Beatrice takes the stage. (Pink Trigger, Favor -1)

Beatrice's dark, heeled boots clacked against the wood floor as she approached the now empty platform. She grabbed the metal pole in the center and did a quick, easy spin around it. Even that small movement made her red skirt swish dangerously. From Battler's position, I'm sure the garment she wore below must have been visible... She must have known as well, but gave him a haughty smile, clearly unconcerned.

"So, what's your deal?" Battler raised his eyebrow and smiled at her face, as though looking any lower was to lose a challenge. "You're supposed to be Beatrice, the Golden Witch, right? The family alchemist that gave my dad's dad a mountain of gold? Everybody acts like they're supposed to bow for you and kiss your feet... And now, you're here to do a sexy striptease for me? Is that about right?"

"That is exactly right, Ushiromiya Battler." Beatrice kept the same mysterious smile glued to her face as she slowly circled the pole, training her eyes on his. "I will claim one of your favors and, in doing so, will grant you a night of unimaginable bliss. Rejoice, human! Kiss my feet if the spirit moves you. Hmhmhm..."

"Oh? It's my money, right? I think your rules said I'm free to walk and keep it if I want. Money like you hinted at could buy me a few nights of unimaginable bliss back home, I bet...!"

"A hollow boast. You will not leave without granting me a favor, human."

"Why's that, Witch?"

"Because you are too charmed by me, naturally! My winning personality and <dynamite body> have made this an inescapable closed room, Ushiromiya Battler! As such... I have already taken the liberty of claiming one of your favors."

"Wha-" Frowning, Battler swiped his head over at the case that had been prepared for him. Sure enough, one of the cards representing a dream-like amount of cash had vanished. He whipped his head back around to Beatrice-

The witch was leaning over so he would meet her face directly. With a hypnotic smile, she loosened her tie, then unbuttoned the neck of her shirt, allowing him to see the lanyard around her neck and the card hidden in her cleavage. It was an impressive magic trick... I'd never seen the moment the card was taken. Mystery fans might want to think more deeply on that, but I was personally a bit distracted, and I thought Battler was the same. "Allow me to explain a couple of things to you, human. I will grant you the truth to clear up any misunderstandings."

"Go ahead." Battler had apparently decided grabbing his money and yanking it from the neck of a pretty girl was a step too far from him, so he leaned back in his chair and watched her challenging smile with a dissatisfied frown.

"First: I, the Golden Witch, Beatrice... am your opponent. I am not a prize that you have won. I am not a horny bitch looking for a good time. I have challenged you to a game, a game which you are losing."

Like a child, the young man rose to this provocation. "Huh?! What game?"

"The epitaph, mooorooon! I challenged your entire family to my riddle, did I not? That challenge bears a very special meaning for all of you, and yet none of you have attempted to solve it! I have become like a brat who skillfully plays hide-and-seek until her friends grow bored and begin to give up. I have to give myself a bit of a handicap to keep your pathetic family in the game! This, Ushiromiya Battler, is a handicap, offered from the winner to you, her struggling opponent."

"Are you saying this show is supposed to have something to do with that puzzle? You really are nuts..."

"No, Battler. I am trouncing you humans so badly in the game you have all but given up in, I am offering you a final chance. Risking everything, I am suddenly making this contest 'the one that counts!' As your opponent, I, Beatrice, will have you acknowledge that I am a witch. On your side, Battler, you will struggle to hold on to your pitiful sanity as long as possible, denying that a witch like me can possibly exist."

"Pah! You? A witch? Aren't those only on Maria's cartoons?" Battler carelessly made his opinion known, which also showed he had already fallen haplessly into the witch's game. "Name one magic thing you've done since I entered this room!"

"Ho! Where do I start?!" Beatrice cackled, then paused in her strut, holding up her pointing finger to begin a count. "Surely you did not miss me emerging dry from an upper-story window during a storm? I flew into the mansion using my magic. Even the rain of this island acknowledges me as its master, and dares not fall upon me!"

"Yeah, that was a neat trick. So neat I've been thinking about it since I saw that goofy grin on your face! How'd you do it? There was a ladder outside I didn't have time to check, right? Or maybe, instead of that, you used a rope from the roof? I could peek outside and look for that or a canopy... But I bet you already had your accomplices like Mr. X over there start hiding all of that, haven't you?"

"Oh? Have I? Have I now?!" The witch cackled with amusement, very well concealing any admission that Battler was right on the money. "To imagine, practicing magic for a thousand years, only to be told your levitation ability is some kind of trick! Rather than poke those shotgun theories of yours apart... How about the guest we saw a moment ago? The one who appeared and then disappeared like an illusion?"

"It was just that: an illusion! You did that whole creepy spell beforehand, right? I bet it was some kind of... hypnotic chant! One that can make a guy see and feel a hallucination so real, it- Dammit!"

Battler had cut out his ridiculous explanation as Beatrice had begun laughing too hard to speak over, gripping the pole with both hands and doubling over. "Kyaaaahahahahaa! Oooh, Battler! Yeees, that's it exactlyyy! <You are getting sleepy,> kyeehehehehah!! Okay, so how about this last one? The spell I've cast so you can't take your eyes off of me?"

"What kind of spell is that?!" Battler rolled his eyes in performance, showing he was still fully capable of moving them...

Rather than respond with further words, Beatrice smiled confidently and threw her jacket open, then shrugged it off her shoulders in a sultry motion, revealing the already lightly sweat-stained long-sleeved white undershirt she wore below. It had already been unbuttoned to reveal some cleavage, and she helped that out further by unbuttoning the dark vest she wore with teasing slowness. She stepped towards him... lowered herself with another step... then, finally, ended on her knees in front of him, pulling the vest off so that her white shirt and loose tie were fully visible. Just below the shirt, an elaborate bra was visible, lacy and black with a distinct red pinstripe pattern. "Ho. I think that's about a minute with your full attention, Ushiromiya Battler. Kyehehe..."

The witch had him there. Battler **** himself to glance away, grinning sheepishly. "As if there's anything else to look at in this damn room besides your massive cow tits..."

"Ha... Ahahahaha!" Rather than offended, the target of his taunts seemed tickled pink by this response. "You surrender the round, Battler. With me as your opponent, you will surrender to a flawless game. And that, dear Battler, is because of the final spell I have cast upon you..."

"That would be...?" Battler turned to her waiting, low-lidded eyes again.

Before he could react, Beatrice leaned forward and kissed him casually on the lips.

She had him only a moment in shock before he recoiled back, looking a bit red and laughing to regain his composure. He wiped at his lips to remove her lipstick. "Now that's a foul! That's cheating for sure! What was that, you damn witch?!"

"A spell of love, Ushiromiya Battler. My dear old teacher once told me that was the most powerful element for witches. You are already under that spell, as I have said... You're already head-over-heels, smitten stupid, fully lovey-dovey and loosey-goosey for this rude witch that gives you money only to rob you bliiind, aren't you, Ushiromiya Battleeer?!? I'll have you say I'm a witch, AND that you're in love with me!! If you deny me again, I'm going to take these cute socks off, okay? I'll drive you mad with my long and lovely legs, human!"

"Ihi... W-well, if it's gonna be like that, I'll deny you to the end, witch!"

"Naturally!" Looking just as excited as him, Beatrice stood and posed beside the pole, then raised one leg high, bending it at the knee so that she could reach her boot and stocking, as though to show off the golden tattoo of the One-Winged Eagle across her upper thigh. This had the added benefit of revealing the underside of the matching panties she was wearing even to me...

Well, this spirited back-and-forth between two lovable opponents was immensely entertaining...

However... The storm outside was growing, and so was the dark. Beatrice might think she was winning, but it wasn't the victory that mattered. After all, if they kept up like this all night, we'd reach the end with Battler still defiant, playfully or not. If midnight hit and Beatrice still wasn't acknowledged, we'd be up the sweetfish river without a paddle.

I cleared my throat to get their attention. Beatrice, we only have a limited time. Don't you still have some tool you can use to bend Battler to your will more quickly...? Something that could pry open the locks on that young man's inhibitions without spending, ahem, all night on it?

Beatrice caught my meaning, a bead of sweat that had nothing to do with exertion rolling down her forehead. "Ah. That is true. No need to drag things out quite so late, very true. I'll use that... There's no way my hapless opponent can refuse."