Well, well, well. Look who updated! I'm on holidays and supposed to be studying... but this is so much more fun. Then again, pulling my toenails out with my teeth would be more fun than studying. Anyways, thanks to my loyal reviewers, you're all beautiful and without you I wouldn't write.
Oh, and about the cow thing, the smartest school in this state didn't know that, so on the last day of school the year 12s led the cow up to the principal's office. And then they couldn't get it out. SO FUNNY! They had to get a crane to get it out. Hilarious.
Without any more annoying babbling, I present you with yet another chapter of Lost and Found.
The group had been working for the theatre troupe for just over a week when Baku called them all into his office. It wasn't so much an office as a small backstage room with one table that was cluttered with loose papers and blueprints and props that were clearly works in progress, but it served the same purpose.
When Izzy, the last one to walk in, had closed the door behind him, Baku cleared his throat and began to speak.
"As you well know, our production of Midnight Dreamers is scheduled to open in exactly 27 days time. While there may seem like there is an infinite amount of work to be completed before this date, I assure you that I have been involved in many a performance prior to this one, and never before have I been so close to completion at this time of preparation. And I believe I owe this to you. You have never yet failed to complete your assigned tasks by their deadlines, and your general work ethic is commendable."
The group collectively blushed with his praise. Matt, who has Mimi's hand secretively hidden in his own, gave it a squeeze. Smiling to herself, she gently squeezed his back and leaned against him.
"Anyway," Baku continued. "I do have a point. As a reward for your sustained hard work, Barrett and I have decided to give you a day off work. Take some time to enjoy the Entertainment Quarter. Our other workers will take over for today. Now if you'll please excuse me, I have an actor who needs some talking to. Good day."
The group took a few moments to digest this information. Then Tai turned to the rest of them and asked what they were all wondering.
"So... where to?"
Matt, knowing that however universal the question seemed, it was subliminally directed at him, replied, "Well, how about we take a tour of the town and see what it has to offer us?"
The group, always content to agree with Matt, left the theatre and walked out onto the cobbled street. None of them except for Matt paid much attention as Mimi tightened the hood of her coat around her face. He saw, and wrapped a sturdy arm around her waist and planted a kiss on the part of her forehead that was visible.
"You'll be okay. I won't let anything happen to you."
Mimi, never having been to this section of her kingdom, was as wide-eyed as the rest of them as they strolled through the streets. She laughed when she saw the old man make his puppets come alive. She gasped in awe of the contortionist. She clapped enthusiastically for the young couple who were dancing in the street. She clapped even harder when TK and Kari joined them, dancing extravagantly with enough spins and dips to make even the onlookers dizzy.
As Matt fell onto one knee to dramatically ask her to dance, she couldn't help feeling that life was so much better down here.
After the one-man-band stopped playing and the couples stopped dancing, the group continued their tour. Mimi bent down to inhale the scent of the flowers that were being sold by an old lady on the side of the road. She stood up to see Matt holding the largest bouquet available, holding them out to her. He had a slightly crooked smile on his face, and she felt that familiar bouncy warm feeling in her stomach.
Blushing as she accepted them, she knew that life was definitely much better down here.
They were just moving to the next stall when a man streaked out of nowhere. Barrelling into Mimi, he knocked her down to the ground. While relatively unhurt, the close contact let Mimi see exactly what he looked like. And he looked almost identical to Matt. The only difference she could see was a paper-thin scar tracing down his left cheek. As he ran he was carrying a red moneybag. As Matt offered a hand to help her up, she saw a middle aged man chasing down the same path as the thief had taken, and turning to gaze up the street she saw an old lady dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief while being consoled by a younger woman. She heard voices everywhere, some comparing stories and others talking of getting in the guards.
But only one voice snapped her out of her daze.
"Mimi... Mimi, are you all right? He didn't hurt you, did he? Mimi can you hear me?"
Matt's concerned face wavered in front of Mimi's eyes. His left hand caressed her cheek, trying worriedly to get a reaction out of her.
"Oh, Matt... yes, yes I am perfectly fine."
Matt's concern largely evaporated, and a cheeky grin appeared.
"You have some luck, sweetheart. Every bad thing that could ever happen to you does."
Mimi smiled at this. "Yes... sometimes it certainly does appear that way."
She took his hand and stood up. Dusting herself off, the rest of the group materialised around her. She supposed they had been there the whole time, but she had only had eyes for Matt. Sora handed her the bouquet, which had been knocked out of her hands when the man had crashed into her, and Mimi noticed a few of them checking her over for wounds.
She laughed, a sound like tinkling bells that reached Matt's heart every time. "Truly, I am absolutely fine. He just shocked me."
Matt paused, then nodded. "Let's keep moving then."
He had barely stepped out onto the street when there was a cry.
"There he is, officer!"
Before Matt knew what was happening, three men in the guard uniform had run out from a side alley. The largest one grabbed Matt and pulled his arms behind his back. He pulled handcuffs out of his belt loop and proceeded to try and catch Matt's wrists in them as Matt struggled against him. Mimi, as much as she wanted to help him, shrunk back and pulled her hood over her face.
"Struggling won't help you now, you scum." The guard said, roughly pushing Matt. "Did you really think you could get away with armed robbery? Did you? You are despicable, you know that? What did that little old lady ever do to you to deserve such treatment?"
Matt, never good with authority figures, swore at the guard who was till trying to overpower him. "You stupid fucks... I never did anything. Do you see any weapon? Do you see anything that I could have stolen?"
The two younger guards that were on either side of the large one looked at each other in uncertainty. Maybe the boy was in fact innocent? But the one who was still trying to get handcuffs on Matt was not swayed.
"Stashed them. You think you're so smart, well you are not going to outsmart me."
Matt kicked out at his captor. "Asshole. Outsmarting you would be easy for a worm."
TK, worried about how the guard would respond to this, pushed to the front of their group, who had all up until now been watching in horror, unable to speak. "He's innocent," the young boy cried. "The guy who did it just looked like Matt. He ran that way."
Looking momentarily in the direction TK was pointing, the guard then turned back to sneer at him.
"Do I look that stupid? You two are in this together! You even look alike, for goodness sake! I have no reason to take you in as well, so don't give me one!"
Sora, who was standing next to TK, then spoke up. "TK's right... Matt never did anything. He was here the whole time... buying flowers."
The guard snorted harshly. "Some alibi. Forgive me for not believing you." He then turned to Matt, having finally got both his wrists into the cuffs. "You're coming with me now, and you won't be coming back for... well let's just say a very, very long time."
Finally Mimi could take no more. She forced her way through the crowd that was watching this arrest and cried, "Let him go now!"
The guard looked up and laughed.
Mimi, now truly angry, repeated, "I demand you to let him go now! I order it!"
Still laughing, he replied, "Oh yeah, you order it? Who am I answering to exactly? Street mouse?"
Biting her lip for only a second, Mimi pulled her hood down. "No. Princess of Celestria."
There was a second of shocked silence before the guards bent into a bow. From his servile position one of the young guards managed to mumble, "Princess... I had no idea... we had no idea. We are infinitely sorry... if you say he's innocent then we must assume he is innocent."
"Please don't take away our jobs, Princess," the other added. "I have a wife and a kid to think about."
Mimi, seeming to glow with regal power, said, "You shall keep your jobs and I shall say no more about this incident, provided you let Matt free this instant and do not mention to the king and queen that I was ever here."
The largest guard, straightening up a little, had a look of dawning comprehension in his eyes. "No, Princess. You must come with us."
Mimi, though internally panicked, let none of this show. "I do not think so. You will unhand Matt and let the both of us live our own lives without your intervention."
The guard smiled sardonically. "Either you will come with us, or this boy will. And let me tell you, your room in the castle is much more pleasant than the dungeon this scoundrel will rot in."
Mimi felt herself droop. She had lost. The royal stance she had not a moment ago fell around her like shattered glass. For the first time she let her glance fall on Matt. He looked confused and angry, but more than anything else he looked hurt. When Mimi tried to catch his eye, he looked away. She knew her own eyes were misting over as she walked slowly towards the three guards, as if in a dream. Behind her she could hear the shocked whisperings of her group and the spectators.
On his word, as soon as Mimi reached the guard, he turned the key in the handcuffs and Matt was free. Without looking at her, he moved back to the group. She looked over at them.
"Mimi... you're a... princess?" Joe still could not comprehend the situation.
Mimi nodded sadly. "I am so sorry..." she turned to face TK alone. "I am so terribly, terribly sorry."
And with not another word she guards turned her around and they began walking towards the castle.
What did you think? Sucks to be Mimi, hey? Anyway, I want to get the 100 reviews for this fic, and I ABSOLUTELY REFUSE to update again until it reaches that mark. It's not that far away... won't you help me reach my goal?
Emma's useless facts about nothing in particular
35 percent of the people who use personal ads are already married.
