Note: This is part of my update-all-polychap-fics-for-first-fanfic-anniversary project... As you can see, I rushed this to meet the deadline...

Chapter 5: winds of change

The magic kingdom... a land teeming with witches, wizards and...

"ZOOM!"

flying scooters?

A flying scooter (no doubt designed for a maximum of two people) passed by, carrying four passengers, before crash landing near the magician's marketplace...

CRASHBANGTHUDBAMBLAGADOOM!

"Ouch" Nina rubbed her head as she surveyed the collateral damage she had created: five broken vases, a dozen escaped chickens, a hill of broken glass, and a crowd of surprised shoppers and merchants staring at her. Nina sweatdropped and said... "Uhm... Hello!"

"Everyone okay?" she asked. Ayu was on the floor, Kaji right beside her. Tsujiai was struggling to get up, probably because of the sprain in his ankle. Nina offered her hand, her face a little red as Tsujiai grabbed her hand and stood up. He yelped in pain for a moment, making Nina kneel and look at his ankle. Tsujiai put his hand on her shoulder and told her.. "That's all right. I'm fine."

"But what about?" Nina asked.

Tsujiai smiled and shook his head.

'Excuse me, but if you are too busy being all sentimental and all, could you help us out here?" said a voice. Nina looked to her left and saw a struggling Ayu and Kaji. The onlookers were still staring at them like some sort of freak show, and Nina sweatdropped again.

"Whose idea was it anyway to use the scooter to get here?" asked Nina.

"Uhm... You?"Ayu said, wiping the dust off her skirt.

"riiight"

"so... where is this place we need to go?" asked Tsujiai.

"Let me see..." Nina said, putting her had on her chin. "There!" She pointed her finger to the palace on top of the hill.

"Nina... that's a palace." said Ayu.

"Yeah! Of course! Didn't I tell you that Maya is the princess of the Magic Kingdom?" Nina said.

"Uhm... No, you didn't." Kaji said.

The silence of the onlookers was suddenly broken. By a merchant nonetheless.

"HEY!" he shouted. Nina pointed at herself and asked. "Us?"

"YEAH YOU!" growled the merchant. "WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO STOP TALKIN' NONESENSE AND START PAYING FOR MY FIVE BROKEN VASES?"

soon, the other merchants retaliated...

"AND THE DOZEN CHICKENS THAT ESCAPED!"

"AND THIS HILL OF BROKEN GLASS!"

soon, the marketplace was in an uproar as they were all against a red-clad witch and her friends. The marketplace was too busy berating Nina and company that they failed to notice a blue-clad blonde step into the place.

"ECERYBODY QUIET!" She shouted. Everybody stopped talking and stared at the person who just entered. She was none other than Onihara Maya, the princess of the Magic Kingdom.

"Miss Maya!" everyone simultaneously bowed. And when I mean everyone, all except Nina, Ayu, Tsujiai and Kaji.

"MAYA!" Nina ran to her friend and hugged her. "How did you know we were here?"

Maya was as stoic as ever. "I know of only one idiot who drives a flying scooter and still manages to crash land."

Nina was perplexed. "And that would be?"

Ayu continued for Maya. "That would be you, Nina. that would be you." Tsujiai and Kaji laughed.

"Anyway, why did you ned me again?" asked Nina, not letting go of the princess.

"I need your help on something." She looked away, hiding a blush on her cheeks. "It's Yuta."

"Yuta? What happened to him?"

"Follow me." Maya turned around. "Oh, and by the way," She glared at the merchants, "You will be paid by the palace shortly for what my friend has done. Got that?"

XXX

Yuta's house. Maya, Nina, Ayu, Tsujiai and Kaji went inside his room. He was still unconscious, his face barely registering the pain he was going through.

"I recieved a note this morning that He has been struck with an unknown illness. No one can know what it is."

Maya turned to Nina and put her hands on Nina's shoulders. "I need your help on this one. Please." There was deperation in the princess' eyes.

Maya just said Please. Nina rarely heard that word escape Maya's lips. She knew now that she was extremely desperate...

"I'll do it. But... Why me?"

"Because you were the only one I can turn to."

What do you think will happen next? review please!