Ash: hi guys I apologize for the shortness of my last couple of chapters. I just read through my latest chapter and I realised it progressed quite quickly. This is probably because I was rushing, since I have a bad habit of starting to write at about 9:30 – 10ish which means I finish quite late, and if you didn't realise I'm still at school, don't worry big school (11-18 yr. school), not little school ;) I would also like to thank you Zikka-chan for her reviews, so thank you.

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The Trickster?

Slowly leaning forward the Trickster gently kissed me where the bruise was. His lifts where soft and full. I closed my eyes tightly, thinking it was going to hurt, but instead I felt a small buzz like static pass from his lips to the bruise and then the rest of my body. I then realised he was kissing me (on the forehead but still) and shoved him away, taking a step back.

I touched where the bruise should have been but it didn't hurt. Neither did my back or stomach ache. I turned to the mirror and looked at where the bruise should have been. Let me repeat SHOULD OF, but it wasn't, my skin was clear of any imperfections and it looked as if nothing had been there. I pulled a few escaping strands of hair out of the way to get a better look, and touched the area. Amazing. What did he do? How did he get rid of my bruise?

I turned and looked at him with shocked and questioning eyes. I stood there and smirked. "How did you?" I pointed to where the bruise was meant to be. He just tapped his nose. I blinked and he wasn't there, he had just literally disappeared in to thin air. Getting used to this crazy world called Kooza, I shrugged and walked over to where Innocent and Dog where sleeping.

I knelt down next to the sofa and gently shook Innocent awake. He groggily opened his eyes and yawned, wiping sleep from his eyes. This in turn caused Dog to wake up, and stretch. Innocent slowly looked to me blinked a couple and then his light blue eyes widened impossibly wide as he looked at me both shocked and happy at the same time.

Suddenly he shot forward wrapping his small arms around my neck and hugging me tightly. A small smile crept across my face and I hugged him back, making hushing sounds. He was like a really cute, sweet, innocent, little brother. We stayed like this until my knees hurt from kneeling, luckily he was small enough for me to pick up, so picking him up I sat down on the sofa, him still clinging to me like a monkey. Dog had gotten up from where he had been lying next to us on the floor, to curl up on the sofa next to us, his side pressed against my thigh. I soon heard even breathes coming from Innocent and realised he had fallen asleep. Poor thing it must have given him quite a scare, with Crooner coming out an' all, and then me getting a bit beat up probably didn't help either. Carefully I laid him down and the sofa, standing up Dog lifted his head up cocking it to the side, giving me a questioning look.

"Don't worry, I'm just gonna go for a stretch, you stay here and look after Innocent" I smiled down at the protective dog. With that I walked back out into the maze of corridors, there was something I had to check.

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I passed a few people in the corridors, and when they gave me a concerned or worried look I just replied with a smile, and they smiled back seeming relieved. Even though I have only been here a day or was it two now the people here seemed generally concerned about me, this made me happy, to have so many people caring about me.

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When I finally reached the stage I realised I really wasn't in the circus tent anymore. "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto" I said under my breath. I walked off the stage and approached one of the huge trees.

I placed my hand on the rough bark of the tree, the bark was brown but looked like it had dark purples running through it, but there was something else odd about it. It was like there was a hum of energy that ran through the tree. Moving I reached and pressed my other hand against another tree close by. I could almost feel an energy running back and forth between the two trees. I wonder if everything was connected with this hum of energy. I walked past the ring of trees making up the walls of the stage to the trees behind them and repeated the process, my hypothesis must be somewhat right.

I walked deeper into the thick forest before I came to a small clearing which had a small stream running around one edge, and all along the banks where beautiful blue flowers. Beneath me the grass was lush and springy. The flowers looked like a tiger woods lily, but its main colour was blue with streaks of silver running along the petals with black speckles, and the green stem had gold patterns twisting up it. I reached out and gently stroked one of the petals; it was soft and felt like silk. Looking across to the far side of the clearing I saw on the edge of the clearing that there was what looked like a willow tree, it hung low over the stream just before the stream disappeared into the trees with its boughs reaching out across the water. The willow's leaves where a beautiful green/yellow with a silver streak down the centre.

Smiling I removed the shoes from my feet and let my feet sink into the carpet of soft grass. I took a few steps before I started to put together a dance. Spinning, leaping and tumbling* around the clearing, I felt freer than a bird. I felt so at peace here in this natural landscape, my voice began to escape from my mouth, and it filled the clearing with music for me to dance to. I sung and my moves corresponded with words.

I not far away I heard I a bird with a song like nothing I had ever heard before. This inspired me and I began adding new moves to my dance. I continued dancing for another 10 minutes, when I was finished I was panting for breath I walked to the stream and took a sip of water, it looked clean enough, then I laid down on the grass.

Closing my eyes I listened to the sounds of the forest. The stream babbling, the wind whistling, birds chirping in the trees, their music bringing the forest to life, the brush of animals as they moved through the foliage. Everything here was calm and peaceful here, everything was so serene. I opened my eyes and found the moon beaming back at me, it was a light was a silvery blue and it illuminated the clearing, giving everything an ethereal glow. I closed my eyes again, it was night time already.

I should probably get back to the stage, but I couldn't find it in me to get up and leave, I was exhausted from all my dancing. And I didn't know what dangerous animals could be out here. Sighing I opened my eyes to find the Trickster looking down at me. My heart jumped in shock; taking a breath I placed my hand over my heart calming myself from my mini heart attack.

Hauling myself up of the floor I stated, "you shouldn't scare people like that" looking at the Trickster who just smirked. Whatever. I walked over to where I had kicked of my shoes and put them back on, I then walked back over to the Trickster, "How come you're here?" I questioned him.

Smirking he replied, "I knew" I looked at him quizzically.

"Knew what?" I questioned him,

"That you were here" he replied in a smooth voice, but underneath there seemed to be a hint of power,

"How?" at this I got a smirk and a light chuckle,

"I know everything there is about this world" at this I looked at him a little shocked, and raised a questioning eyebrow, to this he replied, "after all I did create it" at this I felt my jaw hit the floor.

WHAT, the Trickster created Kooza. Well I guess that does explain its craziness. I realised I was still gaping and quickly shut my mouth, from which I earned a small chuckle from the Trickster. I pointed at him, "you created all of this? How is that possible?" I asked him; to this he just tapped his nose. Arrgghh, I hate it when people don't give me a straight answer.

He then looked at my finger which was still pointed at him. Frowning he quickly reached forward grabbing my hand and looking at it. He turned my hand over and examined it; this caused a faint blush to spread across my cheeks. He then grabbed my other had and checked it over. I stared at him and tried to take my hands back but he kept them in a strong grip. Suddenly he reached forward and ripped the sleeve of my leotard off. At this I yanked my hands back and hugged them to me, "what are you doing?" I said angrily, he stared at me then as if just noticing me.

"You're – you're becoming a part of Kooza" he stated calmly if not a little worriedly, I stared at him and look at my hands. My hands hand a faint swirl of multi-colours twisting around them and then up my arm, and my fingers were becoming stained with silver. I then checked the other hand and ripped the sleeve off to check my arm, - I might as well since the other side was already ruined – and sure enough all along that arm was swirls of faint colour as well. I looked at Trickster; I was scared, what is happening to me?

"What do you mean I'm becoming a part of Kooza?" I asked him in a small voice. He slowly walked towards me, and gently took one of my hands, holding it out to look at my arm. I looked at him with wide eyes as he checked me over once again.

"What I mean is that Kooza almost has a mind of its own, and when I say you're becoming a part of it I mean your becoming one of its inhabitants, like Innocent. I can tell because everyone in Kooza has patterns like this on their bodies, though a bit more defined" he gave me a sympathetic look.

"But, what about going home?" I said, would I be able to go home, would I be able to see my friends and family again? But the Trickster just shook his head.

"I don't know, like I said I created Kooza, but Kooza has a mind of its own. But I do know that you're here for a reason, nobody comes to Kooza without a reason for being brought here." I nodded.

The Trickster still slide his hand down my arm to my hand, sending shivers down my spine. Holding my hand he the led me back to the stage.

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When we reached the stage, he continued to lead me back stage and through the maze of corridors. I could feel could feel the heat in my cheeks rising, he was still holding my hand. He led me to a door which was coloured in a pattern of blues and blacks. He opened it and pulled me inside.

The door opened in the right corner of the room. The insides of the room were beautifully furnished with a soft black carpet, and in the middle of the room, pushed up against the back wall was a big queen's bed with blue bed sheets. To the left side of the room there was another blue door which was open a jar, this allowed me to see it was a small bathroom. On the right side of the there was a row of mirrors which could be slid open, and along the wall opposite the bed there was a black sofa with silver patterns on it , and in front of the sofa there was a glass coffee table.

"This is your room for now" Trickster stated simply, I gaped up at him

"but -" now get some sleep your tired" the trickster cut me off walking out the room. Fine, be like that, I stuck my tongue out at him as he closed the door.

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Ash: hahaha no more complaining now 2,153 words, suckers :P no I'm only kidding. I would like to apologize if the Trickster is a bit OOC, I meant to make him silent but he needs to talk for this.

*If you don't know what tumbling is, its gymnastics when people, somersault, rolls and handsprings without equipment.

Ash: I hope you enjoyed and please review

REVIEW!

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