[~WRITE OFF THE BAT~] GETTING TO KNOW WHO?

Carie Shail is a 23 year old woman who's been successful throughout her whole life socially, economically, and health wise. But now that she's grown a bit she feels much more depressed about life when she reflects on the things she's done in her life. Bad things. However, she's very optimistic still and declares each day a new start.

Carie wakes up and rubs her groggy eyes, slapping the alarm clock off the desk and getting up. She stretches her self and declares:
"Today's a new day!"
She gathers some clothes to wear when she gets out of her steamy shower, and thinks of nothing but her love she's desperately trying to win over despite her ex-friend Veronica's equal attempts. She brushes her teeth then eats breakfast, realizing too late she should've flip flopped that order. She puts on her favorite tight fitting black shirt with the solar system on it and black jeans with a black leather purse. She wrestles her keys from her dog, Einstein, unlocks her door, and then throws the keys back to Einstein as she leaves for her college courses.

"Woooooo!" Carie yells.
"In your Faaaace!"
She publicly humilates everyone in the smoky bar at Air Hockey. It didn't use to be the most popular game in the bar, but Carie demanded the bartender play with her and the rest is history. Adam, the attractive hunk Carie adores, comes up to the Air Hockey table and puts on his best smile, making Carie swoon.
"May I play?"
Oh, and he's sooo polite. Veronice walks up behind Carie and slaps her on the back, urging her to play him.
"You'll only lose anyway."
She nods, determined. Carie and Adam ready themselves, and they start. carie tries her hardest throughout, but begins to go easy on Adam when she realizes he's becoming frustrated. And, of course she's focused on Adam, but she's also thinking of Veronica's new blemishes. It seems like there's always a new mark on her face everyday. It must be her job. Adam wins in the end, of course because Carie allowed him to.
"Told ya so." Veronica purses her lips and lets out an extremely high-pitched yell, then subsequently throws herself at Adam which induces a perfect smile from Adam. Carie turns a certain shade of green at this and barely holds in her vomit.
Adam then pries Veronica off of him and talks to Carie almost affectionately.
"Good game. I like a girl who knows when to hold back."
Veronica scrunches her nose up, which Carie always thought looked like a pug - thus inducing much snorting like laughter from Carie that was cute enough that Adam couldn't help but laugh along with her.

The proctor handed out the tubes of sugar. The students were to identity the suger they were given. Some of the earlier questions had put an idea in Carie's head.
"Proctor?"
"Yes, Carie?"
"...Is there fructose in one of these?"
"You know I can't tell you that."
Carie was excited now. If there truly was fructose in her test tube, she could easily test for it in one test. If the number that results when the sugar is tested with the infractor is negative, she will have fructose as it is the only sugar with negative infraction. Since no one was using the infractor, Carie did the infractor test first. It takes awhile so she decided to take a little nap, but the second she laid her head down she smelled fire.
"Huh?"
Carie's hair was on fire! To put it out, she tried to do that weird head thing she'd seen girls on the television do when they flip their hair. When it didn't work, she laid her hair on the gorund by bending over and dancing on her hair. Veronica laughed in the corner. Carie had accidentally lit herself on fire with a nearby bunsen burner! Luckily, she put it out. Since it had been about 20 minutes for that to be over with, Carie checked the sugar. The number was negative.
Carie smiled. Adam came over after she got out of the class and explained how Veronica had lit Carie's hair on fire. And, he'd dumped her for being such a horrible human being.
Carie smiled again.

Adam offered to take Carie to the local ice cream shop as an apology on Veronica's half. Carie, obviously, declared yes immediately and practically dragged him there. He only smiled and laughed his perfect smile at this, as laid back as he was. Carie ate hare ice cream - double banana chocolate oozer- in a flash and poured everything that had been happening to her lately onto him. He never questioned any weird detail, was never rude, and knew the perfect things to say. and when it was his turn to speak, he suggested they go to the movies. They watched his favorite movie there, which Carie enjoyed a lot. She didn't object when he slid arm around he shoulder. Maybe the tiniest squeak to show how much she wanted him to go farther, but nothing more. He didn't go farther that night, but she was left desiring to see him again.

But if only our poor, poor Carie had known. She may be alive to this day. Adam, her perfect hunk was not who he appeared to be. In fact, he was the little child all those years ago she had harmed. Carie was 15 at the time... She was babysitting little Tommy. That night...she had been drinking - not her best decision. She was horribly drunk. She was just...horrible. Carie had been playing with the baby and it had kicked her in her stomach.
"Do you know who I AM?!"
The baby laughed, not aware of its fate or Carie's mental state. Carie...why? Why did you throw that child out the window? And why...did you horribly mame the other...? He had come across her injuring the baby and Carie began to bash in his face...over and over again. Adam's face had been ruined and the baby killed. Carie did what she could to forget and she was successful. The effects of that night on her life were disastrous but no one but the parents ever knew exactly why she was sent to jail after she forgot...

The morning after Carie's beautiful day with Adam, she heard a knock at her door. She recited her usual morning sentence:
"Today's a new day."
Carie then dashed to the door an found what she was hoping for: Adam. He had come to invite her to a dinner with his parent's. Carie, not remembering any of her past misdemeanors against Adam, was happy to oblige.

Adam motioned for her to knock on his door, and smiled very warmly at her. She melted under his gaze, and knocked on the door. Two very haggard looking people, a man and a woman appear. And they smile warmly.
"This must be Carie!" the woman exclaims happily. Carie is glad the mother likes her, but the father seems very solemn. Regardless, they allow the two of them inside and the dinner goes swimmingly. Carie is gushed over the entire time by Adam's mother, and simply looked at by Adam's father. Afterwards, while Adam is walking Carie home, it starts to downpour. Since neither of them had an umbrella and Adam's house was close-by, they went there. Adam took off his wet shirt to throw it in the laundry, revealing perfect abs... While Carie was staring Adam made his move, kissing her tenderly.

Carie ran for her life but couldn't quite get away from her pursuer, Adam. He got her and whispered in here ear with a dangerous tone.
"Don't you want a hug, Carie?" He brought his knife up to her neck, invoking the tears Adam longed for Carie to cry.
"I'm going to kill you."
Why...? The sound of police sirens could be heard in the distance. Carie had called the police earlier when she first had first suspected Adam wanted her blood.
"Shit, shit!" Adam went into a cursing storm.
"You called didn't you?!"
Carie, taking Adam off guard, kicked him in the shin.
"AUgggghh! You little bitch!" She ran, the melodic, sexy voice of the man she loved pursuing her. Once in his kitchen, Carie grabbed a frying pan, hid in the cupboard and waited. Adam opened it and smiled a cold, cruel smile. Here, everything is a blur of frying pan strikes, a stab to Carie's shoulder and the police rescue. Carie supposed this was a formal breakup.

To deal with her sorrows, Carie would eat tons upon tons of of marshmallow fluff. It was the only thing that helped her, but ironically she was allergic. There were no serious injuries to her health, but she was completely depressed after a visit to the hospital.

A good friend of Carie's, Joe Berdardi, invited her to stay the night at his house to cheer her up. Since she was in no mood for a conflict on any level, she agreed to come over. Joe had been a friend of Carie's since before even her darkest secret. In fact he kno's her secret and every other secret she has as well. He chose long ago that if her brain wouldn't allow her to remember, he shouldn't remind her. Joe rocked a small beard -the kind that connects with the mustache and then goes up his cheeks to connect to his brown, rough hair. And while Joe was no Adam, he did take care of his body best as he could manage on a college man's budget. His dorm room belonged to only himself, which was a rarity in this particular college, but very fortunate. It contained red walls, a small tv and desktop computer as well as a tiny couch and a door leading to the bathroom, though no door to Joe's bedroom as he sleeps on his tiny couch. Carie knocked on the door out of courtesy, but the two were close enough that it was but a formality.
"Come in!"

Carie had been allergic to dogs her whole life, but, oddly, she's always had one. Well, almost always. Her faithful friend was hit by a car a year or so before and she had just gotten over it.
"Hey, look 'oo it' ees!"
"Hello, Clavin" Carie's known Clavin for a while, but always thought him disgusting and immoral for the most part. Good thing she isn't here too often. Carie looked at the weasels, parrots, and the pigs, but found her self predictably drawn to the dog cages. all of them looked like they'd be her best friend for life...but which one does she want? then, suddenly, she sees it. The perfect dog. Well, for her anyway. It looked a lot like her old one; white, short fur, short in general, brown spots. It was a Pit Bull. She could hardly contain her excitement. The dog, not sharing her enthusiasm, looked at her in an almost annoyed, bored look.
"This one! This one is mine!"

Carie had invited Joe over to have Christmas dinner with her. Stormy II, her Pit Bull, was gnawing at the itchy Christmas jacket Carie had put on him, when Joe came in. He had brought Carie a gift. Her favorite gift. Chocolate!
"Ahhhh!" Carie rushed to Joe and almost tackled him before refraining. She put on her cutest face - it went splendidly with the green elf hat she was wearing.
"Is that for me?"
"Nope." Joe bites it and Carie cannot help but frown.
"Ah, sure why not?" Joe gave her the candy bar, contenting her for the rest of the night. Incidentally, Carie also got plenty of alcohol in her system that night. And Joe got quite the surprise when Carei attacked his lips with hers under the mistletoe, then subsequently jumping up for him to catch her. He...didn't. Joe apologized afterwards however.

One day, Carie was walking down the street pondering. She was pondering hwo she was to pay her rent which had been raised. Looking down at the ground, she appeared very depressed so when Joe had happened to see her, he went to comfort her. She couldn't help but giggle, and gave him a nice kiss on his lips, they officially being a couple now and all. Joe had to go to work soon, so he ran off. Though, Carie had noticed...his wallet had fallen out of his back pocket. After much deliberation and desire to not do the bad thing, Carie pocketed his wallet and returned to her apartment. It couldn't matter much, right? They were going to move in together soon anyway.

Carie had invited Joe and a few of his and her friend to play Tshuchball one day. Stormy would be the mascot in yet another itchy sweater with the words "Go Carie!" scrawled in large letters on it. Joe and Carie would face off, the loser has to do whatever the winner says for a few hours afterwards.
"Ready? Go!"
Carie pushed the ball towards a teammate of hers and he took two steps to a net, and passed back to Carie who was running towards the net. She jumped over the D-shaped area she was not allowed to touch and elegantly threw the ball in. Steve, one of Joe's member went to catch and fumbled. Point for Carie!

...

It continued on like this until Joe gave up. Carie relished her victory and ordered Joe inside.
"In the room. Okay, now pull down your pants. Yes, and your underwear silly."
Carie was in complete control. Joe didn't mind.

"Cariiiieee!!!"
"S-Stay away!"
Carie ran down the alley way, fleeing the shade that was her ex-boyfriend Adam. Down the hill she went, tumbling all the way, but Adam followed even still How relentless! She climbed up a tree and stayed there. Adam, for soem reason could not get a good grip on the tree and get up. Carie takes off her shoe and throws it at him.
"Fuck off!"
He leaves eventually but Carie realizes she's lost. She's in a random tree, in a random field. She can see no signs of the city she holds so dear. Deciding it was of no matter at the moment, she slept in the tree for the night. The baby she hold in her womb kicked hard. She could tell it was coming soon...

She dreamed of many things. Her childhood specifically...she was always loved but...her home life was horrible. Her father would always be so happy and exclaim "Today's a new day!". She remembers in the dream, her getting beat. The baby kicks and she moves on to another dream. Regardless, Carie no longer wanted to exclaim "Today's a new day!"

The alien creature broke free from her, coming out with her spleen and intestines. Before she could even yelp, Carie was being strangledwith her won intestine, by the odd Kappa like beast.
"W-why?!"
"Heeheheheheeeehhhhheeeehehheheheheheeehheee"
*Boom*

It was coming. Carie had fallen out of the tree and now it was coming.
"Aaaaggghhhh!" This wasn't right, she didn't feel the water break... Did it happen while she slept? Regardless, the baby was forcing its way out now...at such a horrible time...Joe's darling child was coming. And it was almost out! Did she...SLEEP through most of this? Impossible! Did Adam put something in her that would make her sleep like that? But...?! ! ! Oh! There it is. The baby had come out normal. There wasn't even blood. Not from Carie anyway. when she fell, she hit the baby's head. Its skull had been crush. Her baby was dead.

No... the baby lay dead on the ground, Carie still connected.
"Today's a new day."
Adam reveals himself. He's holding a knife.
"Today's a new day...today's a new day... today's..."
Carie doesn't seem to care. She's snapped...repeating her abusive father's words, cradling the mangled child of the one she loves in her hand.
"Today's a new day..." She whispered to its corpse. She had snapped but remembered what she did to Adam. He was behind her now. His knife to her throat. He pushes down hard. And stabs. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again.
"Today's a new day."

Name: Princess Maki of the Handroll Dynasty
Sex: female
Race: Unagese
Age: 19 1/2
Growing up in the great city of Takoyaki, in the royal palace, Maki did not know much of the outside world. Even the great city was kept from her, out of safety. Her mother, Soba was very sympathetic in this regard and often snuck Maki photos, books and brought in storytellers while Father was away on business. With an unusual high intellect, she seemed to memorise everything in these stories and pictures. When it came time to learn traditional arts such as painting, her father believed Maki was gifted because of the precision she painted scenes of stories she had never officially been told. Too ashamed to say anything otherwise, Maki's mother insisted it may be true as well. 
All through her youth, Maki was taught that she was special. When it came to light that she did not have special powers, Maki was already 9. Ever since, she has been struggling to regain the respect of her father. Turning all of her study on the art of war, learning under General Tao, a foreigner who had relocated to Takoyaki during the Great Siege of Dim Sum. 
General Tao also instructed her in the deadly art of Kung Pao. A focused student, Maki outgrew her master's expectations in a short period of time. 
The day came when her father fell ill, and her mother had yet to rear a boy. Politicians feared there would never be a Handroll successor, so suitors were sent to Maki's mother's room each night until they discovered Maki's mother was again pregnant.
In her rage at the politician's action, Maki took a knife to her mother's stomache and attempted to terminate the bastard child within. Yet her unskilled hands killed her mother in the process.
Meanwhile her father's illness took his life. 
Left alone, the politicians were left no choice but to put Maki on the throne. When the public came to understand the nature of a woman's succession, there was a great uprising. Yet, her knowledge in the art of war led to cold, calculating counter measures, and before long, the public was subdued. 

Then Food Fight 2 began across the planet of Pinfoot. There was a clear divide, and her country was yet to join a side. Though she had been too young to truly remember Food Fight 1, the reverberations of 100 years of occupation by the Unsalted Kingdom left the country of Unagi with a bad taste in their mouths. 
Determined to distance her country from the Unsalted Kingdom, Unagi alligned their army with the Sauerkraut nation. As a result, there was a kidnapping attempt on her by the royalty of Popcornia and Gourd Valley. She managed to kill one of them, and captured the other brother, Prince Jacob Portabello. 
During the Prince's year-long incarceration, Maki became council to the Mask of Wasabi ninja clan. Under their instruction, she was to wed Prince Jacob to ensnare the enemy nations in a royal bond that would possibly turn the tide of war. However, this dark plot failed, as Jacob escaped. In her rage, she sent the Mask to assassinate the Prince. Unknowing to the movements in his own life that would hide his existence for the next few years.
As the Food Fight came to a close, her nation was weather-worn from war. The Sashimi lords to the north and south began their plot in shadows to overthrow and usurp Maki.
The cold chill of betrayal finally reached Maki, she was alone in the world and she knew that now. Truly alone.
Maki heard that Prince Jacob had returned to Unagi. He came with two others. A gypsy and a wizard. When Jacob came to her, seeking answers as to why he was still being hunted by the Mask of Wasabi. Instead of answers, he found Maki waiting with tea. She admitted that the offer for marriage in exchange for his life was still open.
Despite grave warnings that Jacob would be dooming the universe from the gypsy travelling with him, the Prince agreed to this union. 
As the few years leading to Maki's age of 18 passed, Prince Jacob became involved with a foreign woman who was conferring with the warlords who had tried to usurp her and still silently were waiting. Maki's cold fury could not save anyone, as she gained the power of a genie the foriegn woman was trying to destroy. She blanketted her nation in an ice age and attempted to take the lives of all those connected to the romantic entanglement before moving her sights to all romance in the universe...

Before her morning tea, she is greated with breakfast in bed. Usually a quail's egg on a small bowl of rice.
After tea, her maid combs her hair for one hour while her body soaks in a bath.
Meanwhile her nails are done.
Once all this is complete, Maki dresses and begins to address the business of the day.

Besides the deadly art of Kung Pao, Maki only plays one game: Mahjongg. Her quick strokes have bested some of the finest Mahjongg players in all of Unagi. Yet she is far from the best.
Her stragedy, depends on forcing a player to believe she is leading them into a trap so that they will quickly play an exit stragedy. Only to find they are being led into the actual trap.
Should a player learn her original plan, and call her bluff by heading into the trap, they will find that the first trap was not a lie.
For the most part, it is an ironclad winning stragedy. To the truly practiced, however, a pure offensive stragedy throws off Maki's game, breaking her concentration and making her flustered.
Maki struggles when she is not in control.

Because Maki is accustomed to being two steps ahead of every move, her greatest weakness is being in an uncontrolled or planned for situation.
Should the danger be predetermined, Maki is well endowed with fighting powers to handle what is coming.
Yet, if the danger is unexpected -- or more than expected -- she is defenseless, trying weakly to determine a winning stragedy, but unable to cope with the uncontrolled possibilities.
Usually, this means she will stand there, dumbfounded as a giant fireball soars towards her.

Maki is used to being alone. If anything, she enjoys the controlled factors of having no one there to upset the balance. However, she does not enjoy the emptiness in her heart. When romance blooms, Maki finds it a difficult struggle to accept the feelings that upset her life, and redraws from the situation, as being filled with sorrow is a far easier substitute to keep in check than the boundless improbability of love and romance.

She killed her unborn brother. Not just out of rage at her father for subjecting her mother to rape, but for the trouble that boy would cause. She was afraid of becoming less than she already was in her fathers eyes. 
It took years of meditation to realise her true motives. As the initial fury had been so blinding.
The dark secret is the motive, not so much the act.

the morning after consemating her marriage to Prince Jacob she retired to the usual routine as if nothing had happened. She felt violated. Both by her haunting past male encounters, and by the selfish lovemaking of the Prince. Perhaps even resentful at herself for laying there and commiting to a marriage that still did not fill her empty heart.

When she was six years old, Maki perched on her father's lap. While her father ate, she told the story of the Six Tailed Pig, along with the accompanyment of her painting. The dining room was lined with government officials, and her mother was kneeling near the wall.
"Do you hear this?" her father had asked the other men at the table. "My daughter, the prophet!"
"It is a pity that she were not a son, for such a mind would make a good ruler," noted a governer.
"Do you have something you wish to say, Mr Chirashizushi?" Maki's father asked.
Bowing, Mr Chirashizushi said, "Of course not, I would not dream of it."
"Very well then," said Maki's father.
"By the way, when will we see a successor, Yukhoe Temaki-tennō?" Mr Chirashizushi added carefully, as he slid a piece of fish between his lips.
"Such discussion at dinner, governer. You sound as if you hold my daughter in disdain."
"Of course not, Temaki-tennō. I merely meant to indicate that you will not a boy to succeed you."
Maki's father picked his daughter up off his lap and shoo'd her away. "This matter I am well aware of, Mr Chirashizushi. My wife and I will have a boy soon." Yukhoe Temaki sipped his tea before adding. "He shall fill us with joy and the Handroll Dynasty shall prosper."
As Maki stood near her mother, painting in hand, she asked, "Do I fill you with joy, father?"
Yukhoe did not glance at her, but sipped his tea between bites of fish.
"Why is it that our tennō insists on having women in the dining room?" Mr Chirashizushi asked politely.
At this Maki's father nodded to Maki's mother, and Maki found herself being dragged away.

It was a cold winter's night inside Maki's heart. Truly she had felt nothing by Prince Jacob's presence in her life. Romance came to Maki like walking on thin glass. When she heard the news that he was seeing another woman, Maki found herself tumbling down as shards of her heart splintered everywhere.
Wandering the halls of the palace, the emperess found herself at Jacob's door. True to the report, his imported bed was empty. Entering the room, Maki snapped. His scent was everywhere! She began to rip his room apart, even so much as flipping his matress. Amidst the chaos, a purple jelly bean the size of a coconut landed by her feet. Bending down she examined the thing. Part of her wanted to rip in bean in half, however, she lacked the sufficient strength. Flopping on Jacob's flipped matress, Jelly Bean in hand, Maki curled into the fetal position.
She quietly cried to herself, "I wish I could control this feeling!"
To her surprise, the Jelly Bean began to glow. A flash of purple shot from the within, passing around the room, and came crashing into Maki. Purple light billowed from Maki's eyes and mouth. She lifted off the ground as if held by an invisible string, and the light blasted across her body for a moment. When it cooled, she found herself kneeling on the ground naked. Steam billowed off every inch of her form, skewing any details from prying eyes. 
After a moment, Maki stirred. Looking around in a dazzed sort of fashion, she realised the pain inside had gone away. Satisfied with this outcome, she looked to the purple Jelly Bean and wondered to herself what in the world had transpired. Why would Jacob be hiding an object such as this in his room? Clearly it was a magical device. Perhaps, and it was a stray thought, this was a sort of genie. The storytellers spoke of them coming in all sorts of forms or vessels. 
Tentatively closing her eyes, she reached for the Jelly Bean. With it held in her hand, Maki said evenly, "I wish to be a Bubblegum Mage."
Nothing happened. In that case, the genie thing was silly. Things like that didn't happen really. 
Without a glance, Maki dropped the bean and walked across the soft floor of the palace to her throne room. At least while her mind and heart were sober, she could have that no-good husband murdered.

Standing in the palace gardens, her personal servant at her side, Maki asked a simple question.
"Miso-chan, do you know the story of the Okonomiyaki bloom?"
"No, Makisama," said the servant, Miso Shiru. Bowing, she quickly added, "Won't you please tell me it?"
Staring up at the blooming of her cherry trees, the two of them were surrounded by the serene snowfall of pedals. 
"There was once a giant, dead Okonomiyaki tree atop a hill outside a small village. Once every 2 years, a single blossom would grow and bless the village with a good harvest. The farmers all lived by a strict code to keep the tree safe and hidden from the world. Years and years went by until the original farmers who believed in this blossom all died. Finally, a greedy farmer came and chopped down the Okonomiyaki tree to build a new bar . At once, the land refused to grow anything, except sour grapes. The farmer soon died of starvation and poverty."
"That is a sad story, Makisama."
Smiling to the falling blossoms, Maki said, "No, it is a happy story. Those who do not covet what is sacred are punished."
Thinking best to stay silent, the servant girl let her master have this simple joy.

Due only to her curiosity in the nature of having a girl friend, Maki arranged for a sleep over to occur with the Mayor of Teriyaki's daughter who was her age. Her name was Tamagoyaki
At seven o'clock, Maki received her guest and the two immediately retired to have tea. As if it were a scandal, Maki brought out a napkin filled with sugar cookies from her komono. 
After tea, the two girls played five rounds of Mah-Jongg. Of course, Maki utterly defeated the mayor's daughter.
After this, the two had their nails done while listening to a storyteller. Which was difficult because Maki kept correcting him. When the storyteller continued to butcher her favourite story, How the Mouse ate Cheese and Rice, Maki sentenced the storyteller to have his tongue removed. 
Afraid of her ruler, Tamagoyaki insisted she was growing tired and wished to sleep. At this prompt, Maki gladly escorted her guest to the guest room. There they had a ten minute pillow fight that Maki viciously won. Followed by this a warm bath and sauna, followed by tea. And then promptly at ten o'clock, Maki's servant, Miso showed Tamagoyaki to her sleeping chamber on the other side of the palace from Maki's chamber.
After midnight (12:01 am) Tamagoyaki was awoken by Maki who asked politely to crawl into bed with her. Now, afraid for her life, Tamagoyaki listened sleeplessly as Maki gossiped with her about the trials and tribulations of ruling a dynasty.
The next morning, the two followed Maki's morning routine, and Tamagoyaki was returned to the Mayor of Teriyaki. There was no promise of a sleepover, nor was there a repeat.

To amuse herself on cold winter nights, Maki decided to obtain a rare pet of some type. So, she went shopping in the only place she knew where animals were kept: the zoo. 
After trying out an animal cracker rhinoceros, a lime parrot, a stripeless liquorice zebra,  an all-you-can-eat orangu-tan, and a gummy worm, Maki was unsatisfied. Not only were theses pets unorganised, unruly, and uncoth, they were messy! At length, her sights set on a group of Mochi koi fish.
They were simple, elegant, and above all else, soothing. 
The following morning, a koi pond was dug into the garden, and each day after lunch, Maki would feed her fish. These were her only companions. Until a cold winter froze the pond, and they all died.

The entire dining hall was decorated in red and orange, a dragon dancer was hired, and bards sang for Maki on the adopted New Year's Day holiday. Seeing how much fun it was in spring time, Maki decided they would do this twice a year. Once to celebrate a new summer, and once to celebrate with the western civilizations.
Sitting in her throne she watched the dragon dancer in amusement. Only Miso, her servant, sat beside her. After the dance, Maki allowed Miso to dine with her. They ate expensive sashimi and drank a glass of saki.
After Maki went to bed at 10 o'clock, Miso would trot off to her real friends and family to celebrate with the many leftover sashimi and saki botttles.
Maki was quick to calculate Miso's actions, but as it only happened once a year, she allowed it. Though, was secretly envious of Miso.

Kneeling by her mother's room inside a hidden passageway, Maki peeked through a side door that was opened a crack. As she had wanted to ask her mother for a story before bed, she was surprised to see a business man enter the room abruptly. He was unfacening his tie while sliding the door closed. 
To her fright, Maki watched her mother begin to yell at the intruder before being shoved to the floor. While the man proceeded to lower himself, Maki could not look away, and fearing that her mother was in danger, bolted into the room. She tried to beat the man, but he simply backhanded the little girl, sending her across the room.
The screams haunted Maki for months.
The next few days were much the same. The point that Maki wanted to kill the attackers. She protested to her father, who was sick in his deathbed, however he would not heed her. 
The politicians who were overseeing the Dynasty ruler's healing kept telling her that they needed a boy to rule. That her mother must be strong and produce one. 
When the triumphant news came of her mother's next pregnancy, Maki was drained of all childhood. Knowing full well what she must do to save her mother, Maki stole her father's katana and waited until her mother had fallen asleep. It the dead of night, Maki held the katana above her mother's stomach. She held it there for a long time. It felt like forever. Then, determined to save her mother, Maki began to cut out the womb with her undeveloped brother inside.
The screams haunted Maki for the rest of her life.

There was only two sports that caught Maki's attention. Ping Pong and mortal combat. Both were fierce competative eents that pit opponents against each other to test the mettle and wit in a flurry of action.
Neither spared the opponent a moment to collect their wits, and instead forced both parties to think on the spot. Given that Maki lacked this particular ability, her curiosity was pulled in. 
Betting was usually encouraged at these events, which was something else she could not control. However, through statistical analysis, Maki did keep on top of her game.
Otherwise, she found sports to be routine and boring. These never held her attention through a season, or even on a regular basis. Sports, to the ruler of the Handroll Dynasty, were a rare treat.

While walking around the city of Takoyaki, Maki and Miso went shopping for shoes, because the princess was told this was what girls were supposed to do. 
Feeling foreign to the city, Maki was easily distracted. A mah jongg piece seller pulled Maki's interest, derailing her abruptly from Miso who was haggling with a shoe merchant.
A man-drawn cart came between the two women and each noticed the separation at the same time, each went the opposite direction to look for one another. After turning left and right, left and right through the busy marketplace, Maki arrived at a small, out-of-the-way dumpling shop. Just then, a horse drawn cart splashed her with mud.
Distressed about being lost, she turned to passers by for help, claiming that she was the princess of the dynasty. No one believed her, and chastised her for pretending such nonsense. No princess of theirs would be filthy and alone like this. The nerve!
Alone and filthy. With not a friend in the world. 
Disgusted with herself, Maki took charge. She tore her long komono so it was easier to move in, and began to climb. At the top of the nearest building she was able see the sprawling bowl of Takoyaki City. Dead in the center stood the two towering chopsticks, and between them, the Palace. How had she come so far? From here it was a mile, or three from the center of the bowl.
Looking around, her torn komono billowing in the wind, Maki saw she was standing a few houses away from a temple in the shadows of the bowl.
Curiousity driving her, Maki began crossing rooftops to reach this temple. At the doorstep, she was awestruck by the sheer size of the doors. Alas, they moved with ease and soon she stood silhouetted in the doorway. 
Undeterred by the looming fact she was scarcely allowed out of the palace, Maki continued inward. The temple appeared to be empty, until she reached a small zen garden. There was a rotund sort of fellow there, carving patterns into the sand.
"Who are you?" Maki demanded.
The old, rotund man continued his task, uninterrupted.
"I asked you a question!" Maki roared, growing increasingly disappointed.
"The tortoise does not shed, despite the weight of his shell," said the old man calmly.
"Patience is a virtue," the princess recited. "Are you a storyteller?"
"Each man has a story to tell," the old man said, raking around a rock.
"What is this place?" Maki asked.
"Remember your lessons," said the old man. He began to sing to himself as he moved about the zen garden.
Impatiently, Maki waited. She waited and waited. As she waited, she began to slip into a slumber. Suddenly, the old man was above her, rake at the throat.
"The bird who cleans the crocodile's teeth thinks itself protected," said the old man.
"Trust no one," Maki recited, knowing this tale as well.
"Very good. Your lesson master must have been both wise and intelligent."
"That's the same thing," Maki protested, pushing the rake away.
"Far from it. Remember, the hippo and the snake."
"A fool may know much, and a cunning man may know little. Yes. My apologizes. My sensai was General Tao."
"In what manner, I wonder. Certainly not manners." the old man began to lean on his rake, as if the years had taken their toll. 
"What's an old man like you doing in a big, empty temple like this?"
"Ah, well. We old men have a way of being in places we need to be. The real question, is how long will it take the palace guards to find out their precious princess is missing."
Angry, the Princess yelled, "You knew my station, yet you attack! Who are you? Your princess demands it!"
"Oh, the princess? I am honoured. It has been many years. Since the princesses memory is so short, I shall explain. My name is General Toriniku Tao. At least that was my rank when I was in your father's employ."
Pulling herself together, the princess looked around her. "My apologies. You were supposed to be dead."
"Ha!" is that what your cowardly father told you?" the old man laughed.
"Dare you insult my father?" Maki snarled.
"Yes, and there is nothing you can do about it," Tao explained. "Alright, enough jokes. You are in no temple. This is the Hall of Wasabi. It is also not empty."
The old man clapped his hands together, and a hundred ninja assassins fell skillfully to the ground. They had come from the ceiling like shadow. Strangely, Maki had even looked at the ceiling. 
"It would appear your services will be needed in the near future. Naturally, I propose a mutually beneficial arrangement."
Maki began backing away towards the door and found herself blocked by the ninja. 
"Princess, you have been invited into the Mask of Wasabi. We could not simply allow you to leave," explained Tao.
"My soldiers will come looking for me!" Maki protested.
"They will find you," said Tao. "Though they may not like what they find."
"Is that a threat?" Maki growled.
In an instant the old man was in her face. "Princess, you are truly lost here."

"What happens next?"
Bouncing on her father's knee, holding a new painting, she recited, "Then the fox comes out of the hole, and it was safe. Summer had come."
"Very good!" Maki's father congradulated.
Bowing, a reporter said, "Temaki-tennō has a true prodigy!"
Smiling, Maki's father announced, "She has come to these stories in her dreams."
A incredibulous expression on his face, the reporter said, "Ah! Is that so?"
Maki glanced at her mother, who was obediently kneeling by the door. Her mother gave her a knowing nod, which Maki continued to the reporter. 
"Hai! Next is the story of the tenuki and the empty dumpling hill," Maki said cheerily, holding up another painting.

The world was black and white. She stood in the palace throne room. Behind her, a tiger sat in a cage with a dead butterfly beside it. In her hand, she held her father, at the neck. He was dead. Against her better judgement, she threw him through a mirror sitting on the throne.
Suddenly, invisible bondage snagged her arms and legs. Maki felt herself thrust against the far wall, held in place. Before her, a witch stood with her hands coiled in a spell.
Unable to break free, Maki screamed in agony and began to fall into an endless pit. The sensation of hitting the ground crashed her awake, yet she remained alive in her satin sheets. Her porcelain body was unscathed by the ordeal. 
Crossing her bed chamber to a small mirror and wash basin, Maki smoothed some scented water across her skin and peered into her reflection. The blank, fixed expression of her porcelain face cracked at the seams as her mouth broke into a laugh. The cracks continued until her entire face fell right off, leaving a gaping hole in her head.
Again, Maki woke. Her porcelain body clinked as she exited the bed. Timidly, she crossed again to her mirror and looked for a time at it.
The expression was the same as always. 
Splashing some water across it, Maki woke herself up. It had all been a terrible dream.

"Yukhoe!" screamed a woman. "Yukhoe!"
"I am here."
A young Yukhoe Temaki knelt beside a pregnant woman. She appaeared to be Unsalted, and definitely not from Unagi. Nonetheless, this child was coming. 
Colonel Tao was between her legs, instructing the proceedings.
"Breath, Maki. Breath," he said. "The head is crowning, you are nearly there."
"Is there any way this could go quicker?" Yukhoe cursed, trying to sound happy.
"The flower blossoms when the sun rises," Tao said calmly.
"Yes, yes! It is just, I am losing the feeling in my hand," Yukhoe wheezed.
Ignoring the ruler, Tao instructed, "Big push, now. Makisama, you are doing most excellently."
"Yes, agreed!" said Yukhoe.
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaa!" came a sudden cry, waking Yukhoe from being passed out.
"Ah, life is loud, and death is silent..." Colonel Tao sighed. He bundled the baby in a spare komono, and handed it to Yukhoe.
"Congradulations, your honour. You are the father of a baby girl."
While Yukhoe overjoyed himself at the sight of this crying baby, he failed to notice Tao take off his hat. "Darling, she is beautiful!"
With a proud smile, Yukhoe showed the babe to his love. Slowly, his smile fell. To spare the ruler further pain, he covered the body with his cloak, and quickly ushered the ruler from the room.
"Come sire. I must insist. With each life, there is death. The sun will rise only when the moon has fallen."
"Silence your proverbs! My bride-to-be! Is she truly? Dare not tell me Maki has---" the ruler choked on his words. Feeling his cue, Colonel Tao snatched the baby from the ruler's hands. 
"Forgive me, your eminence. Be with her, I shall tend to this one."
Pulling the limb body into his arms, Yukhoe sat in bitter silence for a time. It was the next day when he had been found there, fallen asleep with Maki laying before him. 
The service was later that day, and it seemed to all who knew him that Yukhoe was unusually stoic and withdrawn than usual. Though, it was easily understandable...
The question remained, who would wed Yukhoe Temaki? There needed to be a boy in the palace to succeed his father when the time came. While many quietly rejoiced at the birth of Yukhoe's new daughter, all understood the circumstances. 
Politicians instantly began to plan a marriage to one of the ruler's other candidates...

Held against the wall by invisible bonds, Maki tried to send out her love decaying powers to such an extreme that all around her would dwindle into apathy. However, there were these bubbles on her hads. They seemed to be made of concrete. 
Before her, the blasted witch and wizard stood. While the witch held Maki in place, the wizard began to speak.
"There's no words for what you've been through. The absence of love in your life saddens me... Yet, it is no reason to ruin the lives of others for your selfish gain!" The Wizard raised his staff, and declared, "Fondue!"
A torrent of gravy issued from the Wizard's staff, flowing through Maki's body. The scorching pain seemed to unity across all her nerve endings. There was no scream loud enough to convey how truly horrible this felt. When it had ended, she collapsed to the floor. She was human again. No more porcelain skin...
The wizard had devolved her to her natural state.
Just then, an apple let the tiger free from his cage, and the dead butterfly came to life. A woman blinked awake and saw the Wizard.
"Mal!" she cried, running into an embrace. 
"Sandy!" the Wizard dropped his staff and held her tight as if they had been through a horrible ordeal.
The witch then lifted Maki to her feet. "It's all over," she said. "Everything will be alright."
Maki raised bitter eyes to the wizard and the woman. They were kissing passionately. Across the room, a man in samurai armor woke to see the butterfly glow and metamorph into a human. The two men embraced also.
The tiger wandered over to a lotus bloom that too transformed into a white tiger. The first tiger appeared surprised and baffled, but the white tiger nudged him with her head. The two tigers instantly began nuzzling one another.
It was happening everywhere, Maki could feel it. The wizard had taken away her powers, but she could still sense it! People all across Unagi, across Pinfoot... Across the universe! Love was everywhere! It throbbed into her like a thousand beating hearts surrounding her head. Unbalanced be that loathesome emotion, Maki tottered away from the witch, and heaved against a wall for support, forgetting that she insisted the walls be made of paper.
In the hallway, Maki stumbled towards her room, to get away or hide from it. The pain was unbareable. All her life flashed before her eyes, and it just hurt more! In the bathroom of her room, she stared at the reflection of her face. She was crying. Laughing in hysterics, she began to pound on the mirror with her hands until her reflection cracked and cracked.
Her dream was real. It had been a true preminition. 
Following her dream's advice, she began to carve a hole where her face should be with the broken glass.