Welcome to Gaia! ::

They headed out the door and down the street. Unsurprisingly, there were others headed in the same direction. "I suppose now is as good a time to tell you as any," Antony said as they walked. He had his hands in his pockets and a slightly worried look on his face.

"I doubt we want to hear it," Chris muttered, getting a strange feeling in his gut. He probably didn't want to hear it, whatever it was.

"Whatever it is, it should be fine, though. You can tell us," Rory said more encouraging. She had placed herself between the two boys as they walked down the street. This way nether one of them would suddenly attack the other. She hoped. But naaa, they never got to that point.

"Well," Antony said slowly. "For a while I was worrying that I wouldn't have a very long life," he admitted. "With the speed that cabbage kids grow at, I figured there was a chance I would be old long before my time. You two didn't have to worry about that, though."

"Because we're starmakers," Chris said.

"Exactly."

Oh... so... he knew? "Though.. we probably wont live as long as normal starmakers.. and everyone we know now wont be around when we're old, either..." she added more somberly. That was a fact she was having to get used too, still.

"Not exactly," Antony said. Then he stopped talking, just walked on.

"Would you spit it out already?" Chris demanded once the silence started to grate on him.

"Well it seems that I'm not quite human," Antony admitted. "I should have probably realized it when various body parts started disappearing for no reason..."

"Okay... so, what are you then?" she asked after a moment, curious as to what he meant. Maybe there would be one person who'd at least be around too!

"I'm a hybrid reaper," he said. "A shinigami, a death god, the angel of death, there's tons of names you can call it. At least, that's what Thanatos told me. And it does make sense, considering how he was trying to train me."

"You're death?" Chris asked. "You're just annoying."

"Thanatos? That's the guy Wisp can see, but I can't, right?" she asked instead. "So... that means you're like a living ghost. That also means you'll be around longer than others, right? Like us?"

"It seems so," he admitted. "Which is why I'm afraid you won't be getting rid of me anytime soon. You two and my father are the only ones I know that will live longer than I will. Or at least longer than the physical half of me."

Chris was silent. There wasn't anything he could say, really.

"That.. that actually makes me feel better," Rory admitted, smiling as she did. "I was worried that everyone that I knew as going to vanish. But... at least some will be around."

Then she gave Antony a hug. he needed one, it seemed at least to her. Never mind was hugging a guy other than Chris in front of Chris. But Antony was a friend, and friends could have hugs too.

Chris reached out, gently untangling her from the other male and hauling her back to his side. "Hug time is over, thank you."

Antony was too stunned to say anything. Rory had the HUGEST breasts—

"What, you want a hug too?" Rory winked teasingly, then wrapped her arms around him, giving him a hug as well.

She had no clue what was going through Antony's mind.

"Not in public," Chris muttered, untangling from her before his body could react more. As it was he was glad he walked on all fours and wore extremely baggy jeans.

So soft, Antony thought. So big and soft and-- A tail whapped him upside the back of his head, almost knocking him onto his face.

"Yeah yeah, you brat," Rory teased him again before looking to the stumbling Antony. "You okay? What happened?" She so missed the blur of black that had hit the blue boy, since her attention was on Chris.

"Ah, nothing," Antony said, rubbing the back of his head with a wince. "I just learned the limitations." They were to the fair by this point and he looked around for a map. There weren't many outsiders there, so he wasn't sure there would be a map to look at.

"Bout damn time," Chris muttered, pulling out a cigar and lighting up.

Rory gave Chris a thump, but said nothing. "So, think we should just walk around? We'll probably find things that way," she suggested, not sure there would be a map either. "Wish mom had come... Then we would need a map, or to wonder around..."

They got several interested looks, or at least Chris and Rory did. And they had a few people ask to take their pictures as well as they headed through the crowd. "To tell the truth," Antony said as a little girl bugged Rory into getting her picture taken with her, "you wouldn't have been able to do much date-like here anyway."

"I meant," Chris said. "That it's not a date between you and Rory."

Antony had the balls to laugh at that.

Rory didn't mind at all, taking pictures like this. She had figured out that she and Chris couldn't have had a date anyway, with all this going on.

"There you are!" Ze said from out in the crowd. She made her way over to the teens, looking just a bit flustered.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" Rory asked as she stood up.

"Well... your grandma more or less ordered me to come, and be your guide. There aren't maps for the fair, since it's a local thing," she explained. "So, where do you want to go first?" All she had to do was just -not- pay attention to anyone.

"The fighting, Ms. Zee," Antony said, ignoring the irritated and confused look on Chris's face.

"Fighting, right... That's over here," Ze said, starting to lead the group. "What have you been up too?"

"Pictures! They want pictures with Chris and I. Probably because of what we are," Rory said, walking with her mother, apart from the boys now.

"It seems that no matter what planet he's on, Chris still gets surrounded by beautiful women," Antony said, shaking his head as they walked.

"Shuddup," Chris managed to mutter.

"There were also boys, you know," Rory added over her shoulder. "And little kids."

Ze snickered and shook her head as they came to the fighting zone. There were rings set up with crowds around them, watching what was going on. And there were many, many warrior Zards around. With them, you could see the difference between Ze'zee, and a warrior Zard. Their plates were sharper and stronger looking.

Chris was completely distracted. His cigar threatened to fall from his lips. "This," he said, "is going to be so cool."

"Yes," Antony said. "Yes it is."

It was dark, and lonely. There was no one around, and only the sounds of breathing caught in a sharp set of ears. The newly hatched little girl looked around, as if she'd see something near her... but no, there was nothing.

She started to crawl along the surface of what her cabbage had been on: the couch. It was soft, but she was also dangerously near the edge. Not that she knew. It was dark! Where... where was everyone? Where were all those voices? And the singing! It was loud, but she had liked it, once she had gotten accustomed.

But now it was quiet...

The door opened, shedding some light into the room, and Chris stepped in, laughing lightly. "That," he said, putting out his cigar, "was awesome."

"I enjoyed it," Antony admitted. "I don't think I've ever seen anything that cool."

"Wow, now it had to be something for you to say that, Antony," Rory replied with a grin as she followed the boys into the house. "But that was soooo awesome! They need to come to Gaia... or we need to make your dad take us to others," she continued.

BIG BLACK THING! That was the first person the little girl saw when Chris opened the door. She missed the edge of the couch and meeped, falling off it in a tumble.

"What the--" Rory blinked, looking towards the room. On the floor was a little bundle of tails and fur. And on the couch was an open cabbage. "Oh man!"

"It seems some important things have happened while we were out," Antony said as he flipped on the lights.

"Poor kid, all alone when she came out," Chris said, shoving Rory forward gently.

He didn't have too, really, Rory was already halfway across the room and bundling up the little girl in a throw from the back on the couch. "Hey there, sweetpea," she said gently, taking the girl in her lap and cuddling her.

Big brown eyes looked up at her in an unsure way. This.. this didn't sound like the voice of her mom. That was the one she assumed was mom, anyway. That one spoke the most to her. She placed a thumb in her mouth.

"I'm your sister," Rory continued. "Were you scared?"

She got a nod in return. Sister. Okay. Sister was a good thing, right?

"I've never actually seen a baby just emerged," Antony said as he and Chris crossed the room. "She looks like a... fox?"

"She looks like she's worried out of her mind, is what she looks like," Chris said. "Think you should go tell your mom?"

"Oh, yeah. One of you wanna hold her, while I go get mom?" Rory said, looking up at the boys.

Mom! Mom was a good thing! The little fox girl looked more relieved.

"I'll do it," Chris said, holding out a gigantic hand to take the baby before Antony could offer his assistance. It was Rory's little sister, thus, his. In a way.

"Okay. you'll be safe with Chris," she told the baby girl, then handed her off to the biggest person here. She then left the room.

The fox girl looked up at Chris and her jaw fell, making her thumb fall out. He.. was... huge!

She fit easily in one hand, and he sat down, bringing her to his chest. "Hi there, sweetheart," he said in two deep, rumbling voices meant to calm her. "I'm Chris. Your ah... sister's--"

"Boyfriend," Antony supplied.

The two voices, the fact she fit in just one hand, the-the sheer size of him was too much! Any other terrified baby might have screamed. She, on the other hand, gulped and went poof.

A little puff of smoke was in his hand now, and an even lighter weight was in his hands. There among the cloth was a white, baby fox cub.

He blinked. Then blinked again when the fox didn't disappear. "What just happened?" he asked Antony.

"I believe that Rory's little sister... broke," Antony said, patting the big man on the shoulder. "Good job!"

"I broke Rory's baby sister," Chris repeated. "She's gonna kill me."

"She's hatched? Let me see her!" Ze'zee said, coming into the room. She didn't hear the broke comment about the little girl or she would have been puzzled. Rory followed in behind her.

Chris blinked, panicked at the entry, and brought his other hand up to hide the little fox who should have been Rory's sister. "Ah, well, she ah--"

"Is tired," Antony said. "She's very tired, so we were just going to put her to bed--"

"She didn't look that tired when I left..." Rory replied, looking at the two oddly. Chris looked guilty... what, did the baby faint??

"So? I'm her mother. I should put her to bed if she's tired. Rock her to sleep even," Ze replied, walking up to the boys. She held her hands out with a determined look.

"Well, um, well--" Chris sighed, looking down at the little fox. "I think I broke her," he admitted guiltily as he moved his covering hand away. "See? One moment she's a girl, next there's a poofing sound and I'm holding a fox."

"Wha...?" Ze asked as she looked down at the little fox cub. The cub looked back. This was the voice she knew! Large ears perked up as the cub squirmed her way to her mama. Ze just had to smile and pick up the cub, cradling her in her arms.

"Aren't you just the cutest thing??" Ze cooed. Well, this was one way her girl was different, so it would be okay.

Rory looked at the cub, then at Chris. "She went poof...?"

"He broke her," Antony said shamelessly. He was enjoying this joke thoroughly and didn't plan to let it die just yet. "She took one look at him and poofed into that fox cub."

Chris glowered at him.

"Then you scared her?" Rory asked, glancing at Antony. She gave a sigh, looking back at her mom and sister. "Mom, what’s' her name?" she decided to ask.

"Rayne. I like that name for her, so, That's going to be her name," Ze replied. "Isn't that right, Rayne?"

The cub had a foxy smile on her face but for an odd look crossed it and she gave a little sneeze. There was another poof. Ze had to quickly catch herself as she now held a baby girl, with ears and two tails.

"Check it out," Chris said, a bit proudly with no reason to be, "she's fixed!"

Antony turned away, unable to stop himself as his shoulders started to shake with laughter.

Aurora waited by the front door for her date to arrive. She was -supposed- to be playing hard to get. Starmaker females ran off, according to what she learned. But this was Chris. Chris was a bit-- okay, more than a bit -- of an idiot when it came to this sort of thing. He would probably think that she hated him, if she started such a chase. Besides, maybe if he knew, and knew more of the 'game', then he'd be willing.

Now obviously wasn't the time. Which was why she was making him take her out today. And why she was dressed up as cute as she was, and had her bikini on. They were going to the beach, even if it was February.

Gambino beach, that was. It was supposed to be warmer there. Which was the only reason that Chris had picked it. Or, at least he thought he had picked it. Somehow it was a bit foggy in his mind why they HAD to do this on this particular day.

But his mom had packed them a huge lunch, which he carried in a bag over his shoulder, and made him bring her another present. This time it was a gigantic stuffed ladybug with hearts on its antenna.

It was hard to saw what she saw coming first: the bug or Chris. Either way, she was grinning when he got to the door step. "Hey Chris," she said, and then politely waited for him to hand it over. "Ready to go?"

"Ah, yeah, sure," he said. "Course why we're going to a beach in February--"

"Because the day is too beautiful, and it's actually warm out," she replied and held out her arms for the stuffed lady bug. "Besides, you get to eat a lot of food, so why are you complaining?"

He handed over the ladybug, then pulled out a stuffed fox from his pocket. "This is for the baby," he said, handing it to her.

"What, don't want to give it to her yourself?" she asked teasingly, taking both stuffed animals. She hugged the ladybug. Then she started to head in, to put them down so they wouldn't get sand in them.

"Sure she won't poof on me again?" he asked, a bit worriedly. "I think I scare her." Which was an understatement. He hesitated. "I've been trying to get my parents to get another kid..."

"Has it worked?" she asked, seeing the logic in that. "Hey, if they get one, then the two can be friends." She set the stuffed animals on the counter, deciding not to really delay this. Besides, in Rayne went poof, then Chris would be upset. She was a skittish baby.

"My neighbour’s got a kid," he said. "She's a dwarf. I bet she wouldn't mind meeting Rayne," he told her as they left the house. "Cute little kid, obsessed with trains. She said she was sorry I was so huge."

She started to snicker. "She's sorry you're so huge? But I like your hugeness. How else can I get piggyback rides?" she asked with a grin, eyeing his shoulders. She sooo could. but no, there was a bag of food in the way.

"She's only about a foot tall," he said, bringing a hand up to show her. "Tiny, tiny little thing. She's cute though. Named Jordan. I'll have to introduce you to her sometime." He kept walking, heading for the gate that led to Gambino. "So you don't mind the picnic being vegetarian, do you?"

"Naaa, I've gotten used to it. Besides, your mom made it, right? So it's going to be good, no matter what," she replied, placing her hands in her pockets. "I'll bring Rayne with me, when I meet this neighbour of yours," she then added.

"Sounds like a plan," he said. They stepped through to Gambino and he headed for the beach. "So this is that... Valentine ’s Day thing, right? Never really got into it."

"Yes Chris, this is a Valentine’s Day thing," She replied amusedly. "I wanted to spend today with you. That's why we're going to the beach today. And it is a nice day."

He was silent for a long moment. Then he said, "You know, just because we're pseudo starmakers, it doesn't mean we have to... you know. Date."

"Yeah, I know," she replied evenly. So... he thought it was just because of what they were? That was probably part of the problem. "But you know, I also didn't know what we were for the longest. And this isn't because we're pseudo-starmaker. Unless you're saying you don't want too..." she added softly, glancing over at him.

He gulped. "Oye, look," he said instead of answering. "That looks like a good spot for a picnic, don't you think?" He was pointing at an empty strip of beach with rocks behind it. It was rather private looking, and not many would see them there.

Not that that mattered, of course

"Hmm? Okay, we'll go there," she replied. He avoided the question, but that didn't mean it was over. She was going to have to pull off all the stops, now wasn't she? Well, it was good she prepared for that!

She went for the little, almost hidden, spot and picked out a place to sit. "So what did your mom make? Sushi?"

"Yeah, a complete five stack bento!" he said, pulling the blanket out of the bag first and laying it down. Then he pulled out the huge tower of boxes that made up their meal, followed by two bottles of juice and cups. "I wound up helping her a bit, so if some of the pieces are too big for you, I'll eat them."

"Then if there are pieces that are small, they're mine," she replied wickedly, taking a seat on the blanket and helped set things up. "And you'll just get the big ones. So, I take it you want to eat first?"

"Yeah, I want to eat first," he said as he sat down. "Then we'll um... not swim, cuz it's still cold, but... we could go into town or something, I guess," he said as he started unshackling the boxes. There was plenty of food, even with him eating. His mom was quite used to his appetite.

"Ya know, I'm surprised how full you could get on Zard. They do make a lot, don't they?" she replied conversationally. "It's probably because of the warriors there. And I think some of them were eyeing mom."

"She didn't seem very happy about that," he said thoughtfully. "Why not? Is she gay or something?" Which was going to get him hit, no doubt. But it had been something he'd been wondering about for a while. Like Shade. He kind of wondered if Shade was gay, too.

"No, I doubt that. We talk about guys enough, and who's cute and the like, so I doubt that. Why, I don't know... Maybe she feels she shouldn't, with us kids around," she replied, starting in on the food.

"Why not?" he asked as he started to eat. "I mean, you're already a teenager and Rayne could use a dad. Not that she needs one, or anything, but..." He shrugged. "I guess it's just weird to me, since I've got two parents, huh."

He frowned slightly, then ate some more.

"Yeah. Maybe I should see about hooking her up with someone. Too bad we didn't spend longer on Zard..." she replied with a little frown as well. Not having a dad wasn't a bad thing to her... but she did want her mom with someone else. Patch kids tended to grow fast, and Zards were slow.

He had finished off a second box by this point. "Ash sent me an e-mail," he said suddenly. "He gave me his and Seren's AIMs, if you want them. I bet it was a pain in the a** typing all that for him, so he's probably got a mic hooked up."

"Probably, and yes! Of course I want! I like talking to Seren," she replied. Seren had an awesome fashion sense, after all. She started to finish off her own box, still on the first one. What was with the sudden changes in topics? Ah well. "Hey, think Mr Shade'll take us back to Zard sometime? Or to another concert?"

"Probably," he admitted. "He was the first one back stage, remember?" He grabbed one of the bottles of juice and uncapped it, taking a drink. "Hey, um..." He hesitated. "That thing, you know, about Antony living longer than we thought? What do you think of it?"

"I... I think it's nice that someone we know, will live long too. If we live long as well," she replied. Then changed the subject, not really wanting to talk about it. "Ya know, it's too bad it's too cold to swim. I even came prepared.."

"Yeah?" he asked. "Why? It's February. Nobody swims in February. It's barely warm enough for me to want to be outside."

"Because, we went shopping on Zard and I wanted to wear this here," she said, then did the most daring of things. She lifted her shirt, flashing him the red, heart designed bikini that she had bought. Seren said it was a must and she had to agree. Red with dark red hearts.

He choked, coughing loudly and looking away. "Ah, it's ah, well--" Dammmmmnnnn. What was he supposed to say to THAT? "Nice."

"Thanks, it's just a shame I can't. Maybe I could sun a bit? It might be too cold for that, too," she replied with the wickedest little pout. That... was awesome! She swore she could see him blushing, even!

"Yeah, definitely too cold," he said. "In fact I'm freezing. You should put on a jacket."

"Naa, I don't have a jacket," she replied, as if what she did wasn't a big deal at all. Now imagine the reaction if she dressed how Wisp had been! "But.. if you're freezing..." She crawled over to him and cuddled up right against him. Her arms wrapped around him as well. "I'll keep you warm."

He groaned, his head dropping along with his shoulders. "You're evil," he muttered. Utterly and completely evil."

"Who me? Never," she teased, content right were she was, even laying her head on his shoulder. "So... dessert?"

"You gotta get off of me if I'm gonna get it," he told her, but he wasn't strong enough to push her away, himself. It was just so, so, sooo tempting. He was only a teenager, after all. And he'd been in love--

Wait. He had never admitted to that, and he didn't plan on admitting it now.

"Mm, no I don't. Not completely, anyway," she replied, innocent of his own thoughts. She was just enjoying this, and the fact he didn't push her away was encouraging. Chris was odd. Some times he showed it, sometimes he didn't. It was confusing on a girl!

But she reached over for the bag, reaching in and pulling out the promised dessert for them to share.

"Rory..." he said finally. "I think ah... we should stop." It was killing him to say it, and it showed in his voice. "I mean... you know... till we're a little older."

"S-stop?" she asked with a sudden, hurt tone to her voice. Stop? Like.. he didn't like her or-or-- She swallowed and set down the dessert before she dropped it. "Stop what?"

"Maybe that was the wrong word," he admitted. "I think slow down might work better. Like Ash said, we've got a long a** time in front of us, right? It's not something we should just jump into blindly. And--hell, we're not even two years old yet."

Slow down. Okay, that was a better word, her heart started to slow down now. She was silent for a while, putting the dessert on plates for them. Chris got the most, of course. He was a growing boy. "Okay... I.. I guess I'm to forward, huh?" she asked finally, in a soft tone still. "But, I lo-like you. Really, really, -like- you."

He was silent for a long time. "Yeah," he finally said, reaching up and gently brushing her cheek. "Me too. But we've got time, you know? Lots and lots of time."

She forced a little smile on her face. Well, at least he admitted it finally. That should have made her feel better... but something still hurt. "Yeah... I know now," she answered.

"Okay, we've been to the craft store, the jewelry store, the books... clothes.. Now where too?" Rhye asked her twin, looking around the mall. This was a more common trip for the girls as their mom sold things here, the jewelry that she and Kash made. Rhye was incharge of sales.

And sales were good! They got money to spend on clothes and candy! "What about the candy shop?"

"I'm almost out of my sucker stash, so that sounds good to me," Kashmira said happily, swinging her three bags in one hand as she turned to one of her favorite stores. "Oh, and just in time to see the fudge worker, lucky!"

"I like the taffy making better," Rhye snickered, heading for the shop. Then she blinked, seeing someone big and familiar looking. "Hey! It's Chris!" she said, pointing him out. That was really lucky to get to see the fudge maker and Chris all at the same time.

That or Chris just loved the fudge.

Chris wasn't alone. He had a tiny little girl sitting on his hand, watching the fudgemaker through the glass with rapture, and was explaining everything as it happened so she could understand. He glanced up as he heard Rhye and broke into a grin.

"Hey, guys," he said. "You're just in time to meet my little sister."

Carmel, though, had just met her first love and wasn't looking away for anything.

"So you were getting a sister, then! And she hatched, awesomeness! congrats," the blue luck dragon said, looking up at the girl, who was staring at the fudge. She looked to her twin. "You and she already love fudge together," she grinned.

"Check it out," he said, bringing the baby closer. "She smells like chocolate too. Carmel, say hello to Rhye and Kashmira."

"Hewwo," Carmel said, trying to keep her eyes on the fudge worker even as she was moved. "I want dat," she told Chris, pointing at the gigantic rope of fudge.

"She's so cute!" Kash said happily. "I don't think we were that cute when we were her age," she complained.

"You had double impact," Chris said. "So it's not a fair comparison."

"So, two of us made it better, huh?" Rhye said, then grinned at Carmel. "Hey there, I'm Rhye," she said to the baby girl, reaching out to pet her hair. Then she got the smell of her and looked up at Chris. "You sure it's not just the shop?" she asked him with a little smirk.

"Nope, she smelled like it in the cabbage, too," Chris said. "It's making me hungry all the time, though, so it's kind of a pain."

"You're hungry all the time anyway," Kash said, sniffing the little girl as well. She almost jumped as Carmel finally turned her bright red eyes on them.

"You like fudge?" the baby asked, grabbing her feet in her hands and rocking slightly in the gigantic hand.

"Yep!" Rhye answered for her twin. She did like fudge, but liked taffy better. "It's best when it's fresh, too, like it will be today." Carmel was so cute! Her tail was waving happily. "Kash's right though, you're hungry all the time -anyway-."

Chris had the good grace to look sheepish at that statement. He had a red strip of ribbon wrapped around his wrist that had Kash looking a little closer. "Is that ah--"

"It's her tail," Chris said, having anticipated this question. "Cool, huh? I've never seen anything like it, to be honest."

"Oh man, now that is cool," Rhye said, her turn to look at the ribbon-tail. "I haven't seen a tail like that. But then, Kash's met far more people than me."

"Nope, I've never seen one either," Kash admitted. "She feels it and everything?"

"Yeah, seems like it," Chris said as the tail unwrapped and Carmel brought it to her mouth to chew on. She had most of her teeth, but she seemed to like to chew on things anyway.

"So Carmel, have you met many people yet?" Kash asked her.

Carmel shook her head.

"Well with Chris as your big brother, you're gonna get to meet lots of people," Rhye promised happily. "How long has she been out of the cabbage?" she then asked.

"Ah, a day?" Chris offered, flushing slightly. "I decided that I'd babysit today, since Mom had her all day long." In other words he had abducted his own sister and brought her on a date. "I got a harness and everything," he added, leaning back to show the padded seat hanging in front of his chest. "She likes it."

Carmel, now that the introductions were done and the fudgemaker was adding something new, was riveted to the plastic wall again.

"Okay, now I think I'm jealous," Rhye said. "She gets to have rides all over the mall, and everywhere else. She's got the be the luckiest little sister ever. Hey, Kash, are we gonna get some of the fudge as well?"

"Definitely," Kash said happily. "And you're right, that's so lucky! Does she walk yet?" she asked Chris.

"Walk? She can dance already," Chris bragged, although at the moment the dancing was twirling in circles until she was dizzy and falling down with a giggle. But he swore that each time she did it, the twirling lasted longer and she wasn't as dizzy at the end. "Then she ah, falls asleep, of course."

Especially when she fell down on her back after falling onto her bottom. She was out like a light whenever that happened.

"She can dance too? Wow!" Rhye said, impressed by that. Just hatched a day and she can 'dance', though who knew how that dancing was. "She's like your mom like that, huh? You mom does aerobic like things, if I remember correctly."

"Yeah," Chris said. "And she's beautiful, too. Must run in the family--er, on the girls' side, that is," he added.

Carmel was bouncing now, since the fudge was being cut and she wanted a piece. This was better than the big yellow bird on the magic box!!

"Well, better than you looking like a girl, now isn't it?" Rhye said, thinking of a certain blue-haired boy that she still didn't much like. She was still watching Carmel on Chris' hand as she bounced. They'd have to let the fudge cool some first, so it would be eatable.

"True, true," Chris said. "Let's get a sampler box instead, Caramel," he said.

"Carmel," Carmel corrected. "Me is Carmel, not Caramel."

"I want a sampler box, too!" Kash decided. "Let's get one, okay, Rhye?"

"Sure! Then we can try out all the flavors of the fudge. We should have enough for it, anyway," she told her twin, then went to get the boxes, for Chris and his sister, and for them. And their mom wondered why the candy shop was one of their favorite places to go!