Liar, Liar, the Mage's Desire Vol. 3 (Return of the Oumeno)

Kokichi Meets Himiko's Mom (5)

    "WHAT?! " Kokichi exclaimed incredulously. He didn't know what Fumiko's deal was, but he didn't have time to ask. He looked around wildly for another broom, spotting one on the porch leaning against the wall. He raced towards it and grabbed it. He mounted it, but it didn't take flight. 

  "D'oh, come on, you stupid broom! Fly! FLY!! " Kokichi yelled. He hopped up and down madly, but now matter how hard he tried, the broom didn't respond to his command.

  "Ah-ah-aaahhh...only someone with magic can fly a broom," Fumiko said, wagging her finger at him. Glaring at her, Kokichi threw the broom down.

   "Will you stop trying to kill your daughter?! What's wrong with you?!" he demanded angrily. 

   "Kill her? Why would I do such a thing?" Fumiko asked, grinning slyly at Kokichi. "This is simply a mage's way of having fun."

   "Himiko doesn't look like she's having fun!" Kokichi countered, gesturing to Himiko, who was still being yanked around on the crazy broom. 

   "Nonsense!" Fumiko answered nonchalantly. Kokichi wanted to jump on her and snatch her wand from her, but he knew he didn't stand a chance against her magic. He looked up at Himiko, thinking of how to rescue her. Suddenly, his hat began to glow and vibrate. He removed it with curiosity. The glow inside the hat was stronger, as if telling Kokichi to reach inside. Kokichi did just that, and pulled out a pogo stick.

  "A...A pogo stick?!" he muttered in confusion. "No, no! I need something else!" He placed his hand back inside the hat, but the hat's glow had been subdued. Kokichi couldn't feel anymore objects inside. "Dammit!" he muttered. He placed the hat back onto his head before hopping onto the pogo stick. "Well, I'll have to make do with this!" Putting all his strength into his bounces, the pogo stick lurched forward on top of a wall surrounding the side of the patio. He then launched himself onto the low roof of the cottage, shrieking like a girl as he did so. When he reached the top of the roof, he bounced as high as he could to catch the broom that was now headed straight towards him. He reached his arms far above him and caught the broom. Lifting himself onto it, he was now sitting in the front, facing Himiko.

  "Kokichi!!" Himiko exclaimed. She was struggling to lift her hands from the broomstick. "I...I can't move!!" 

  "Hang on, Himiko!" Kokichi said, trying to pry her fingers from the broom. "Urgh! Your mom's magic is too strong! I can't...pull..."

   "WAAHH!!" they both screamed as the broom flipped upside-down. Kokichi was now dangling high above the ground as the broom continued to dart through the air while Himiko's legs and fingers were still latched onto the broom. Kokichi's fingers began slipping from the broom until one of his hands fell.

   "KOKICHI!!" Himiko screamed. Kokichi looked and noticed the tears streaming from her eyes. She was powerless to help him. Upon seeing her distress, Kokichi was filled with a newfound determination; he wouldn't let Himiko die, no matter what. He shot his other hand back up to the broom. 

  "Himiko..." he shouted over the whooshing air. "...is there anyway to stop a broom from flying?"

   "Pull...the bristles...off!" Himiko shouted back. 

   "On it!" Kokichi said. He pulled himself up back onto the broom, so now that only Himiko was upside-down. "Hang in there, Himiko!" 

   "'Kaaay!" Himiko called back, shutting her eyes in fear. Kokichi carefully, but quickly, crawled towards the other end of the broom, and began pulling out the bristles in handfuls. As he did, the broom began to lower itself closer to the ground, though they were still high in the air. As Kokichi pulled the final bristle, he noticed that Himiko's legs had unfurled from the broomstick, and she was now dangling. 

   "KOKICHI!! I'M SLIPPING!!!" she screamed. Fumiko's magic seemed to have worn off because Himiko's fingers were now dropping from the broom. 

   "Himiko!!" Kokichi shouted. Himiko lost her grip on the broom, but Kokichi caught her in time. He pulled her up and placed her right behind him. They pressed their foreheads together with happy smiles on their faces.

  "Kokichi..." Himiko breathed. But before she could say anything else, the broom began hurtling towards the ground. "AAAAHHHHH!!!" Himiko screamed, wrapping her arms around Kokichi. Thinking quickly, Kokichi pulled his hat off, and flung it to the ground below them. As soon as the hat hit the ground, a large, soft mattress flopped out from inside the hat. Kokichi and Himiko landed on top of it in the nick of time. They held each other in a tight embrace, taking deep breaths. They had landed unharmed and began to laugh with relief.

   "Nyeh...Kokichi, you did it!" Himiko exclaimed, pressing her forehead against his and nuzzling his nose. Kokichi laughed joyfully. 

   "Aw, y'know...just doin' my job," he replied modestly. Himiko sighed blissfully as they stared into each others' eyes. 

   "I love y-" Himiko began.

  "Don't get cozy, darling," Fumiko said, standing next to the mattress. Kokichi and Himiko shot up in alarm. Kokichi shielded Himiko from her. 

   "Back off, crazy!" he demanded, pointing at Fumiko. 

   "Mommy...why are you doing this?!" Himiko asked tearfully. 

   "You mean...you're not having any fun?" Fumiko asked. "But...we were just getting to the good part! The best part, really! A-hahahahahaaaaa!!!" Along with her wicked laughter, Kokichi and Himiko heard a roar in the distance, followed by the sound of large, flapping wings. Suddenly, a thunderous crashing sound echoed through the air, causing the ground to shake. 

   "AAAAAHHHHHH!!!" Himiko screamed in terror, pointing above her. Kokichi didn't know whether to be excited or terrified at the sight of an enormous dragon peering over the cottage right at them with large, fiery-red eyes, and smoke billowing from its nostrils.