MixoMania

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Disclaimer: Who does own TRC? Not me!!

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Fighting the Mokona

"So tell me", said the fairyman after a while. "Does this Fay mage seem powerful or not?"

Sakura took a moment to reflect.

"I think he is", she eventually answered. "As he could pass by Yukito's magic barrier."

"Does he know how to fight?"

"Err… I don't know", said Princess Sakura. We didn't fight him. He just went in and out."

"Say, mister fairy, what is your name?" she asked after a shy moment of silence.

"Kurogane. Now don't start pestering me with questions."

The fairy wasn't that much of a talker, Sakura eventually noticed.

It took them almost two weeks to arrive to the Flowright Shire, and by then Princess Sakura had only figured out that Kurogane did prefer swords to magic and reading mangas to social behaviour. However, he seemed to get slightly nicer as the days passed.

*

They eventually reached Celes castle, in the centre of the Flowright Shire.

Weirdly, there was nothing to be seen there. Even the birds were quiet. In fact, one was unable to spot even one bug in the grass.

"Oh, this is sad", said Sakura. "It seems like there is no-on here but dead memories."

"Yeah", said Kurogane with a grin. "This Mage must be quite powerful."

"Well, we don't know if he did that", answered Princess Sakura.

"Who else?" said the fairyman. "Let's go in."

"All right, but beware of the Mokona."

*

As soon as they laid a foot into the castle yard, something white jumped on Kurogane, yelling: "You shall not pass!"

Kurogane took it by its bunny ears and looked at it, bewildered. "Just what the hell are you?" he asked.

"Mokona is Mokona!" exclaimed the little thing happily.

"You're just so cute!" said Sakura.

"That's not normal", said the fairyman. "It must be a trap."

"Mokona is not a trap", said the white manjuu. "Mokona is Mokona, and you shall not pass!"

"How can you say that with such a happy face!" yelled the fairyman, angered at what he thought was a really bad joke.

"Mokona is just doing Mokona's job", said the manjuu. "Mokona have to scare people away, so they won't get pass through to Fay."

"So you're this damn mage pet all right", said Kurogane with disgust. "I guess he's not that strong either."

"But you are not scary", said Sakura at the white bun. "You're very cute."

"Mokona is cute!" sang the manjuu happily. "And Mokona will not let you pass unless…"

"Unless what?" asked Princess Sakura.

"As if a white bun such as you could stop me from passing", muttered Kurogane.

"…unless Mokona wants you to!" There where hearts flashing in Mokona's dialogue.

Kurogane grunted and almost killed himself on the spot.

"If that's so", said Sakura, "would you let me pass? I have to fetch Shaolan and help him get released from his curse."

"But what would you do that?" asked Mokona with a bit of sadness.

"That would be", said Sakura with a blush, "because I love him very much, and I want him by my side."

"Oh", said the manjuu. "Then I guess Fay will comprehend. Could you tell me your name?"

"I'm Princess Sakura, from the country of Clow. But you can call me Sakura, if you want."

"That's so sweet!" exclaimed the white fur ball. "I guess that means Mokona and Sakura are now friends, right?"

"I'll gladly be your friend", smiled the princess.

The white manjuu kissed her on the cheek and then exclaimed happily: "You shall now pass! ^^."

"T'was about time", said Kurogane.

"Mokona said Sakura could pass!" exclaimed the manjuu with flailing hands. "But that does not mean you can!"

"Please, Mokona", said Sakura, "let him pass too. He's Shaolan godfather fairy."

"Mokona won't let him pass", said the manjuu, "unless he shows he's worthy of it."

"I'm worthy of it!" grunted the fairyman. "And I don't need your permission to go on."

"Of course you do!" said Mokona with a pout. "And if you try to pass by force, Mokona shall fight you!" The white fur ball'eyes opened wide at that, which made him look even cuter.

"I won't fight you", said Kurogane. "That wouldn't be fair."

"Mokona knows it's not fair, but Mokona will fight the same!" exclaimed the manjuu courageously. And then, with a cute cry, he rushed at the fairy man.

"Oh, come on", grunted Kurogane. "I can't seriously fight such a little thing!"

But then the little thing opened its mouth wide and swallowed the fairyman's katana.

"W- what?", exclaimed Kurogane angrily. "You give me that back you little…"

He rushed at the white fur ball and caught it by the ears.

"Give me my katana back!" he yelled while shaking the white ball. "Or I'll really hurt you, I swear."

Sakura put her hands over her mouth. "Oh please Kurogane-san, don't be harsh on him!"

"Mokona won't give Kurogane's katana back until Kurogane says he was wrong about Mokona!" said the manjuu happily.

"I'm not wrong about anything!" cursed the fairyman. "Now give that back!"

"Kurogane is being mean", said the manjuu seriously, "Mokona will have to punish Kurogane for being mean!"

All of the sudden, a pair of huge white wings grew up on Mokona's back, and a complex magic circle appeared beyond him.

"Mokona is going to send Kurogane in another dimension, so Kurogane will learn!"

And just like that, he swallowed him.

"Mokona, what have you done!" exclaimed Sakura with horror at seeing that the fairyman had disappeared. "I know Kurogane-san is hard to handle, but he's not a bad man- I mean, fairyman-, either!"

"Mokona did his duty", said Mokona. "Mokona's duty is to protect Fay-san from being hurt. And Mokona knows Kurogane would have hurt Fay-san."

"I understand", said Sakura, "Mokona is a good friend of the mage… But is there a way for Kurogane to come back? He's Shaolan's godfather all the same."

"That would depend on Kurogane", answered the little white bun. "Now, would you like to meet Fay-san?"

Kurogane looked around him and saw that the castle was now full of corpses. Even the Princess was stepping on one of those.

"Tche, do you really think that's going to impress me?" he said to the white manjuu.

Only the fur ball was no longer in his hand.

"Mokona, what have you done!" exclaimed Sakura with horror. "I know Kurogane-san is hard to handle, but he's not a bad man- I mean, fairyman-, either!"

"What do you mean, hard to handle", said frowning Kurogane. Then he looked at himself in order to get to understand why the princess was so upset. But he had not changed the least.

"What the hell is going on here?" he asked angrily at the white bun.

"Mokona did his duty", said Mokona. "Mokona's duty is to protect Fay-san from being hurt. And Mokona knows Kurogane would have hurt Fay-san."

"Of course I would!" smiled Kurogane. "That is my duty." He frowned even more. "Oï, do you hear me?"

"I understand", said Sakura, "Mokona is a good friend of the mage… But is there a way for Kurogane to come back? He's Shaolan's godfather all the same."

"To come back?" A chill passed on Kurogane's spine. Did that meant he was… gone?

"That would depend on Kurogane", answered the little white bun. "Now, would you like to meet Fay-san?"

*

Mokona guided Sakura towards a tower and Kurogane followed along.

"Mokona can't go in there", say the white bun, "because you're only allowed in there once."

Sakura looked at the saddened manjuu.

"Why do you look so sad Mokona?" she asked. "Fay-san is allowed to get out his tower, right?"

"Yes, Fay-san is", answered the manjuu. "Once a year."

"Man, that is the hell of a curse", said Kurogane. He wondered who would have been potent enough to cast such a spell. A man worth his sword.

"Now Mokona can't go in there", said the manjuu. "And Sakura-chan can only enter once."

"I'll make it worth it", she answered.

"Good girl", approved Kurogane. He wouldn't have said it, but he grew to appreciate her a bit during his travelling with her.

"Do you want me to say something to Fay-san?" asked Sakura to the white manjuu.

Kurogane was surprised by the question. He wouldn't have thought of asking that.

"No", said Mokona. "He knows."

Sakura kissed it lightly on the ear.

"I'll tell him you're all right, then. So he won't worry about you."

"Mokona knew you where worth passing by", it said. "But you will hurt Fay-san the same."