Chapter Twelve:

Festival of Forcena

            Blade looked around the carnival while following Holmes and the students. He was supposedly watching the rear of the group to make sure nothing went wrong. A little too intent on observing, he was unconsciously left far behind by the students and Holmes.

            Lauren smirked as she fingered a pie behind her back. The pie smashing contest would be great. The whistle blew, and Lauren started throwing. All of her shots were good except the last one, which went haywire. It sailed over someone’s head and smacked into someone else’s face. That someone had red hair and a huge sword. Blade. Lauren burst out laughing.

            Blade’s grouchy face was smeared with cream. He took out a handkerchief and wiped it off. His face was red, and he was fuming.

            “Kajitani Eizan! Hehe!” Lauren yelled.

            Blade’s face went into a surprised mode. His eyes searched for the voice. They landed on Lauren, who was still doubling over with laughter. She had won the contest.

            “I’d prefer you call me Blade,” Blade said. “Who are you anyway? How’d you know my real name?”

            Lauren, still giggling, replied, “I don’t know. I just recognized you. You see, I’m a writer so I probably picked it up from reading and listening to storytellers. By the way, I’m Lauren.”

            “Er, hi. But everyone thought I was dead.”

            “When I saw you years ago, I new you weren’t.”

            “Ah. Uh, you have wings.”

            “I do?” Lauren smiled. “Yup!”

            “Well, I think they’re beautiful,” a lady cut in.

            “Who are you?” Blade asked.

            “I’m Angelique.”

            “She’s my friend. I’m Rose,” another lady replied.

            “Hi, Rose!” Lauren greeted.

            “Rose? I’ve heard of you. You’re supposed to be really smart. Sunny told us that,” Blade said.

            Rose smiled. “Gee, well, Sunny is very smart too.” She frowned for a moment. “I think you know about Kaneboro…”

            “I’m not too good at relations, if you mean,” Blade interrupted.

            “Good. There’s something I have to tell unless you already know,” Rose replied.

            “It’s serious.” Lauren nodded. “All of us may be in grave danger.” A man handed her a ribbon. “Why, thanks. I’ll make sure I make all of my hits next time.”

            Blade grimaced as she turned back to him, Angelique, and Rose.

            “Gee, Rose, you never told me anything,” Angelique cried.

            “Shush!” Lauren hissed. “I think we should go somewhere safe where no one will hear us. How about the theatre where we’re doing plays?”

            “Sure.” Blade shrugged. He followed the ladies.

            Blade, Rose, Angelique, and Lauren sat in one of the rooms backstage. Lauren and Rose had explained the situation. Blade was angry again.

            “We don’t know when the ambushes will strike,” Rose said, “so all of us should be alert.”

            “Yes. Kaneboro. I’d expect nothing less from them,” Blade hissed.

            “Aren’t you one of them?” Lauren replied.

            “Umm… I’m not them them. I used to be one of them,” Blade said his face slightly pink.

            “Ah ha! So you still are them, just an outdated version!” Lauren exclaimed triumphantly.

            Rose shrugged.

            Blade grumbled, “Whatever. I’m not one of them. I was raised in Mythopia.”

            “But you weren’t born in Mythopia,” Lauren retorted.

            “Uh, Al…” Angelique started.

            “Rose,” Rose interrupted.

            “Yes, umm, do you hear something?” Angelique asked.

            Everyone became quiet. The play had started, but there was something else. They went to take a look.

            “…and I know things don’t always turn out right…forever searching for the light and then yearning to by a fight in the darkness of the night…!” Natalie sang.

            “BOMB! BOMB! EVACUATE! DON’T PANIC!” Sunny rounded the corner of a tent. Everyone stared at him. He stared back. “What are you waiting for? There’s a bomb that’s going to blow any second now!” Everyone started panicking and running. “Sheesh! I’ll just go now.”

            Natalie fumed as she ran with the cast. The play had stopped while she was in mid song. Sunny…meany. Maybe the Sunny Haters March was going to take place the next day after all…

            It was a false alarm. Everyone was upset with that fact. Sunny shrugged it off. He had seen a real bomb. It was no illusion. It was real, but it had simply disappeared somehow. Well, might as well go enjoy some candy, games, and keep a lookout for the bomb too

            After the bomb scare, everyone was quite happy to have fun and relax. Rose sighed as she rode a pony. She had entered a racing competition. The riders were all lined up at the mark now. The distance was one circle around the track. There was a whistle, and they were off.

            “Whoa!” Rose steadied herself. It was very bumpy. She was bouncing up and down on the saddle.

            “Hey, Rose!” came a yell. It was Natalie.

            “Hi, I didn’t know you ride.”

            “Neither did I, but I’m going to beat you!”

            Rose giggled. “You can try. I’ll race you.”

            Natalie laughed, “We’re already in a race!”

            “Giddyap!”

            “You’re on. Yah!”

            Slowly, the two ponies neck by neck advanced to the front of the group. There were two more riders ahead of them. Slowly, they exceeded the second rider. They gained on the leading pony and galloped past. Rose and Natalie were neck to neck and crossed the finish line simultaneously.

            “Yeah!” Rose and Natalie smiled at each other, but they noticed people pointing behind them. Turning around, they saw one of the riders on the ground. Rose quickly dismounted and rushed over.

            “Give him room!” Rose yelled. “I’m a doctor!” Uh, oh. Rose examined the man. He was having a seizure. His legs were severely fractured. Rose’s mind went wild. Where? Where to begin? The seizure. Cure it. Time was the enemy now. As she worked, she noticed that the man’s heart increased its rate more and more. “Oh, no! He’s not going to make it.” Sure enough, the man’s chest stopped having. His heart stopped. “No!” She placed her ear to his chest. No heart beat. No pulse. She tried CPR, but after about twenty minutes of different methods of the procedure, nothing had improved. She turned to the gathered people. “He’s gone. I’m sorry.”

            What kind of doctor are you?”

            “Yeah, can’t even save this poor brother of mine.”

            “I’m sorry.” Rose looked toward the ground.

            “She tried,” Natalie replied. “Rose, don’t worry. It happened to all doctors.”

            “Thanks, Natalie.”

            “Well, at least, you won the race!”

            “Heh.” After retrieving their prizes, each went off on her own way. The music of the carnival was a dim noise in her ears. Rose couldn’t get over it, but she had to. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t be able to concentrate. She looked at the nearest vendor. Face painting. Nah, too embarrassing. The dance floor wasn’t too far away. Angelique was there dancing with nobles. Well, Angelique was a noble of the Minute Dynasty. Rose didn’t dance, so she went in search for something else.

            Tammy smiled as she spotted Rick in the Forcena orchestra. She waved. He winked. At break, he went with her to Kaira, Lional , and Kyle. Lional and Kaira were conversing seriously. Kyle was taking care of Quarter and Rasheed.

            “Hi, Tammy,” Kaira greeted. “Rick’s told us all about you. I’m Kaira. This is Lional. Kyle’s with Quatre and Rasheed.”

            Tammy eyed Rick, who shrugged. “Oh.” Tammy nodded. “Well, hello.”

            “One of the candidates is very desperate. Our boys have found out possibly who,” Lional said.

            “Who?” Tammy asked.

            Lional shook his head. “Sorry, it’s confidential.”

            “It’s not that I’m worried about,” Kaira replied. “It’s Kaneboro. They might attack during or after the carnival.”

            Rick nodded. “Kaneboro and its tricks.”

            “We should warn people,” Tammy said grimly.

            “The plays are,” Kaira answered, “but they don’t say when the attack will be.”

            “I’m sure the guardian will help through those times,” Rick said.

            “Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” Lional moaned.

            Tammy arched an eyebrow. There was something strange about Lional.

            “Right, that’s why you’re going to the coronation,” Kaira laughed.

            “You are too,” Lional countered.

            “She’s related to the high king, dummy,” Rick replied.

            “What? I’m no dummy. I knew that!”

            “Hmm…we might want to stand aside on this one,” Kaira whispered to Tammy with a smile. “They do remind you of someone when they’re fighting, don’t they?”

            Tammy gulped. How did Kaira know? She didn’t think the conflict was that big.

            Genia was an expert with horses. It was no surprise that she had won. She had been winning for, oh, five years in a row. Now, it was her sixth year in a row. She loved horses.

            Matt wrinkled his brown as he went about. So many people looked familiar, but he didn’t know them. He shrugged. Lovely. Hmm… that was appealing…Should be a nice break before I go back to that old coot…he signed up for a sword tournament. Then, he went back to help Josh.

            Blade and David were looking around and strolling when Blade noticed someone that seemed vaguely familiar to him wandering on the grounds. “Hey, Dave, doesn’t that guy look familiar?” Blade asked.

            “Who?” David inquired.

            Blade pointed at a man in the distance with very light green hair. “He looks like a peasant.”

            “So?”

            “There’s just one thing that bothers me. What kind of peasant bears a sword like that?”

            David followed Blade’s finger. At the man’s hip hung a black scabbard holding an ornate sword. “Whoa, I see what you men. That looks suspicious. I’m taking a look.”

            “I’ll go with you to make sure you’re okay.”

            “I don’t need a chaperon. I’m older than you.”

            “Too bad.”

            Drake. That was his name. His sword was, according to Drake, passed down through generations. Blade didn’t buy it. “Why wear it?” Blade asked. “It could be stolen.”

            “Oh, I’m not afraid of that. I wear my sword just in case I need to protect myself.”

            “How? Are you good?”

            “I won’t be modest. I’m good,” Drake replied.

            “Did you sign up for anything?”

            “No. You can sign me up for anything you’d like.”

            “Experts,” Blade said. “We’ll see.”

            “So we shall.” Drake smiled mysteriously.

            “I don’t like him,” Blade said to David when the man left.

            “Well, just beat him in the tournament tomorrow,” David replied exasperated. “I’ll cheer you on.”

            The next day the fencing tournaments began. After the novice and adept rounds occurred, the experts’ round began. Blade beat his opponent easily, but so did Drake, Matt, Tammy, and the others. Drake was good…no doubt about it.

            “Well, what are you going to do?” David asked when Blade was in break.

            “Yum! Why win, of course! Mmm….” Blade stuffed another piece of cake in his mouth.

            “You know that stuff makes you fat,” David said.

            Blade ignored David. “….Mmm…” He stuffed another piece of cake into his mouth.

            “Gimme a piece of that!” David grabbed for a piece.

            “…ugh…ugh…*choke*…Dave, get off my cake!” Blade scrambled away with David closely following. He ran through the crowd and turned his head every now and then to see his pursuer. Suddenly…

            CRASH! Blade toppled to the ground. The rest of his cake dropped and smeared the grass.

            “A little clumsy there, don’t you think?”

            Blade looked up. Standing above him was Drake. David was running toward them. Blade stood up quickly. “…”

            “You again,” Blade said. David caught up.

            “Again? What do you have against me?” Drake inquired.

            “I lost my cake,” Blade mourned.

            “You would’ve lost it anyway if you kept it,” David snorted.

            “You’re going to lose more,” a voice said.

            “Was that you again, Drake?” Blade asked with gritted teeth.

            “No, not at all,” Drake answered.

            “Blade, it’s them again.” David turned Blade around to face two Dark elves who had swords drawn.

            “Insidion and some other guy!” Blade exclaimed.

            Insidion frowned. His partner, Ganon smirked. “Nice of you to remember me.”

            “And not me,” Ganon mumbled. No one heard him.

            “So, uh, what else were we going to lose?” Blade asked.

            “Your lives,” Insidion sneered.

            Drake looked at the two Dark elves with a smirk. Then, his expression hardened. “I wouldn’t harm them if I were you.”

            Blade and David’s mouths dropped. “Why?” Blade said.

            “Yeah, you don’t stand a chance!” David snorted.

            “Really?” Insidion replied unconvinced.

            “Yes, that would be true.” Drake smiled. “Yes, that would be quite true. Never underestimate people, boys.”

            “Who are you to say that?” Insidion demanded.

            Drake shrugged and smiled mysteriously. “I don’t think you want to know.” He unsheathed his sword and held it up revealing the hilt.

            “What do two elven legionnaires have to fear from a peasant?” Blade asked. David shrugged.

            “What? You’re…” Insidion spat. He gulped.

            “Run, In, we’ve got to run. There’s no way I’m fighting him!” Ganon cried as he pulled Insidion away.

            Drake smiled. “Works every single time.”

            “Huh?” Blade and David stared as Drake disappeared into the crowds.

            “I wonder what’s up with those elves,” David commented.

            “Yeah…HEY! You made me lose my cheesecake!” Blade roared.

            “Uh, oh…” David started running. “No, I didn’t! You did! It was your own fault!”

            “Get back here!” Blade bellowed. He rushed after David, disrupting the people just as much as the fake bomb scare.

            Meanwhile, the karate tournament was moving along. All of Holmes’ students placed. Sunny was in his first round in the advanced category. His opponent was looking around confidently. When the judges were ready and gave the signal, the match would begin.

            “Hey, Sunny!” Natalie shouted. Sunny turned and his face went red. A huge sign said “Sunny-Haters March” in gigantic letters. “That’s right! We hate you!”

            Sunny was disturbed by how many people were involved. Suddenly, he fell through a hole in the floor. There was laughter.

            “Well, digging holes sure helped,” Lauren remarked.

            Sunny slowly crawled out of the hole. He looked at the judges. They nodded. The match began. Sunny was startled by another taunting yell from Elizabeth. His opponent caught him in the stomach off guard.

            “Two points to red,” a judge said.

            Sunny focused. “Can you please hold off until later?”

            “No! You ruined our play. We ruin your thing!” Natalie and Elizabeth chorused.

            Sunny rolled his eyes as he blocked. “Great.” Despite distractions, he was still able to win the grand prize. After, he fled constantly on the lookout for the march. He made sure to stay away from the procession.

            Josh yawned as he watched the numerous amounts of people walk around. Matt was… somewhere. He frowned and dazed off for a moment. His uncle, Flattinson, tapped him on the shoulder.

            “Dreaming on the job? No good.”

            Josh’s face went red as he snapped back to reality. He thought of something to ask his uncle. “Uncle, what ya think about the high king nomination?” Josh asked. “By the way, congrats!”

            “Thanks. I think I have a very good chance,” Flatty answered.

            “Say, why didn’t ya come visit me before?”

            “Sorry, was very busy.”

            “Good business today.”

            Flattinson laughed. “Well, the carnival’s always a good place for business.”

            “Ya. Yer usually right. Oh, here comes a customer.”

            Flattinson smiled as he watched Josh tend to business. Hew as the best candidate for high king. The villager was no threat. He was the better of the remaining. Strange. Why had the knight from Trickster Land still remain on the list? Didn’t he refuse the nomination? Flattinson left a note for Josh and left.

            Later, Josh read the note. “Convince him to refuse the position? Ha! He already refused. Oh, Matt’s competition. Oh, ho, ho, that’s funny! Now, why’d my uncle be afraid of a bonehead like him?”

            Christine and Stephanie had fun as friends do together at the carnival.  They smiled as the walked throught he cheerful carnival grounds. Everyone in Mythopia was here. Everyone participated. It was a place and event of fun and relaxation. Hmmm… now what event to compete for? Who had signed up for what? Ha! Matt, Tammy, and Blade, and others had signed up for fencing. There were three classes; novice, adept, and experts. They had signed up for the experts division. And according to the schedule, it was happening now. Christine sighed.

            “Just wait until the Interterrestrial Talon Games,” Christine said defiantly out loud. The Interterrestrial Talon Games had been invented early on. It had been a tradition for as long as anyone could remember. Athletes from Kaneboro and Mythopia alike competed in physical and mental performance. Christine smiled as she thought about herself passing the finish line first…

            Suddenly, they were interrupted by screams. “BOMB!”

            Stephanie’s mouth dropped. “What?”

            “Where?” Christine narrowed her eyes. “Come on. Let’s check it out!”

            Sunny had spotted the bomb. This time, he made sure it was real. He had disrupted the fencing tournament and the plays, infuriating the cast once again. As if the Sunny -Haters March wasn’t bad enough…

            Tammy had also spotted the bomb. Others did as well.

            “There’s more than one,” Rose lamented.

            “Well, we’re going to have to defuse them or we could let it blow up,” Lauren replied.

            “Uh, no,” Holmes said.

            “Well, who’s the bomb expert here?” Christine asked.

            “Certainly not you,” Matt commented.

            “Err…well, duh!” Christine replied. She raised her fists.

            “Uh, oh,” Genia softly said.

            “Uh huh,” Stephanie added.

            “Who wants to stop them this time and not end up fighting?” Tammy inquired as she recalled what happened last time during the war.

            “Uh, why don’t we just break the bombs?” Blade suggested.

            “Because they might blow up,” David sighed.

            “Oh. I knew that.”

            “No, you didn’t.”

            “NO, you didn’t.”

            “Yes I did.”

            “Did not.”

            “Did too…”

            Tammy sighed. Now, there were two pairs of people fighting. There had been enough time wasted.

            “Well, let’s just fiddle around with them,” Sunny suggested. “Nothing’s going to trigger a bomb if it’s already triggered, right…?”

            Sir Jerry charged in on his horse. “Yeah, Stickemup, good horsey. What’s going on?”

            Tammy explained. Jerry was ecstatic.

            “I know how to defuse bombs!”

            Everyone stopped fighting and stared.

            “Why, hi, Jerry!” Matt exclaimed noticing his former squire for the first time.

            “Hi! Uh, well, bombs seem like evil things, so logically, all we have to do is destroy them and cut them down!” Jerry shouted.

            There were a bunch of groans.

            “Oh, Jerry…”

            “Matt, what kind of knightmaster were you!” Christine hollered.

            “A bad one, obviously,” Lauren muttered.

            “Hmm…Matt, remember what you did to disable the booster cannon? Well, do it to the bombs,” Tammy said.

            Matt blinked, nodded, and scurried off. Everyone else followed and scattered.

            Someone had disabled the majority of the scattered bombs. Who? No one knew. Matt disabled what he thought to be all of them. Everyone thought it was the last one until there was a big explosion by the theatre where the plays were. Out of the dust came the cast armed with bows and arrows.

            “Sunny!!! You ruined us again. Archers, take your mark! Shoot!” Natalie ordered.

            Sunny ducked, not that he had to. None of the arrows even hit close.

            “What kind of archers are you?!!” Elizabeth growled.

            “Uh, we’re not archers. We’re actors. Were not supposed to know how to shoot,” someone answered.

            Natalie groaned. She went for Sunny with a knife grumbling that if anyone did anything, it’d be wrong except when she did it herself.

            “Uh, Natalie?” Sunny dodged her attempts to harm him.

            “I’m going to kill you!”

            “If you touch me, that is.” Sunny disarmed the actress promptly.

            Natalie glared at him. “You could have at least apologized! Look!” She pointed at the wrecked theatre. People were still crawling out form the debris.  “You completely destroyed it!”

            “I didn’t do it!”

            “Yes you did.”

            “I swear I didn’t.”

            “Sure?” Elizabeth asked.

            “Yes!”

            “Well, then, who did it?”

            “We were trying to figure that out,” Rose said…

            The rest of the carnival was eventless except for Natalie’s other attempts to kill Sunny. Blade got disqualified from this tournament because he had missed his match. The same had happened with Tammy and Matt. Despite much argument, the three remained disqualified.

            “Why me?” Blade shouted. “I mean, seriously…”

            “Nothing to start a ruckus over, Blade,” Matt said.

            “But…but….WHY ME?”

            Everyone stared at him.

            “Blade…” David snorted with a laugh.

            The prince glared at him with sad eyes and turned to walk away. David shrugged and followed.

            Matt shook his head and glanced at Tammy, who was holding back giggles. Some things never changed, but some things were just totally unexpected.