Satan’s Space Amusement Park Chapter 7 - The Queen!? The Mega Labyrinth

“Urgh, somehow, I don’t remember much about anything...”
“A-Ah, it’s alright if you don’t recall a thing.

After a while, Ringo snapped out of her funk. I could only give a rather hazy chuckle while I shouldered her around. Uhm, In actuality, I’m kinda happy that she doesn’t remember anything about earlier...

"Incidentally, Arle."

Once Ringo is safe and sound, we headed off to the next destination...or we should be until Schezo talked to Arle.

"What's up?"
"You had your share of folk launching themselves to your presence, but do you find it strange that certain someone has yet to appear?"
"That certain someone... I kinda have an idea. Ah ahahaha. You have a point there."
"Certain someone?" I asked Arle, who's forcing a smile, about it.
"Oh ho ho HO!"

We turned towards the direction of where that shrill laughter came from.

"Ahh...that sound, definitely that certain someone..."
"Gu guu..."

Arle pointed towards the laughter.
That person right there is a lone lady, standing before the tall fencing of the castle entrance, complete with a huge gate.

"I knew that you would show up, Arle! Showing up to this amusement park that darling Satan painstakingly made for me...I'm the one that'll enjoy its offerings to my heart's desire!"
"Your presence is expected, Rulue." Schezo's reacted dryly, as if he saw it coming from a mile away.
"Say what? Satan made the amusement park for you?" I asked, even if it sounded rather simplistic.
"Uh, Rulue's kinda got a thing for him, and, well, is kinda delusional about it too. It's best you just leave her be." Arle explained, as it's all so familiar to her.
"Hey, what's with that attitude!?"
The angry lady they called Rulue whipped her attention toward us, holding a folding fan in one hand.

Rulue's one of Arle and Schezo's acquaintances. Her hair's blue, wavy, and long, and with the lady-like clothing, it makes her all the prettier. Despite how she dresses, she's a martial artist that gets pretty scary when angry...really scary.

"At least keep your reaction a little more fresh when the I, the Fighting Queen Rulue, make my entrance!"
"Oh, come now, you know Carby, Schezo, even Satan, and I find it rather difficult to think otherwise when you're not around..." Arle grumbled and huffed up.
"Gugugu~" Carbuncle waved his arms at Rulue without a care.
"If I may promptly ask, are you the one holding the stamp that will soon be given out?" Ringo very calmly resumed the talk.
"....w-why you~~~!" Rulue unfolded and grasped the fan tightly.
"Ah, uh, but wait! At least you didn't have a run-in with a weird-looking clown!"
"Hey."

Arle followed after Rulue in a panic trying to sympathize with her anger, with Schezo quietly retorting. Rulue, however, isn't giving her a chance and didn't seem to listen.

"Grrr...so you were invited to darling Satan's amusement park and actually came for some fun...Arle! He stated this wasn't for you!"
"Oh, I certainly get that loud and clear."
"You think you're so proud, getting this wonderful amusement park for yourself!"
"Oh no no no! I honestly think this bizarre amusement park is really bothering me!"
"And yet, you're still having a good time as darling Satan had intended it..."
"Gah, I'm not liking that feeling."
"Aahh! The words coming from the love-struck rival's heart moves it so!"
"But I'm just about the complete opposite of being your rival..."
"Arle! If you're begging for a beatdown until you're all bruises, I'll be more than happy to oblige!"
"This painfully long conflict has to end SOMEDAY!"
"Guguguu!"

Arle and Rulue's chat sound far from even being close friends, and what a high tempo they're in this is... I continued to watch, half surprised, half admiration, until Rulue unfolded her fan and pointed at the big gate behind me.

"This here is an attraction fit for a queen. The Gorgeous✰Mega Labyrinth!"
"Gor-geous..."

The gate shined brightly, and with a loud creaaaak...it opened up. In it was a "Start" gate, as well as a bunch of roads that start there. I image they'd split up and branch out deeper in, but I can't really see where they lead. In other words, it's a maze. Then much farther from here, there would be a "Goal" flagpole somewhere, fluttering in the breeze.

"Simply put, reaching the goal of this labyrinth marks it as cleared." Schezo summarized...
"Exactly that! Moreover...If you are unable to cross the goal before I, Rulue, you will not be getting the stamp!"
"W-WHAAAAT!?" We all exclaimed.
"T-Then Satan didn't mean to have Arle have a good time here!?"

Then I get lectured...

"But of course, how do you have plenty of fun in a labyrinth? But the stamp is nothing but small talk. Oh ho ho HO!" Rulue laughed up. "Now then, let's start!"
"Huh!? Wha!?"
"Aah! You're not supposed to get a flying start!"

Rulue declared 'start' when she felt like it, facing the start gate and making a mad dash right out of it.

"Confound it...after her, you three!"
"Let's go, Carby!"
"Guguguguu!"

Continuing after Schezo, Arle and then Ringo jumped at the call.

"Ah-awawawawa..." As for me, I hesitated a bit before jumping in. "Guys~, wait for me~~~!" I frantically chased after them, the same frenzy that kinda felt flat on their ears.

A few minutes later...

"Where...where the heck am I~~~!?" I ended up losing everyone. I'm absolutely lost in this mega maze.

---

"Sigh...guess that's how it is, gotta fight on flying solo!"

If everyone's chasing after the goal, then probably everyone can meet up there. I faced forward with this new resolve, taking the run forward. A few steps in later though...
"Eeeek!?"
"Yikes!"

*CRASH!*

I ran head first into some figure around the turn, barely getting up after falling flat on my back.

"O-Owowowoww...my bad...uh..."
"Oh...it's you."
"Rulue!"

Get real! I had to randomly run into Rulue of all people, while in the middle of heated competition!

"Amitie, you're with Arle lately aren't you...are you a child as well?"
"Y-Yeah. That's right. The name's Amitie...and my dream is to be a wonderful magician..."
"What are you doing to achieve that?"
"Uhm, well..."
"Don't tell me...you're here to stand in my way, aren't you?
"Th-th-th-th-th-that's not it at all!" I flailed my arms in a panic looking straight onto her.
And for a few moments, Rulue's looking at me with a bit of suspicion.

"Oh, fine. I suppose I have some time to babysit you." Rulue took my hand and decided to help me up..."I still must hurry onward to the goal however. So I must excuse myself." Then she turned her back to me and briskly walked off.

"O-Okaaay..."

I think I shouldn't expect any nice gestures from her...

"......"
"......"
"Excuse me, Amitie."
"What's up, Rulue?"
"Tell me why you're following me!"
"Eeeek!? Butbut see, I lost track of where I am and everyone else, and I'm super worried about them~!"

Yep. Wherever they coming from and where should I go, heck if I know. For now though, I sadly have to walk the trail behind Rulue by myself, and she's kinda ticked off.

"Hey, you know we are rivals right now..."
"I get you, but don't leave me~~~!"
"Do you even know what's coming out of your mouth!?"

And she caused a clamor in the mega labyrinth. I hate to admit it, but I'm better off solo!

"Sigh...It's fine." Rulue shrugged and sighed. "Like me, will you."
"Wait- really!? Wicked! You're being nice!"
"But of course I'm kind! ...Nevertheless, I want to win over Arle. I don't particularly resent you in any form."
"Thenthen, let's go together from here onward!"
"You're scheming something aren't you!"
"Get real!"
"Good grief...you're a strange child." Rulue grumbled, turning her back to me again and began walking away. I hesitantly followed after her.

*Shuffle shuffle...*
*Silence...*
*Trot trot...*

Uh. W-what do I do, things are getting awkward without something to talk about!

"N-Nice weather we're having, huh?" I tried breaking the ice.
"Is seeing nothing but stars in the sky considered to be nice weather?"

She's really to the point on that. Oh phooey. I'm very talkative whenever I walk about, but I'm not that great in moments like this... Think of something, some topic...I got it!

"Hey Rulue, do you hate Arle?"
"Huh?"

With a name that's widely known like Arle, it looks like I grabbed Rulue's attention as she looked in my direction.

"But see, you're always complaining and grumbling about her~"
"So what if I do complain on a regular basis..."
"You're always so angry!"
"Now hold up, would you cut out with talking about how angry I'm sounding?"
"But I really like Arle's company and I just wanna know what you think about her!"
"About that..." Rulue froze, seemingly at a loss of words. She began muttering a few words as she took a few steps forward.
"Actually...Arle as a person, I do not find myself particularly despising her at all."
"Oh really now! That's nice to hear~"
"However! I still cannot forgive her so easily!"
"Heh?"
"She is the one obstacle that stands in the way between Satan and I...and is therefore my rival!"
"A- A- An obstacle~!?"

I-I didn't think she'd see it that way... Instead, she's seeing and taking Satan's approaches on Arle rather poorly. But with a straight response like that, it kinda kills the mood. Then again, I do ask really typical questions.

"Hey Rulue, do you really love Satan?"
"But of course! He is only the most noble, powerful, handsome..."
"Uh, so you say you don't really hate Arle. If that's true, then why don't you three get along?"
"Huh?"
"Uh, I counted Carbuncle... Oh yeah, Schezo especially counts too! Even Ringo and I also count! Right!"
"W-what are you even saying...?"
"Uhh hmm..." I can't really explain it. I only continued to talk more excitedly. "When I came to the amusement park, I've been thinking... Satan's all about Arle and Carbuncle...And Ecolo's all about wanting to play with Ringo. Well, I'm fine that I'm always traveling with everyone..."
"......"
"Hey Rulue, are you okay when it's just you and Satan?"
"...Ah yes."
"Then what's up? Why so?"
"I see it... I didn't quite understand."
"Y-yeah."

I've been steadily trailing Rulue for a while, and now she's coming to a slow stop for me to get beside her.

"Rulue?"

Rulue let out a gentle giggle as I peeked over from the side. Ahh, it's the first time I'm seeing this face... She's so very pretty, and I wouldn't mind if she laughed like this all the time. She then resumed her talk.

"True, everyone here wants a lively time, that's not a bad thing. But how about if you were with a special someone."
"Special?"
"Yes. Not an ordinary one, a special one. If such company was left to just the two of you, it'd be no different than a date. Thus, to that person, they'd see it as something special."
"Uh-u~~~hm..."
"As a trial, let that male friend's face come to mind."
"Wha-"
"That child, would you say that one is special to you?"
"Wh- wh- wh..."

Why am I blushing all of a sudden. I'm getting bothered by this, and I can't hold my focus. Rulue couldn't help but laugh seeing me like this.

"Fufu, so childish. Don't you know how to romance?"
"R-Romance~!? I-I totally do!"
"Oh?"
"Romance is, uhm, dating and stuff...andand!"

I really can't be serious with this answer. Love is a thing that can be with everyone, not just a couple.

"Oh come on, it can't be just a thing for couples..."
"I wonder why."
"Stop dodging the question and tell me~!"
"I'm not dodging the question. I do not quite understand it myself."
"Say wha~?"
"I mean it. I've always and have been in love with Satan, but am unsure why."
"So that's what you mean..."
"When isn't it that way?"

Talking with Rulue's been really nerve-wracking, but just outta nowhere she let her grip go. I continued running alongside her within this quiet maze...

"AAAAAAH!!"

W-what the heck!? Rulue suddenly shrieked, completely blowing the calming quiet to absolute nothingness!

"That's...that's Arle! How~dare~she~pass~ME!" Rulue darted her finger forward. Up at the hilltop zone, the goal was standing right there. The moment I took notice, Arle and the others already made a beeline down the path and headed towards the goal without hesitation.

"Ah- Wowie! Look at everyone go!"
"Tch...I knew I shouldn't have got myself into deep discussion..."
"Ehehe, sorry~. Does that mean Arle and the others will win?"
"........." Rulue hung and shook her head in shame. "I won't forgive this..."

She just took a 180 mood swing from earlier.

"Hey uh, Rulue, what's with the scary look?" I ever so timidly asked...

"Haganken!!"

*SLAM*

"Wh..."

I- Is she mad at something? Rulue went up to a wall and busted a hole through it... And I'm here all bolted up stiff.

"Fuujinkkyaju! Tekken seisai!!"

*KICK!* *SMASH!!*

"W-WHOAAAH! I wasn't imagining it! She really did mean to punch a big hole in maze's walls!"

Rulue let out a feeble laughter as she continued her destruction.

"Starting to feel rather exhausted...But I must break through this wall standing in my way! A maiden is always forward with herself!"
"But doesn't that sound very un-maiden-like!?"
"Shut up, If you have time to keep on grumbling and furiously gather and pop Puyo, show me what you've got!"
"H-H-Hold up, why me..."
"Your blathering caused all these delays! I want none of it...Joou RANBU!"
"AAAAAAH!!"

Eventually... Soon after Rulue busted the wall down, we've barely made it to the goal! But we ended up getting disqualified. Seen that coming...