Kikimora was busy cleaning up the forest exit. How dare those cursed trees leave the leaves on the ground. She's been at it for hours. Those confounded oxygen providing pillars of wood just would not stop sullying the ground! There were more and more to rake. Every. Single. Minute.
She was so immersed in her job she just barely noticed Arle and Carbuncle sneaking through. "YOU!" Kikimora pointed her suddenly dangerous looking rake at our heroes, startling them. Arle held her hands up and Carbuncle hid behind her leg. "Don't make any more of a mess then this place already is!"
"We just wanted to leave."
"WHAT!?" The maid wrinkled up with anger as she threatened them by inching closer as did the rake.
"No, no, with leave we meant exit. Right, Carby?"
"Gu? Gugugugu!" Carbuncle quickly answered.
Kikimora dropped her guard. "Oh." She pointed at the gate.
"Again, just don't make any more of a mess." The maid muttered as continued raking in the leaves.
"Hold on. Arle?"
"Yeah?"
"I just recognized you. There's something different about you…" She couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"W-What are you talking about?" Darn. Has Kikimora figured out her secret?
The cleanstress slowly crept in closer. She sniffed Arle's hair. Arle's very uncomfortable right now. Kikimora's very sensitive nose picked up the smell of one of the vilest creations to ever clean up. "Dye." The germaphobe whispered menacingly. "Your hair wasn't always orange, was it?" She declared as pulled the necessary stuff to return it to it's natural darker colour.
"Gotta go!" Arle high tailed it out of here. Well, she tried away. Smacking herself and against a tree. The tree let loose a lot of leaves. Angering the maid even more than the dye ever could. Carbuncle dragged the dazed magic warrior away by her hand. He tried to! But Kikimora strategically threw her rake in Carby's way. She missed him, but Arle stepped on it and the rake's stick smacked against her head.
Chapter 5: Lemres' Puyo Bean Machine
Something that Silvana loved about school was when she woke up early and suffer a headache and irritability until she can take a power nap in the break. No, she didn't love that. Didn't help Ms. Accord was out of town to visit a good friend of her's. She didn't make a great first impression with the substitute teacher: The Comet Warlock Lemres.
When he offered her a lollipop, she called him a "Class S+ creeper." Everyone except Raffine, Sig and Klug tried to calmly explain that Lemres is one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet. But all of that was lost on her as Klug started ranting about his hero to the non-Lemres knowing philistine. That did not help with the irritability. Lemres had to interfere to calmly explain himself. An irritation based Puyo Battle ensued, Sil had learned the ropes of Fever but she still used YON abilities. Because wouldn't you if you had a thirty-second shield?
"That wasn't sweet…"
"Fufufu! Suits me fine."
"Good job. You're really, really good." Said Lemres both muffled and delirious underneath under Puyos. Sil opened her mouth to reply. But Klug slammed his book against the back of Sil's head in anger. *SLAM!* Sil got a good nap.
"…key wakey. Egg and Bakey!" Silvana slowly returned to the land of the awake. Awakened by a voice so high-pitched that it could awaken the dead. For all she knew she could have been dead until she heard Amitie speak. "C'mon Sil, we're still in school." She felt four hands shaking and one finger poking her awake.
"Looks like she's fast asleep. Why does she wear the mask?" Lemres asked.
"Dunno, every time she's asked that she makes a different excuse." Amitie replied.
"A big birdie told me she was mauled by an Owlbear when she was six and the wounds on her face haven't healed." Lidelle spoke up.
"That's a load of baloney, baloney! There's no such thing as an Owlbear!" Klug harmonious voice helped Sil get awake she started mumbling.
"She's awake!"
"Ow…" Sil's ears responded.
"Looks like she needs some energy. I got just the thing." Lemres pulled out another lolly for Sil. He kneeled down to feed her. Sig saw what's coming ahead.
"Don't touch her mask."
His warning came in too late. Lemres touched the mask to lift it up. That gave Sil all the adrenaline she needed to fully wake up. "Don't touch my mask." She slapped Lemres' hand away. She was slightly behind Sig saying the same thing.
"She really nice when you get to know her." Amitie told to Lemres.
"Fufufwuuuh…" Silvana chuckled nervously. 'Man, that was embarrassing.' "Sorry for what I did Mr. Lemres. I don't get much sleep. Thanks, Klug." She half sarcastically thanked him, rubbing bump on her head kinda hurt.
"Just you wait until Ms. Accord hears about you assaulted Lemres!"
"And you assaulted me back, two wrongs don't make a right. Four eyes." Sil liked think to Klug went back home crying to himself with that amazing comeback. The studies he did on her abilities were really irritating too.
"Now, now. No need to fight. I didn't mind." He said as he was rubbing his own bump.
"You'd probably have fought him anyway." Sig said. Besides Klug who wept for his hero, everyone agreed.
Sil was kinda sorry for attacking him. She best make a good second impression. "Can I make it up, Lemres?"
"You already have." That took the class by surprise.
"What."
"Huh?"
"WHAT!?"
No points for guessing who shouted the last one. Lemres picked up a garbage Puyo. "Yeah, I needed some of these." He told them as he poked the jiggly creature.
"Getting beaten was part of your plan, Mr. Lemres? You're a genius."
"Nope, it was not part of any plan. It so happened what I needed came from someone attacking me." Lemres honestly broke Klug's hope. Lemres dropped the garbage Puyo. "I brought something with me, it's covered up in the hall. Study in the meantime. To fit in here might take a while."
Ever tried to squeeze a couch through a doorway? This thing has wheels yet it's worse. Silvana and Klug helped. But that didn't help.
*Eventually*
"Okay friends. I present to you." Lemres pinched the cloth with both hands. "Mind you it's still experimental." He threw the big wavy cloth off. "The Puyo Converter!" It was a big clunker of a machine. It screams shoddily made. The most notable aspect of it was a tube pointing diagonally up and a conveyor belt.
"Amazing! You built it your it on your own!?"
A handful rolled their eyes at this.
'Suck-up.'
'You don't even know what it does!'
'But how do bees fly if they're too heavy for their wings?'
"No, actually. I had someone make a blueprint. Did some D.I.Y. work on it." He pulled down his hat in shame. "It broke down, Feli helped me. But that doesn't matter." Lemres explained to Klug as picked up as many garbage Puyos as he could hold. "We're here to see if it works." He happily threw the fodder into the machine's tube and pulled a lever or two. The class was concerned at the way it was rumbling. They hoped it wouldn't turn them or the school into monochrome confetti.
Their fears were put to rest, however. The gizmo's conveyor belt kept on rolling. It's contents picked by Lemres with his own hat and grabbed some in his hand. "Ladies and gentleman: Jellybeans. Want some?"
"Sure"
"Okay"
"Why not"
"If you say so…"
The class (not so?) eagerly replied. But an exception reared her head as Lemres gave everyone a handful. "I don't want any." Raffine said.
"Are you sure?" Lemres pushed closer to the snob's face. Raffine pushed it back.
"I'm sure. Eating a Puyo? How disgusting!"
"Okay more for the rest of us."
Sil slipped one of them in her mouth. Slightly shivering at the fact, as Raffine pointed out, she is eating a hardened slimy Puyo. Its taste was out of this world.
"Mr. Lemres. I taste nothing." Lidelle pointed out. Sil was relieved, for a second she thought that Klug's smack to her head somehow shut off her taste buds. She glared at him again.
Getting back on track. "That's why I brought it with me." Lemres pulled out a coloured Puyo out of his magnificent pants. "Observe." Puyo in. Nothing out. No one was surprised why. "I've been wanting to sink my teeth into Puyo-turned-candy." Lemres tipped his head down again. "But I bet I don't have tell that why this failed. Everyone has a garbage Puyo above them, by the by." He was a bit too late telling them. HEADBUMPS FOR EVERYONE! The Puyo above Sil smacked her on the previously. This ticked her off especially.
Everyone vengeful in the room that's not Klug got ready for a fight with the Comet Warlock. So just Silvana and Raffine. With the rest holding them back with all of their might. "Now before you two attack me. I brought it here so if any of you bright kids can figure out the problem. I have a big surprise in store to make it worth your while." That certainly intrigued the both of the would-be aggressors. Partially because he said something like a creep. "I want to share the beans with the world to enjoy them."
Sil could tell was the substitute teacher was completely sincere. Raffine just wanted the price. Basically, the whole class agreed to Lemres request.
I'm leaving it up to your imagination if Sil and Raffine beat up Lemres or not.
*Many hours of important education later*
"Okay, we're done for the day. I'm at Accord's office if you need me. If I'm not there then I'm housesitting for her. I'll be leaving the school and classroom open 'til midnight for those who wanna help me. 'Cya later." Lemres munched on a croissant on his way out and left a basket full of them for the rest to enjoy.
Silvana was thinking during work if should help the warlock. Would the surprise be worth it like he said? "Sig."
"Huh?"
"Wanna help figuring this machine out?" She had nothing better to do today, she might as well she supposed. Spending time with Sig while doing it didn't hurt either. She smiled at the thought.
"Okay." Sig didn't mind having his time taken away.
Another alliance was forming on the other side. Raffine was over speculating what it could be. Maybe it was Lemres' way of hinting he's sorry. And he has a better Moon Stone for her. Yeah, that must be it. Knowing Klug would help his hero out at any cost had to perfect plan in mind to get her tough yet delicate hands on the reward. "O-o-okay, oKAY! I'll-l-l-l-l help-p-p, just STOP p-p-p-POKing MEEEEE! Raffine stopped poking him with volts. She needed him alive.
Amitie wanted to spend the noon with her friends. But seeing as they forming different teams. And at least one on each is not always the best friend. She chose the scientific method. "Ee-nie meanie mi-ney moe." She whispered. As a small joke to herself, she pointed to both Sil and Raffine when she said meanie. Sil was the fortunate one. "Mind if I join you guys?" Amitie referred to Sig and Sil. Sil shrugged.
Amitie saw Lidelle leaving class. "Hey, Liddy. You're not gonna help Lemres?"
Sil was kinda annoyed that Amitie invited someone else to this group. 'Great, more to share the prize with…'
"N-No… I have something p-planned today. S-Sorry…" The green haired girl politely declined.
This made Sil happy. "We completely understand, Lidelle. Go do your things." She motioned for her classmate to leave.
"I will Miss Silvana. P-Please don't kill yourselves."
"What did you just say?" Sil was caught off guard by that comment. Did sweet and innocent Lidelle just really say that? Or did she mishear her? Did her sleeplessness catch up again?
"You meant to say to not get ourselves killed fighting over the solution, right?" Amitie translated.
"I-Isn't that what I just said?" Lidelle was clueless and left puzzled. Amitie explained Lidelle's tendency to word things badly. Silvana kept that in mind.
*Both groups went collecting Puyos…*
Klug carried his team's bag of Puyos. "Why must I carry these?"
"You expect a lady, like me, to carry that heavy bag? Pah, perish the thought."
That response made Klug tremble in heaviness and annoyance instead of just heaviness. "You're the one proud of your muscles, meathead. YOU carry it." The academic clumsily swung the bag horizontally into Raffine. He fell on the ground due to lack of balance doing so. Raffine caught the jiggly bag with little problem with her hands.
"Oh La-Ti-Da, you couldn't hit me if tried." Raffine pulled the bag from Klug's clutches like candy from a baby. Which is fine by her. "Why don't YOU use your brain muscles to find a way to make it easier on yourself, you imbécile!" She dropped the bag onto her classmate.
"AAAAAAH! Okay, I'll demonstrate my brain power!" Klug popped its contents in retaliation. It was a 9-chain. *Crush*
"Here lies Raffina
Black hole instead of a heart
And just as hostile"
"Hey!" Klug's poem got heckled and they kept fighting as they went outside to get more Puyos.
Sil laughed at the two's antics. Her team kept the Puyos inside of Sil's metal box inside of her shoulder bag. "Fufufu. Are they always like this?" She asked.
"Only when they do stuff together…" Sig replied. "Don't get involved, Raffine's kicks hurt." Sig rubbed his belly.
"Klug's spells too, both at the same time just be… Just be…" Amitie couldn't find the right word for it you could tell how hard she tried fishing it up. "Wowsers." This was the best she could come up with. Her body language told Sil more than her words. Amitie and Sig clearly prefer not to get in a physical or magical fight. Just pure Puyo.
That's something Sil noticed. Primp, unlike her home world, this world prefers resolving conflicts with only Puyos. Sil's homeworld it could go either way. But Puyo Puyo did kinda take over in her's come to think of it…
*A few tests later…*
"So… We've tried every combination and nothing. Same seems to go for team dust cloud over there. What have we learned so far?"
"That we accomplished nothing?" This was the best guess Amitie had.
'That was as obvious as your shorts are short.' Sil forgot her's are just as, if not even more short. "Good job, Amitie." Sil tried to sound as sincere as possible.
It failed, Amitie caught on. "You're just saying that."
"Yes, I am… Sorry." That was more sincere.
"What if the machine is broken?" Sig spoke up. That caught the eyes of his teammates and the ears of the other team accidentally overhearing this. "Lemres told us he had trouble making it and it was experimental, right?" They nodded at him, following it so far. "He asked Feli to help. I don't know how good she's with machines. But seems she isn't very good at it." Klug silently beat himself up for not figuring that out on his own. Raffine loudly beat him up for not figuring that out on his own. (I exaggerated, it's just a punch.)
"That makes sense, Sig!" Amitie said. Sil wanted to say that…
"We should fix it then." Sil asserted as she rolled up her plaid sleeve. "Slamming usually works, right?" She said with her palm hovering above the giant gizmo. It began descending with force.
Raffine's latest imprint fresh on his arm, Klug tried reaching out to Sil, talking her out of it. "NO, I CAN FIX LEMRES' MACHINE!" He screamed of the top of his lungs. *SLAM!*
Nothing happened besides Sil's hand hurting, she's not strong enough to leave a dent. "Ow~wowow Really? Owowow."
Klug dialed up his smugness again. "Of course, but I need everyone's help. And I want all the credit from Lemres." Everyone but Sig daggered at him. "B-But I'll naturally share his surprise equally with all of you. Of course." He said with a big oh-dear-help-me-they're-out-for-my-blood smile.
"Hmm… Deal." Sil shook his hand. Involuntarily on Klug's part. He wept his hands on his pants to get the clown off.
"Okay."
"Okey-dokey!"
"I want to try something first." 'That Moon Stone will be mine!' Raffine walked up the iron junk wanted to slam it. But instead a delayed react-
*KA-BOOM*
The machine exploded, everyone and everything close to the thing was covered in monochrome confetti. "NO!" Klug screamed to the skies. "What will Lemres think?"
"I thought you guys did great." A voice came from the door.
"Gah! Lemres." Klug did his best "scared Ringo" impression. "I've been secretly watching you all. This was all a test of teamwork."
A select few said "What".
"It was… interesting to say the least. You all get 'A' for effort. But no actual grade, Ms. Accord was just curious. Though, it would been nice if you kids found out how to convert our colored cranky food friends."
"I'm confused. Does that mean I don't get the surprise?" Raffine asked.
Lemres thought about it, resulting in a shrug. "No, you fine kids can have it." He pulled it out of his entrancing pants. "The blueprints used to make the machine."
All's well that ends well. The machine was remade flawlessly thanks solely to Klug and functions like it should. Puyo Beans™ became the favorite candy of dieters everywhere. And the bruises and broken bones Lemres gained, gifted by Sil and Raffine respectively, would heal soon.
Author's Notes:
Again, not proud of this one. This chapter started with a title first. It probably shows. I've written myself into a corner several times… So I made it a shaggy dog story. Imma pro. Gotta do something to get out of writer's block somehow. It might be too mean spirited. But maybe you guys think else?
I'm not sure if I wrote Lemres right.
I think I found a weakness in my writing. Multiple characters and their reactions.
Seems like Arle, Silvana and Lemres are pain magnets, aren't they? Klug, Raffine and Lemres aren't much better. Also I don't hate any of these characters, though Lemres is a bit questionable at times. Ocean-into-jelly…
Monochrome Confetti is a good band name.
I somehow managed to make a Monkey Island 2 reference almost on accident.
Deleted Scene 2: Due to having been hit by Klug's book, Strange Klug visits Sil's dreams. They become friends over tea or something.
P.S. I know why Klug didn't come up with it. But don't tell Klug.
Next up: A play by Hohow Bird, while Oc… Wait, WHAT? I thought I made his scenes scarce!
