Part 10

Shopping with Caitlin was quite the experience to say the least. Though she showed nearly little to know enthusiasm for her job at the Lemon, she sure had a lot of energy when it came to shopping.

From what Ryuki knew about girls and shopping from the talks he'd had with Takada back home, a guy's only purpose was to carry the bags and occasionally pay for the girl's purchases. Ryuki knew he could afford to buy Caitlin anything. His mother had provided him with a bank account containing a large sun of money. There was also a secondary account made under his name by Smart Brain since he was one of their (special) operatives. All employees were also provided with a company credit card. Ryuki had never found a reason to use his credit card since he'd received it but he knew that Takada did use his, multiple times, and for reasons unknown to him.

At Albatross & Finch, Ryuki could see the 'Greeter Gods' and 'Greeter Goddesses' standing around, just for the sake of publicity. They were young and attractive, perfect eye candy to draw in customers. They were quite popular and were only employed for their looks. Ryuki looked at the shirtless Greeter Gods and looked down at his own bandaged hands, reminding him of the bandages that now covered his body. He looked like a mummy, in his opinion.

"Great, huh?" Caitlin asked, smiling brightly.

"Hai, it is," Ryuki said, giving her a small smile but his eyes betrayed him. Caitlin noticed this and grew concern,

"Is something wrong?" she asked him. She didn't realize that he was rather self conscious about his appearance right now.

Not wanting to ruin her day, he shook his head, "No, nothing's wrong, Caitlin-chan. I'm okay." He looked at all the clothes and then at Caitlin. "Let's try on some clothes, shall we?"

"Oh…Okay," Caitlin said as she picked up a few tops and skirts before going to the changing rooms. Ryuki sat down on a small bench that was facing the changing rooms. It was obvious that Caitlin would want his opinion on what she was wearing and if it looked good. There was also a pile of clothes sitting next to him. Caitlin had picked them out for him. He idly looked at them one by one. He had to admit that Caitlin had good taste.

He could feel eyes on him. People were staring. There were several reasons why. A lot of the girls had received Tricia's email, exposing his secret of being the son of one of the world's most famous (not to mention richest) fashion designers on the planet. He knew his mother was well known. She designed not only for celebrities but for the everyday person, for any occasion

Another reason was that he was one of the finalists in the martial arts tournament. He had been famous before that, gaining his own fanclub thanks to Tricia (again), but now a lot of attention has fallen on him after he'd beaten the cruel Samson. So, people would stare. It was just natural.

The last reason was more obvious; his bandages. They covered his body and even if he was wearing a long sleeved shirt, they were still apparent on his hands and head. 'Maybe I should've worn a hat and gloves,' he thought.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see one of the Greeter Gods, a blonde with a tan, smiling at him. He asked, "Hey, you're that Ryuki guy, right? The one in the tournament?"

Ryuki nodded. It was no secret. His face had been displayed on the JumboTron. "Hai," he nodded.

"Wow," the Greeter God said, amazed. "I mean you really kicked that guy's butt."

"Well, it wasn't easy. I can tell you that," Ryuki shrugged, despite the pains in his shoulders.

"Heh," the Greeter God nodded "Looks like he definitely got his licks in."

"That he did," Ryuki sighed, feeling some phantom pain. That tournament was going to leave some marks for a while.

"Oh, Leo!" Caitlin's voice came from the changing room. "How does this look?"

Caitlin came out of the changing room wearing a top that looked almost skintight and a pair of pants which accented her hips very nicely.

"You look wonderful," Ryuki smiled brightly.

"You think so?" asked Caitlin. "I thought this pair made my hips look bigger."

"Trust me, Caitlin-chan," Ryuki chuckled. "My Okaasan is a fashion designer, remember? I am able to tell what looks good on a person or not."

"I guess you're right," Caitlin giggled. "You would be an expert. I also know you would be honest with me."

Ryuki felt a pain in his heart. She thought he was honest. No, he wasn't. He was keeping a secret from her, a dangerous one. He decided to focus on Caitlin and asked, "Do you want that? I can pay for it."

"Really?" Caitlin squealed. "Oh that's so sweet of you!" However, she then stopped. She remembered that conversation she had with Tricia about rich boyfriends who could buy you anything you wanted. She didn't want to be like Tricia but she loved the outfit she was in. Ryuki actually volunteered to pay for it. She was in a dilemma.

Caitlin decided to try out a few other outfits and when she came out to show him, he would always comment how lovely she looked in them. She giggled when she saw the blush on his face. From his reaction and words she knew he had great taste and that he thought highly of her looks.

Now, it was Ryuki's turn.

"Caitlin-chan," he began. "Demo…"

"Come on, just try em on!" Caitlin said. "For me?"

Sighing, Ryuki smiled, "Hai…" He closed the door. Inside, he removed his clothing leaving him in only his underwear. He stared at his bandage clad body and frowned. The bruises and wounds would fade but this was what Caitlin would have to look at until the bandages were removed. He didn't look like the ideal boyfriend right now.

The Greeter Gods were fit and had chiseled muscles and perfect faces. Ryuki wasn't as muscular. He had more of an athletic build. He had a lean body with lean muscle. His training of the martial arts helped him train his body to the state it was in now.

He looked at the clothes Caitlin wanted him to try on. He had to admit she had great taste. It seemed that they would look good on him too. Unfortunately, his bandages would ruin the look.

He looked at his reflection and saw his primary Zodiac Beast, Dragonzer, staring at him. He sighed. "OK, don't give me that look. I can tell what you're thinking." The dragon let out a soft growl. "I know she cares, but she thinks I'm honest and well…I'm not." The dragon replied with another growl. "I can't tell her. She's safer not knowing." The dragon shook its head before vanishing from the reflection. Turning his attention back to the clothes, he decided to just try them on.

Dragonzer felt some agitation as its contractor faded from sight. It just couldn't understand why the contractor kept doing this to himself. The mother of the contractor accepted his role very easily. She even made him those colored skins that she seemed to like making so much. Of course, the others were more likely to take the contractors seriously if they looked like true warriors at all times, not just in their armor.

Dragonzer flew through the building his contractor was in at the moment. It could see all the humans in the reflections into the flesh world. Humans. Now they were an exotic treat. The feeling of soft meat and crunchy bones were exquisite. Dragonzer liked the taste of meat as much as any other denizen, but it also knew the rules of the glass world. One of the contractors had chosen it and Dragonzer had to lend him its power. Dragonzer had to admit that it was fed well. He had to share with five other denizens, but that was acceptable so long as it was fed. At least it was not with one of the dark contractors.

A flash of movement came to Dragonzer's eyes and it saw several of the horned runners crowding around one of the gates that hadn't been sealed yet. Its contractor called them Omegazelles and Negazelles. They were in the same small space as his contractor was in.

Dragonzer narrowed its eyes. Its contractor's prospective mate would not like this. Still, it had no choice. Dragonzer concentrated and sent out the call to its contractor. It also sent calls to the denizens; Hardhead, Wildcat, Razorclaw and Brainstorm. It purposely left Dragblacker out. Dragonzer did not like the dark denizen. The black dragon reminded the red dragon of the dark contractor it had been assigned to.

The Denizens were looking for a feast.

Ryuki came out of the changing room in the clothes Caitlin had chosen for him. She smiled brightly as he walked back out in the clothes and bandages. She didn't even blink as he stepped out.

"You look great, Leo!" she smiled brightly.

"Ano," Ryuki blushed. "I think the bandages hurt the look."

"Oh don't worry about it," Catlin commented. "The bandages will come off and you'll be looking good in no time."

Ryuki just smiled. He was about to turn around and change when the familiar ringing noise invaded his ears. He tried to remain calm and look like nothing was wrong. Of course, the Mirror Monsters were going to shatter that pretty quickly.

"AHHHHHHH!!" one of the Greeter Goddesses screamed.

"Kuso!" Ryuki cursed. Fate sure loved to screw with him. It had already started. Several Negazelles and Omegazelles came bursting out of the changing rooms through the mirrors and started to attack the staff and customers. The Negazelles and Omegazelles were humanoid Gazelle Mirror Monsters that were similar in appearance save for the shape of the horns and their color. The Negazelles were green and brown with curved horns while the Omegazelles were purple and blue with bull-like horns. They all had four red eyes and blades near the elbows as well as hoof-like feet.

Caitlin began to panic, "What's going on!?"

"Trouble," Ryuki answered before he dashed forward towards a Greeter Goddess who was being grabbed by one of the Negazelles. Ryuki threw a fist and smashed it into the side of the monster's face. It let go of the girl and Ryuki shouted, "Run!" He looked around to see the Omegazelles and Negazelles capturing people and starting to pull the struggling victims back into the Mirror World to be feasted on...Well, it wouldn't be so simple.

Bursting out of the Mirror World were Dragonzer the dragon, Hardhead the buffalo, Wilcat the tiger, Razorclaw the lion and Brainstorm the condor. The Zodiac Beasts contracted to Ryuki began to attack the wild Mirror Monsters, forcing them to shift their attention from their victim to the 5 animalistic monsters that started to attack them.

Ryuki couldn't transform so he allowed his Zodiac Beasts to drive the Gazelles away. Dragonzer, Wildcat and Razorclaw all used their claws and sharp teeth to slash and bite at them, Hardhead smashed into them with its hard head and finally Brainstorm blew them away with typhoon winds.

The various Gazelles were smashed against the wall, immobilizing them and making sure that any victims they had been aiming for were far from their clutches.

Dragonzer let off a roar which seemed to get its fellow contracts to rally behind it. Wildcat, Hardhead, Razorclaw, and Brainstorm each gave their own battle cry before they charged forward.

The Gazelles each managed to pry themselves out of the wall, but they were slow in doing it. It was child's play for the contracts to get them. Dragonzer let loose a large fireball which managed to catch a few of them and cause them to explode. Hardhead poured on the speed and caught a pair of Gazelles with its horns before smashing them through a wall. The fire which belched from the resulting hole told of the Gazelles' fate. Brainstorm soared past several Gazelles and sliced them up with its wings, ending their lives. Wildcat and Razorclaw crushed the last ones and slashed them up before they finally exploded.

The room was filled with floating orbs of power. Dragonzer roared loudly again before the five contracts began chowing down on the free feast.

Caitlin was clutched tightly to Ryuki as she stared unblinkingly at the five monsters which had defeated the ones that had arrived first. As the last of the orbs vanished, the red dragon roared again before it and the other four passed through some glass and vanished from sight.

'Arigatou, friends,' Ryuki thought gratefully. He then turned his attention to his trembling girlfriend.

Outside of the store was a different matter. Ron was bringing several other security guards up the Albatross & Finch to try and find out what was going on. Things were going to get dicey.

From down the walkway, Tazuka stood while digging out his cell phone. He quickly dialed up a number and waited as it began to ring.

"Hello, Ichijyo," Tazuka spoke. There was silence. "Yes I know what time it is. Why do you care? You barely sleep half the time."

More silence.

"Takada brought home another girlfriend," Tazuka nodded. "As much as I would like to make small talk, we have a situation here."

Shorter silence.

"A bunch of Gazelles," Tazuka spoke. "They didn't get to eat anyone, but a whole bunch of people saw them fighting Ryuki's contracts. A team of Erasers will be needed."

More silence.

"Your help is appreciated," Tazuka nodded. He then ended the call and put his phone away. He took another look at the wrecked store before quietly walking towards it. His little brother and possible sister-in-law were going to need some comfort.

"Are you going to be alright?" Ryuki asked Caitlin as they both walked out of the store. They hadn't been able to buy anything because of the monster attack.

"I think so," she answered. "What happened? What were those things?"

Ryuki swallowed hard. He had trouble lying. He began to sweat a little as he tried to think of a believable story. "They looked like monsters to me."

Caitlin then remembered that Ryuki had attacked one of the monsters and gasped. "Ryuki, you went to fight one of those things! That was dangerous."

"Someone was in danger," he answered. "I couldn't let it happen."

"But…you could've gotten hurt," she said, frowning. "Don't do anything like that, ever, OK?"

Ryuki couldn't promise her that. He was a Zodiac Knight and thus it was his duty to fight the monsters. He did have to give her a reply. "Hai…I promise." That brought back her smile.

"Good," Caitlin fished out her cell phone. "I gotta tell the others about this." As she was dialing, Ryuki's thoughts were focused on the attack. There was no doubt that the Erasers would be called. The Erasers were Smart Brain's elite task force whose sole mission was to make sure the Mirror World's existence was kept a secret. They were the cleanup crew and their job was to make it as if nothing had happened. No one, by tomorrow, would remember the attack at all. It would all be like a dream. Caitlin would also have her memories erased, as would the others.

The excuse Ichijyo used was that if the Mirror World was found out, it would cause chaos. People would panic and it would lead to pandemonium. People would be smashing windows and mirrors to make sure no monsters would appear. They would be paranoid and any reflective surface would be considered a threat. Almost everything cast a reflection so it would be a losing battle. It seemed like an extreme theory but Ryuki didn't want to see it proven. It was better safe than sorry.

Caitlin had finished her call and then smiled towards Ryuki. The Dragon Knight suddenly lost his train of thought at that sparkling smile. He loved looking at it. Acting on impulse, he leaned forward and kissed her. Either it was by his own motivation or influence from Yaminekoryu, it didn't matter since Caitlin was enjoying it. She started kissing back. They broke apart after a few seconds. Caitlin seemed a bit flushed as she took in much needed air. The kiss was also affecting Ryuki as he too had flushed cheeks.

Then they kissed again.

Her arms were slung around his neck as he held onto her hips. Her lips were so soft and she felt good in his hold. She just wanted to stay in this position forever. They stopped kissing again after a few seconds as Caitlin gasped.

'Wow!' Caitlin let out mentally. 'He's one great kisser! Maybe he's the one!'

'Yatta, aibou! Yatta!' Yaminekoryu cheered within Ryuki's mind for his actions. 'That's what I'm talking about! Now, slip her some tongue!'

Ryuki ignored Yaminekoryu's suggestion, despite how tempting it was before he placed the palm of his hand on her cheek, caressing her face. She leaned against his warm palm and smiled wistfully.

"What was that for?" Caitlin asked, referring to the kiss.

"For being alright," Ryuki smiled, "I'm glad those creatures didn't hurt you."

Caitlin felt her heart soar. He was so concerned about her. She just felt she could just faint and he would catch her before she fell. Taking her hand in his, he said, "C'mon, we have a date, right?"

"Right!" Caitlin nodded. Forget work, forget the Lemon and forget those monsters! She was going to spend the day with her boyfriend.

Their next stop was Bikini Republic, which of course caused Ryuki to freeze at the entrance. She had to drag him inside before making him sit in front of the changing rooms. She winked at him, making sure he stayed before looking for a few bikinis to try. Ryuki's mind was wandering when his eyes caught sight of the bathing suits on the mannequins. They barely covered anything at all and left a lot exposed, leaving little to the imagination.

'Oh, she's gonna show you her body!' Yaminekoryu teased. 'Lucky you!' Ryuki had to punch himself in the head to shut the demon up but that only caused him to hurt his own head.

Caitlin returned with the bikinis but hid them behind her back as she retreated into the changing room.

Ryuki felt the bench he was sitting on shift. He looked to his right and saw a familiar face sitting next to him. "Raiden-san?"

"Oh, hey Ryuki," said Raiden. "What are you doing here?"

"Catlin-chan brought me here," answered Ryuki, blushing. "What about you?"

"Renka dragged me in her. I care about her and everything, but man is she pushy."

A voice yelled from the changing room in front of Raiden. "I heard that! Just for that remark you're paying for these!"

Raiden let out a deep sigh. "I was going to pay for them anyways." Raiden's eyes darted to the side. "Ma-shihyou!" yelled Raiden. The small man jumped away from one of the changing rooms.

"Rai… Rai-chan…" said Raiden's teacher, Kensei, nervously

"What are you doing with that camera?" demanded Raiden, pointing to the object in question.

"No… Nothing," he stuttered.

Raiden pulled out a cell-phone. "Miu-san, Ma-shihyou is doing what he normally does…" Short silence. "Right… bye." He looked at his teacher. "You have five seconds to run before Shigure-san shows up." On cue, a shuriken passed Raiden's head and barely missed Kensei's. "Huh, she got here faster then normal." Kensei paled and ran out of the store as fast as he could in order to avoid Shigure's wrath.

Raiden then heard a sly voice. "Raiden-kun, can you help me with something…?"

Raiden stood up and in front of Renka's changing room. "Hai, Ren…" he was cut off when the door suddenly swung open and a hand exploded from the changing room and dragged Raiden in before the door slammed shut and was locked. Ryuki could only guess what they were doing in there.

Ryuki could hear Caitlin from inside the changing room, "Get ready for a surprise." She then walked out.

He was surprised all right.

The first bikini was black with violet flowers decorating the top and bottom. Ryuki blushed red as the bikini contrasted well with her skin. It didn't help that she was posing in such a provocative way. His spit caught in his throat before she retreated back inside. He was utterly speechless and was heating up. She next tried on a pink bikini, then a red one, a white one and then finally something in both red and pink.

Ryuki could only watch her with his mouth gaping, eyes wide, and face flushed red. The images in his mind were starting to make it hard for him to sit comfortably.

When she finally got out of the changing room, fully clothed, she sat down and asked him, "So, which one did you like the best?" She was teasing him. She knew he was a little innocent but wanted to play around a little.

"Well…to be honest," he pulled at his collar. He looked at her and her clothed melted away only to be replaced by the red bikini. His favorite color was red and it did look good on her. The white one didn't look too bad either and the black one was, well, hot. "The black, white and red ones," he answered sincerely, wiping the sweat off his brow.

"Oh, I'll take them then!" Caitlin squealed as she got up to get them to the register. Ryuki followed after her and reached into his wallet, pulling out his Smart Brain credit card.

"I'll pay for them," Ryuki said.

"But, Leo…" Caitlin frowned, remembering what Tricia had told him about having a rich boyfriend being a plus since he could buy you anything.

Ryuki shook his head, "No, it's okay." Ryuki then heard shuffling and saw Renka and Raiden coming out of the changing room. Raiden's face was covered in lipstick marks and Renka had a sly smirk on her face while Raiden had a dazed look on his.

"Right," said Raiden. "Let's go pay for those swimsuits." Renka giggled at this.

Ryuki chuckled nervously as he and Catlin walked to the cashier. He handed the cashier his card. The girl gawked at him. He knew what was coming.

"OH MY GOD!!!" the cashier, a redhead in glasses squealed, "It's you! You're the kid at the tournament!!!"

'At least she doesn't know you as your mother's son,' Yaminekoryu said, snickering.

"Hai, that's me," Ryuki said, smiling.

"Can I please have an autograph?" the girl requested, giving him an autograph book and pen. He took them and signed his name in Japanese, complete with a small picture of a dragon, before returning them to her. "Oh, thank you!" She then took his card and ran it through the machine and then putting the bikinis in the bag. "Thanks, and come again."

Ryuki carried the bag for Caitlin as she hugged his arm. She was feeling a little lightheaded. Of course Ryuki was going to be like a celebrity in the mall. His mom was famous and rich, making him famous and rich too, and the fact that he was one of the two finalists in the tournament was also an attention grabber.

She just hoped he wouldn't get mobbed by girls like before. It hurt her to see him so frightened like that. He didn't deserve to be treated like a piece of property.

When they past by a music store, Ryuki could hear a familiar tune being played on one of the pianos. He knew it well. He'd heard it several times before and it had a calming effect on people. Caitlin was feeling it too.

"Wow, that sounds beautiful," Caitlin sighed.

"Let's go in and see who's playing," Ryuki suggested before they went inside. The music store, known as 'High Notes', sold classical musical instruments like the cello, violin and clarinet to the modern electric guitar and electric keyboard. In the middle of the room was a large black piano with some girls and guys standing around it. Ryuki and Caitlin moved in closer to see who the pianist was.

"Tazuka?" Caitlin gaped as she saw Ryuki's 'cousin' playing like an expert. Ryuki smiled as he watched his best friend and brother-in-arms play the piano. His hands flew over the keys smoothly as he lightly tapped on them to carry the tune gracefully. The music was magical, with a lasting effect on the people who listened to it. The audience, male and female alike, was captivated and Ryuki could understand why.

Tazuka noticed that Ryuki and Caitlin were present and gave them a glance as he continued to play. He then finished, which then resulted in a loud collection of applause from the audience he'd collected.

"Wow, that was amazing!" Caitlin said, clapping.

"Thank you, Caitlin," Tazuka nodded before his eyes fell on his 'cousin'. "I heard you lost your job, Ryuki-kun?" Ryuki placed a hand behind his head in embarrassment.

"Well, niisan, I did kinda deserve it after that stunt I pulled," Ryuki said with a small chuckle.

"Well, there are other jobs out there," Tazuka said. "Just keep looking. You'll find the right one for you."

"Hai!"

After waving goodbye, Caitlin and Ryuki left the music store. Tazuka then went back to the piano and played a different piece this time.

"Your cousin is so talented," Caitlin complimented as she and Ryuki walked.

"It runs in the family, I guess," Ryuki shrugged.

All of a sudden, a man snatched away Caitlin's purse. "HEY!" she shouted. Ryuki dropped the shopping bag he held and dashed towards the purse-snatcher. He then grabbed the guy. Ryuki threw his fist straight into his face, putting him down immediately. He bent down and picked up Caitlin's purse before walking back towards his girlfriend, leaving the crook to mall security.

"Here you go," Ryuki said, holding up the purse. In an instant, she had him in a tight hug.

"I have the best boyfriend ever!" Caitlin squealed for all the mall to hear. Ryuki blushed as she let go and took back the purse. "I can't believe I'm dating you!"

"Why is that?" he asked, curiously.

"You're so sweet, kind, gentle and brave. You're willing to put yourself in danger to help people and got my purse back. You're also so honest!" Caitlin listed. Ryuki flinched at the last statement. He wasn't being honest with her. He couldn't. His life was full of danger and all of it was due to the object he had kept in his pocket, which held a deck of mystical cards.

"I'm glad I'm dating you too, Caitlin-chan," he smiled softly. Caitlin giggled bashfully.

Clapping began to echo around them as several people who had witnessed the feat of justice began showing their appreciation. A number of the girls were giving off some envious and/or lustful looks. Well, the envious looks went to Caitlin while the lustful ones were aimed at Ryuki.

Caitlin blushed, realizing that she had just made her announcement to half the mall. Still, she kept the silly smile on her face as she leaned into Ryuki's chest, reveling in the warmth that she felt coming off him. The boy himself just continued to hold her even though his face was still red.

Lately, Caitlin had been getting a few 'unpleasant' e-mails. They ranged from saying how Caitlin wasn't the perfect girlfriend for Ryuki to girls sending what could be considered resumes of how and why they were a better choice. They even sent photos. Caitlin knew the reason they sent them to her was because they didn't know Ryuki's e-mail…without a lack of trying. They were just jealous since Caitlin was dating one of the most popular boys in the mall.

Ryuki didn't really care about popularity. In his experience it was a lot more trouble than it was worth. Back home, he would be harassed by girls who knew about him because of his money or his mother's fame. Takada welcome the attention while people pretty much avoided getting too close to Ichijyo. However, much to Ichijyo's annoyance and Takada's amusement, the Gothic CEO was still getting love notes in his locker

They then arrived at a pet store called 'Cool Critters' which they entered because Caitlin was attracted by the cute little kittens and puppies staring at them through the windows. The store also sold hamsters, rabbits, mice, guinea pigs, parrots as well as exotic pets like pythons, iguanas, tarantulas and scorpions.

"Kawaii," Ryuki cooed as he picked up one of the kittens and cuddled it. It purred as it was held within the boy's gentle hands.

Yaminekoryu, however, was looking at the birds, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice and fish hungrily, 'Yummy…'

"Oh, what a cutie," Caitlin giggled as she tickled the kitten's nose.

"I wouldn't mind working here," Ryuki stated as he put down the kitten before picking up a small puppy. "To be surrounded by these kawaii little animals."

"Did I hear you right?" asked a guy with glasses. He was a little pudgy and had an afro as well as a green vest.

"Yes?" Ryuki asked the man who was smiling brightly.

"We have a job vacancy right now," the man said. "You can call me Mel." He squinted his eyes at Ryuki. "You look familiar. Do I know you?"

Ryuki responded, "Well, I did participate at the martial arts tournament."

"Oh, yeah! Ryuki Hasuma, right?" Mel said. "Anyway, you want to schedule an interview for maybe tomorrow?" He held out an application form to Ryuki. "Come at anytime, just call first, okay?"

"Arigato!" Ryuki bowed as he folded up the form and put it in his pocket.

Mel took notice of the bandages, "Will you be okay? I mean, you have a lot of bandages on you."

"They'll come off, eventually," Ryuki said. He healed fast and may not need them tomorrow.

"Well, take care of yourself and call me if you need anything," Mel said cheerfully before leaving to take care of a customer.

"Wow, Leo!" Caitlin smiled. "You might get another job."

"I guess I'm just that lucky," Ryuki shrugged. Caitlin's phone began to ring, playing the popular pop tune by Britney Spears.

"Hello?" Caitlin said after picking it up. "Oh, hey, Jen! Right now? Sure." She hung up. "The guys wanna get together at the Lemon." Caitlin seemed a little upset that her day with Ryuki had to be interrupted.

"Then, let's go," Ryuki said and then asked, "How about I treat you to a dinner and a movie? We'll watch anything you want."

Caitlin smiled as they walked to where their friends were.

"Hey, guys," Caitlin waved. "What's up?"

Wyatt pointed at Jude, "Jude has been going on and on about what happened at Albatross and Finch."

"Dude, I'm telling you that it's aliens from another dimension!" Jude said, frantically. "We're, like, so doomed!"

"And I'm telling you it might be a publicity stunt," Wyatt rolled his eyes. "Monsters don't exist, Jude."

Jonesy rubbed the back of his head, not able to meet Ryuki's eyes until Nikki elbowed him. He stood up, looking down on the ground, "Dude, Leo, I'm sorry you lost your job by covering for me."

"Hey, it's alright," Ryuki said. Jonesy protested.

"No, it wasn't fair! I mean, you actually liked working there. I just did it so I could score with Skyla!" Jonesy paused, "Well, what I mean is, thanks for covering for me, but I quit."

"You quit?" Ryuki asked. "Why?"

"I felt sorta guilty for you covering for me," Jonesy said. He sat down.

"Feel better?" Nikki asked, chuckling.

Jonesy sighed, "Well, it's good that I finally got that off my chest!"

"So, Caitlin," Jen asked, interested, "You were there, right? At Albatross and Finch? What happened? Were there really monsters?"

Caitlin sat down with Ryuki, the latter looking uncomfortable about the subject. Caitlin said, "It was like totally freaky and weird. These things just jumped out of the mirrors and started to attack people. Then, a dragon, a bull, a bird, a lion, and a tiger jumped out and attacked them. Those things exploded and there was like a lot of glowing balls floating in the air. Then, the dragon and those other animals ate the balls and disappeared." She turned to Ryuki. "Leo, you were there. You saw it too, right?"

Ryuki nodded, trying to look surprised even though he wasn't. "Hai, I did. Those monsters were jumping around attacking people."

"Leo here saved one of the Greeter Goddesses," Caitlin informed.

"Really?" Jonesy asked. "Was she hot? Did you get her number?"

"So, monsters, huh?" Wyatt said as he took a sip. "Sure it wasn't just some kind of fancy publicity stunt?"

"I was there, and I know what I saw," Caitlin said, arms crossed.

Ryuki frowned. By tomorrow, his friends would have no recollection of this conversation. The Erasers were probably already at standby as they spoke. He regretted what was about to happen, but it was Smart Brain's policy to keep the secret of the Mirror World just that, a secret.

"Oh, I got a new job offer," Ryuki said, attempting to change the subject, "At the pet store."

"Woah," Wyatt smiled. "You sure bounce back."

"The pet store?" asked Jen. She started getting excited. "You mean the one with all those adorable puppies and kittens you can actually cuddle with?"

"That's the one!" Caitlin giggled. "They were sooo adorable!"

"Wow, dude," Jonesy laughed. "You're even quicker than me at getting a new job."

"Ah heh," Ryuki blushed slightly at the praise.

Darth was busy getting the inventory all sorted out. The day was going nuts and everyone was talking about a bunch of monsters that had appeared at Albatross and Finch. He didn't really figure out what the big deal was, but he secretly thought it was cool that something bad happened to the Greeter Gods and Goddesses for a change. They were too stuck up in his opinion.

"Excuse me," someone spoke up from the doorway to the store.

"Huh?" Darth blinked as he looked up. In the doorway was a man dressed up in black with an emblem of some kind over the chest.

"I'd like to have a word with you about the monster attack today," the man explained.

"Sure," Darth nodded as he walked towards the man. What was the worst that could happen in a mall filled with people?

End Part 10

A/N: Thanks you Ten Faced Paladin!