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Smoke on the Water: Carmel meets Darsh in swimming class.

Sex Education: (ORP, Chris only) Chris and Antony are dragged through a hellish experience called Sex Ed.

Don't Feed the Troll: Chris takes Carmel to the zoo, where they meet a particular troll boy who likes to bite people. Zarukah, Chris and Carmel.

The Neighbor Wars
Part 1
----------------------
It was a passion that burned with the heat of a million suns. Or it would be. If she could work up enough energy. As it was, Carmel found herself staring at Jordi yet again as they were set out in their back yards to play. There was a fence between them, but that made no matter. She could still see her.

Carmel reluctantly got to her feet, walking with childish grace to the fence and wrapping her fingers around the metal to stare better at the grumpy dwarf girl. Jordi, never one to back down, got to her feet and toddled over to stand in front of her.

The problem with that was Carmel was a good foot taller than the other girl, so Jordi found herself glowering at a dancing bunny on Carmel's shirt. It's feet, to be precise. Reluctantly she tilted her head back to glower into the other girl's eyes.

"I no like you," Carmel told her.

"I no like you more," Jordi said promptly.

"You stinky shorty."

"You stinky too tall."

"I not too tall, you too short."

"You too tall, I just right!"

They glared at each other, brown eyes meeting red and refusing to look away. Then Jordi did the most horrible thing possible. She reached up and picked a booger, then stuck her hand through the metal fence and wiped it--yes, WIPED it on the stupid bunny's face.

Carmel was so stunned that she stared down at it for a good ten seconds before she started to scream. It was a pitch that threatened to break glass and it was no wonder that the back door of her house slammed open and her mother raced out as if her feet were on fire.

It really didn't help that Jordi was laughing so hard that she fell over, grasping her belly as she tried to get her breath back.

And no matter how hard Missy tried, she couldn't get an explanation. She wound up picking the little girl up and heading inside to see if there were any wounds.

Jordan: 1, Carmel: 0

Floaties of Folly
Players: Ice Queen, Trinityblue
-----------------
Ker looked down at the newly grown Jordan, her eyes narrowing on the blatant look of innocence on the girl's face. They were walking down the street towards Rayne's house, where Jordan, Carmel, and Rayne would be having their weekly party while the free sets of parents went out for a date, or in Ker and Axle's case, stayed in for a drinking party with the boys.

"You're going to behave yourself," Ker said.

"I'm not a baby anymore, Mom," Jordi said, not actually answering that comment.

"Mmmhmm," Ker said as they reached the door and she reached up to push the doorbell.

"Welcome!" Rory said, first looking out, then down for their guests. It was a new habit she was forming when answering the door. "We've been-- Ohmygosh! Jordie! Look how tall you've gotten!"

Never mind the tall teenager still crouched down to see if better. But she wasn't -as- tiny any more.

"I'm two feet and three inches," Jordan bragged. "The perfect height for a dwarf."

"Actually it's still short for a dwarf," Ker said. "You need another two feet before you're the right height. I can't say how much we are grateful for this, Rory, regardless of what the boys say. She's still not old enough to join the drinking parties," she added with a pointed look at Jordan.

"It tasted like strawberry," Jordan said evilly.

"That's the problem," Ker said with a sigh.

"We're here!" Missy announced from behind them, carrying Carmel in her arms.

"Oh, it's not a problem," Rory said, having to bite back a laugh at the strawberry problem comment when Missy called. She couldn't help but glance for Chris, but he wasn't around. He was probably off working.

"Hello, Mrs Missy!" the teenager greeted them. Okay, so now only Rayne and Carmel were small-- take that back: Jordie was the same height as the other two girls now.

"She got bigger," Carmel said irritably as she caught sight of Jordi. "Means bigger boogers."

Jordan gave her an evil look, that quickly turned to a smirk. "I'm older than you now, I win," she bragged.

"Well I brought her swimsuit," Ker said quickly before the two could start. "And some clean clothes for after swimming. I hope you've got plenty of floaties, she's never swum in a pool as big as yours before. If there's any problems just call and we'll send Boki or Mortar over to pick her up--"

"Carmel," Missy said. "What did we tell you about being nice to Jordan?"

"She's the disgusting one," Carmel muttered, glowering at the older girl.

"Jordie!" Rayne called, having spotted her first: she was now eye level while Carmel was up in her mother's arms. She was in a red, flower printed swimsuit, with her two tails swinging behind her. "You grew!"

That seemed to be the topic today.

Rory took the swimsuit and things. "Okay, but we'll look after them. We have a big floaty thing too, if she just wants to float," she said reassuringly.

"Okay, then I need to get going," Ker said. "We can walk back together if you want, Missy," she added a bit shyly.

"That sounds great!" Missy said happily, handing Carmel over to Rory along with a bag of her things. "She's wearing her swimsuit under her clothes and there's clean ones in the bag. Bye bye, sweetie!" she added before she and Ker took off.

Jordi smirked up at the chocolate scented girl, still gloating in her more advanced age. Then she looked up at Rayne. "Hi."

"You come swim?" Rayne invited, reaching out and taking the now older's hand, leading her back in. "Carmel swim too?" she asked, looking up.

Rory set the other girl down with the girls, going to put up thing.

"Yep, we're gonna swim," Jordan said. "Carmel might not want to get her hair wet, though."

"I swim better than you," Carmel said as she reluctantly walked on her own. She grabbed Rayne's offered hand, not wanting to get stuck holding hands with Jordan. Who knew what that girl did with it!

"I got a pool," Rayne said logically, leading the two away.

"Jordie, you wanna get changed into your swim suit?" Rory asked.

"Yeah," Jordan said. "I can change myself, though," she added, holding up her hands for the suit in question. It was a strange set of boy swim trunks and girl swimming top, but looked as if it would work for the dwarf girl. It was in brown and black, and came with bronze colored goggles.

"Dad picked out the top," she added, flushing slightly because there was a black bow on the back.

"I got watermelon suit," Carmel bragged. "Mommy say it make me the cutest one EVAR, but Rayne can be as cute as me," she added graciously. "Jordi can't," she went on, sticking her tongue out at the dwarf.

Rayne gave a sigh. "Well, I think it'll look nice," she told the dwarf girl, trying to relieve any hurt Carmel might cause. Then she turned to the chocolate girl. "Can I see your suit while Jordie changes?" she asked.

Rory handed off the swim suit things and goggles to Jordie. The girl knew where the bathroom was, if she wanted to change there.

Jordi shrugged. "I don't wanna be cute," she said honestly. "Seems a pain in the butt." Then headed for the bathroom to change. She wasn't like these two others, and they all knew it. But that didn't mean she wasn't gonna torture Carmel for that comment shamelessly.

Tormenting Carmel was one of life's little pleasures.

Carmel smiled up at Rory. "Okay! You can help me put it on!"

"Arms up," Rory said, having to smirk at that. It was like changing her was a pleasure one should have, rather than a chore.

Rayne watched Jordie go. Now she felt a bit guilty, but still bet it would look nice. Not that she was going to say anything. Instead, she waited for both girls to be ready.

Carmel deemed herself ready once she was changed, admiring herself in the swimsuit for a moment before looking to Rayne. "We go now?" she asked, her hips twitching ever so slightly to make the skirt of her swimsuit sway.

Jordi came in then, wearing her swimsuit. In all honesty, it looked adorable on her, even with the shorts. But she didn't seem to notice. "I'm ready," she said, tugging her swimming goggles down with a grin. "Let's swim!"

"We swim!" Rayne said now that all were finally ready. She took her friends by the hands and lead them out to the back.

"Don't forget your floaties," Rory said, following the three. "Mom's got extra's out back, for you, Carmel."

Carmel nodded, looking over the floaties as they got outside, then promptly heading for the one that looked like a chair. "I borrow this?" she asked Rory, already picking it up. Obviously her idea of swimming consisted of napping on the floaty as everyone else did the work.

"I want..." Jordi drawled out, eyeing the floating devices. "This," she decided, heading for the pile of noodles.

"Okay, but I still want you wearing the arm floats," Rory said. At least until all of them were kids and she was sure of their swimming abilities.

Rayne was already putting on a set. She knew the rules, even if the others might think them silly.

Jordi sighed and grabbed the green set, pulling them on. Her only other choice was pink, after all, and she hated the color pink. "Okay, okay," she said. "But I'm not a baby anymore, got it?" It seemed imperative that everyone understood that fact.

"You're not bigger than us!" Carmel told her. "You no big deal!"

"You think I'm not?" Jordi demanded, moving so she was eye to eye with the younger girl.

"Yeah!"

"But Jordie is eye level now!" Rayne said quickly, as if that was the most important thing in the world.

"Alright girls, remember what your mom's said about being nice and stuff like that," Rory reminded them.

"Rayne's always nice," Jordi said, giving Carmel a dark look.

Carmel smirked at her. "That make one of us," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Rayne handed the pink floaties to Carmel. "Can we swim now?" she asked the two girls. Obviously that was all she wanted right now.

They looked away from one another, forcing a smile for the little fox girl. "We swim!" Carmel announced.

"Yeah, we can swim," Jordi agreed, heading for the pool. It was even more obvious that they wanted to make Rayne happy, no matter how much they might dislike one another.

Rayne stopped for a moment, then smiled as the two just dropped their argument to swim. That... that made her happy! "Yes!" she said, heading for the water and jumping in.

Jordan followed suit, jumping into the pool without a second of hesitation. Carmel, on the other hand, picked up her floaty chair and sauntered to the side of the pool, taking a second to delicately poke a toe into the water before she put the seat in.

Then, with a look of vast concentration she got into the floating chair, lounging for all the world like a queen in her throne. If she had had pink heart shaped sunglasses it would have been perfect. And a martini.

Rayne came up, shaking her head, happily soaked. She had also forgotten that her glasses were on and now everything was spotty with water droplets. The fox girl paddled over to the edge. "Sissy!" she called, holding out the black frames.

Rory crouched down and took them without question, letting Rayne go back to her water playing. She wondered when someone would get it in there head to tip Carmel from her 'queen' position.

Jordan was not the world's best swimmer under any means. It was a really good thing she was wearing the waterwings, because she would have sunk like a stone the moment she jumped in. As it was her arms were keeping her head over water.

And it took her a few moments to orientate herself enough to notice what Carmel was doing. But when she did she started working hard at her swimming. She was gonna dunk the little brat the moment she could get close enough.

"Jordie, noodle," Rayne called to her, seeing the trouble she was having. "You hold on like this, and kick with your feet," she said, demonstrating with her own swimming noodle.

She had no idea what Jordie was planning.

Jordi nodded, using the noodle as a floaty and kicking her way straight for the now sleeping Carmel. An evil grin crossed her face as she took in the peaceful expression on Carmel's face. She was pretty, Jordi admitted silently. Pretty arrogant, pretty annoying, pretty pushy. And-- she thought with an evil laugh as she knocked over the floaty, pretty wet.

Carmel came up spluttering, a look of shock on her face.

Rayne started to laugh, unable to help herself. Carmel's expression was just tooo funny! The fox-girl pulled herself up on the noodle, using it as a seat in the water rather than a floatie.

"You--you--" Carmel spluttered before throwing herself at Jordi. Soon a war had broken out, each trying to drown the other, the water wings keeping it from happening. Even Rayne wouldn't be able to stop this one.

Good thing she wasn't trying! Instead, she was laughing at it all from her perched on her noodle. Of course, she couldn't see the looks on their faces very well, or she'd see how serious it was.

It was a water fight!

Carmel gave up first. She was far weaker than the other girl and was never one to exert herself without reason. She bobbed to the surface, pouting hugely as Jordan surfaced next to her.

"I no like you," she said sullenly. It wasn't the same mood as their shouted "I hate you!" moments, and it made Jordan blink as she wiped the water off of her face.

"Oh, come on, Carmel," Jordi said.

"I no like you!" Carmel repeated urgently. "I no like you and I never ever ever will!"

Rayne blinked at this, the joy of watching the water fight gone now with the tone of Carmel's voice. She paddled over with her noodle, still sitting on it. "Caarrrmeeellll," she called. "It's okay. I can join the water fight this time!" she said, as if that was the problem.

Carmel turned her back on them, only to yelp as Jordi pulled her into a hug from behind. "I'm sorry," Jordi said, even as Carmel tried to squirm free. "I shouldn't have done that." Then, following her father's example, she kissed the other girl on the cheek.

"Ewwww!!" Carmel said, shocked out of her pout. "She kissed me!"

Rayne, cheered up once again with Jorden's apology, started to giggle once more. "But she apologized!!" she said happily. A kiss from another girl meant nothing to her. Her sister and mother kissed her on the cheeks all the time!

"That my big brother cheek!" Carmel complained. "Chris kiss me there! You ruin Chris kiss spot!"

"Brother lover," Jordan said, letting go of the other girl and shaking her head. Then she grabbed Carmel's floaty chair, hauling herself into it and promptly overturning it.

Carmel started laughing.

Rayne paddled over to the chair too. "Poor Jordie!" she said, and promptly turned the chair back over to crawl on it too. Her double tails were soaking and no longer fluffy.

Jordi grunted and started pulling herself up into the seat as well. Carmel, never to be left behind, joined in, the water fight forgotten.

Maybe the kiss had worked better than she would ever willingly admit, because she treated the other girl nicer for the rest of the day.

The silence stretched over the room and Chris's glare was met by a politely bland expression that he was sure Antony had practiced in a mirror. "Fine," he said. "Tell me what the problem is."

"What problem?" Antony asked.

"There's got to be a problem if you're following me into my room after dinner," Chris said, dropping down on his bed and leaning back against the wall. Antony sat down on the gigantic beanbag chair in the corner, looking like a prude even there.

"I just met your little sister for the first time," Antony said.

Chris's eyes narrowed. "What, going to tell me she's a freak like you told the twins they were?"

"I didn't tell the twins they were freaks," Antony said. "I told them that their arm bracelets were dangerous, and I still believe it. Especially Kashmira's. But this isn't about the twins, this is about your little sister."

"I don't want to hear it."

"Too bad," Antony said. "It isn't a bad thing, it's just--" He paused, thinking about it for a long moment. "Your little sister's got a lot of spiritual energy. You'll probably see her talking to things or people that aren't there, and once in a while she might get angry about it."

"My little sister only gets angry at Jordan," Chris said. "Getting angry takes too much energy." He turned as the door opened and the sister in question wobbled in. She headed straight for Antony, dropping onto the chair next to him and curling up in her usual position. Large red eyes looked up at Antony questioningly.

"This my bed," she told him.

"I think there's room enough for both of us," Antony replied. "Don't you?"

She looked as if she was going to argue, then yawned in his face and her eyes started to drift close. They opened again, as if she was forcing them to. "You glow," she said abruptly. "Blue."

"I know," Antony said. "You glow pink."

"Mmhmm."

"And your brother glows blue, too."

"What?" Chris demanded. "I don't have any spiritual powers--"

"You've got something different. Don't worry about it," Antony said. "She's already seeing auras."

"I got a friend," Carmel said. "Jordi no can see him, but I can! He's white and fluffy and has big claws."

"Touda," Antony said, starting to smile. He blinked as she yawned again. "Are you falling asleep?" he asked her.

"Mmhmm."

"Don't get too attached to my little sister," Chris said, feeling jealous. They were already talking about stuff he had no clue about. He hated being left out like this.

"I'm a bit jealous, actually," Antony said, gently reaching out and pushing the little girls hair out of her eyes. "She's adorable. But you're going to have to keep an eye on her."

Chris grunted, figuring that was to be taken for granted.

"I wanted to talk to you about something else, actually," Antony said. "I've gotten a job with the twin's father. Well, an internship. I need to figure out a way to keep them from killing me while I work. You're friends with them, right?"

"Yeah," Chris said. "I like the twins, they're not like you."

"Yes, yes, I get that already, which was why I came to you for advice."

"For one I would stop calling them freaks."

"I never called them freaks!"

"Sure you didn't."

"I said they were carrying dangerous objects on them, there's a difference."

"Whatever," he said. "And for another, I really wouldn't piss off Kashmira. Rhye's sweeter, Kash, well, I wouldn't take my chances."

"That's all the advice you have? No ideas on how to win them over?"

"Not that I'm going to give you," Chris said evilly. "Enjoy your punishment. I know I will."

Candy Hunting?: Carmel's been kidnapped and it's up to Antony, Chris and Touda to save her from being dragged through the rift to the supernatural world!

Charms
Players: Ice & TB
------------

Rhye was leaning back in her seat, reading a magazine. With out customers around, there really wasn't too much to do about the shop while you waited. It was making the teenager think more about getting a gameboy or something.

But then again, she liked her books. She just needed a new series to read. "What are you planning on dressing up for, for Halloween?" she asked her twin, flipping the page in her costume magazine.

"I honestly have no idea," Kash admitted from where she was piecing together a necklace on the counter. She had gotten the sudden urge to make clay flowers the night before and was now making them into jewelry with Bastion watching closely. He didn't usually take notice of her jewelry making, so it kind of weirded her out, but she ignored it.

"Hmm..." Rhye replied, letting her sister work. "Witches, do you think? Sexy witches, of course. Vampires?" she was asking, going throughout a few ideas.

"Witches is more understandable," she said. "If anyone should look like a pansywaist vampire, it should be Antony."

The bell rang over the door and she glanced up, groaning as the man in question walked in. "So it's true, speak of the devil and all that stuff."

"Speak of the devil and who should appear?" Rhye said, setting down her mag to give the youth a small glare. "I hope you find what you're looking for quickly," she said.

"I'm looking at who I'm looking for," Antony said, evilly enjoying the fact that they hated him so blatantly. To be honest, it had bothered him at first, but he was so used to it now that it made him happy. At least two beautiful women forgot about everything other than him whenever he was near.

"But I'm afraid it's not to make you angry this time. I need your help. Actually, a few friends of mine need your help."

"Wait... you've come here to ask for -our- help? And why should we?" Rhye asked him, hands going to her hips. Her tail gave a little flick of annoyance.

"Because, I'm afraid, there's a rift between the natural and the supernatural world. Carmel, you've met her, right? Chris's little sister. She was kidnapped by a teenage ghost. Rayne, Rory's little sister, was kidnapped by a kitsune. There's going to be more spiritual creatures invading as time gets closer to Halloween--"

"Are they--" Kash started out.

"No, they were rescued."

"Oh good," Rhye said, relaxing her shoulders now. "So, why have you come here? So you want charms or something for them?" They probably had something like that some where, actually. They had luck charms, after all, so why not protection charms?

"I actually told them to come here for that," he said. "Yes, I want charms for them. I also want to warn you two about the problem. You're both extremely powerful mages, after all. They might take an interest in you."

Kash looked down at the flowers she had made before, chewing on her bottom lip. "How many kids did you say needed these?"

"I hadn't, actually. Three that I know of, but I might want two more. Touda and his sister could be in danger as well."

Rhye looked over at her twin, who was better at the whole creating thing than she. Then she looked at the little flower things she had been doing. "Right," she said. That probably was the reason she was making them.

"So you've already made them?" Antony asked, eyeing the flowers curiously. "They're glowing well--"

"These aren't--I mean--we need to ask Winstead, he should have something, I'm just--"

"Got up in the middle of the night with the urge to do this," Rhye completed. "Even Bastion's paying attention. You know he doesn't normally do that. So, i believe you're making them for a reason," she said and started to chew on her lip. So, Kash could make things, then what could she do to them?

Atreyu shifted on her arm, going to her wrist. Antony knew, so there was no reason to hide.

"She's right," Bastion said. "These are dangerous little numbers--"

"What??" Kash asked, dropping what she was working on entirely. "How are these dangerous? They're just flowers!"

"They're repellents," he said, looking at her patiently. "Anyone that touches the wearer with bad intentions is going to have quite the shock."

"That's--"

"Perfectly logical to what you are doing," Rhye said. "Especially with what we can do, according to what Winstead said."

Then the little bell above the door rang, signaling more coming in. Rayne's little face peeked in and looking around. Her body followed once she saw Antony and Rory came behind her. "Wow, this is the place? I swear I didn't see anything," Rory was saying.

Carmel and Coba walked in after them, glowering at each other. It seemed that neither of the siblings liked Carmel. But Coba had a personal reason for it. "She's mine," he muttered.

"No she's not, she's mine!" Carmel said, her expression thunderous.

Rayne huffed a sigh, going back and stepped between the arguing ones. She took then hands and held them, not about to say who's pet she was. They were both friends, even if Coba like scaring her. He also tried to save her. So, that was good.

"They've been arguing like that the whole way here," Rory mutter. Then she looked at the girls and the shop. "Wow, so you really do have your own shop? How awesome!"

"Well, actually it's not ours," Kash said. "We're just the lackeys that get stuck doing all the work, and--" She slapped Antony's hand as he reached for the finished necklace. "You can't have that! I told you, we need to talk to Winstead about it!"

"This would work perfectly," Antony said. "Why don't you just trust yourself for once?"

Rhye put her hand on Kash's shoulder. "It'll be fine, don't worry. Want me to blow of them for a bit of luck before we give them away?" she asked with an almost wicked grin.

"Put them on," Kash said, taking her seriously.

"Toys!" Carmel said, dragging both Coba and Rayne to the display.

"They'll be fine, even if I don't. I just want to feel like I'm doing something in this whole thing," she told her twin, winking at her as she took the charms off.

Rayne skipped a little to get her balance. Then she saw the toys and her face brightened. "Toys!" she echoed, also dragging Coba along.

Coba pouted, not really into toys that much, then stared at a plush gargoyle sitting on the ground next to the others. He crouched down in front of it, mimicking its pose and flicking his tail back and forth.

Carmel glanced over and started to laugh, unable to help herself.

"Okay, now Antony, you touch her while she's wearing them," Kash instructed.

"You want to curse me?" Antony asked.

"I wish," Rhye muttered under her breath, having them on now and making sure that was all of them. "More than likely it's to 'program' them for spiritual energies, or something like that," she shrugged. "Just don't touch to long, or you'll get bit."

Rayne giggled at Coba, seeing his pose. There was little fox plushy that she had spotted and was cuddling. It had tails like she did.

Carmel, on the other hand, didn't see anything that really struck her fancy. She pouted for a moment before she started to dig through the display.

"No, I want to see how sensitive it is," Kash said honestly. "If Bastion's right, then if he has any ill intentions towards you he'll get hit hard--" She stopped, a bit shocked as Antony dropped a hand on Rhye's shoulder.

Nothing happened.

Rhye rolled her eyes. She sucked at this, apparently. Well, just leave her to the books and she'd be happy. "Okay, that's enough touching," she told Antony, giving him a little glare.

Rayne started to help Carmel look for something that might interest her. Maybe there was a chocolate kiss like one in here, or something chocolaty.

"Actually," Bastion said, "that might give the kids a bit of good luck for wearing it. Who knows." Which was more of a "who cares" in his opinion.

"Hey, kids, why don't you come over here for a moment?" Antony called to the three pilfering through the toys. "We have presents for you."

"Present?" Carmel asked. "I want a present!"

"Present?" Rayne asked, looking up at the others. She was setting down the little fox toy, as well and reached down for Coba's hand again.

Coba went willingly this time, hoping it was a book of some sort. He had the nerve to look disappointed when Antony handed him the necklace.

"These are very important necklaces," he told them as he handed each of the girls one as well. "You need to wear them all the time, okay?"

"Mine's pink!" Carmel bragged happily as she slipped it over her head.

"Mine's blue," Rayne informed her. She liked blue, after all. Then she looked up at Antony and the girls. "This will protect us from the bad ones, right?"

"That's right," Rhye told her, then bragged: "My sister made them. She's good at that sort of thing."

"Is black," Coba said.

"It's dark purple," Kash said, peeking over the counter. Then she stopped. "Rhye! Rhye! It's a gargoyle!!" She hopped over the counter, pulling poor Coba into her arms. "So cute!!"

"You didn't notice?" Rhye asked, grinning at her. Then again, Kash was busy with the necklaces.

Rayne giggled again at the treatment Coba was suffering.

Coba suffered through it, his necklace in his hand over her shoulder as she cuddled him shamelessly. "You are a million times cuter than that jerk of a gargoyle we grew up with," she told him, although it was actually a toss up. She just didn't like Casca at the moment.

"Yours is almost as pretty as mine," Carmel complimented Rayne.

"How much do I owe you?" Antony asked Rhye, since her sister was busy.

Rhye chewed on her lip. "Well, they're to protect our friend's little sister, plus one cute little gargoyle boy, so, I would say.. Free? Unless Kash has another idea for it," she said, feeling genurous at the moment. "If it was just you, however, then that's a different matter."

Rory tried not to laugh at that. "Antony, you're just making friends all over, aren't you?"

"Thank you," Rayne said, taking the compliment where she could.

"I, of course, cannot afford the price she would probably make me pay for one myself," Antony said dryly. "But that doesn't change the fact that I need more than just these three. I can think of two others off the top of my head, and there just happens to be two more--"

"Take them," Kash said, letting Coba down and putting his necklace on for him. "But you'd better only give them to people that will really need them, understand?"

"Yes, I understand. I was planning on it."

"Good, because if we found you did give them to someone who doesn't need them, we will charge you," Rhye warned him.

"Thank you, too," Rayne said too Kash, giving her a little smile.

He pocketed the spare necklaces, then glanced over at the stuffed toys the kids had been playing with. "Sorry about the mess," he said evilly, since they constantly made messes for him to clean up when he worked, then said his farewells and left.

"I still really don't like that guy," Kashmira muttered.

"Same," Rhye muttered, glaring at him as he left.

Rory shook her head. "He's not all that bad. But anyway, who here wants some hot doughnuts? There's a shop around here--"

"Yeah!" everyone cheered, including Kashmira.

"Break time!" Kash said. "Let's get donuts!"

"Same!" Rhye replied.

"You girls are paying for your own," Rory told them with a smirk.

So no more arguments broke out, Rayne took both Carmel and Coba by the hands again to walk with them. It was a good thing Jordan wasn't with them.

Halloween At Home
Players: Ice & TB
---------------------------

It was kinda sad, if you thought about it. Carmel and Rayne couldn't go out and enjoy their first Halloween night, due to all the monsters and things. Even with their little protective charms.

That's why Rory had made sure to get them good candies! And movies. They were going to have a party at her place, with things to do, and candies to win.

The doorbell rang, announcing that Missy had brought over Carmel. She looked down at the little girl, shaking her head slightly. "Why on earth Chris thought this would be a good Halloween outfit, I've no idea, but you do look quite adorable in a... nun-ish sort of way."

Carmel looked up at her mother, swathed in black and white, and wrapped her hand around the large cross that Chris had given her. It wasn't quite as big as the one he wore, but it was pretty huge on the tiny little girl. "He said I was from Sister Hood," she told her mother with a nod.

The door opened showing Rory dressed in a devil girl outfit. She thought it had been cute! The little horns on it were red and sparkled. Besides, she liked red. "Hi!" she said, as soon as she saw it was them. There was a large bowl of candy in her arms as well.

Rayne peeked around her leg, wearing what looked like almost normal clothes. The front of her shirt, though, had a big G on it.

"You don't mind taking care of Carmel, do you?" Missy asked again as the teenager opened the door. "I know it's a bit short notice, but Chris said that you--"

"Hi!" Carmel said cheerfully. "I'm a nun."

"I'm a Penny," Rayne said, thumbing at herself proudly "Go-go Gadget!" Obviously the girl had gotten into the 80's cartoon collection.

"Don't worry," Rory said with a grin. "Mom and I got things planned out, and we got games and movies for them. She's getting us some food right now - not pizza."

"Thank you!" Missy said. "And I really need to get going because Tyler's waiting. If I make him wait too long he's going to take the bolts out of his neck," she said, reaching up and puffing her large tower of black and white hair. "He makes such a sexy Frankenstein," she added with a wink. "You be good for Rory, okay, baby?"

"Bye Mommy!"

"Bye Mrs Missy," Rory said said with a grin. It was a shame that Chris had to be out and all... But oh well, she'd tackle the protecting of the kiddos.

"Bye bye," Rayne said, waving at her. Then she grabbed Carmel's hand, leading her in. "We've got bobbed apples! Sissy said if we catch them with our mouths, she'll candy them."

"What were they bobbed for?" Carmel asked curiously. "Wha's 'bobbed' anyway?" she added blankly as she was pulled inside.

"Basically, you're sticking your head into a bucket of water to get an apple," Rory said. It was simplified, though, and the apple were cut into slices to make it easier to get for little mouths.

"And then they be candied!" Rayne added, having liked that whole part of the idea.

"Okay! Let's go bob!" Carmel said. "Can we dip the apples in chocolate? Lots and lots of chocolate? In fact, we don't even need the apples, we can just do the chocolate!" she said happily.

"Nope, you're having the apple," Rory said, rolling her eyes slightly. "You're going to get more than enough chocolate for one night."

Rayne took her to where the bucket was. "We're gonna get wet, too," she warned. "I saw Sissy do it."

"Okay okay," Carmel said a bit reluctantly. But she was gonna get chocolate! That was the important thing!

Someone knocked on the door and she turned, looking at it blankly. "Who's coming?" she asked Rayne curiously.

"... Tricker-treaters?" Rayne answered with a shrug.

Rory went for the door again getting the bowl of candy treats. She opened the door then.

A mouth far larger than most faces grinned at her evilly. "Trick or treat," the monster rasped, holding out a pillow case.

Rory just smiled back at him, dropping a handful of candy in his pillow case. "Okay, there's your candy, have fun!" she told him before closing the door. That... was so totally no kid. It was a good thing she was used to different looking people.

And there was no way he was entering the house!

He had panicked! What ever the hell that lady was, she was like a brick wall when it came to power! This wasn't going to work... he wanted the little one, not the monster in a curvy body!

He scowled, his impressive mouth showing his displeasure, then brightened again. There had to be another way into the house!

"Sooo... we dunk in the water and grab apples with our teeth?" Carmel said as she reached the small bucket where the apple slices were. "Is the water cold?"

"Nope, not cold," Rory told her as she came back into the living room. Apparently the monster at the door was forgotten, or ignored. "So, how wants to go first?"

"I do!" Rayne said, raising her hand. "I wanna try!"

"Rayne can go first," Carmel agreed graciously. Actually she wanted to make sure she wasn't going to drown.

The long legged pumpkin monster was making his way up the drainpipe with shaky hands. The drainpipe had looked so well attached to the house before this, but now it was threatening to come off! How rude!

Rayne got lined up for the shot, holding on to the edges of the bucket and looked at the floating pieces of apple. Once she chose one, she leaned over, closing her eyes and opening her mouth to try and get it.

Stupid apple move away! She had to move to get it as well, until she finally got a hold of it.

Rory was going to make sure no one drowned, unaware of the monster trying to get in.

The drainpipe squeaked and the poor would be kidnapper squeaked as well, falling away from the house and dumping onto the ground. He grunted, lying there for a moment as he tried to gain his breath. Maybe the roof hadn't been that great an idea, after all.

Carmel started giggling, finding Rayne's plight hysterical. So this was why people bobbed for apples! It was funny!

Rayne's soaking face came up with her prize finally in her teeth. She took it out and grinned at her grin. "I got!" she said, not bothered with being laughed at.

Rory glanced at a window. Did she hear something? ... naa. "Alright Rayne! You got one!" she cheered her baby sister. "No you get to choose if you want to have chocolate or caramel on your apple bit," she said. "And Carmel gets to try."

The pumpkin monster walked around the house, checking each of the doors in hopes that one of them was locked.

They weren't.

"Okay," Carmel said, taking off her black hat thingy. Her brother had told her it was a wimple? A dimple? Something. It was annoying was what it was. She tossed it to the side and shoved her sleeves up, heading for the bucket to get her some apples!

"Yay Carmel! You can do it!" Rayne cheered and bit into her apple slice, her two tails dancing behind her happily.

Carmel kept her eyes open, chasing wildly after her slice, her ribbon tail dancing in the air. She came up with two slices looking like tusks in her mouth and a triumphant smile.

"Chocwa peese," she said with her mouth full as she turned to Rory.

"Of course!" Rory said, already have it ready for her on a little plate.

Rayne pouted. "I want another one, too!"

"You can do it again, you know," Rory said, shaking her head lightly.

He had no choice, the pumpkin monster thought as he trudged to the front door again. He would just have to try harder.

"Yay!" Carmel said as she ate her snacks. She jerked as the doorbell rang. "Trick or treaters!" she said, heading for the door happily. She wanted to try um... whatever it was that Rory had done!

"Carmel! Let me get the door, okay?" Rory said, following her. "You go and make sure Rayne doesn't cheat and stick her hands in the water.

Rayne looked up at that, had hovering over the water. She quickly put that hand behind her.

"But--" Carmel looked at the door, then back at Rayne, then back at the door again. "What are they doing??" she demanded, her mind rushing to figure out what the tricks were, or more importantly, the treats.

"Basically, they're coming to the door, going 'trick-or-treat' and you give them candy," Rory said, picking up the bowl again. "And then they go on to the next house. But because there are monsters now out there, I don't want them to try and pluck you cuties out the door way, in case they try the same."

"Monsters?" Carmel repeated blankly, but her eyes were on the candies, showing what was really in her mind. "So they say tick or treat and you give them candy? For saying that?"

The doorbell rang again.

"Yes," Rory said, finally opening the door.

Rayne had another apple slice and was munching on it as she came to the door as well.

"Trick or--" The pumpkin monster stared in shock as Carmel squirmed out between Rory's legs and held up her hands.

"TICK OR TREAT!!" she bellowed. Right before the monster's sack went down over her head.

"Hah! Got her!" he crowed.

"Carmel! No!" Rayne yelped, running forward when she saw what her friend was doing.

"Oh no you don't!" Rory said, dumping the whole bowl of candies on the monster's head. Then she went to grab the bagged Carmel.

"This thing smells badddd!" Carmel whined, struggling against the pillow sack. "Get it off!!"

"You don't understaaaaannndd!" the pumpkin monster said. "If I don't bring her to the ri--" He let out a yelp, then promptly shrunk into a six inch tall chibi of himself. "It's too late," he moaned, his gigantic pumpkin head in his hands as Carmel dropped.

Rory quickly moved Carmel back into the house, where Rayne was helping her get out of the sack. "If you think I'm going to let you, or anyone else for that matter, drag her off, you've got another thing coming!" she told the now chibied monster.

"Yeah mister stinky bag!" Carmel said, now that she was free. "And my brother's gonna squash you! Just you wait!"

"Not another squash pun," the pumpkin chibi muttered, shaking his over sized head. "So sad, so sad." And he walked off into the night.

Rory blinked at his walking away. Well... now she knew they wanted to take Carmel off someplace or other.. She still wasn't going to let that happen. But she knelt down to pick up the spilt candy. "Don't go jumping out like that, okay? You never know who's going to be at the door. Besides, you forgot about what happens to all the candy that -doesn't- go to trick-or-treaters," she said.

Rayne was picking up a few candies that had come into he house, pocketing them. Candy was awesome, after all.

"What happens to that candy?" Carmel asked as she started to sniff her self. The last thing she wanted was to smell like dirty sack instead of happy chocolate!

"We get to split what ever is left!" Rory said. Mrs Missy was going to hate her for that, probably. Chris might like her, though, if he got some of Carmel's candy.