Alisha Readman

SHOP OF DREAMS FINAL EPISODE--FINALE One by one, the tales were told, one by one, they all have ended. Kaname carried the shop sign inside and handed it to Yuri. "Go ahead through the portal," she said. "I'll catch up in a minute." Yuri nodded. In the year since her release, she had grown used to this new world. She was at the moment wearing a blue silk kimono and had her hair in a bun. Satsuki wore a long jean skirt and white blouse, looking slightly uncomfortable in something besides pants. Nadeshiko, however, looked very comfortable in a white sequin gown with long flowing sleeves, several bangle bracelets and her hair being curled and hanging loose down her back. "We'll be waiting for you," Satsuki said. "Don't take too long," Nadeshiko added. The family left the room and headed upstairs. Kaname sighed as she took from the window the "Open" sign. She wore tan slacks and a white button-up shirt, her hair left loose. She turned and surveyed the empty room. All of the antiques, tables, books, bookshelves and even the cash register had been taken out. All that remained was the counter, which was a part of the wall. She ran her hand over the counter, smiling slightly, almost sadly. "Kaname, you contacted the real estate agents, right?" Yue said, coming into the room in his human form. He looked slightly surprised at the look on her face. "Yeah, I did. A lot of memories here, huh?" Kaname said. "I feel sorry to leave." "Not like you to be sentimental," Yue said. "I know. But we're leaving for good." They went upstairs into the portal room, and stepped through the portal. It vanished after them, leaving a completely empty building, the upstairs a lot smaller without Kaname's Extra-room spells. The Hall of Records is where the records of all the worlds are written and stored. The Recorders live here, in this huge stone building. Suna is tall and has Arabian features, and wears pants, a vest and sandals. Tsukasa is small and Oriental-featured, wearing an exquisite kimono reminiscent of the past Japanese princesses. Mikhail is about average height, with blonde hair, green eyes, and wearing jeans, a tank top and a Scottish plaid tartan over one shoulder. On this occasion, everyone, and I do mean everyone, was gathered in the Hall for a party. Mikhail wandered around, making sure everyone was enjoying themselves. The Shinigami came in shifts, one shift was just leaving while another was arriving. "Yuuko Nakahara!" Mikhail exclaimed, hurrying forward to shake one of the new arrivals' hand. "I'm so glad to finally meet you in person. I wrote about your passing the test and becoming a full-fledged Shinigami, but it's just not the same as meeting someone in the flesh. . .er, spirit?" "I'm glad to meet you too!" Yuuko said. "You're Mikhail, right?" "Yes, I am," she replied. "There's plenty of snacks and drinks over on those tables. Don't worry, spirits can eat them as well as humans." "I'm so glad," Yuuko said. "I haven't had soda in so long. You'll excuse me, right?" "Sure," the Recorder said. As all the Shinigami made a beeline for the tables, she murmured, "I'm glad that they're able to enjoy themselves to an extent. They'll never be able to get over the pain of their job, but I think they have the right to have some fun." "I agree," a voice said from behind her. She turned to see Tsunada grinning at her. "Hey, Tsunada!" Mikhail exclaimed as they hugged. "I haven't seen you in a long time." "I know. By the way, I see Tsukasa by the punch bowl, but where's Suna? I wanted to ask him something." "He's over with the 'orchestra'." Mikhail gave the requisite two finger quotation marks in the air. "Can you believe that Kaname was able to find enough mechanical men to play the instruments. It's amazing." "Yeah, it is. Well, we'll talk later, I want to get my question to Suna out of the way." Tsunada walked over in the general direction of the orchestra. Mikhail walked around some more, noticing that Loki was elated to find a huge platter of her favorite fried donuts. "Jus' like at th' Chinese rest'raunt," the Guardian exclaimed after tasting one. She found a couple friends she hadn't seen in a long time by the drinks. Kage and Hikari, the Watchers. Kage was about 5'4", with short black hair and dark gray eyes, glasses and was dressed in black slacks and a dark gray shirt, looking somewhat like a business executive. Hikari, on the other hand, was 6', long platinum blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and wore tan cargo pants and a baggy white sweater. "Hey, Mikhail! Great party!" Hikari said with her usual cheerfulness. "Very good, but the punch is a bit too sweet," Kage said with his usual severity. "Stop being so grumpy and have fun!" Hikari said. Kage gave an acidic reply as Mikhail moved on. She nodded to Nabiki and Alexis, who were deep in discussion. She waved to Byakko and Genbu, and directed Suzaku to where Tsunada was. She noticed that the twin fox-spirits had roped Seiryu into trying to teach Yuri the waltz, and almost burst out laughing at the embarrassed and awkward look on the dragon-spirit's face. "Hi, Mikhail," Kaname said from where she was leaning against a pillar. "Hey," she replied. "How are you feeling about closing the shop down?" The Time-Keeper shrugged. "I dunno exactly. It was time to do it, is all I can really say." They shared a compatible silence for a few seconds, then Kaname grimaced. "Uh-oh." "Looks like Seiryu managed to escape," Mikhail chuckled. "Yeah, but now they're trying to rope in Yue," Kaname said. "Sounds like they're trying to flatter him into it." "I think you better go rescue him. He looks like he's about to give in." "Think I'd better. He'll regret it in a few minutes if he does, and he'll be sulking for a couple days." Kaname pushed herself off the wall and headed off. Mikhail leaned against the wall for a few seconds, then snapped her fingers. A large tome and quill pen appeared in front of her. She turned to the last page and wrote the following: And they lived happily ever after. The End. END Ran finished telling this story, and cleared her throat. "I have decided that it's time to close the doors of the Antique Shop of Dreams. I realize that some of you may not like this, but I have to. There were many more stories I had thought of. But when I tried to write them, they just would not come. It's been going on since I wrote the Mother's Day story in 2008, and I've just decided that the saga needs to end. I tried my best on this last one. It's not as long as the others, but it is number 7 in the saga, if you can even call it that. Thank you for all of your support so far, and I hope you enjoyed it up to the end. Thank you." She bows, and leaves the stage.

Ran walks into the Assembly Room and plops a stack of papers down on the podium. "I wrote this last year in 2008. I know that this is still pretty early, but I have no idea when I'll be able to get on here again, so here goes." THE SHOP OF DREAMS--THE SEALED BOX Dedicated to all mothers, especially my own. Thanks for always supporting me, being willing to read my rough drafts, and for making delicious meals that always cheer me up. Thank you so much! Mothers are taken for granted, but what would you do if you couldn't see your mother for a thousand years or two? Nathan eyed the sign outside the small shop. "Antique Shop of Dreams," the teenager read, then scoffed. Dreams didn't come true. In movies and books, yeah, but not in real life. Still, he reflected, they might have some stuff worth getting. He opened the door as a door chime rang. "Welcome to the Antique Shop of Dreams!" two girls shouted. They looked like identical twins, with dark gray hair, green eyes, and a string of prayer beads around one wrist. The one girl wore a white kimono decorated with cranes and sakura blossoms, and her hair was in an elaborate hairstyle with pins decorated with wisteria blossoms. The other girl had her hair in a short ponytail, and wore a samurai's kimono, with handguards and two katanas of different lengths in her sash. Nathan was startled slightly, by them and the mess that dominated the room. Every imaginable antique was cluttered on the floor, on tables, in empty spaces between odd-looking books on bookshelves. He cautiously stepped forward and almost stepped on the tail of a cat, his foot coming down right in front of it. The black cat meowed at him, his golden eyes staring at Nathan. "Yue!" the samurai girl exclaimed, hurrying forward. She scooped up the cat, it looking comical with his hindquarters and tail dangling down while she held his upper body. "Sorry about Yue. He thinks that since he lives here, he can sleep wherever he wants, even if it's in the way. I'm Satsuki, and that's my sister Nadeshiko." "I'm Nathan," he said. "Can we help you find anything?" Nadeshiko asked. "Oh, no, I'm just browsing." The last thing he wanted was them hanging around. The two girls looked so disappointed that he almost regretted saying that. Instead he cleared his throat and moved over to a small table. He rummaged through a box of small figurines and considered a sword with a Chinese dragon curled around it, then discarded the idea. "Are you looking for anything in particular?" a low voice asked, very close to his ear. Nathan jumped, almost dropping the figurine. He whirled around to see a tall woman with Oriental features and a blue right eye. Her long black hair fell over her left eye and was pulled into a thick braid in back. She wore jeans, a white shirt and a blue and gray flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up. "Sorry, did I scare you?" she asked in an amused tone, not sounding at all repentant. "Anything I can help you find?" "Not really," Nathan said. He set the figurine down and his fingers brushed wood. He glanced down to see a wooden box hidden partially by a ceramic statue of a dolphin rising on a wave. He pulled it out and looked it over. It was a plain wooden box, with a piece of paper on the top and sides where a clasp would be. On the paper were several Chinese or Japanese characters. "What's this?" he asked, turning towards the woman. He was surprised to see her turn pale and he didn't react as she snatched the box away from him. "What is this doing out here?!" she exclaimed. "Sorry, but this isn't for sale." She stalked over to the counter, set the box on the top and stepped partially through the door. "Where's the stupid keys?" Nathan glanced around quickly as he stepped over to the counter and grabbed the box. He shoved it under his jacket and hurried out the door, bumping into someone just outside. The red-headed woman stuck a booted foot in to keep the door from closing. She blew a bubble with her gum as she watched Nathan hurry away. She stepped inside, running a hand with black-painted nails through the silver streak in her chin-length hair. "Hey, Nabiki," the black haired woman said, leaning on the counter. "Nice outfit." Nabiki wore a gray pleated knee-length skirt, a black belt with a silver buckle and spikes and a white shirt with an elaborate red outline of a butterfly on the front. A short black leather jacket and large wire-hoop earrings completed her outfit. "You're slipping, Kaname," she remarked as she shut the door. "Letting a thief walk out of here with something?" Kaname smiled. "Do you know why I asked you to come here?" "You invited me for a free meal," Nabiki answered, glaring at her with a sudden suspicion. "You're not backing out, are you?" "No, I'm not," Kaname grinnned impishly. "Do you know what the thief took?" "It looked like some sort of box. . . ." her voice died away as she realized what it was. "Are you nuts!? Have you completely flipped your wig!?" Kaname interrupted her tirade by calling through the doorway, "Hey, guys, hurry down!" To Nabiki she said, "That boy will take care of the portal." The twins came clattering down the stairs, looking flustered. "Do we look okay?" they chorused anxiously. "Hmm. Nadeshiko, why don't you take your hair out of the geisha hairstyle and just tie it back with a ribbon?" Kaname suggested. "And Satsuki, why don't you leave your swords and katanas here? I know they complete the outfit, but they might look intimidating." Nabiki grabbed her arm and pulled her aside. "Kaname, why are you doing this?" "It's time," she answered. A man came down the stairs and into the room, his dark skin in contrast to his white tank top and blue jeans. A lock of his shoulder-length black hair was pure white, and his eyes were a dark golden. "Yue?" Nabiki asked after a moment's silence. "Who were you expecting, Henry the XIII?" he asked sarcastically. "You know where the items are that the customers are wanting, right?" Kaname asked. "Yeah, yeah," Yue answered. "The Mona Lisa counterfeit for the Inspector is in the Storage Room, the Turtle Egg for the Zookeeper is right here under the counter, the new shipment of Soul Mirrors for the Shinigami is in the portal room waiting to be picked up, and the scrolls of ancient Tibetan and Viking techniques for the Scholar are in the Library Room." "Three of those orders sound suspicious. Are you dealing in antiques or smuggling rings?" Nabiki demanded. "Those are simply special orders/requests," Kaname replied glibly. A small bell hanging in the corner of the room suddenly began ringing. "That's the signal! Let's go!" Kaname shouted, running out the door. Nabiki and the twins hurried after her. "Have a safe trip," Yue said as the door slammed shut. He glanced at the clock as he yawned. "Inspector won't be here for fifteen minutes. Plenty of time for a nap," he muttered. He cushioned his head with his arms on the countertop and promptly dozed off. Nathan stared around him with incomprehension on his face. He had hurried a few blocks from the store before ducking into an alley and breaking the paper that held the box closed. Inside was a smooth, thin tablet made of light gray stone, with two more symbols engraved into it. He had picked it up, and it abruptly turned white and flashed brightly. When he opened his eyes , the tablet was gone from his hand and. . . . "And how did I wind up in a forest!?" he shouted. He stood next to a large lake with a mirror-like surface that reflected the forest around it. It seemed to be made of every kind of fruit tree, nut tree and everything in between, including flowers, bushes and shrubbery, and a thick carpet of grass. "Who's there?" a voice called. A woman stepped out from behind a pear tree and towards Nathan. Her long silver hair was looped around her right arm and still hung almost to her bare feet. Her eyes were dark green and she wore a black kimono. As she got closer, he could see that instead of human ears, she had dog-like silver ears on top of her head and several silver furry tails! "Who are you?" she asked in a soft voice. "Nathan," he said, sounding bewildered even to his own ears. "And just who are you?" "My name is Yuri," she answered, bowing low. "Welcome to my prison. Won't you come to my house?" "Uh, sure," he said. He followed her along the lake to a large weeping willow who's branches seemed to create a curtain around a space that was big enough for at least three people. They sat there for a few minutes in silence, then Nathan asked, "So what did you mean by prison?" Yuri smiled, almost sadly, but more like someone resigned to her fate. "I was imprisoned here after my master died. Many wanted to kill me, but the Time-Keeper, the Watchers, and the Recorders convinced the rest of the Council of Yggdrasil to simply imprison me here." "The Council of who?" Nathan asked. "The Council of Yggdrasil," Yuri said. "It is made up of many people who keep order. The Watchers are Kage and Hikari. Their job is to keep watch over the worlds, and report when a world is heading toward destruction. The Master of the Shinigami is Tsunada and she controls the reincarnation of souls. She is also in charge of where the seed of Yggdrasil was planted. Byakko, Genbu, Seiryu and Suzaku work under her and are Lords of the Four Directions and Elements. The Guardians are in charge of intervening when a world is heading down the wrong path. There are many Guardians. The Recorders are Suna, Tsukasa and Mikail. Their jobs are to record the histories of the different worlds. The Time-Keeper is Kaname-eientoki, the Master of Time." She paused a minute then asked, "Nathan, do you have a family?" Nathan scoffed. "No. My mom ran out on me and my dad when I was five. Six years ago, my dad went out and never came back. I've been stealing ever since then to survive." He caught Yuri's sympathetic look and said, "What about you? How did you get here?" "I am not allowed to say. But I can tell you this much. My master did something very evil, and I, however unknowingly, helped him. And I am here as a result. It's not so bad. I just wish I could see my daughters." "Your daughters?" "Yes, twins named Satsuki and Nadeshiko. They are being taken care of by the Time-Keeper." Something was nagging at the back of Nathan's mind. Two twin girls with the names of Satsuki and Nadeshiko. . . "Yuri!" someone called from outside the curtain of willow leaves. Yuri stood up and pushed the branches aside to see Kaname and Nabiki. "Hello, Yuri," Kaname said with a genuine smile. "We brought you some visitors." She and Nabiki stepped aside to show Nadeshiko and Satsuki. They looked slightly different, for their hair had turned silver and they now had dog ears and two tails each. "Satsuki. . . Nadeshiko. . ." Yuri whispered, stepping forward. The twins rushed into her embrace, tears runnning down all three faces. Nathan stepped past them and followed Kaname and Nabiki a bit away from the tearful reunion. "Oh, Nathan, I don't think you've met Nabiki yet," the Time-Keeper said. "Guardian Nabiki, this is Nathan, the one who opened the portal." "Hi," he said. "Don't you think this is cruel? 'Cause they're not gonna want to say goodbye." "Kaname," Nabiki started with the air of someone who has argued their point many times before. "This is the only chance we have before 3015," Kaname interrupted. "I know that. I have nothing against Yuri. I just don't want to get in trouble with the rest of the Council." "You won't," she replied, starting back toward the others. Once she got there, she proceeded to announce, "Okay, listen up. Yuri, you are hereby released from this prison, if you're willing to go." "What?" Yuri said. The twins echoed her. "We have a short window of time here that's not coming around for another 1007 years after midnight tonight. That'll be 15 years after your 2000-year sentence is over. Thanks to Nathan, the portal is opened and you can leave. You still have 992 years left on your sentence, but I figure you can work for me at my shop and pay it off that way. And after 992 years, you and the twins will be free to do what you want. So what'll it be?" "Mom, will you come? It's lots of fun at the shop. . ." Nadeshiko started. Satsuki finished, ". . .and we'll be together. Please say yes!" Yuri put an arm around each of her daughters, looked at Kaname through her tears, and nodded, smiling. "Yes." A loud cheer went up from everyone. Kaname dug into her pocket with the sounds of much clinking and finally pulled out a pair of scissors. "They were stuck behind the coffeemaker," she said, then held the scissors out to Yuri. "You might want to trim your hair a bit though." "What are these?" Yuri asked. After a moment of silence, they realized that after being sealed up for 2008 years, there was probably a lot of things that Yuri didn't know about! "You're gonna have to teach her a lot," Nathan laughed. Nabiki was laughing too hard to do anything but nod. "These are scissors," Satsuki said. Nadeshiko added, "You can use them to cut things." "How much of your hair would you like me to cut off?" Kaname asked, a grin still on her face. "I'd kind of like to about the middle of my back," Yuri said, blushing. "Give 'em here," Nabiki said, holding out her hand. "Knowing you, she'd wind up with a crew cut." As she started cutting, Nathan noticed that the cut pieces of hair, as they fell, were consumed in blue flames that lasted for a few seconds then vanished. "How is her hair doing that?" he asked Kaname. "Yuri and the twins are nine-tailed fox spirits," she answered. "It does that for some weird reason." "By the way, sorry if I sound rude, but why did Nabiki have to come? I know she's a Guardian. . ." "I see Yuri was telling you about the Council," Kaname said. "I had to have another Council member present to release Yuri. The Watchers and the Recorders rarely ever leave their places, and the Shinigami were all busy. The Guardians were all busy except for her." "We're ready to go!" the twins sang. "Okay, then!" Kaname said. "Nathan, would you mind jumping in the lake?" "What?!" "The lake is the portal. You were the one who opened the portal first by touching the the tablet. Therefore, you have to open the portal again by jumping into the lake." "Just get going already," Nabiki said. "Or else I'll shove you in." "You're awful crabby," Satsuki said. "I'm hungry," the Guardian corrected. They came out into the alley again. Nathan was faintly surprised to find that he wasn't even a bit wet. The twins and Yuri's hair had turned to dark gray, and their dog-ears and tails had vanished. It was late afternoon into early evening, and everyone's stomachs were growling loudly. "Let's stop by the shop first and pick up Yue," Kaname said. "You three need to change clothes, and for a while, Yuri can borrow some of my clothes. I think I have a dress or two in the back of my closet, if you don't like jeans." Yuri looked bewildered and didn't seem to know what to reply. Kaname added, "And then we can go to the Chinese buffet and celebrate." "YAY!!" the twins cheered. They set off for the shop, the twins in front trying to explain, with Nabiki's help, to Yuri about the things they passed, and in between these explanations, what exactly a buffet restaurant is. "You're awful quiet, Nathan," Kaname said. "Well," he confessed, "before I came by your shop, I honestly didn't think that dreams ever came true. But being together seemed to be Yuri and Satsuki and Nadeshiko's dream, and it came true." He looked up at the sky. "I've. . . .always wanted to be an archaelogist. But I've always thought that no one would hire me, with my background." "I've got a archaelogist friend who lives just outside of Chinatown," Kaname remarked. "She's been looking for an assistant. She reached into her pocket, pulled out a card, and handed it to Nathan. "'Inez Johnson, archaelogist, ruin explorer and authority on artifacts'," Nathan read. "She's really grouchy, especially in the mornings, but she's a genius when it comes to archaelogy. If you're willing to work hard, your dream isn't so far out of reach. You'll join us for supper, right?" "Yeah." Then he realized something. "Hey, did you plan this for today?" "No. But it makes a good Mother's Day present, doesn't it?" END Ran smiles. "Happy Mother's Day." Then she leaves the room.

(okay, note to all, I don't actually eat like that.) Ninja Minion had snuck in, hoping to get some food, then sneak back before Ran noticed her. She was out of luck. "Ninja Minion. . .what are you doing here?" "Ah, well, I was hungry! I was going to get something to eat, then go finish cleaning!" Ran yanked a whip out of thin air, and started beating up on her hapless minion. Everyone stared in awe and perhaps just a bit of fear. Ran resumed eating as Ninja Minion ran back home. (another note, I'm not actually that cruel, either. trying to get a few laughs.)

Uh, yeah, have to agree with Harmony.

FUNNY!!!

Two weeks passed, and it was Christmas Eve. Alfred had continued business as usual, a good part of it taking place in his office. (As he was a mobster, I'll leave the 'business' to your imagination.) He leaned back in his chair, gazing at the papers on his desk. Amazing how work could pile up, even when he was working his butt off. Standing up, he walked over to the safe in the wall of his office. He pulled the Demon Eye out and stiffened. With the gem still in his hand, he dashed over to his desk, snatched up the phone and barked into it, "Morris? Send someone to pick up that antique store owner. I don't care how she protests, just get her here now!" A half hour later, Kaname was escorted into the office. She carried her coat over her arm and a scowl on her face. "What do you want!?" she snapped. Alfred dismissed the guards, and shoved the gem at her the minute the door closed. "What kind of gem is this?!" he almost shouted. The Demon's Eye's center had expanded until there was barely a half inch of white around the edges. Kaname tossed her coat over a chair and took the gem, walking over to the desk. The door slammed open suddenly, and Alfred's wife marched in. "So here you are," she said stiffly, "with your lover. I'm not even allowed to look at other men, but you can go and have affairs with whoever you like?!" "It's not like that!" Alfred snapped. "She's a merchant. I brought her here to examine some faulty merchandise." "Mr. Munsteir," Kaname said, turning towards the squabbling couple, and leaning back against the desk. She held her hand out in front of her, the gem resting on her palm where they could see it. "Have you kept the conditions I told you of?" "Of course I have," Alfred said. There was now barely a quarter inch of white left. "You have not had anyone injured or killed within 50 meters of this gem?" "No." The gem was now completely black. "You have not shown this to anyone?" "No." The gem suddenly cracked through the center, making Alfred and Sara jump at the sound. "You have not lied to anyone within 50 meters of this gem?" "N-no." The gem cracked again, causing a small piece of it fly through the air and land on the carpeted floor. "Mr. Munsteir, do you remember what I told you as you left my shop?" "S-something. . .about fate." "If you do not follow these conditions, I can guarantee that not even bodyguards will be able to protect you from the fate that will follow." Kaname smiled and slowly tilted her hand to the side. The Demon's Eye slid from her hand and to the floor in slow motion as her words echoed. "You have not heeded my warnings. The blood of those you killed, both innocent and guilty, cry for retribution." The gem reached the floor and shattered. A blinding light filled the room, lasting for several seconds, and when it faded, a large creature stood in the middle of the room. It had a vague human shape, but a long reptilian snout protruded from it's face. It's eyes were completely black, except for the blood-red pupils. Blood-stained claws were on it's three toed hands and feet, which were more like paws. Matted black hair hung from all over it's body, giving off a fetid odor. "What is that thing?!" Sara shrieked. The creature cocked it's head to one side and looked at her, then Alfred. It opened it's mouth in something resembling a smile, showing long, stained and extremely long teeth. With one swift move, it was on it's hands and feet, slowly moving towards Alfred and his wife, like a cat stalking it's prey. "Stay back, you monster!" Alfred shouted, yanking his pistol out from his pocket and pointing it at the creature. "You!" he shouted at Kaname. "Do something! You brought it here, get rid of it!" Kaname crossed her arms, smiling strangely. "No, I did not. You wished for the gem. You got it. I told you what not to do. You did it anyway. You see, this is the Demon of Greed, Don'yoku. Always greedy, always hungering for more. You fed it for a while with your emotions while it was in the gem. Now it is out, and it wants more." Don'yoku cocked it's head to one side and spoke, although it's mouth did not move. "You called me a monssster. If I am one, what doesss that make you two?" It ran a long reptilian's forked tongue over it's teeth. "You. . .you ssstink of greed. . .and blood. . .and DEATH!" It lunged forward, gaping mouth wide open, and swallowed Sara, cutting short her scream. Alfred fired off several shots, but the bullets passed through the creature, hitting the wall. By the time the bodyguards came in, their boss had been eaten as well. Don'yoku ate all of the bodyguards, the entire staff both upstairs and down, and would have proceeded onto the next house to continue it's meal, had Kaname not stopped it. "You've eaten enough," she said, walking over to it. "But I'm ssstill hungry," it growled. "I'm not going back." "Too bad." Kaname started to raise her right hand. "No, you don't!" Don'yoku lunged at her, but she jumped back, landing on a table. She flicked her fingers, and a glowing golden net dropped down over it, pinning it to the floor. "Who did you think you were dealing with?" Kaname asked, no emotion in her voice or her visible eye. "I am the Time-Keeper, remember?" She raised her right hand again, palm down, and a glowing circle appeared in the air under her. A thin golden line traced a pattern in the circle, strange symbols on the edges, and in the middle, a ring of chains surrounding a tree. Wind came from the edges of the circle, causing her hair and the edges of the her clothes to whip around her. The hair blew away from her left eye, revealing that it was dark golden with a slitted pupil. As she spoke, the circle's edges shot up in the air, creating a barrier of golden light around her. "I, Kaname-eientoki, the Time-Keeper of the worlds, call upon the power granted to me by the Council of Yggdrasil, to seal this demon until the time of it's release. Let it be done!" The net wrapped around Don'yoku, shrinking as it became a dazzling white. With the sound of a muffled explosion, it became the Demon's Eye once more, a clear gem the size of a child's fist, with a black center a half inch inch in diameter. Kaname sighed as the light and wind around her faded. She stepped down and picked up the gem gingerly, as it felt as if it were on fire. She blew on it, and it instantly cooled. She walked back upstairs and retrieved her coat, pulling it on. Once she was done, she snapped her fingers. An explosion rocked the house. Flames licked the roof within seconds. Kaname waited until she heard sirens, then stepped back into a shadow and disappeared. It was late morning by the time Kaname got back to the shop. The twins were behind the counter, chatting with a visitor. She was tall and lanky, with black hair pulled into a ponytail, and a easy smile on her face. She was dressed casually in boots, jeans, and a hooded sweatshirt, along with several earrings lining both of her ears, mostly hoops and studs. "Welcome back, Kaname!" the twins exclaimed. "Hello, Loki," Kaname said, shutting the front door behind her. "'Ey, there!" the woman replied, with a cockney accent. "Just thought I'd drop an' say Merry Christmas." Kaname tossed her coat over a statue shaped like a rearing horse. "Hey, Yue, go with them and make sure it's put away safely," she said, handing the Demon's Eye to Satsuki. The black cat unwound himself from around a vase painted with dancing bears, and stretched out, first one paw, followed by all the others. "Kaname, are we still going to have our gift exchange before going out for lunch?" Nadeshiko asked. "And are we still going to the Chinese buffet restaurant?" Satsuki asked. "Yes and yes." Kaname say down behind the counter. "Go get out of those Santa outfits and bring your presents and coats down." "Yay, presents! Yay, Chinese food!" the twins sang as they tromped out of the room and upstairs, Yue behind them. "Yay, Lo Mein!" Nadeshiko sang. "Yay, pork an' mushrooms!" Satsuki sang. "Yay, peace and quiet once you've left," Yue was heard to mutter. "You're coming with us, Yue!" Kaname called after them. "It's customary, whether you feel you got your sixteen hours of sleep or not!" "Person'lly, I really like th' fried donuts," Loki remarked. "Y'know, th' ones wi' all th' sugar. 'Ow 'bout you?" "Fried rice and cashew chicken," Kaname replied. "I assume you'll be inviting yourself along?" "Why not?" Loki grinned, stretching her long legs out as she leaned back against the counter. "Ye were out wi' th' Demon's Eye, huh?" "Yeah." "Ye couldn't let anyone there live?" came the softly-spoken question. Kaname looked at her, an unreadable expression on her face. "Alfred Munsteir, his wife, and everyone else in that house was rotten clear through. They would not change for the better, only the worse." "True." Loki changed the subject. "What'd ye get for th' girls?" "A thousand dollars each," Kaname smiled. "That ought to take care of some of their next costumes. Last year they got me a large mug and a month's supply of each coffee, tea, and cocoa. And they got Yue a bag of cat litter!" Loki snickered at the thought of Yue, a Demon cat, using a litter box like a common house cat. "So what 'ave they got ye this year?" "I don't know." "Can't ye look ahead an' find out?" As they heard footsteps at the top of the stairs, Kaname leaned back in her chair and smiled mysteriously. "Where would the fun be in that?" END Okay, even if it's just criticism, would you please post a reply to this!?!? If you've read through the whole thing, please just let me know, so I'll know that you thought the start of it was interesting enough to read the rest!! (teary begging eyes) If you have not read the original stories with the Time-Keeper's gang, just find(somewhere in the Assembly Room) the posts titled "Order of the Worlds". Hope you enjoyed this tale, and Merry Christmas to all, and Happy New Year!

okay, a bit early, I know! But the way my schedule is, dunno if I'll be able to post this closer to Christmas without being past it. Please enjoy! SHOP OF DREAMS: CHRISTMAS STORY-DEMON GEM Christmas is the time when children sing, kindness should reign, and bells will ring. But mind what's on your wish list, for you may just find a little something under your tree that a demon left behind. Alfred Munsteir opened the door to the old shop, followed by his three bodyguards. "Welcome to the Antique Shop of Dreams!" shouted the two girls inside. They were almost identical, with gray hair, green eyes, and a string of prayer beads around one wrist. They both wore a long-sleeved shirt and cap that resembled Santa's, dark red with white fur trimming. The girl with longer hair wore a dark green skirt, and her sister wore black baggy pants. Plastic garlands hung from the bookshelves, and a Christmas tree stood in the corner nearest the door, decorated with what looked to be small antiques. Underneath it was a black cat curled up and sleeping, with a white crescent on it's forehead. "Can we help you?" asked the woman who had just come into the room, leaning against the doorway by the cash register. Her black hair was waist length and covered her left eye, and a choker around her neck had a square pendant half-white, half-black. She wore blue jeans and a dark brown sweater. "Are you the owner?" Alfred asked. "Yes," she answered. "What can I do for you?" "I've heard that you have a rare item of interest at your shop here. Of interest to me, that is." "All of the items in this shop here are semi-rare," the woman replied, gesturing to the clutter in the room. "What are you looking for?" "The Demon's Eye." Alfred looked the woman square in the eye. She sighed. "The really rare items are in the back rooms. You only, no weapons." She looked at the bodyguards. "Feel free to browse, but no sticky fingers." Alfred pulled an automatic pistol out of his coat and handed it to one of the bodyguards. "All right, let's go." The woman turned to the twins and said something to them in what sounded like Japanese, to which they replied, "Okay, Kaname!" Kaname turned and went through the doorway, Alfred following her. As they proceeded up the stairs, he asked, "What did you say to your daughters?" "Their names are Satsuki and Nadeshiko, and they are not my daughters. I told them to keep an eye on your guys. I don't trust mobsters very much." "Mobsters?" "Your mug shot is in all the news, Mr. Munsteir. Who else but mobsters would be with you?" Kaname opened a door in the long hallway and stepped in. "So you're not going to call the cops?" "I may not like mobsters, but I very rarely turn down a potential customer," she replied, sticking her head back out into the hall. "Come on in." As soon as he walked into the room, Alfred was dumbfounded. A clear path went through the middle of the room, with various items along the walls. Suits of armor stood guard by chests full of artifacts. Several barrels were filled with a variety of weapons, broadswords, spears, halberds, axes, and katanas among others. Statues jostled for space among these, and a display case stood at the far end of the room. "Do you even have a license to sell these weapons?" he asked after a couple minutes had elapsed. "My good man," Kaname said, smiling mysteriously. "This is Chinatown. You can get almost anything here." Alfred followed her to the display case, where his attention was instantly drawn to the gem at the exact center. The gem was about the size of a child's fist, clear as water, with a black circle in the center about half an inch in diameter. "Is this the Demon Eye?" he asked, unable to take his eyes off of it. "Yes." "How much?" "Six million." "That little?" Alfred looked at her suddenly. Kaname smiled coldly. "With a few conditions." "Such as?" "1: do not show it to anyone, not even your family or friends." Kaname sounded as if she was reciting something from a book. "2: do not lie within 50 meters of it. 3: do not kill or injure anyone within 50 meters of it. Think you can do that?" "I should be able to," Alfred lied. Of course he wasn't going to meet those conditions. Who did she think he was? He gave her the money, she lifted out the gem and gave it to him. Their business transaction completed, Alfred left the room. As she closed the door, he said, "The door wasn't locked, and neither was the display case. Aren't you afraid of thieves?" Kaname smiled without emotion behind it. "I have a most excellent security system." Downstairs, Alfred was reunited with his gun, and Kaname sat behind the counter. Just as the mobsters reached the door, Kaname called out, "Mr. Munsteir?" Alfred turned back, thinking "Now what?" Kaname asked, "Do you believe in fate?" "Not particularly, no." Of course he didn't. "I see." Kaname closed her visible eye about halfway. "If you do not follow these conditions, I can guarantee. . .not even bodyguards will be able to protect you from the fate that will follow. Remember that." Out in his limousine, Alfred pulled the Demon Eye from his pocket and gazed at it. Was it just his imagination, or was the black center just a little bit wider? Dang, sorry, I'm out of time! I'll try to post the rest soon!

Ran gave a huge yawn, almost spilling the food she had just dipped onto her plate. Ninja Minion she had left in her rooms to clean, but as big as the mess was, she doubted that much of a dent would be made by the time she got back. She had just recieved news about the barbeque, and decided to go. She should have taken the time to change out of her tee and sweats, though, and maybe she should have brushed her hair, but then again, that would have taken probably a half hour. She munched on a cookie as she waited in line for her drink. She really should get out more, she felt like she had gained a few pounds doing nothing but trying to get through her writer's block. Oh, and playing on some games...and watching movies...and reading manga. Oh well. She caught a glimpse of the hosts, and stopped by them for a few minutes. "Hi, I'm Ran Yoko, writer, Shadow Walker and one of the local sleep walkers. 'Scuse me, but I need to find a seat." She walked off, leaving them wondering slightly about the messy, scruffy-looking woman...

Captain Houlihan of the 'Black Swan' stood at the wheel, absently running his thumb over the smooth wood of the staff he had taken from the dead Alan. He peered out into the fog that had sprung up soon after they left Tortuga. He had ordered lanterns placed at the port and starboard sides, the bow and the stern, but they didn't light up much beyond the ship. He pulled out from his pocket the stone ship. After studying it for a few minutes, he realized what it was that was odd about it. The prow of the ship had a slit in it, the cannonholes were actual holes, and it felt hollow. "Cap'n, d'you hear that?" Marrow asked. "'Ear whot?" Houlihan snapped. "That strange song," the first mate said, glancing nervously around him. Now that he thought about it, Houlihan could hear an eerie tune. ". . .we were pirates, buccaneers, sailing the high seas, plund'ring without a care, except the hangman's noose. Heave ho, yo ho, haul away lads. Yo ho, heave ho, hoist the colors high, lads." A shiver ran down Houlihan's spine as he recognized the tune Alan had been singing before she had gotten knifed. He strode to the railing and roared, "Belay that singin'!" "None of us is doin' it, Captain!" one of the men cried. "Cap'n, that sounds like a lot of men singin', and nobody on board is doin' it," Marrow said. "Hush!" Houlihan commanded. The singing had entered a new verse. "But now we must pay for our sins with servitude, on the Crimson Wraith under Captain Blackjack." As the last two words were sung, a giant ship loomed into view, shrouded by tendrils of fog that seemed to cling to it. A ragged remnant of a pirate's flag flew from the mainmast, and the torn sails still billowed on all four masts as if they were new and a strong wind filled them. Along the hull was written in blood-red letters, THE CRIMSON WRAITH". The ship continued forward until it was even alonside the Black Swan, and Houlihan could see a person at the wheel. A person with long black hair and eyes that seemed to glow an eerie red. . . "Saints preserve us, it's th' Crimson Wraith!" one of the Irish crewmen shrieked. "Fire!" Blackjack bellowed. A high-pitched squeak followed. The second level of the Crimson Wraith shot chainshot from the cannons. The small cannonballs on the ends of chains sheared off the upper parts of the masts, causing pandemonium among the pirates on the deck trying to avoid the falling bits. The cannons on the third level shot regular cannonballs into the sides, causing the Black Swan to careen as they started taking on water. With shouts, the Wraith's crew swung over to the Swan and started fighting with the other pirates. The Swan's crew were horrified that while the Wraith's crew could hurt them, their swords went through the Wraith's crewmen as if they were ghosts, which, in a sense, they were. "Take the helm, Fancy!" Blackjack shouted. The wind-spirit zoomed up and hovered just above one of the wheel's spokes, keeping it on course. Blackjack ran to the railing and jumped across from the stern of the Wraith to the stern of the Swan. Houlihan gaped, for he now recognized Blackjack to be Alan, who should be dead! Blackjack drawing her sword brought him back to reality. He fumbled for his own sword, letting the staff fall to the deck. With a grunt, Blackjack charged forward, their swords clashing together. Desperate, Houlihan did everything he could to keep this person away from him, every trick and feint he knew, but Blackjack blocked every blow. Just when it looked like she might be winning, a bullet came flying towards them. Blackjack jumped back in time, but she was off-balance. Houlihan saw his chance and shoved his sword through her stomach. He let go of the sword as she staggered back against the railing on the outside of the ship. He started to think that maye he had finished her off, then she reached a slightly shaky hand out, grabbed the sword by the blade and yanked it out. Blood spattered on the deck as she took a deep breath, then smiled icily at him. "'Ow. . .?" Houlihan lost his voice momentarily. Blackjack's smile turned to a grin. "Haven't you heard? I'm immortal. You can't kill me." "Whit in blazes are ye!?" the man shouted. "The lone survivor of a voyage beyond the edge of the world. I came back, but I paid a hefty price. I can't die. And while we're on the subject. . ." She shot forward at such a speed that Houlihan was unable to react before she severed his head with one strike. All of the pirates, the Swan's crew included, were gathered on the main deck, facing Blackjack who stood at the bow. It was around midmorning, and the fog around the ship had disappated, plus the ship had stopped moving completely. Blackjack kept her balance by holding onto one of the ropes. She took a deep breath and bellowed, "DAVY JONES!" Her shout echoed around the water for a few minutes, then a whirlpool appeared off the port bow. The prow of a ship appeared in the whirlpool, then the rest of it. When almost all of it was in the air, it fell forward and landed right side up with a splash. Part of the water fell on the deck, but it seemed to deflect on on invisible barrier a few inches above Blackjack's head. The ship bore the name of "FLYING DUTCHMAN", and looked in slightly better shape than the Wraith. A slightly pudgy man stood at the helm, dressed in blue and gray, and with blonde hair in a ponytail and a full beard that flowed down his chest. The blue and green parrot on his shoulder shifted as the man strode to the railing and called in a Dutch-accented bass voice, "How many this time?" "I've got 10 more souls for you, Jones," Blackjack called. "Only 10?!" Davy Jones shouted, indignant. "Cooper, why can't you understand I have a lot of work to do?!" "So do I," she replied, pulling the stone ship from her pocket. "But I need you here to take care of some of it. Mae!" Mae took the stone ship and flew it to about halfway between the the ships, where it was taken the rest of the way by Davy's parrot. "Thank you, Jack," Davy said, accepting the ship as the parrot landed on his shoulder. He placed the prow of the ship between his teeth, and his fingers on the cannonholes. He blew and played a short tune on it as if it were a flute, starting low and going high, then abruptly stopped. With the sounds of an explosion, several huge tentacles shot out of the water and hung over the Wraith, as if waiting for something. Most of the men were in shock at seeing part of the famous and dreaded Kraken. "Mr. Skinner, Mr. Joel, Mr. Thompson," Blackjack went on to name 7 other men. "You all are hereby released from your sentence on the Crimson Wraith. You will now be taken to the Flying Dutchman and then to the afterlife." The Kraken's tentacles shot forward and grabbed the men who had been named, then dropped them on the Dutchman's deck. The rest of the crewmen watched with awe and an instinctual fear. Blackjack cleared her throat. "Now then, for crimes too numerous to mention, and being beyond redemption, the following men are sentenced to be eaten by the Kraken." Her voice turned icy at this sentence, and the men gasped. "Former Captain Houlihan. . ." One of the tentacles grabbed Houlihan and disappeared under the water with him, cutting short his cry of despair. And the same happened with the other 5 men she named. "Mr. Luke Smythe, come up here please!" Blackjack said loudly, breaking the silence that followed. The man nervously walked through the crowd and up the steps to the bow. Without warning, Blackjack's left hand shot out and grabbed Smythe by the neck, her right hand still holding onto the rope. She lifted him in the air easily, her eyes glowing red. She said in an emotionless voice, "Trying to kill your captain is considered mutiny. And mutiny is not allowed on the Crimson Wraith. It's a pity. Were it not for your shot last night, you would have been on the Dutchman by now." She threw him in the air suddenly. He was grabbed by a tentacle and taken underwater along with all the other tentacles. In the silence that followed, Jack flew the stone ship over to Mae, who took it to Blackjack, who put it back in her pocket. Davy Jones waved a hand in farewell, and the sails puffed out. The ship moved forward, and when it had gotten a ways away for the Wraith, it vanished. "All men, below decks!" Blackjack called. "I'm not to be disturbed." With that, she left the prow and went to her cabin. Sean and Bridy got a hot bath for her in a large wooden tub. Drying off, she pulled on a clean shirt and trousers. As she pulled on her shirt, her fingers ran gently across the scar that was left from Houlihan's attack, still healing. She sat down at the table and munched on an apple and some bread while she plotted a course for the next day, and Fancy combed her hair. That taken care of, she tumbled into her hammock for the rest of the day. At dawn the next day, Blackjack was at the helm, wearing clean clothes and with her hair braided again. She leaned her staff against her shoulder as she checked her compass. The water-, wind-, fire- and mist-spirits hovered around her as she spun the wheel, stopping it when they pointed due east. She adjusted her tricorn as she deeply breathed in the salty early morning air. "Now then, let's see that horizon." The rising sun turned the sky light pink and shone on the ocean, revealing the dark green depths. A breeze blew Blackjack's braid and coat out behind her. Smiling, she hummed and then softly sang, ". . .hoist the colors high, lads." END

HI!!!!! (gasp, wheezing) I think I might have gotten partially out of my writer's block. . . .but I feel half dead with the heat! Woe for me that hast no air-conditioning in our house!!!!! (waahh!!!) Thank you again to my sister, who helped me with the song in this story!!!! THE CRIMSON WRAITH I suppose that you might call this a ghost story about pirates. As such, I must tell you, with some regret, that this story does not start out on a dark and stormy night. It was not even a foggy night or the night of the full moon. The sky was clear, with a quarter moon and a breeze carrying the salty air. Tortuga was filled with pirates, thieves, murderers, and cutthroats. The Rusty Barrel was a tavern filled to the brim. After several drinks, a bunch of men started comparing pirates and their ships, both real and legendary. "Th' Flyin' Dutchman's th' fastest an' strongest ship ever!" one man declared. "That's a cursed ship!" "That's a legendary ship!" a skeptic exclaimed. "It doesn't even exist!" "What about the Crimson Wraith?" a slightly raspy voice inquired. A deathly silence fell on the entire crowd within the tavern, even those on the second floor balcony. Everyone stared at the speaker who stood by the bar, a man who looked to be in his twenties. His raven black hair was pulled into a neat braid hanging to his waist, with a worn brown tricorn overshadowing his eyes. His long brown coat partially hid his sword, and a staff leaned against his shoulder. It was carved from dark wood, with silver on either end in strange patterns. The lantern light seemed to make shapes momentarily on the silver as it flickered back and forth, a dragon, a bird, an ocean wave, a sword. . . An old man on the main floor finally found his voice. "What kinda fool are ye? Speakin' that cursed name?" "Well, I've only heard of it in passing," the man replied, shrugging. "Never really understood the mystery and horror surrounding it." "The Crimson Wraith is a cursed ship," the old man spoke slowly, as if to a child. "No one knows how exactly it came about, but it appears in a thick fog bank. It destroys whole ships and their crews, leaving no one alive. And there's only one crew member, the immortal Blackjack Cooper. He captains and crews the ship by himself, as well as controlling the sea. Blood red eyes, long black hair, and a scar on his neck. . ." His voice died away as he noticed a scar on the side of the younger man's neck. The man grimaced as he pulled off his tricorn. "No, my eyes aren't blood red, they're dark brown, see? And my name is Cooper, but my given name is Alan, not Blackjack." The old man didn't look convinced, but he turned back to the other people at his table and resumed his conversation. But the subject didn't return to ships for the rest of the evening. Alan left the tavern at around 1 AM, and wandered around the harbor. He sang softly, accompanied by the whistling of the wind around the rocks in the cove, "Heave ho, yo ho, Haul away, lads. Yo ho, heave ho, Hoist the colors high, lads." "Havin' fun, boy?" a voice asked from behind him. Alan turned quickly, and a cutlass was thrust into his stomach, then yanked out. He fell forward and stopped breathing. "Cap'n, was that a good idea?" The tall man was bald and dark-skinned, with hard muscle and scars showing under his vest. "Sharrup, Marrow, if ye know wha's good fer ye," the pale-skinned man spoke with a snarl and a thick cockney accent. Straggles of red hair showed from under his tricorn, with a scar running down one cheek. "Everyone I talked wi' don't know 'im. 'E came 'ere on none o' th' ships 'ere now." As he talked, he quickly took the staff from Alan's hand, then unbuckled the sword and took the tricorn. A quick search of his pockets resulted in a small pouch of coins, a compass, and an odd stone statue of a ship. "'Elp me wi' 'is coat, stupid!" he snarled. Marrow started to lift Alan's body, but snatched his hands back faster than a bolt of greased lightning. "C-cap'n. . .t-tha. . .t-tha. . ." he stuttered. "Spit it out!" "A woman!" Marrow hissed. The captain unbuttoned the shirt partially and snorted. "Yea, but wi' barely anythin' t' show fer it. Wha's yer problem, Marrow? Surely ye've felt plenty o' women?" "Aye, but never one who looked so much like a man." They took Alan's coat and boots, her shirt and pants not being worth it. They loaded the body into a longboat and Marrow rowed it out just past the cove. A length of chain was wrapped around Alan's ankles and the body was dumped overboard. As Alan sank out of sight, the captain said, "Take us back t' shore, then get th' crew back t' th' ship. We're stocked, so we'll leave t'night." Alan regained consciousness slowly, as she always did after dying. The water pressed uncomfortably on her chest, but it would be a while until she drowned. She swirled her hand in a circle, a small whirlpool appearing above her fingers. It grew larger and larger, until it stretched from the surface of the water down to around her in a large bubble of air. Her bare feet landed in the sand with a squelch. With the part of her mind that was always connected to the ship, she commanded it to come closer but to remain invisible. She set about untangling the chains from her ankles. As the chains fell to the ocean floor, the ship was very close. She crouched and shot to several feet above the ocean surface. A huge geyser of salt water accompanied as a rope shot from what seemed to be empty air. She grabbed it in her right hand and it pulled her rapidly through the air. Her feet contacted with wood, wet, cold, and slightly slimy. Her hair had come unfastened and now clung to her face and body. A wind spirit chirped a question as it spun around her head. "No, Fancy, just a ponytail for now," Alan answered, smiling slightly. "I need to wash it before you braid it again. Would you and Bridy bring me a pair of boots?" The small ball of pale green light chirped an affirmative and flew towards the cabin of the ship. "Sean! I need another sword!" Alan called. A sheathed sword and belt came flying through the air, propelled by a small ball of light the color of dying embers. It dropped the sword in her hands, making annoyed sounds in a low rumble. "I know you just made the sword they stole," Alan said soothingly. "I'll retrieve it in a bit. In the meantime, could you dry my clothes?" The fire-spirit rumbled again, then he zipped around her in a spiral. A wave of heat enveloped her, and her clothes, hair and skin dried completely. "Thank you," Alan said. Fancy and a small ball of pale blue light came flying up, each carrying a boot. She took them from the wind- and water-spirits, then the water-spirit zipped down around Alan's sand and grime-covered feet. "Bridy, what are you doing?" Alan asked. The water-spirit answered with several sqeaky scolding sounds. Water came from nowhere and rinsed off her feet, then carried the grime with it as it slipped over the side of the ship. Sean quickly zipped around her feet, drying them off. "Thank you," Alan said again, and pulled on the boots. As she buckled the sword belt around her waist, Fancy used a breeze to hold her hair in mid-air while she tied a blue ribbon around it. "Mae!" Alan called. Another ball of light, this one silvery-gray, came flying up and whistled a query. "Where are they at?" she asked. The mist-spirit whistled an answer, to which Alan murmured, "About five miles south of Tortuga, huh? All right then." She strode to the stern and up the steps to the helm, bellowing, "All hands on deck!" As she took hold of the wheel, men came from down below and stood on the deck. It was an eerie sight, for the hundred men were slightly transparent and looked like pirates, but all of them had red stains from the wounds that had killed them. "Cannoneers, prepare the cannons to fire on Bridy's signal!" Alan bellowed orders in fine form. "Mr. Skinner, get to the crow's nest, and tell Mae when you see them! The rest of you get swords and pistols from the armory! Sean will be watching you, so you'd better watch what you take! Now get a move on!" The men rapidly dispersed to their tasks. Alan turned the wheel to the right and called a large wind to speed them along. She then noticed one of the men still standing on the deck, near the helm. "Yes, what is it, Mr. . .?" Alan barked. "Smythe, Luke Smythe, ma'am," he said, bowing slightly. "It's 'Captain' to you, Mr. Smythe," she said coldly. "What do you want?" "Captain. . .when will I be free?" Smythe asked hesitantly. Alan leaned on the wheel and sighed. "Like I told you and everyone else when you came onboard, you will only be free when either you have served your time completely or I die. Depending on how you perform tonight, you may or may not be free. So, Mr. Smythe, go to the armory and get your weapons." Disgruntled, Smythe headed below. Fancy, hovering around Alan's head, chirped a worried-sounding question. "I know," Alan said softly. "He'll be trying something really soon, probably during the battle. Keep an eye on him, all right?" Fancy chirped reassuringly as the men from below began singing a mournful tune. Alan's eyes glittered with anticipation as she grinned wolfishly. TO BE CONTINUED. . . . Sorry, the library's about to close. Try and post the rest of it as soon as I can.

Okay, this is something I scribbled in one of my freewriting moments. Mai read this, and after he (finally)finished laughing, he said I should post it on here. Not really sure how all the manga characters got in there. . . But they were all in or around Tokyo at some point in time. oh, wait, "Van Von Hunter" and "Zombie Powder" took place on alternate worlds. . . in any case(sweatdrop) here are all of the manga characters that made an appearance in order of appearance. Dom and Largo from the webcomic "Megatokyo" (megatokyo.com) by Fred Gallagher. Also published by Dark Horse Comics and CMX. Demon Eyes Kyo and Benitora from "Samurai Deeper Kyo" by Akimine Kamijyo. Published by VIZ. Van Von Hunter and Sidekick from "Van Von Hunter" by Mike Schwark and Ron Kaulfersch. Published by Tokyopop. Ryoko Mitsurugi and Shizuma Kusanagi from "Real Bout High School" by Reiji Saiga and Sora Inoue. Published by Tokyopop. Kentaro Higashikunimaru and Takeshi Shukaido from "Clamp School Defenders Duklyon" by CLAMP. Published by Tokyopop. Jintetsu from "Kurogane" by Kei Tome. Published by Kodansha and Del Rey. Gamma Akutabi from "Zombie Powder" by Tite Kubo. Published by VIZ. Ichigo Kurosaki from "Bleach" by Tite Kubo. Published by VIZ. Yurara Tsukinowa, Mei Tendo and Yako Hoshino from "Yurara" by Chika Shiomi. Published by VIZ. While the grammar and stuff may not have been correct, I hope you at least got a couple laughs from this weird story of mine.

ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN TOKYO AND THAT'S WHY ZOMBIES ALWAYS ATTACK! The bounty hunter straightened up from his grisly work of making sure the target was dead. He took the dead person's watch to prove the death and started to walk away. Hearing something behind him, he turned around. The dead person had. . .dare I say it?. . .become a ZOMBIE!! The bounty hunter ran. He was freaked out, I mean, who wouldn't be? The zombie followed at a more leisurely pace, eating the brains of nearby bystanders. *crunch, munch* "AAAGH!!" And the new zombies, of course, ate other bystanders. *slurp, burp* "HALP!!" "They're coming outta the woodwork!!" a man with glasses and a suit yelled as he pulled out his Sig Sauer 9mm gun. "Z0m813 h0rd35, 1 w1ll d35tr0y j00!!" a man with spiky red hair and a handful of sharpened pencils shouted, trying to jump over the police barricade. He of course was quickly hustled off to a mental hospital. "Freaks!" yelled a man with blood red eyes, bringing his long katana down on the first of the zombies. He was joined by a cheery looking man with a bandana and a three-pronged spear. Other people ran to join the fight. A black-haired man with a huge hammer and a broadsword, a blonde woman toting a large crossbow, a red-haired girl with a wooden sword, a man with long black hair, a headband and a monobrow, and two men in strange armor, yelling, "Duklyon Final Crush!!" Not to mention a boy with a katana, a steel mask and hair hanging over the right side of his face, a man with silver hair and coat wielding a huge chainsaw-sword, and a man with spiky orange hair and carrying a huge katana. The bounty hunter almost ran into a group of three high school students. "What the heck is going on here?" the black haired boy asked, surveying the zombie hordes. "I don't know," the girl said. The other boy took a sip from his water bottle and said, "Why don't you transform, Yurara? Maybe the guardian spirit can figure out what to do." The girl nodded and she suddenly changed, she was taller with long black hair. She looked at the zombies, then at the bounty hunter. "You have something the original zombie wants," she said. "Give it back, and that should fix the problem." Not able to think of anything else, the bounty hunter threw the watch back. The original zombie caught it, gurgled something, and dissolved into a pile of dust. Unfortunately, the other zombies still remained. "Of course, I could be partially wrong," Yurara said. "My expertise is with ghosts, not zombies." The bounty hunter ran for his life, while everyone else took care of the remaining zombies. THE END (HOPEFULLY)

Ran stood on the edge of a cliff, pondering what to scream. Rock songs where the singers scream out the lyrics, rap, animal sounds. . . the wind blew up into her face, carrying a huge wave from the ocean below her. Now dripping wet, Ran screams louder than she ever thought she could, "WRITER'S BLOCK FREAKIN' SUCKS!!!!!!!!!" She then stalks off, her anger not abated.

Okay, just now getting on the net after two killer work days. AAGGHH!! I just now got Mynx's PM, I am sorry for not signing up beforehand. I didn't really even notice the signing up bit! bleary-eyed author on the loose!! If I am allowed to still post on the actual thread as a bystander, actually two, counting Miho, that would be fine with me. I would like it if I'd be allowed to chat with others, but if not, that's fine too. Ran is my character I'm playing, I guess. Dressed as a Shinigami from my stories, with a white mask that covers my upper face and two katanas on my back. Miho, my wonderful Ninja Minion, is just dressed pretty much the same as always. Again, many apologies!!

Miho was dressed in her usual ninja attire, but she made it look nicer by strapping two sais to her belt and wearing a bracelet of prayer beads. Ran was wearing black hakama and sandals, with two katanas on her back and a white mask that covered her upper face. Ran took a swig of sake and thought about who might be responsible. Come to think of it, where's Wyvern? Not that he'd be able to hide in any sort of a costume very well. . . (if Wyvern's here, I think hedunit. If not, Blby)