^ Hope you better, Insie!!

I missed all of you guys more
After journeying together for some time…
Keiko: We've been walking for days, but we still haven't found the evil witch's lair...
Wakana: 
Do you guys hear that?!
Yuuka: 
Nope.
Keiko: Must be her super shark senses.

Sugoi...you've actually got quite some amazing abilities there, Wakashark-san
Wakana:
*thinking* She complimented me~ ...y-you also have some impressive fighting abilities, Kei-san…
Keiko: Eh?

Oh...thank you…
Yuuka:
Suddenly, they heard beautiful strains of exquisite violin music floating through the air.
Wakana: *using her super-shark sight* There's a man further down the road just standing in the middle of the path whilst playing violin!
Keiko: Wow, what amazing eyesight you have
Wakana:
*her and Keiko share a ~moment~*
Yuuka:
*feeling left out of the ~moment~*
The trio soon came across what was indeed a sombre-looking man standing in the middle of the path, playing enchanting music on the violin.
Keiko: Hail, friend!
Hitoshi Konno: *doesn't look up but continues playing* Hello...I'm Hitoshi Konno...please just continue on and don't disturb me.

I have a very important job of continuing to play this violin non-stop, so I really can't take any distractions.
Wakana: Why?

What's so important about you having to play your violin non-stop?
Hitoshi Konno: You see that thick wall of brambles?
Wakana + Keiko + Yuuka: Yes…
Hitoshi: Well, actually behind it is a magnificent palace in which an amazingly, incredibly, unbelievably beautiful princess has slumbered for a hundred years.
Wakana + Yuuka: 
A hundred years?!
Keiko: An amazingly, incredibly, unbelievably beautiful princess?!
Yuuka: So...this princess has been trapped in the castle for so long?
Hitoshi: Indeed.

And my violin playing is a charm to ensure she has only sweet dreams...but because of this wall of brambles I have to stand out here on the road.
Keiko: It must be the work of the witch! The one who's been running amok lately and turned my grandmother into a gyoza!

We must save the princess!
Hitoshi: 
Well actually, it wasn't the -
Keiko: *fired up* Come on, guys! There's a poor, innocent, pure maiden who requires out assistance! We cannot turn our backs on this injustice!
Hitoshi: Er, actually it was the princess herself who -
Keiko: *interrupting* I will climb to the highest tower to save her with true love's first kiss!
Hitoshi: Hold on a minute - you want to go into the bramble forest?!

No one has ever been able to get through that wall in a hundred years! All who have tried have never been able to return...dead or alive…
Wakana + Yuuka:
Keiko: Let's go!
*running towards bramble wall*
Hitoshi + Wakana + Yuuka: EHHHH?!!
Hitoshi: 
Foolish girl!

Didn't you hear what I just said? No human has ever been able to get through that wall of brambles alive!
Keiko: Oh, well it's lucky that Wakashark isn't a human, then.

Go in and clear a path for us so we can save the amazingly, incredibly, unbelievably beautiful princess!
Wakana:
*looking at the needle-sharp brambles glinting* I - I don't wanna -
Keiko: Oh, come on! You're an indestructible Wakashark, aren't you?
Wakana: 
I - I have sensitive skin!
*thinking* Why is she so desperate to save this dodgy princess?
………….
Wh-what am I thinking?
I - it really doesn't bother me that much, really…
Keiko: Awww come on, Wakasharkie~~

Pleeeassseee~~~?
*cuddling Wakana*
Wakana:
*thinking* Wh-what's with this strange fluttery feeling in my stomach?!
*pushing Keiko away quickly* OKAY!

...I'll do it…
*thinking*
For the sake of seeing Keiko's smi - GAH
WHATAMITHINKINGMUSTSTOP
Hitoshi + Yuuka:
*feeling left out of the emotionally charged moment between the other two*
And so, our heroes began their conquest of the dreaded bramble wall from which no human has been able to return alive. Using her razor sharp megalodon teeth, Wakana Wakanashark was able to bite a clear path through the bramble labyrinth. Before long, the three were very close to the castle…
Wakana:

This is tiring…
Keiko: *cheerful* Don't worry, Wakachan~ There isn't much longer to go - I can see the castle turrets now!

Wait for me, my hime-sama…
Wakana:
*continuing to bite painfully*
Yuuka:
*slices brambles into perfect cucumber pieces with her axe* Phew! I think we're done! The palace is just ahead…
Keiko: Oooh, look, we can see Hitoshi from here! Let's wave to him!

Sensei! We made it~!
*in the distance*
Hitoshi: 
Baka...
*back in front of the palace*
Keiko: *excited* Okay, my comrades, let's go save this fair maiden from the witch's curse!
Wakana: *spitting brambles from her mouth*

My jaw hurts…all that hard work and I don't even get a thank-you?!
Yuuka: 
Why is Kei-kun so pumped to save the hime-sama?
*looking at grumpy Wakashark*
*wondering why she became so grumpy*
Keiko: Come on, guys! We must hurry~!
*calling the two who were straggling behind* Yuuka-chan and Waka -
*alarmed* W-Wakashark!
Wakana: ...whaaaaaat.
Keiko: 
Your mouth is bleeding!
*rushes over*
Wakana:
Keiko: *grabs Wakana with concern* Are you okay?! It must be from all those brambles you ate! Oh, I'm so sorry Wakachan~

Here, lemme wipe it away~~
*about to dab her mouth*
Wakana:
*blushing bright red* D-d-d-d-d-d-d-DON'T TOUCH ME!!!
*quickly flees*
*thinking* What's wrong with me?!
Keiko: Why did you retreat?
Yuuka: 
…………………
*suddenly realises…* Oh, I see what's going on here….
Wakana:
The three adventurers continued to make their way into the castle, braving many horrendous and terrifying obstacles, such as -
Yuuka: Stairs!

And more stairs…
many more stairs...
Wakana: This is the 20th flight of steps we've come across…
Keiko: *coming up from behind and puts her hand on Wakashark's shoulder* If you're getting tired, Wakachan, I can carry you the rest of the way up if you want~

I have plenty of strength left!
*starts to lift Wakashark*
Wakana:

N-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO THANK-YOU!
*flees*
Keiko: 
Why did you run away again?
Yuuka: tsundere~
After climbing as many as perhaps over 9000 steps, Keiko, Yuuka and Wakashark arrived at a door.
Wakana: There's a sign here...what does it say?
*reads* "DO NOT DISTURB." …..eh?
Yuuka: What is that supposed to mean?
Keiko: It is obviously the evil witch's doing!

She put this sign here so that no one could find and wake up the princess! But it won't fool us.

I - ahem, I mean - WE shall save her!

Now, how do we break past the witch's spell and break down the door so we can enter the room?

There may be some secret knob that opens a secret passage that we have to -
Wakana: *opens the door*
Keiko: 
S-Sugoi! As expected of a Wakashark!
Wakana: ...uh, it was unlocked…
The three entered an enormous and splendorous chamber. A huge four poster bed lay in the middle of the room, upon which lay a sleeping figure, hidden by a mysterious veil of white drapery.
Keiko: *gasping* T-THE PRINCESS!
Yuuka: The Princess?
Wakana: ...the Princess.
Princess: *snores loudly*
Keiko: *approaching*

SH-SHE'S MAGNIFICENT!
Wakana:
Yuuka:
Keiko: I shall now bestow upon the Princess the kiss of her One True Love, which shall break the curse!

Rise, Fair Maiden, from thy hundred year slumber~~
Wakana: *marching across the room* HEY!

WAKE UP! I didn't eat my way through a bramble bush just to see you lie there like a log!
*violently shakes the Princess*
Keiko and Yuuka:
Princess:

...eeeehhh?
Wakana: *just noticed* 
Oh, you woke up!
Keiko and Yuuka:
Wakana: Well, um, hello...

I'm Wakashark, and this is Little Red Keiko Hood and Yuuka the Woodcutter. We were just...uh...passing through…

What's your name?
Princess: 
I am Princess Hikaru…
Keiko: Hikaru! What a beautiful, melodious name!
*tries to kiss Hikaru on the hand*
Princess Hikaru: 
Eh-eehtooo, nice to meet you too, Keiko-san…
Keiko: What? Why so formal?! You can just call me Keiko! Or even better, Kei-chan! Or Kei-kun! Take your pick~
Princess Hikaru: S-so...what are you doing in my palace…?
Keiko: We came to free you from the evil witch's terrible curse!
Princess Hikaru: ..............................................

What curse?
Yuuka: The curse that ...made you sleep for a hundred years?
Princess Hikaru: A hundred years only?

Well, dangit, looks like I didn't beat my record this time.
Keiko and Yuuka:

R-Record?!!
Princess Hikaru: Yeah, my record is five hundred and thirty-two years...looks like I didn't even get halfway there this time.
Keiko and Yuuka:
Wakana:
Yuuka: Wait, why aren't you being surprised as well, Wakachan?
Wakana: Oh, didn't I tell you?

I'm not just any old Wakashark, I'm specifically a millions-of-years-old Waka-Megalodon-Shark.

So I'm, like, immortal as well, like the Hime-sama.
Keiko and Yuuka:
M-MILLIONS?!!!
Princess Hikaru: Oh! A primeval being! That's so cool!
Wakana: ...thank you?
Princess Hikaru: And...were you saying before that you bit your way through the bramble forest just to see me?
Wakana: 
...yyeeeeeaaahhh…
Princess Hikaru: Wow...such tenacity...and devotion...you're amazing, Wakachan~ You must be my Destined One.
Wakana, Keiko and Yuuka:
Keiko: Hold it!

I thought I was your One True Love!
Princess Hikaru: You?

Why would you think that? We’ve only just met
Wakana: Er, so have we…
Keiko: 
But - but I was going to save you from the evil witch's curse!
Princess Hikaru: What's this witch's curse nonsense that you keep going on about?

There's no witch's curse here, silly!
Keiko: …....

But then...why were you trapped in this tower for a hundred years asleep...with that sign on your door...and that forest of brambles outside your palace...and Konno Hitoshi outside playing on the violin…?
Princess Hikaru: Eh? Oh, I was never trapped here! I just like sleeping~

I can leave this place whenever I choose to, actually, but because I love sleeping sooooo much, I put the sign on my door to warn people to not wake me up...and I grew the bramble forest outside my palace so outsiders wouldn't wander in and disturb my sleep...and I told Hitoshi to stand outside playing nice music so I can sleep more comfortably...
Keiko: S-So there was no witch?!!
Princess Hikaru: Nope!
Keiko:
Yuuka:
Wakana: 
So I just chewed my way through a forest or razor-sharp brambles...for nothing?
Princess Hikaru: Oh, no, it doesn't have to be that way

...why don't I…
reward you your for your courage and bravery with...a kiss?
Wakana:

No!
Keiko:

NO!
Yuuka:

Noo…
Princess Hikaru: What's the matter, Wakasharkchan?

You don't have to be shy~ Only the bravest and most devoted can win my love, and you have proven yourself to be the most worthy of them all, getting through that bramble forest with your bare teeth, when even knights in 3-inch thick iron armour couldn't even make it through...

Of course I would fall in love with someone who would go so far for my sake...
Wakana: Ehhhhh

You misunderstand, Hikaru-hime, I didn't do it for your sake, I did it for Kei -
*thinking* Sh-shimattta, I almost said it again! Er, what I mean to say...is that I just did it for the
kicks. You know, adrenaline rush...and all that…

Hahahah
Yuuka: Adrenaline rush?

But you were grimacing with pain the whole way and later your mouth was bleeding badly!
Princess Hikaru:

Mai love!
Keiko:
Wakana: *thinking* I made Keiko upset! What do I do now?
What's with this situation?!!
Think, Wakachan, what do you, a million year old powerful Wakashark, always do when the going gets tough?
Right!
The answer is...flee!
Without warning, Wakana jumped out the nearest window, fleeing the scene.
Princess Hikaru: 
Wakkun!
*jumps out window in pursuit*
Keiko: 
Hicchan!
*jumps out window in pursuit*
Yuuka: 
W-WE ARE TEN FLOORS ABOVE THE GROUND!
*leans out of window, staring after the three*
Later, our heroes regrouped…
Wakana: *hiding under a rock*
Keiko: 
I wonder where everyone wen - KYAH~!
*trips over rock*

Eh? What's this under the rock...Is that you, Wakashark?
Wakana: 
NO!
*is flustered*
Keiko: Oh, it
is you!

So this is where you hid yourself. Any chance you've seen the princess around here?
Wakana: 
No, not around he -
Princess Hikaru suddenly came bowling out of the Raspberry Bushes (hehe see what I did there)
Princess Hikaru: *trailing twigs and leaves* FOUND YOU~~~!

That was so much fun, Wakkun! Let's play spontaneous hide-and-seek again sometime!
Wakana: Uh...we can't!

We must continue on your quest to defeat the evil witch that turned Keiko's grandmother into a gyoza!
Keiko: Oh, right!

Now I remember…
Wakana:
Princess Hikaru: I'll come too!
Wakana: No!
Keiko: *simultaneously* Sure!
Princess Hikaru:
Wakana:
*sighs* Fine…
Princess Hikaru: Wakkun~~
*tries to glomp*
Wakana: 
Nuuuooooooo
*buries self under rock again*
Princess Hikaru: 
What's wrong?
Keiko: We figured out that she doesn't like to be touched.

But you can hug me, Hime-sama~
*hugging Princess Hikaru* I love hugging people~~
Princess Hikaru: *hugging her back* Oooh, Kei-kun, you have very warm arms~~
Wakana: *lonely...lonely…*
Yuuka: Hey guys!
*running up with a ladder* 
Don't just...jump out of towers so suddenly like that! I had to borrow this ladder from Hitoshi just to get down

Why...are you standing here hugging each other? And what are you doing under that rock, Wakana?
Princess Hikaru and Keiko:
Wakana:
Yuuka:
*thinking* This is going to be a looooong journey…
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
