A/N: Sorry for the long wait on this one. Hope you all will like it.

Disclaimer: Black Cat is not my property.

Chapter 4

A Shopping Spree

Wednesday morning

"TRAIN!"

Train groaned while burying his head further into his pillow. He silently prayed that this was just a nightmare. He ruled that possibility out the second he felt rough hands shaking him.

"TRAIN! WAKE UP!"

"What does he want now?" Train wondered hopelessly as his eyes blinked open slightly. He saw that Sven was standing over his bed, dressed in his white suit and hat as always. A cigarette was lodged between his chapped lips.

Train closed his eyes and his world returned to the darkness. Peace once again filled his senses until…

"TRAIN!"

Our fearless Black Cat refused to move or acknowledge Sven's presence. He was going to keep his eyes shut no matter what.

"THAT'S IT!"

Train listened as the footsteps receded away from him. He slightly smirked, but otherwise showed no signs of movement. He suddenly picked up on the noise of the door slamming.

"Guess Sven finally decided to leave," Train thought as his small smirk turned into a grin. However, another sound reached his ears. It appeared that Sven had returned. Train opened one eye in suspicion, but quickly closed it again, figuring that the sounds were in his imagination. Of course, Train did grow a little wary when he noticed the sound of running water.

"What is Sven doing?"

The infamous Black Cat would have gotten out of bed then under normal circumstances. Unfortunately for him, he was in a critical state of exhaustion after everything he'd gone through in the past three days. He just wanted to rest and have a boring day.

Before we continue on with this chapter. Let me ask all you readers a question. What do cats hate? Don't know?

They hate getting wet.

And so…

"SPLASH!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Train jumped out of bed and fled to the safety of the floor. Now fully awake, he glared up at his former partner.

"Sven! What the heck was that!"

Sven smirked as he dropped the now empty bucket in his hands to the floor. "I thought that would get your attention."

"Are you out of your mind!" Train screamed.

Sven's smirk fell a little. "I'm not the one who left Eve to do whatever she wished Monday night in order to see a deranged high school senior."

Train scowled. "Kyoko is not deranged. She just has a few…issues."

"I don't see why you're defending her when she nearly killed you," Sven stated. "You've gotten soft Train."

"Oh, shut up," Train barked as he got up from the floor. He was totally soaked and he didn't like that one bit.

Sven's smile returned. "Anyway, Eve is on punishment until Friday, which is Christmas eve. This means that she can't go anywhere without a supervisor such as myself.

"Are you asking me to baby-sit again?" Train asked. He watched as Sven rolled his eyes.

"No Train, I will never be dumb enough or desperate enough to ask for your help in that department ever again. However…"

One hour later

"You've got to be kidding me!" Train screamed.

The two men now stood in the largest mall in the city. With its high glass ceilings and modern American style architecture, it was a sight to behold. You couldn't look anywhere without seeing a store, cart, or booth around you. The banisters and balcony's were lined with red ribbons and other decorations. At the center of the huge mall stood a ten foot Christmas tree that was decorated in silver, gold, ruby, and emerald decorations.

Train and Sven were standing on the upper floor for the moment. They were staring over the balcony and down to the lower floor were some of the other shoppers were. Sven seemed to be enjoying himself, but Train was not.

Normally, Train is very bubbly and active, but whenever he steps into a mall, his stomach sinks and his knees buckle. Why does this happen? No one knows for certain, but rumor has it that Train is VERY, VERY cheap.

And if you buy something at the mall…you've spent too much.

Another rumor is that Train isn't a fan of overly crowded places. Sure, he seems like a social person to the naked eye, but in actuality Train is a very reclusive guy. He keeps to himself a lot due to his traumatic past.

However, the most likely reason for Train's disdain is because Train simply does not like shopping.

No, that's putting it too simply. He detests shopping on an epic scale. The only time he will ever go shopping period is when he has to get food and even then he doesn't like it.

So it's obvious that Sven brought him to the biggest shopping center in the city in order to punish Train for leaving Eve alone the other night.

"Why are we here Sven?" Train asked with a horribly bored expression.

"Why else?" Sven exclaimed. "Last minute Christmas shopping of course."

"But what do you need me for?" Train whined. "I don't like to shop."

Sven's expression turned puzzled. "Since when?"

"Since the day Eve tricked me into helping her with that multimedia project." Train inwardly answered. "She forced me to dress up as a black cat in the middle of the mall in front of hundreds of people. I became a Youtube sensation for crying out loud."

"Train?"

Train said nothing more about why he hated malls. He instead tried to change the subject.

"So, what do you need?"

Sven's expression turned thoughtful. "What I need is a gift for Eve on Christmas."

Train sighed. "Didn't you already buy her a gift?"

"I did, but the girl talked me into giving her one of her presents early," Sven explained. "I need another one so that she'll be surprised on Christmas."

"But you just said she talked you into giving her one of her presents, not all of them," Train pointed out. "I don't see the need in buying one more gift when she'll be plenty surprised with the other gifts."

Sven scowled at him. "Don't patronize me you numbskull. Besides, she's not the only one I need a gift for."

"Oh, so he needs a gift for someone else." Train thought in mild interest. "Wonder who that person is."

Train didn't get a chance to contemplate much further on the subject because he suddenly noticed something shinning in a jewelry store window. The object in question was shinning so brightly that Train didn't understand how no one else noticed its simple and elegant beauty.

"How about getting Eve a necklace or something," Train suggested, though for an odd reason he wasn't thinking of Eve at all when he suggested it.

He had been thinking of Kyoko.

Now, why this occurred was beyond Train's comprehension. The very thought that was bouncing around in Train's mind was so unlike him that it freaked him out a little. He felt his heart pound in his chest as he imagined the simple diamond necklace that was being displayed in the window around Kyoko's slender neck.

"Train? Why are you blushing?"

Train quickly shook away the thoughts as he caught Sven staring at him. He sighed after a moment and walked ahead. "Come on Sven, lets get Eve some jewelry."

Sven smirked slightly before shrugging and following his comrade into the jewelry store. The room was lit with bright lights so that the jewels sparkled. There was an assortment of diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, amethysts, rubies, etc. However, Train was immediately drawn to the simple diamond necklace that had been on display. Sven immediately noticed this, but he said nothing to train about it. Instead, he looked around the room for something affordable. He found a pair of fake pearl earrings and quickly bought them without Train noticing. All the while, Train was daydreaming about a certain schoolgirl.

"Okay, what's the deal Train."

Train yelped slightly, he'd been so deep in thought he hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings. He turned around and began babbling about absolutely nothing as Sven's expression ranged from amusement to worry. After about a minute of this, Sven understood why the normally articulate Black Cat was suddenly talking like he belonged in an asylum.

"Train, calm yourself," Sven ordered while resting his hands on Train's shoulders. When Train kept talking, the older man started shaking him.

"Train listen…I get it now get a hold on yourself!"

"But I…you don't know what it's like Sven!" Train exclaimed in a dramatic fashion. "She's constantly on my mind! She's showing up in my dreams when there's only one person who should be in them! I keep thinking about how sad she was before she attacked me! This girl is driving me out of my head man!"

Sven hit the ex-assassin over the head. "Will you listen to yourself! Pull it together Train, you're starting to worry me."

"I…I…just…"

Sven rolled his eyes. There was no helping the boy now. He was already on the deep end and somewhere along the line he'd fallen in love with the crazy girl who could conjure fireballs like a dragon. The whole situation his compadre had gotten himself into was quite unethical if not pathetic.

"You're in love with that Kyoko girl right?" Sven asked.

"No! That's the whole point!" Train replied hysterically. "I don't feel that way about her at all!"

"I've heard that before," Sven thought tiredly. "Listen son, buy that diamond necklace, give it to her, and apologize for whatever you did."

Train blinked in surprise. "You want me to do what now?"

Sven turned away and began walking toward the exit door. "You heard me."

"But Sven, I don't have a way to pay for it," Train stated. "It's way out of my budget!"

"Love costs money," Sven laughed. "Believe me, I know."

Train wasn't sure what to say to that as he watched Sven stop at the doorway. He turned around and rushed back to the jeweler who'd sold him the pearl earrings. He continued to watch as Sven pointed to a diamond ring that was deep inside the display case. The lady in front of him quickly opened the compartment and set the ring on top of the counter. Sven then gave her his credit card. She swiped it through her machine and then she packed it into a small, black velvet box.

"Did he just…?" Train wondered idly. He shook his head in disbelief before turning to stare at the necklace again. After a moment, he finally took a deep breath and walked up to the counter where the jeweler stood.

"Hi, I would like to buy that necklace on display over there."

The lady smiled while walking to the spot where he'd been standing moments before. "A fine choice sir. Is this for someone special?"

"Uh, yes…yes it is."

A few minutes later, Train walked out of the store with the simple diamond necklace, unsure of why he'd just bought it. He doubted he'd have the guts to face Kyoko let alone give her a gift.

However, Train decided he wouldn't worry about it. He would give it to her whenever they ran into each other again.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The sudden screaming alarmed Train to the impending trouble headed his way. Sven was nearby and the two exchanged glances as the both took off in the direction of the screaming. When they came to an escalator, they found that down below was a man running away with a woman's purse across a long stage.

"Oh, come on," Sven muttered irritably. "Just a random mugger? What's up with criminals these days? They're just a bunch of idiots."

Train nodded in agreement. "I'll handle this one old guy."

"OLD GUY!"

Train had sprung into action long before Sven had registered the old guy comment. The ever graceful Black Cat climbed his way down the escalator steps before leaping into the air. After flipping a few times as a means to show off his awesome skills, Train landed onto the stage and immediately knocked the guy out.

Train rose from his kneeling position on the stage and smiled in idiotic triumph. At that very moment, he was laughing evilly in his head.

"Muhahahahahahaha! I've regained my ninjaness!"

However, what Train didn't realize was that he had just made a crucial, horrendous mistake. You see, he and Sven hadn't been paying attention to the entire situation, causing them to see something that wasn't really there.

This is what was really happening in that moment.

The woman was dressed up green elf costume. The mugger was dressed in a red suit.

Basically the elf lady had just given the "mugger", otherwise known as "the mall Santa", a big bag full of goodies. The only reason she screamed was because she was excited by the prospect of making the children happy, (or at least pretending to be.) Anyway, the man dressed as Santa was just about to make his way to the elevated part of the stage where Santa's chair stood.

Then, just as the poor man was about to sit down and call up the first kid to sit on his lap…

"WHAM!"

The mall Santa was left unconscious on the stage floor and our hero, the infamous Black Cat, was responsible for destroying the jolly spirit of Christmas.

Of course, Train being Train didn't seem to realize this right away. He was too caught up in his fleeting moment of glory to see the faces of the poor children he'd crushed. Even so, the little children were not going to take the beat down of Santa Claus lightly. The thing about children is…once they get angry there's no turning back.

"That guy killed Santa!" one girl screamed as she accusingly pointed her finger at Train.

Train blinked in confusion before looking down at the man he'd just knocked out. He finally understood what was happening as he stared at the faces of the children and parents. At the very front of the crowd stood ten girl scouts that stared up at Train with tear filled eyes.

"Oh no," he muttered.

From way behind the crowd Sven shouted, "TRAIN YOU IDIOT!"

Train groaned slightly in response as he noted that a voice was shouting over the intercom.

"SECURITY! EMERGENCY AT SECTOR 2-B! A LUNATIC JUST ATTACKED SANTA!"

"Oh, no!" Train groaned again, his gold eyes looking down on the poor man he'd attacked.

"We can't let him get away with this!" a boy screamed from the crowd. Train gasped and stared at the crowd. Their sad expressions were now angry, including the cute little girl scouts.

"Wait I didn't…"

"LET'S GET HIM!"

Out of nowhere, swarms of children and parents jumped onto the stage in an all out riot against our hero. Train tried to run, but he could not escape the fury of the girl scouts.

"APOLOGIZE TO SANTA NOW!" one of them ordered in a demonic voice. In the next second, that same girl grabbed a chainsaw from out of nowhere. "DO IT!"

Train never thought he'd live to see the day where he would be terrified of a little girl.

"SVEN! GET ME OUT OF THIS PLACE!"

Sven tried getting to the stage in response to Train's plea, but no matter what he did he couldn't get through the crowd. He figured that Train was as good as dead at that point.

"It was nice knowing ya buddy," he thought, taking his hat off his head and holding it respectively toward his chest. "I'll make sure that Eve doesn't forget you."

"NO! I'M SORRY! THIS WAS ALL A MISUNDERSTANDING! JUST…AHHHH!"

Sven sweat-dropped. "I promised myself I wouldn't smoke as long as it was December, but I might have to make an exception."

Suddenly, a random baseball bat bonked Sven on the head. He immediately fell onto the ground in pain.

"Crap! I forgot about that evil authoress!"

Another random object bonks Sven on the head, just so that he knows that the authoress, (me) is in absolute control here and in this story, he can't smoke just because I said so. Besides, smoking is very bad for him. If for no other reason all that nicotine will ruin his face, and that's when we're not mentioning all the health problems that can come from it too.

But…since this story isn't meant to be a public service announcement…

Lets move on.

Two hours later

"Oh, I just can't stand it Eve!"

Eve stared up at the ceiling as Kyoko talked on and on from the other end of her cell phone. It wasn't that Eve minded listening to Kyoko, but her constant talk about Train was starting to drive her crazy. The truth was that she'd called Kyoko in order to get advice on a date.

Instead, she was giving advice to a girl about the Black Cat.

"So what can I do?" Kyoko finished. Eve sighed in relief as the room around her went silent for a few seconds.

"Well first, I'd appreciate it if you'd help me with something," Eve stated. "In fact, doing so might help you finally get together with Train again."

"REALLY!"

Eve took the phone away from her ear for a quick second. A minute later, she pulled the phone back to her ear.

"Yes, so what I need you to do is give me advice for when I go out on my date on Christmas Eve."

"What kind of advice?" Kyoko asked.

It was then that Eve froze and blushed. She wasn't sure of what she wanted advice on.

"You need advice on kissing?"

Eve's blush darkened. "No, nothing like that…I…well, I just need advice on what to say I guess."

"You mean what to wear," Kyoko corrected. "I know, I'll come over on Christmas Eve and we can plan everything out then. That cool?"

"Yeah I guess, but I still…"

"Oh, my goodness gracious!"

Eve raised her eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

"Turn on the T.V. and change the station to channel seven!" Kyoko ordered.

"For what reason?" Eve asked, her crimson eyes wary of Kyoko's sudden desperation.

"Just do it!"

Eve shrugged and reached for the remote on her nightstand. After turning on her T.V., she flipped the channel over to the station Kyoko had indicated. On it was a breaking news story about a riot that was going on at the mall.

"We interrupt this program to inform you about the breaking news. Just two hours ago, the man who had been dangling out of an apartment window on Monday, and had gotten kicked out of a restaurant on Tuesday, has caused yet another disaster!"

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Eve stated curtly.

"We will now turn over this report to Gregory Tsubaka."

"Kyoko…"

"Hush!"

"Thank you Miko, two hours ago at the mall behind me, a man who's been a constant story in our news for the past two days has struck again. This time, he committed a capital crime. He attacked Santa Claus."

Eve clicked off the T.V. then. "He caused a mall riot?"

"That's what they're saying," Kyoko replied. "This is horrible."

The nanotechnology only rolled her eyes. "I'll have to call you later Kyoko. Sven will probably be dragging that idiot back home soon."

"Tell him I said hi!"

Eve clicked off her phone then and laid back down on her bed. She again stared up at the ceiling while contemplating her next move.

"Should I eat the strawberry shortcake, or should I eat the brownies instead?"

A/N: And that is the end of this chapter. Sorry it took so long, but I hoped you guys enjoyed it. Also, I'd appreciate it if you let me know what my gramatical issues are in this chapter. (I got lazy and didn't proofread at all) hehe. Yeah, I know, laziness is bad, but try not to throw tomatoes at me for it. Lol. :) I just want to know in case I decide to go back and revise and such.

note: I also have a poll up on my profile. Basically I'm asking which story of mine is your favorite. If its this one, go vote for it now. :)