For further warnings, see part 1

18. ^_~ KOUSHIROU

"WHAT’S GOING ON IN HERE?!"

My musings about the girl and here mysterious pet were interrupted by the thundering inferno that appeared at the door.

Mimi stood up suddenly, eyes wide with apprehension. "It was an accident, the vase fell and…"

Myotis cut her off, "Do have any idea how much that cost!?"

"Yes, I’m the one you sent to buy it…", she replied calmly.

"That’s NOT the POINT!"

"It’s not?"

The blonde man grabbed her arm and slapped her with a resounding ‘crack’. Her head whipped back and for a moment I was afraid he’d broken her neck.

From my side Pata gave an incoherent shriek and flew to Mimi’s defense. "Stop it! It wasn’t her fault!" he cried, attempting to get between the enraged man and his friend.

Myotis wasn’t going to have it. He batted the creature aside and the poor thing crashed into a mirror on the far wall near the shattered vase. Bits of reflective glass glittered as they sprayed across the room and on to the floor. Pata hit the ground like a heavy sack, unmoving.

"Now look what you made me do!" the slave owner growled, throwing the girl to the glass-covered floor in disgust. Only when a particularly large shard jabbed though her sleeve, into her shoulder, did she cry out.

Myotis sneered.

I acted.

I don’t think he ever saw that fireball coming. The spear of flame connected with his side and the force of it sent him off his feet, unconscious. I dashed to Mimi’s side and helped her up.

"Are you okay, Mimi-chan?" I asked, concerned.

She gripped her shoulder in pain and half-smiled at me, another bruise forming along her cheekbone. She was tough…"-chan not -san? Presumptuous, aren’t we? I don’t even recall giving you my name."

I realized my mistake and, blushing, attempted to sputter an apology, but she stopped me, "Hush…It’s okay. I like it really. You can call me that if you want to."

I smiled, relieved. Then blanched when I noticed the amount of blood running down her side. "Come here," I said, I laid her out across the floor and muttered a few words and the wound glimmered a soft blue glow before seemingly stitching itself up and vanishing. I began pulling her off the floor and towards the exit, "Lets get out of here."

"But Pata…"

"You plan on going somewhere, little girl?" I turned to see Devi, towering in the doorway. I’d forgotten about him…Really smooth, Izumi.

The dark man glanced at me as if noticing my presence for the first time, "What are you…"

He didn’t finish, I had quickly spat out ‘FireBall’ and threw a large hand full of flame at him. To my surprise it bounced harmlessly off him and fizzled out of existence. "Wha?!"

Devi laughed mockingly, "So the kid’s a wizard. That was weak little boy," He grinned, showing a set of sharp canines.

I gulped. What was he talking about? With a few well-placed words I could reduce this entire establishment to cinders. I was Queen’s best. Who was he to call *me* weak?

I glared daggers at him, and stepped in front of Mimi, shielding her from anything he might try. I think I know, sort of, how Yamato feels when his younger sibling is threatened. For some reason, I felt that I had to defend this girl, even though I had just met her.

With this weird mix of hurt pride and protectiveness, I began a different spell.

"Assassin of the heavens who brings light…"

"Um, Kou-kun?" Mimi said from behind me, "What are you doing?"

I ignored her, "…From dark recesses of nightmarish power."

"Riiiiiiiiight…" Devi looked at me like I was stupid, "You kidding ain’t ya?"

I growled out the last line, "White-hot knives who strike down my enemies" White light began to gather in my hands.

Mimi gasped, realizing exactly what I was about to execute, grabbed my shoulder, "Kou-kun, Stop! It’s not…"

"Heaven’s CHARGE!!" I lifted the ball above my head, streaks of lightning arched across my body, and with blinding swiftness and accuracy it struck all standing in the room (except Mimi and I of course).

The light dimmed and I regained my sight only to see Devi grinning menacingly in the charred doorframe, completely untouched. "It-it…didn’t work…" I stammered, "That was…the strongest lightning spell on this half of the planet…"

I felt a sharp pain as something connected with the back of my head. The world tilted and in the distance I heard someone laugh and a woman’s scream. I had enough motor control to turn my head in the direction Myotis had fallen. The spot on the wall was empty.

I had enough time to think, "Shit", before losing consciousness.

19. ^_~ KOUSHIROU

"Kou-san!"

Wha? Someone’s calling me? Man, my head’s pounding…

"Kou-san, please wake up! Mimi’s in trouble!" a high-pitched voice said

Mimi? The slave girl? Mimi, where’s Mimi? I need to find her…But I hurt…

"KOU-SAN!!!"

I opened my eyes slowly. It was dark. I sluggishly recalled that it was a little after midday when I was hit. I rolled my pounding head to the side to see what was screaming in my ear. Big mistake. The world went ‘wheeeee!!’. I had to resist the urge to ‘blow my guts’ (as the captain so elegantly phrases it) and even if I did I didn’t believe I had the strength to prevent my self from choking.

I squeezed my eyes shut till the floor righted it’s self. I concluded that I undoubtedly had received a concussion. This would make things a little more complicated. I conceded that the best course of action would be a healing spell. I focused on the incantation for I was too tired to depend on my own power without the words’ aide.

"Alhealer," I murmured, hoping the spell would succeed. If I could see, I would have observed a soft blue glow enveloping my body. But I couldn’t (see, that is) so I didn’t.

"Wha? What’s he doing?" squeaked a voice in my ear. That did nothing for my head but the spell quickly did its work. It cleared my mind of all the confusing cobwebs, and healed all the painful aches that plagued me. When it finished I felt rejuvenated and refreshed.

I sat up, opening my eyes, and took a deep breath. The room smelled of charred wood, dried blood and scorched ego. I never realized how badly ego reeked…

The inn room was completely and utterly blackened with force from ‘Heaven’s Charge’. I expected as much. The floor was still covered with glass and pottery shards. Several of them were covered with my blood. I could tell. I had been laying on them. ‘Alhealer’ had pushed them from my back and closed the lacerations. I was thankful. I could be in a lot of pain.

"Kou-san! You’re awake!"

I looked to my right to find the small pig-like creature, called Pata. He must have been hit with the spell as I cast it. I recalled him being badly injured when I passed out.

"MIMI’S GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!" the little pig screeched.

"Mimi?" I said, dazed, "Mimi!" I leapt to my feet, battle ready. "Where is she?!" I asked hurriedly.

Pata suddenly burst out in tears, "I don’t KNOW!" The winged pig flew up to rest on my shoulder, sobbing hysterically.

I patted Pata in the head, hoping that he would calm down, but as he cried the shards on the floor began to shift…and then spring to life. The newly animated inanimate objects floated across the room to where the vase and mirror sat and proceeded to set themselves back together like a jigsaw puzzle.

I stared, jaw hanging on my chest in a dumb fashion. I looked from the fixed furniture to the pig in my arms and back. The flying pig. The flying pig with magic powers who was crying in my arms.

The creature I had been looking for!

Now any sane wizard would take the pig and run. But is that right? I mean, yeah, it’s for the greater good and all but it doesn’t belong to me. He belongs to that slave girl. That beautiful slave girl. And I know she’s in trouble. I can’t just LEAVE her!

But I have to save the kingdom. The Queen needs me!

But this girl needs your help NOW!

She may already be dead.

You won’t know until you find her.

And what if she is?

A risk you’ll have to take.

You sure we can’t just take the pig and leave?

Why am I talking to myself?

What’s worse, why am I answering?

After much debate, I decided I would save Mimi.

20. >^..^< QUEEN KARI

"Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat JERK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~!" I yelled.

"Please don’t kill me," the pageboy pleaded who brought me news of that stupid Joe’s army advancement.

I quickly regained my composure, realizing I had scared the poor boy, "I’m sorry, quickly, send word to Captain Yamato about this!" I stopped myself, realizing Yamato had accompanied my brother to attack the Duchy, "Nevermind that last statement, young page, inform Wizard-in-training Cody to report here immediately if not sooner!"

"Yes, your majesty!" he scuttled off to find the young wizard.

I sighed, "What am I gonna do about this? Taichi’s army isn’t anything to scoff at, I just hope they won’t actually attack us. Joe shouldn’t be able to control the army… I mean, why would they listen to him?"

~In the duchy of Takenouchi, an evil alchemist hands out American dollars to Taichi’s troops.~

"This just won’t do, I’ll have to mobilize the capital’s troops to stop him. As it is, the only way I can think of to regain control of that annoying duchy is to put Sora in charge again. Which means…" my out-loud pondering was interrupted by a sloppy teleportation spell.

The wizard-in-training Cody appeared in a mess of lights and flashes, but one piece, and managed to stand up, "Hai, your highness!"

"Oh, get up, I need you to come up with a good strategy to box in Taichi’s troops until Captain Yamato and Wizard Izumi return," I stated to him matter-of-factly.

"Do you really think I’m up to it?" Cody choked out.

I nodded, "It would be better if you had finished your training first, but I suppose you’ll do."

The black-haired boy beamed, his blue-black eyes wide with thanks, "Alright, I’ll get right on it!"

Okay, so now we’ll have a plan, next we needs to gather up the troops, I strode down from the dais my throne rested upon and headed to the barracks where the soldiers were. The long hallways of the castle were very extravagant, but I had no time to admire them now. Turning a few corners and pacing down a couple hallways, I arrived at the barracks doors. Without knocking, I pushed open the doors.

I heard a few gasps, "The queen!" and the soldiers hastened to bow.

"No, it’s okay, no time for that now, Joe has taken over Duke Kamiya’s duchy," I told them.

A couple snickers, several moans, and one gasp of surprise. (He must be a new recruit.)

I continued, "Well, this one has managed to take control of his army and has mobilized them against the capital. So, I’m going to need to speak to a Corporal or someone who’ll be leading the defense against them."

An overly cheerful, dark-haired woman with a white soldier’s uniform on came bounding up to me. I think I remembered her, she stood out as a ‘justice freak’… I recall why I hired her.

"OHAYO!!! Corporal Amelia Wil Tesla Sailune reporting for DUTY! In the name the Kingdom of Server, I shall punish evil-doers!" the girl shouted, striking dramatic poses. See why I can’t remember why I hired her?

I sighed, "That’s nice, dear, I guess it’s good that you can keep the soldiers’ spirits up…" I searched for a compliment. "Mobilize the troops immediately, the enemy solders are on the move."

"YES MA’AM!"

I blinked and she seemed to have disappeared. Then I heard her voice from above. I looked up and saw her standing on top of a poll, her cape flapping in the wind and striking a ‘gallant’ pose.

"Onward troops! Tonight we battle for Truth and JUSTICE! If we fight with justice in our hearts, justice will always prevail!"

I sweatdropped. My kingdom was doomed…

21. / ^_^ \ PATA

Oh, this was horrible… terrible… scary even! Big Kou-san was all out cold… And I was hungry! Oh, and Mimi-chan was taken prisoner!

That mean old Devi had distwacted Kou-san while scary old Myotis beat him down with a chair! Oh, how horrible! (And scary too!) Once they left, I got up and tried to wake up big Kou-san for a really long time before he finally woke up!

"Kou-san!" I called.

He kinda moved a little! YAY!

"Kou-san, please wake up! Mimi’s in trouble!" I called, louder this time.

He moved a little more!!!

"KOU-SAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I yelled.

This time, his eyes opened. He mumbled something, "Alhealer," and suddenly he looked better.

"Wha? What’s he doing?" I squeaked and then all my boo-boos went away, too!

Kou-san sat up and looked around. I noticed he wasn’t hurt anymore, "Kou-san! You’re awake!"

The nice wizard looked at me, "MIMI’S GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I cried, now that he was list’nin’ to me!

"Mimi?" he asked "Mimi!" he jumped up. "Where is she?!" he asked me, kinda serious.

I thought for a minute, and I didn’t know! "I don’t KNOW!!!" I cried, wailing because I didn’t know where poor Mimi-chan had gone! Mimi-chan!!!! Mimi-chan!!!! Where was she!?

I flitted up to Kou-san’s shoulder to make me feel better, and he patted me, but… I had forgot that I was over the broken vase when my tears suddenly hit the pieces of it. They sprang up and put themselves back together as the vase I had broken, so did the mirror. *I guess now Mimi-chan won’t have to… have to… pay for it…* I thought, still sobbing, even in my head…

But Kou-san seemed to get really shocked about the vase and mirror. He kinda stood there all blank for a while. His jaw was hanging down all slack and stuff. Wanting to be helpful, I reached over and pushed his jaw back up, I didn’t want him to catch anything like flies or something.

He finally looked at me again. Then he looked at the vase. Then me. Then he looked at the mirror. Then he looked at me. Then the vase again. Finally, he spoke, "Mythic flying creature?"

I looked up at him, he had a funny look on his face, "Yeah, I’m a Mythic Pata, but Mimi-chan just calls me ‘Pata’. Aren’t we gonna go look for Mimi-chan, now?" I asked, my voice shook a little, I noticed.

Old Kou-san’s eyes looked at me nice and he sighed, "Yes, Pata, we’ll go save Mimi…"

YAY! I asked him, "But where do we look?"

Kou-san thought a moment and the next thing I knew, we were running around downstairs. Kou-san asked a couple people (I don’t know why he was holding a fireball, but he was) where the slaves were normally sold.

"Auction…" one nice man finally gasped and pointed towards CPU Square.

Without waiting for me to say ‘thank-you’, Kou-san went running off to the Auction, which was currently selling an old necklace with pretty stones on it. Kou-san grabbed a ticket-tag with the number 8 on it. To my surprise, he sat down in one of the seats and waited patiently, eyeing Myotis who was standing on the raised stage way up high.

I guess he was going to BUY Mimi-chan…