The Frog Swordsman

Part Fourteen

By Marie Nomad

Megumi was running down the hallway dressed in her fine dress. She recognized her home from what felt like forever. "Mother! Father! I'm home!"

All of a sudden, fire erupted around her and a man dressed in white and covered in blood appeared before her. "Princess Megumi, danger is closer than you think. You and your friends must hide yourselves until the next full moon."

Megumi blinked at the man's request. "Why?"

The man looked to the side. "Well, as much as I hate him-" Another figure in white appeared and elbowed him. "Okay! Okay! If you don't, Kaoru's frog will die."

"Kaoru's frog?!" Megumi exclaimed.

"RISE AND SHINE!!!"

Megumi's eyes shot opened and she fell out of the hammock she was blissfully sleeping in. She glared at Sanosuke who was perched on the tree. "Sanosuke! Do you have to do that every day?!" She screamed as she tossed her shoe at the rooster who just ducked.

"Don't blame me, it's the curse!" Sano cried out.

The woman moaned as she got up and brushed her hair. It had been three days since Kaoru and Kenshin had left them and already so much happened. She found out that the Battousai was real and her newest friends are hunting him down. Now, not only does she have to find an army to save her kingdom but she also had to kill an assassin that no one had seen in ten years. "Who's cooking breakfast?"

"EEEKKK!!!" Rapunzel's voice echoed throughout the woods.

"Rapunzel-chan!" Megumi rushed towards the scream and saw Rapunzel shaking as she watched Enishi and Rose roasting frogs over a roaring fire.

"We thought we should cook breakfast." Enishi said as he studied the frog.

"Megumi-san! They are cooking innocent frogs!" Rapunzel pleaded as she ran up to her.

"Frogs again?" Megumi said as she looked at the two. While she didn't know the eating habits of witches, she was sure that witches don't eat frogs for every meal.

"Tastes like chicken." Enishi said as he held up a cooked frog. "Want one?"

The woman shook her head. She couldn't blame Rapunzel for being so shaken. Those frogs looked very much like Kenshin and even she felt a little sickened. "Why do you eat only frogs?"

Rose smiled as she ate. "It's simple. We picture these frogs as the Battousai and every time we eat frogs, we are eating the Battousai."

Yahiko looked up from his berry breakfast. "You two need a hobby."

"We have a hobby, it's called Earthly Justice." Enishi said as he got out a bite of the frog.

"Well, can you stop your 'hobby' for a few minutes?" Megumi asked as the group gathered around the fire. "I had a vision of a man in white covered in blood coming to me and telling us that the danger is nearer than we think and that we should hide ourselves until the next full moon. If we don't, something horrible will happen."

"A man in white covered in blood is a man who died a violent death." Rose said as she pondered, "Must be a victim of the Battousai warning us about him."

"Or someone else." Megumi added, "Anyway, can you cast some spell on us to disguise ourselves before we go to Sol Sagev?"

Rose shook her head. "I can't. A group transformation spell is too hard. Besides, I can't cast spells on Sanosuke."

Rapunzel raised her hand. "What do you mean?"

The witch took a deep breath. "There are unwritten laws of sorcery out there to make sure that our powers are not abused. One of the most basic laws is that a witch or a mage cannot cast a spell on a cursed person. If that happens, no telling what could happen. I could accidentally turn myself into a giant chicken. But, we can get into Sol Sagev without drawing attention." She slipped on the pair of golden glasses. "After breakfast, we better go into the village and get ready."

XXX

The village was buzzing with excitement as the villagers were going about their normal business. Rose went up to a market vendor and held a potato to her ear. Megumi watched her as the witch kept on putting vegetables and fruits up to her ear. Finally, she asked, "What are you doing?"

Rose looked up and replied, "You'll see." She held up a melon and knocked on it. "Perfect. I'll take this." She said as she handed the vendor some money. They walked to the woods in the clearing where Rapunzel and Yahiko were waiting. In their arms were piles of cloth.

"We have the cloth." Yahiko said.

"Excellent." Megumi said as she fingered the cloth. "You can transform clothes right?"

"Of course." Rose replied.

"I got the cow." Enishi said as he came up with an old cow behind him. "I had to trade it for the last of our magic beans to this kid."

"That's okay. I never liked the giant anyway." Rose shrugged as she got out the melon. She placed the melon next to the cow. "Now, we can have our carriage. Rapunzel, watch carefully. You may be able to do this one day." She held out her hands and the air started to smell like roses. "Egairrac raeppa, erofeb em!" The cow mooed loudly as she was flung into the air and the melon circled her. In a cyclone of roses, a pair of figures appeared and the group gasped.

"That's so cool!" Rapunzel gushed.

"That is real magic!" Sanosuke applauded.

"You can do that?!" Yahiko's eyes bulged out of his head.

"I'm glad you are on our side." Megumi nodded.

"You shouldn't have overdone it." Enishi frowned.

Rose sighed as she studied it. "I used to be able to do so much more. Now, we can get going."

XXX

Hans' throat ached as a lone man sat at the side of the road with a sign over his head reading 'To Sol Sagev or Bust'. His supplies had run out a long time ago and he was desperate for any thing. He squinted when he heard hoofbeats. Desperate, he stuck out this thumb and prayed, "Please, let them see me." His eyes widened when he saw what looked like a giant cow pulling a silver melon down the road with a giant chicken on top. "Another hallucination." He sighed.

The giant melon stopped and a lovely woman with long black hair stuck her head out and asked, "What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?"

Hans blinked. "I… I'm going to Sol Sagev to find my beloved. She went there because an evil king chased her. Please, I beg of you, help… me…" He trailed off as exhaustion took over and he fainted.

XXX

The man opened his eyes to darkness. He heard sounds and looked to see a group of strangers around a campfire. "You're awake." The woman said as she handed him a canteen. "You had us worried. What's your name?"

"Hans." Hans said as he drank. The cool water refreshed his dry throat. "Thank you. Who are you?"

The others gathered. Everyone was dressed in matching sailor student outfits except for the giant chicken and the tall handsome man wearing a tuxedo and a cape over the left side of his body. Megumi gestured to them. "We are a group of students on a field trip to Sol Sagev. I'm Foxy, the blond is Zelda, the redhead is Rosey, the little scowling girl is Yahy, my little sister, the tall man with the cape is our escort Tuxedo Cape, and the giant chicken is our mascot Roosterhead."

Hans got up and bowed. "Thank you for saving my life."

'Foxy' nodded and asked, "What are you doing hitchhiking to Sol Sagev? It's a desert out here. You could have died or worse."

The young man sighed. "Death would have been a better fate than what I am suffering right now. I am off seeking my beloved who is hiding in Sol Sagev. Archane, my sweet Archane, was forced to marry a king because of a false rumor. She was held prisoner until a vicious assassin and his loyal sidekick came and stole her away. Then, they ran off to Sol Sagev where Archane divorced King Midanas by Marital Combat. She is now living with the assassin and his loyal sidekick. I heard about this from some friends who heard it from some of their friends who had a friend in the castle."

'Yahy' rolled 'her' eyes. "Oh, that's reliable. Are you sure that Archane is in Sol Sagev?"

Hans clenched his fists. His tanned skin tensed as he glared at them. "Yes, I'm positive. I had a vision of a beautiful woman in white telling me that Archane is in Sol Sagev with a perverted dwarf!"

Rose gritted her teeth as she remembered a dwarf from her childhood. "I hate dwarves! They are so… shifty!"

Megumi pondered. She couldn't leave a man alone in the desert while they are going around hunting assassins. She knew what she had to do. "Well, we're going to Sol Sagev to find someone. Would you like to come? There's plenty of room."

The young man nodded. "Yes, please! I need to find my beloved Archane."

'Tuxedo Cape' glared at Megumi and grabbed her by the arm. They went a distance and whispered, "Look, 'Foxy', I know that you mean well but we can't let him come with us! He can't fight, he would just be another kill for the Battousai. Let's just take him to the next rest area and let him find his way."

Megumi scowled at him. "Look here, I understand that this is dangerous but I can't allow an innocent man to be trapped in the middle of the desert! We won't get him involved just take him into the city and then leave him there with some gold. That's it."

"We can't leave him alone. He is on a mission of love! We have to help him!" Rapunzel pleaded as she came up and gazed at Enishi with wide tearful blue eyes.

Enishi blushed and he looked away. The man put his right arm over his left stub and said, "Fine, fine, we'll take the guy to Sol Sagev and put him in my casino."

"Yay! Thank you so much, Enishi-chan!" Rapunzel gushed as she wrapped her arms around his body. Hearts surrounded her head as she spun around with the man being pulled along for the ride.

Megumi chuckled at the sight. As far as she knew, the only one who could actually sway Enishi's judgment was either Rose or Rapunzel. "Well, Tuxedo Cape, Zelda-chan, do you two want to be alone for a while?"

"Shut up!" Enishi turned bright red as he sat down.

Hans watched the scene and then looked at his new friends who were staring at him. He looked at the redhead and then decided not to. There was something strange about her. Finally, he decided to try to talk to the little girl. "Hello, Yahy-chan, I'm Hans, you are such a cute little girl."

The girl glared at him and pouted. "Oh shut up!" The girl flung off her wig to reveal a patch of very short hair. "I'm a boy."

Hans' jaw dropped. "Oh my…"

"Yahiko!" Rose Red exclaimed as she picked up the boy's wig and handed it back to him. "You can't let yourself be given away like that!"

"But this is stupid! Why do I have to wear a dress and a wig? Can't I just wear a different disguise?" Yahiko cried out as he tossed the wig back.

"Disguise?" Hans repeated as he gawked at the two.

Rose sighed as she looked at the man and said, "Peels esaelp." Hans' eyes rolled back and he went to sleep. The witch took a deep breath. "Yahiko, you must be in disguise. A little girl is less conspicuous than a little boy. Whoever we must avoid would notice Sanosuke and us, we have to blend in the best we could. I disguise myself in various forms; old women, little girls, and even a few men. For the sake of your family and your kingdom, be a girl." Rose commanded as she held out the wig.

Yahiko stared at the wig. What Rose say make sense. They attract enough attention already, he has to be in disguise and the best one could be a little girl. "Don't tell anyone else about this." The boy ordered as he put on the wig.

XXX

Archane took a deep breath as she gazed out over the skyline. Ever since the 'Marital Combat', she felt free. After so long, she could finally do what she wanted. Rumpy was taking care of her son while Kenshin and Kaoru were getting some things. She was alone with her thoughts. What could she do? "Oh, Hans, I wish I can speak to you." She gazed out of the window again.

"We're back." Kaoru said as she came in with Kenshin still in her hands followed by Rumpy and her baby. It had been only a couple of days since Kenshin and Kaoru had fought. Their injuries had faded somewhat but Kenshin still couldn't move much on his own with his wounded leg. Still, they were looking much better than before. The woman reached into her blouse and got out her necklace. "I finally got my stuff back."

"That's a relief." Archane sighed as she picked up her baby.

Kaoru smiled and said, "Well, Kenshin and I are going off to this Magical Sorcerers Investigation to see if there's any way to help Kenshin and why only my kisses can turn him into a giant frog. Want to come?"

"No thanks, I just want to rest for a while." Archane replied as she lay down.

"Okay, if you need anything, we'll be back." Rumpy said as he waved and then the group walked out. Archane sighed as she gazed at the ceiling. "Hans…"

XXX

Hans opened his eyes again to find himself in a moving carriage with the students. It was not like any carriage he had ever seen before. It was spacious with a juice bar in the middle. "What happened?" He asked as he looked at Yahy. "I dreamt you were a boy."

Megumi laughed as fox ears popped out of her head. "OH ho ho!!! Yahy is such a kidder! Anyway, you fell asleep and so Roosterhead had to carry you back in here."

Rose nodded as she leaned forward. "We talked about it and we figured that you can stay at this casino a friend of mine owns. We can stay there for free."

Rapunzel looked at him and asked, "Hans, can you fight?"

"Not really. Why?"

"Nothing. Let's go." Enishi interrupted as he pulled Rapunzel to the side. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I was just asking a question." Rapunzel replied as she shook slightly. "I don't want to anyone to get hurt, especially an innocent man."

"Then, keep him out. Don't expose us or do anything stupid."

Rapunzel nodded meekly. The last thing she wanted to do was make anyone mad. "Hai."

The carriage rolled on until bright lights surrounded them. The group looked out to see the vast city lighting up in the darkness. Various magical creatures walked down the streets and Rose smiled slightly. "Ah…"

Rapunzel giggled as a faint golden glow emanated from her hair. "I feel tingly."

"The magic of Sol Sagev is the most powerful here. Mages, magical creatures, and even demons and angels walked along these streets. It's a true magical place but it's also dangerous." Rose said as she opened the door and the group walked out to see a giant castle with rose bushes all over the place.

"Oooh…"

"This is our place." Enishi said as they walked up to the castle. They entered to see a lobby with mirrors for walls and a single man watching the counter.

The man was tall with blue eyes and dark hair. He was dressed in a brown suit with a matching tie. "Hello, welcome to the Mirror Castle. My name is Pinocchio, how may I help you? " He said as he smiled and then did a double take. Rose's eyes glowed and then the man's eyes glowed. "Ah, you must be that band of students on the field trip."

"Yes." Rose said as she bowed. "Can you set up a room for this man here on us?"

"You don't have to." Hans said as he held up his money. "I have money."

Pinocchio and Rose looked at the money. "It won't last long here. Just take the gift." Rose said as she looked up at Hans.

"Okay." Hans sighed as he bowed. "I do need the help to find my long lost beloved."

"Good, here's your key." Pinocchio said as he handed Hans a key. He snapped his finger and a beautiful blond woman in a maid's outfit. "Jenny, please take this man's bag to his room."

"Your wish is my command." Jenny said in a sultry voice. She picked up the bag and waltz out with Hans following him.

"That… woman scars me." Rapunzel said as she hid behind Sanosuke.

"I know. It's normal." Pinocchio nodded and then looked at the group. "Rose-sama, Enishi-sama, did you find the Battousai?"

"No, that toad is still out there." Rose said as she gritted her teeth. She relaxed and then smiled at him. "I'm glad you picked up my message. I don't want Hans to get in the way. Help him out while we're gone."

"Of course, with no strings attached." Pinocchio said as he winked. He, Enishi, and Rose chuckled at once.

"Huh?" Yahiko said as he looked at the three.

"Private joke. Long story." Pinocchio said as he reached into his counter and got out a set of keys. "Here are your keys. Your rooms have been taken care of while you were gone."

"Good, any luck with the dolls?" Rose asked as she accepted the keys.

"No, they were obedient but that's it." Pinocchio said as he sighed. "Anyway, good luck with the Battousai. Please, be careful."

"I will. Just make sure that no one knows that I have returned as always."

"Yes, Rose-sama. I'll have the ladies get your bags." Pinocchio said as he snapped his fingers again and five lovely women in matching maid outfits came out. "Ladies, get their bags and get them into the rooms."

The women nodded and said at once in the same sultry tone, "Your wish is our command, Master." They picked up the group's bags and went up to the rooms. Megumi and her friends followed as they entered a crystal and found themselves in the middle of a luxurious suite. There was a vast array of ancient furniture and portraits. Outside was a beautiful garden filled with flowers and singing birds. The trees seemed to sway in the non existent wind. At one end of the room was a huge portrait with a lovely woman in the middle gazing out with sad eyes with the quote 'Do it for her'. Megumi came up to the portrait and asked, "Is this 'Tomoe'?"

"She looks so sad." Rapunzel observed as she came up as well.

"Yes." Rose said as she held up her hand on the frame. "It's a magical painting that is tied to her spirit. You can't talk to her through it but if she is happy, this painting will show it."

"Ever since she died, we never saw the painting smile." Enishi said as he put his hand on the frame. "This is why we had sacrificed so much for our quest."

Megumi and Yahiko watched the scene in awe. They could understand their needs so much since they missed their sister so much despite the fact they teased her. If something happened to Kaoru, neither one would know what to do. "We'll get him." Yahiko promised.

"Thank you." Rose said as she bowed her head. Then, she saw Rapunzel going to a black piano.

"What is this?" She asked as she pointed to it.

"My piano. It's an instrument you use to play music." Enishi replied as he sat down on the bench.

"Oooh. It's so big." Rapunzel said as she tapped on the keys and notes came out. She giggled. "It sings."

"You could say that. I used to play it all the time until I lost my arm." Enishi sighed as he looked at the left side of his body. "I could still play but it doesn't feel the same."

"How can you play with one hand?" Megumi asked interested that Enishi was talking about something other than revenge.

"I adapt. Let me show you." Enishi flexed his hand and then started to play. The group watched in awe as beautiful music flowed through the air. It was a song of sadness with traces of hope. Enishi's hand dashed from one end to another as he played harder and harder. Finally, he slammed his hand down with a resounding note and everyone applauded.

"That was wonderful!" Megumi exclaimed.

"Great playing." Sanosuke nodded.

"It's good for a guy with one hand." Yahiko shrugged.

"It's one of his many gifts." Rose Red said as Enishi got up and bowed at the applause.

"Wow…" Rupunzel said as she gazed at him. "I wish I can make music like you."

Rose patted the blond on the shoulder. "I'm sure you can. You have a lovely voice. Have you sing before?"

"Well… I sang with the birds to pass the time when I was living in my tower." Rapunzel said as she twirled her hair. "Wanna hear it? It's… not like a piano singing."

"Go ahead." Megumi nodded.

Rapunzel stood up and opened her mouth. Bird song came out and rang through out the room. The group gasped in shock as the blond finished the song and then looked at her friends. "I'm sorry, it's not as good as Enishi-san's piano playing."

"Oh no. It's wonderful. We just never heard of anyone that can sing like a bird literally." Megumi said as she and everyone else applauded. Enishi just slapped his hand over his left shoulder.

"Really?" Rapunzel smiled back as tears came down her face. "I thought everyone sings like that."

"No. You're the first that I see that can do that." Megumi said and then looked at Sanosuke who was gazing at Rapunzel with hearts floating around his head.

"Roosterhead?"

The giant fowl ran up to the blond and held her in his wings. "Marry me!"

"Huh?!"

"Ummm… you're not my type." Rapunzel said politely as she tried to pull away. Before anyone can react, birds were heard outside.

Rose got up and opened up the window. "Gods protect us!" She screamed as she pulled the window closed. She turned around and said, "Enishi-chan, guys, we are in trouble."

Megumi came up the window and looked outside, "What can be so-" Her eyes widened at the sight of thousands of birds perched around the building. "Okay…" She glanced at Sanosuke who was holding Rapunzel tightly. "I think I know what happened to Sanosuke."

Then, there was a knock at the door. "Oh no." Rose moaned as she opened the door to see a group of men in magic proof armor. A middle age man with glasses and a beard came up and held up a badge, "Hello, I'm Gil Griss, I'm with the Magical Sorcerers Investigation. We believe one of you had cast an illegal mass-summoning spell. Please come with us."

"Oops." Rapunzel said as she blushed.

To Be Continued…