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Samantha looked at Marfa in confusion. "Sword of...Darkness?" she tried to think of any sword being related to anything outside of goodness and protection. She wasn't succeding very well. So she just smiled brightly.

Samantha wasn't sure what to do now. She had already finished her game of bowling and didn't really feel like bowling anymore. But she was having fun talking with Marfa, so she didn't want to leave yet!

So she reached behnd her and pulled out a well loved bear with a sword. Hugging it, she smiled before turning back to Marfa. Holding up the bear, she stated proudly, "This is the Dread Pirate Roberts!"

Sammy smiled as she rested Roberts on her knee. He couldn't support himself, and the plastic weight of his sword caused him to lean more to one side. But Sam didn't care!

"Roberts will be fine I think," she said as she let Marfa examine the bear. "He goes with me everywhere. Very loyal!"

Ritsu walked into the bowling alley, Avery and Sybil in tow. Alida had been working on a paper for school, and absolutely refused to let anyone come into the room with her. Which left a stir crazy Avery and a crabby Sybil to muck about in the living room. Which eventually drove Rime nuts as well.

So she dealt with it by comandeering Ritsu, giving him some money, and telling him to take them to the bowling alley to work off some steam.

So now they were here, and Ritsu gulped a bit nervously. What now?

Avery seemed to know. He dashed up to the counter, trying to look big and important by asking, "Three people for a lane. Uh, please!"

The woman behind the counter looked at him with a tolerant smile, and when Ritsu approached with the money, she exchanged it for a lane assignment, and then asked them for their shoe sizes.

That all taken care of, they changed into their shoes, retrieved the correct ball weights, and found their lane.

Sybil was not pleased with the shoes. "They smell funny, and they look ugly. Ri, do I hafta wear them?"

"I'm sorry, Sybil-san, but you do. If you don't wear them, you'll ruin the floor, and how could I ever explain that to the woman at the counter?" Simply imagining the scene was making Ritsu break into a cold sweat.

Not wanting her 'older brother' to be worried, Sybil sighed, and conceeded.

"Okay! Enough chit chat, let's get this party started! C'mon, Ri, start the screen up!" Avery was dancing about near the ball return, where they had laid the balls before they started.

Avery was convinced Ritsu was being this slow simply to make him antsy, which wasn't true at all, it was just that Avery had gotten to the lane first, while Sybil was still tying her shoes, refusing any and all help and suggestions. Ritsu couldn't very well leave the 5 year old all by herself, could he? So he waited.

So to pass the time, Avery peered about, watching the people bowling, trying to figure out what made the balls go either down the lane like they were supposed to, or into the gutter, which they weren't.

While he was looking, he noticed someone looking at him, and waved cheerfully, wondering who she was. Hiya! I'm Avery! What's your name?" he asked.

"Hi, Sammy! Are you bowling, too? What lane are you in? Sweet, that's a pirate bear! Does he have a name?" Avery let off his usual barrage of questions, being unable to wait for one to be answered before the next came to his mind.

He decided that Ritsu and Sybil would be a while, and so he abandoned the lane to walk Sammy's way.

Avery listened intently. That sounded an awful lot like a movie he'd seen once, but he couldn't remember the name of it. And he was glad to find somene who seemed to talk as much as he did!

"Aw, I would, but I got my brother and sister here, too. Maybe you can join us? I bet Ri wouldn't mind!" he said, wondering if Sybil was done tying her shoes yet.

She was, and though the job was a bit sloppy, it would do. Ritsu heard his name and he looked over questioningly. "Avery-san? If you don't mind my asking... what wouldn't I mind?"

"Oh! Well, I just asked Sammy here if she wanted to join our game... I mean, only if she wants to, and if it's okay with you guys, though!" he grinned, hoping that everyone would agree. If not... he supposed he could leave Sybil and Ritsu by themselves, though he'd rather not.