Konnichiwa minna-san! It's me again and I have a new chapter for you all.
Hopefully it's a little bit longer than usual. If not, sorry. In fact I'm
sorry I took so long to update, but lots of you stuck with it!! Thank you
so much. I'll do my thank yous, which are quite a bit this time, then the
disclaimer, then on with the story!
SUBSTANTIVO: Ano, didn't you see Aubrey's angel when she had her birthday party? Of course Aubrey is Nicole. And Amanda comes in later in the story with her angel, Kaguya. Oops, I think I might have spoiled part of the story... just read, girl, read! Btw, I still love you, ya uber-ditz!!!
LI'AIN: Thank you and you got it! Just go right ahead and read!
MUGEN: I'm so glad the action worked. Thank you! That's a true compliment coming from someone who writes battles as well as you do. I'm continuing and I WILL get you that second pic of Sakuraryu... me so sorry.... *wails*
LITTLE RABBIT F/LRPLI: I wonder too... your guess is as good as mine. I'm still writing it. Each chapter is the product of one day's work. I don't write ahead. So yeah, we will have to wait and see!
JASON Q: Thanks for clearing that up! I'm a bit slow so I didn't get that until now... *sweatdrops* Thank you very much; I try. And the St.James just popped into my head because Nicole is based on one of my best friends and if you saw her, you'd think she was a St.James too. And I do enjoy watching Gilmore Girls when I can... but, who's Sookie again? (It's been awhile, can you tell?)
JAMFASE: *choke* I'm writing! *gasp* I've updated! *sputter* Please let go soon... I'm turning blue... *gags* If you don't stop strangling me, then how can I write? *breathes in deeply as Jamfase lets go momentarily to read this chapter... hopefully*
MIDNIGHT FAIRY: Well, duh. It wouldn't be the same without you! And thank you Yami-sama! You're so sweet it's almost hard to believe you're such a demon... *wails* SPARE ME! I DON'T WANNA BLEED!!! I updated so you can't hurt me! Right? Right?
LUINTHORON/ MAREK/ AOIROWASHI: Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying my story so far! And Icchan is one BIG cliche. You rock; I love new reviewers!! *hugs one, hugs all* Stay with me now!
ILYENA: I love it too! Sadly though, I haven't seen ANY of the episodes. You keep reviewing and let me know if you decide to get pink hair!
SPOOTASIA TOMOE: Thank you so much! And wait no more; here it is!
SANA JISUSHI: Thanks! Here's more!
THE INSANE OTAKU AKA CATERFREE: Well you thought right, as you'll see if you read the next chapter, which is right below. And I'm so glad my battle didn't suck. I was afraid it did. I'll drop by and read some of your stuff. I love humor!!
WANDERING KITSUNE: The idea was one I decided to write about on a whim because I kept thinking about how I would like to be in Angelic Layer. And since I've drawn and designed close to ten Angels for my friends, I decided to put them all in the story as deuces. My characters are based on my friends and their personality traits have been a bit (or a lot) exagerrated. Can you tell which one is me? *laughs*
PRINCESS AYEKA-ANGEL: Go for it! And thanks!
*looks exhausted* That's a lot of reviewers... maybe I ought to update more often... *blinks* I want to give hugs to all of my new reviewers. *huggles Midnight Fairy, Luinthoron/Marek/Aoirowashi, Ilyena, Spootasia Tomoe, Sana Jisushi, Wandering Kitsune, and Princess Ayeka-Angel really extra tight* You all really, really rock, just like ALL of my reviewers, but you already know that I'm sure!
Okay, that's all of the thank yous for now. And now for the DISCLAIMER: I don't own the concept of Angelic Layer, Icchan, or Ogata; I do own all of the OCs in this story, so hands off!!! Okay on to the process of the Nationals!! Enjoy!!!
*BATTLE 7*
In time, the Angelic Layer National American Tournament became public knowledge and a major object of public concern. Everyone who didn't play Angelic Layer was either placing or taking bets on who was likely to enter and even win the tournament. As the Nationals drew closer, every Deus who had his or her eyes set on competing worked their hardest, but none harder than Madison.
To gain access to an invitation to the Nationals, you had to be an elite Deus. This meant that you constantly had to battle other Angels and Deuces in various public matches, minor tournaments, and challenges to gain ranking in the competition. Rumor was that only the top 20 Deuces in the country and their Angels would be invited to participate. Who ranked where wasn't known anywhere, public or private. That information was confidential only to the top Piffle Princess U.S.A. employees, mainly Ryoko Matsuda, who was coordinating the tournament, in addition to managing the principal business affairs of Piffle Princess U.S.A.
The ranking system was stored in the main computer of Piffle Princess, behind a nearly impossible series of firewalls, codes, and passwords. The file contained information on each registered Deus with an Angel Card: name, age, address, Angel Information, and a complete record of every battle, with a picture of each Deus & Angel team.
The Nationals were scheduled to take place in the summer months, as not to interfere with anyone's school schedule. The 20 selected finalists were notified by mail. Every hopeful Deus crossed their fingers in hope and anticipation that they would receive one of the coveted Angel Invite before the deadline.
Madison rushed home everyday from soccer practice to see if she had gotten one. She wasn't sure of her standing in the Deus ranks, but she was sure that she had a good chance at receiving an Angel Invite. Tia was keeping her fingers crossed as well, and likewise hurried from her ballet lessons everyday to check the mail.
To get home, Madison had to take a cable car through the Victorian district. One day she saw a messenger from Piffle Princess U.S.A. climb the steps to one elegant house in particular. Lucky kid, Madison thought. They get an Angel Invite. Maybe I'll get one soon.
The cable car passed by, and the Piffle Princess messenger rung the doorbell of the house. A maid answered and accepted the Invite. She headed to the conservatory, where the piano was being played diligently and skillfully.
"Miss Nicole, I have a letter for you," the maid upon entering. The black haired girl abruptly ceased her playing and looked up at the intruder.
"Well, what is it?" she asked impatiently, tucking a strand of red hair behind one ear. The maid brought the letter over to her young mistress and handed it to her. Without being told, she curtsied slightly and left the room.
Using a fingernail to slit the envelope with its gold plated Piffle Princess logo she extracted her Angel Invite, read it briefly and set it on the music rack. She closed her practice book and launched into Beethoven's Fur Elise, her first and favorite concert piece. Nicole was pleased; she had expected as much. Now she would show Grandmother just how much Angelic Layer meant to her.
Just as she finished, the maid came back in to announce that tea was served in the drawing room. As much as Nicole hated the stuffy ritual of having afternoon tea, she knew she had to go through the motions everyday for her mother's sake. Like her father before her, she regarded her mother as a true angel.
Nicole pocketed the Angel Invite and went to the drawing room. Before entering, she straightened the skirt of her short gray dress and walked in, her dark red mary-jane shoes clicking on the floor before she stepped onto the carpet. She curtsied to her grandmother, hugged her mother, and sat down.
They had guests, she noticed. A friend of hers from school, Ana Diaz, sat with her mother on one of the couches.
Ana was pretty girl with long dark hair she usually wore in a ponytail. She had a sweet face with big, dark eyes fringed in long dark lashes. Like Nicole, Ana was also an Angelic Layer Deus. Her Angel was a power-type named Seiya.
Seiya wore a short violet and orchid Chinese-style dress with long cream-colored bell sleeves and a yin-yang symbol on the front and slippers to match. Her Deus styled Seiya's raven black hair in an elegant high bun, with chopsticks stuck through it and her Angel Cord was attached to one of the chopsticks.
The girls shook hands as their guardians bid them to and then were allowed to sit together at one end of the room while the ladies conversed at the other.
"So, I haven't seen you for awhile. What have you been up to Nicole?" Ana asked. Nicole shrugged.
"Just working on my Angels."
"You know about the Nationals."
"Of course." Nicole drew her Angel Invite from her pocket at the same moment Ana did. They smiled.
"So this means I'll see you in the Layer for real this time," Ana commented.
"I won't go easy on you, you know," Nicole smirked.
"You never do." The girls were then called to tea and the conversation ceased. But each knew that the Nationals were going to be a very interesting affair.
~*^*^*~
"Mail's here!" Heather called as Madison came in through the kitchen door. She made a beeline and nearly knocked over her stepsister.
"Watch it, squirt!"Heather scolded, but with laughing eyes. As her stepsisters went, Heather was much nicer to Madison than Sam was. She was snobby only in association with her twin. Otherwise, she was a kind, sensible soul.
"Sorry. I'm just waiting for something really important," Madison said, shaking her lime-green bangs out of her eyes.
"Something like a certain exclusive invitation to the Angelic Layer National American Tournament?" Heather teased as she riffled through the day's mail. She came up with an envelope embossed with a gold plated Piffle Princess logo.
"Here you go," she said handing the envelope to her younger sister. Madison squealed and threw her arms around Heather.
"I got one! Oh yeah! I'm so happy!" she exclaimed, dashing upstairs to her room to read the Invite. It listed the day the Tournament was to begin, which was in two weeks, as well as the time and place.
"I'm really going to be in the Nationals!" Madison exclaimed in a sing-song voice, picking up Celeste and dancing her around the room, until her phone rang. She snatched it up in a second and was delighted to hear Tia's voice on the other end of the line.
"Guess what--" Madison began.
"I got one! I got an Angel Invite!" Tia finished, cutting her friend off. The girls squealed simultaneously. They gushed about the Nationals for another ten minutes, then Madison had to hang up. Sam needed to make a call and demanded that she get off. Madison complied, knowing better than to cross Sam when she thought she was right, which was all the time.
"Celeste," Madison said, flopping across her bed with her Angel in front of her, "You and I are going to be awesome in the Nationals. I promise I'll do my best for you. I won't lose because I didn't try. You and I are a team. All the other Deuces better watch out, because I'm ready to go and I won't let anybody stand in my way!"
* END BATTLE 7*
So now that Madison, Tia, and Nicole, as well as our new friend Ana, have secured their places in the Nationals, how will they fare? The battles will be fierce and they begin next chapter with the Nationals! So read, review, and keep watching for updates. Ja ne minna-san!
SUBSTANTIVO: Ano, didn't you see Aubrey's angel when she had her birthday party? Of course Aubrey is Nicole. And Amanda comes in later in the story with her angel, Kaguya. Oops, I think I might have spoiled part of the story... just read, girl, read! Btw, I still love you, ya uber-ditz!!!
LI'AIN: Thank you and you got it! Just go right ahead and read!
MUGEN: I'm so glad the action worked. Thank you! That's a true compliment coming from someone who writes battles as well as you do. I'm continuing and I WILL get you that second pic of Sakuraryu... me so sorry.... *wails*
LITTLE RABBIT F/LRPLI: I wonder too... your guess is as good as mine. I'm still writing it. Each chapter is the product of one day's work. I don't write ahead. So yeah, we will have to wait and see!
JASON Q: Thanks for clearing that up! I'm a bit slow so I didn't get that until now... *sweatdrops* Thank you very much; I try. And the St.James just popped into my head because Nicole is based on one of my best friends and if you saw her, you'd think she was a St.James too. And I do enjoy watching Gilmore Girls when I can... but, who's Sookie again? (It's been awhile, can you tell?)
JAMFASE: *choke* I'm writing! *gasp* I've updated! *sputter* Please let go soon... I'm turning blue... *gags* If you don't stop strangling me, then how can I write? *breathes in deeply as Jamfase lets go momentarily to read this chapter... hopefully*
MIDNIGHT FAIRY: Well, duh. It wouldn't be the same without you! And thank you Yami-sama! You're so sweet it's almost hard to believe you're such a demon... *wails* SPARE ME! I DON'T WANNA BLEED!!! I updated so you can't hurt me! Right? Right?
LUINTHORON/ MAREK/ AOIROWASHI: Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying my story so far! And Icchan is one BIG cliche. You rock; I love new reviewers!! *hugs one, hugs all* Stay with me now!
ILYENA: I love it too! Sadly though, I haven't seen ANY of the episodes. You keep reviewing and let me know if you decide to get pink hair!
SPOOTASIA TOMOE: Thank you so much! And wait no more; here it is!
SANA JISUSHI: Thanks! Here's more!
THE INSANE OTAKU AKA CATERFREE: Well you thought right, as you'll see if you read the next chapter, which is right below. And I'm so glad my battle didn't suck. I was afraid it did. I'll drop by and read some of your stuff. I love humor!!
WANDERING KITSUNE: The idea was one I decided to write about on a whim because I kept thinking about how I would like to be in Angelic Layer. And since I've drawn and designed close to ten Angels for my friends, I decided to put them all in the story as deuces. My characters are based on my friends and their personality traits have been a bit (or a lot) exagerrated. Can you tell which one is me? *laughs*
PRINCESS AYEKA-ANGEL: Go for it! And thanks!
*looks exhausted* That's a lot of reviewers... maybe I ought to update more often... *blinks* I want to give hugs to all of my new reviewers. *huggles Midnight Fairy, Luinthoron/Marek/Aoirowashi, Ilyena, Spootasia Tomoe, Sana Jisushi, Wandering Kitsune, and Princess Ayeka-Angel really extra tight* You all really, really rock, just like ALL of my reviewers, but you already know that I'm sure!
Okay, that's all of the thank yous for now. And now for the DISCLAIMER: I don't own the concept of Angelic Layer, Icchan, or Ogata; I do own all of the OCs in this story, so hands off!!! Okay on to the process of the Nationals!! Enjoy!!!
*BATTLE 7*
In time, the Angelic Layer National American Tournament became public knowledge and a major object of public concern. Everyone who didn't play Angelic Layer was either placing or taking bets on who was likely to enter and even win the tournament. As the Nationals drew closer, every Deus who had his or her eyes set on competing worked their hardest, but none harder than Madison.
To gain access to an invitation to the Nationals, you had to be an elite Deus. This meant that you constantly had to battle other Angels and Deuces in various public matches, minor tournaments, and challenges to gain ranking in the competition. Rumor was that only the top 20 Deuces in the country and their Angels would be invited to participate. Who ranked where wasn't known anywhere, public or private. That information was confidential only to the top Piffle Princess U.S.A. employees, mainly Ryoko Matsuda, who was coordinating the tournament, in addition to managing the principal business affairs of Piffle Princess U.S.A.
The ranking system was stored in the main computer of Piffle Princess, behind a nearly impossible series of firewalls, codes, and passwords. The file contained information on each registered Deus with an Angel Card: name, age, address, Angel Information, and a complete record of every battle, with a picture of each Deus & Angel team.
The Nationals were scheduled to take place in the summer months, as not to interfere with anyone's school schedule. The 20 selected finalists were notified by mail. Every hopeful Deus crossed their fingers in hope and anticipation that they would receive one of the coveted Angel Invite before the deadline.
Madison rushed home everyday from soccer practice to see if she had gotten one. She wasn't sure of her standing in the Deus ranks, but she was sure that she had a good chance at receiving an Angel Invite. Tia was keeping her fingers crossed as well, and likewise hurried from her ballet lessons everyday to check the mail.
To get home, Madison had to take a cable car through the Victorian district. One day she saw a messenger from Piffle Princess U.S.A. climb the steps to one elegant house in particular. Lucky kid, Madison thought. They get an Angel Invite. Maybe I'll get one soon.
The cable car passed by, and the Piffle Princess messenger rung the doorbell of the house. A maid answered and accepted the Invite. She headed to the conservatory, where the piano was being played diligently and skillfully.
"Miss Nicole, I have a letter for you," the maid upon entering. The black haired girl abruptly ceased her playing and looked up at the intruder.
"Well, what is it?" she asked impatiently, tucking a strand of red hair behind one ear. The maid brought the letter over to her young mistress and handed it to her. Without being told, she curtsied slightly and left the room.
Using a fingernail to slit the envelope with its gold plated Piffle Princess logo she extracted her Angel Invite, read it briefly and set it on the music rack. She closed her practice book and launched into Beethoven's Fur Elise, her first and favorite concert piece. Nicole was pleased; she had expected as much. Now she would show Grandmother just how much Angelic Layer meant to her.
Just as she finished, the maid came back in to announce that tea was served in the drawing room. As much as Nicole hated the stuffy ritual of having afternoon tea, she knew she had to go through the motions everyday for her mother's sake. Like her father before her, she regarded her mother as a true angel.
Nicole pocketed the Angel Invite and went to the drawing room. Before entering, she straightened the skirt of her short gray dress and walked in, her dark red mary-jane shoes clicking on the floor before she stepped onto the carpet. She curtsied to her grandmother, hugged her mother, and sat down.
They had guests, she noticed. A friend of hers from school, Ana Diaz, sat with her mother on one of the couches.
Ana was pretty girl with long dark hair she usually wore in a ponytail. She had a sweet face with big, dark eyes fringed in long dark lashes. Like Nicole, Ana was also an Angelic Layer Deus. Her Angel was a power-type named Seiya.
Seiya wore a short violet and orchid Chinese-style dress with long cream-colored bell sleeves and a yin-yang symbol on the front and slippers to match. Her Deus styled Seiya's raven black hair in an elegant high bun, with chopsticks stuck through it and her Angel Cord was attached to one of the chopsticks.
The girls shook hands as their guardians bid them to and then were allowed to sit together at one end of the room while the ladies conversed at the other.
"So, I haven't seen you for awhile. What have you been up to Nicole?" Ana asked. Nicole shrugged.
"Just working on my Angels."
"You know about the Nationals."
"Of course." Nicole drew her Angel Invite from her pocket at the same moment Ana did. They smiled.
"So this means I'll see you in the Layer for real this time," Ana commented.
"I won't go easy on you, you know," Nicole smirked.
"You never do." The girls were then called to tea and the conversation ceased. But each knew that the Nationals were going to be a very interesting affair.
~*^*^*~
"Mail's here!" Heather called as Madison came in through the kitchen door. She made a beeline and nearly knocked over her stepsister.
"Watch it, squirt!"Heather scolded, but with laughing eyes. As her stepsisters went, Heather was much nicer to Madison than Sam was. She was snobby only in association with her twin. Otherwise, she was a kind, sensible soul.
"Sorry. I'm just waiting for something really important," Madison said, shaking her lime-green bangs out of her eyes.
"Something like a certain exclusive invitation to the Angelic Layer National American Tournament?" Heather teased as she riffled through the day's mail. She came up with an envelope embossed with a gold plated Piffle Princess logo.
"Here you go," she said handing the envelope to her younger sister. Madison squealed and threw her arms around Heather.
"I got one! Oh yeah! I'm so happy!" she exclaimed, dashing upstairs to her room to read the Invite. It listed the day the Tournament was to begin, which was in two weeks, as well as the time and place.
"I'm really going to be in the Nationals!" Madison exclaimed in a sing-song voice, picking up Celeste and dancing her around the room, until her phone rang. She snatched it up in a second and was delighted to hear Tia's voice on the other end of the line.
"Guess what--" Madison began.
"I got one! I got an Angel Invite!" Tia finished, cutting her friend off. The girls squealed simultaneously. They gushed about the Nationals for another ten minutes, then Madison had to hang up. Sam needed to make a call and demanded that she get off. Madison complied, knowing better than to cross Sam when she thought she was right, which was all the time.
"Celeste," Madison said, flopping across her bed with her Angel in front of her, "You and I are going to be awesome in the Nationals. I promise I'll do my best for you. I won't lose because I didn't try. You and I are a team. All the other Deuces better watch out, because I'm ready to go and I won't let anybody stand in my way!"
* END BATTLE 7*
So now that Madison, Tia, and Nicole, as well as our new friend Ana, have secured their places in the Nationals, how will they fare? The battles will be fierce and they begin next chapter with the Nationals! So read, review, and keep watching for updates. Ja ne minna-san!