I AM BLOODY PROUD OF MYSELF. Forgive me for this part taking so long, Writer's Block was being a beeyotch.
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The rest of the day went on without a problem. The girls were still being smothered - well, Tereza was still being pampered. Everyone else got the hint once Maria started to threaten them with the most serious of tones.
The final bell rang and the school was quickly emptied. Though of course, there was still those few batches of students that stayed behind to hang out in the courtyard or somewhere scattered around the grounds.
Maria and Tereza were planning out what they were going to do about their little after school brawl just as the blonde Frenchman joined them.
"Bonjour, yet again, mes amis~" Francis greeted, with no worry in his tone at all. "I 'ope you two are ready for 'zis fight of yours."
Maria glanced over and nodded. Of course they were ready, they have been since lunch. She just wasn't willing to be sarcastic at the moment. "Ja. Ve're ready. Ve're just trying to think up a plan now of how to go about this."
Tereza blinked in realization. "That's what you were talking about? I thought you were talking about what happened today!"
Maria frowned and took away the box of chocolates that rested on Tereza's lap. "Tereza. Bitte, for once focus today. Then I vill give this back."
It was amazing how quickly the short light blonde changed when it came to food. She went from horribly depressed and shocked to straight sitting and focused in just a second. The silverette shook her head. She loved her partner to the depths of her heart but she didn't know how she could still tolerate her after all these years. But as long as she could stay focused during crucial moments, Maria was satisfied.
"Listen. The plan is to beat those two 'leaders' along vith gaining information out of them in the process. Even if it leaks out little by little, I'm sure ve can make it vork." Maria restated, for Tereza to hear again and to repeat for Francis to hear.
Francis listened carefully at everything else that Maria had to say, but finding it hard to keep his own focus on her plan in the end. He was snapped out of whatever daydream he was currently in by Maria calling his name several times.
"FRANCIS. Are you just going to sit there und stare like an imbecile or do you have an idea that you'd like to share vith me?" Maria's expression was the most serious that Francis has seen all day. He was shocked into into speechlessness until an idea to help entered his mind.
He wasn't sure that the German would accept it. But it was worth a shot. "Break 'ze rules! It will be two against two, non? Et you said you 'ad suspicions 'zat 'zey are 'ze cause of the problem 'zat you are 'ere for. Well... What if you broke 'ze rules on 'zem? If you add an extra member to sneak up on 'zem during 'ze fight, 'zey might show 'zeir secrets."
Silence filled the room. Francis wore a proud smile until it slowly faded away, scared of the reply that was to come.
"Break the rules... Huh." Maria muttered out loud. She tapped her nails against the table while she thought over another plan involving Francis' idea.
Tereza stared at Francis with a very noticeable pout. Pure jealousy fueled her look, as well. She wanted to be the one to come up with an amazing idea that made Maria take time to think it over. But she was taken over by the blue eyed blonde who blurted an idea out first.
"Right." Maria interrupted the internal war that Francis and Tereza were about to start. "Francis. Since you volunteered you vill be our third person in this battle to come from behind."
"Q-Quoi?!" Francis exclaimed. He made the idea in hopes Maria would use it, yes. But he never intended for it to be him to be used. He wasn't a fighter. Not in the least. Although... "M-mas cherie! Oui I would be 'onored to put myself in danger for your sake but I don't even know 'ze first 'zing to fighting!"
"Goo't. You don't have to." Maria replied. She didn't care what he would do in the fight. She just needed him joined in doing something. "You just need to be the distraction to get their attention on a third person. Can you do that?"
It took him a moment to honestly answer, but Francis finally replied with a hesitated nod. "O-oui. For you, Maria, I will do what I can."
Maria nodded in return. With everything and everyone in understanding, the trio left the room and made their way to the front courtyard. They were running a few minutes late, but it was just another thing that they needed to make the plan work.
Arthur and Yao were leaned up against a lamp post, both checking their wristwatches impatiently.
"How dare they make US wait for THEM, aru!" Yao complained. "Aiya... When they come, they are in for a good punishment!" He flailed in anger, making his panda have to hold on for dear life if it didn't want to go flying.
"Yao. It's only been ten minutes." Arthur replied. "I'm sure they have a perfectly good explanation. They are new, after all. They could have easily gotten lost."
"Nein. Ve knew exactly vere to go. Ve just chose... To take a long vay."
Right along with the crowd that was wiating, the Englishman and the Chinese man shot their attention to the voice that just spoke. Maria stood with her arms crossed over her chest, amused with how quickly attention was gained. Tereza stood with a different aura than the one from earlier surrounding her. The look in her eye was changed, as well, giving cold shivers to those who looked at her for too long. Francis stood behind the two, but quickly slipped off into the crowd to wait for his cue.
"So. You upset us during our lunch. You make us fret over this meeting for the rest of the day. And now you have the nerve to show up late on purpose?" Arthur scoffed. He pointed his finger at the girls and made a look of complete disgust. "It's people like you two that put shame on the good word of this school."
Maria only shrugged. "Vhat vas it you said for us? 'Ve're still new?'"
Tereza quickly continued with a seemingly innocent grin. "We were exploring the school for later so we're /not/ late for future events. There's nothing wrong with that, da?"
Yao tched, his patience was used up, and he was ready to give punishment. "You two will find your end here, aru."
Arthur sighed and shook his head. "Yao, you're taking it too far again. It's against our rules to give a worse punishment than what they actually deserve."
"You're going easy on us then? Cowards."
Arthur and Yao shot a glare at Maria. They were annoyed with how expressionless her face continued to stay. Despite their rapidly decreasing tolerance for the girls, the englishman quickly put back on his pleasant performance.
"It would be rude of us to give you a higher level punishment than what you deserve. And since you are both new and both ladies..." Arthur paused for a moment to glance over Tereza, to make sure that she really was female considering her appearance. Once he was reassured, he resumed his short speech. "We must treat you with the most delicate of ways."
Maria and Tereza both looked at each other. Maria gained a smirk of amusement while her partner burst out laughing.
"You treating us like 'delicate ladies?' Who called us out in here in the first place?" Maria responded. "I don't know about you but... Isn't it against your 'rules' for men to fight women?"
Once again, Arthur and Yao were set to speechless. She had a point. They did in fact call them out during lunch for a fight after school. It was a flash of jealousy and annoyance that led them to their decision though.
Just as the boys were about to protest, Maria stopped them. "I'm done. Let's get to vhat ve originally came here to do."
The boys tsked, starting to be displeased with their used-to-be brilliant idea. They didn't have a chance to ready themselves before they realized that the short girl that stood next to Maria was already missing. "Where did-" it only took a second for them to notice before their feet were kicked out from underneath them, making them both fall to the ground.
A mischievous giggle followed shortly after as Tereza rejoined her partner. Arthur and Yao groaned while they untangled themselves and stood up, brushing dirt off that covered their pants. "That was unfair! We weren't ready, aru!"
Tereza grinned more to Yao's comment. "You two may play by the rules but we certainly won't do anything of the sort~!" She said it almost in a sing-song voice, just like a child saying that they had something better than their friend but planned on keeping it secret.
Arthur made a face and looked at Yao. They nodded, like they just finished an intense conversation but with no words said. Maria took note, and glanced at Francis in the crowd of other students watching to warn him to keep an eye out for his chance.
Arthur and Yao took a step towards the girls, looks of new determination covered their faces as they readied themselves. Francis was getting ready himself, but just as the the 'leaders' moved, so did the crowd in anticipation. The blonde lost his balance and ended up getting tossed right in the middle of the zone that was left for the fighting.
"Francis!" Maria whispered to the fallen Frenchman angrily. "I told you to wait, not go now!"
"D-desole, Maria!" Francis whispered back quickly.
"What's this, aru?" Yao stated. "A planned three on two?"
Maria quickly returned her attention to their opponents. "Of course not. He clearly fell by accident."
"Well from the look on your face just then and the responses we heard..." Arthur started. "It clearly sounded like you were planning something. Something against the rules."
Tereza lost her current focus and panicked, looking up to Maria who was now glaring daggers into Francis for ruining the plan.
Even though they assumed the plan ruined, it actually brought them to several answers that they were looking for quicker than they thought. The feel in the area changed drastically. The crowd silenced, and everything seemed to slow down.
"If you're going to play dirty then we'll change the rules to allow us to play dirty as well, aru!"
Francis scrambled to his feet, backing up to Maria and Tereza for the feeling of safety, even he knew quite well that he was on his own regardless. Maria kept her guard up, ready for anything while Tereza gripped onto her partners' sleeve.
The crowd not only silenced but froze. It only lasted for a moment before their human disguises were ripped to reveal pitch black ghosts before the trio.
"Mon dieu! 'Zey 'ave been 'iding among us students 'zis entire time!"
"Ja... Apparently so."
Arthur and Yao laughed proudly, already having the feeling of victory. "Give up, now, you three! We're taking back the throne!"
Maria glanced down at Tereza, who looked up to make eye contact. "You know what to do now. Are you ready?"
