Chapter 5

  The Day Before the Wedding

  Azul: Is it customary for the maid of honor to attend alone?

  Yuu: Not necessarily.

  Azul: Interesting. So you could have brought a date, then?

  Yuu: I am. YOU asked me. Why?

  Azul: Just curious.

  “Hey, human, aren’t you going to that fancy fish event tomorrow?” Grim whined, sauntering into Yuu’s bedroom.

  “Hi Grim! Hey, what do you think of my dress?” Yuu greeted from in front of the mirror.

  “It’s a dress. It’s black….is there something wrong with it?” Grim sniffed at the hem of her black gown suspiciously.

  “I really hope not,” Yuu said, glaring at her reflection. The dress was simple enough. Long. A little sparkly. Practically sleeved. She wouldn’t be taking any attention away from the bride in this.

  “I wanna go,” Grim said imperiously. “Take me.”

  Yuu sighed, regarding the little feline demon. If he went, there would be trouble. Trouble like cake smashing, and champagne glasses flying, and possibly setting the fountains on fire like he’d managed to do in NRC square last week.

  “You could go…” Yuu said, thinking on her feet. “But all the food’s been enchanted to be practically inedible. And there are going to be hours of speeches where it’s not even allowed.”

  “Are you kiddin’ me?” Grim yowled. “I take it back. You sit through the speeches. But bring me back some tuna.”

  “They won’t have tuna,” Yuu lied. “I don’t know if they’re even going to have cake. It’s a merman wedding, remember? Seaweed only.”

  “Eurgh,” Grim moaned. “Then why’s Mal even going?”

  “Well, she needs to do it to get married.”

  “Yikes.” Grim announced. I’m out!”

  “No problem. I’ll leave you with some tuna when I’m gone. And I bet Ace and Deuce would love some gaming if you think that’s better than speeches.”

  “I’m sold! Plus one someone else, Yuu!”

  “I actually am—hang on. My plus one might actually be…bakcing out!?” she snatched up her phone again, panicked.

  Yuu: Oh no… Azul, don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet the day before?

  Azul: Of course not.

  Yuu: Phew. I didn’t mean to accuse. It didn’t seem in character for you anyway. There’s just been… a lot.

  Azul: Strange how you claim to know me, yet I know so little about you.

  Yuu: Are you bored, Azul?

  Azul: Do I have to be bored to have a chat with a friend.

  Yuu: Well?

  Azul: I’m in a meeting with the vice house wardens discussing the terms for turf restoration on the spelldrive fields.

  Yuu: That’s mind-numbing. You might as well watch grass grow. Why are they making you do this? Jade’s busy?

  Azul: Jade is otherwise occupied.

  Azul: When Crowley pipes down, that is exactly the question I plan to ask.

  Yuu smiled at her phone, imagining Azul pinning Crowley into the sort of political corner he always did, probably with questions like ‘shouldn’t This have already been taken care of?’ and ‘Why do we pay tuition when the school’s maintenance falls to the students? And the best of them all: Why wasn’t this meeting an EMAIL?

  “Hey, human,” Grim’s voice brought her back into the room. “You’ve been… looking at your phone weird lately.”

  Yuu blinked down at him. “I have?”

  Grim nodded, yawned, and then draped himself over her sofa.

  “Yep. Weird things with your mouth. You sick or something?”

  “No, just busy. And, one of my friends has more of a sense of humor than I thought.”

  “Blah blah…what’s so funny when there isn’t any tuna?”

  “Give me a few minutes and we’ll go for dinner, okay?”

  “Nyah! That’s all I needed to hear! I’ll be by the door.”

  She sighed, looking back down at her phone.

  Azul: Twenty questions? What’s Yuu actually like?

  Yuu: There’s really nothing to know….well, not beyond what you know from knowing me for three years.

  Azul: Impossible. You’re the ‘maid of honor,’ as they call it. You clearly have connections.

  Yuu: Or, even without a history, I’m just very likable.

  Azul: Debatable.

  Yuu: Rude.

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  Azul: Enlighten me, then. Where did you grow up?

  Yuu: A normal town. With normal things.

  Azul: How informative. ?? Favorite food?

  Yuu: Anything that isn’t a contractual trap.

  Azul: Now that’s just unfair.

  Yuu: Oh, like your “not telling” earlier?

  Azul: Tch.

  Yuu: See? You don’t like it either.

  Azul: I was only saying it was Strange that you didn’t already have a date, considering how “likable” you claim to be.

  Yuu: Oh, so now I’m likable?

  Azul: I never said you weren’t.

  Yuu: You heavily implied it.

  Azul: But I never confirmed it.

  Yuu: And yet you’re still talking to me. A win. :) I’m more interesting than field turf.

  Azul: Perhaps I enjoy a challenge.

  Yuu: Is that why you asked me to this wedding? It occurs to me that you didn’t know I was already going when you asked. Just think. We could have had a normal evening. You conniving your way into the good graces of the potions dealers (Mal texted me the list.) Me enjoying the enchanted and probably cursed sushi…. Good times. Why didn’t you ask a mermaid? Aren’t there a bunch of them in Octavinelle dorm? Some probably have family there.

  Azul: Hah. As if anyone would willingly accompany the “unwanted guest.”

  Yuu: I dunno. You might have convinced some poor soul.

  Azul: No one as entertaining as you, I’m afraid.

  Yuu: Very good save.

  Azul: Serious question: what does the esteemed maid of honor do for fun?

  Yuu: And a good deflection, too! But you’re pinned, so I do feel for you.

  Yuu: I Work. Sleep. Occasionally suffer.

  Azul: Charming. Truly.

  Yuu: What? Not all of us get to build empires of morally questionable business ventures.

  Azul: It’s not morally questionable if it’s legal.

  Yuu: My morals are freed. Get ready for the rival lounge at Ramshackle.

  Azul: Avoiding the question, are we? You must do something in your free time.

  Yuu: Fine. I read. Sometimes.

  Azul: Oh? And what riveting literature holds your interest? Economic theory? Strategic warfare? Perhaps a biography of some tragic historical figure?

  Yuu: Why do you assume I have the same tastes as you?

  Azul: Because I can’t imagine you reading something lighthearted.

  Yuu: I like fiction. With….good subplots.

  Azul: Example?

  Yuu: …No.

  Azul: Scandalous.

  Yuu: You’ll never know.

  Azul: Ah, but I am a businessman, Yuu. And I always get what I want.

  Yuu: Not always, if I recall.

  Azul: It is but an eventuality. You underestimate my patience.

  Yuu: And you underestimate my ability to be vague. ??

  Yuu: Truly, you would be an interesting companion to any event. Why not ask the mermaids? I’m curious.

  Azul: As I said before… scurrilous rumors have been spread about my family, perpetuated by a noxious bunch of crustaceans.

  Yuu: Lousy bottom-feeders.

  Azul: EXACTLY.

  Yuu: What are they really hiding in those adorable little shells?

  Azul: Are you… mocking me?

  Yuu: I would never. But I would definitely hope you know that I’m not the sort of person to believe a crab’s word over yours.

  Azul: That is… somewhat comforting, I suppose.

  Yuu: Even if it’s cute.

  Azul: Crabs are NOT cute.

  Yuu: I’ve never met a crab. Will you introduce me?

  Azul: No.

  Yuu: Would it tell me that the restaurant I now frequent is served by possible man-eating eels and dubiously contracted slave workers?

  Azul: I do PAY them, Yuu.

  Yuu: With benefits?

  Azul: Money IS a benefit.

  Yuu: That sounds like something a crab would say.

  Yuu: …Everything going well in the meeting? It’s been a few minutes.

  Azul: Congratulations. I have publicly laughed at the headmaster, and Octavinelle is officially in charge of the turf replacement.

  Yuu: EXCELLENT!

  Azul: Do you enjoy making my life difficult?

  Yuu: I enjoy keeping you on your toes. There’s a difference.?? I have a proposition. Get a wad of ocean plastic. I’m sure we’ll hear about some while we’re at the wedding. Then have it toted in and hire the spinners to make turf grass out of it. (Free material, as well.) Borrow Vil’s long-lasting charms and voila! The next field-turf meeting will be well after you’ve graduated.

  Yuu: — It would also have the added benefit that whoever you’ve removed the plastic from (territory-wise) will now owe you a sizeable favor.

  Azul: Perhaps you have a future in business after all.

  Yuu: I’m not just a pretty face. Voila! Now, you have a business ‘in’ with some lucky sucker at the wedding.

  Yuu: And also the prettiest date.

  Azul: Smart and humble. How lucky of me. I take it you found suitable clothing?

  Yuu: I did. Did you ever manage to find a gift for the wedding?

  Azul: Of sorts…it’s certainly not my best work, but late notice and all that.

  Yuu: Same. I ended up making something.

  Azul: Oh?

  Yuu: I can show you tomorrow, if you’re on time.

  Azul: I always am.

  Yuu: I know. ??

  Yuu changed out of her dress and rushed downstairs, where Grim was waiting, very impatiently.

  “Took you long enough, human. How long does it take to change a dress?”

  “Long time,” Yuu said with a grave nod. “Ever tried one on?”

  “Eurgh! Nuffa that! You said we were getting dinner!”

  “We are! How about…. The chicken place? It’s next to a store I need to go to. Finishing touches for tomorrow.”

  “Fine, fine. As long as we hurry, but for the life of me, I can’t see why you’re so excited about that thing.”