Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Akirame Norwen ❯ Kiss the Frogs ( Chapter 28 )

(A/N: let's see.. like Ska and punk? Definitely listen to Five Iron Frenzy, they're awesome, especially their latest CD "Cheeses of Nazareth")

Chapter 28: Kiss the Frogs

Mideel turned out to be a rather small village, the houses made out of wooden planks most likely made from the local flora. Locals went about their business calmly, and it seemed to them that girls rushing in frantically with their pockets and backpacks croaking was a common event. "Didn't pack any maiden's kisses, eh?" A local asked them, making them stop and turn their heads.

"A maiden's...kiss?" Akira asked.

"Of course, the only cure for the frog spell is a maiden's kiss... you can either buy them, or if you happen to be a maiden yourself..." the man trailed off, hinting at the obvious.

"Eeew!" Kairi exclaimed, sticking out her tongue.

The frog in her pocket, evidently Sora, loudly protested with a croak.

"Well....what exactly makes a person a maiden?" Jerdania asked.

"A maiden...is a girl whose heart is pure and intentions are good."

"Uh-huh....well...I think that would apply to all of us, right?" Akira asked, turning to look at the other two.

Jerdania and Kairi quietly nodded, biting their lips and considering whether or not they were up to the task of...kissing frogs. "Um.. where can we *buy* these maiden's kisses?" Kairi asked, wanting to back out.

"Over in the house at the end of the village. Jason always carries them."

The girls nodded to each other and headed down the dirt road, and soon reached the two-story wooden building. Inside a man stood behind a small display case, sitting back in a chair and apparently asleep. "Ah, that must be a maiden's kiss." Jerdania said, pointing out the white handkerchief with a bright red lip-stick mark on it.

"Agh! 3,000 gil?! We can't afford that!" Akira exclaimed, fingering the small pouch of money in her pocket.

The red-headed store manager somehow managed to sleep through the short and loud argument that ensued.

"I don't care, I am *not* kissing a frog!"

"They're just our friends!"

"Oh yeah? How do you know that *we* won't turn into frogs?"

"We're...maidens. I think. That must make us invulnerable to the curse."

"Spell."

"Whatever."

"So....go ahead and buy at least a couple of the things!"

"We can't afford it! Riku wouldn't have us buy them! We're gonna have to do this the hard way girls."

"Aww...fine then."

And with that the issue was settled... and the girls rather reluctantly stepped back outside. "So...where are we gonna do this?"

Akira thought about it for a second. "Well...we could just go back into the store...that guy looked like he could sleep through anything."

The girls nodded and went back inside. "So....okay, who's first?"

Akira gave a sigh. "As the temporary leader, I'll do it..." she reached into her pocket and pulled out one of the frogs. "I wish I knew which one this was." She thought to herself as she grimaced and pulled her lips together for a kiss.

As quickly as possible she pecked the frog on the head and there was a loud POOF and a puff of smoke. When the small cloud wafted away, Irvine stood in the frog's place, looking rather alarmed. Akira gave a loud "Eew!" and wiped her lips with her sleeve. "Man, I do *not* want to find out which frogs I got." Kairi said.

"Too bad, you're next." Akira said, shoving Irvine towards Jerdania.

"Why me?"

"Because I said so."
"Dang, you sound just like Riku!"

"Shut up and start kissing!"

"Um...what exactly is going on here?" Irvine asked, raising his hand.

"Shut up!" the girls all shouted back at him, making him back off into a corner.

Kairi took out the frog she had presumed was Sora, and rather skeptically held it in her hands. "Well... here's to not having the cash to do this properly." And with that she hastily pressed her lips against the frog's head.

POOF! The smoke cleared away and.... Red hastily stepped back, apparently dizzy. "Man, this sucks." Jerdania said, taking out her own frog.

"Do you have to?" Irvine asked her.

"Well...we *could* just leave them as frogs.."

"RIBBIT!" her frog screamed at her.

"Fine then, fine! I'll pucker up. Whoever you are.... I hate you." She said to the snarling amphibian.

Smooch! POOF! Ta-dah! Sora stood there scratching his head and looking around. "I didn't just eat a butterfly earlier, did I?" He asked, looking at the girls.

Akira mentally made a note... Sora, Irvine and Red were all back... so that meant that up next was either Erik....or Riku. She gulped and looked at the others. "Uhm... who has the other frog?" She asked them.

Jerdania nodded to her and displayed her golden-colored friend. "I'm willing to bet this is Erik. I mean... similarities in color, right? It even has his eyes!"

"Yeah, and that Irvine-colored frog was Red!" Akira reminded her.

The frog in Akira's pocket suddenly climbed out and hopped into her hand and looked up at her with stunningly blue-green eyes, nuzzling her thumb with its snout. She groaned and dropped her shoulders. "Oh yeah, this is definitely Riku."

The frog happily croaked, as if to say, "Duh!"

"Oh, Akira... he looks eager." Kairi teased, making Akira's face turn bright red.

"Shut up!"

Irvine laughed. "Come on darlin', don't keep your prince waitin'."

"I should have fed you to a cat when you were still a frog!" Akira shouted back at him.

By now, Jerdania had already made short work of her own frog, tired of waiting while Akira stalled. POOF. Ta-dah-dah! And sure enough, Erik stumbled back, coughing and blinking.

"There's Erik, now come on Akira! Kiss the stupid frog! We do, after all, need our leader." Kairi said.

Erik looked puzzled. "What's going on?"

Jerdania sighed. "You boys got turned into frogs.. and kissing you was the only cure. Akira's got hold of Riku, and she refuses to get it over with."

Erik raised his eyebrows and looked at the reluctant girl. Suddenly he smiled. "Come on, Akira. Be a good sport."

Akira swirled around to look at him. "You too?"

Erik nodded. Akira sighed and looked at the affectionate frog in her hands. "Well... something always told me that one day something bizarre would happen like this."

And with a shrug, she leaned forward and ever so gently pecked the frog's head with her lips. There was a loud POOF! And the trademark cloud of smoke rose, shrouding both frog and Akira.

She felt a pair of arms slowly wrap around her, and the feel of silken lips pressing gently against hers. She froze for a moment, unsure of what to think. She opened an eye, and found herself staring into a pair of closed, dark-lashed eyes. She could feel his lips spreading into a smile, and for a moment, her heart melted...Snow Queen and all. She slowly raised a hand and placed it on the back of his neck, and suddenly dug her nails in and jerked his head back, and began to scream at him in their native island tongue.

Irvine quickly looked to Sora. "What the heck is she saying?"

Sora blinked and his eyes darted around as he thought. "Uhh... Riku, you moron... how dare you without my persmission?"

"Ahh... that makes sense."

And thus Akira, she did beat him severely, making sure Riku learned his lesson. Never, ever kiss the Snow Queen without asking first.