Disclaimer: I am merely borrowing the Children of the Red King universe from Jenny Nimmo for amusement purposes with the full intention of giving them back afterward. I am in no way making any profit or gain from using them.

Manfred's Mustache Mayhem is written for and dedicated to my wonderful friend, Prince of Cardboard. Without her, I never would have realized Manfred had a mustache.

Manfred's Mustache Mayhem

Chapter II

Billy Raven scurried into the King's Room where all except Manfred and Charlie were present.

"Watch out everyone, Charlie is in one of his moods again," he squeaked before slipping into his seat.

There was a collective groan from around the table. Charlie's moods were well known throughout Bloor's. Charlie wasn't the brightest person and sometimes the classes stressed him out. On these unsurprisingly often occasions, Charlie tended to be oversensitive and prone to massive mood swings.

After Billy's announcement, the door opened and Manfred swooped into his seat.

"Manfred's late," Tancred remarked.

"Wrong Torsson," Manfred barked. "You are all just early. Now I could give you all detention for being in here without supervision, but I have better things to do than watch over you lot on my Saturday. Now where's Bones?"

At that moment, Charlie came hurrying in and sat down.

"Charlie Bone, you're late," Manfred snapped, even though according to his previous statement he was right on time.

Apparently no one informed Manfred of Charlie's current state.

"I am?" Charlie looked around at the empty table. "And you all waited for me before starting, how sweet!"

"Get your books out!" Manfred glared at everyone after he also noticed that no one was working. "As for you Bones, stop the nonsense and get to work."

Charlie threw his arms up in the air and wailed, "You're such a bully! You're so mean to me…what did I ever do to you!?"

He placed his head down on the table and began sobbing.

"Uh…"Manfred was nonplussed.

Charlie's head shot up and glared at him with red, puffy eyes, "And now you don't even answer me. What, am I not good enough for you to give me a reason for your constant hostility towards me?"

Everyone was stunned Charlie knew so many large words.

Manfred, still slow on the uptake, sneered, "Wow, I didn't know you knew half those words."

"Really?" Charlie's features softened and he looked at Manfred with adoration. "I've been working hard to learn new words and I'm so happy that you're impressed by them."

"You mean you actually have been studying to learn new words?"

Charlie took his words in a different way and yelled, "Studying is what people do to learn because not everyone can instantly be a genius like you! Intelligence is wasted on the ignorant!"

"You are one tough nut to crack," Manfred mumbled.

Charlie's voice suddenly turned husky, "So you think I'm tough?"

"No!" Manfred answered quickly.

"So you're saying that I'm a pansy!" tears sprung into Charlie's eyes.

"No!"

Then Manfred realized that he'd inadvertently complimented him and said, "Yes!"

"Why do you keep leading me on with your mixed signals?" Charlie burst passionately. "Can't you just man up and say how you really feel? Can't you just come out and saw you think I'm tough and devilishly handsome?"

"I think no such thing!" Manfred retorted.

"I HATE YOU!" Charlie screamed, his voice reaching decibels not previously known to have existed. "I hate you and that ridiculous mustache you're cultivating on your upper lip even though you look like a freak with it!"

What Charlie did shocked everyone. He grabbed the nearest pointy object—a bent paper clip he spotted on the floor and launched himself at Manfred. He tackled him to the ground and gouged his mustache off.

Before anyone could do anything, Charlie ripped his clothes off and went streaking out the door.

"I'M NOT TAKING THIS ANYMORE! DOWN WITH BLOOR'S!" Charlie's crazed screams could be heard throughout the castle. "STICK IT TO THE MAN!"

Meanwhile back in the King's Room, Manfred had recovered from the mustache gouging.

"Why didn't anyone stop me and tell me that Charlie was PMSing today?"

The Word of the Awesome: So it took me three months to edit this one chapter. And I didn't even change much except that new twist I added to the end. I'm horrible.

Well a bit of good news: my muse has finally returned and I've gotten the itch to start writing again. Hopefully the updates start churning out faster.