♘ Holding out for a hero ♔

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[Tamaki and Kaoru are in the forest on the Plane, although they are trying to make their presence as inconspicuous as possible, as they seem to be setting up some kind of props in a shady tree.]

[hissing] Be careful with my daughter. If she breaks, who knows if when we’ll have time to make another.

[hisses right back] She’s not going to break! Geez... [but when Tamaki’s back is turned, Kaoru teleports to the top of a tall tree, depositing the cutout of their "damsel in distress" nice and safe on one of the boughs before appearing right near where he was, a new prop in his hand now]

[Tamaki turns around again expecting to find Kaoru there, but is surprised to find Kaoru and the cut-out Haruhi both missing] Kaoru? [He turns around in a circle around himself, and then starts looking behind trees and in bushes] Kaoru? Kaoru?

[Kaoru smiles mischievously and abuses his power teleports again so he’s right behind Tamaki, then taps him on the shoulder, his face a perfect mask of innocence] Tono, I’m right here. I was just putting Haruhi up in a tree. [points up at said tree branch] See?

[Tamaki jumps in surprise and then turns around blinking, panic replaced with confusion.] But - you... [Tamaki trails off as he looks up at the tree, another moment of confusion as he scratches the back of his head before looking back at Kaoru.] Oh. I guess that’s okay then. Is there anything else we need to set up?

[Kaoru shakes his head and pats Tamaki sympathetically on the shoulder] It’s all right. Things are a bit strange around here right now, but at least we’re not all trapped in one building again. [he places one last prop--a battery-powered speaker--in a nearby bush] But we should be all set now!

At least there’s that. [Tamaki doesn’t have time to think on this though, as they are now completely set up. He nods, confident and assertive.] Right! Let’s get in positions, men! [It doesn’t occur to him that Kaoru is only one person, so men is unnecessary. He grabs Kaoru’s shoulder and pulls him behind a tree to hide. He puts a hand on Kaoru’s shoulder, Tamaki’s expression serious and sincere, as if this is the most important thing in the world.] Kaoru, you can do the honours.

[Kaoru salutes and nods, his own expression equally serious (really, it’s more fun this way)] Yes sir! [he pulls out a remote that’s in charge of the sound system he’s hooked up in the area and hits 'play']

[a deadpan voice that some may recognize as belonging to Haruhi can be heard. the delivery of the lines in the recording sounds very robotic] "Please can you help me? I need help!" [and the recording is followed by a couple minutes of silence before it repeats again, over and over in a loop.]

Comments

[grand-gaia.livejournal.com]

UHm....Is someone there?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[Kaoru hesitates a moment before popping out from his hiding spot. after all, he knows Isaac and he's always been on the shortlist of heroes and friends Kaoru can count on... but it is a test, and Tamaki needs to see too, so! he pops out from behind the tree, acting distressed]

Ahhh, Isaac! Haruhi's stuck up a tree! Can you help her down?

[grand-gaia.livejournal.com]

Huh? Oh, sure! Which one?

[Unsure Isaac is unsure, but he's a derp and a white knight, SO.]

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[points up at the nearby tree where he put the cutout of Haruhi]

Up there! Ahhh, I never thought she'd have problems with heights...

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

[Tamaki looks uncertainly between the tree and the Haruhi that is up the tree, before finally stepping out]

Oh, ah, yes! I am, but my daughter, she's found herself stranded up a tree and... she needs help, desperately. Are you the hero type we so desperately need? Desperately.

[he had rehearsed what he was going to say, but he now finds himself struggling because the more he thinks about it, the higher that tree seems and how did Kaoru get up there and what if someone does get hurt.]

If you're capable of course! Because if you're not or you think you might get hurt or something might go wrong, I can wait for the next kind passerby!

[grand-gaia.livejournal.com]

Trees are no problem! [Isaac pulls off some excess equipment and drops them into a small pile at his feet] Which one is she in, I can probably climb it.

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

Uh, [Tamaki pauses, but this person seems to know what they're doing He points to the tree] that one. You're sure you won't fall, right?

[shunofandromeda.livejournal.com]

[There is something odd about that voice but Shun can't just ignore it.] Hello?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[he suddenly jumps out from behind a nearby tree--prepare to be tested, Shun!]

Our friend's stuck! She was trying to get something way up in the tree, but she can't get down. Sadly, I have no upper body strength, or else I'd go up there myself. [starts to tear up]

[shunofandromeda.livejournal.com]

[Shun Tenses when Karou jumps out like that but he does listen. And then proceeds to completely believe unquestioningly. After all, what reason would he have to lie?] I can get her down. Up this tree, right? [He then proceeds to not climb so much as jump up the tree, going from branch to branch until he reaches high up in the tree and finds the cutout.]

...What?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[he nods and then watches in awe as Shun makes his way up the tree] Ohhh! That was so cool! [claps]

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

[Tamaki hesitates and then clears his throat, stepping out]

Hello, kind commoner hero type person. It seems luck has shined down on my poor commoner daughter and I. She has somehow found herself stranded at the top of a tree, as you can see.

[he points towards the tree]

If only there were a commoner hero type person who could save the day.

[sparkles and roses seem to come out of nowhere, the effects of a speech practiced and executed successfully]

[shunofandromeda.livejournal.com]

[That is a really odd way of putting things, but he's not about to turn away from a request for help.] Up this tree? [He steps back to get a better look at the tree then proceeds to not so much climb as jump up the tree, bouncing from branch to branch as he heads higher.]

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

[Tamaki nods enthusiastically and gasps as he watches Shun be amazing and things. When Shun reaches the top, he'll find a cardboard cut out of Haruhi]

[hostclubmommy.livejournal.com]

[Kyouya appears behind Tamaki and Kaoru]

Ah, you're building robots to protect us.

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[oh shi-- Kaoru spins around, a tooootally innocent grin on his face]

Ah, Kyouya-sempai! How, uh, do you like the voice feature so far?

[hostclubmommy.livejournal.com]

You should be pleased. The sound is as false as the original.

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[his smile twitches ever so slightly] Yes, it's a good duplicate, don't you think?

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

[unlike Kaoru, Tamaki fails to think ahead to try to cover]

Robots?

I never thought of that! Do you think it would be possible? You can't bring people here, but you can bring pets and computers and things like that! What a great idea, Mom. As soon as we get back home, you're to begin work on this immediately!

[hostclubmommy.livejournal.com]

I refuse to waste my time on such a stupid idea.

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

It's not a stupid idea! We can't have our personal security here with us, so this is the next best thing. I'm sure Tachibana, Hotta, and Aijima would all agree. In fact, I'll ask them about it next time I see them!

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[whispers to Tamaki] Tono, maybe we should have asked one of the girls to read the lines. People might think we're asking them to rescue a robot or an android!

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

[whispers back] While it's true Haruhi's line readings are stiff and emotionless, it's still enough to inspire any hero-type to rescue her immediately. [he looks longingly up at the tree] In fact, I'm trying very hard to resist the urge right now.

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[puts a hand on his shoulder] Now, now, we already know you're a hero. Wouldn't you rather rescue the real Haruhi?

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

[he looks forlornly at the fake Haruhi before nodding and sparkling again]

You're right. There's no reason I need to spend my time and energy proving something that's all ready obvious.

[he looks back up at "Haruhi" one last time, his brow furrowing]

How did you get her up there?