And revenge will be mine." Lilith Duprave said, "Miranda Wright will die, after watching her nephew die as well."
"In due time." Maleficent says, "But perhaps we can discover the weakness of this swordsman of Parmas, and turn him to our side."
"So are our forces in place?" Lilith Duprave asked.
"Yes, they are." Terroenza began, "I have summoned more legions of the Dark Army away from besieging Vasserbunde."
"Be careful, the Heartless consume the careless." Maleficent cautioned.
"Pagh, consume the careless, they have not consumed me." Terroenza remarked.
"Beware of overusing their power. Surely you can find fighters amongst your own henchmen." Maleficent said.
"The forces of Steinchroe are willing, but it will take time to run levees through our territory and train our forces for battle." Terroenza replied, inwardly he smiled, the Heartless would waste drone after drone on the defenses of Vasserbunde and other states he would attack, thinking that he was giving them the honor of going first. The vanguard of Steinchroes troops would commit the final rout. Because of the Heartless, Steinchroe would gain prominence among the states of the land of Memel.
Maleficent said to Lilith Duprave and Al Vermin, "Are your henchmen in place?"
Both of them nodded, "So far the Heartless, lead by our henchmen have taken over almost a third of EPCOT."
"Good, if you need more men, use your own henchmen, sparingly." Maleficent said.
~ ~ ~ ~
"So what do you say?" Nani said. She, David, Lilo, Stitch, Bonkers, and Johann were clustered in the room she, Lilo and Miranda shared.
"To what?" David asked. Jumba Joukiba and Pleaky were taking turns watching for Halb, Miranda or Cobra.
"Setting Miranda and Halb on a blind date, silly." Nani said.
"I do notice Halb does have some sort of affection for her." Johann quipped.
"And I can see Miranda has some sort of affection for Halb." Bonkers interjected.
"So what's the plan?" David asked.
"I don't know yet." Nani replied, "I'm working on it. But EPCOT Center has some real nice places to go out and eat."
"I know, remember our last date there, Nani?" David replied.
"David, you're a genius..." Nani replied, "Remember, not one word to either of them. Or Operation Blind Date is ruined."
~ ~ ~ ~
TBC
Disclaimer: Same as before. EPCOT Center isn't mine either.
~ ~ ~ ~
As Miranda got out of the shower and dressed for the next day, Nani asked, "So what's the story with you and Halb?"
"We're just friends, if that's what you mean." Miranda replied.
"Quite defensive there." Lilo quipped, as she rose from her own bed, below Nani's. The two alternated bunks every week.
"I'm just saying we're just friends." Miranda replied, unsure what Nani's devilish grin was all about.
"If you're not interested..." Nani said.
"Aren't you with David now?" Miranda smiled, jokingly.
"Yes, but I think a fling with our resident swashbuckler would be..." Nani said, mischievously.
"Absolutely not! I'm not about to let you use him like that!" Miranda replied.
"That sounded dangerously like, 'Stay away from my man, Nani', to me." Lilo replied.
"What? No? I just don't wanna see him get hurt like that." Miranda said, "No friend would want to see a friend hurt that way."
"Right." Nani smiled mysteriously, "You guys spend a lot of time together."
"Aside from Bonkers, Halb's the only other person I really knew before coming aboard." Miranda replied, "I'm going to get some breakfast. You coming?"
"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." Nani replied, winking.
As Miranda rolled her eyes and walked out the door, Nani, Lilo, and Stitch looked at each other. "She likes him." Lilo said.
"Maybe." Nani replied, "Definitely. I refuse to believe that they're 'just friends' if you catch my drift."
"Do you think Halb likes Miranda?" Lilo asks.
"I don't know." Nani said, "But I think there's definitely a possibility. She's single, available and definitely a real beauty."
"And Halb is single, available, a great guy, and definitely he's hot." Lilo replied.
"LILO!" Nani remarked, "Whenever did you get such a dirty mind?"
"Dirty mind?" Lilo said, "The way you talk about David sometimes..."
"LILO!" Nani said and the two girls got into a pillow fight.
~ ~ ~ ~
"Very good Johann." Halb said, "Your swordsmanship is getting better, for do not be too reliant upon your firearms. Many a time I was able to hack my way through musketeers before they could reload. Their swordsmanship was shoddy enough that one or two slashes with my sword was enough to dispatch them."
Johann had his short, broad sword out, and was sweating rather profusely. Halb had barely broken a sweat. "How art thou capable of such feats of swordsmanship? Many times the harquebusiers decimated swordsmen before they could close."
"Johann, those 'swordsmen' were little more than conscripts from villages and townships of Ziegsturhl." Halb replied, "They were barely trained in the art of fencing."
"Quite instructive, Halb." Cobra Bubbles said. He was carrying an ornate fencing sword, "Do you fancy a test of your skills? I was instructed by the same master swordsman of Parmas that trained you."
"Master Guillon?" Halb asked.
"The one and only." Cobra Bubbles said.
"Thanks for bailing us out. We've been busting our butts, but Halb beat us every single time." David said, soaked in sweat.
"Well, let's see if I can't challenge our great swordsman of Parmas." Cobra Bubbles said.
"How did you meet Master Guillon?" Halb asked, "He disappeared shortly after I had reached but seventeen years."
"Master Guillon vanished into the many worlds." Cobra Bubbles said, "He knew this day would come, and he was to keep a page of the prophesy safe. He knew that one of his students would piece together the puzzle and lock the doors. He also knew that another of his students was a traitor. Defend yourself, swordsman of Parmas."
"Gladly." Halb replied, drawing his reversed blade sword, "First blow landed shall decide this match."
Cobra Bubbles smiled, ever so slightly, as he drew out a fencing foil of his own and he thrust forward with the weapon. Halb parried the first probe with deceptive ease. What followed was a rapid succession of blows and counterblows. Both men moved with such speed and the clash of steel against steel drew everyone on the ship not piloting into the gymnasium. Only blurs of motion and flashes of steel were visible as the two swords clashed together.
"You are dead, swordsman of Parmas." Cobra Bubbles said, touching Halb's collar, signifying the match was over, "I might add that Master Guillon taught me."
"So I gathered. I have never once beaten Master Guillon in a match." Halb replied, "He was truly a master of swordsmanship."
As Halb walked out of the gymnasium, Miranda fell into step beside him, "So who is this Master Guillon?"
"As the child of the upper middle class I was required to master the art of swordsmanship. All gentlemen of Parmas are taught this at an early age. Master Guillon was one of the finest swordsmen of our land. It was an honor to be his student." Halb replied.
"Then why did he choose your family? Couldn't wealthier noblemen have paid him?" Miranda asked, "I'm certain a prince would have."
"'Tis a tradition of the master swordsmen that they pick their students. When he watched me play with the other children he claimed he saw potential in me." Halb replied.
"And look at you now." Miranda smiled, as they took a table in the galley.
"I greatly look forward to see Master Guillon once more. From him I learned all that I know." Halb replied.
"I'm sure he'd be proud." Miranda said.
"I can only hope." Halb replied.
~ ~ ~ ~
"He likes her, I can tell." Nani said.
"Excuse me, what?" David said.
"David, don't you pay attention?" Nani asked.
"I'm still trying to get over how in trying to fight Halb five times I lost within one or two strikes." David said, "Who likes who?"
"Halb. I think, no wait, I know, he likes Miranda." Nani said.
David had been sipping his coffee and suddenly he spewed it into the wall at his side, "WHAT?"
"Not so loud, David!" Nani said.
"What makes you think that, they're just really good friends." David said.
"You idiot, anyone can see Halb obviously likes her." Nani said, "But you're MY idiot, and that's all that counts."
"Hey, I'm not an idiot." David said, "But I can kinda see Miranda likes Halb."
The two were on the other side of the galley, watching Miranda and Halb talking about something or other. Halb must've said something amusing because Miranda laughed suddenly, leaving Halb with a puzzled look on his face.
~ ~ ~ ~
"I fail to see what is so funny." Halb had said, he looked puzzled as Miranda began to regain her composure.
"Halb, sometimes the culture gap is hilarious." Miranda said, wiping a tear away.
"I fail to see why cultural misunderstandings are funny. Wars have resulted from them." Halb said, "Because of a cultural misunderstanding hundreds of years ago, the states of Nachtholm and Stahlberg have often been at odds."
"Halb, sometimes they're funny." Miranda said, "Especially if it involves you saying, 'The o-ring is busted' when you made a report about the engine."
"The rubber o-ring on one of the cylinders on our starboard engine was busted." Halb said.
"Halb, it's called a double meaning." Miranda said, "And you did it in the most serious voice too."
"It was an engineering plant status report Cobra wanted." Halb replied, "So I gave it to him. David often says that when referring to that part of the engines."
"It was funny to see Cobra actually smile when you said that." Miranda said.
~ ~ ~ ~
Maleficent and several villains were clustered around a table. Prince Terroenza, the corpulent Prince of Steinchroe came forward, joining Lilith Duprave and Al Vermin. "So they are on their way to EPCOT?" Terroenza said.
"Yes, their course has been plotted. The next page of the prophesy must be located there." Maleficent said.
"And revenge will be mine." Lilith Duprave said, "Miranda Wright will die, after watching her nephew die as well."
"In due time." Maleficent says, "But perhaps we can discover the weakness of this swordsman of Parmas, and turn him to our side."
"So are our forces in place?" Lilith Duprave asked.
"Yes, they are." Terroenza began, "I have summoned more legions of the Dark Army away from besieging Vasserbunde."
"Be careful, the Heartless consume the careless." Maleficent cautioned.
"Pagh, consume the careless, they have not consumed me." Terroenza remarked.
"Beware of overusing their power. Surely you can find fighters amongst your own henchmen." Maleficent said.
"The forces of Steinchroe are willing, but it will take time to run levees through our territory and train our forces for battle." Terroenza replied, inwardly he smiled, the Heartless would waste drone after drone on the defenses of Vasserbunde and other states he would attack, thinking that he was giving them the honor of going first. The vanguard of Steinchroes troops would commit the final rout. Because of the Heartless, Steinchroe would gain prominence among the states of the land of Memel.
Maleficent said to Lilith Duprave and Al Vermin, "Are your henchmen in place?"
Both of them nodded, "So far the Heartless, lead by our henchmen have taken over almost a third of EPCOT."
"Good, if you need more men, use your own henchmen, sparingly." Maleficent said.
~ ~ ~ ~
"So what do you say?" Nani said. She, David, Lilo, Stitch, Bonkers, and Johann were clustered in the room she, Lilo and Miranda shared.
"To what?" David asked. Jumba Joukiba and Pleaky were taking turns watching for Halb, Miranda or Cobra.
"Setting Miranda and Halb on a blind date, silly." Nani said.
"I do notice Halb does have some sort of affection for her." Johann quipped.
"And I can see Miranda has some sort of affection for Halb." Bonkers interjected.
"So what's the plan?" David asked.
"I don't know yet." Nani replied, "I'm working on it. But EPCOT Center has some real nice places to go out and eat."
"I know, remember our last date there, Nani?" David replied.
"David, you're a genius..." Nani replied, "Remember, not one word to either of them. Or Operation Blind Date is ruined."
~ ~ ~ ~
TBC