Mao Mao's Sisters

A New Regiment

The royal bed chambers was adorned with gold lined pillars supporting the large ceiling overhead, fabulous drapes the caught in the light wind, the comfiest furniture made from the finest wood. If nowhere else, this was Snugglemane's safe space where he could find solace. Normally, he slept soundly in his bed, but for whatever reason he was finding it hard to fall back asleep. It felt as if his mattress was leaning to the side. Turning over, peering through his crusty lids, a figure sat on the edge of his bed, book in their hands.

Snugglemane jolted wide awake, throwing himself the opposite way, out of bed. "Sweet Ruby Pure Heart!" Snugglemane looked back, the figure's silhouette lit with the moonlight the leaked between the curtains. Snugglemane relaxed for a moment before jumping back into panic. Lunging for his nightstand, he scrambled to place his wig back onto his head. "W-what are you doing here?"

Ashaki held up a pair of books, marked with the roman numerals for twelve and fourteen. "Where is the journal for Snugglemane XIII?"

Snugglemane rolled his eyes, pulling himself back into bed. "Don't know, don't care. They're just old books nobody cares about."

"Well, I care," Ashaki flipped through the journals. "There's a whole section of history missing! At the beginning of fourteen, they talk about the Ruby Pure Heart, the twelve never talks about it. That means the Ruby Pure Heart wasn't discovered until the reign of the thirteenth."

"So?" Snugglemane curled up in his covers, trying to get back to sleep.

"So, what is the Ruby Pure Heart, really? A gem that size doesn't just form in the earth. And there's no facility in the world that can make, let alone house it." Ashaki rambled. "So where did it come from?"

"Look, I don't know, family legend says it's somewhere in the castle. If you want to check all the hidden rooms and passageways, be my guest." Snugglemane gestured to his bed chamber doors. "You have free reign of the castle."

Ashaki scoffed. Implying that she didn't have free reign before? Even if she didn't, nobody in the castle could stop her if they tried. "I've already searched the whole castle," Ashaki retorted. "All the passages, all the nooks, they're not here."

Snugglemane kneaded the mattress, making it nice and ready for their return to slumber. "How unfortunate. Now, if you'll excuse me." Snugglemane plopped down onto mattress, throwing the blanket over his head.

Ashaki cursed under her breath. Why did she think this bozo would be able to help her? Ashaki spent the next few hours wandering the halls of the castle, searching for anything they might've missed.

This was a waste of time. Ashaki thought to herself. I've already scanned the entire castle, there's nothing here I haven't already seen. Ashaki walked out onto the balcony, looking back and up to see the enormous Ruby Pure Heart. Just what are you?

•••

A new day, another training session. Adorabat could barely sleep, she was too excited. When Ashaki had told her that she was capable of Mystic Arts, she asked, almost begged, Mao Mao to let Ashaki teach her. Mao Mao, in turn, said it would be okay, granted he sit in on a few lessons, just to be sure Ashaki wasn't teaching her anything she shouldn't.

Adorabat flapped straight out of bed, soaring straight to the dojo. It was there that Ashaki was already there, leaning against the railing, with a cup of coffee in hand. Ashaki glanced over at her before taking another sip of her brew.

"Morning Aunt Ashaki!" Adorabat screeched. Ashaki flinched, smiling back.

"Morning," Ashaki mumbled. She struggled to stifle a yawn, setting the cup down on the floor. "Let's get to work." Ashaki sat down on the floor, resting back on her palms. "I think the easiest to start with, is chi control."