Mardi Gras morning, Rain Kasshu opened her eyes to see the sun pouring into the hotel room once again. For now the weather in New Orleans was simply beautiful; not too warm and far from cold. A smile came to the sweet female's face as she recalled the tender love that had been made the night before between she and her husband. She was convinced even more that they were made for each other because she felt that the night before had been the most special night between them yet. Wondering where her lover was since he wasn't in the bed next to her at the moment, she didn't have to wonder long when she heard the door being opened and her husband's voice.
"It's wild," he said sounding excited and yet a bit surprised.
The proper voice, which answered was no doubt George de Sand's. "Domon, I must admit that you are right. It is like nothing that I have ever seen before."
"Yeah," Domon agreed walking into his room. "Well, let me see if my wife's awake yet."
"Yes," George said happily, "I should be on my way to Miss Marie Louise's room to prepare for the day."
Rolling over to look at the door, Rain couldn't help but smile at the fit frame of her husband in his black pants and tan jacket as he shut the door and made his way to their bed holding a white bag in his hand.
Once to the bed, Domon bent down to look closer at his wife to find her smiling at him. "So, you're awake," he said pleased.
With her hair quite a mess, Rain nodded 'yes' just before he gave her a good-morning kiss.
Plopping down on the bed next to her, the King of Hearts said, "I have breakfast…or should I say dessert?"
Pushing herself up, Rain sat up next to her husband with the blanket held under her arms over herself. "What is it?" she asked as she tried to peek into the bag while Domon stuck his hand into it.
"Beignets," he said happily just before pulling one out. Rain's eyes widened since she couldn't resist having one. Upon seeing her big blues, Domon handed the first one to her.
"Thank you," she said delighted as Domon dug for another one.
After letting his mouth attack his beignet, the King of Hearts expressed, "These things are so good."
"Yes," Rain said feeling like she was in Heaven after swallowing her first bite. "I'm so glad you took the time to go get some. Did George go with you?"
Assuming that his wife had heard the Knight at their door, Domon said, "Yes. I had caught him coming out of Miss Marie Louise's room earlier this morning."
"What?" Rain asked shocked enough to stop eating.
"It's true," Domon said with a laugh knowing what his wife was thinking. "Poor George was so upset over me thinking that he spent the night there that he assured me over and over that he had just stopped there this morning."
Knowing that George had deep feelings for the Princess, Rain found it very believable that the first thing he'd want to do in the morning was to see his love. "He's just lucky Chibodee didn't catch him coming out of her room."
"Yeah, Chibodee would have never let George hear the end of it," Domon said already grabbing a second beignet out of the bag. "After getting George to calm down, I convinced him to take a walk with me to the café."
"Anything interesting happen on that walk?" Rain asked, remembering her husband telling the Knight how wild something was upon their return.
"Where do I start?" Domon asked after practically inhaling his second beignet. Putting his hands on his full stomach, he leaned his back against the headboard of the bed and continued. "There are so many people already out on the streets and you should see their costumes."
"I can only imagine," Rain said just before leaning over to take another bite of her beignet while trying not to drop the powder all over the bed.
"It was pretty amusing actually," the King of Hearts said as his hand lifted and began to gently caress his wife's bareback.
"What do you mean?" Rain asked turning her face to look at him.
"Some people told me that my costume was great, that I really looked like Domon Kasshu."
With laughing eyes, the blue-eyed woman said, "What did you say since they obviously didn't know you were really you."
"I just said…thanks," Domon said making his wife laugh.
After her laugh, Rain asked, "Is it really that crowded down there already?"
"Unbelievably. I heard some people saying that they camped out over night to save a spot for the parade."
"Oh, I don't know if I'd do that," Rain said thinking it sounded a bit extreme.
"Me either," Domon agreed. "I had a much better time in here with you last night."
"I kind of gathered that," the sweet female said winking at him. "But really, I'm glad that we have the stands of the hotel."
Seeing some powdered sugar on his wife's lips, Domon leaned and gave her another kiss. 'As if she isn't already sweet enough,' he thought after stealing away the sugar. Leaning back against the headboard he thought that without a doubt their Mardi Gras Day was going to be one to remember.
.
Before the first parade started, everyone was to meet in the stands. However, Chibodee's crew was having a hard time getting him to come out of his room since he was very displeased with what Shirley had picked as their costumes. "Chibodee," she cried out knocking on his bathroom door, as Cath, Janet and Bunny stood just behind her in their pink, childlike, short dresses and with pink, fluffy hats tied to their heads. "You know we waited too long to get costumes and this was all I could find on such short notice."
"I'm not coming out," the boxer complained on the other side of the door. "I can't believe this was all you could find, Shirley!"
Defending her friend, Shirley, Cath said, "Chibodee, the only other thing we could have been were M & M's and you didn't want to be candy."
"I'd rather be an M & M than this!" the boxer roared through the door.
Nodding at the other girls to calm down, Shirley finally said, "We know you would never attend Mardi Gras without dressing up so…we'll meet you in the stands."
"Yeah, fine," the boxer answered. "Don't hold ya breath waiting for me!"
.
In another hotel room was the Russian couple deciding if they should really dress up. "I must have been crazy to let Rain talk me into getting our costumes," Nastasha said holding hers up as she looked at it.
"I must admit, I never thought I'd dress up," Argo agreed folding his arms as if he really had to think about it some more before actually putting his costume on.
"However," Nastasha said putting down her costume just before taking off her glasses, "I never dreamed I'd be screaming to people on floats to throw me beads."
Loving when Nastasha took her glasses off, Argo moved to stand very close in front of her. "A while back, I never dreamed that you'd put that beautiful red dress on during the 13th tournament and have dinner with me."
"What can I say," Nastasha said in her normal, tough voice, "I had started to take a liking to you."
"Yes. Your attitude may have seemed harsh to some, but I liked it," Argo said wrapping his very, large hands around her small waist.
"I know you did, Argo. Now kiss me," she said moving her hands up his thick arms and then around his neck to pull him closer.
.
At the stands, Chibodee's girls were surprised to see that they weren't the first ones there. "George! Miss Marie Louise!" Bunny cried out upon seeing them. "I love your costumes!"
"Yes," Janet agreed since she had never seen the Princess looking so very sexy, "You and your Cowboy look like quite the couple."
"Thank you," the princess answered wearing her fitted, purple Saloon dress and fishnet stockings. George had on a Cowboy outfit as if he had just stepped out of an old wild west movie. Smiling proudly, she added, "It was my idea to dress this way."
Leaning to Bunny, Cath whispered, "That's no surprise. It's all in her plan. I think she thinks by wearing that dress she might finally have her way with George."
"What do you mean?" Bunny whispered back.
"Oh, forget it," Cath said frustrated that Bunny apparently didn't feel the same way. Cath remembered clearly how the princess had followed her Knight around with a daiquiri. Obviously she wanted him to…loosen up.
When Batman and Cat Woman showed up, it was a dead give away who was under Batman's mask because of his size.
"George de Sand," Nastasha said walking in with Argo, "I never thought I'd see the day that I'd see you dressed up as a Cowboy."
Pulling on his black vest, and then tipping the front of his black, western hat with his right hand, George said, "There were some very tough men way back in the wild west days."
"Argo!" Cath said with excitement, "I think you'd scare the real Batman from the series. And, Nastasha, you've been hiding quite a figure under that Russian uniform of yours."
Looking at all of Chibodee's crew in their pink, frilly dresses and wanting the attention off of herself and her man, Nastasha said, "What are you all supposed to be?"
Smiling, Cath said, "We're Little Bo Peeps."
Looking a bit confused, George asked, "Little Bo Peep's who have lost their sheep?"
As they nodded their heads yes with sadness in their eyes, the Princess asked, "Where's your sheep?"
"I'm right here," an unhappy voice said walking on to the stands.
"Chibodee?" Argo asked wondering if it was really the Neo-American fighter in the sheep costume.
"Yeah. It's me," he said dryly, which made Nastasha laugh harder than she had ever laughed at anything in her life.
The boxer couldn't believe how sexy Nastasha looked but then remembered what Sai had said about her when he had gotten a glance of her taking a bath over a year ago. However, even Nastasha's sexy costume wasn't enough to take the boxer's mind off of being dressed up as a sheep.
"Oh, Chibodee. Please try not to stay upset," Bunny begged as she and her crew gathered around their sad looking fighter.
Looking into all of their very loyal and caring eyes, the boxer finally smiled and said, "I'm not really mad at you girls. I just never expected to be a…sheep for Mardi Gras."
All that was running through George's mind was that he had to remember to take a picture of the Neo-American fighter at some point that day incase it would ever be needed for blackmail. 'I cannot believe that I just considered that,' the Knight dressed up as a Cowboy thought.
Rolling his eyes, Chibodee admitted, "I just hate to hear what Domon's gonna say when he sees me. I'm sure he'll be dressed up like someone tough…like…like…Darth Vador from that ancient movie, 'Star Wars'."
Jumping into the 'Stars Wars' kick, Bunny found herself saying, "Luke, I am your father."
"Be quiet, Bunny," Shirley said before finally laughing.
In a serious voice, Nastasha said, "Do you all really think that Domon will actually dress up?"
"He will," Chibodee joked, "I put some liquor in his coffee this morning."
"You are so full of it," Janet said knowing that the boxer hadn't even seen the King of Hearts yet that morning. "Anyway, if you would have laced Domon's coffee with liquor, it wouldn't have made it easier for him to dress up. It would have made him drive Rain crazy."
"Yes, I believe you're right," Nastasha admitted since Domon had been quite the cutely, perverted drunk with his wife.
Still looking shocked, Cath said, "I still can't believe that you and Argo dressed up."
Answering for his love, Argo said, "We're just glad that our identities are hidden under our mask."
Smiling because he knew something his friends obviously hadn't, George then said, "I know for a fact that Domon and Rain are dressing up. He told me so this morning."
"He really has adjusted well to the craziness of Mardi Gras," Chibodee said glad that he suggested that they come to New Orleans in the first place.
With a dreamy expression on her face, Cath said, "I bet Rain dresses up as a beautiful princess and Domon as her handsome prince."
Before George could reply to the sweet girl, Domon walked into the stands, which made surprised expressions come to his friend's faces. He was wearing a long, white, doctor's jacket and his hair was without the red sash, pulled back and tamed more than ever before.
Not seeing his wife with him, Cath said, "Oh, I get it, Domon. Rain's going to be your sexy nurse."
Looking very professional, Domon said in a professional voice as well, "Rain is not my nurse. She is my insane patient who has just escaped from the mental institution. Luckily I was able to find her."
"What?" everyone asked at the same time.
Knowing it was time to show herself, Rain walked out on to the stands wearing a straight jacket. She had fixed her hair to stand up even higher than it normally did. Smiling with her wild hair going every which way, she said, "Domon is my Psychiatrist."
Everyone laughed since the King of Hearts and his queen had dressed up in a very unexpected way. However, Domon and Rain forgot about themselves when they realized that old Chib was dressed as a sheep.
"Chibodee? Is that you?" Rain asked just barely seeing his face through the small whole of his Sheep costume.
Before poor Chib could even answer, Domon burst out laughing as he pointed to the boxer. "All of Neo-America would be so proud to see their fighter right now."
"Shut up, will ya!" Chibodee exclaimed as he folded his arms.
After his laugh, Domon grunted and said, "Too bad I'm not a real Shrink, cause I'd lock you up in an insane asylum and throw away the key!"
Trying to change the subject, Shirley looked at Rain and said, "Are you really trapped in that straight jacket?"
Opening her arms, Rain said, "No. It just looks like it if I fold my arms."
Suddenly a huge, red bottle of ketchup walked on to the stand.
Wondering who it could be in the costume, it was Argo who actually began, "What the…
"Don't start!" the bottle of ketchup exclaimed giving away that Sai Saici was the one in it.
"Sai Saici," George said so seriously, "I thought you were going to dress up as a Mardi Gras King."
"I was," Sai said not sounding happy as he removed the top of his costume so that his friends could see his face. "My King costume was gone this morning and this…thing was in it's place."
Fighting to hold in his laughter, Domon said, "Good-bye Dragon Gundam and hello Ketchup Gundam."
"Not funny, Bro!" Sai cried out trying to fold his arms, but the costume was too wide for him to do so. "I'm taking this stupid thing off!"
"It's Mardi Gras!" Bunny exclaimed wanting both Sai and Chibodee to cheer up. "We're supposed to dress goofy and have fun laughing at each other."
Shaking his head 'no', Sai said, "Nothing's going to make me keep this thing on."
Suddenly, someone dressed as a yellow bottle of mustard walked on to the stands.
Leaning to his wife, Domon smiled while saying, "This is crazy."
Nastasha leaned to Argo at the very same time and said, "This is insane."
"This is cool," Chibodee said wanting to see the bottle of mustard and ketchup get together.
Poor Sai watched in shock as the bottle of mustard moved to stand next to him. He became even more in shock when a yellow hand reached up and caressed his face. "Uh…I'm sorry, but I'm taken," an embarrassed Sai Saici said. To his surprise the bottle of mustard moved to reveal herself. To Sai's delight, he instantly recognized who it was. "Cecile!" he exclaimed wanting to hug her, but it was impossible in their costumes.
"Hello, Sai," she said softly with a smile on her face.
"I thought you couldn't come," he said, happiness written all over his face since she was actually there.
"I convinced my brother to let me come for at least Mardi Gras Day. So, the first thing I did was call the host, Chibodee, to let him know and he offered to get me a costume."
"But Chibodee didn't tell me you were coming," Sai said wondering why.
"I told him I wanted it to be a surprise," Cecile said with a sweet smile.
Sai smiled back looking somewhat shy, totally unlike how he had looked when he was waving beads in front of women down on Bourbon St.
"Chibodee Crocket," Nastasha said in a commanding voice, "You are griping about your costume and it's obvious that you were behind making Sai's King Costume disappear."
Putting a hand on the back of his white, furry, sheep head, Chibodee admitted, "Okay, fine. Ya caught me. But aren't their costumes funny?"
"You should talk," Domon said with a smirk on his face.
.
Just like it had been since their stay in New Orleans, Mardi Gras Day was turning out to be just as much fun. Tons and tons of more beads were caught and even decorated coconuts, which one of the major parades that day was famous for giving out.
Later back in Chibodee's room, he had arranged to have a King Cake waiting for everyone. King Cakes are another delicious treat in the Big Easy. The cakes are round, with a hole in the middle, almost like a huge donut. There's sugar and icing of the Mardi Gras colors on top and hidden in the cake is a very small, plastic doll. Whoever gets the piece with the doll has to buy the next King Cake. When no one was looking, Chibodee tried to cheat by poking the cake with a toothpick to find the doll but he had no luck. Unfortunately for him, he ended up getting the piece with the doll.
.
Later that night, the friends decided to go down to Bourbon St. and they almost regretted it because of how heavy the crowd was.
"We should have stayed with Sai and Cecile," Domon said with his arm wrapped protectively around his wife as they walked through the crowd.
"I think they really wanted to be alone," Rain said, her arm hooked around her husband's waist.
"Yeah. You're right," the King of Hearts said. "As soon as Cecile showed up, Sai completely forgot about wanting to wave beads from the balcony." With that said, both Domon and Rain looked at each other and began to laugh. It was at that moment that they bumped into another couple.
Looking forward, Rain and Domon stopped and then just stared at the two people before them. They were dressed up like Mr. and Mrs. Domon Kasshu. The couple didn't recognize the real King of Hearts and his queen because of the doctor and patient costumes. "Oh, we're so sorry," the Rain look alike said just before she and her Domon walked way.
"Damn," Chib said flabbergasted, "Those two really did look just like you and Rain, Domon."
"Yes," Janet agreed. "Talk about weird."
With a half smile, Nastasha watched as the real Neo-Japan team turned to look at their look alikes walking away, and then she said, "The only thing different were their heavy, country accents."
"Yes," Argo agreed, "It was funny to hear country accents coming out of the couple who could pass for my Best man and your Matron of Honor."
"I must say," George said with his arm around his Princess, "That may have been the best costumes I've seen yet today."
"What!" Domon expressed now acting like no one could pull he and his wife off, "That woman wishes she looked like my wife."
Looking up at her husband, Rain didn't say a word and soon he found himself laughing lightly since Rain's hair seemed even wilder than it did that morning.
"Fine, Japan," Chibodee said, "No one can look like you and Rain. Now, lets go into this club."
Ready to get off of the crowded street, the G Gundam Gang followed the sheep into the disco lighted club. They weren't even there five minutes when they heard some yelling coming from the bar.
"I'm going to get the cops," a frantic, young bar tender said moving to walk past Domon. "Our guard won't be enough."
"Wait," the King of Hearts said stepping in front of him, "What's going on?"
"Please dude," the young man said not knowing that it was Domon Kasshu under the doctor's costume, "I have to hurry. There are a few jerks sitting at the bar who obviously don't know that Mardi Gras is only to have a good time."'
"Leave them to us," Domon said as his fighter friends nodded in agreement.
"Look, thanks," the bar tender said, "But I doubt your Batman friend is as powerful as the one in the movies."
"No, he's better and believe it or not, so is the sheep," Domon said making the bar tender decide to give them a chance.
"And the Cowboy?" the bar tender joked back.
Defending her love, Miss Marie Louise said, "My Knight isn't scared of anyone."
"Princess," George said wanting to calm her, "I can handle this my dear." Looking at the bar tender, he said, "I am not scared of anyone."
"Suit yourself," the bar tender said moving so that the doctor, Batman, the sheep and Cowboy could go attempt to take care of the troublemakers at the bar.
The four fair skinned troublemakers at the bar were not dressed up for Mardi Gras Day but wearing jeans and T-shirts. Just by appearance alone, they looked to be the very rough type because of the skull tattoos on their upper arms. They continued to yell about how horrible they thought the drinks were and they demanded more on the house.
In a deep, serious voice, Domon moved behind the man who had been doing most of the yelling and said, "You don't like it here, so leave."
Turning around to see who dared to say that to him, the biggest of the four huge men stood up and turned around and looked at Domon as if he was crazy. "What is your problem, Doc?"
Seeing their many empty glasses on the bar, Chibodee said, "You must of liked ya drinks cause your glasses are empty."
"Yes," George agreed, "Therefore you must pay for your next round."
The three other men now stood up making Argo realize that the four men were equal to his size. "You should leave before we get mad," Argo said confidently. "In fact, you're lucky that the youngest of us isn't here."
Both Domon and George smiled knowing that Sai would have definitely wanted to get in on the action.
"Too bad he's getting busy with Cecile," old Chib said.
"Must you put it that way!" George exclaimed shaking his head in disgust.
"Hey you two!" the man standing in front of the King of Hearts, yelled, "This is about us!"
"Yes," Domon said looking up at the guy. "Are you going to leave, or are we going to have to make you leave?"
"Don't make me laugh," the guy said turning his head to laugh with his friends.
"You will leave now!" Domon exclaimed not liking being laughed at no matter how he was dressed.
"That's it! You'll be sorry," the man said throwing a punch at Domon, but the man became quite surprised to see that the dark haired, pretend doctor had caught his punch in his hand.
Still holding the man's fist in his hand, the King of Hearts grunted then said, "Is that all you've got?"
Feeling humiliated, the man said, "Why, you little…
Before the man could finish his sentence, Domon's other hand lifted and knocked the man in his head causing him to wobble as if he didn't quite know what had hit him. His three friends didn't like what Domon had done to their friend so they began to fight back. However, they had failed miserably.
Chibodee punched one in his stomach causing all of the air in him to come out, Argo grabbed one and knocked him in the head with his own head and George grabbed one by the arm and forced him around to look at the bar tender. "Now be a gentleman," George demanded, "And say thank you for the drinks." Next, George smashed the guy's face into a bowl of peanuts.
Meanwhile, Domon looked as if he was leaving, but then he back kicked the man who had done all of the talking, clear over the bar.
"Domon," Chibodee said happily, "Let's take out the trash. Bourbon St. will be cleaning it all up within a few hours."
The people in the bar watched in amazement as the doctor character and his friends easily forced the huge T-shirted men out of the bar.
"Oh, George," the Princess said running up to her Knight, "You were fantastic."
Opening his arms up, Chibodee said to his crew, "Don't I get some loving?" Within seconds they were running into the sheep's arms.
Nastasha had all ready made her way to Argo as people snapped pictures of the best looking Batman and Cat Woman they had ever seen.
"Where's my patient?" Domon asked as he adjusted his white jacket.
"I'm right here, Doctor," Rain said appearing next to him. "I knew it would be impossible for no talk of fights or an actually fight while here."
"They're just lucky we didn't have our gundams," Domon said putting his arm around his wife's shoulders as everyone else in the bar clapped.
The G Gundam Gang stayed in that bar for a good while before finally heading back to their hotel.
.
Very late that night, the Kasshu couple sat in their huge, hotel bathtub, soaking in the warm water. Domon had his arms spread out on the sides of the tub resting his back against it. Rain was directly across from him, her hands on her lap as she began to smile at him.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"Oh, nothing," she said still smiling as she looked down into the water.
"Rainnn, tell me," Domon said causing her to look back up.
"If you must know," the pretty blue-eyed woman said, "I was just thinking about how much fun you had catching beads at the parades."
Knowing it had to be an unbelievable sight, he admitted, "It really was…fun."
So glad that she had convinced him to come to New Orleans, Rain said, "And, seeing everyone dressed up today was really something."
"Yes," Domon agreed once again, "Argo and Nastasha dressed up was a huge shock."
"I caught Mr. Proper George staring at Miss Marie Louise's dress numerous times," Rain said laughing lightly.
"He was more like staring down her dress."
"Domon!" Rain exclaimed just before she giggled and splashed him.
Laughing with her, the King of Hearts started to make his way closer to his wife.
She giggled a little more when she felt his hands on her feet where she was very ticklish. "What are you doing?" she asked.
Within seconds, Domon had her legs wrapped around him and they were in each other's arms. "Mrs. Kasshu, we must make the best of our last night here in New Orleans."
"I doubt we'll have a problem," she said flirting back with him.
"I doubt this will be our last time in the Big Easy," Domon said beginning to kiss her shoulder so that he could slowly make his way up to her neck.
"We'll be back," Rain said softly getting lost in her husband's sweet kisses, "Chibodee has to buy the next King Cake. And," Rain said while falling a prisoner to her husband's touch, "We can…bring…some….beads…back to…Neo-Japan…to remember…New Orleans."
Little did they know of just what they were going to be bringing back to Neo-Japan.
.
A special thanks to Goldangel2 for beta reading this chapter and for letting me borrow 'cutely perverted drunk' from one of her reviews to this story.
Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter:
Goldangel2-I hope you're doing better and I greatly appreciate your wonderful reviews and I hope that my e-mails continue to get through to you.
Koto Juri, GoldenGirl2002, Sqeekers and Unbesiegbar Kriegsmaschin-I am thrilled that you all liked the powder fight!
Fang-Thanks for the review. Rain will end up getting sick in Neo-Japan. I have many plans for she and Domon.
Turtle Lover-I'm so glad that the Domon and Rain fluff was enough for you. I too love reading Domon and Rain Fluff!
Redlion2-I'm really glad that you liked the baby hint at the end. You thrilled me with your nice complements. And, I'm glad that your computer is working so you can continue to update your stories.
Ani-I'm so glad that you still like this story, though it's been lacking the Gundam fights. Thank you!
Ryan-For some reason I can see Shirley with Chibodee. And yes, Rain is pregnant. Don't worry, I won't use Kyoji for the baby's name.
Namaida-Thanks so very much for being a loyal reader and GOD bless you too!
Cuz I Can-Thanks! New Orleans can make the calmest person act a little goofy at Mardi Gras time. You mentioned-Domon's Queen and Princess…very sweet!
Cat and Her Alter Ego Henry-I'm glad that you liked the sugar fight. I'm not too great at the Neo-Russian scenes, but you and Black Joker Lady write them very well.
Black Joker Lady-To answer your calm question…YES, there's a baby coming! LOL Thanks for the great review.
Shadowmaster-I hope you liked Cecile's appearance in this. I'm also very happy to know that you enjoyed "Partners Outside of the Gundam"!
The Notorious Cat and Silver Dragon-I am so excited over how excited you are over the baby! THANKS!
Angel or Demon LanceReacon, Golden Tuna, Sock-her-chick101, Jessi, Sean, Gemini and Hawk Sage-I am always grateful to get reviews from those enjoying the story! A very big thanks!
Time for Domon and Rain to go home!!!