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The Deakon household was decked out for Christmas. There was even a manger scene in front of the house and a Santa Clause on the roof, complete with dayglow reindeer. Lights lit up everything, from the tree in the front yard to the various windows and railings around the house. This was what you got when you were married to a handyman, after all.

Inside was just as festive, with decorations and gigantic Christmas trees in the front room and hallway. There were presents under both. Chris, in his newfound teenageness, was looking a bit uncomfortable in a dress shirt (sleeves cut out, of course) and a tie. He scowled as Antony sidled up next to him with a soft drink in his hand.

"They made me get you a present," Chris muttered.

"Yes? I got you one as well, if it makes you feel better," Antony said calmly.

"I read it already," Chris told him.

"You did?"

"Woulda been a waste of money just to give it to you."

"I see."

"It was a whole ten bucks," Chris added with a perfectly straight face. "So I read it twice."

"You do realize that you're not supposed to tell the giftee that sort of thing, don't you?" Antony asked just as mildly as could be.

Chris finally looked at him, grinning wickedly. "Yeah, I know."

The doorbell rang then. Both Ze and Rory waited for there to be an answer with food in a hand, or in a bag, gifts under hand, and fiddles over their shoulders. Only one of them looked the most uncomfortible in the snow, even with how bundled up she was.

"I hate the snow," Ze'zee complained, stomping her feet to keep them warm. Even her long tail was wrapped up! "Zard is a tropical planet, you know. We never -got- snow. You wanted white ground all around you, you went to the beaches."

Aurora couldn't help but snicker at her mom. "You know, I am a teenager now, mom. Can't we go visit grandma and grandpa some time?" How totally cool would it be to go to -another planet-?? That was just awesome.

Ze looked slightly more uncomfortable for a moment. "Well, I'll have to see about it with work," she stalled.

"Uh huh...."

The door opened a few seconds later, Chris scowling slightly over his shoulder. "It's freezing out there, why do I gotta be the one to open the door?" he demanded of his mother. "Make the blue boy, he's good with cold!"

"Antony doesn't live here!" Missy called from inside the house. "And be polite!"

Both ladies stared at the teenager that opened the door. Then one of the two exploded.

"CHRIS! You grew and you didn't even bother to call me a tell me?!" Rory demanded, still standing on the door step. "Or come over?!" Never mind she didn't tell him when she became a teen. Partly because she knew he was coming over that day... but still! He should have at least -told- her!

He jerked, a look of "Oh s**t" crossing his face as he slowly turned towards her. "Ah, Rory, ah, well, y'see, there was this--and the clothing and--you--" He stopped, rubbing the back of his head with a gigantic hand. "You look real pretty."

Antony started laughing behind him, loud enough for even Rory to hear. "Shut it," Chris snarled over his shoulder, flushing purple.

"Hmph!" Rory was not to be persuaded with flattery this time. She looked away from him, nose in the air. "See if I give you your gift right away now," she muttered.

"Well," Ze said, having been fighting from laughing out loud in front of them both. "Are you going to let us freeze out here? Or are you going to let us in?" she asked with a grin.

"Oh! Right!" he said, moving out of the way quickly. "Sorry, yeah, um... Merry Christmas?" he offered, looking more like a kicked puppy than a badass monster of a teen as he glanced over at Rory. He was in such deep s**t.

"Yes, Merry Christmas," Ze'zee said, hurrying in quickly. The house was warm, and outside was cold. She so didn't like the cold!

Rory followed in after him, but didn't look at Chris. "Merry Christmas," she echoed. Then went for Missy immediately. "Hello Mrs. Deakon," she said with a brighter grin. "Mom and I brought food, as well. Finger food things."

"Oh thank you, Rory! Ze!" Missy said happily. "Why don't I put those on the buffet table while you give Chris your coats? There's only Shade and Antony here so far, but more people will be showing up soon enough."

"So you should get what food you want now, before Chris eats it all," Antony said a bit dryly. "Merry Christmas, Aurora, Ms. Ze'zee," he added politely.

Missy was right; it was rare that Beatrix wasn't punctual or on time -- Irelia Torstenn had been excused from the gathering on account of another girl's birthday party, but Jacoba Darnell and Wisp Darnell were both there in front of their bandage-eyed blonde of a mother. In fact, it was a little odd to now see that both of them were taller than her -- Wisp a few centimetres, and Jace a couple inches, the tallest of them all at what was still a fairly measly 5'5".

They were all three wearing scarves -- Bea's pale blue, Wisp's rainbow, Jace's orange -- and a fairly automatic "Merry Christmas," came out from all of them, though Jace's seemed to be "merry damn Christmas." Wisp was holding a box, but when she looked in the house, she dropped it entirely as her mouth formed a hello! to her beloved Missy. In a flash of brown skin and red hair, Jace reached out and caught it on her metal foot: but Wisp was already zooming past, brushing Aurora on the shoulder, and jumping wholesale onto a very teenaged Chris' back.

"OH MY GOD," she bellowed, "IT HAPPENED I AM THE HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD."

"Damn, Mrs. Deakon," said Jace. "What'd you feed him?"

"Be nice," said her mother, and -- "Happy returns of the season, Melissa."

Rory blinked as the colorful rainbow of a friend whoosed by and jumped on Chris. She gave a sigh and a shake of the head, though she was still highly miffed at Chris. And being so, she turned to the others.

And did a double take. "JACE! You grew too? Awesome!"

"Hey!" Chris said, irritated as he glared at Rory for that. Sure Wisp was on his back, but he wasn't bothered in the least by that part. "How come Jace is Awesome and I'm in the dog house?" he demanded irritably. "That's totally not fair."

It was equally not fair in the way that Jace swaggered next to Rory and judiciously swatted her on the butt; winked at Chris, not Rory, though she made a gunshot ch-ch in the back of her throat at the tall green-eyed girl. "Suck it down, man," she said, and folded her arms.

Wisp was apparently just thrilled that she could go back to treating her childhood friend like a jungle gym; she looked happy and content, little blue sparkles winking in and out around her head. At least she was wearing jeans for once; jeans and -- what appeared to be a leotard, arm-and-leg-warmers, the leotard painted with a snowman saying YO. "You're in the doghouse?" she said, and: "Hey, you should be in the doghouse! Did you tell Rory or me? No you did not. Seriously you and Rory should be all sucking face, not -- "

"Wisp!" Rory squeaked, cheeks going red. Then she shook her head quickly, getting back on the topic and wrapped an arm around the redhead's shoulders. She was taller, so she was more leaning to the side. "Jace's awesomeness extends beyond the need to tell. Unlike you, who's supposed to be one of my best friends! And you didn't tell Wisp either??"

"It just happened this morning!" he protested. "And it was a busy day!" Now he was in the doghouse with both of them! Dammit!

"You have to admit, it is a bit hard to deal with the first day," Antony said, sticking up for Chris and getting a glowering look for his trouble.

The redhead punched Rory's shoulder in a light, familiar way -- she liked Aurora; Aurora was uncomplicated -- before making her way over to Antony instead. Jace did not look that festive: she was wearing a brown hoodie and the ripped jean shorts she loved, though apparently when she hadn't been looking Wisp had furtively drawn snowflakes on her back in bright yellow. She leant herself with her elbow up on Antony's shoulder instead, and apparently didn't deign to play grab-a** with him.

"Should've thought of that before," she said, "chicks get weird about that stuff, man. Sup, Mantony."

Wisp clambered down from Christian's back, patted his arm, but then stuck out her tongue to show that she was on Rory's side. She marched over to her friend and stuck her arm through hers, looping it through tightly. ""Well, Miss Rory," she said, "let's go and get some buffet, yo!"

Rory just glanced when Jace abandoned her for Antony, then turned her attention back on Chris, arm in arm with Wisp. She took her arm, though, away, placing her hands on her hips and marched up to him.

"So, you just turned today? Is that true?" she asked him seriously. Then deflated with a sigh before looking back at Wisp. "Should I forgive him?"

Chris waited impatiently for Wisp's answer.

Antony slid a hand around Jace's waist, resting a hand on her hip. "They have some six different flavors of soda," he told her casually. "As well as food enough that Chris hasn't eaten all of it. Want to go get some before Chris gets to it?"

"Bea!" Missy said, finally coming out of the front room. "Please, give Chris your coat and come on in! All of you do that, actually," she added. "He's learning to be a gentleman now, or I'll have to beat it into him."

Wisp turned Rory around in obvious super-secret powwow, voice low as she brushed her pink-streaked hair out of her face. "Yeah, forgive him," she whispered, "but don't be too like, 'oh I forgive you everything!', be more like, 'okay I guess I can forgive you THIS TIME,' just so that he knows he can't mess you around. Even if you're like 'oh Chris you are such a hottie,' which he totally is, except he's like my kid brother so it's not like I'm all, 'woo!'."

Beatrix was taking off her coat, and consented to give it to Chris; she was smiling, though it was a wry Dr. Darnell smile. "I can't imagine you beating anyone into anything," she told Missy, "but I can well believe -- hullo, Antony; and congratulations on growing, Christian."

"Six types of soda," Jace was saying, and she was already fiddling with the tie of Antony's ponytail. "God, the excitement. Let's go get some food before Chris stuffs his huge fat a** -- sorry, Chris, you're like the size of a house, man, I'm kind of nearly worried about my ability to try to beat you up. -- C'mon, man, I'll let you pour me some Coke if you're a good girl." (Antony did not look like a good girl.)

Rory whole-heartedly took that advice, turning back to Chris with a serious look on her face. He was a hottie now, though. That was like a bonus! "Alright. I suppose I can't forgive you -this time-," she told him, poking him in the chest. He was like a rock, took. "But don't forget to tell me again, got it? Got it."

Then she held out a large, circle shaped present, that looked like it was a pain in the butt to wrap. "And because you are forgiven, you can have your gift."

Jace looked at him, his shoulders shaking in silent laughter, and she grinned herself; took a paper plate and started judiciously piling up her plate, his laughter at the situation a little infectious. "Yeah," she said, sotto voce. "The boy is looking at a lifetime of being henpecked."

Chris probably wouldn't mind.

The little blonde, however, clapped her hands together, and she had shone like a lantern when Chris had leant down and kissed her best friend on the cheek. The operation was obviously going into a success. She leant forward to dape her knuckles together on Rory's, the little star on her cheek crinkling as she smiled. "Yessss," she said.

Rory was still stunned by this act (and in front on others). It was one thing to give a boy a kiss; it was something else to be kissed by a HOTTIE. Then she gave a slightly stupid grin at Wisp in return, blushing. "Yeaahh, anyway. You are awesome. Thanks! Now, we'd better do like your sis and Antony and get some food things. I got you a gift too."

"That's not the only thing," Antony admitted quietly as he made his plate. "He stands by me waiting for people to show up and tells me that he read my present. Twice. Because otherwise it'd be a waste of ten bucks."

Chris took his time putting the coats away, waiting for his flush to go away. He felt like a little kid in a teen's body. It sucked. But finally he headed back in, knowing his parents would yell at him if he didn't.

"Welcome," Tyler said as he saw all of them. "We're going to eat first, then exchange gifts, if you've brought them. Chris decided the order of events." Which was said a bit dryly.

"Chris is kind of a d**k in private," admitted Jace, with absolutely no sign of censorious or even disapproving. In fact, it sounded like something she liked about the youngest Deakon, something to slightly admire. Anyone who hung around with Wisp and Rory had to have some kind of personality secret to cope with it. "Pass those meatball things, wench. Damn, I love Chris' mom's cooking."

Her mother had sat down next to Tyler and the other adults; "Wisp, go and get the bag out of the car before we eat," she said, Thwomp hovering around near her shoulder. "I thought you were going to bring it in."

"Whoops, moment of suckage," announced her youngest, who darted out after Beatrix dangled her keys at her -- all really overly tight jeans and her retro 80s leotard top revealing that it was pretty much backless. Someone would have to tell Beatrix eventually that Wisp dressed like the cast of Dirty Dancing by way of youthful pole dancer.

"Hurry or you're going to freeze!" Rory teased her friend, but didn't offer to go back out. Instead, she was getting herself some food too.

"Missy, I hope you don't mind, but I did bring my fiddle, if you want some kinds of old fashioned music going on," Ze said with a grin. She had taken a seat with the other adults as well, having already grabbed some food.

"Oh, I don't want you to feel like you have to work!" Missy said. "But if you'd like to play a song or two after we unwrap presents you know I'm not going to stop you," she added with a grin. "I'm so glad you both could make it here tonight! Chris was so nervous earlier."

Then she frowned ever so slightly as she caught sight of Wisp running out the door. She would have to do something about that outfit, she thought with an inward sigh.

"It's because he hates me," Antony said cheerfully. "It's rather entertaining--" then he stopped as Rory got there. He would rather she not hear that conversation.

Chris came in with the present, placing it under the tree with the others before heading for the table as well.

Wisp came back in with pink cheeks -- matched her lipgloss -- and a large plastic bag full of lumpy objects. "Ho ho ho," she said, "Merry Christmas," and knelt down to start unpacking them briskly underneath the tree.

Plate finally piled high with food (it wasn't like Beatrix was an awful cook, but the fact was that Missy was a very good one) Jace collapsed down in her chair: "You can sit on my knee," she offered to Antony, guffawing at her offer.

"I'd say that sounds more than a little uncomfortable," said her mother, "considering what your knee is like."

"It's Antony. He likes suffering that way."

"I'm certain he doesn't," said her mother(and his faux-aunt -- did that make Jace his cousin?) wryly. "I apologise for her, as ever, Antony."

Rory was a little bothered by the fact the talking that had been going on stopped when she got to the table to get food. Then she shrugged it off as being a little edgy after Chris kissed her. Her plate also piled high with food, she took a seat on a cushioned foot stool. Just because she could.

"Mom had be bring my violin as well," she told Missy, then looked to where Wisp was coming in again. "What you get me, Wisp??"

"That wont be a problem, since I like to play," Ze assured her.

Chris sat in the chair behind Rory, starting in on his new plate of food without a thought. "Oh dear," Missy said. "He's probably finished off all the salmon balls again, Wisp, would you mind helping me get some more from the kitchen?"

Chris looked up, swallowing loudly. "There were only ten left," he said a bit guiltily.

"And had there been twelve you would have done the same thing," she teased as she stood and headed for the kitchen.

"Hee, I'm not telling you until you open it," the blonde informed her best friend, swinging around behind Missy as she followed her into the kitchen. "Otherwise it wouldn't be a surprise. I think it's pretty awesome, though. -- Are you and your mom going to play the violin? Say yes! Please please please! I've never heard you and your mom play together, that'd be rad chillies..." Then she disappeared behind the older woman.

"See, now look what you did," Jace said wearily to Rory. "She's all excited now. She'll pee on the carpet."

Testament to how much Beatrix had mellowed out that she only said: "We'll cover the floor with newspapers where she's sitting."

Rory choked, then started to laugh at that. It was sooo wrong to laugh at your best friend being made fun of, but she couldn't help it! Then she elbowed Chris's knee. "You shouldn't take so many, even if you like them. We're guests. You have to leave some for those of us who -don't- get your mom's cooking all the time."

Then she pouted, looking at her two rolls. "I was hoping to get more later..."

"It's not much, but we'll do it," Ze'zee said, then winked at Jace. "So, you might want to find that newspaper."

Antony was sitting on the armrest of Jace's chair, balancing his plate as if he did this sort of thing daily. "Don't worry, Aunt Beatrix. I'm quite used to it by now, I'm afraid," he said. "So how long have you two been going out?" he asked Chris, only a bit evilly.

Chris jerked, swallowing loudly at the question and forgetting to reply to Rory's jibe. "Huh?" he asked. One moment he had been hanging out with his best friend, eating his favorite non baked snack, the next he was put on stand by the blue boy. Not fair!

"Going out," Antony repeated. "As in dating. I thought she didn't know you were a teenager yet, but it seems that doesn't seem to matter. That kiss back there--"

"I knew this would happen, of course," Missy said as she bustled around the kitchen, getting the supplies out of the fridge. "Which is why I only made a few dozen up front. We're going to have to make more now, I hope you don't mind?" she added to Wisp. "But that'll give us time for a little girl talk!"

"I love girl talk!" said Wisp blithely, and she did, and she loved watching Missy make food: would probably attempt to help as well, but mostly just pass things, make conversation and look cute, since Wisp was not the world's most incredible cook. She grinned, lighting up -- Jace was forced to admit that Wisp was really pretty, but maybe crazy did that to a person. She followed Mrs. Deakon back into the kitchen.

"Unless you're not dating," she added, already catching on to Antony's pretty a*****e-ish and therefore hilarious line of conversation. She popped a meatball in her mouth. "Because, damn, I know like six guys who'd snap Rory up like that. Hey, I don't think you're too bad-lookin' either, sugar britches." (Aurora was probably going to kill her, but it was all in the name of lulz.)

Rory was secretly game. If she could get Chris to admit to something like that, or at least -ask- her, then it was all for the good. "Really? Is that why guys keep walking into poles when I jog past them in PE?" she asked, cocking her head to the side in a not-so-innocent fashion.

At least she had learned how to control her speed, so when she said jog, that was more like a normal person's run. Her type or running, no one else would beable to really get a good look at her. She would have been a blurr.

A murderous expression crossed Chris's face, both at the pole comment and at Antony and Jace bringing this up so soon after he had grown. "We aren't dating," he muttered. "What about you two?" he added. "Since you seem to be so... close." It was easy enough to change the subject.

Antony just smiled, mildly. "Oh, we're not dating," he said simply. He took a drink of his pop, still enjoying this situation. It was revenge for the Christmas present comment and he was mature enough to know it, while being immature enough to do it. "But Jace is Jace and Rory is... Rory," he added. "And you DID kiss her."

Chris let out a rumbling growl.

"You know, Wisp, you've grown to be such a beautiful young woman," Missy started out as she started to cook. "Have I told you that yet?"

"Chris, that's gay, dude," said Jace, sounding a little disturbed at his implication that she and Antony were dating. But then she changed the subject as well: "I think everyone's pretty much expecting Chris and Ror to date, right? It's like how every tard at school kind of expected Riley and Iggy to get together, which just proves their lives are boring-a**." (Everyone except Wisp, that was.)

Wisp was happily in the kitchen, or else that comment would have started to make her very flustered; she blushed at a compliment from the woman she considered to be probably the most beautiful woman found anywhere, and always had done ever since she was small: Missy was beautiful. It was undeniable. "Do you really think so?" she said, a little hopefully. "You're not just all, oh that's Wisp I better tell her she's cute, because hey Rory is so gorgeous she might feel bad. I mean I think I'm pretty cute, you know? But beautiful's like, the b-word, it's huge."

Rory was very wisely not jumping on Chris about dating. She wanted him too a lot. A whole heck of a lot, but this was his first day, so she was going to have a bit of mercy on him. "Wait.. you mean Iggy's got, or might have a girlfriend?" she asked, going on to a whole new conversation.

Basically, she wanted to know for Wisp's sake.

Antony sighed. "Lord I hope not," he muttered. He would rather have Iggy dating Wisp. He didn't like Riley, he never had. She rubbed him wrong for some reason. It was shocking that Jace didn't, to be honest.

Chris's attention was on Jace. "Jace... you're a girl," he said finally. How was it gay if she was a chick? That completely baffled him and distracted him from being teased about Rory. But Antony had a point, a betraying thought said in the back of his head. Rory was... Rory.

"You're a very beautiful girl," Missy repeated, giving the girl a "MOTHER" look. "Would I lie to you about something like that? But there is one little problem, honey, and I really think we should discuss it now before it gets worse."

Terror immediately awoke in Wisp's breast, and she looked at Missy with a slight deer-in-the-headlights expression. What was wrong? Did she have a zit? Didn't Missy like her hair? She could streak it different colours; she was planning on it, anyway. Was she getting fat? Was it the fact that she didn't have huge boobs like Irelia? She swallowed -- she had to remember she was a superhero -- and calmed down, managing to croak out a tiny, "Yes?"

"Damn, boy," her sister was complaining at Chris, "I don't point out that you're a big-a** black demon dude." After this baffling statement, stealing a meatball from Antony's plate and popping it into her mouth before he could steal it back, she added: "And nah, Ror, Iggy doesn't have a girlfriend -- Wisp keeps trying but I don't think he notices she has boobs. What, you want him?"

Thankfully Zee, Tyler and Beatrix were all apparently involved in adult conversation, rather than listening in on the who-dates-who.

"Nope," Rory answered, poping a meatball of her own in her mouth before going on. "As a best friend to Wisp, I wanted to know if he had someone else. But since he hasn't clued in to all of this yet, the answer would be no."

It was all to easy to not look at Chris, with the way they were sitting. At least that worked out! She then gave Antony and Jace a very curious look. In some twisted, messed up way, they'd be interesting together. Together-together, and not just friends.

Chris shrugged. "Don't have to, I've got mirrors," he said simply. "And trouble going through doors. And the little problem when I was a kid with ripping arms off of chairs. Kinda hard to forget what I am."

Antony had a disturbing image of Chris ripping off other types of arms. It was a bit too easy to picture, so he decided to change the subject. "These aren't really meatballs, are they?" he asked, curiously. "Since you're vegetarians, right?"

"Yeah," Chris said. "So some of them are fish, and some of them are mushroom. I like the fish the best." And he promptly tried to steal one of Rory's. Which was flirting, but Antony didn't mention it.

"Oh, Wisp, it's not the end of the world!" Missy said, seeing that look on her face. "It's just, well, honey, do you really have to wear such revealing clothes?"

"They're not meatballs," Jace said, "they're cheatballs. God I am hilarious." (She then proceeded to crack up at her own joke, though she was a little amazed at how Missy managed to make fake meat taste as good as real meat. She hadn't even noticed.)

The tiny blonde looked up at Missy with a blank expression, as though not quite sure what she meant. She looked down at her clothes: tight jeans, wicked-cool leotard that was totally hot, leg warmers, arm warmers. The chunky necklace of blue beads Irelia had given her for Christmas. Then it hit. "Oh," she said, puzzled, "oh -- oh, Missy, I'm like, reclaiming my sexuality, right? I'm all hitting a blow for womankind. I'm like, I am so proud of my femininity. I have to dress this way, right? I'm a rebel!"

But she added a little doubtfully: "It looks like I'm being rebellious, right, Missy?"

"My fish-meat ball," Rory said, quickly stabbing said meat ball that Chris was trying to steal and popping it in her mouth. In doing so, however, she left a salmon roll open for grabs.

With her attention on Chris, she couldn't laugh, or snicker, at Jace (or her joke).

He grabbed the salmon roll, popping it into his mouth with a triumphant air. "I like the salmon rolls better, anyway," he teased her.

"Even if they're not meat, they're a million times better than anything anyone in my family can make," Antony drawled, guarding his own plate now that people were stealing. "A household of bachelors doesn't make for great fare."

"Wisp, do you really think that femininity is tied up in showing off your body?" Missy asked softly as she rolled the balls. "Don't you think that there are some much more important factors? Such as your thoughts and beliefs and actions? Do I seem less feminine when I wear more modest clothes?"

It was better than M.B.'s cooking too, even if they lived in a house of bachelorettes. But M.B. wasn't bad. She was a dab hand at stuff like grilled cheese. She just wasn't Missy, who was a kind of domestic goddess. "So did you get that notice home for sex ed.," Jace said. "I can't believe they have to notify your 'rents on that kind of grab-a**."

Wisp tilted her head, obviously troubled. "No," she said, "but you always look gorgeous, that's different, right? I'm more -- I have to make a statement! Like -- do I really look skanky," she finally said, doleful. "I just like wearing bright colours and skinny jeans and things. And rainbow bracelets. And side ponytails."

Rory gave Chris a dirty look for stealing her salmon roll. "That was mine, ya know." Her mom wasn't Missy either, with the cooking, but it was also good. At least both of them could read a recipe and go from there. And hopefully not burn anything. Then her attention turned to Jace once more. "That sex ed class? Yeah... why'd they have to go off and do that?"

It was embarrassing, on a level, after all.

"It sucks," Chris muttered, flushing again. "It's gonna be worse now that I'm older. Dad already told me the basics, so why does that hippy chick gotta go over it?"

"I doubt it can get worse, to be truthful," Antony said with a sigh, agreeing with Chris on this one fact. Lindy wasn't his favorite teacher by any means.

"None of those things are bad," Missy said. "Used in moderation, that is. Wisp, you're a sweet, funny, adorable girl. You should make people focus on that fact instead of your body alone. There's so much you have to share, you know?"

"I dunno, guess it's required for teens," said Jace, immediately bored and finishing off the rest of her food in case her friend thought he needed to steal some back. Antony probably wouldn't. He was honourable that way. Wouldn't steal your cheatballs. "Least it'll be more interesting than normal health. I mean, it'll probably be funny-a**, right?"

All would be redeemed if Ms. Lindy somehow made it funny-a**.

"Do you really think so?" said Wisp, who looked entirely discombobulated. "I mean, if you think -- I mean, I'll try, Missy." She still looked a little woebegone. She also looked doubtful, as though she maybe thought people didn't really ever focus on Wisp being sweet, funny or adorable.

"I guess we have no choice but to find out," Rory added with a shrug. School was pretty awful that way. Just when you were getting the hang, and doing well in all other classes, they had to throw something new into it all.

Rory finished off her food and looked towards the kitchen. Now, where was Mrs. Deakon and those other salmon rolls?

"I know you'll do great," Missy said, handing her a plate of the food and kissing her cheek. "Because I believe in you, Wisp. Now go take these out there before Chris suddenly decides to eat everyone else's."

Now that Chris was a teenager, Rory was doing her best to look good, cute even. Chris finally wasn't a boy any more! He was like her, a teenager. The only thing it seemed to mean was that he was bigger, got to have a cell phone, and probably other things.

She waited for him outside the store, dressed up in her red jacket with white, faux-fur lined coat, and toeing some snow with her boot. There was a pair of snow goggles hanging around her neck as well. Maybe she shouldn't have run here? She was probably to early. Girls weren't suppose to be early, after all. Maybe she should call him? He had a cell phone now!

If fact, she started to pull it out of her pocket to do just that.

"Yo," he said from behind her, stepping out of the shadows. He was huddled in a gigantic coat that had to have been tailored to fit him. And, shockingly, a cigar hung between two fingers. He had been smoking, it was the best way to warm up, as far as he could tell.

He hadn't even been sick the first time he tried it.

Rory turned a smile on him, having heard his voice, then she stopped, just blinking at him. Well, not at him, but what was on his hand. Her hands went to her hips. "Chris... why are you smoking??" she asked, glaring at it.

Here was a news flash: Chris was going to be a smoker. His mom would flip.

"It's a cigar," he said, taking a long drag off of it. "The butt, only, though, I stole it from Dad." Who had been irritated, to say the least. "It's warm."

"You stole it from your dad," she said, giving him a stern look. "And what did your mom say about it?" Even if it was a butt, it wasn't okay with her. They tended to smell.

"Mom doesn't even know Dad smokes, much less that I do," he told her, finishing off the butt and flicking it into the trash. Then he pulled out a small canister from his pocket and sprayed himself.

The smell disappeared. "Dad has a lot of cool stories if you ask him nicely," he added as he pocketed the can.

She just gave him a look. If he smoked those, then when she got around to kissing him, wouldn't he taste like that too? She shook the thought off. "Well, let's get going. At least you have that that removes the smell..."

Didn't mean she was happy.

"What?" he asked, a bit irritably. "It's not like I'm forcing you to smoke or anything," he told her. He had no clue that she was already thinking about kissing and stuff like that. He had barely been a teenager for a few days! The smoking thing was just because-- "And it's not gonna do anything to me, you know. I'm probably just as tough on the inside as I am on the out."

"And what about your friends? Second hand smoke is worse than smoking," she told him. Well, at least he wasn't going to kill himself! She wasn't sure what it would do to her.

"I'll do it outside and down wind," he said, having already thought of this himself. "Now let's go get... whatever it was you wanted to get." And he knuckled his way into the store, which, on any other day would have caused chaos, but barely merited a glance.

After Christmas sales were dangerous places.

Rory sighed. "Right, right." Then followed after him. "Well, if you're going to smoke them, then at least get ones that smell good," she told him. "There was some guy that had cherry flavored cigs, and those smelled good." Better than normal cigs, anyway.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, not really looking as if he cared. His eyes ran over the shop, taking in the crowds. "What are we here for anyway?" he asked. "Is it somethin' heavy?"

Why else would she drag him into what was obviously hell?

"There's an iPod I want," she told him seriously. "My mp3 player's too small to hold all the songs I want, and it doesn't have video." She held up a little plastic card. "Grandparents rule, by the way."

"Oh, alright," he said. Which now made perfect sense to him. It was dangerous getting an ipod. "So that would be upstairs, right?" he said, heading for the escalator and checking the weight limit.

Then he checked to make sure there weren't any fat chicks already on it.

"Yep. Hey, you wanna look at anything while we're here? They probably have those big pretzels, or even Cinnabons," she suggested. Yes, she was going to take advantage of his company. And the way to Chris was through his stomach.

"Ooooh, Cinnabons," he said. "I like Cinnabons. They got a stand here?" He got onto the escalator, feeling a bit cramped so he reared up and rested his huge hands on the handbars. "Hey, you're not getting the ipod because of the speakers I got you, are you?"

"I might be," she said with an evil grin back at him. She was taking off her coat to tie it around her hips, since it was warm in the mall. "Those were cute, thanks! Did you like your tin?"

"Course," he said, just a bit evilly. "It tasted great."

"Good, cuz I baked it all," she told him with pride in her voice. Then stepped off the escalator and looked for the store. "I think I remember seeing a Cinnoban shop in here before."

"Lets get your iPod first," he said reluctantly. "Because sale stuff like that goes quick, right?" He looked around as well before heading for the electronics section. There were more males in this part of the store, and they noticed him better than the females had.

It was like the red sea parting, watching as they silently moved out of his way.

Which was her hope, and a good reason to bring him sale shopping with her: he parted aggressive customers for her. She followed along behind him, going for the iPod stuff. "I'm hoping they have a red one left," she commented, pulling out her little sales paper with what she wanted circled on it.

"That one's red, right?" he asked a guy standing to the side holding two of them. Without a word the guy handed it over to him. "That wasn't--oh, hell, forget it," he said, turning to the guy cowering at the counter. "We need another red one for that guy," he told him.

It was a good thing Chris was so nice, or he would have taken over the whole mall, and get whatever he wanted for free. The idiots were just being idiots, but since they parted for her, she wasn't complaining.

"Thank you," she told the guy that had handed over the iPod. "I hope it's alright by you? They may not have another one," she said, using a kind voice to hopefully off set the fear Chris caused.

"It--it's fine," he said, stuttering now. "I mean, I got two--"

Chris took the second red one that the guy behind the counter offered him and handed it to the guy before he could fall over himself. "Alright, do we buy it here or somewhere else?"

"Som--somewhere else," the guy at the counter offered.

"Alright."

"Ok, checkout line it is," she said, and mentally dismissed the shuddering guy now that had another iPod. She found the line and went to it. IPod and gift card in hand. She grinned up at Chris. "At this rate, we'll get Cinnabons in now time," she told him happily.

"Cinnabons," he said cheerfully, already looking forward to it. Then he stopped, catching sight of a black skinned man that hadn't been there before. "Mr. Shade?" he asked as the man headed straight for them.

"Oh, hey, Chris, Rory, out on a date?" Shade asked as he caught sight of them.
"Grandparents sent my Christmas money," she said, neither confirming nor denying that they were on a date, and held up the subject of this outting. "What brings you here, Mr. Shade?"

"I wanted to grab a few things while they were on sale," he said. "But I was really looking for you two. Your mom said I could find you here." Not that he actually needed that information, but he didn't bother to mention that fact. "I wanted to ask both of you a question."

Chris looked at him blankly. "About what?" he asked finally.

Hopefully it wasn't some kind of 'pop quiz' on their break time. But naaa, Mr. Shade wouldn't do that. He was one of the cooler teachers at the school. Maybe he had something to do with Antony? "Yes?" she asked him curiously.

"Well actually you don't have much of a choice, Rory," Shade said cheerfully. "You and your mom are coming with me and Antony on vacation starting the thirteenth. We're going to Zard."

"Like hell she is!" Chris snapped, only to be shocked by that quick reaction.

"And I was planning on you coming, as well," Shade told the teenage starmaker. He dug a sheet of paper out of his trench. "Hellspawn is having a showing there that Friday."

She didn't have enough time to even think about cheering for a vacation to Zard; Chris had made his outburst of denial known quickly. This both annoyed her, and made her glad. Annoyed her, because he was trying to deny her the chance to see her grandparents for the first time, and made her glad because he cared.

"So, you mean I get to meet my grandparents finally? Awesome!" she said then looked to the paper Shade was pulling out, before glancing at Chris. Now he would want to go.

"I asked your parents, too," Shade said. "They said it was up to you."

Chris stared at the flyer blankly for a long moment. "Well... I guess it won't be that bad," he muttered finally.

"Good."

"So I guess that mean's we're taking a far away vacation together," she said teasingly to Chris, who probably didn't hear her, with how he was staring at the flier. She looked back to Shade. "When do we get to go?"

"The thirteenth, noon, your living room," he said to her. "Don't pack too heavily, only the stuff you can--" Then he stopped, glancing over at Chris. "Forget I said that. Now I gotta get going if I'm gonna get an ipod. See ya!" And he was gone.

Chris slowly folded the flier and slipped it into his pocket. "Let's go pay for that and find the cinnabons."

"Welcome to Air Shade," Shade said to the group standing in Ze'zee's front yard. He noticed Antony and Chris looking at each other with a hint of amusement. "Some of you might not have expected others--"

"I expected him," Chris said. "Just wasn't looking forward to it."

"Thank you so much for the token of friendship, Christian," Antony drawled. He got a shamelessly toothy grin in reply.

"And others might still be wondering how we plan on getting to another planet by standing in your front yard," Shade went on. Behind him was a short ladder, waiting for him to walk up it.

"Yeah, actually," Aurora bluntly said. She didn't get the demo that her mother had, and thus didn't get it as well. Beside her were her bags; guitar and violin cases as well. She was so eager to see her grandparents in the flesh for the first time that she didn't even notice the looks.

More like, she was ignoring the looks that they always gave each other.

Ze'zee was doing a last minute check of the bags and her list, making sure nothing was missing.

"I," Shade said grandly, "happen to be an Ancient Dragon with the ability to open rifts to other worlds, or to anywhere, to be honest. And since transporting Chris would cost far too much in food checks alone, I thought the trip should be as short as possible."

He leaned down, touching the air with a finger and slitting through it as he walked up the steps. There, where there had been nothing, was now a rift that showed strange sights on the other side. "One at a time, please, no jostling, make sure all your things are--oh, forget it, just step on through."

Antony went first, walking through it as if he had done it a million times. Chris, on the other hand, just looked at the rift blankly.

"Woah, no way!" Rory grinned at the little rip and watched Antony walk away, into it, and on the other side. She walked around it a moment, just to make sure and saw nothing more than the normal other side of the yard. She then went back to gather up her things.

"Shade, any time you want a place to stay at Zard, let me know and I'll tell my parents," Ze said, walking through with her things.

"Come on, Chris. It's not going to bite you," Rory teased him, heading for the rift as well. Frankly, she didn't know if it would or not, but that didn't seem to matter to her.

Chris looked at Shade, his mind going to exactly where Shade hadn't wanted it to go. "You're dangerous," the starmaker said simply.

"Yeah," Shade admitted. "But you've known me all your life."

"Yeah," Chris said, and walked through the rift, stepping onto Zard. Shade stepped behind him and the rift disappeared, leaving a faint sense of energy before it was gone entirely.

"Wow, so this is Zard?" Rory said as she looked around the alien planet. Aside from the people walking around that looked like her mom and the heat, it didn't seem.. that different. There was definitely an air of 'difference' however. Like you just took a road trip someplace else, only without the cramped car ride. And it was.... warm. Very warm.

Ze'zee inhaled deeply, letting out a content sigh. "Home. I've missed the Zard heat! No more stupid snow!" she said happily, her thick, lizard tail gave a small swish as she looked around to get her barrings.

They got several second glances, even third glances, but Shade didn't seem to be bothered by that. It was only when two teenage zards noticed Chris that there was trouble. "It's ACHERON!!" the bellowed, racing towards them. Then they stopped. "Dude... weren't you a lot bigger?"

"He's not Acheron," Shade said. "He's just a kid."

Chris blinked.

"He's Christian," Rory added, looking at the boys just a little oddly. So this Acheron guy was supposed to be bigger? Did that mean that Chris would just keep on growing? Well, he was just a teenager....

"Hey, kids, can you tell me what street we're on?" Ze'zee asked the kids, deciding to use them to get more of an idea. She thought things looked familiar, however, she just wanted to make sure.

"We're on Posterly, lady," the kids said, looking at Chris again, as if he would grow suddenly and turn into their hero.

"Not too far from your parents', right?" Shade offered. "I figured we'd move in and go see the sights. The real entertainment doesn't begin until tomorrow, after all."

"Thanks," Ze said then looked at Shade. "Yep, right on target. That makes it a lot easier." She pulled out her cell to call her parents while leading them to their destination.

"What entertainment?" Rory asked, keeping close to Chris as they went.

His tail whipped back and forth with irritation as he noticed so many people staring at him. Well, at least they weren't running away screaming, he thought in order to try and calm himself. No, they were just comparing him to someone a million times cooler than him.

He wasn't sure which was worse.

"The mating day festivities," Shade said. "Fighting, eating, gaming, it's all there!" he added cheerfully. "And thanks to Chris and you being starmakers we won't have any trouble at all getting in!"

"Re--"

"What?!" Ze choked, looking back at Shade. "What do you mean the mating day festivities?? It's that time of year??"

"Mom...?" Rory asked, lifting a brow at her mom. She hadn't seen her this kind of panicked from her mom, ever. It was... odd.

"Why else would anyone come to Zard?" Shade asked. "It's a party like no other! If it wasn't for this, we'd all be on Carn, enjoying the carnival."

"I did like the carnival," Antony said mildly. "And I bet even Chris could fit on the rides because of the bear men."

"But there's a Hellspawn concert here," Chris said. "I want to see it."

Ze gave a small groan. She so didn't realize that this what -that time-. The time when those who were looking for a mate would go and watch others strut their stuff and-- She wasn't going to go with them. She couldn't. If she showed too much attention in anything, someone might get the wrong idea. She already had one bad fling! She didn't need something else!

"You okay?" Rory asked her mom, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine. Just surprised that I forgot, that's all," Ze said with a sigh. "Anyway, I'd better call the parents to let them know." Again, she brought up the phone, dialing it.

"Yeah..." Rory turned her attention to the other conversation then. She was worried about her mom... but what could she do to fix it. "The Carn fair?"

"We can go on Saturday, if you want," Shade said. "The concert will be on Friday, and it won't be much trouble just to rift over to Carn for a day of fun. But we should get back Sunday to recover for school."

Antony was shockingly quiet. He didn't even seem to be paying attention to the conversation, really. It was more like he was thinking of something a million miles away.

Chris glanced at him, then back at Ze'zee. Something was weird here. "You mean they're all flirting with each other?"

"Something like that," Ze answered him. "It's like a talent show. Showing off your skills and what you're good at to attract attention. Think of it like some birds, flashing their feathers to attract others."

Rory blinked at this idea. Was that what her mom was worried? Attracting someone? She didn't see why she should worry. Her mom was awesome! And talented and skilled and could cook-- She was also a teenager, so what was holding her mom back? Maybe they needed to just take her there and force her to check out others!

Chris looked at Rory, his mind jumping straight to the most important part according to him. "I don't like this idea," he muttered simply. And moved a bit closer to Rory with a dark, forbidding expression on his face.

"Trust me, kid, nobody's going to try and steal your girl," Shade said, patting him on the shoulder. "Everyone knows what a starmaker female looks like by now. If they don't, I'm sure you're more than enough to clue them in."

"She's not--"

"So, we'll be able to meet these other starmakers?" Rory cut in, before Chris could deny it. She wasn't about to give him the chance to do that.

"Besides, Chris, Zard's typically never go for anyone outside the race. You all look way to weird," Ze told them seriously. "So, you don't have to worry about someone thinking you're taking 'special' interest in them, or them taking 'special' interest in you."

"Not like Ze!" Shade said, grinning at her. "Ze's prime mate material around here. Bright healthy colors, just the right age, good body, yeah, she's going to be... appreciated." Then he grinned at Rory, not giving Ze the chance to reply. "We sure are. It's yet another reason I brought you two with us!"

"So we could meet him, or so you could?" Chris asked.

"Both!" Shade said.

"Are you not speaking to me again?" Ash asked in amusement as their touring ship landed on Zard. "Look," he said, his deep, two toned voice drawling through the air. "I told you, I only tapped the b*****d. I should have done worse when I caught him eyeing your a**."

Acheron, or Ash, was a gigantic, full grown starmaker, and had been for over a thousand years. He was famous the galaxy over as the lead singer of the band "Hellspawn" and revered on some planets as a god. But even with all that, he was still screwed royally when his wife was mad at him.

"You do realize that a lot of people eye my a**, right?" Seren replied, arms crossed and looking away from him. She too was a full grown starmaker. She was tall and sexy, leather wearing as well. It would be no wonder why people would stair at her a**.

That didn't mean who could beat them all up, or anything. They couldn't do anything to her. For one, she wouldn't let them. For another... . they'd have to catch her first.

"Yeah, but they don't usually take pic--" Then he stopped, his eyes narrowing slightly as he felt the energy on the planet. There was something weird about it, but-- "You feel that?" he asked. "That's a starmaker signal. Two of them. Just..." He took a drag off of his smoke, concentrating. "Weird."

Yeah, that was deep and insightful, he thought with a hint of self disgust. But it wasn't him that usually did the thinking, anyway.

"Yeah.. they are odd," Seren said letting him get away with the change of topic... for now. But it had gotten her attention too. "Like there's something off about them, even if they are starmaker..."

Then she grinned, walking over to Ash and wrapping her arms around on of his large arms. "And they're young!"

He grinned at her. "I want to meet'em," he told her, taking another drag off of his smoke. "But if I go out there I'll just get way too much attention. You, though, if you change your outfit, can get away with it, probably." He looked at her.

"But I like my leather," Seren pouted at him. It wouldn't have too much effect, however. There was a wicked look in her eye. "But... if I have too... I'll change. I want to meet them too. Where?" she asked, wondering where they should be brought.

"Bring'em here," he said. "We're not going to a hotel, anyway, the beds are never big enough. But get the boy, first," he said. "If they're mated, the last thing you want is a pissed off starmaker male around, even if you are faster than him. The place would be destroyed before they managed to pay us for the concert."

"I was already planning on going after the boy first," she promised him with a wink, and pulled away. "Now, how am I going to get a young, male starmaker to follow a stranger?" she asked him almost innocent.

"A sexy, beautiful woman like you?" he asked. "Food, of course."

She choked and started to laugh at that, even if she should be insulted. She wasn't at all.

"Because if he's mated, or close to it, your sexy bod won't mean s**t, honey," he said bluntly. "Now get going, we don't have all day. Well, we do, but I want to get some practice in sooner or later."

"Yes yes," she said, waving it off. "I'll figure out something good and get him here. Then I'll get the girl." And she turned, heading off for their rooms to get changed. Well! Two young starmakers! On Zard, of all the places.

This was going to be an interesting trip after all!

The afternoon found Chris sitting out in front of a music store, a new mp3 player in his hand, the music from all the starmaker males he could find playing in his ears. He had spent half of his allowance for the past year on that alone, but he was a happy boy. Besides, his dad had said something about a summer job at a construction site if he wanted it.

Construction workers got paid well.

The others were still inside, looking and listening to all the many styles of music to be found on Zard. Usually he would have been in there as well, but he was a man on a mission.

He wasn't the only one on a mission. Seren been hunting him down in the city, large box of sweets carried in her arms. She was wearing jeans and a halter top, her hair up in a ponytail. There wasn't much she had that wouldn't be sexy... Ah well, she had the sweets, after all.

Now all she needed to do was get him. She walked past him, sweets in a large box in hand.

His eyes followed the box of sweets, automatically, then fell on the little tail that she had, his mind jumping to conclusions. Without a thought he got to his feet, shoving the mp3 player into his vest pocket and chasing after her. "Hey!" he called out, feeling like a little boy all of a sudden. "Hey, um--"

"Hmm?" Seren looked over her shoulder at him. This might be easier than she thought! Then she grinned at him. "I'm off to a baking comp. They're in need to tasters... do you want to join?"

"Baking comp?" he repeated, still feeling like a little boy in facing a full grown female starmaker. "Yeah!" he said. "I'm Christian," he added, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you, ma'am."

"I'm Seren," she said, not taking his hand. Hers were full. Then she continued to walk in such a way that invited him to follow. "You new here?" she asked conversationally.

Now where was the female starmaker?

"I'm on vacation with a couple of friends," he said, walking alongside her, much like a puppy. "Um, I hate to sound stupid, but aren't you Acheron's lady? There's a poster with you on it in that store back there--"

She rolled her eyes. Yep, this so wasn't working. "Yes, actually. We want to meet you. See, there aren't many starmakers, but we kinda... sense each other," she told him seriously. "And you are the youngest one I've ever met!"

He snorted. "I'm a starmaker, and not, I guess," he admitted, forgetting completely about the people he had left behind. "See, I came from a cabbage on a planet called Gaia. I figure that somehow they must have found some information about you guys and injected it into the computer thing."

"Me and Rory, I guess, cuz she's a bit like you."

"Rory huh?" she asked, leading him towards the ship and offering him a cup cake for his good following. So that must be the female. She wondered if they were mated yet..?

But what bothered here was that someone injected cabbages with information about the--"Wait, cabbages??" she asked him in shock.

He popped it into his mouth, tugging the paper off of it with a practiced movement, and swallowing it whole. "Yeah, it's um... well, why I'm probably not a real starmaker," he admitted. He had been thinking about it for a while. "I don't think I'm going to be as big as a real one, either."

"There's a difference from being real and being pure starmaker," she told him seriously, handing him another cup cake. "You--"

"HEY!" The shout made Seren pause and look back. There, a good bit away from them was a slightly haggered looking Rory. She had been looking for Chris since he went missing from the music store. She had wanted to show him something and came out to get him, finding him not there.

So, she had been running around, trying to find Chris. When she did, she saw him taking cup cakes from one very sexy looking lady. To say she was jealous was an understatement.

Chris sighed. "I'm busted, huh," he muttered. "I was going to share, I swear!" he called to Rory. "You can have this one!"

Talking to beautiful ladies happened on a daily basis, after all. He had no clue she was jealous.

Rory closed the gab between herself and the other two quickly, standing beside Chris and giving a glare at the other lady. It almost irritated her how she didn't even look surprised at the speed. Then she looked at Chris. "It's not about sharing. Where are you going? And why with her? You didn't tell any of us, you know and--"

Seren was trying not to laugh at this situation and had to look away. Of course the 'little girl' didn't surprise her with speed: she was much faster. But she did notice something about it. That speed was missing the light that made it possible for a female starmaker to travel.

"It's a baking competition," Chris told her. "I'm going to be a taste tester. That or she's luring me with sweets to come with her," he added, obviously unconcerned. "Never thought I'd be kidnapped at this age. Actually, never thought I'd be kidnapped at all. And if you're not gonna eat it," he added, tossing the cupcake in his mouth happily.

"Chhrriiiisss," Ror started to complain only to stop as cup cakes where shoved towards them both. She looked up at the female.

"I'm Seren, a starmaker. Yes, actually, I was 'kidnapping you'. The best way to do that was with food," she admitted shamelessly.

"She's Acheron's lady!" Chris said, grabbing the offered cupcake happily. "She's pretty, huh? Well, I get the feeling that all starmaker ladies are. Probably makes up for the ugly as hell males."

"Yep, we are and I figure it's to make up for your males as well," Seren added, then started to lead both away.

Rory, not wanting Chris to go alone, started to follow as well. She took on of the cup cakes. They did look well. "Are we.. are we all fast, as well?" she asked reluctantly.

"Yep. We're fast. Very, very fast," Selen said, enjoying this. They were so cute!

"That's cool," Chris said, mouth full of treats. "Real cool."

The morning started with what should have been expected. An argument between Antony and Christian. "So?" Chris demanded. "I had someone I wanted to talk to."

"On a planet you've never been to before?" Antony asked. "I hardly doubt that. Now why don't you tell the truth, since you're obviously no good at lying."

"I'm not lying!"

"He's not lying," Rory said, leaning on the door frame of the room where the boys were arguing. Her arms were crossed as she looked at Antony. "I went with him, so I know."

Okay, so they did kinda leave him, didn't they? Whoops...

"And where did you go?" Antony asked, finishing off his toast. He had gotten there early to actually get some food before Chris ate it all. "Because I have a good idea, and I'm slightly irritated by being left out of it."

"Too bad," Chris said. "You didn't deserve to go."

She rolled her eyes. "They wanted to talk to us, actually. But you'll have a chance to meet them too. They're sending back stage passes for us all," she told him, heading for the table to get something to eat as well. Her mom and granny had been busy in the kitchen, cooking breakfast for them all.

"I think I'm full," Chris said, looking a bit shocked at that fact. "Wow..." He shook his head and looked around. "Where's Mr. Shade?"

"He's sleeping in," Antony said. "He was out drinking all night." There was resignation in his voice. "I believe he plans on partying every night we're here."

Rory thought this over a minute. "Well, isn't he from off world too? He probably hasn't been able to do this in a while," she suggested. "Mom hasn't been out of the house since we got here..."

Which worried her, frankly. She didn't have a problem with her mom going out and meeting guys! She should enjoy herself, especially after what Rory had learned.

"But today's the competition day, isn't it?" Antony asked. "I was looking forward to seeing the fighting."

Then he looked at Chris, in a calculatingly manner. "So when shall we leave?" he asked. "I've got the money."

Chris glared at him, but he was broke and they all knew it.

Rory gave a little sigh as she finished off her food. So much for being alone again with Chris. But then, maybe she should play harder to get with him? It sounded like starmaker girls did that, after all. Even if she wasn't a full starmaker....

"Now would work, if we're all done with breakfast," she said, getting up. "I want to see what goes on as well. .... Think mom will join?" Since their two-some was already wrecked, why not just add more to it?

"Why don't you go ask her?" Chris asked, not looking at her. He was busy giving Antony a look that could kill as Antony sipped his orange juice. "We'll wait."

"Of course we will," Antony said mildly.

"Alright, thanks. But don't break anything while I'm gone," she said as she stepped out of the room and into the kitchen.

Ze'zee was having her own worries. She had done something and not told Rory about it either. She had wanted it to be a surprise, but now that Rory was a teenager and everything... she wasn't sure how she'd react.

Her mom was happy, however, then hinted about how she could go out to the festivities and find her self a good man and then make even more grandkids - a conversation by which Ze was highly embarrassed of. She wasn't sure she was ready for that--

"Mom?" Rory asked in the door way. "Chris, Antony and I were going to head out and see things. You wanna come? We could use a guide!"

"I'm not going to let you run off on a date two days in a row," Antony said shamelessly. "Besides, there's something I need to talk to you and Rory about, I'm afraid. I need to tell my father, as well, but I'm sure he'd rather find out when he's sober."

"What would you have to tell us?" Chris said.

"You'd be surprised."

"Um, well, actually, there's something else I need to do," ze admitted.

"Oh...? Like what?" Rory asked, blinking curiously at her mother as she entered the room more.

"Wellllll...... how would you like a little sibling? I rather signed up to adopt about cabbage child, and--"

"You did? So, I'm going to be a big sister sometime?" Well, this was a surprise! She hadn't actually expected it... but the idea of bing a big sister would be.... "Awesome! Being a big sister would be fun! Er, would I have to share my room..?"

"No, no, I was thinking of moving the things from the music room to the office and-- you like the idea?"

"Well duh!" the teenager said, then hugged her mom. "Alright, you're off the hook if you don't want to go, but, ya know, I'm fine with it, okay?" she added, then started back for the boys, not wanting them to be alone for to long.

"Nope, can't think of anything," Chris said stubbornly. "As soon as you graduate we won't have to deal with you--"

Now that's where you're wrong," Antony said. They were still glowering at each other as Rory entered the room again.

"Wow, the room's still in one piece," Rory muttered as she saw them, even if she did have a smile on her face. She was going to be a big sister! So, it was sudden, but, well... she was happy. Her mom needed such things, she thought. To bad she didn't want to go with them... even if she should. Maybe towards the end of their stay.... "Alright, let's get going."

"So is your mother coming?" Antony asked curiously, glancing over at her in spite of Chris's anger. "Well, then why don't we head out? We can pick up something to drink while we're there."

"This is definitely not a date," Chris muttered as he headed for the door.

"Sorry, you'll have to do that later," Antony said with a slight smirk. Pissing off the big guy was entertaining, when one was careful not to go too far.

"No, though I kinda wish she would. But, um... I'm going to be a big sister!" she added. "And she's preparing some things for that, I think." Either way, it was good enough to get her off the hook. For now.

Both boys stared at her blankly. "She's pregnant?" Chris finally asked. "I didn't know she had a boyfriend--"

"That will be interesting," Antony said, thinking along the same lines as Chris.

"No, you idiots, a cabbage. She's going to adopt another kid like me," Rory told them a little irritated at them both. "I haven't seen my mom go on a date since.. ever! I almost think she's afraid too, which is why she's not going to the fest."

"Oh," they said a bit stupidly. "Well now that that's resolved, why don't we go on?" Antony said briskly. "I was thinking we could see the fights first, then move on to the gaming area. Then we'll go to the cooking area to see what kind of food--"

"Cooking area first!" Chris said. "Then games, then fighting, then back to the cooking area."

"You said you were full, Chris," Rory added, moving on like the rest of them. Idiots. "So, we'll go see the fighting, then food, then games, and back. I do want to see what kinda games they have here."