Disclaimer: Fire Emblem - The Sacred Stones is a belonging to his respective corporation and creator: Nintendo and Intelligent Systems. The following characters belong to the author.
Adrion: A recruit from Renais in training to become just like Seth.
Adam: A journeyman from Frelia in training to become Frelia's first hero.
Nicole: A young maiden from Rausten. The uptight best friend of L'Arachel.
Ephraim and Eirika – The Sacred Twin Life
—The One with the Twin Switch—
-Castle Renais-
"EPHRAIM!" The scream of Eirika rang throughout the entire castle.
Ephraim was at the dining table chilling with Fado, Seth, and Adrion when this happened.
"What was that?" Fado exclaimed.
"Oh, don't worry, Father," Ephraim said, "That just Eirika having a mid-life crisis."
"Are you guys still fighting again?" Seth sighed in frustration, "It's been weeks."
Eirika stormed in the dining room, her diary swinging at her brother's face, "DID YOU READ MY DIARY?"
"Reading your diary is nothing like what you did to me in the bathroom." Ephraim argued.
"Who cares if you got prank by Saran Wrap?"
"I GOT ALL WET!"
"Err…" Adrion raised his hand, "may I interrupt? You Saran Wrapped him?"
Eirika slammed her diary on the table and faced her brother up-close, "Don't ever in your entire life, read my diary again, or else—"
Ephraim approached his face towards Eirika, "Or else what? You're going to slap me? Cause I dare you to do it."
"AUGH!"
"Hey, hey, HEY!" Fado separated the twins, "You two are going to stop all of this yelling, all right?"
"But he's started it." Eirika complained.
"Yeah sure." Ephraim scoffed, "Everything has got to be my fault, why? Because you're so popular and so perfect with your little privacy you never get."
"That little privacy I never get is because of your ego."
"What does my ego has got to do with it?"
"Look guys enough." Fado interrupted again, "If this fighting keeps happening like that, something bad is going to happen to you two."
"By bad you mean committing murder?" Eirika muttered.
"No one's killing each other." Fado frowned, "And that's not what I meant. By bad I mean supernaturally bad. So watch your words."
The twins looked at Fado then at each other. "Whatever." They rolled each other's eyes and went their different directions. Fado sighed.
"Gee Your Majesty." Adrion said, "What do you mean by their fighting is going to get supernaturally bad?"
"Look, just make sure they're not crossing each other's path again." Fado said, "They each need a moment to cool off. Can you do it?"
"Of course Your Majesty." Adrion said, "Just leave it to me and my brother. We know those two like Bonnie and Clyde."
-Castle Renais-
"Hey Seth. Do you have a minute?" Orson called Seth down the hallway, escorting his wife Monica.
Seth approached the duo, "Yeah, what's up?"
"We found you a date." Monica said.
Seth baffled, "Excuse me?"
"A date. We're trying to get you into the relationship game you know." Orson said, "So we found you a date."
"She's from Rausten." Monica said, "And she's totally your type."
Seth looked horrified, "Why would you get me a date? I can take care of myself."
"You're in your thirties and you think you can take care of yourself?" Orson said.
"I'm twenty-eight."
"Still."
"Come on Seth." Monica said, "At least try to meet this Rausten lady, just once."
"Do this for our anniversary." Orson begged, "And to top that, we made it a double date. Table for four reservations at Port Kiris Imperial Lobster Place."
"All right…but I thought your anniversary was a month ago." Seth said.
"Well, we've been fighting during that time so technically it's made-up."
Adam entered Ephraim's Suite and noticed the room painted in pink. Confettis, and sparkling mirrors hanged across the wall. Lipsticks, nail polish, and everything to make a woman look radiant were at a glass table. Even the furniture was red and heart-shaped. A pile of ladies' clothes were even hanging on the wardrobe, replacing Ephraim's lances collection, which happened to be all on the floor broken in pieces. It looked like a fashion/make-up room here.
"Err… Prince Ephraim?" He tiptoed across the room, "Are you here?"
"You called?"
Adam turned around and saw Ephraim entering his not-so suite. His eyes went wide, "Is that…my room? My…GASP…girl clothes!"
"Correct me if I'm wrong but, isn't that what a guy's suite supposed to be?"
Ephraim's utmost attention was not just on the room's décor and such but his broken collection of lances on the floor. He approached his lances trembling, "My lances…my beautiful lances…"
He picked a half-lance, "My lucky javelin…" then another, "my steel spear…" then another with a large green ribbon attached to it, "m-m-my Reginleif! NO, NOT MY REGINLEIF!"
"You know what I think." Adam grinned nervously, "I think you needed an extreme makeover."
Ephraim turned around to face Adam. His eyes were scorching red and shooting darts, his vein-pumping fists formed tightly as if they were about to land on someone's face.
Adam gulped, "…h-home edition."
"EIRIKA!" The scream of Ephraim rang throughout the entire castle.
Adrion ran inside Eirika's suite to find Eirika on her chesterfield reading 'How to make your brother miserable?'
"Eirika. Is it just me or did Ephraim just screamed your name?" Adrion asked curiously.
"Oh sure he did." Eirika smiled, "I planted him a little something-something that will teach him on not to get his nose on my business."
"We gotta get out of here." Adrion attempted to drag Eirika off her couch to make her flee.
"Hey, stop being such a worrywart. Why would you want to do that?"
"Duh, King Fado told me to keep an eye on both of you." Adrion said, "You need to chill."
"You know who need to chill…Ephraim."
Suddenly Ephraim angrily burst in the suite. Adam followed behind out of breath, "He can't be chilled."
Eirika crossed her arms, "Why hello there Ephraim. Like your new room?"
"EIRIKA OF RENAIS! YOU GET MY ROOM BACK RIGHT NOW! OR ELSE—"
"Or else what? You're going to slap me? Cause I dare you to do it."
Ephraim spotted Eirika's diary on her bed. He ran to grab it, opened it and placed his hands at the median as if he was about to rip it apart. Eirika's mocking face transformed into a paranoid one, "Don't…even…think about it." She pointed.
"One more step and I'll think about it."
"GET OUT OF MY ROOM!"
"OH I'LL GET OUT OF YOUR ROOM IF YOU GET OUT OF MY LIFE!"
"GOOD! CAUSE MY LIFE IS NOT YOURS!"
"AND YOUR LIFE IS NOT MINE!"
"FINE!"
"FINE!"
"FINE!"
An echo ran across the room and time seemed to slow down by at this moment. The twins felt the wind pulling them and before they knew it, time sped up again. The twins fell on their knees, feeling dizzy.
Adam and Adrion approached them. Adam went to Ephraim and Adrion to Eirika.
"Look guys, I don't think this is working. You two fighting like that." Adrion said.
"Yeah, can we just get out of here?" Adam told Ephraim.
"I can't get out of here." Ephraim said, "This is my room."
Adam blinked, "Your room?"
Ephraim and Eirika looked at each other. Instead of having an angry expression on their face, they had a frightful one.
"Oh my gosh!" Eirika screamed.
"Oh my gosh!" Ephraim screamed.
Both twins screamed.
--- --- ---
"This is a disaster!" Ephraim walked around.
"How is that a disaster?" Adrion looked at the twins confusingly, "One minute you're fighting, and the next minute you're all screaming, and why are you screaming anyway?"
"CAN'T YOU SEE WHY?" Ephraim argued.
"Uhh…no." Adam blinked.
Eirika approached Ephraim, "We got to do something."
"But what?" Ephraim said.
"You're the smart one." Eirika said.
"Yeah sure, book smart not Freaky-Friday smart."
"Wait a minute?" Adrion looked at the twins suspiciously. "Did you," he pointed at Eirika, "just tell Ephraim that he's the smart one?"
"She." Eirika corrected.
Adrion's eyes went wide open. Adam however laughed. "Okay Eirika, if you're not aware of gender, your brother is a male, so he's a he."
"No Adam!" Adrion said, "It's not Eirika! It's Ephraim!"
Adam looked at Eirika then at Ephraim confusingly. Adrion continued, "And Ephraim is Eirika!"
It took Adam a minute to finally get it, "Ohhh."
"That's what King Fado was talking about," Adrion said, "when he meant that something supernaturally bad was going to happen, he meant you two switching places!"
"This is a disaster!" Ephraim (or Eirika for that matter) said.
"You know it's your fault." Eirika (or Ephraim) argued.
"My fault?" Ephraim yelled, "If you hadn't invaded my diary in the first place—"
"Technically, it's my diary now."
A/N: For the sake of sense, bare in mind that Ephraim is Eirika and Eirika is Ephraim from now on. They will still be identified as he and she. Ephraim as a he, and Eirika as a she but their minds will totally be different.
"Father!" The switched twins ran toward Fado inside the throne room.
"We have a problem." Ephraim said.
Fado blinked, "Ephraim. Why are you talking like that?"
"You know why Father." Eirika said.
Fado faced Eirika, his eyes still blinking. "Eirika. Your behavior's not right. Did you two—"
The twins nodded. Fado collapsed on his throne, "Oyo. How many times have I told you to stop fighting? Now look what you've done."
"Father, you're the one who told us about this, and you're the one who can fix this." Ephraim said.
"I can't fix it! It's a curse."
The twins exclaimed, "A curse?"
Fado sighed, "All right. I'm going to tell you something that I have never told anyone before. Not Seth, not Orson, not even your mother."
The twins looked concerned. Fado began, "A year after you guys were born, on your first birthday, a witch from Rausten came to attend and inflicted a curse on the both of you. She called it the Twin Switch. That curse according to her is dormant, but it can only be triggered when you two start a fight."
"Really?" Ephraim said.
"Yes. Once fighting and always fighting, Will their places be switched, at the hint of a scream."
Eirika cocked head on one side, "Huh?"
"That's the curse."
"Why didn't you warn us earlier?" Eirika complained.
"Warn you?" Fado argued, "I did so!"
"No, by what Ephraim mean, how come you never told us about it even before all of that?" Ephraim said.
"You guys were getting along so well since you were growing up; I thought it didn't matter anymore." Fado said, "Now that you two have done it, you're going to have to solve this problem all alone. Good luck with that."
Fado left the scene. A horrified Eirika faced Ephraim, "I can't solve this problem looking like this. I look like my sister!"
"We're twins if you didn't know." Ephraim said.
"I'm supposed to meet with Innes at the Kiris Weekly Lance Tourney," Eirika said, "but because you broke all of my lances…"
"All right let's not have this discussion now." Ephraim said, "I'm supposed to be at Rausten as well, attending Nicole's book club."
"Book club?" Eirika blinked.
"All right here's the deal." Ephraim said, "I'll go to the tourney if you go to the book club. Here's the book we're reading." Ephraim handed the book to Eirika. Eirika stared at the book cover strangely, "Serenity Harmony - Secret from the Dark Diaries of Shelly Flesh?"
"Awesome book." Ephraim said, "Currently on Chapter 22, lots of drama. Enjoy."
Ephraim walked away leaving a confused Eirika in the throne room. Eirika looked horrified, Oh my gosh. I picked the wrong day to fight with my sister.
-Port Kiris Imperial Lobster Place-
"All right let's get this over with. Where's my date?" Seth said as he entered the Lobster Place. He looked elegant in a formal onyx-colored and gold-trimmed attire and cape. Orson and Monica followed, also in elegant attire but of a snow-white color.
"Oh she'll be here in a minute." Orson smiled.
"So, where's my date now Orson?" A voice sounded from behind the trio. Seth turned around and saw an elegant green-haired beauty, clad in an elegant scarlet backless dress. At a huge dismay, Seth quickly recognized the beauty.
"Syrene?"
Syrene stopped short, her mouth were about to drop, "Seth?"
"You know each other?" Monica felt surprised.
"Well what do you know? Small world." Orson grinned, and then faced Monica, "Well, where do you think we should go?"
"The Lance Tourney sounds promising." Monica said.
"But I thought we were supposed to have dinner." Seth complained.
"Dinner is at the tourney." Orson argued.
"So what's the point of having a double date if it's not at a fancy restaurant?" Syrene muttered.
"Yeah, so why did we come here then?" Seth asked.
"We just love lobsters." Monica laughed nervously.
"And we're here to pick one up." Orson grinned. He then turned around to face a chef who stood behind a counter that looked like an aquarium full of lobsters.
"Is it…alive?" Syrene shuddered.
"…And kicking." Orson turned around, carrying two cages of four living lobsters. Syrene jumped behind Seth, screaming at the top of her lungs.
"Syrene?" Monica blinked, "You…don't tell me you hate lobsters. They're harmless and innocent."
"HARMLESS?" Syrene screamed as she saw a lobster clacking its pincers towards her, "They're living clippers. They'll cut your head off."
"I'm not afraid of lobsters, unlike Syrene…" Syrene glared at Seth, but Seth quickly replies, "Just making a point here," then faces Orson and Monica once more, "but for her sake, should we just cook them before taking them?"
Orson and Monica exploded with laughter, "GAAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! Cook them?"
"What are you hobos?" Monica exclaimed, "We're taking them back into the sea where they came from."
"Ah, that makes sense." Seth said.
"Err…when you free them; just make sure that they don't crawl up to me." Syrene said.
-Port Kiris Weekly Lance Tourney-
Ephraim approached Innes closer, almost too close, "Why there, hello Innes. Good to see you." He wrapped his arms around Innes's shoulders. Innes moved away.
"Ephraim! What's wrong with you? Toughen up and stop being like your sister."
"Hey!" Ephraim yelled, offended, "Back off or I'll…ahem, I mean…I'm just having a sun-shining day."
Innes blinked, "O-Kay…anyway, where's your Reginlief?"
Ephraim reminisced what happened to the lances earlier. He gulped, "I broke it."
"What?" Innes seemed shocked, "You never broke any of your lances. You treasured it like it's your baby."
"Really?"
Innes's eyes stretched out, "Yeah. You told me so."
"Oh."
Wow. Eirika's mind spoke; I didn't know Ephraim loved these lances.
"Anyway, there should be extras at the item loft," Innes said.
-Port Kiris Book Club-
So this must be the book club. Ephraim's mind spoke as Eirika spotted a large tent that has a huge sign written "Nicole's Book Club" on it. She swallowed hard and entered inside. She saw Tana, Nicole, and other girls attending: Amelia, Marisa, and Natasha.
"Eirika! What's up girl?" Tana ran to give Eirika a girlfriend hug. Eirika backed away, "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" she frowned disgustedly, "What are you doing? What the heck do you think you are doing?"
"Eirika?" Tana was shocked, "I'm giving you a hug like we usually do as girlfriends."
"Girlfri—you know I'm a girl right?"
Tana's eyes stretched out open. Nicole approached Eirika slowly and glanced at her like she was sick or something, "Are you okay?"
Eirika shook her head, "I…I'm fine. I'm just…not in the mood."
"Oh then why didn't you just say so, instead of offending my friendship to you with all of those hard-hitting questions?" Tana said.
"I'm…I'm sorry Tana, I'm just not feeling like myself."
"No kidding. You're like your brother altogether. Did you switch personalities or something?"
Try bodies. Ephraim's mind spoke.
The girls sat back on their seats, so does Eirika.Eirika looked at the three girls: Amelia, Marisa and Natasha, "You girls know this book?" she asked.
The girls looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Know it? What kind of a stupid question is that?" Amelia said.
"You talk about it all the time." Marisa pointed out.
"Yeah, and you never give us a chance to share our opinion." Natasha said.
"Right." Eirika smiled nervously.
"So let's get started." Nicole began, "Last time we met was yesterday and we left off with Eirika."
Eirika jerked her head up, "Say what now?"
"Eirika, before we were running out of time, you were discussing the analysis of the story's primary characters Shelly, Bo, Sarah and Craig and how does their relationships evolve throughout the entire book compared to their relationship in the soap opera?"
"…huh?"
"Oh yeah, where were you? Well, we stopped when you were analyzing your viewpoints in this question by paying close attention to some of the scenes, including Craig and Bo going to Rome the day prior to Shelly's disappearance and after Sarah's encounter with her stalker Boltock."
…
… …
… … …
"…HUH?"
The girls looked at each other then back at Eirika, "HUH?"
"Come on Eirika, what happened to the interactive into-it girl I knew yesterday?" Tana said.
"Yeah! The one that never give us chances to answer the questions." Natasha said.
"Seriously girl, one day you're talking nonstop, and now you're totally confused." Nicole narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. Eirika looked around, sweats dripping down her forehead.
Interactive? Into-it! I don't know this bloody chick flick! I WANT OUT! Ephraim's mind screamed.
-Port Kiris Weekly Lance Tourney-
Innes threw a Slim Lance to Ephraim. Ephraim caught it with no hassle. He then looked at his biceps and smiled. Man, I love a man who takes care of his body. Eirika's mind spoke with confidence; Ephraim must be getting girlfriends, no doubt.
"Checking yourself out?" Innes exclaimed, snapping Ephraim to reality. Ephraim looked up to Innes startled, "…err…w-well…I, I…"
"Don't worry; I do that all the time." Innes smiled, "I won't tell your sister just as long as you don't tell mine."
Oh don't worry. Ephraim won't. Eirika's mind said.
"It's time for our Weekly Lance Tourney. It's a beautiful Saturday summer here at Port Kiris and we see brand-new faces and returning ones, like Prince Ephraim and Prince Innes, among our competitors." An announcer spoke.
Returning ones? Eirika's mind said, I feel pretty new-fangled here.
Innes looked at Ephraim, "Did you say something?"
Ephraim quickly replied, "Nothing."
Entering through the crowd were Seth, Syrene, Monica and Orson. Orson was still carrying the two cases of lobsters in his hands. Syrene squinted, "Err…Orson? I have a question? Weren't you supposed to release these clackity clack-clacks before coming to the tourney?"
"I still don't understand how is this a date?" Seth complained, "We were supposed to dine at a restaurant?"
What are Seth, Orson and Monica doing here? With Syrene? Eirika's mind said as Ephraim spotted the foursome in the crowd and shuddered. Ephraim never told me that they will come to support me at the tourney.
"Stop whining you two." Orson told Syrene and Seth, "We're trying to have fun here, the four of us."
"Yeah, and come on, we want to let Bonnie and Clyde here enjoy the Magvel life before returning to sea." Monica said.
Seth and Syrene both stared at Monica as if she was taking medications, "Bonnie and Clyde?"
"Don't they look mischievous?" Monica grinned, and Orson nodded excitedly as they examined the lobsters snapping their pincers furiously.
"Who, on their right mind, would name two lobsters Bonnie and Clyde?" Syrene exclaimed.
They named their lobsters Bonnie and Clyde? That's so cute! Eirika's mind awed.
"Ephraim, Focus!" Innes snapped Ephraim back to reality, "It's your turn to lance."
"Oh… right." Ephraim nervously giggled as he saw many eyes locked on him. He raised his lance and threw it. The lance barely hit the target. Jeers emerged from the crowd. Seth, Syrene, Monica, and Orson watched in horror. Innes's mouth was even hanging.
"Impossible!" Seth exclaimed.
"Prince Ephraim sucks!" Monica commented.
"The last time I saw him missed a lance was when he was only six months old!" Orson freaked out.
"Oh my gosh!" Syrene screamed, "Somebody wake me up from this nightmare!"
"Even Syrene is screaming!" Seth commented as he faced Syrene, "Are you all right?"
"I'm only screaming because Orson is swinging these lobsters' cages to my face!" Syrene yelled.
Ephraim gulped, Aw man! I need to do some serious training.
-Port Kiris Book Club-
Eirika rose from her seat, "You know what? I just remember I have to go to the bathroom, cause I had a huge breakfast this morning and my stomach…is making inappropriate sounds."
Nicole crossed her arms, "Really?"
Tana faced Nicole, "I'm beginning to think Eirika's cheating." She then faced Eirika, "Are you cheating Eirika? Cause you better be speaking the truth here, woman."
Eirika's eyes went wide open, "What? Of course not! Why would I…" she laughed nervously, "Why would you think that I'm cheating?"
"Well let's see, shall we?" Amelia counted her fingers, "One day you're talking like an essay, the next day you're completely mute."
"That calls for suspicion beyond belief." Natasha said.
"And do you know what I do to suspecting people?" Marisa exclaimed.
"Suspects." Natasha corrected Marisa.
"Oh! What do you know?"
"Look guys…I mean gals…" Eirika shuddered then moved about as if she really wanted to go to the bathroom, "I really have to go to the bathroom. Can you just…I'll be right back!"
Eirika fled. The girls looked at each other. "Didn't you notice Eirika's brain is as clueless as Ephraim's?" Tana said.
"Come on. Let's go spy on her." Nicole proposed. She rose from her seat but Natasha stopped her, "No, no. Let her come back," she said, "If she leaves again, then we will follow."
Nicole sat back on her seat, "All right, but still I have a feeling that something fishy is going on here."
-Port Kiris Lance Tourney-
Ephraim threw over a dozen lances and kept missing his target. He was immediately showered in dumps from the crowd: parchment papers, eaten bananas, tomatoes, bottles, cans, everything.
"What's going on here?" Seth said, "For the first time of his life, Prince Ephraim is getting jeered!"
"That's suspicious." Orson pondered.
"What's suspicious?" Monica looked at her husband.
Orson looked at Monica then back at Seth and Syrene, "Prince Ephraim is missing his targets because that's not Prince Ephraim."
The trio all looked at Orson, "Huh?"
Just at the same time, Eirika came in the scene and saw Ephraim. She gasped in horror, dragged him out of the situation and headed towards a nearby alley they could hide behind.
"Eirika! What's wrong with you?" Eirika yelled at Ephraim, "You're getting me creamed out there!"
"Hey! I happen to have a very good reason to have my butt get creamed up there!" Ephraim argued.
"Oh really? And what is that?"
"I suck at lances!" he yelled, "And what are you doing here yourself? Aren't you supposed to be at the book club entertaining my group, or did you bail out on me?"
"I bailed out on you because I suck at being an essay."
Ephraim cocked his head on one side, "Huh?"
Eirika cleared her throat, "Nicole and company wants me to tell them more about that Shelly or Sarah relationship mush."
"Ha yes." Ephraim smiled, "Shelly, Bo, Sarah and Craig's analysis and their relationships in the soap compared to the book. How did it go?"
"How did it go?" Eirika harshly said, "I had to leave because I had no idea what they were saying and now they think I'm cheating!"
Ephraim looked at Eirika as if she was taking medications, "Wait a minute, you made my book club call me a cheater? You made me a cheater!"
Eirika stared at Ephraim for a good second, "Yeah, sure. I know nothing about books that talks about soaps and bubbles."
Ephraim looked offended. Just now, Innes ran to Ephraim and threw his hands in the air, "What's the matter with you, Ephraim? You're making us lose out there! Bring your bum back here and show them how to throw a lance like a man!"
"Be right back Innes!" both twins spoke. Their eyes went wide open, realizing what they have said. They faced Innes who raised an eyebrow.
"Oh I'm sorry." Eirika giggled, "You were talking to Ephraim." She pointed to Ephraim, "Yeah, that's Ephraim all right. Him. All him. Not me."
"Yeah, just me. Not her. Cause I'm Ephraim." Ephraim giggled nervously.
"I think I know who's who, so don't insult my intelligence." Innes said.
"Before we get back there, can I speak to Eirika in private?" Ephraim proposed.
Innes rolled his eyes and left the twins alone, "Yeah, whatever."
Ephraim faced Eirika, "How about this. I go to my book club and fix your mess and you stay with Innes to fix mine? What do you say?"
Eirika smiled big, "That's sounds great, but apparently we're still switched up."
"We'll exchange clothes then."
Eirika stared at Ephraim then herself. "I guess it might work. If we can afford masks."
"We're twins. We don't need masks."
-Port Kiris Book Club-
"EW! Eirika, your face!" Tana squealed at the striking appearance of Ephraim.
"You look all—Ephraim-y!"
"I'm just trying a new look. Tomboy style!" Ephraim perjured; his voice sounded falsetto. Ephraim's hair was straightened up but barely reached his shoulders. It was as if he was wearing a wig that could resemble his sister's hair. He wore his sister's dress and ensemble and had the Serenity Harmony book on his hand.
The girls raised their chins and locked their narrowed eyes at Ephraim. Ephraim laughed nervously then quickly sat on his seat. I hope they didn't see through my disguise. Eirika's mind spoke. Wait a minute? That's not a disguise!
"Okay!" he cleared his throat, "So where were we? Ah yes, the analysis! Ahem…As I said earlier—"
"You said nothing earlier." Nicole said.
"True. As I said, before," Ephraim cleared his throat one more, "Sarah and Craig's relationship comparing to the soap opera is totally analogous. They hug; they squeeze tight, just like in the soap. Shelly and Bo's relationship however is different. It's on and off in the book because of their recklessness, and especially with the fact that Bo in the book is very renegade, bad boy dude you know? But on the soap, it's on and off on the soap too, but that's only because of Felix and other characters that keep breaking their love apart…"
Tana leaned to Nicole, "This is going to be a really…long…day."
-Port Kiris Lance Tourney-
Eirika entered the scene, wearing the clothes of Ephraim and her hair tied up into a small ponytail.
Seth leaned to Syrene, "Is it just me or is Prince Ephraim's hair like Princess Eirika's?"
Syrene stared at Seth, "Is it just me or is that your hand on my leg?"
Seth immediately withdrew his hand off Syrene's leg and chuckled nervously, "I thought it was my leg."
"Come on, Syrene." Monica said, "Seth is trying to show some affections."
Seth eyed Monica, then eyed Orson, who simply shrugged. Syrene looked disgusted, "Ew…ew…ew. Don't breathe a word about affections."
"Yeah, don't." Seth replied, "And that would have happened if we were dining at the restaurant."
Syrene now eyed Seth, "if we were dining at the restaurant?" her voice sounded like hissing.
Seth laughed nervously and scratched his head, "Did I just say that? What I meant is that this would never happen even if we were dining at the restaurant."
Eirika waved at the jeering crowd. She felt so unpopular…
What did Eirika do to my peeps? They all hating on me. Ephraim's mind spoke.
"And welcome back to the Lance Tourney. Ephraim must nail this next lance throw in order to advance to the second pre-round, or else he'll be facing elimination."
Eirika's eyes widen, Elimination? Ephraim's mind spoke. Eirika picked a slim lance and placed a stance, Oh well, here goes nothing.
Eirika threw the lance to the target, nailing a bull's eye. Innes looked at the score in shock then at Eirika's. The crowd began cheering again.
"I mean, seriously, can't this Felix just give up and accept the fact that he will never break up Shelly and Bo?" Ephraim continued his argument, I mean they were meant to be, people!"
"Excuse me? Can I object?" Natasha raised her hand.
Ephraim faced Natasha, "This is important." And then resumed, "As I was saying, remember that one time when Bo cheated on Shelly with that other woman? I mean, the scene was steamy and all but Bo remained still faithful to his true love…"
Natasha sat on her seat, feeling rejected. Amelia patted Natasha's back in affection, "It's okay. At least she's not a cheater."
"And thus end my philosophy. And by the way, Innes checks his biceps." Ephraim said.
The girls' mouths hanged open, especially Tana's which nearly hit the floor, "WHAT?"
"It's no wonder he always locks himself up in his room." Nicole commented.
"So Prince Ephraim," A reporter spoke to the disguised Eirika, "How does it feel to transform from someone who sucks at lances to someone who got skills?"
Eirika was surrounded by a swarm of reporters. Eirika (or Ephraim as we already know) finally felt popular, "Well to tell you the truth I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." Eirika responded.
Innes came and dragged her out of the swarmed group. "Finally, you're showing your true side Ephraim." He said, "What happened earlier?"
"I wasn't feeling myself, that's all." Eirika said, "Hey! This is the finals, so let's win this."
Just at the same time, Fado was seen entering the crowd accompanied by soldiers, Adrion, and Adam.
"I hope these kids aren't up to something strange." Fado remarked, "The twin switch really messed them up."
"Oh, you think so, King Fado?" Adrion exclaimed.
"The switch didn't mess them up. It broke them in pieces." Adam said.
Fado noticed the tourney and pointed, "There's Ephraim!"
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the finals." The announcer spoke, "Ephraim will now be facing his teacher in the lance arts for the ultimate trophy prize."
Oh no. Ephraim's mind spoke; I have a bad feeling about this.
Eirika turned around and saw Duessel approaching her. Duessel smiles, "Why, hello there, Prince Ephraim. You've improved all of the sudden."
Eirika laughed nervously, "Yeah, I guess I did."
"For a moment there, I thought you lost your zest there…well good luck to the both of us."
"Yeah, same here."
Duessel walked away from Eirika and positioned himself to throw his lance. Eirika shook. Seth, Syrene, Orson, and Monica all watch suspiciously.
"Why is Ephraim looking tense?" Seth asks.
"I guess that the fact of him facing his teacher might be a logical reason." Monica said.
"Or not." Orson countered. Monica looked at his husband, "What does that supposed to mean?"
"It means that Ephraim never gets tense around Duessel anywhere at anytime." Orson pointed out, "I smell a rat here."
"You mean a living lobster?" Syrene exclaimed while staring at the two lobsters cages.
"Oh yes! That reminds me, we should take Bonnie and Clyde to the sea!" Orson says then faced Syrene and Seth, "Would you like to volunteer?"
"HECK NO!" Syrene yelled, "That would be suicide!"
Just at the same time, the book club team: Tana, Nicole, Amelia, Marisa, Natasha, and finally Ephraim came to watch the tourney.
"I can't wait to talk to Innes about this situation he's been in." Tana chuckled.
"Look Tana, whatever you do, don't breathe a word about it." Ephraim told her, "It'll kill him."
"Literally? As in, his heart will stop beating altogether and he'll fell on the floor, lifeless for eternity?"
Ephraim frowned, "No. That's different."
"Here's your brother." Nicole pointed at Eirika at the tourney ring. The girls turned their attention to the switched princess.
Eirika picks up the lance and positioned it towards the target. Her hand was literally shaking. Duessel noticed, "Are you all right, Prince Ephraim?"
"Do I look all right?" Eirika yelled, her natural voice came out in the open, "I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPETING AS A MAN! NOT AS A CROSSDRESSER!"
The entire crowd breathed a slight gasp and began murmuring. Eirika, realizing what she just did, put her hands to her mouth. Ephraim looked like he was about to faint.
"A cross-dresser?" Tana cocked her head on one side, "What in sacred stone is Ephraim talking about?"
Ephraim, you—! Eirika's mind spoke as Ephraim clenched his fist, You're blowing our cover…I mean my cover! I mean my—oh, what the heck I'm saying? Oh what the heck I'm saying? I'm leaving a freaky-Friday life.
"Ephraim? Is that you?" Fado's voice called Eirika from among the crowd. Eirika looked up and saw Fado. Her face went white. Duessel's eyes locked at Eirika in confusion, "Prince Ephraim?"
"EEEK!GET AWAY! GET AWAY!" The strident scream of Syrene caught everyone's attention. Syrene swung her arm around attempting to shove the lobsters' cages out of her sight. The cages flew up in the air and landed right in front of Eirika. The lobsters broke free and jumped on the princess. Everyone gasped in horror as Eirika screamed to get herself free from the lobsters, who, began tearing off Ephraim's costume off Eirika, leaving her off in her original clothing. Eirika's identity got revealed.
"Eirika!" The girls of the book club exclaimed.
"Princess Eirika!" Duessel, Seth, Orson, Monica, Syrene, and the crowd exclaimed.
"I told you." Orson pointed out.
"Wait a minute." Nicole said, "If Eirika is over there, then that means…"
Nicole faced Ephraim and pulled off Eirika's costume off him, leaving him off in his original clothing. Ephraim looked around in panic.
"Ephraim!" The girls of the book club screamed.
"Prince Ephraim!" Duessel, Seth, Orson, Monica, Syrene, and the crowd screamed as well.
"What in blazing blue is going on?" Innes approached Eirika angrily, "I'm been foiled by a girl?"
"Hey! You're the one who told me your secret about your biceps!" Eirika yelled. Innes's eyes went wide open with shock. Tana's mouth dropped, "So it is true." She exclaimed.
Ephraim sighed and stepped in the ring, "All right, stop this! You found us out, it's true! I'm Ephraim and this is Eirika…well, not exactly."
"Not exactly?" Duessel raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean not exactly?" Innes frowned.
"It looks like Prince Ephraim has some explaining to do." The announcer spoke.
"Actually," King Fado stepped in the scene, "I have some explaining to do…"
Ephraim shook his head, "No father, allow me."
Fado looked at Ephraim with concern, "Really? Are you sure you're going to be okay?"
"After exposing us? Sure." Eirika said.
"Actually, you did, bigmouth." Ephraim corrected.
It took Eirika a second to speak, "You right, I did." She sat on the floor, ashamed.
Ephraim faced the angry crowd and cleared his throat, "All right. As I said earlier, and I did," at that moment he looked at Nicole, then back at the crowd, "I'm not exactly Ephraim and she's not exactly Eirika. We recently had our bodies switched."
Eirika rose, "So technically, I'm Ephraim in my sister's body, and that's Eirika in my body."
The crowd murmured.
"It's true!" Ephraim exclaimed, "But if you don't believe me, here's a fact: I love 'Serenity Harmony' and I think Shelly Flesh is one of my favorite protagonist/antagonist in the soap."
"And I think it's all soaps and bubbles." Eirika muttered.
The crowd murmured once more.
"But see," Eirika added, "Being in Eirika's body just made me realized that she does have some taste in dramatic, real-life situations, like 'Serenity Harmony' and she does need her privacy."
"Yes," Ephraim said, "and being in Ephraim's body made me realize that, even if we're twins, we're totally different. He's not into what I like, he doesn't like practical jokes and he's very skilled with the lances but…I'm not. You all saw that right?"
The crowd agreed.
Ephraim continued, "Plus, he loves his privacy too."
"Darn right I do." Eirika said.
The twins looked at each other and they smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry for reading your diary sis." Eirika said.
Ephraim sniffled, "I'm sorry I turned your room pink and broke your lances."
"Aw, no. I'm sorrier than you." Eirika approached Ephraim and Ephraim approached Eirika. The twins hugged. The crowd went aw. Nicole pulled out a tissue and Tana wiped her tears.
Suddenly, another echo ran across the twins and time slowed down once more. The wind pulled the twins backwards again and time returned to normal. The twins both fell on their knees, feeling dizzy. They looked at their appearances, then at each other, and smiled. The curse has broken. The twins were back to normal.
The announcer approached the twins, "So, it's seems that we have a disqualification here. Prince Ephraim, due to your sister providing you a helping hand, you are out of the competition."
"What?" Eirika exclaimed, "I told you, it wasn't me out there! You can't punish Ephraim!"
"Well, since you, or you," he looked at Ephraim at that moment, "took guises to pose as one person, it's was hard to keep track."
"Same applies to you Eirika." Nicole says as he faced Ephraim, "you're getting a failure grade due to your helping hand as well."
Eirika looked horrified, but Ephraim wasn't.
"Err…excuse me." The prince faced Nicole, "I'm Ephraim again."
Nicole blinked. She leaned toward Ephraim, her hands on her knees, "Yeah honey, and I'm the elephant's business, so don't insult my intelligence."
"Wait a minute," Innes lashed out at the twins, "so which one of you burned out my secret? Was it you?" he points to Ephraim, "or you?" he then points to Eirika, "Cause let me tell you something Eirika, or whoever you are, your brother checks his biceps too."
Eirika smiled, "I knew that."
"Yeah, she already knows that, sorry." Ephraim said.
Innes bit his lips in anger. Tana approached Innes and patted his back, "Don't worry Innes, your secret is safe with all of us." She giggled and everyone began to laugh.
"Well it turned out to be a fun date after all." Syrene remarked.
"Yeah." Seth said, "it's too bad we didn't send Bonnie and Clyde out to the sea. Or our stomach."
Seth and Syrene faced two moping Orson and Monica.
"What's wrong you two?" Syrene asked with concern.
"Was it something I said?" Seth added.
Orson and Monica both looked at Seth with evil eyes. Seth hunched backward, "I'll take that as a yes."
-Castle Renais-
Ephraim was hanging out with Eirika inside his restored suite. After almost a week of fighting and dealing with the twin switch, the twin heirs have broken the curse and can now live freely during the good and bad days.
"Is that true? That Innes checks out his biceps and hides it from his own sister?" Ephraim said as he approached Eirika to the chesterfield while carrying a bottle of water in his hand.
Eirika nodded. Ephraim sat next to her, "That's hilarious!" he exclaimed in joy, "And to think that he's a man who is always open."
"Ohh, well, not on this one." Eirika said, "But I wonder how is he dealing with this?"
-Castle Frelia-
Innes rested on his bed inside his bedchamber when Tana entered his bedroom uninvited, "Hey Innes, I have a quick question to ask you?"
Innes jerked his head up, "What is it about? Is it about me and my biceps? 'Cause I don't flex it for fun you know?"
Tana shook her head, "No, no! I know that. I believe you."
There was a disturbing silence between the siblings. Tana smiled evilly at her brother, "You like yourself hot, don't you?"
"Get out!" Innes picked up a pillow and threw it at Tana who left the room, laughing hysterically.
END OF CHAPTER
