Ameripangled

There were three things I noticed when I finally came to. And none of them were pleasant.

First, my head was throbbing in the most painful way possible. No headache in the history of headaches could top this. My vision blurred; where was I?

Oh, right, That abandoned tower. Which probably wasn't abandoned.

Second, there was something wet on my neck. Water? My own drool?

Oh, dear God, what was that thing? It was white and had some sort of pink flower attached to it. I'd never seen anything like it before.

"Gah!" I cried, trying to scare it. The creature squealed and left my shoulder, falling to the carpeted floor.

And third, when I tried to move my hand to rub my head, it wouldn't budge. What the—

I was bound. To a chair. With some sort of dark blue rope. It was really strong, and there was plenty of it. I tried to see where the source of the rope was from, but there were nothing but shadows surrounding me. It was like I was in an interrogation room.

But as I struggled against the rope, I noticed how soft it was. No way could this be rope. But what was it? Silk?

"Is this… hair?" I wondered aloud in disbelief. How could hair be this strong? Or this plentiful? There had to be at least seventy feet of it.

"R-resistance is futile!" a voice from the shadows cried uncertainly. It was slightly accented, like it was an easterner, and it was obviously female. By the sound of it she seemed like she didn't speak very much of my language. Unfortunately, I didn't know the eastern language at all (which was a fallacy on my part; I was too lazy to learn it, though I'm sure it would come in handy one day).

A dainty bare foot stepped into the light, and then—a little hesitantly—the rest of the figure. She was a few years younger than me, and I could tell by the fear behind her big, naïve eyes she hadn't seen anyone in this tower in a while, if ever. Her dress was improper for outerwear—it exposed too much of her legs and chest. By the lack of shoes, it was obvious she was keen on staying up here.

But she was cute, I must admit. The innocent ones were the most fun to play with.

"I know why you're here," she stated with a hint of nervousness in her voice, holding her frying pan up higher. Was that what hit me? How could she carry something so heavy with such ease?

"And I'm not afraid of you," she continued, still unconvincing. Obviously she didn't speak with people very often.

Her next words rang out clear as a bell, demanding and precise: "Who are you, and how did you find me?"

Well, what was I supposed to say? I'm a wanted fugitive and I stole what was probably the most important item in the kingdom and now the entire royal guard and a psychopathic horse with huge eyebrows want to kill me? She'd never buy it.

"Who are you, and how did you find me?" she repeated, more confident.

I cleared my throat. It was best to go down the charming road. No woman could resist my charms. "I know not who you are," I started, going for the classical approach, "nor how I came to find you, it may I just say… Hi." I shot the girl my best smile. Who could possibly deny the perfect grin of Matt Williams?

But the girl just raised an eyebrow, so I continued. "How you doing?" I tried, making my voice as sultry as possible. "The name's Matt Williams. How's your day going?"

But nothing. Nada. She obviously didn't know what flirting was, or what a handsome man such as myself looked like.

The girl shook her head and held out the frying pan. I sensed her hands shaking very slightly. "Who else knows my location, Matt Williams?"

What, really? She thought I was after her? Maybe I would be, had I known about her prior to this adventure.

I sighed. "Look, honey," I started, trying the nice appeal.

"Kiku," she interrupted angrily.

What? "Gesundheit," I told her, not really knowing what that meant. Must've been an eastern thing. "I was in a situation, gallivanting through the forest. I came across your tower and—"

Oh, no. I had almost forgotten I was tied to a chair with blue locks! Where the hell was my satchel?

"Where is my satchel?" I asked with more desperateness than intended.

The girl, Kiku (I'm guessing that weird noise was her name), crossed her arms with confidence I thought only I could display physically. "I've hidden it," she stated knowingly, "somewhere you'll never find it."

Oh, please. If she hadn't interacted with anyone in a while, figuring the satchel should be a piece of cake. I surveyed the room for the most obvious hiding place. "It's in that pot, isn't it?" I asked, gesturing to the chrysanthemum-decorated pot by the corner of the room.

Before I knew it, she hit me again, and I knocked out for the second time that day.

~~~~~

Perhaps I overreacted? Kiku thought to herself as she glanced at the man's unconscious body. Matt Williams, he said his name was. And he was only saying he didn't want her hair. It was a technique ruffians used to be lure girls like her into their grasps, according to Mother Kim.

Everything was going so… strangely. This man wasn't listening to Kiku so she could tell him her plan and make him take her to see the floating lights. All he did was smile, and he acted as if he were high and mighty, when he was really just a thief. A handsome thief, but a thief, nonetheless.

Frowning, Kiku quickly retrieved the satchel from the pot she'd decorated and clutched it tightly, looking for a good place to hide it. She should have suspected that a thief would know just where to look for his missing items. Perhaps she wasn't ready for this.

Looking down, she noticed Meimei hopping on the loose stair that always creaked whenever Kiku or Mother Kim walked on it. What was Meimei trying to say?

Wait, it was perfect. It was both conspicuous and mysterious at the same time. All Kiku had to do was convince the man, Matt, that her hiding place for his satchel was so good he'd never fid it. She ran to the stair, placed the satchel under it snugly, and ran back to her original spot, using her frying pan as protection.

Again, Kiku gestured to Meimei to wake the man up. This time, she was truly ready.

~~~~~

What the—Oh, not again.

"Will you stop that!" I yelled at the creepy little white thing as it jumped from my shoulder again. How my brain was still functioning from those frying pan hits, I'll never know.

The girl stood before me, smirking knowingly. "Now it's hidden somewhere you'll never find it," she confirmed. I'm sure the second time's the charm, so I just sneered.

"So," the girl continued. "What do you want to do with my hair?" She began circling me.

But… I didn't want her hair. Was that her impression?

"Cut it?" she accused.

"What?" What the hell was she talking about?

"Sell it?"

"No!" I cried, trying to get my point across. "The only thing I want to do with your hair is to get out of it! Literally!" I struggled against the blue bonds, which were starting to get uncomfortable.

The girl stopped, and had the most confused look on her face. "Wait," she said uncertainly. "You don't want my hair?" She looked as disappointed as a kid whose family had forgotten his birthday. It was like she wanted me to want a lock of her hair. She was, quite honestly, the strangest girl I'd ever met.

"Why on earth would I want your hair?" I asked in disbelief. She just wasn't getting it, so I explained again. "Look, I was being chased. I saw your tower, and I climbed it. End of story."

She acknowledged this information; I could see it in those big, brown eyes.

~~~~~

If he doesn't want my hair, then it's likely I can trust him, Kiku thought as the blonde westerner slit his eyes t her. Er… somewhat.

It was time to execute her plan.

She met Matt's gaze with as much courage as she could muster. "Okay, Matt Williams," she said, a slight smile on her face. "I'm prepared t offer you a deal."

Deals were something thugs and thieves liked, right? Especially if it were fair and benefitted them… right?

~~~~~

A deal? Did it mean I could manipulate this girl into changing her original terms if they didn't meet what I wanted? It was perfect! "I'm listening," I said coolly.

"Good," said the girl, climbing onto her mantel. "Look this way." She yanked her hair and I fell over in the chair, still bound. However, being the charming man I was, I was willing to listen.

The girl pointed at a painting of herself and a bunch of glowing yellow lights coming up from what seemed to be a pillar of the castle. A little stylized, but it was a good painting.

"Do you know what these are?" she asked, as if I'd know just by looking at a painting.

But that did look pretty familiar…

"You mean the lantern thing they do every year for the lost Princess?" I guessed. I never actually participated in the ceremony. The Princess had been gone for eighteen years. She was surely dead by now.

"Lanterns!" the girl exclaimed, as if to herself. "I knew they weren't stars!"

Stars? Who in their right mind would think that the floating lanterns were stars?

She continued, a bit shakily, as if she were overcome with excitement. "W-well, tomorrow evening, they will light the night sky with these lanterns."

Duh. Tell me something I don't know.

But she continued to lay out her plan, to my horror. "You will act as my guide, take me to see these lanterns, and return me home safely," she ordered. "Then, and only then, will I return your satchel to you. That is my deal."

Was she serious? That was the worst deal proposition ever created. Didn't she know I was a wanted fugitive? The horribly drawn posters might have thrown her off, though, by how handsome I actually.

I turned myself over onto my side. "Yeah… no can do, honey," I refused sweetly. "Unfortunately, the kingdom and I aren't exactly 'simpatico' at the moment."

That seemed to tick her off. "My name is Kiku," she clarified angrily, yanking at her hair so I was upright.

Kiku—yeah, I was gonna keep note of her name; there was no way I could remember it otherwise—leapt from the mantel and dragged me closer. "Something brought you here, Matt Williams," she stated clearly, and for a moment, I was kind of scared of her (or rather, her frying pan). "Call it what you will—fate, destiny…"

"A horse," I mumbled to myself, regretting ever climbing this tower.

"… So I have made the decision to trust you," she continued.

"A horrible decision, really," I told her. Really—how was it she'd never heard of me? I was the most wanted thief in the kingdom.

Still, she wasn't listening "But trust me when I tell you this." She yanked me closer, her free hand mere inches from mine, and stared at me with such intensity that I knew her confidence w as real. You can tear this tower apart brick by brick, but without my help, you will never find your precious satchel."

She was serious about it, I could see it in those brown eyes of hers. She really thought after a few threats I would cave? I recalled her demand. "Let me get this straight. I take you to see the lanterns, bring you back home, and you'll give me back my satchel?" Really, what was so important about those lanterns? It wasn't like they were for her or anything.

"I promise," Kiku said clearly, nodding.

Please. Like she even knew what a promise was. I bet she was that sheltered.

Then she added, "And when I promise something, I never, ever break that promise."

Uh-huh.

"Ever."

Were we five? Really?

It was time for a different tactic. A last resort, if you will. "All right," I caved. "I didn't want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice. Here comes the smolder." Yep. Ladies couldn't resist the smolder. I'd have her right where I wanted her.

… If only she weren't so clueless. How could she not fall for this adorable face? "This is kind of an off day for me; this doesn't normally happen," I added for effect.

Still nothing. If anything, those big, brown eyes of hers were kind of making me want to—

"Fine, I'll take you to see the lanterns."

Shut up, mouth. You should really wait until I've actually made up my mind.

Too late; she heard what I'd said and she was ecstatic. "Really?" she squealed, releasing me.

No, no, no…! My face made contact with the floor. Ow.

"Oops…" Ditz.

"You broke my smolder…."

~~~~~

Kiku ran about the tower, grabbing things and putting them back, fearful Mother Kim would notice if her money was gone, or if her dress had even the slightest stain o it. What should she bring? She was so excited she could hardly think.

She'd eventually released Matt, who impatiently waited for her to get sorted out. Why did he seem so angry? Wouldn't he do anything to get his satchel back?

"Should I bring an extra dress?" she called down to Matt as she stuffed pillows in her bed to look like she was there.

"Probably not," he called back. "We won't be gone for long. Some shoes would do, though; it's a long walk."

Shoes…? Kiku didn't own shoes. And Mother Kim's feet were far bigger than hers… "Er…"

"Your loss." He didn't really seem to care. After a short pause, he added, "A hairbrush would probably be handy."

Of course. Kiku grabbed the brush off her vanity and poked her head out. "What about money?" she asked.

Matt shrugged. "I'll cover you."

Wow, he was willing to do that? Her face brightened. "Th-thank you," she stammered in excitement, coming down the stairs.

He shrugged again.

Once down the stirs, Matt gingerly took he took the brush from her hands and strapped it to his belt. "If you don't mind, of course," he added.

Nodding, Kiku gave him a smil. "Anything else?" she asked, thinking this wasn't enough.

His face contorted into a thinking state and he rubbed the back of his head. "A weapon…?"

Kiku, blinking, picked up her frying pan. "How about this?" she inquired innocently.

Giving a chuckle, he answered, "Sure, honey. Sure." He turned to leave. "I'm ready when you are."

What? Kiku lifted an eyebrow. "How are you going to get down?" she wondered aloud.

Matt shrugged a third time. "Same way I got up, I guess."

With a scoff, Kiku pushed past Matt and looked out the window. "You can't get down the same way—that's too hard!" she cried, placing her hair over the hook and letting it fall to the earth. "Here—slide down this."

He looked at her skeptically. "You want me to slide down your hair?" he asked in disbelief.

This time, Kiku shrugged. "Why not?" Mother Kim did it all the time; what was so different if Matt did, too?

Matt took a hold of her hair and stepped on the ledge. "Are you sure I won't be too heavy or anything?"

"I think you're fine."

"Whatever." He gave her a wink, and saluted, then slid down with ease. It was so easy for him; he'd been on ground before.

"You coming, honey?" he called up.

Kiku took a few deep breaths, tying Meimei to her shoulder. She looked down, scared of heights for the first time in her life. Was there always that much space between her and the outside world? She clutched her hair desperately. "Look at the world so close, and I'm halfway to it," she told Meimei. She glimpsed above the trees to the horizon. "Look at it all—so big! Do I even dare?"

She inched a bit closer off the ledge. "Look at me, here at last! I just have to do it," she told herself, determined. Still, she took a look back inside. "Should I-?"

Kiku shook her head and clutched her hair tighter. "No," she said firmly. "Here I go!"

With that, Kiku took every ounce of courage she could muster and slid down her own blue mane. Just before her feet touched the ground, she stopped herself. What if it was somehow… different than how she imagined?

Taking a deep breath, she hesitantly placed her toes on the green grass. It felt soft—inviting, even. Kiku hopped down, laying down on the earth and inhaling. It was perfect.

"Just smell the grass, the dirt—just like I'd dreamed they'd be…" she sighed happily to herself. She stood as a gust of wind rushed by her.

"Just feel that nice, warm breeze—it's calling to me!" she cried to Matt, who waited for her to adjust to her new environment.

As Kiku walked forward, she giggled as she felt a stream at her bare feet. "For the first time ever, I'm experiencing freedom!" she cried, scooping up water and throwing it in the air. She was finally outside! She could do anything!

"I could go running…!" Kiku realized, picking up her pace, her hair streaming behind her. "And racing, and dancing, and chasing, and leaping, and bounding—hair flying, heart pounding…!"

Her excitement built as she ran through the small cave. She'd never seen anything past this from the tower. "And splashing and reeling, and finally feeling…!" she continued, running out into the bright sun.

In her loudest voice, Kiku cried out to the heavens, "Yes! This is when my life begins!"