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Amidst a forest populated with chocolate-covered trees, with cotton candy in place of foliage, two Madolches are taking a walk. One of them is a boy clad in a gold-lined red coat who has a delivery bag slung around his shoulder. Accompanying him is a girl with blonde clouds for hair, adorned in a dress that looks like a muffin.
“Thanks again for coming with me, Lady Maffin. When I tend to the Beastdolches, it’s generally a solitary task; having someone else alongside me is a nice comfort to have.”
“Aw come off it Messengelato. You don’t have to address me with the title, ‘Lady’. Maffin is just fine.”
“Oh, I insist. You’re the prophesized Maiden of Light! How could I not use a title to show respect?”
“Mmm, well it’s just, I haven’t really gotten to spend much time with everyone, and I want you all to feel loved and important too. You guys mean the world to me, so to hear the term Lady Maffin just kinda feels like there’s some barrier between us. We’re equals, friends.”
“That love you have towards us is part of why you were chosen I bet. Hootcake had some reservations, especially considering since your young age, but I think you’ve proven yourself through and through.”
“Thank you, but there’s still the fact of that… barrier.” Maffin bashfully turned her head, her cheeks flushed with pink. “I’m known as the Madolche Hero, but I’ve barely spent some time face-to-face with everyone. Some hero I am if I can’t be a regular presence in the society I represent.”
“Eh, I don’t think anyone’s gonna be too hung up on that. I mean, for most of us, we were scattered about, lost in this vast world. Then you came to find and reunite us. After that was that whole fiasco with that space battleship and faceoff with Lexip Corp’s corrupt owner. You’ve had your hands full.”
“Well yeah, but during each of those times, I was helping a friend out. I-I’m more suited to a support role, aiding from the sidelines.”
“Nonsense! We Madolches have always been able to band together to fight against fearsome threats, and you’re the greatest of all of us! I have faith in your ability, and you should as well!”
Maffin spent a few moments to ponder these words. Sure, when it came down to it, Maffin felt that she could hold her own in a fight, but the idea of resolving some crisis on her own scared her. To be put into that situation would doom those she’s trying to save, much like Leputa…
“Lady Maffin? You okay?” The delivery boy’s voice brought the fledging hero back to reality.
“Uh, y-yeah! I’m peachy keen! J-Just brainstorming ways I can make up for lost time with the other Madolches is all!”
“Is that so? Well, you don’t have to worry your head too much about it. Trust me, we’re all eager to spend some time with you. And I know Mewfeuille’s gonna be chipper about your appearance. He may be a bit prickly at times, but he enjoys company.”
“Huh, never pegged Mewfeuille to be a sun-dairy.”
“Gesundheit?”
“No, no, it’s a character trait. You know, prickly on the outside, sweet on the inside. Well, we’re also sweet on the outside. Now that I think about it, you sure he’s not a candy corn cactus in disguise?”
The delivery boy chuckled. “Believe me, if Mewfeuille were a cactus, I’d be the first to know.”
“Yeah, that’s a good point.”
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
The noise lingered for a while, followed by the migration of a few birds. “Eek! What a horrible scream.”
Messengelato’s face grew dark. “Yeah, it sounded like Mewfeuille. I wonder what could’ve caused that.”
“No time to think about that! I’ve gotta get a move on!” Without delay, Maffin conjured up her faithful mount, an animated broom. The maiden zoomed off yelling, “I’m coming Mewfeuille!”
“Ah, Lady Maffin, wait for me!” The delivery boy rushed off towards the speeding spellcaster. Following the hero was easy, magician-shaped holes in the hills served as a convenient trail to follow. As the bestial caretaker hopped through the gaps, Mewfeuille’s humble abode grew ever closer. Messengelato cursed himself, one of these days he’d really need to invest into a reliable, quick method of transportation.
Hustling through an open doorway, Messengelato arrived to see Mewfeuille’s living room in disarray. Black soot coated the carpets and in place of a TV, was a gaping hole in the wall. A grumpy pink furball was keeping a slim grip on reason as the heroine muttered apology after apology.
“Honestly Lady Maffin, what did you think you were doing?”
“I heard you screaming so I thought you were in danger.”
“My home lies in the woods, practically secluded from civilization! What pray tell, do you think would be out to get me?”
The heroine crossed her arms and furrowed her brow. “I dunno, maybe some stray candy zombie or something. Look, stranger things have happened and now that there’s peace, I don’t wanna lose you all.”
In response, Mewfeuille’s features softened as he cooled down. With an exhausted sigh, Mewfeuille stated, “An understandable concern, but perhaps you shouldn’t jump straight to conclusions. Learn to give things more thought before jumping in with your gut instinct.”
“So, if there was a candy zombie, I should’ve waited for it to bite you before taking action? Seems kinda counterproductive if you ask me.” Maffin’s face soon made quick friends with Mewfeuille’s claws. Messengelato could only wince before inching forward to remove the frenzying cat. The delivery boy managed to drag the cat away without suffering much injury in retaliation. To soothe the angry beast, Messengelato ruffled his charge’s head.
“You need to watch your temper there Mewfeuille. I’m sure Lady Maffin didn’t mean to cause you any trouble. Heck, she’s only here because she intended to get to know you better.”
The cat slouched further into the delivery boy’s chest. “That may be true, but she’s not putting enough thought into her actions! Such a simple-minded approach might cause a repeat of Leputa if the Great Mechanisms return.”
The heroine’s face grew grim. “T-There’s no way I’ll let that come to pass!” She placed her hand upon her breast and let out haggard breaths. “I won’t let this place, our home, fall to destruction! I’ll die before I even entertain that thought! The Madolche Hero will keep everyone safe!”
“Well, you can start by saving us from yourself!” Messengelato’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
“Mewfeuille! How could you say something like that?”
“Hmph, she needed to hear it! As kind as Lady Maffin is, she’s yet to prove herself on her own! Uncharacteristically for her, she’s been lucky enough to have others nearby to lend a hand, or more accurately, lend a hand to. However, we need her to be strong, to fight the battles that we can’t.”
“It’s one thing to wish for a more self-reliant savior, but what you’re asking for is pretty spiteful. Lady Maffin shouldn’t need to fight alone. Part of me wishes I could help her, but there isn’t anything I can do.”
“All we can do is hope. That and maybe send me a message before stopping by. As you can clearly see, my home is not accident-proof.”
Messengelato hurried gave a bow. “Lady Maffin, please excuse Mew-” But there was empty space where the Madolche Hero once stood. “Now look you’ve done. You scared her off.”
The cat pouted. “Well, if Lady Maffin skirts away from constructive criticism, she’ll never improve.”
“Well that is true, but you could’ve been less harsh about it.” Messengelato scooped up the pink furball and let loose an exasperated sigh. “With any luck, I can track her down. When I find her, you’re going to apologize alright?” In lieu of an answer, Mewfeuille growled and gestured at the gaping hole in the wall. “Eh, I can cover the cost for repairs. It pays to be a carrier!”
Mewfeuille slunk further into Messengelato’s chest and let loose an amused purr. An outstretched claw directed the carrier over to a nearby couch. The mailman ruffled his captive’s head a bit before granting him freedom. The cat used this opportunity to claim its prize. With a soft – plop – the kitten nestled itself into Messengelato’s soft, messy blue hair.
“Nnngh, I suppose we don’t have to visit Lady Maffin right away. It might do her some good if she has a few minutes to clear her head.” The cat gave a triumphant meow as it turned about in its cozy haven. Besides the occasional breath, the duo was still and silent. No words were needed for the two of them. All they wanted was to enjoy the calm, basking in the other’s tender comfort.
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“Alright sugar muffins, listen up!” The heroine barked into a megaphone as she paced around the stage. “We face a dilemma right now! Our attempt to improve relations with Mewfeuille ended with him being a disgruntled ball of adorable fluff! And that is UNACCEPTABLE!!” The clustered magical girls roared in unison, expressing their agreements. The pastries’ voice melded into an uproar, assaulting the heroine’s ears with a rapid-fire barrage of comments. from all sides.
*!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*
To combat the noise, an utterly ear wrenching noise was emitted from the megaphone. “Order! Order! This is my… err, our backyard and I’m the original, so I will have order!” The clones sheepishly relented, regretting the fact that none of them had any earplugs. Breaking the silence, a hand shot up in the crowd. “Yes! To the me in the back!”
“How do I… you… me… suggest we fix this?”
“Excellent question!” Maffin’s countenance adopted a smirk as she paraded around the stage, wagging her finger. “Worry not, for the ever-adorable, constantly-amazing, always-smart Mewfeuille has already given us the solution! We have to save the Madolches, from ourselves!” The collective gallery of muffins looked concerned. The fledging hero, opted to be silent, as the dawn of realization plunged the muffin batch into disarray.
“I lament my fate. Once I was the Madolche Hero, only to find myself take up the path of villainy. There truly is no justice in the world…”
“You mean we’re gonna be bad girls?!”
“Well if you think about it, my Level of 7 doesn’t really jive well with the other Madolches, so I guess we thematically should be a different alignment?”
“I can’t bring myself to hurt the Madolches, I love them!”
“Do you think this will let us have a classic hero/villain romance with Chouxvailer?”
*!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*
The earsplitting noise that came out of the megaphone, quickly brought everything to a halt. All eyes went back to their original, who smiled smugly. “Listen to me! As tempting as it would be to follow the path of villainy, complete with a dress evoking power and confidence, we are not going to be villains forever. It’s just for today.” A collective sigh washed over the crowd. “I’m going to be split into groups of two. One group will serve as the villains to go around causing mischief, taking Madolches as hostages. But under no circumstances, should you allow any lasting harm to befall them. I will know, and trust me, if it happens, I’ll be in a lot of pain… err and so will you! So uh, don’t do that, please.”
“How do I tell the good mes from the bad mes?”
“Take a good look at myselves… yourselves… ourselves. The good mes have twin tails and the bad mes have mustaches and sport a long single ponytail.” The muffins played with their hair, trying to confirm what their self-appointed role was. Few of them took to their roles with boisterous fervor, and others resigned themselves to dramatically deny the truth. Another eardrum shattering sound brought the batch of desserts in line. “Is everyone ready?”
“O-One final question!”
“Go ahead.”
“D-Do we have to threaten every Madolche or are some… off-limits?” The leader cupped her chin with a hand. Obviously, she would exempt herself from it all, otherwise this endeavor would have no point. Localized infighting with yourself never really solved anything anyways. Maffin stood there, stuck in contemplation. “D-did I... you, us, did my question get heard?”
The leader gave a dismissive wave. “It did, don’t worry, I just didn’t think about that until now.” After a few grumbles, she let out a snap! “I forbid me… err, I forbid us to bring our battle to the Madolche Chateau. I don’t wanna cause the royals any stress. Any other questions?” The inquisitive one sheepishly shook her head. The leader then took out a stopwatch. “Alright then. I’m gonna give the bad mes a 10-minute head start. If you don’t want fight anymore or if you get defeated, wear a few of these starry hairpins! That way, everyone will know that you’re no longer a participant. Now, is everyone ready?”
“YES!”
“Cool beans, lemme start a countdown!”
THREE!!!
TW- *DING DONG*
Myriad heads snapped their gazes towards the door, wondering who this mystery guest would be. The muffins, at a loss at what to do, looked to the original for direction.
“Just act natural everyone. I’ll go see who’s at the door. We can resume this later.” The copies moved aside, creating a clear path from the sizable backyard to Maffin’s home. As the heroine trudged across piles of DVDs and romance novels, she let out occasional cries of “I’m on my way!” At last, Maffin reached the door. With a rushed motion, the door flung open, with the whims of fate barely keeping the hinges attached.
“Mewfeuille? Messengelato? What are you two doing here?”
The delivery boy looked at the cat hiding behind his legs. “Mewfeuille here has something he wishes to tell you.” The Beastdolche caretaker scooped up the feline and stepped forward. Mewfeuille found the welcome mat to be very interesting. He wasn’t sure which was more eye-catching, the W E L C O M E spelled out in frosting or the gumdrops implanted along the mat’s rectangular frame.
The feline forced out a cough and swallowed his pride. “Lady Maffin, when last we spoke, I realize I may have spoken out of line. It would do my heart good if you could accept my humblest apologies!”
“Just call me Maffin. Not to worry, though, I accept your apology! Though, uh, I don’t remember you saying anything wrong.”
“Well, that’s because I didn’t.” Messengelato cleared his throat and stomped on Mewfeuille’s tail quite forcibly. “I-I mean, I didn’t use the right connotation with my diction earlier.”
“Sorry Mewfeuille, but I’m not as smart as you. You’re losing me.” A sharp glare from the blue haired Madolche halted any potential snarky responses.
“Y-Yes of course. Well, earlier I had blurted out that if you wanted to save us, you should save us from yourself.”
“Ooooooooh, that! Again, I don’t think you said anything wrong. I mean, we you were giving me advice!”
The delivery boy and cat were flabbergasted. “Wait, so you’re not mad?”
“Nope.”
“Then why did you leave?”
“It seemed like I was quickly becoming a third wheel. Also, I wanted to take your words to heart and change! For that I needed to get home as soon as possible! Oh, speaking of which, would you like to come inside?”
“We’d be delighted to accept your invitation Lady Maffin!” Messengelato released Mewfeuille’s tail. Sensing his moment of freedom, the pink feline climbed up the maiden, seeking sanctuary inside her cottony hair.
“Like I said, Maffin’s just fine…” With an unamused expression, the magical girl stepped aside, allowing entrance to her cozy cottage. Maffin went straight to lounge on a jellybean bag chair. Messengelato, seeing the host choose her seat, opted to rest upon another jellybean bag chair. During the leisure time, Maffin conjured a small ball of light and had it buzz around Mewfeuille. At first, the cat lazily swiped at it, though the ball was steered just out of reach each time. As the claws met nothing but air, irritation grew, and instinct took over. Messengelato muffled his mouth, but a few chuckles escaped. The furball leapt towards the sphere and scampered all over the room trying to capture it. Finally, Mewfeuille was able to corner the ball, and in one fell dive, captured his prey.
Applause filled the room much to the surprise of the guests. A cacophony of congratulations erupted from the back.
“Awesome job Mewfeuille!”
“That’s the fabled kitty brain that we’ve come to admire!”
“Yeah, you show that nya-ughty dessert who’s boss!”
“C-Can I pet you?”
The cat scratched its eyes to make sure there wasn’t some illusion at play here. No, they were still there. A bunch of humanoid desserts sounding and looking eerily similar to Maffin were crowded in a room further back.
In a concerned tone, Messengelato asked, “Do my eyes deceive or are there truly multiples of Lady Maffin?” Moments later, the original Maffin groaned as she put her face into her hands.
One of the mustached muffins answered. “It’s no trick, we’re all real!”
“I don’t understand, how is this possible?”
The look-a-likes wordlessly gazed at the original, who replied, “Simple! You know how I said I wanted to take Mewfeuille’s words to heart and change?” The two guests gave affirmative nods. “When I got home, I cloned myself a buncha times! The mes with the mustaches are the mischievous ones who I was gonna send out first to wreak havoc and hold the Madolches hostage. Then the mes with twin-tails would arrive valiantly and save you all. I was starting a countdown to send them out, but then you two showed right before I finished. Pretty coincidental, huh?”
Mewfeuille’s seething rage made itself blatantly obvious. The influx of heat rushing to Mewfeuille’s face was so great, that he seemed in danger of melting. The cat spat out some garbled hisses, before taking deep, heavy breaths. The Maffins retreated a few steps, fearing a massive scolding. The pink furball closed his eyes, and then recalling Messengelato’s earlier words, let out a drawn-out exhale. “I-I see. Then I suppose it was fortuitous that we arrived when we did.”
“I-I guess so?”
“Lady Maffin.”
The maiden jumped backwards in surprise; arms held up to protect her face. “Y-Yes?”
“When I said that you should save us from yourself, I didn’t mean that literally.”
The muffin lowered her head in shame. “Oh, I’m sorry. I almost made a mess of things…”
“It’s fine. I know you didn’t mean to cause any harm.” The cat glanced at his caretaker, who was beaming with pride. “To be honest, I’m glad that you wanted to put my advice into immediate practice, even if you came to the wrong conclusion.”
Maffin balled her fists and her countenance grew fierce. “Of course! You all mean the world to me. What kind of Madolche Hero would I be if I didn’t take what you all say into consideration?”
Messengelato laughed at the exchange. “You truly were meant to have that role, Lady Maffin.”
“Hrrm. Right then.” The original turned to her beloved clones. “Sorry gals, but it seems your role is over.”
“Awwwww, but I wanted to pinch Choxy’s cute cheeks!”
“Hmph, well isn’t that purr-fect? Hee hee, couldn’t resist.”
“And so, my life comes to an end. Weep not for me for I got to see those I cherish most smile brilliantly. As they say in Hero City, you either live long enough to be the villain, or die early with no regrets.”
“I never got to rest upon Baaple’s fur. I bet it would’ve been so relaxing…”
One by one, the clones disappeared with a simple, poof.
“Phew, that takes care of that! What now?”
“How long do you have until you need to go?”
“It’s the weekend, so I’m gonna be off tomorrow.”
The heroine burst with excitement as she squealed. “OMIGOSH! THEN WE HAVE LOADS OF TIME! Where did I put that Fruits Basket DVD set?” Maffin dredged through her various belongings, while the cat shared a look with the delivery boy. No words were needed for them to know what the other was thinking.
This was going to be a long night.