Even with my eyes close to being closed, I flinch when the bright light envelops me.

"Mm... As I thought, you wouldn't stay under for long." Says a vaguely familiar voice

I groan and moan and toss my head to the side, trying to shake off the ever increasing headache. There is an annoying ringing in my ear and that stupid bright light shining DIRECTLY into my eyes. I try to lift my arm to block it, but I feel cold, hard metal holding my wrists down. I try my legs, and it's the same thing. I few things pass through my mind, but one manages to escape.

"The only favour I ask is to please get that light out of my freaking face!" I say in a loud and demanding voice. Not only am I pissed off, but my brain is hitting the inside of my head with a malet.

A freaking painful mallet.

I few unseen people chuckle and a pair of soft, cold hands touch my cheeks. A woman hovers just above my face, her long, brown hair tickling my forehead.

"Better?" She asks.

"Much." 

"You know, up close, you are actually quite beautiful," she says gently, running her thumb along my jaw line and barely grazes my bottom lip. "So beautiful, that I have to keep myself from hurting you!" Her hands clamp around my neck and I'm suddenly at a loss of air.

I struggle under my restraints and after what feels like an eternity, she let's go.

"If I killed you now, though, everything I've been planning would go down the drain." The woman runs a finger down my neck all the way to my stomach.

Without a restraint on my head, I manage to look up at her. If she thinks I'm beautiful, it crosses my mind that she's never heard of a mirror. Long, brown hair, bangs just above her sea green eyes and flawless, ivory skin.

"And everything you've been planning obviously has something to do with the fact that I harbour 'illegal aliens', right?" 

"Maybe you aren't as stupid as I thought!"

I scoff. "What are you gonna do? Use me to squeeze information out of them? Blackmail us to do you dirty work? Plan on taking over the world like a goody-goody, pretty little princess?"

Whoa, where did all that attitude come from?

I'm in charge now, so shut up and play hostage.

"You are so off, it makes me take back my previous statement!" The woman laughs and a few, lower voices join her. Even her gosh dang laugh sounds angelic!

She stops laughing and looks at me with a serious face. "I've had countless men come to me and ask for marriage, even princes and kings, yet you somehow managed to get the only man I ever loved to love such a low-class human!"

I stare at her blankly for a moment before smiling in realization. "Ooooooohhhh, you mean Shishi, don't you?"

"Don't call him that!" She hisses.

Then it dawns upon me. My smile withers like flowers in the fall and I meet the cold, loneliness of a winter storm.

"You're the princess, aren't you?"

A smug look appears on her face and she continues her path around the table I'm strapped to. "Princess Lolimato, daughter of the 13th king of Grae on Mato Planet. First in line to the throne." She turns to glare right into my soul, "and you just happen to get in the way of one of my plans."

Three words: cue. eye. roll.

"I could honestly make a living out of this," I mutter to myself. "Look, I don't see why you have to get your pretty little hair in such a knot. You are amazingly beautiful, that I question why Yongguk chose me, but all that's in the past now. He blatantly showed me I'm nothing more than just a moment in time. And let me tell you honey, he ain't a committed man."

"He's loyal. The most loyal and amazing man I know." The princess smiles to herself. She sits herself on the table beside me and puts her hair behind her ear.

She looks like nothing more than a daydreaming schoolgirl.

"He has this habit of making some serious situations the most embarrassing things ever!"

I laugh unconsciously leaves my mouth. "I know! He has this problem with his head being too thick to get anything in."

"And it doesn't help when you have to explain the simplest of things to him."

"But he's the kind of person who would comfort you in the darkest of times," I say with a bit of sadness in my voice. I look up at the princess, but instead of the happy face she had previously, she looks really angry.

"Yeah..." She stands up and walks past my head, out of my line of sight. "What I love most about being a princess is I get everything I want, and I can do almost anything to get it." The light turns off and something cold touches my temples and images appear above me.

"I admit, I was angry I was rejected, but I had planned to get to spend more time with Shishi so he'd love me. Sadly, my dad sent him and the others to investigate this planet." A mini-movie of their landing in my backyard appears. "I've been watching everything that's been going on, and my anger continued to grow. I grew to hate you more and more." More mini-movies float around, showing me all the adventures I've had with the matokis. "I can't thank you enough for giving them a home and teaching them about your culture, but..."

There's a murmur of voices and the sound of sparks. There is a moment of silence before the princess sighs deeply. "But, I needed to get you away from him. It took me a while to find someone who'd be the wedge in your...relationship. Then, I needed a way to get them near you. It didn't help that they went for those tests, which delayed my plans, but in the end, it worked almost perfectly."

"Almost?" I ask, trying to turn my head to see her.

"..Yes, almost. If that girl had stuck to our agreement and taken those pills regularly, we wouldn't be here and Shishi and you would never be together again!"

...that girl...."Shawna? What do you mean?"

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know?"

"What did you do?" I hiss.

"I made her happy. With her condition, she wouldn't have lived for a while. In fact, when she visited the hospital last year, she was preparing for months in bed where she would lie and peacefully go into an eternal sleep. I just happened to come at the right time a month ago. The only reason she came back was because of me."

"What. Did. You. Do?!" I shout, pulling hard against the metal holding me down.

"I gave her an option: Live a while longer and fall in love by taking some special pills or waste away into nothingness." The princess returned into my field of vision, where she held two pills in a clear, plastic container. The same pills I saw the cloaked person handing Shawna a while ago. "She needed to take the pink pill, which extended her life, while she gave the red pill to Shishi in secret, which drew him in like a sailor to a siren. Of course, after she found out you and Shishi were together, she tried to back out, but I took control of her, practically taking up her existence. It worked, until you guys decided to keep that girl and Shishi apart. The pills only work if both are taken!"

"You vile, disgusting-"

"I wouldn't say anything like that to the person who now has your life in the palms of my hands."

"Yongguk described you as the most caring and kind person.... How could he be so off!"

"I am caring and kind...to my own people," she says with a a smile. "Besides, don't you want to hear the rest of my story?"

"Why tell me? Won't it just be a liability in the future? All villains fail if they give their plans early."

"True, but I'm a good villain. I'll tell you my plan, work my magic and watch you suffer while you can't do anything."

"...Can't argue with that," I admit shamefully.

"Anyway, this part of my plan can't fail, even if you somehow manage to walk away with everything intact." The princess climbs onto the table and turns into her Matoki form, sitting herself down on my stomach.

Now she really looks like a princess with all those royal robes...

"Be not afraid of what is going to happen. Sadly, it's painless and you'll be happy for a little while. Fortunately, it only lasts at most three years, so you'll remember everything by then. Beside, the more you know now, the more you'll seem crazy afterwords!" She raises her tiny little hand and the images above me start changing.

Every moment with Yongguk that shows any kind of 'more-than-friends' affection is changed so that it seems like we are just really close buds. More like siblings than anything.

"He only turned you down to protect you," I mumble as my eyelids become heavy and my consciousness wavers like the violent sea. 

"He still could have protected me!" She almost screams.

"He didn't want to end up hurting you later.... Doing this isn't what he'd like.... Don't...act...like this..."

The tiny weight on my centre suddenly increases and I feel those tiny hands around my neck once again. I see a blurry version of the princess hovering above me with a sadistic smile across her lips as she looks down, looking more like a demon from hell than the beautiful princess from minutes before. 

"This is me, the real me. I never let anybody get in the way!" She lowers her head until I can feel her breath on my ear. "I also needed to get you to that girl without having something keeping you back... Ever wondered how your dog suddenly became sick...?"

The hands leave my neck and I gasp for one final breath before my world turns dark.

"I did it."

I hit the floor with a painful shock, which causes a scream to violently leave my mouth. 

"What happened?" Yongguk yells, running into my room at full speed. I clumsily stand up and look at him.

"I fell off my bed, doofus. It's not like I got bombed, or anything," I grumble, untangling myself from my blankets. I yawn, scratch my head and groan when the sun hits my face.

"You feeling okay?" Yongguk asks, stepping forward with his hands out, as if ready to catch me before I fainted.

I look at his hands and then at him like he's an idiot. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, Shawna said you fainted from your headache only woke up to mumble something weird before going to bed."

"... I don't remember that at all. In fact, I barely remember last night!"

"Really? So, you don't remember the argument I had with Adrie?" Yongguk asks with a tone of almost disappointment.

"I remember sections, but that's about it."

"So....what's you answer?

"What answer?"

"Do you for-"

"HE-JIN!" Everyone else yells, running into my room.

"Yah! Will you guys keep it down, please?" I say sternly, rubbing the sides of my head. "My head is pounding and I don't know why. My sleep last night was horrible, and my arms and legs are stiff."

Adrienne, who is inches away from hugging me, puts down her arms and smiles. "I'm just glad you are okay."

"...Why are you smiling so much?"

"Dunno. Just feel like, I guess."

Shawna steps forward and takes my hand. "The ocean air is the perfect place to clear your head! And I also wrote a bit last night, so I want you to read some, okay?"

I tsk, but let her drag me out of the room. I get ready in record time and stand on the porch, breathing in the sea air, which, in fact, does help a lot. As I walk closer to the beach, I rethink my morning routine....

First, I ate some cereal (I WAS FORCE FED THE ENTIRE BOWL IN A RUSH). (And yes, cereal for lunch...)

I washed the dishes and cleaned up my area (I HAD THREE PEOPLE YELLING AT ME IN THE BACKGROUND TO MOVE MY OR I'D GET THE TOWEL).

I changed my clothes and cleaned my room (SOMEHOW, I WASN'T ALLOWED TO CHANGE MY OWN DAMN CLOTHES AND CLEAN MY OWN DAMN ROOM! DAMMIT!)

I prepared some towels and my camera for another day of adventures.

(.... IN THE END, I DID GET THE FREAKING TOWEL SLAP BECAUSE MY CAMERA SEARCHING WASN'T FAST ENOUGH!)

I had a really nice morning!

"There is this place right beside the cliff I really need to show you," Shawna says to me, grabbing my arm. "I found it the other day but I completely forgot about it."

"Perfect! I love finding new things!" I smile to her and she smiles back. My smile is cut short when a soccer ball hits my head, almost sending me straight into the sand. I pick up the ball, turn around and glare at the youngest matoki.

I walk stomp my way over to him and give shove it back. "Listen here, buddy. If you don't want to end up digging your grave early, you'll be wise to learn how to aim."

Zelo gulps and I smile with satisfaction. I walk back to Shawna and we continue on our little adventure. Turns out, she found a breeding ground ground for these little pencil fish, and it looks so amazing with their scales shining in the afternoon sun. 

"You know what's weird? I had a dream last night and it felt so real!" I say to Shawna.

"Wanna share?"

"Yeah. I was abducted by strange...things, that just kept talking in a slurred version of our language. Then all these pictures appeared above me and started changing. Then, I woke up."

"IT'S A SIGN!!" Shawna yells, earning a joking shove.

While the two of us are busy, Jongup sneaks up behind and pretends to push us both in, causing us to squeal and latch onto him.

"Just like I planned!" He laughs.

Just before I could punch him, Yongguk grabs my hand and pulls me up the path to the cliff. The other matoki come through the thicket and stands beside us as we look down into the water.

"Ready?" I hear Himchan ask. The others nod but I shake my head with a DEFINITELY NOT look on my face.

"N-no! It's t-t-too high!" I squeal as Yongguk drags me towards the edge.

"Come on. I'll be beside you the whole way." He smiles and walks backwards closer to our immanent doom. I shake my head and try to pull away, but the other matokis are behind me.

"Let's all jump together!" Zelo yells. Each matoki links arms and Yongguk holds out his hand for me. I very hesitantly and very reluctantly take his hand.

"Do you trust me?" He asks.

"No."

"Too bad!"

And with that, we jump.

•  •  •

"I don't ever want to leave this place!" We all hear Adrienne yell as she walks in. She stops in the doorway and smirks at me. "I see you TRYING to bake successfully delicious cookies.

I throw a piece of cookie dough at her, but she catches it in and smiles gratefully. "I am not TRYING. I've done it many times before! Hmph!"

 Himchan, who stands behind me, puts his head on my shoulder and opens his mouth. I roll my eyes and place a piece of cookie dough on his tongue. As a thank you, I get a light kiss on the cheek.

Gross. Kisses are just GAROSS!

"Question, what were you, Yongguk and Jongup doing on the cliff early?" Adrie asks, stealing yet another piece of cookie dough.

"Now that is a good question!"

FLASHBACK!!!

"He-Jin, hold this camera," Yongguk practically ordered me, shoving the camera into my hands. I looked at Jongup, hoping to get an answer, but all I got was his smiling face and a thumbs up.

"You ready?" Yongguk asked, standing on the edge.

"Ready for...?"

"You'll see, now press recording!"

"Huh?" I looked at the camera, but I couldn't find the recording button. Jongup's finger popped up and pressed the button for me. "It's on now," I said, holding the camera so I got all of Yongguk.

"Okay," he started, clearing his throat and practicing his do-ray-me's. Jongup put a white blindfold on him with drawn on female eyes. "I'm a big stupid fool. He-Jin is awesome. She is smarter than me. Yay."

He couldn't possibly have said it in a more monotone voice. He even had to try not to laugh when he said I'm smarter than him....

"Now I'm going to dance my apology dance." He clapped his hands together and bowed his head.

I admit, I was momentarily frightened.

The dance was like this:
Yongguk put his hands on his hips and shook them like a girl. He clapped his hands together above his head and did some kind of floppy fish move while humming a wonky tune. He wiggled his arms at his side, did the Cancan, the bunny hop and the hustle, waltzed with himself (a horrible, horrible waltz) and finished with jazz hands.

Jongup managed to stifle his laugh quite successfully, but I had to laugh so hard just to show how amusing it was. "That's right, matoki. Dance!" I screamed.

Yongguk bowed to the camera and waited. "Do you forgive me?"

The question took me by surprise, but I smiled anyway. "Sure."

Yongguk stood up and ripped off the blindfold. "Really?"

I nodded and he took a step forward. 

"OOPS!" I yelled as I lifted my foot, pushed Yongguk's chest and laughed as he plummeted ungracefully into the water. When Jongup looked over the edge and finally started laughing, I went behind him and pushed him in. Pay back for earlier.

I zoomed the camera in on the two men below and waved to them. I turned off the recording and made my way down the path and back to the house.

END OF FLASHBACK!

Just remember not to burn those cookies!" Adrie shouts from the other room.

"Shut up!" I shout back.

I place the cookies in the stove and take off my oven mittens. I look at the camera and fiddle with it before loosing interest not long after. As I walk away, a thought crosses my mind.

What was I forgiving him for?

50th chapter, so I made it long and special.

What do you think? My first real chapter written ALL by myself? 

It's called TALENT!!... Man, I wish!

Reason why there are more swear words?

I write like that, so deal with it!

Anyway, thanks for sticking around! And I apologize for taking so long with this chapter. Really busy with robotics and I'm having a hard time fitting in with friends.

TTFN!!!

Minnie-ature panda out!

EXCUSE ALL MISTAKES! PLEASE, I'M A NOOB!