My Name is Zus(h)io
	 Volume 1
	  Prologue

 - Page 1 -

[The boy's life was in danger.]

Zushio: Hey sis...
	I think we've gotten away from the assassins.
	Sis...?
	You're hurt...!

[His name was Zushio.]

 - Page 2 -

Zushio: Why did you go so far to protect me?!
	We're not even blood related...!
	I DON'T WANT TO BE KING!!

[The boy was first in line to succeed the throne of the empire that controlled the continent.]

Sister: ...not blood related?
	You don't want to be king?
	Then what are you?

 - Page 3 -

Sister: If you're going to run away from reality, then keep doing so.
	I'll keep protecting you.
	It's up to you to decide what you are.
	So answer me.
	What are you?

Zushio: I...
	I am...
	...I AM THE KING!
	I WILL BE THE KING!!

Sister: Zushio...
	If you fail to become king,
	I will end your life for you...

 - Page 4 -

[But the empire was overthrown.]

Zushio: HUH?!

 - Page 5 -

Zushio: (DUHHHHH!)

Zushio's Headband: I WILL BE KING!

Zushio: SIS!
	Is it me, or did the hurdles on the way to becoming king just become exorbitantly high?!
	(I just made my grand decision, too!)

Sister: ...That's okay.
	We'll just hide out and live quietly somewhere.

Zushio: Huh?!  But...

<<Sister: If you fail to become king, I will...

 - Page 6 -

Zushio: Um...  what are those swords for?!

Swords: (SHIINNNG)
	Lord Have Mercy
	Instant Death

Sister: Self-protection?

Zushio: Sister!  I am the king!!
	I WILL become king, I swear it!!

Zushio's Headband: I will be King!

Sister: What...?!
	You would start another war, Zushio?!

Zushio: I'll become king without starting a war!!
	(Spare my life!)

Sister: Zushio...

Zushio: {She'll kill me if I don't become king...!}

Sister: {I shall snuff out the spark of war right here...!}

[So the empire's peace was shattered, and Zushio's journey begins!!]

 - Page 7 -

 - Page 8 -

 - Page 9 -

[Six Months Later]

Guy: UGAAH!!

Girl: Don't go tellin' everyone I'm a girl!!

Little Girl: (are you dead?)

Guy's Face + Fist: (fsshhh)

Girl: Now the store owner cut down my salary!!

Guy: Oh yeah?!  Well you're a girl, you shouldn't hit guys and talk like a man!!

Little Girl: (oh, you're alive)

Girl: WHAT?!

Lady: HEY!

Guy: OWW?!

 - Page 10 -

Girl: Oh, hi ma'am!

Guy: (fsshhh)
	Unconscious

Lady: I'm sorry!  My boy's been interfering in your work, hasn't he?
	I'm so impressed!
	You lost both parents to the war, and yet you keep making a living all alone...!
	Hey...  are you sure you still don't want to live with us...?

Girl: Oh!  I need to go draw some fresh water for my house...!!

Lady: (...what a busy girl...)

Soldier: This man is wanted.
	Tell us if you see him!

 - Page 11 -

Girl: {I'm grateful she feels that way, but...}

Poster: WANTED

Girl: Whoa!
	This wanted person is the former prince?!
	And somebody THAT important's showed up around here?!

Zushio: (floaty floaty)

Girl: WHAT THE?!
	A drowned body in the river!!

Poster: Prince Zushio
	WANTED

Girl: HUH?!

 - Page 12 -

-000001-
-Zushio Washes Up-

Girl: THAT'S...
	THE RUNAWAY PRINCE ZUSHIO?!

 - Page 13 -

Girl: {...he's alive!  But is it really him?!}

Zushio: Oh...  exalted mother...

Girl: E-E-Exalted mother...?!
	Does that mean "mom"?!
	HE'S THE REAL THING!!!!

Zushio: Please run...
	...Mother!
	Run...!!

Girl: {...the old king and queen were killed, weren't they...?}
	Better get him on dry land...!

Zushio: OUCH...  PAIN!

Girl: Huh...  what?!  Are you injured?!
	Y...  your back?!

 - Page 14 -

Weapons(from top): Cannonball, Tomahawk, Katana, Kenzan

(Note: The kenzan is the base used in the art of ikebana flower arrangement.  You stick the stems onto the needles poking upward.)

Girl: Yikes!

Zushio: H.... uh?  Where am I?!

Girl: {How can he still be alive?!}

Zushio: W...  WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!

Girl: THAT'S MY LINE!

Zushio: A... are you...?!  After my life as well?!
	Please...  stop!  Stop, I beg of you!!

 - Page 15 -

Zushio: SPARE ME!  PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!
	I...  I'LL EMPTY MY BANK ACCOUNT TOMORROW...!!
	Sigh...  (wobble) (FLOP)

Girl: ...Bank account?!
	{...true, I could turn him into the Watch and make a fortune...
	...but the way he was screaming...
	He must be running around all the time, trying to keep his head on his shoulders...}
	...well.  (Hupsy daisy!)
	I can always turn him in afterwards...!

Zushio: Hmmmya...
	Look, mother...  the people...

Girl: {Dreaming of his mom...}

 - Page 16 -

Zushio: Hmmya...
	The people are waving...  just like little dogs wagging their tails...
	hmmya...

Girl: ...STUPID SLEEP-TALKING!  (Do you expect sympathy like that?!)

House: house

Girl: {...HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GIVE HIM MEDICAL TREATMENT?!}
	(He can't even face upwards!)

Rag: (cooling cloth)

Labels: Cannonball, Tomahawk, Katana (on blanket)

Pillow: pfff... (exhaling carbon dioxide)
	fppp... (inhaling carbon dioxide)
	pfff... (exhaling)

Zushio: *GAAASP*
	MM...?!  Where am I?
	(haaah, haaah, sweet sweet air)

Girl: T...  thank God, you're back to consciousness...!!

 - Page 17 -

Zushio: ...a boy?

Girl: Uh... y-yeah...

Zushio: ...You saved my life with your medical treatment.
	...my name is Zushio!  Thank you, young boy!

Girl: NO!  I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!
	SERIOUSLY!!

Zushio: ...how many days have I been unconscious...?

Girl: 10 MINUTES!!

 - Page 18 -

Zushio: OWWWW...!

Girl: Ah, Zushio, you probably shouldn't move around...!!

Zushio: No, it's nothing serious...

Blanket: (weight of blanket)

Zushio's Back: ZZZGRCHCHCH

Girl: AT LEAST SHOW SOME SIGNS OF PAIN!

Zushio: ...you there, please pull these things from my back, would you?

Girl: ...no way, I'm scared that blood will start gooshing all over the place.

Zushio: ...ouch.
	OUCH!
	Oh, the pain!  'tis hard to bear!!

Girl: I'LL TURN YOU IN TO THE GUARDS!!  (stop yelling!)
	...fine, I'll start with the head.  That probably won't bleed too much...
	(...ugh)

Zushio: Nothing to fear!
	Please, take it out posthaste!!

 - Page 19 -

Girl: EWW!

Labels: Brain, Corpse

Picture: Escaping Reality

Zushio: Ah!  My body feels MUCH lighter now!
	I thank you, boy!

Girl: WHY AREN'T YOU DEAD, ZUSHIO?!

Label behind Girl: Wall

Zushio: No need to escape reality, my friend!  That is not NEARLY enough to kill ME!!
	(HA HA HA HA)

Girl: SHUT UP!  FREAK!!  MUTANT!!  GET OUTTA HERE!!!!

Zushio: Freak...?

 - Page 20 -

Zushio: I escaped a castle surrounded by tens of thousands of men, and even now none can catch me...
	Yes, I am...  A FREAK!!
	(oooooh)

Girl: YOU ARE SOOOOOO WEIRD!
	(aaaah!)

Zushio: ...allow me to show you what it means to be "chosen by God"...
	Stand right there and throw this knife at me...
	NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY, YOU WILL NEVER HIT ME!!

*This is dangerous in a lot of ways.  Don't try this at home, kids!

*Fwip*
*THUNK!*

 - Page 21 -

Girl: D...  Does this mean I killed you?!

Zushio: (thanks for everything...)  my friend...

Girl: DON'T DIE...
	DON'T DIE!!

Zushio: I heard that... (thank you!)
	Your cries!

Girl: Damn it!  How many times can this happen...
	(it's gonna give me a heart attack in the end!)
	...if you had to run away with this in your back,  (what a pace)  *holding the "Tomahawk"*
	I can really feel the intensity of your pursuers!

Zushio: My pursuers had nothing to do with that!  ...it was actually from a fight with some Apache warriors I met in the forest.

Peel on tree: Banana
Round Fruit: Offerings
Statue: Statue of God

Girl: WHAT?!  *still holding the "Tomahawk"*

Zushio: Things were quite difficult after that.

 - Page 22 -

Zushio: As I was running from the Apaches, I wandered into an army firing range.
	(Whatta haul!!)  [Army Rations]
	Between the Apaches and the concentrated cannon fire...
	I took enough hits to kill several packs of elephants.
	And then, as I tottered forward, I happened to meet...   (ughh)
	A SAMURAI WARRIOR.

Girl: I'VE HAD ENOUGH.

Zushio: What?!  But I haven't even gotten to the good part yet!

Girl: I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT!!

 - Page 23 -

Zushio: Afterwards there was this hilarious spectacle when the head of the ikebana flower arranging school chased me around with a 
	kenzan, you should have seen it...

Girl: STOP TALKING, YOU RETARD!!

<<Zushio: Please...  stop!
	Spare my life...!

Girl: ...so all that screaming
	was because of people chasing you for EATING THEIR FOOD.

Zushio: No, that was different!

Girl: Wha...
	Then what was it...?!

Zushio: A TERRIFYING NIGHTMARE...
	(It was ROUND!) (chatter chatter)

Thing: POPPO
	I'M GOING TO SQUISH YOU POPPOOOO

Zushio: RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, MOTHER!!

Girl: ...mother.
	Oh!  Hey!  What was the queen like?!

Zushio: Shall I draw her?!  Hehehe...  art is one of my better skills!

Girl: Wow, the former queen...

 - Page 24 -

MUM

Girl: OH...
	OH MY GOD!!

Zushio: Hmm?  What's wrong??

Girl: Wha...  what IS that?!
	Is she flying?

Zushio: Can't you tell what she's doing?
	Why, going to eat breakfast, of course.

Girl: Your mother looks like THAT going to breakfast every morning?!

Zushio: You can really feel the urgency in the way she rushes to the table.

Girl: ...why are both of her arms and legs sticking straight forward...?
	...your art REALLY sucks.
	(that is NOT a queen...)

Zushio: NO, I'M REALLY GOOD!  I SWEAR!  (like a photo)
	...well, I suppose that doesn't really matter.

 - Page 25 -

Zushio: ...quickly, I hunger!
	Let us dine!!

Girl: KYAAAAA!!
	Don't pull on my hood!!

Zushio: You scream like a girl, boy.
	...And you look like a girl, too.
	FOR LOOKING LIKE A GIRL, YOU SURE ARE A THICK-HEADED JERK!!  (hurryyyy)
	...MAKE ME SOME FOOD ALREADY!

Guards: WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN THERE, PRINCE ZUSHIO!

 - Page 26 -

Guards: COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!!

Girl: THEY ALREADY KNOW ABOUT ZUSHIO?!

Zushio: We're surrounded!  How can we get away now?!

Girl: DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE I'M YOUR FRIEND, YOU MORON!!
	WHY DON'T YOU JUST SURRENDER AND LET THEM GET YOU?!

Zushio: HOW CAN YOU BETRAY ME IN MY HOUR OF NEED?!

Girl: I'M NOT YOUR FRIEND!!

Guards: We're ready to charge the building.
	...the friends are fighting.

 - Page 27 -

Zushio: Okay!  You be my hostage!

Girl: You're gonna use me a shield...?!

Zushio: You saved me, floating down the river, didn't you?
	If they find out, they'll execute you, too.

Girl: HUH?!

Zushio: So just pretend I'm threatening you.

Girl: You...  you actually care about me...

Zushio: But if it looks like I'm not going to be able to get away...

Girl: ZUSHIO!!

Zushio: Can I stab you?

Girl: I DON'T WANNA BE ANYBODY'S HOSTAGE!!

Zushio: Please...  die with me...!

Girl: LET GO, DAMMIT!!!!

Clothes: Hood

Girl: Uwaa...

Clothes: Clothes (POP)

 - Page 28 -

Girl: Ah-
	I
	I

Zushio: ...you're
	A TRANSVESTITE
	(...with breast enhancement surgery?}

Girl: I'M A GIRL!!
	(Gimme my clothes back!)

 - Page 29 -

Zushio: So...
	you're
	a girl.

Girl: ...these are hard times to live in as a solitary girl!!
	It's all because of your stupid war!!
	So what if I'm a girl?!

Zushio: ...I'm sorry...  I never noticed.  Please forgive all my impolitenesses...
	Females must be treated with care...
	...can you stand, PRINCESS?

Girl: ...PRINCE?!

 - Page 30 -

Zushio: DON'T MOVE, FILTHY GUARDS!
	UNLESS YOU DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS GIRL, IN WHICH CASE YOU ARE FREE TO MOVE!
	(Ah feel like a-killin' tonite)

 - Page 31 -

Zushio: (sniff sniff)
	Yes, it is moral to protect women unto DEATH!! (<-make sure that "DEATH" is nice and big)
	and the guard's duty is to protect morals unto DEATH (<- ditto)
	but I find breaking moral code to be so BLOODY fun!! (<- ditto for the "BLOODY")

Knife: (TAP TAP)

Girl: Prince?
	(...who are you?)

Guard: NICE TRY!
	We knew that other guy was your friend beforehand!!

Girl's arm: No...!

Zushio: DAMN YOU MISERABLE WRETCHES!!

Cannonball: Ball previously stuck in head

Zushio: TAKE THIS CANNONBALL BLAST AND WATCH YOUR ENTRAILS FLY ABOUT IN A MOST GRUESOME MANNER!!  (three-pointer!)

Girl: NOT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE!!

Zushio: Whoah?!
	Yikes!  (rebound!)

Foot: (trip!)

Arm/Claw: Guard
Sfx above Zushio: Plop!
Sfx above ball: Dunk!
Ball: Ball
Rock: Rock
Sfx below Rock: BONK

 - Page 32 -

Zushio's Stomach: Entrails

[One week later, some random town]

Old Man: Get 'em here, nice and cheap!

Man: ...I'll take three.

Old Man: Comin' rrrright up!

Zushio (in cloak): fwip fwip fwip fwip fwip

 - Page 33 -

Girl: CUT IT OUT!
	(Are you really a prince?!)

Old Man: WHA-?!

Girl: Here's your money, mister!

Old Man: Huh...?  YOU?!
	YES, IT'S YOU TWO!!
	PRINCE ZUSHIO AND HIS PARTNER IN CRIME, LITTLE BOY A!!

Posters: Wanted				Wanted
	Prince Zushio		     Little Boy A

Zushio: THAT FRUIT WOULD HAVE BEEN MINE, HAD YOU NOT INTERFERED!
	GIVE ME BACK MY LUNCH!!

Girl: GIVE ME BACK MY LIFE, YOU JERK!!

 - Page 34 -

Epilogue

Guard: The name of the boy traveling with the prince?

Woman: GONZALEZ.

Guard: The last person we asked said Xavier...

Boy: Hey, that character sketch doesn't look like him at all.

Guard: ...any other unusual characteristics?

Woman: Strong Northeastern accent...

Boy: Master of the Praying Mantis style!

 - MNiZ Chapter 1 End -