The Elegant Prince
Chapter: Five
"He will take that paper you're holding for clothes?" the prince whispered as Rachelle counted out the money; then he smirked. "I will give him all the paper he wants.
"He is a fool." Madara said with distaste.
"It's paper money," she said as they left the shop. "And you can exchange the paper for gold."
"Someone will give me gold for paper?" he asked, incredulous.
"Yes, there are gold dealers, and some banks sell gold."
"Then why do you not use gold to buy goods with?"
"Too heavy, I guess." She sighed. "You put your money in a bank. The money you aren't using, that is, and use the paper as a substitute for the gold. Where do you put your money?" she asked.
"In my houses," he answered, frowning as he considered what she'd told him.
"Oh, I see," she said, smiling. "I guess you dig a hole and hide it. Well, today money is put in a bank where it earns interest."
"What is interest?"
Rachelle groaned. Enough was enough! "There's a Tim Hortons on the second floor. Are you hungry?"
"Yes," he answered as he opened the door for her.
"Mark was never a gentleman," never opened the door for her or serve her breakfast in bed- or even make breakfast at all. But the man in front of her wasn't exactly what you would call "normal, he was anything- but" however, he had some good manners when he wasn't trying to kill her. I bet he would treat a woman nicely if they got on his good side.
Did Mark know he had taken Rachelle's handbag? Did he know he'd left Rachelle completely stranded, alone at the mercy of crazy men? Even after what Mark had done to her, she knew that if Mark walked into the Tim's at that moment, she would fall to her knees and beg for his forgiveness.
"May I help you?" the woman behind the counter asked.
"Medium coffee for two," Rachelle said. "And five scones, please."
In moments the woman passed a tray holding two cups of coffee, and plates of food across the counter to her. She paid, then picked up the tray and looked at Madara. "Anything else, you want?"
"I think not." He replied.
He followed her to the food court, Madara was amazed how carefree the people in the food court looked, none of them had weapons. Silently, Rachelle set the tray down and handed Madara a cup of coffee and three scones, she then took out the laptop and turned it on.
The clerk had told them to search for Naruto Shippuden episode 322. She googled it and surprisingly enough, she found it. "Rachelle thought it was bizarre that the episode she found was named Madara Uchiha."
She instructed Madara to get close so they would watch together and he did as he was told.
"HOLLY SHIT." Madara, It's really you. "Why the hell are you fucking-up these people or characters... Argh, whatever they are? Rachelle screamed on top of her lungs, and everyone in the court turned and glared at her, but she didn't care.
"Keep it down, lady. We're trying to have a peaceful lunch" A man from the crowd yelled.
"Shut it, jerk," I'm trying to watch something very important. Rachelle yelled back, the man was about to yell again, but closed his mouth the moment he saw the look Madara was giving him.
"I knew I was awesome, but this? And when did I do this?" Madara was very impressed with himself, and at the same time - very confused.
The two continued watching the episode as the Madara in the show turned the entire butterflied upside down. Not only did Madara beat the shit out of his enemies, but he also utterly raped them and left them with no sense of security or hope.
"Rachelle was terrified," if she had been scared of him before! "Now, she was not only intimidated by Madara, she was also terrorized by him.
When the episode ended, Rachelle was so threatened ~ she decided to stay quiet as she didn't want to say the wrong words that could get her and the all people in the mall killed.
What manner of magic is this and how did you use it? Madara asked, pointing at the laptop as though he was scared of touching it.
"I didn't use any magic, it's a laptop device. Rachelle replied, "how can he act normal after what he had done to those poor souls? And what if he does the same thing in this world, she thought.
Madara gave the coffee a tentative look, then sipped cautiously. After two sips, he looked at Rachelle with such naked joy on his face that she laughed as he drained the cup. She passed him her own cup while he picked up the scone and looked at it. She took the scone from him, broke it in half and slathered it with the thick clotted cream.
He bit into it and as he chewed, he looked like a man who had fallen in love. In minutes he had drunk all the coffee and eaten all the scones. After a couple of remarks about his gluttony, Rachelle went back into the coffee shop and bought more of everything. When she returned, she ate while he leaned back in his chair, sipped coffee, and studied her.
"What made you weep under the tree?" he asked.
"I . . . I really don't believe that's any of your business."
"If I am to return—and I must return—I need to know what brought me forth."
Rachelle put her half-eaten scone down. "You aren't going to start that again, are you? She asked.
Madara looked at her with distaste. "For all your wonders of the non war country, your marvelous glass, and the riches of goods to purchase, you have no faith in the mystery and magic of the world," he said softly. "But I do not doubt what has happened to me, and I know from whence I came," he said evenly. "And you, witch—"
At that, Rachelle got up, picked up the laptop and left the table. But he caught her before she reached the elevator, his hand cutting into her arm.
"Why were you weeping when first I saw you? What could cause a woman to weep such as I heard?" he demanded.
She jerked out of his grip. "Because I'd just been left behind," she said angrily. Then, to her shame, tears began again.
Gently, he slipped her arm in his and led her back to the table. This time, he sat beside her. "Now, madam, you must tell me what plagues you so that tears pour forth from your eyes as from a waterfall."
Rachelle didn't want to tell anyone what had happened to her. But her need to share was greater than her pride, and within minutes, she was pouring out her story to him.
"This man left you alone? Unattended?" Madara asked, aghast. "He left you at the mercy of ruffians and thieves?" Weak women such as yourself should have guards everywhere they go, but I'd highly recommend for you to get some training, he said.
Nodding, Rachelle blew her nose on a paper napkin, pretending not to hear the last part. "And at the mercy of a man who destroyed his own world, too. Oh, sorry," she added. But Madara didn't seem to hear her. He got up and began pacing the court. There were six other tables beside them, but no other customers, the customers had all moved far away because they were scared of Madara.
"You but you weeped—and asked for a . . ." He looked at her.
"A Prince," It's a saying. All women want a gorgeous. . . I mean, a. . . Well, a man to rescue her." He smirked at her, he said, "I was not wearing a crown when you called me forth."
"But, my case is different, the saying doesn't apply to me." I mean, instead of getting a prince to rescue me, I ended up with... Uh, you. "A dangerous leader who would mess-up anyone and anything that annoys him."
You still didn't answer my question, peasant. Why did you call me forth, and why were you shedding tears?
"I didn't call you," she said fiercely. "It's customary to cry when you get abandoned. Especially when your boyfriend steals your stuff and uses you for years. I don't even have a passport. Even if my family wired me money for a ticket home, I couldn't leave immediately. I'd have to apply for another passport."
"Nor can I get home," he said, beginning to pace again. "That we have in common. But if you brought me forth, you can send me back."
"I am not a witch," she practically shouted at him. "I do not practice black magic nor jutsu, and I certainly don't know how to send people back and forth in time. You're powerful enough, why don't you send yourself back?"
He raised an eyebrow at her. "No doubt your lover was justified in leaving you. With your vile temper, he would not want to remain with you."
"I was never 'vile-tempered' as you call it, with Mark. Maybe a little-short-tempered now and then, but only normally so, because I loved him. Love him. And I shouldn't have complained so much about getting married."
"And you love this man who abandoned you, this man who stole from you?"
"Yes, I just wish I could find him and get my passport back so I could go home."
"It seems we have kindred goals," he said, his eyes boring into hers.
Suddenly, she knew where he was leading. He wanted her to help him on a permanent basis. But she was not going to saddle herself with a man strong enough to destroy the entire planet.
She set her empty cup down. "Our goals aren't alike enough that we should spend the next few months together until you go back in your own world, that's if you didn't sink it up. No, thank you. Now, if you don't mind, I believe we have an agreement. I'll find you a hotel room, then I'm free to leave."
When she finished her little speech, she could see the flush of anger through his scary eyes. "Are all the women of this century as you are?"
"No, just the ones who have been hurt over and over again," she shot back at him. "If you really don't have a way of getting back to wherever you came from, you should make this city your home. Rent a house, get a job, and I recommend you register for an anger management class~believe me you need it. Anyways, you don't need me." She collected the empty coffee cups and made her way to the garbage area, but Madara stood before her.
"What recourse have I if I tell the truth? Have you no belief that your tears could have called me from another time, another place?"
"Of course I don't believe that," she said. "There are a thousand explanations as to why you came from an animated show, but not one of them has to do with my being a witch. Now, will you excuse me? I need to put these down so I can find you a hotel room."
"If you think I'd be here by choice, then you really are a special kind of stupid." He stepped aside so she could take the stuff, then followed her to the clothing store where they had borrowed the laptop. All the while, he kept his head down as though he were considering some great problem.
Rachelle waved to the clerk when she saw him hanging the clothes, the clerk rushed to them. "Did you find the episodes?" He asked.
Yes, we did, thanks for the help. Rachelle answered.
Where is my brother? Do you know what ever happened to him?
"Um… your brother? Do you mean Izuna? The clerk asked.
No, your mother. Yes, I'm talking about Izuna, you fool.
Does this mean you really are the real Naruto villain, Madara Uchiha?
Rachelle jumped between Madara and the clerk, Madara had started making hand signs and Rachelle knew that was a sign that Madara was about to do something dangerous.
"We do not wish to discuss this issue right now, and I wouldn't push your luck if I were you." Do you know where we can find a good bed-and-breakfast around here?
Yes. When you exit the mall, turn on your first left- continue on the same street, it will be on the right side.
After they had gotten the proper address for the bed-and-breakfast, Rachelle and Madara walked quietly along side each other in a quiet street, it bothered her that he didn't speak. Nor did he look about around with the intense interest he'd shown earlier.
"Do you like your clothes?" she asked, trying to make conversation. He was carrying the shopping bags full of armor and his old clothes.
He didn't answer, but kept walking, his brow furrowed.
There was only one room available at the bed-and-breakfast, and Rachelle started to sign the register. "Do you really think that you're the Uchiha Madara we just saw in the anime? If yes, then how is it possible that you are here" she asked him.
"He completely ignored her."
To be continued
First of all, I'd like to thank those who fav/followed and reviewed this story. You guys are awesome and the best, I really appreciate it.
Secondly, sorry for the lame closing, I wrote a long chapter and it was impossible to post it. I tried countless times but still failed, so I had to divide it into two chapters. Chapter six is now posted.
Thank you all for taking the time to read this.