Allondite

Part III Maureen the hussy

“Yes...” Relm says with anxiety, “we shall go east to find Maureen the siren…” he looks down “I do hope we don’t have too much trouble...” Relm and Yumiko begin toward the doors, and head to a place just off the edge of the city, a village known as mirage falls with the others right behind them.

“So, Maureen…Can she really tempt any man at all?” Jared asks with intrigue, “I would love a woman like that…” he says grinning.

“I’m not going to say it doesn’t bother me…” Relm says with fear, as he looks toward Doran, “The things I do controlled…? Or worse…” he begins to think deeply in sadness.

“Regardless…” Doran says with pride as he puts his arm around Relm, “I think we can handle this don’t you?” He begins to smile handsomely. Relm chuckles and shakes his head happily.

Courtnie looking absolutely annoyed brushes past everyone, “So…Jared, you just wish to let her control you?” than her eyes dart to Doran, “make sure you are kind to my brother Doran…” she says watching his arm which is around Relm. “Men can be utterly useless… I won’t forget.” She says while turning and walking ahead. Yumiko smirks and begins to chuckle. And heads forward with Courtnie.

As Yumiko and Courtnie chatter Alexandra tenses up slightly. “So we must work out a war plan, strategies and understanding of our enemies. I say we do a reconnaissance mission first, using a female of course!” she chuckles while crossing her arms, “yes my strategies always win.” She begins to look around to see everyone is way ahead of her. “Ugh…does no one listen? If we don’t get serious we will surely lose this battle!” she begins in a run to catch up to everyone, Courtnie and Yumiko run into an elderly barkeep, who decides to let them stay the night after hearing Courtnie introduce herself, her brother, and Yumiko.

Yumiko stops after they enter their rooms, “did you notice the barkeep’s eyes?” Yumiko says with worry, “they were hazed over…we may be closer to Maureen than you think…” she crouches slightly,

“Yes…”Courtnie says with fright and understanding, “I found it strange that all the people here are male, but that should make it easy to spot a female…” she smirks slightly.

“So it is about to begin…” Relm says with his eyes closed. “Let me focus my energy, “he crosses his legs and sits on his bed, beginning to levitate. “I didn’t realize I could already levitate, my powers seem to be growing at an exponential rate.” He says excitedly

Doran watches him in awe and smiles with charm. “Yeah, you’re getting pretty amazing Relm…”

“About strategy!” Alexandra begins with haste, “I believe that our enemy may already have an idea of where we are and what we are planning.” She says with certainty, “If she controls men…and we just talked to one…who’s to say he is not informing her right now, or better yet she is a guardian of heaven, she could have a mind link or something strange like that…” Alexandra begins in disappointment, “we have lost our chance for reconnaissance, and we also are at a disadvantage with half of our party as male, in our vicinity at the moment, if we were caught out now, without knowing her strength and with the men in the village and our party against us, I’d say we have about a 1.5 percent chance of success. Especially if we are worried about not hurting anyone, which makes our jobs harder.” Alexandra nods believing she has explained her understanding very well to look up to see everyone already mostly sleeping or meditating, apart from Yumiko.

“Alexandra…you are wasting your time with our friends. They are still weak from the last fight. Why don’t we let off some steam and go to the pub,” Yumiko says with a smile.

Yumiko and Alexandra arrive at the pub, it is already dark by the time they get there, “to have a day already go by…” Alexandra looks down, “it reminds me…” Alexandra looks up and begins to panic. “Yumiko could I have just a minute before I join you?” Yumiko nods and heads into the pub.

Yumiko looks about, and sees the barkeep talking to a woman who is drinking, “I wonder if that is Maureen?” she says with worry. “I don’t think any other women reside here.” She begins to walk out.

“Why don’t you make yourself comfortable Yumiko?” the woman says without looking at Yumiko.

Yumiko thinks quickly, Jared has Effreet, and Courtnie has Shiva, there is little chance this fight would be easy, however, with the men against the women that help may be nullified. She looks down for a second. Catching her breathe. “Alright…Maureen..?” she says almost certain.

“Well I’m glad we seem to be on an equal playing field at least with information. I know who you are, and I know you have Shiva and Effreet and I know you are after my help, but I am just so satisfied here with all my servants, I really would rather not help you…you see I am just having too much fun with the life I was never granted as a mortal. All men do is use…so I use them.” She smiles and stands. “Drink with me Yumiko. I know prince Relm humiliated you and now. He is with a man over you? Wouldn’t you like to punish him?” her eyebrows intensify. “Come on. Humor me.”

“I…have gotten over that. The only reason I really went after him was for his title. I have something more valuable than resentment or loss. I have my self-worth.” Yumiko says with pride.

“Ah, so you’re saying I have no self-worth.” Maureen says with a smile.

“I do not judge you I don’t even know you Maureen but I do know that we need your help.” Yumiko looks down.

Maureen takes a drink, “come drink with me Yumiko. Let us discuss the matter over some tequila.” Maureen’s face turns serious. Yumiko sits and begins to drink with her. “So the situation really calls for all of us to gather huh?” Yumiko nods, “what a pain. I just wanted to drink and enjoy myself till the end of time.” She crosses her glossy legs. “Guess I’ll have to fight you…what a drag.” Meet me in the fields outside the village. I think you will like what you see.” She says as she winks at Yumiko, and begins to walk out.

“What an interesting woman…” Yumiko finishes her drink and heads to her destination. Alexandra jumps out of the bushes.

“Yumiko I saw her!” Alexandra begins excitedly, “She was right there heading to the outskirts of town!” she looks down, “If we strategize now we can win!”

“I made a deal with her…I will fight her one on one.” Yumiko looks down “I’m going to come back with that charm…on my own” Yumiko begins to run toward the fields on the outskirts of the village.

“Made a deal with her??” Alexandra stomps her foot, “Making deals with the enemy will have us stand defeated Yumiko!!” Alexandra follows stealthfully.

Yumiko catches up to Maureen, and Maureen turns around smoothly, “So you came.” She chuckles, “let us begin.” Maureen begins to sing.

Yumiko’s eyes haze and she feels a pain in her head, like burning cold. She falls to her knee. “Why does it hurt? I thought it was a charm…?”

“Oh it is dear…for men, but for women it is torture, like the pain of any man being plucked from your life. All women feel pain when they hear my voice because they know their men will leave, and that they will be alone till the end of their lives.” Yumiko hears her voice inside her head. As to make things more painful. Alexandra writhes on the ground, and watches the men from the village begin to pour in, Doran and Jared, and Relm, among them, Yumiko gets to her feet, “oh…you can resist me? You are indeed strong.”

“You can’t…break me.” Yumiko says with pride. “I always win.” She begins in a dash toward Maureen, with her sword now drawn, but she realizes Doran now stands in her way.

“Yumiko How dare you try to hurt Maureen” He says with rage.

“Maureen. You promised a fair fight!” Yumiko says angrily,

“Oh? Did the men come to protect me because of my voice? Well?” she looks down and giggles, “Oh well. Guess you’ll have to take them before you can get to me…”

“You bitch!” A voice comes out among the crowd, its Courtnie’s voice, “How DARE you use my brother, and take advantage of Jared!” Courtnie begins toward Maureen only to be stopped by Jared.

“What are you jealous?” he says with a chuckle, “because I couldn’t ever love you like I love her?” he laughs until Courtnie hits him with her staff

“That is enough out of you.” She says angrily. As he lie on the ground unconscious. “I don’t like your ways Maureen I am going to make you pay.”

“Dear sister please be nice to Maureen she has such a pretty spirit.” Relm says lightly,

“Relm…your inner spirit is Kiana how are you even effected?”

Kiana appears in front of her annoyed beyond words, “this pitiful body I inhabit. Men are indeed weak creatures, I am useless. Do the same to me that you did to Jared please?” Courtnie hits Relm with her staff.

“That settles that.” Shiva appears to Courtnie from the conch, Mistress. You will find that staff has the ability to heighten all of your abilities, including one to make others go to sleep and one to make someone immune to effects of an enemy. I will help you find your latent abilities in your mind.”

“Hmm…so Shiva is going to cheat…huh?” Maureen glares at Courtnie.
“Let all men in our way sleep!” Courtnie says loudly, and an angelic light appears from her staff and sends all the men including Doran into slumber. “Blessed Warrior may you place your burdens else ware and be immune!” Yumiko stands tall again now unaffected by the siren’s song, Courtnie pants…”that took a lot out of me.” She says weakly,

“I have had enough of you…” Maureen sings loudly projected toward Courtnie, and Courtnie falls asleep already weakened, “good night little girl.” Maureen says happily, “Well I guess this leaves you and me blondie.” Maureen says with a grin,

Yumiko runs up and swings her sword but misses Maureen, she dodges so fast Yumiko can barely do anything. Alexandra dashes toward Maureen, “shut your face!” she says as she tackles Maureen with duct tape and tapes her mouth

“I was so focused on Yumiko I forgot about Alexandra…” Maureen quickly kicks above her head and hits Alexandra in the head with her heel knocking her unconscious. Knowing that her intense voice was the reason for Alexandra’s disorientated nature when trying to avoid her attack, Maureen jumps backward, her short tank top and barmaid cut dress blow in the breeze and her leg band jingles, like the sound of the Romina, as she begin to pull at the tape, “she can’t hit me from here-“she sees Yumiko’s aura begin to shine, “wait is she unlocking her powers?”

Yumiko opens her eyes shining brightly, “it is time! Celestial charge!” she slashes the ground, and what looks like a bolt of lightning, but smother charges forward from her sword dawning that yellow light. Maureen dodges to her right, but the charge follows her. She realizes she is beaten, and the charge hits her with full might. As Maureen closes her eyes she smiles, accepting defeat.

“You win. You may indeed always win” Maureen’s voice rings in Yumiko’s ears. “I will give you my artifact, it is my leg band, ring the chimes on it if you need my help. I can make it so your enemies lose orientation, become charmed, and keep your allies fighting with their unlocked potential. I am also good for strengthening spells cast with using my voice to back up spells cast. Forever free forever me. Forever you my love.” The white light fades into the leg band.

Yumiko holds it close. “Thank you Maureen.” Yumiko hugs the sash, “you have taught me some valuable lessons, and given me a strength I didn’t know I had. Even truer now this sword is my trusted ally.” Yumiko closes her eyes and begins to look toward helping the others.

Courtnie and Doran arise almost at the same time, as do the men in the village, Relm and Jared and Alexandra take a little longer. The men in the village almost all disoriented hardly remember the last 5 years. Many had wives and children that Maureen tore apart. Yumiko wondered why she was an almighty guardian of heaven being so malicious. Than a vision began to appear to her seeming to be Maureen,

She was a young girl, and at the age of nine her mother took on a husband, needless to say he was chasing other women, and her mother cried every day... soon her mother fell ill, when this happened the man, who wasn’t her real father went after Maureen, she cursed her looks and her face and body, wanted nothing that was her mother’s. wanting only for her mother’s happiness, the time came when she was 12 that her mother died, the man turned Maureen into a prostitute and used a 12 year old as a source of income, Maureen lost all sense of self until when she was sixteen she met a boy, who tried to save her, he ended up killing her guardian, the awful man, for Maureen, and she gave what little feelings she had left to the boy only 16, around 21 like most boys he got bored, he felt little to no love for her anymore. He began to hit her for things she would do wrong, and began to force her into things she clearly said no to. When she was 22 he left her, he left her with the grief and the mind frame of being his, he left her with the sorrow of being an object for mens pleasure ever since she was nine, he left her with the useless feeling of deserving this due to her choices, and he left her with the understanding that she didn’t deserve. The girl he took on after her laughed at her and called her a miserable slut. This is when Maureen knew this thing was an awful thing and she wished things could just be easier, after a while the man tried to come back to her, and Maureen always took him back having a soft spot for him and always trying to make up for whatever she did wrong, even if he had a girlfriend, she was called names by these girls and eventually ostracized, and the man always left in the end. The only thing she had was her voice, it was so pure she could at least sing, and make it all go away. This seemed to be her only gift from her mother. That voice which cradled her at night. One day at 25 she met a man who others claimed to be her father. A drunk who spend every cent on alcohol. She began to drink with him every day. She knew this rumor to be true. This seemed to be the only way for her to understand her father. Was through drinking with him, a slight disappointment but she did her best to understand him and try to enjoy this time she had with him, the man she had been used by eventually met her father through coincidence and said something about Maureen. The two men got into a fight, and that night her father was killed by the man, yet again another thing stolen from her that comforted her, she sang for her father, sang and sang, feeling lost and alone. She did the only thing she could do. The man came back to her yet again but this time she refused him, she couldn’t bear what he did to her father even if he did save her at one time. She could barely look at him. But she could handle all this, until the man, forced her to be with him, and wouldn’t let her have her choice, he forced her to be with him laughed and said the same things the women said, her savior in her mind was finally eternally shattered, and she than lost the only thing she ever knew to comfort her. She lost her voice, she became broken, but in this she lost her good spirit and became a person of spite, she poisoned the man while he slept one night, getting rid of that awful memory and lured his girlfriend out who called her a slut, and drowned her in a lake. She lost all feelings, and in that same lake she took her own life, realizing what she did in a moment of clarity. She could hear herself screaming with her voice underwater until she died, she could at least feel her voice one more time as she drown under the water surface. “The source looked upon me with compassion. Saw all the damage I had just taken. And told me I was strong. The source told me that this strength was what was needed to safeguard heaven, and that now, was my time. Do I care about miserable humans and their relationships? No. relationships bring pain. I just like it when people think I’m wonderful. That’s all I ever wanted.”

Yumiko closes her eyes. “Oh…Maureen. I’m so sorry that happened to you. It seems that all the guardians have pain they dealt with in a previous life. I wish for you all to have peace, while you help us.

“Yumiko if anything you are the ideal one to carry me, you hold my spirit of wanting to be wonderful, and not wanting to be in a painful relationship. You are my favored one. Be strong Yumiko, you hold the fate of this universe in your hands.”

“I will Maureen” Yumiko says with pride, as she closes her eyes.

“Ugh what happened?” Courtnie says arising to her feet.

“We won guys. Maureen is ours and I will hold onto her for you” Yumiko says with a smile, the others all awake now look to Yumiko,
“Well okay…” Courtnie says tired, “let us have drinks on me than, then we can head to the next one okay?”
Yumiko nods, “That sounds great!”
“count me in” Alexandra says excitedly, Jared follows and Relm and Doran head back getting some much needed time to sleep and talk.