Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Mario or its franchise; it belongs to

Nintendo and their affiliates. I just am really grateful to its creators for giving

me such a wonderful game and media series to write about!

I also don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all that belongs to J.K. Rowling,

but thanks go to her as well because, using her wonderful work, I can expand this

story to make it more interesting.

I also don't own anything related to Naruto if you see me throw a little of that, too.

Chapter Thirty-One

After appearing back at his estate, the first thing King Boo noticed was that someone had tampered with his wards. The second thing was that there wasn't a soul in sight, save for the ones he had trapped in his gallery. In the bedroom his ex-enforcer inhabited, there was the same sort of mess Boo had seen before he left, but the diminutive sorcerer was nowhere to be found. His chains, the ones that cuffed his ankles, lay broken on the floor near the bed.

Perhaps he's finally done it then, King Boo thought fleetingly, then refuted that with the remembrance of the strange phenomena he'd undergone at the party. He'd set up an emotional means of communication with the boy a long time ago, back when the young reptile worked for his father and expressing himself was expressly forbidden. This was before he'd been able to fully take the younger male under his veritable wing and offer him the sanctuary of his estate. After that, Ludwig hadn't made much use of the emotional link.

Until tonight, King Boo shuddered at the lingering feel of those volatile feelings he'd gotten from his former protégé. The anger and betrayal didn't surprise him, but the fear and panic did. It didn't make sense. If Ludwig had escaped, he'd be more likely to gloat than panic.

Likeliest of all he'd not even reach out to me, King Boo surmised, which led him to believe one thing: Ludwig wasn't just gone, he'd been taken.

But by who? It'd have to be a skilled magician, King Boo reasoned. How else would they have been able to get past the ancient wards?

The immortal walked around the empty bedroom in thought. He reflected, Ludwig certainly has made enemies, especially recently, but none that would scare him so badly. And no one save for I was privy to his current location, so how could they find him in the first place?

"They'd have to be a powerful sorcerer," King Boo listed aloud, "And an excellent tracker, as well as have the means and motive to do Ludwig harm."

The royal closed his eyes and inhaled sharply, the answer having come to him suddenly. For the second time in less than five minutes, he vanished from the spot.

I'd underestimated what it was like to have friends. Actual friends that cared about you, that you could talk to and laugh with and just be yourself around. Friends that didn't come with price tags or stipulations or conditional love, just people who accepted and wanted to be around you. It was great. It made breakfast a happy, riotous affair with jokes and flirting and good food. Peasley had to leave afterwards, but Alicia and Dean had taken the whole week off after the engagement and were free to stay.

"Really?" Daisy couldn't seem to believe this.

Alicia told her, "Yup. We wanted to spend time with our big-shot friends in their fancy fairy tale castle."

I smirked and thought, fairy tale? Yeah right. Not when there's man-eating mermaids and the gym teacher from Hell and a thousand meetings a day with the 55-and-over club. Seriously; how old are some of those Council members?

The four of us walked from the dining hall to the palace entrance. We were all sort of following Daisy. She turned suddenly and gave Alicia a sly smile.

"Well I'm sorry to disrupt your fantasy," She stated, "But Luigi and I did not take off for a week. We've got a lot of boring prince and princess stuff to do. Right, sweetie?"

"Unfortunately." I deadpanned.

Daisy blinked and said, "Whoa. I was just kidding. You actually have to work?"

"You don't?" I frowned.

Daisy shook her head and said, "I told the Council not to bother me while my friends are here, not unless it's absolutely necessary. Jeez. Sorry Luigi."

I buried my hands in my pockets and shrugged.

"That's okay," Alicia spoke cheerily. "Dean can keep you company, Luigi." She glanced at her fiancé and asked, "If that's alright with you?"

Dean reacted by glancing at me for confirmation.

I told him, "I don't know, I guess that'd be okay. I've gotta' train some troops this week if you're cool with that."

"Yeah, sure." Dean just shrugged.

Alicia clapped once with a giddy smile and said, "Awesome!"

Yeah, for you, I thought with a wry smile.

Bound and blind. Carried. Aching. Freezing.

Where am I?

The details came back to him slowly. He'd been at the estate, chained to the wall like a prisoner. He recalled falling asleep with his head against the wall. Then he remembered feeling a familiar magical aura and the panic, overwhelming fear, overtook him. He couldn't run, couldn't fight, couldn't even slip his arms from the strait jacket—his jailor had him fitted for a tighter one once he'd caught on—and that left him completely defenseless against the expert hunter. He'd been snatched and presumably put under, for he could remember nothing more from that point on. His old feelings returned: anger, betrayal, bitterness. He began to struggle.

"Awake, are you?"

Ludwig wasn't surprised to hear that voice and at the sound of it he calmed.

At least it's only Nikolai, he thought, at least it isn't his brother.

Abruptly Ludwig was dropped onto the ground and he tried to free himself. His hands felt like they were magically tied at the wrists, and the same could be said of his ankles. As for his eyes; he felt no physical veil over them but couldn't blink for the life of him, try as he might.

Boo, he thought viciously, this is all his fault! Leaving me like a lamb for slaughter while he goes out partying! I bet he set me up!

"I'd be still if I were you." Nikolai spoke somewhere to his left. "If you're not careful, you'll send yourself off the side of the mountain."

Mountain? Ludwig thought, the League's headquarters are in the canyons. Why would he bring me here?

"Be still!" Nikolai chided more severely and Ludwig felt his limbs lock up. The other man said offhandedly, "If you fall to your death I'll be in a real bad way."

Ludwig once read about a cursed sorcerer's magic returning to him in a moment of great need. It would seem he'd not be so lucky, for as hard as he willed his magic to rise up from the pit of his soul where it was trapped, it wouldn't budge. It stirred, but was of no use to him.

"Would you like to see?" Nikolai asked almost kindly. "To move around and speak?"

With difficulty Ludwig overcame his pride and nodded. He was immediately granted free range of movement and sight. Then he nearly threw up from the wave of vertigo that hit him once he saw where he was. Nikolai was right; on his side he lay with his head so close to the ledge of the mountainside that his long navy hair hung over the edge. Ludwig scurried away from the dangerous cliff and scooted backwards until his spine hit a slab of rock. Then he glanced at his captor.

"Good morning." Nikolai greeted him with a strained smile.

His hair, a black mess of split ends, was pulled in a low ponytail and he wore his white shirt and black pants under an open trench coat. He seemed no different than Ludwig remembered.

Although there is a lot less hostility, The navy-haired young man noticed.

Nikolai crouched down and reached towards Ludwig's left hip. Ludwig flinched, making the blue-eyed hunter's brows raise curiously. It was to grab at a yellow flower that Nikolai reached over, and once he had the flora in his grasp, he gave it a gentle tug.

"You don't get to come in."

Those were the words Tamaryn spoke to the sorcerer before he had the chance to open his mouth. Her amber eyes were red, as if she hadn't slept in some time, and her golden skin didn't glow as bright as it used to. There were lines near her mouth and eyes, but her features were set angrily against the hunter. They softened only when they alighted on the tiny person near Nikolai's feet.

"Well you must be the clone." She spoke softly, holding a hand out to him.

Clone? Wait a minute…no wonder Nikolai is acting so civil, Ludwig realized. He has no idea who I am. I almost forgot what I looked like. Hm. I suppose the old king has done me a great help there. Perhaps…

Ludwig played the part of an unknowing child and rose slowly, then took the woman's outstretched hand. She drew him towards a door where there used to be smooth rock wall. Nikolai followed.

"What took you so long, Nikolai?" A low voice griped.

Ludwig stilled and Tamaryn pushed her burgundy curls out of her face so as to gaze down at him in question. She then glared at Nikolai, who was fiddling with something on the wall.

"Get out." She ordered. "You're not welcome here, snake."

"Tammy, you wound me." Nikolai drawled, crossing his arms but making no move to leave.

Ludwig felt stupefied as he gazed at the figure lying on the couch. He'd not expected to see him again so soon, hence his temporary petrification. With a series of blinks he calmed himself and observed the man. Clad in only a pair of black pants and a coat of sweat he was, with one leg propped on the ground and the other hanging off the end of the too-short couch. He had a thick-link gold chain around his neck, and from it hung a familiar medallion. Up to his mane of fiery red hair he held a bag of ice and painted across his face was a nasty scowl.

"Did you bring the clone?" He asked, his eyes shut as if in pain.

Nikolai glanced from the glaring witch to the Dark King and said, "Would I be here if I hadn't?"

They don't know who I am, Ludwig deduced from the two men's exchange. He glanced up at the woman and noticed she was now staring at him strangely. Ludwig pulled his hand away from hers and stepped away from her.

Still staring at him she murmured, "Well that's interesting. It would seem—"

Bowser sat up and blurted, "My damn head is killing me! Can't you do anything about it, witch?"

Witch, Ludwig echoed in his mind, his large eyes calculating. She looks at me as if she sees through me.

"No, I can't." Tamaryn snapped, tearing her eyes away from the child to glower at Bowser. "I told you earlier, that's a side effect of visiting your special ladies. You've got to let it go away on its own."

Now that is a lie, Tamaryn thought with inner glee, but he needn't know it. In truth, she'd plagued him with the vicious headache after the favor of aiding him in his 'dream raiding' proved to be so taxing on her. She just loved to see him in pain. And the fact that he was none the wiser to her doing made it all the more enjoyable for her.

"Whatever," Bowser rolled his eyes, and even that hurt. He stood and said, "Let's get this over with."

Ludwig took a step back without meaning to as the Dark King lumbered towards him irritably. Tamaryn shot another glare at Nikolai, who leaned against the door picking at his nails.

She asked with her lips scrunched in displeasure, "Does he have to be here?"

"Yes." Bowser groused in reply, standing just in front of Ludwig.

"Besides," Nikolai stated casually, "You'll have to get used to me anyway. I was promised an audience with you, Tamaryn."

"He was." Bowser confirmed, glancing at Ludwig.

Ludwig stiffened and Bowser frowned, closing his fingers over the bag of ice on his head. He tossed it aside and studied who he thought was the clone. Ludwig couldn't keep his true feelings from manifesting as plain as day on his face. He was usually more controlled, but this time was an exception.

"How come he's got that look in his eyes?" He asked Tamaryn, glaring at Ludwig.

"What look?"

"Like he knows me." Bowser murmured, jade boring into emerald. "Like he hates me."

"Who doesn't?" Tamaryn muttered, earning a hard look from the old king. She glanced at the boy and said, "There's something you should know about him."

"What?" Bowser snapped.

Tamaryn said, "When I touched him, I could feel a ton of magic inside him."

"He's a clone," Bowser spoke flatly, "He's made of magic."

"No, this is different." She insisted, her eyes narrowing down at the boy. "He's got traces of different people's magic inside him and none of it is yours."

"What?" Bowser frowned, his confusing almost comically contorting his face. "What are you talking about?"

"This isn't the clone you were talking about." Tamaryn explained, her tone slow and derisively sweet as if talking to a simpleton. "Not anymore, that is. His consciousness has been substituted for another's."

"Why are you babbling about consciousness, woman?" The Dark King barked, his fists balling. "Just transfer the power from this brat to me. You can do that, can't you?"

"Of course I can." Tamaryn shot back, "But it's not here."

"What do you mean it's not here?" Bowser then asked, his voice rising.

Tamaryn told him, "The clone was killed and his soul and mind were replaced with that of the original host, who'd also been killed."

"What about my power?" Bowser pressed.

"It's not here." Tamaryn replied.

He then asked, "Where is it?"

"I have no idea." She stated curtly.

"You're a witch," Bowser hissed, "Can't you grab the brat and find out?"

"It doesn't work that way," Tamaryn sneered.

Ludwig's heart raced as he glared at the witch who was exposing him. She looked down at him, taken aback at the glare for a second, and then touched his forehead. Ludwig couldn't swat her hand away fast enough.

"If he doesn't know, I don't know." Tamaryn stated when she came up with nothing new.

I should have never let her touch me, Ludwig lamented bitterly as his memory of the woman and her legendary 'gifts' came to mind. He stepped away from him and accidentally bumped into the Dark King. He was livid at this point.

"YOU USELESS HACK!" He shouted, "You good for nothing tramp, you told me you'd be able to do this!"

"This isn't my fault!" Tamaryn yelled back. "Why don't you talk to Nikky? He's the one you should be mad at!"

Ludwig walked until his back hit the nearest wall and Bowser whipped his head over to Nikolai. The hunter regarded the angry king coolly and strode over to the pair. Tamaryn shot him a look that told of her desire for him to be anywhere but near her, preferably in a nice steamy volcano. Bowser had depleted the reserves he'd built in his medallion and now it really was just for decoration, but that didn't mean he, in his incensed state, wasn't intimidating to the other two.

Ludwig, a short distance away from the trio, thought, I've got to get out of here.

He began to inch himself towards the door.

"Well, Nikolai?" Bowser spoke in a measured tone. "What happened?"

Nikolai sighed and said nonchalantly, "I did what was asked of me. I brought you the clone. How was I supposed to know he'd been…altered?"

Bowser grew silent. The whole small house grew silent with him. Tamaryn was as tense as a contracted spring with her arms folded under her bosom and her foot tapping the floor anxiously. Nikolai was merely biding his time until he had the witch alone. Ludwig was still trying to get to the door.

Bowser stopped him.

By the roots of his navy hair Bowser snatched him and Ludwig winced, his eyes narrowed into slants and his teeth gritted. Bowser scowled down at him and just stared for a minute.

"You said he's got the original host's soul and mind." The Dark King began in a much quieter tone. "So that must mean…" His scowl deepened and he gripped Ludwig's hair tighter as he growled, "You little shit."

"Let him go, already." Tamaryn said, only half-heartedly.

Bowser ignored her and turned to the hunter asking, "Nikky, where'd you find him?"

Nikolai smirked as if amused and said, "You wouldn't believe it; he was tied up in the old Lord of Illusions' estate."

Bowser's face turned blank before a steady, sardonic smirk took over and he laughed dryly. "King Boo?" He said, "Now why would he be there?"

Nikolai shrugged and said, "Honestly, I'm not surprised. This whole thing reeks of his hand. He always was keen on the boy."

"Right," Bowser recalled, sneering down at Ludwig disgustedly. "It makes sense now. He only crossed me to protect you, you pathetic little worm."

Ludwig's pride made an appearance when he spat, "How is killing me and stealing my magic considered protection? He did it to thwart me, you stupid bastard! I was so close and he just had to stop me!"

Bowser's anger dissipated and he smirked and said, "That's funny. I wonder why he did you in. Not that I'm complaining." He shoved Ludwig to the floor.

"King Boo," Bowser spoke, his eyes on fire as he mulled over the immortal's motives. "He's got to have it. I just know he's got my power."

Ludwig gazed over at him with his hair shrouding his body and most of his face. One angry emerald eye showed through his navy locks as he addressed his father.

"He's hid it someplace you'll never find it."

"Shut up." Bowser snapped. "I've known him much longer than you have. He likes to hide things in places you'd least expect it. In plain sight. I know just where it is."

Ludwig picked himself up with a snort and Bowser stalked towards him. By the front of his shirt he hoisted the boy up until their eyes met. Bowser smiled briefly, falsely.

"You're lucky, you know that?" He said. "I don't have my power so I can't roast you alive."

Ludwig swallowed but didn't waver in his show of appearing unfazed.

Bowser tilted his head and told him, "However, there's other ways I can kill you."

"Don't kill him." Nikolai said.

Bowser looked over to him in question and Nikolai approached them. There was a glint in his eye that worried Ludwig.

"Don't kill him," The hunter requested again. "I'd like to take him to my brother. I wanna' see the look on Cal's face when I hand him over."

"NO!" Ludwig forgot himself for all his fear.

Bowser grinned and said, "Oh, you don't like that, do you?" He asked Nikolai, "What's Callian gonna' do to him?"

"Not even I know." Nikolai answered, "But it won't be pretty."

"Take him." Bowser dropped Ludwig carelessly.

He of course began to run, but without his magic Ludwig was quickly apprehended. Nikolai had seized hold of his ankle and Ludwig busted his lip as his face hit the floor. Like a prize bass Nikolai held the boy upside down and Ludwig wiped at his bleeding mouth, wriggling like a fish out of water.

"You." Bowser spoke to Tamaryn. "Can you get me to Boo's mansion?"

"I'm not helping you anymore." Tamaryn ground out. "Find your own way there."

Bowser surprised her when he smiled and said, "Fine, witch."

He started to leave her home. As he passed Ludwig, whose limbs were locked once more, he stopped. With only his eyes under his control, Ludwig poured as much hatred and animosity as he could into them. The blood was rushing to his head and colored his face red up to the start of his hairline. Bowser patted the boy's cheek.

"I hope he fucking murders you." He told his oldest son before exiting the enchanted house.

With him gone, Nikolai faced Tamaryn and gave her a charismatic grin. Her entire countenance darkened and he could practically feel her magic start to crackle around her. Nikolai lowered Ludwig to the floor. The boy was as limp as a noodle and couldn't move. Over to Tamaryn Nikolai sauntered but she held up a hand to stop him.

"I was promised—" He began.

"I know." Tamaryn cut in, annoyed. "But you can say what you want from right there, can't you?"

"Tammy, you really don't like me!" Nikolai pretended to just now realize.

"You have ten seconds."

Nikolai sobered and said, "I'm looking for a witch—"

"No." Tamaryn interrupted. "I'm not helping you hurt one of my own."

"You haven't even heard what I've got to say." Nikolai frowned.

"I've heard enough." Tamaryn's eyes were flinty. "You're a great hunter, Nikolai," She stated, the words hardly sounding like praise. "So if you can't get your hands on your prey, it's got to be because they've outmatched you in magical might." She smirked cruelly and remarked, "Cal always was the better sorcerer."

Instead of getting vexed Nikolai spoke evenly, "All I want is an artifact."

"I don't care what you want," Tamaryn sniffed. "Get out."

The hunter frowned and said, "You told the Dark King you'd—"

"I said I'd talk to you. Nothing more." Tamaryn clipped. "Now get out before I hex your slimy balls off."

So glad she was to see him go that she didn't notice the unconscious child wasn't the only thing he collected from her floor.

I've missed this so much, Daisy thought with a big smile. She was thinking of not only being with her best friend, but being able to just walk around and do anything she wanted. The day was hers and, even better than before, she had no shortage of money so she could literally do anything she wanted.

Well, anything I want in Chai Kingdom, she corrected.

"Where are we going?" Alicia asked her.

"You'll see." Daisy replied.

They'd walked from the palace downhill towards the city and soon one of them began to notice how much attention they were getting. Both young women wore shorts and a t-shirt, and received varying looks for it. People didn't wear clothes like that in Chai. The shirts were alright, even though Alicia's was bright yellow and Daisy's, a muted shade of blue, had words scrawled all over it. But those shorts they wore had people staring. Alicia's long legs were exposed up to the middle of her thighs and Daisy's were, too as she sported the dukes of her namesake.

"D," Alicia began, glancing at a man who'd tried to sneakily admire her. "Should we go change? I don't think either of us fit in."

"So what?" Daisy responded easily. "It's not like we'll get arrested or anything."

"If you say so," Alicia said, looking as if she expected the fashion the police to round the corner any moment.

Daisy poked her friend in the arm and joked, "Why do you care? You never did before."

"I know, but that was in Brooklyn." Alicia stated, poking Daisy back. "We didn't stand out so much there."

"I guess I see what you mean," Daisy said, gazing at her citizens.

It was the afternoon and plenty of people were out and about. Alicia smiled at them as she caught their eyes and they were civil enough to smile or wave back. Some of them bowed at Daisy and greeted her as the law mandated, which made the brown-skinned girl's brows jump high on her forehead.

"I keep forgetting you're royalty." Alicia admitted, pretending to curtsy.

Daisy shoved her lightly and laughed. "Yeah, it's something I had to get used to when Luigi and I first came back home."

"So you grew up here?"

"For a while, then I had to move to the Mush-" Daisy stopped and said, "I had to move to another country not too far from here."

"Oh, why?" Alicia asked as if she hadn't heard the slip-up.

"There was political trouble here." Daisy answered. "My family and I were in danger."

"Oh, that's too bad." Alicia frowned.

Before she could further remark on family, Daisy asked brightly, "Where'd you grow up?"

"I told you, Louisiana." Alicia reminded her friend with a smile that almost seemed strained.

"Oh, right." Daisy nodded, too relieved to have changed subjects to notice.

The girls walked along the cobbled streets of Chai City in silence, each thinking of the information they'd withheld from the other; Daisy thought of her father and mother and Alicia recalled her true hometown. But the silence only lasted so long and, when they were passing some children on bicycles, they significantly brightened.

"Oh cool!" Alicia's shining brown eyes followed the little ones down the road. She said excitedly, "I didn't know you had bikes here!"

"You want to ride?" Daisy asked, a smile growing on her lips. "I could go rent us some. There's a trail in the forest, real quiet and nice."

"That sounds great." Alicia nodded.

Daisy shut her eyes and said, "Oh wait, maybe tomorrow. I nearly forgot what we were doing today!"

"You never told me." Alicia pointed out.

"That's because for you it's a surprise." Daisy smirked. "And for Dean and Luigi, too."

"Tell me!" Alicia implored, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk.

Daisy stood and crossed her arms. She held her chin up resolutely and her wavy ponytail swung in the faint breeze. She was determined not to spill her intentions and for a good little minute the two women stared at each other, trying to wear the other down. Alicia tapped her foot and held her hands on her hips. Daisy quirked a brow in challenge. Men and women with jobs to do and places to be passed them and horses clopped along the road, carrying vehicles with rickety wooden wheels behind them. Alicia pouted her mouth and crossed her eyes and her subsequent grin made the princess burst into laughter.

"Alright, alright!" She capitulated, bowing and shaking her head. "I'll tell you, just stop doing that! You know it freaks me out."

Alicia fell into step with her best friend and draped her arm around the brunette's shoulder.

"So…" She trailed expectantly.

"We're going swimming later on." Daisy announced.

"Aw, man, I didn't bring my bathing suit." Alicia pouted for real this time.

Daisy said, "I figured, that's why we're going to go buy some."

"I have no money, though."

"I got you." Daisy said, hearkening back to the same words she'd been told a while ago.

Alicia remembered that and said knowingly, "Do they even charge you or do you just flash your, like, princess card or something?"

"Princess card?" Daisy chuckled. "I don't have one of those. But yeah, they charge me. I just send someone from the palace to pay them later."

"How convenient." Alicia noted with a small single nod.

They ducked into a clothing shop that specifically sold swimwear for men and women and children. It was a modest-sized building, definitely no comparison to the stores in the mall back in America. And the selection was severely lacking.

"What, are these your national colors?" Alicia blinked when she saw a sea of navy, grey, black, and white.

Daisy shrugged and had nothing to say in defense of the store's uncreative color scheme. Sure, there were many other hues mixed in among the circular shelves, but they were few and far between.

What's to say, really, Daisy thought, Chai's been this way since I was little. So conservative and uptight and plain.

"I feel like I'm in the forties," Alicia commented as she began perusing one of the shelves.

There were two types of swimsuits for women in the store; standard, square-cut tops with the bottom made either like a leotard or knee-length shorts. There were absolutely no bikinis, just the onesies. Alicia lucked up and found one in a dazzling shade of red.

"Hey, give me that!" Daisy grabbed for the suit.

Alicia held it high above her head and said, "Nuh-uh, I saw it first!"

"That's not fair, you're taller!" Daisy protested when she couldn't reach. "It probably won't fit!"

"It'll fit even better because of that!" Alicia taunted.

The girls' commotion brought one of the store workers from behind the counter. There were others in the store, which was no shock considering the recent high temperatures. The clerk in a white blouse and black skirt approached them and when she recognized Daisy, she bowed formally.

"Good afternoon, your Majesty." The woman spoke politely. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Heads turned and the other patrons buzzed at the sight and mention of the royal. Daisy smiled at the clerk and Alicia held the bathing suit at her waist. The both of them looked like kids caught misbehaving. Daisy recovered first.

"Would you happen to have anything else in red?" She asked softly, clearing the humor from her throat.

The clerk told her, "I'm afraid not, Your Highness." She looked at the garment in Alicia's hands and said, "That's one of our boldest pieces. It hasn't sold very well so we haven't had any more like it made."

Sissies, Daisy thought upon hearing that. That's nothing compared to what people wear in New York.

She said aloud, "I see. Anything in green, then?"

That's Luigi's favorite color. Or is it blue? I can't remember, she mentally groaned.

The clerk showed Daisy where some suits in that color were and, like a school-child, Alicia raised her left hand in the air. The clerk cracked a smile and pointed her finger at the curly-haired girl in acknowledgement.

"Um, do you have this in a two-piece?"

The clerk's smile faded and she appeared confused. "Beg your pardon?"

"A two-piece," Alicia explained. "You know, like a top and bottom with your stomach showing?"

The clerk flushed and said, "I assure you, we have nothing of the sort in this establishment."

"That's alright, then." Alicia responded. "I'll just cut this one in half."

The poor clerk looked aghast and then walked away to help another customer. Daisy watched her go and grinned.

"Jeez, she was one second away from having a conniption," The princess observed.

Alicia said, "Talk about behind the times. I feel bad for you. I'm just visiting but you've got to live in this repressed, Twilight-Zone place."

"It's not so bad," Daisy picked up the green swimsuit and made a face.

It was more olive than green and the bottom would cover even her ankles. She put it back and knew she'd not be finding anything even passably cute or stylish in the entire place. Like the rest of Chai, the suits seemed only made with efficiency in mind.

"Here, get this one." Alicia suggested, holding a white suit next to her red one.

Daisy appraised it, noticing the top was cut like a halter instead of a square like the others. She took it and headed towards the front to get a payment slip from the counter.

On the way Alicia asked, "Isn't Luigi working today?"

"Yes," Daisy replied, writing out another version of an I.O.U.

Alicia then asked, "How's he gonna' come swimming with us then? And Dean, too?"

"He'll just have to take the rest of the day off." Daisy said simply, adding a coy, "Princess' orders."

A/N: More to come before the day is out. I hope you guys liked this chapter, if so don't hesitate to give some feedback!

Thanks as always for reading and until next time!

~DymondGold~