Magic Kingdoms
a fanfic based off a cosplay skit from AX'98
by Kristin Huntsman
posted October 20, 1998


	Harmel wandered through the forest, Flute tagging along behind him 
as always, his mind on such things as the whereabouts of Sizer (unknown), 
the whereabouts of himself (slightly lost in the forest), and the 
whereabouts of dinner.  Mostly the whereabouts of dinner.
	Lost in these deep thoughts, he didn't immediately notice the 
appearance of the Demon General Bass, who appeared behind them from out of 
nowhere.  In fact, he didn't notice Bass at all until Bass spoke.
	"Aha, Princess Flute!" the General boomed.  "I've found you at 
last!"  
	"General Bass!" Harmel said, startled.
	"You're coming with me!" Bass snarled, grabbing onto one of Flute's 
hands.  Harmel reflexively grabbed the other.
	"I won't let you take her without a fight!" he warned.
	"What if I pay you?" Bass offered, pulling Flute towards himself.
	"Impossible!  There's no price you could offer," Harmel tossed 
back, yanking Flute towards himself again.
	"What about two million gold?" Bass asked.
	"Done!"  Harmel released Flute, who staggered into Bass.  Bass 
pulled a black velvet bag, heavy with gold, out of nowhere and gave it to 
Harmel.
	Harmel sauntered off, violin over one shoulder, sure now of the 
safety and lavishness of his next meal.

	Flute stared in disbelief at Harmel's retreating back.
	"HARMEL NO BAKA!!"
	"You're coming with me," Bass said, taking her wrist and beginning 
to lead her away.
	"Dareka, tasukete!" Flute prayed.  (Someone, help me!)

	"FIRE ARROW!"
	The attack hit Bass in the chest, and he staggered, releasing 
Flute's hand.
	A small girl, clad in red and gold, appeared from nowhere, 
wielding an impressive sword.
	"WATER DRAGON!"
	Bass staggered further back beneath the weight of the second 
attack, losing ground, being pushed further away from the Princess of 
Sforzando.  His eyes narrowed as a second figure, garbed in blues and 
taller than the first, stepped forth from the same shadows, wielding a 
sword that seemed to be made of glass or water.
	"JADE GALE!"
	Bass nearly fell to the ground beneath the force of this third 
attack.  A third girl, in green and white, appeared, pointing her sword, a 
weapon significantly longer than she was tall, at him.
	"New magic?" he wondered.  "I'll have to study this."
	Recognizing discretion to be the better part of valor, Bass 
vanished.

	Hikaru lowered her weapon as the threat vanished.  Behind her, Umi 
and Fuu did the same.
	"Thank you," said the girl before her, the one who had summoned 
them to this strange, new, magic world.
	"Are you all right?" Hikaru asked the girl.
	The girl nodded.  "Yes, I'm fine," she replied.  "But, can I ask 
you a favor?"
	"Go ahead!" Hikaru said brightly.
	"Well, Harmel was being a bastard, and I want to go kick his butt.  
Can you help me?" the girl asked.
	Hikaru looked at Umi.  Umi looked at Fuu.  Fuu looked at Hikaru.
	"Sure!" Umi replied for the three of them

	And so the three Magic Knights followed their summoner off in quest 
of the villian named "Harmel," to avenge his innumerable and unspeakable 
misdeeds (whatever they might be)....
	But that is another story.

Harmel played by Mark Niedengard
Princess Flute played by Rika Takahashi
General Bass played by Aaron Arce
Hikaru Shidou played by Mandy Paugh
Umi Ryuuzaki played by Sionna Klassen
Fuu Huouji played by Kristin Huntsman

*****
Yes, we really did cosplay this.  There are witnesses, and somewhere out 
there videotape footage, to confirm it.  These are our actual lines (doumo, 
Shi-chan!) with appropriate scenery added.  Obviously we were working from 
the manga version of VoH, and in truth this got done because our two groups 
got registered as one.  Most of the original script is due to Mark. ^^