**I loved writing that last chapter, I laughed a lot while doing it. I hope you're all enjoying what I've gotten down so far, because it's nice to see people are reading it.

I hope most of you can guess what the next chapter's about...

Enjoy Chapter 28! :)**

Chapter 28: Running an Errand

Kuhn and Linn were headed to the train stop. They had to go all the way out to dirge-town and pick up a pile of alchemy ingredients. Not only would it be a half a day's trip by train, The place was called 'dirge-town'. Now that didn't sound overly welcoming in the least bit.

Zeniba had told them that dirge-town was not all that it seemed. She said that as long as they didn't go nosing about, things would go smoothly, and they'd be back by tomorrow.

As they took their seats, Kuhn couldn't help but be a little nervous.

"Why would they call it dirge-town?" Linn commented. "It's not like we're in the spirit world or anything, no need to exaggerate it."

"Dirge..." said a voice.

They looked in front of them, and saw a young girl sitting there. She had extremely long, dark red hair, marble like skin, and light violet eyes. She wore a black dress, and looked about the age of twelve.

She had such striking features, they couldn't believe they didn't notice her before.

She spoke again, her eyes piercing.

"Dirge. A lament for the dead, especially one forming part of a funeral right. A slow song that expresses sadness or sorrow... Why are you going to dirge-town?"

If they weren't nervous before, they were freaked out now.

"We're running an errand." Said Kuhn calmly, trying not to show his worry.

"I see..." She said, a hint of solemnity in her voice.

"I would be weary if I were you. If you wander carelessly, you'll find yourself wandering into the next life. So sent you, so sent are we all..."

Linn was trembling slightly, but hid this fact.

"The next life? Look, I don't know if you realize where we are? But we're sitting on a train full of spirits! This is the afterlife."

The girl's expression darkened.

"No, I'm afraid it's you who is blind. You wander aimlessly, unaware of your surroundings and world you reside in. Ask your friend, he knows the truth of this cage, for he has seen the bars..."

Linn turned to face him, his face was pale.

"What's she talking about Kuhn, what do you know?"

His expression became cool and calm.

"She's right. This isn't the spirit world, well, not exactly..."

She looked at him curiously.

"Not exactly... are you sure?"

He nodded slowly. "Yes. It's a conclusion I came to on my own when I started thinking about the things we've experienced. I realized that we're in an in between world, where a spirit's shape gains a solid form."

"Hold on." She said. "If we have these human forms, then why are none of us dying from old age? Explain that."

He sighed. "Linn, you're asking all the wrong questions. Haven't you ever wondered why we die at all? Why we're able to sustain physical injuries that spirits shouldn't have to deal with?"

Linn stopped. She knew this was true, and her brother suddenly came to mind.

"We are spirits, but not completely. We're all stuck in an eternal state of purgatory, until something kills us."

Linn breathed in and out slowly. This was a lot to take in, and she was pretty sure where he had gotten his conclusion.

"So, we're not dead, and this place could kill us if we're not careful. Somehow we're living in purgatory, and that's why none of us can leave."

She sighed. "Well, you got me. I guess that's too crazy to be a lie."

The girl spoke again, they had almost forgotten she was there.

"You are correct. Now you know where you are, and that your indeed, living souls are in peril."

Her face became darker, her eyes shaded.

"The two of you cannot afford to perish here. It would disrupt the cycle, and Purgatory would fall. That is all I can say... I warn you, steer clear of the man in grey. A mirthful cloak, hides a cunning face..."

The girl dissapeared, and the couple awoke in their seats.

"We were sleeping?" Linn asked.

"Yeah..." Said Kuhn. He tried to take in slow breaths, attempting to ground himself.

"You were dreaming with me, weren't you?"

Linn nodded. "I'm kind of scared Kuhn, would Zeniba purposely send us somewhere this dangerous?"

Kuhn shook his head. "I don't think that's it. She probably hasn't been there in a while, and places change over time."

Linn stared out of the window. She gave a wistful sigh.

"You know, there was a time when I dreamed of boarding this train... I wanted to ride it far away from the bathhouse."

She looked away, and down at the floor.

"I just never imagined this might be the last time I get to ride it..."

Kuhn pulled her into him.

"Don't worry, as long as we make this fast, we'll be fine."

He wasn't completely sure of that, but he didn't like seeing Linn this stressed. They were silent for the rest of the ride, falling into a restless sleep.

...

They were woken up at around 5:30 am. Since they had left at about 5:00 pm the day before, the train seemed to have arrived in a reasonable amount of time.

They left the train and stood at the stop.

"Remember who that girl said to watch out for." Said Kuhn.

Linn nodded. "I know, a man in grey right?"

He gave a sharp nod. "Right."

They walked toward the town, and started to hear cheering. Kuhn raised an eyebrow.

"Are we going in the right direction?" He asked.

Linn shrugged "Well, the sign said 'dirge-town in one half a Kilometre, walk straight.' So I guess that's where we're headed."

Kuhn fidgeted nervously as he walked.

Why am I starting to get a worse feeling about all of this? Not that it was a good feeling before we exited the train... but still, this is starting to give me the creeps.

They came up on the town's entrance. There was a bright and colorful sign, displaying the town's name. This, was dirge-town?

The people seemed to be in a state of celebration, dancing around the roads and walkways. Everyone was dressed in colors so bright, it was almost blinding.

Linn gaped in horror at the scene before her.

There's just no way... They must of mixed up dirge-town with 'mirth-town' on the sign.

...Wait. A mirthful cloak, hides a cunning face...

"I think we're in the right place. Keep your eyes out for a guy in grey, he's probably hiding somewhere in this town."

He nodded. "Right, let's just get what we need and leave. No need to look conspicuous."

A man in a caped suit, probably holding all colors of the rainbow, walked up to Kuhn and shook his hand. He was laughing, and seemed almost giddy.

"Welcome! Welcome to dirge-town! You two haven't been here before, so here's some spending money! Take it!"

Words flashed through Linn's mind, something that Zeniba had said.

"Remember, don't take anything they give you. Nothing in dirge-town is free..."

Linn spoke up before Kuhn could except the money.

"Haha! No thanks, but that was very nice of you! ...Come on Kuhn let's go."

She dragged him off.

Kuhn had just remembered Zeniba's advice, he nearly melted where he stood.

"Oh yeah... thanks Linn, I owe you one."

She sighed. "Let's just make this fast, and get the hell out of here."

They walked at a quick pace, looking for a place that might sell alchemy ingredients. The buildings were all so colorful they couldn't tell them apart.

Kuhn groaned in utter annoyance.

"I can't pick out one damn business from the other, this place is too mixed up."

"Well, then I guess we start searching inside of buildings." Linn offered.

"I mean, I doubt anyone will kill us for checking."

They walked inside of the first building, and there seemed to be quite the party going on. Everyone was dancing and singing. A man walked up to Kuhn again, shaking his hand.

"Welcome! Welcome to dirge-town! You two haven't been here before, so here's some spending money! Take it!"

Kuhn froze for a moment. This looked like the guy from before, but he wasn't wearing a cape and his suit was different.

"We're alright, but thank you very much."

He took Linn, and they quickly walked out of there.

"I'm officially freaking out now!" He said, losing his composure.

A different man walked up to him. "Hey friend! You look really stressed, have a drink! It's on me!"

"He's fine!" Linn laughed. "Why don't you buy a drink? You must be tired from all of that-"

He walked up to Linn. "Hey friend! You look really stressed, have a drink! It's on me!"

"I don't drink." Linn said calmly. She took Kuhn and they picked up the pace.

"Try not to worry, because it looks like they can tell when you do."

They tried the next building, and came to realize something that frightened them both.

This building they were in... it looked just like the last one. The same man was about to walk up to Kuhn. They both left the building. The reason they couldn't tell the business apart, was because none of them were different.

Every single building they searched was the same.

You could tell he was trying, but Kuhn was scared out of his mind.

He tried to breath in... and out... in... and out. He just needed to relax, everyone else was...

He took a moment to look at the bulk of the crowd. He stopped.

There was a woman dancing, her heel was bent in an awkward way, yet she was jumping and frolicking about. The woman turned around to look at him, still dancing, her face was in agony. She laughed as tears streamed from her eyes.

"R-Run! RUN!"

The gift vendors laughed and skipped over to the woman. Then they grabbed her arms and legs, tearing her body into pieces.

They both ran. "If we don't get out of here soon, we're next!" Kuhn was running extremely fast, keeping Linn close by.

"I know!" She gasped. "Let's just shop at a different town, cause this one's gone to hell!"

They ran further into the town, then something caught the corner of Kuhn's eye. It was a small black building, with a sign that read, 'Apothecary'.

Linn noticed it too, and they ran into the building.

The vendors had stopped chasing them, and they both sank to the floor.

"Thank god, we're not dead!" Linn exclaimed.

Kuhn let out a rasped and tired breath.

"When I get my hands on that old woman, I'm going to turn her into a leather coat."

"Tell me about it..." Linn grumbled.

"Welcome to my apothecary, I hope the natives didn't give you too much trouble."

Linn looked up, and realized that their troubles were far from over. The man who stood at the counter was dressed completely in grey.

"I think we're just going to go home sir, this town hasn't been the best experience."

...Sir? Linn called the man Sir!?

Kuhn took one look at him, and caught on to what Linn was doing.

"Yeah, we'd better be off!"

Kuhn went to turn the handle, but the door was gone.

The man's eyes were wide, and his smile disturbed.

"I can't just let you leave... You see, I haven't had visitors in so long..."

His face seemed to melt as he continued to speak.

"I would love it if you'd stay for dinner..."

The man's face melted, and revealed the girl on the train. Her gown was now white, and her face was sunken.

The woman's mouth dropped to the counter, then she crawled over it and lunged at Linn.

Kuhn launched the girl into the brick wall in front of him.

She let out a horrifying screech.

"No, my meal is her! I WILL NOT HAVE YOU!"

So, this girl was specifically after Linn. Kuhn wouldn't be having any of that.

He stepped in front of Linn.

"I know that you've been training to fight, but let me handle this one. She's after you, and I don't know why yet, but stay behind me."

Linn sighed. "Fine, just be careful."

The now distorted woman croaked and groaned, her head twitching sharply to the right.

"You would refuse a lady her meal!? YOU HORRIBLE SWINE!"

She jumped at Linn again, and Kuhn socked her in the face. He smirked.

"Do you know why I did that? Because you're NOT a lady!"

She growled at him, attempting to pin him to the wall. He grabbed her arms.

"Okay, what do you want with Linn? And if you were so intent on killing her, why warn us first?"

She laughed. "I see you've met my sister! ...But no matter. Step aside boy, it's time for the girls to play!"

She flipped out a tail resembling a scorpion's, and sunk it into Kuhn's shoulder. He felt his body go numb as the poison spread.

He collapsed to the floor, releasing the monstrous woman.

He saw Linn grab her tail, and snap the top of it off. She looked more angry than Kuhn had ever seen her. He felt some inner joy at this.

Well, good luck, and it's not Linn I'm worried about. Looking at the hag woman now, I almost feel sorry for her. She'll soon find she pissed off the wrong playmate.

The woman let out an agonizing screech, feeling the hard shell of her tail snap in two.

"Since you're new to womanhood, let me give some friendly advice..."

Linn grabbed the base of her tail, continuously slamming the woman's face into the stone floor.

"Keep your filthy, stupid, worthless, grubby hands off of MY MAN!"

She began to stab the woman with her own severed tail. She tried to crawl away, begging for mercy. Linn stomped her teeth into the ground..

"You wanted to eat!? Well now you're eating THE GROUND! Your meal just bit back YOU COCKY BITCH!"

Damn... Well, number one on my list of things to never try. Linn's patience.

The door had reappeared, and Linn was still kicking the crap out of spider hag.

A certain redhead walked in. The nice one, and the one who wasn't painting the floor.

"Wow, I... I think she's most certainly dead now."

Linn stopped, and stared at the bloody pulp that used to be female... maybe.

"So she is..."

She laughed nervously. "I guess I got a little carried away... hehe..."

If Kuhn had movement in his arms, they would be sending his palm straight for his face.

A 'little' carried away!? You might as well have thrown her into a meat grinder! Good god what a mess!

"Well, I must say I'm thoroughly impressed... hmm well... You should probably check on your friend."

Thank you, at least someone thought of it!

Linn ran over to Kuhn. "Oh no, what's wrong with him?"

The girl with the red hair and violet eyes had knelt down next to him. She pulled out a needle and syringe.

"Here, this will help."

She shoved the needle into his wounded shoulder, then he sat up.

"OOOWWWW!? Thanks for saving me and all, but that hurt like hell!"

The girl spoke. "Pain. A feeling caused by injury, illness, or something that hurts the body... I'm sorry, it was the only antidote that could cure it. You may not want to move for a while."

He sighed. "So I'm going to be carried again?"

Linn smiled. "Yep, here I come to save the day. Again."

He gave a defeated look. "You're never going to let me forget this, are you?"

She laughed as she lifted him up.

"No way, it'll be burned into my memory until I grow old!"

"You won't grow old." He said flatly.

She paused, and looked at the shelves. She then dropped Kuhn, and ran toward them.

"So this actually was an apothecary!? Damn, we hit the jackpot! And with the store owner dead, we don't even have to pay! Kuhn, our errand can be done and out of the way, isn't it great!?"

"Yeah... great." He said painfully. "Not that you just dropped me or anything."

Linn ran back to him, and picked him up.

"I am so sorry..."

She looked at the redheaded girl.

"Can you collect all of those ingredients? I know I... No, you've probably got-"

"No it's fine." The girl said. "I suppose I have nowhere else to be..."

She began collecting ingredients, organizing them into specific bags. She even went as far as to color code and label them, going down to the smallest detail of plant family and species. This girl was almost obsessively perfect in everything she did.

She carried a huge amount of ingredients and bags, making sure none fell out of place.

"Are all of us ready?" She asked. Kuhn and Linn both nodded, kind of in awe at this girl's obsessive compulsive genius.

They made it to the train stop at exactly 11:47 am, and boarded the train at 12:04 pm. They were finally headed home, and Zeniba had better not ask them why they were late.

**Well, not the longest chapter, but it got pretty close.**