Sorry about the long wait…..But finally we have the 10 chapter up!! We hope that it will be worth the wait!!! Now…..On with the show!!!!

Meanwhile Shyama was having a merry ole time with Mo.…….

They had spent several hours talking about…That's right you guessed it! Books! How someone could talk about books that long is beyond me but anyways……

Dustfinger quite suddenly appeared next to her. "Do you have any idea how long I've been looking for you?" he snapped, a little snappier than he meant to snap.

Shyama looked at him in surprise. "No, I have no idea. And where's Anthea?"

"That's what I need to talk to you about." Dustfinger snapped, a little less snappy. "Basta took her."

"How could you let him do that?!" Shyama growled. "I thought you'd be a little more careful!"

"Basta's the one with the knife." Dustfinger retorted.

"You're the one with the matches!" Shyama retorted right back. "I thought you were able to manipulate him. What are we supposed to do now?"

"You need to help me." Dustfinger said, calmly now.

"Dustfinger? Basta has who?" Mo asked Shyama, looking quite confused.

"My friend Anthea." She answered, sighing with depression. "Basta was after her earlier, and I left her with Dustfinger to look for you."

"Basta's after her? Is she alright? Is he going to hurt her?" Mo asked, more alarmed.

"If you call eternal imprisonment hurting, then yes." Dustfinger remarked dryly. "He wants her to sing for him. Forever and ever. Those are his very words."

"And he wants her to tell him everything she knows," Shyama added. "And we already tried to get her away from him. He's relentless, isn't he?"

"Stubborn as a mule." Dustfinger agreed. "And not much smarter."

Shyama laughed. "How about tricking him again?"

Dustfinger raised his eyebrows and crossed his beautiful arms. "The same thing?"

"Would he fall for it?" Mo inquired.

"Yes." Shyama laughed. "Are you completely opposed to dressing up at all, Dustfinger?"

He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously. "Dressing up as what?"

"I don't know. Something scary. Look like a ghost. Look like something out of his nightmares. Jack Skellington, perhaps."

"Who?" Dustfinger said blankly.

"Don't worry, you'll look adorable." She assured him. "And Basta will be terrified."

"But where would he keep your friend? Do you know?" chimed in Mo.

Dustfinger snorted and shrugged. "His closet, apparently."

"She would never let him do that. " Shyama said, shaking her head. "She'd feel like a mop. But she'll be somewhere in his house."

"So, what is your plan?" Mo asked cutely.

"Scare him, like we did before?" Shyama said, phrasing it as a question. "Dustfinger is good at it."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Dustfinger said, eyes narrowed.

"Yes."

Suddenly a large mass shot out of nowhere and collided into Dusty.

"DUSTFINGER!" Came a familiar Arab voice. "I found you!!!!!!" Farid clung joyfully to his mentor.

"Oof." Dustfinger said calmly. "That's certainly what it looks like, yes."

Shyama stared.

Farid rambled on about random crap for a bit until he glanced in Shyama's direction and he did a double take, then looked at the ground blushing.

Mo chuckled. Slightly.

"Well, if you're going to hang around me like a lost puppy, you'll have to help me." Dustfinger said, looking at the ceiling as if he could find patience there.

Shyama smiled, also looking at the ground.

"Help you what?" Farid asked, looking up at Dustfinger, blush not quite gone.

"Can he dress up instead of me?" Dustfinger asked Shyama with hope in his voice.

"But you'd be cuter." Shyama said, before gazing at Farid. "Well, maybe not….."

Farid went scarlet.

Dustfinger smiled in relief. "I can do something else, besides dressing up. I have the fire, remember."

"I remember." Shyama said, not even looking at him. She was busy watching his apprentice.

He was busy looking at her while trying to look like he wasn't looking at her but failing miserably.

"Then Farid can dress up as something!" she said brightly. "Something kind of….cute….." She had trailed off, saying the last words quietly.

Mo raised an eyebrow at her, but said nothing.

"As long as it's not me." Dustfinger smiled. "Dress him up as anything you want."

"He's not my doll." Shyama frowned. "I'll give him a choice." She turned to smile at Farid. "Would you like to be a ghost?"

Farid nodded, silently. Still red.

"Or you could be a zombie, or some other monster." She went on sweetly. "It's up to you."

Farid nodded.

Shyama giggled a giggle more girly than her normal giggles. "A ghost, then."

Farid nodded.

She hesitantly and slowly took his hand. "We should go get you dressed up, then."

Farid nodded, staring at their intertwined hands.

Shyama began walking out of the place. "Actually, I changed my mind. If you're dressed up as a ghost, it would cover you up too much. So you'll be something else so that I can see your face."

Dustfinger followed after them, mildly amused.

Mo did as well.

"Why are you dressing me up?" Farid said when he finally found his voice.

"Because it will be absolutely adorable." Shyama did not say. She did say, however, "Because I need help saving my friend from Basta, and if you dress up, you'll be able to scare him and be a distraction."

"Oh." He said shortly.

"I just need to find something for you to wear…." She said, thoughtfully.

Farid was staring at her.

"I'm having a hard time deciding." She informed him.

Farid nodded.

"You really don't mind being forced to do this with us?" she said anxiously.

He shook his head quickly. "No no…Not at all…"

She smiled happily. "Good. I really appreciate this."

He smiled in a puppy love kind of way.

"Maybe I can make it up to you somehow." She mused.

Farid blushed.

"I'll give you time to think about it." She said, smiling at him.

Farid blushed.

"I could buy you ice cream or something." She suggested.

"And would….would you eat ice cream…with...me?" He asked shyly.

"If you want me to." She smiled. "I'd love to."

Farid nodded eagerly.

"I'll be looking forward to it." She said, echoing his eagerness. She magically produced some stuff to transform him into an adorable little monster who looked like a dead person.

Farid stared at her.

Shyama stared at him. "You look…..amazing."

Wow…He blushed…how surprising…..

"And yet Basta's going to run at the sight of you." She sighed.

Farid smiled.

"But don't worry." She told him, "I'm not scared of you."

"Good." Farid said stupidly.

She gently touched his face that was covered in scary makeup. "It looks good. Really."

Farid would have like to respond. But he couldn't. Instead he stared at her and tried not to hyperventilate.

"Ready?" she asked.

Farid nodded. "Yes." YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

She took his hand again. "I hope we can pull this off."

"Yes." Farid smiled shyly.

She took a deep breath. "All right. Let's be on our way."

"I'd like to see this." Dustfinger chuckled, shaking his head at Farid.

Mo cleared his throat. "I'll come along just to make sure that you guys don't get in deep trouble…." Then he engaged Shyama in another conversation about books.

Farid hung back with Studfinger and stared at Shyama with starstruck eyes.

Dustfinger glanced at Farid. "You like her, don't ya?"

Farid nodded. "Her eyes are like….like….Bits of the sky….And her hair…Like the curling tendrils of smoke from a smoldering fire…..She's so beautiful……"

Shyama very happily chatted about the books, hoping that the way she looked at Mo wasn't inappropriate in how fond it was.

Dustfinger laughed softly. "You poor boy. She has quite obviously stolen your heart."

"She's so beautiful…." Farid said fervently.

"Keep your head out of the clouds for a moment, will you?" Dustfinger sighed. "You'll need to concentrate on the task at hand."

"Oh, yes." Farid blinked. "What am I doing again?"

Dustfinger looked skyward, heaving another sigh. "You're being a distraction. You're not supposed to be distracted yourself. Basta has a knife, and he's not afraid to use it. Even if he might think you're a ghost of sorts."

"Oh. And what am I distracting Basta from?" Farid asked, sounding more alert.

"Whatever he needs to be distracted from." Dustfinger replied. "Good heavens, you really are quite lost."

Farid kicked a little rock with his bare toes. "I am not lost…I just wanted all the facts…Do you think she likes me?"

"If she's half as infatuated with you as you are with her, I think you have a lot to be happy about." Dustfinger said, rolling his eyes a little.

"Do you think she is?" Farid asked in excited tones.

"If I give you an answer, will you be able to pay attention to what you're told?"

"Yes! Yes!"

"She took your hand, didn't she? And she was smiling at you. And she even offered to go out with you."

Farid smiled broadly.

Dustfinger decided not to mention how she was looking at Mo. "I think you have some hope."

"I don't even know what her name is…." Farid said thoughtfully.

"Why don't you ask her?" Dustfinger suggested.

Farid blushed red.

"Go on, what if she wants you to ask her?" Dustfinger prodded.

Farid face filled with more blood. "But…but….."

"She's not going to bite you, if that's what you're afraid of."

"No!" Farid said defensively. "She's just….just…."

"Intimidating?" Dustfinger supplied.

"Beautiful!" Farid burst out.

"And for that reason you don't want to talk to her?" Dustfinger said, amused. "I hope she doesn't end up thinking you don't like her because you don't want to talk to her."

Farid frowned, deep in thought. "Okay…I will…."

"I'm sure you won't regret it." Dustfinger said confidently.

Farid took a deep breath and walked up to Shyama and tapped her shoulder.

Mo frowned at him.

Shyama turned, and smiled when she saw him. "Yes?"

"M-may I ask your…your name?" Farid stuttered.

"Shyama." She said brightly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I don't know what happened to my manners."

"My n-name is F-F-Farid….." He mumbled. "You have a p-pretty name…."

"Thank you." She said, smiling broadly at him. "You have a nice name too."

Farid smiled broadly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She said happily.

Farid stared and smiled. Mwhaha.

"So….." Shyama said slowly. "Is ice cream your final decision? We could do something else, you know."

Farid smiled puppy love. "It doesn't matter to me. As long as you are there…."

She laughed. "We can have ice cream first, then later we can do something else, and then something else after that, and something else……"

"I'd like that." Farid smiled.

"Whatever we want." She smiled back.

"I'd really like that." He smiled more.

"Excellent." She took his hand again. "But first we have to take care of Basta."

"Oh yes, your friend…" He smiled.

"Yeah, I'm sure you'll like her." She told him. "Actually, don't try to get too friendly with her….."

Farid blinked.

"She doesn't really like you a whole lot." Shyama explained regretfully.

Farid looked confused. "She knows me…?"

Shyama shrugged. "She's, uh…..heard of you. Yeah, you could say that."

"She doesn't like me? Why not?" He asked sounding hurt.

"She doesn't know you." Shyama said comfortingly. "She doesn't like how you hang around Dustfinger. I think she might be jealous."

"Jealous?" Farid smiled.

Shyama leaned in for a whisper. "Because she likes Dustfinger."

Farid snorted. "I doubt Dustfinger would like her." Mah!

"Well actually, they already kind of met….." Shyama said slowly.

Farid faltered. "Well, I doubt that he likes her."

"She can eat matches." Shyama told him. "I think Dustfinger was impressed."

"I can eat matches." Farid grumbled.

"And Dustfinger is impressed." Shyama comforted him.

Farid nodded.

"So don't worry about being replaced." She smiled. "It won't happen."

Farid nodded. "I know. I'm pretty good with fire. Dustfinger said so." He smiled proudly.

"I believe him. But you'll still have to show me. But only if you want to."

"Of course I'll show you!!!" Farid exclaimed.

"Good. I can't wait. I haven't really seen a fire show. Not even Dustfinger's."

"Dustfinger is much better than I am…But I hope I can entertain you anyways…." Farid said shyly.

"No, I'll enjoy watching you." She assured him. "I'm excited already."

Farid blushed. "I'm really glad."

"Personally, I wouldn't like sticking fire in my mouth." Shyama frowned. "I'm not brave enough."

"I could teach you!" Farid smiled. "I think you're brave enough!"

She made a face that consisted of her eyes going slightly wide and her mouth stretching open. "I don't think so….."

Farid saw her face. "You…you don't have too….."

She bit her lip. "Maybe if you think I can I might be able to….I don't know…."

Farid squeezed her hand. "I'll be there. To help you."

"If you think so….." she said uncertainly. "I trust you know what you're doing."

"I do." Farid nodded. "I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

She grinned a dazzling grin at him "I know you won't."

Farid….was dazzled.

"Come on!" she urged, pulling him forward with her. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can go have ice cream!"

Farid grinned.

So they ventured back to the village, and Dustfinger was sent to find out what was going on so they could form a plan of attack.

Awesome, right?