Okage Densetsu - Lookit the Fancy Japanese
Chapter 6 - So THAT'S Why She's Upset
The fight WAS on at Corona's command, all drawing their weapons. The Sewer Evil King whistled for mice-reinforcements, and we're talking giant mice. They were as tall as Rin excluding the ears, but she didn't care as she prepared herself from behind the lines. Rosalyn was the first to take on one of the mice, her blade flashing and singing in the air as she brought it down swiftly. Ari was trying his best to cause severe damage with his dull sword to another one of the rats, and Corona had knocked one like a baseball bat, home-run style at the wall. Rin waited everyone was occupied and then suddenly ran up close to the fight.
Dropping her cat, she suddenly spread her arms out to the sides, a large magic ring suddenly unfolding underneath her. Sampson, the stuffed cat, began floating and spinning in the opposite direction the golden letters in the magic circle did. The faster they spun, the stronger the magic built up, until Rin's circle was literally spouting out sparks. Suddenly jumping and giving a dramatic bow, the entire battlefield lit up with electricity.
The scent of singed fur filled the room along with a mousy squeak or two, the smaller critters having been cleanly slaughtered. The Sewer Evil King himself was rather singed, but still was standing. However, he along with almost everyone exclaimed, "What in the hell?"
Rin suddenly tore her way into the fight, squeezing around Ari who tried (but failed) to pull her back- jumping up, she hit the rat's face several times with the cat before giving it a sharp kick, running to the rear of the room. Before anybody could say much, the Sewer Evil King suddenly let out a loud groan.
"Ugh... no more!" It would have collapsed to it's knees if it weren't so round, "I'm defeated..."
"Amazing... But never mind that! Thank you, Rin! Now, give my power back to me!"
A burst of energy let off from the Sewer Evil King, who began shrinking rapidly. The magic was quickly absorbed by Stan, who laughed the entire time, stretching out slightly afterwards. The rat, now the -exact- same size as Rin, squeaked. "...Eeek! Gotta run!"
As he did, Stan groaned, "Oh, this isn't even a fraction of my power! Stupid rat! Oh well. Where is the next one, Slave?"
"Wait right there." Rosalyn spoke darkly, walking to Ari, but she had her eyes fixed on Stan. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Oh, just go away and be fat somewhere else," Stan chuckled, "Take that fugly umbrella with you- I bet it tastes good with some mayo on it! Hehehe!"
"Do you know why I have this umbrella anyways?"
"It's to hide your ugliness. It draws attention away! Hahaha!"
"GRR!"
"Calm down, and knock it off, Stan!" Ari spoke, shaking his head slightly, "What do you want to say, Rosalyn?"
Slowly, she took her parasol down from it's usual location, and as soon as the dim light from the open manhole above got it's chance to shine on her, her entire shadow became a flourescant pink in less than a second. Ari didn't need any more explination than that, staring down in suprise. However, our heroine decided to explain anyhow: "I was investigating a disturbance in the Momijiian Mountains, where they said this demon was poisoning the water supply... However, instead of ghosts, I found this bottle. Being a curious young woman, I popped open the top and was suddenly possessed by an evil spirit!"
"Oooh!" Corona gasped, "I love stories... can I be in it?"
"...Anyhow, I did what any proper hero would do: To spare the world the evil, I drew my blade to my throat and thought my last thoughts. Just as I was to sever myself..." Rosalyn suddenly grew a mocking tone of, of course, Stan, "'Oh! I'm suffocating! This figure... the butt is sagging and the hips are too wide!' So he left my shadow but it turned pink! PINK! Not even a tasteful pink, a flourescant pink that blinds people! My life was ruined, since I was an elite at the Heroes' Academy- nobody would take me seriously! Some girl'd giggle and I'd flush, then some guy'd laugh and I'd cut off his head! I've been searching ever since, so now I can finally kill you, Stanley!"
"Hey! You speak like you were the only victim!" Clearly Stan remembered this now, quickly swinging a fist down angrily, "You kicked my bottle off the side of the mountain! I had to wait three damn years until some explorer picked me up!"
"No matter, now is the time you die!"
Stan suddenly burst into laughter, "You cannot strike me! I am a shadow! You can't even touch me!"
A flash of silver suddenly rested against Ari's neck, as Rosalyn shouted, "Fine! I will kill him!"
"AAAH! STAN! HELP!"
"Hey! Woah woah woah!"
"Co-dependant, much? Would you like to return to your bottle and wait again for the perfect host, you parasite?"
"Don't!" Corona's hand suddenly slapped the top of Rosalyn's several times, "Don't you dare hurt Nice Guy!"
"CORONA! BE CARE-"
The sound of something splashing against the floor was heard, a lapse of self-control just being realized. Rosalyn stared in horror at what she had just done- her sword was sticking straight through Corona, the sound of a thick fluid dripping onto the already-damp floors. All was silent for the longest time, even from Stan, as Corona slowly looked down. She took ahold of Rosalyn's hand which was still wrapped around the sword's hilt and quickly had her pull the blade back out. Then she looked back up, yawned, and said: "Do we have to write that in our planners?"
"What... in the... unholy..." Rosalyn blinked at her blade, which was covered with blood, and at the floor, however, Corona seemed utterly and perfectly fine besides the small hole she had running through her chest. "...Right- I'll still kill you, damn it, Stan! Turn my shadow back now and you'll go swiftly and painlessly!"
"Hey." Stan totally ignored Corona by this point, although his first slave was trying to make sure she was okay in a panicked fashion, "Listen. I can't change it back."
"Why not?"
"That is a sign of my influence on your being- but I haven't my full powers. But if you come along with me and help me regain my powers, the faster you get your shadow back. See?"
"The hell I'd ever work with someone like you! Dark and evil and stupid!"
"Stupid, eh? You're the stupiest of the stupid!"
"Guys! We've gotta tape up Corona!" Ari yelped, trying to break through the argument.
"The one who's stupid says stupid, stupid stupid stupid shadow!"
"OH YEAH? At least -I'm- not FAT! HAHAHA!"
"Yes you are, you fat-headed, fat-butted stupid shadow!"
This argument continued along well into the night. Miracuosly, Corona showed absolutely no ill effects, and stopped bleeding on her own. Rin was scolded a bit by Ari for following, but fell asleep in the last hour of the argument and was held the rest of the time by the same one who scolded her. After he had gotten everyone convinced that bed time was in order, at least for Rin's sake, Ari led everyone to the hotel and registered two rooms- one for himself, Rin, and Corona (Corona would fit in the closet, he figured, and sleep upright as she always did) and the other for the now-pissed off heroine, Rosalyn. But before he could usher the parasol woman off into her room, she was visiting theirs.
"Slave! Why is this woman in my room?"
"Beats me, Stan. What do you need, Rosalyn?"
"Oh, nothing," She smiled innocently, "I just was curious... Stan doesn't have a single weakness, does he?"
"Haha, trying to lure me with such a stupid trap! Of course I don't!"
"Not a single one?" She beamed.
"No! As long as his shadow exists in the world, I will continue! Bwahahah!"
"Alright, I see. Goodnight, everyone."
Ari nodded as she left, walking to the bed. He carefully lied Rin down on it, then threw the covers over her and tried his best to tuck her in. Then he turned and looked to Corona, "Are you really okay?"
"Zzzz..."
"...I guess..." He walked over and gently led her to the closet, bucket included, and shut the door- pausing, he turned around and opened it a crack just in case. Looking around the room, he found there was only one bed. Looking back at Rin, he gazed at her soft, relaxed expression, asleep and looking like a little angel. Slowly he walked over, took the pillow her head wasn't on, then pulled the spare blanket off the edge of the bed. Lying down on the floor, with his head on the pillow, he tossed the blanket over himself and tried to get some sleep.
"Hey."
"Uhn..." Ari rolled over a bit, finding the wooden floor a bit less comfy than it should be.
"Hey! Wake up!"
Ari's eyes flit open, and he found a Rosalyn to be staring straight down at him. Startled, he shot upright, blanket slowly falling off him thanks to gravity. He spoke quietly yet quickly, "What are you DOING in here?"
"Well, he said 'as long as this shadow exists'... so I figured he couldn't come out at night, in a dark room, where there ISN'T any shadow whatsoever. A perfect time and place for privacy."
Suspecting the worse, Ari whimpered, "But there's a little GIRL sleeping in here..."
"Hm? Oh." She lowered her voice, not even picking up on Ari's worry, "Sorry. Listen, I'm sorry that 'thing' has attached to your shadow..."
"Uh...okay..."
"Listen, I'm going to come with you. I have a plan, too: We'll head for Rashelo. Word is the Princess is visiting, and the royal family is claimed to have great magical power- if we visit, we can ask her to seperate Stan from you. But I'll pretend I'm just trying to help that creep get rid of Evil Kings. Sound good?"
"Yeah..."
"Don't tell him, now."
"Course not."
"Good." Rosalyn grinned in the darkness, "Keep your head up high. You're going through some serious shit not even the strongest heroes have to go through. That makes you so much more stronger than they are. I mean, you're sleeping on the floor so a little girl can get her proper rest- that's true heroism there. Now, you have the best night you can have and we'll start along tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay..." Ari blushed a bit at the words used to describe him.
"Okay. See you then." She walked past, but then leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek before leaving.
"...My first..." As red as an apple, it took Ari fifteen minutes to actually -move- again.
"Wake up!"
"Uhn..."
Rin suddenly sat ontop of Ari, "Okay, I get to sit on you then!"
"Hey... Hey now!" He laughed, although he didn't get much sleep, "You'll crush me to death!"
"That's cause I'm a BIG girl!"
"Oh yeah?" Ari suddenly shot up into a seated position, grabbing Rin and giving her a sound tickle, "Take that!"
"Hehehehe! Stop- Don't! No! Hahahaha! Cut it out!"
Both of them were laughing by the end of it, until Ari stood up and brought Rin up with him in a quick pull, letting her go for a second and catching her, the girl now being held securely. She looked a bit surprised by the sudden motion, but in the end didn't mind it, clinging to his shirt. "We gotta wake up Corona now!"
"That we do!" Ari walked to the door, then said, "Oh dear, my arms are full. Can you open the door?"
"Sure!" Rin reached out, but found the reach to be a little to far- Ari leaned forward, and she grasped the door and swung it open. "Wake up!"
Ari suddenly jumped to the side as a very dead Corona fell out face-first. Both boy and little girl started SCREAMING something terrible, summoning Rosalyn to the door. Finding it locked, she kicked it down and burst in, blade in hand, shouting, "What?"
"SHE'S DEAD!" Ari screamed, as white as a ghost, backing away from Corona.
"Oh holy-" Rosalyn instantly got down beside the girl and listened for a heartbeat. She could detect a faint murmur, so she checked for breathing, but paused notcing that Corona was, of course, drooling. Gingerly scooping up a bit on her finger, Rosalyn shook her head. "She's not dead. It's still warm and her heart is beating... somewhat. She does need some medic- AAH!"
Corona was instantly upright, smacking her lips. "Breakfast?"
"AAAAAAAAAAH!" All three of the 'normal' people were suddenly bunched together, screaming.
"WHAT'S THIS NOISE?" Stan shot upright, "I want it SILENT until noon!"
"Breakfast?"
"We haven't time for breakfast!"
"...Oh."
"Now SHUT UP!" Stan suddenly disappeared, grumbling something terrible.
"A-a-are you well now?" Rosalyn blinked- she suddenly let go of Ari and straightened herself up, clearing her throat, "Or would you like some assitance?"
"Huh? But I got all my homework done..."
"T-think the hotel manager is g-g-going to complain about the blood in the closet?" Ari trembled, and swallowed nervously.
"...Let's not find out. Uhm, grab your bucket and let's go... quickly."
"Okay." Corona picked up the blood-drenched object, then hummed cutely and wavered her way outside to the bizarre looks of the hotel manager. The rest of the party snuck out as the manager just came to investigate, a loud shriek rising from him as well. Outside, Corona smiled something terrible, "Closer to strawberry heaven now..."
"Okay, Corona, we're getting you to a doctor. Like, right now." Rosalyn slowly took ahold of the girl's arm.
"But..."
"No but's. Come on."
"But..."
"No, now come on!"
"I feel fine."
"You freak! You were almost dead a few minutes ago!"
Corona suddenly started skipping about, leaping gracefully here and there, proving she was most certainly not comatose.
"Rosalyn, I think we can let it go." Ari blinked, watching her dance. He took a step, and suddenly winced, "Ow!"
"What?"
"My foot..." By this time, he could -see- the red swelling crawling up his ankle, "Okay, she doesn't need the doctor, but I do... ow..."
The doctor- at least, the trustworthy one (you see, the one on the lower level had a habit of resorting to chainsaw when it couldn't be cured by salt tablets) lived upstairs, and by now, the city got the elevator running. So they took it up, Rosalyn helping Ari. Corona, by this time, had Rin, and was amazingly doing an extremely good job of carrying her on her shoulders. As they stepped out of the elevator, they heard a faint voice...
"Please... please listen to my song..." A blonde-haired, pink-dressed girl with a pink, oversized bow atop her head was trying to get attention from passerby, who all would ignore her and continue. "Anybody..."
"Come on, the doctor is this-"
"Wait, Rosalyn." Ari moved away from her, limping his way up to the girl. "Hey there."
"Huh? Oh, hello!" The singer smiled brilliantly, her green eyes shining, "Will you listen to me?"
"Yeah, sure!" He tried to give his best smile. He had heard from his Mom many times that it was excellent luck to listen to street singers when on adventures, and anyhow, it made him feel as if he was doing something good. "Let her rip!"
"Alright, this song hasn't a title... or any words... but I believe..." She began singing, her voice light and airy, the only words being 'La'. She sang for a minute, looking as if she was in heaven.
"UGH! STOP!" Stan screamed, "What are you trying to do! Kill everything's sense of hearing within a five-mile radius?"
"Oh?" She paused, faint tears welling up in her eyes, "It's not good?"
"It's TERRIBLE!"
"Alright... uhm..." She sniffled, "How can I fix it...?"
"Well," Ari thought for a moment, "Your voice needs work."
"That's right!" Stan spoke loudly, "Sing like you NEED to be heard- the best noise is produced from the gut! Project and get your point across!"
"Okay, sing from my gut..."
"Then work a bit on the beat."
"A steady, simple beat is the best! You can't go all over like a frightened child!"
"My beat... got it! Any more?"
"Uh, work a bit on your spirit."
"Spirit? But my words come from my heart..."
"No no no! Sing with ALL parts, not just an organ made to pump blood! Sing like you HAVE to have your message used, and for the hate of ravens, get some better lyrics! Use words like 'Darkness', 'Evil King', and use topics like 'Conquer the world'!"
"Alrighty!" The girl grinned, "I think I can now sing..."
"Alright, give it a try." Ari smiled right along with her.
"Ahem..." She grew a deep, full-bodied tone, rasing her microphone to her mouth, "Oh, I am not an Evil King... But if I were such a thing, To reach my heart, you'd go to the darkest dark... and with that power the world I'd take- And a connection we would make, oooh...!"
"It's getting there. Just keep practicing." Stan crossed his arms, "And try to make a dance routine. Those things are awesomely bad if done right."
"Alright, thank you... uhm..."
"Stanley H-"
"Ari!"
"HEY! SLAVE!"
"Alright, Ari... thank you... can I call you coach? Thank you, coach... By the way... my name is Linda." She smiled, "Will you be coming back?"
Ari nodded.
"Then... I will always be waiting here for you... Coach... oh, Ari, I mean. Come listen to me again soon." She winked devilishly, probably knowing she now had that teenager hooked like a tuna fish. She waved as he was dragged off by Rosalyn to the doctor's, a small added-on building that was almost literally taped onto the main research center. "Hehe... hehehe."
"This is so bizarre. I've only seen this kind of reaction back near the Momijiian Mountains."
"Well, what IS it?" Ari stared at his foot, which was all terribly swollen and red, and incredibly sore.
"It's the same kind of allergic reaction everyone was having to the water supply- they'd drink it, and their hands and feet would swell up. Bathe in it, they'd swell up entirely. Thank goodness there is a cure for it, let me go mix it up..."
Ari watched the doctor leave, then blinked. "Holy crap... those mountains... Rosalyn mentioned them and- Wait a minute! That buck-... oh my..."
The doctor suddenly re-entered and pulled out a small bottle. Quickly, he treated the sore foot with an injection (Ari passed out as soon as the needle came into the picture) then called for somebody 'manly' to sit with him until he revived. Then the doctor went about examining Corona.
"You awake now?" Rosalyn had been decided to be the most 'manly' in the room, and she didn't even complain.
Ari opened his eyes, lying in one of the small beds in the building. His foot felt much better- numb, but it wasn't sore- and he nodded. Slowly sitting up, he was pleased to see his foot had gone down in size, but it was still red. "Do they have to cut it off?"
"Nope, not at all! It'll go down more in a bit. He said you could probably still travel on it if you had to." She smiled, "And Corona's in the bed next to you, doing fine."
"...Was anything... er... wrong with her?"
She just shrugged, looking as lost as Ari.
"...Yeah. When can we leave?"
He was almost wishing he hadn't said that, because as soon as he did, he had a little four-year old hanging off his arm, a teenaged girl drooling on herself to the left and a parasol-carrying heroine on his right, not to mention a shadow currently screaming at him for wasting time at the doctor's. All he could think about was how pathetic his life had become within only about three days. But that didn't help as he headed out of town, staring at the great expanse before him- it was a straight course to the lake-town, Rashelo, where the Map O' Evil Kings directed them to go. He had a long way to go before him, and it seemed it was about to be extended, since the spikey-haired scientist was once again being a roadblock...
Oh well. Ari kept in mind they could always come back. Maybe that Linda girl was 'the one' his mom mentioned. He couldn't help but smile at the thought.
