"Avy and I are going to stay avec ma famille, we have a couple extra rooms as well, since there are only three here in the suite, if anyone would like to join us instead of sleeping on the couch." Melody said as they arrived back, stretching.

"And what's the catch?" Artemis asked. "You left us in the dark about the beach, Melody."

Melody's quiet giggle trilled through the air. "There is no catch. You are simply welcome to take advantage of my family's hospitality. It would be nice to not sleep on the couch, n'est-ce pas?" Kiru's quiet chuckle brought a blush to Sylvia's cheeks.

Zane stood up. "We'll go. We'll all be meeting back here in the morning anyway, and the bed does sound better than the couch." Chloe just shrugged and nodded.

"Artemis and I will go too." Trevor said, stretching. "We already spent the night there waiting on you all to get here anyway."

"Alright, if that is settled, then we will return in the morning with the other car!" Melody said cheerfully, linking her arm through Avalon's. The English born weapon just smiled, letting her lean against him as they walked out, the ones that would be crashing with them following along.

Elsa stretched. "Alright then, who's sleeping where?" James asked.

Elsa looked over at Nicole and broke into a dead run down the hallway, Nicole just a step behind her as they both darted, looking for the master bedroom as the others watched laughing. Elsa's crow of triumph was easily heard as she flung open the door at the end of hall, Nicole shaking her head as she opened the other door.

"This one isn't that bad!" The weapon's voice drifted through the open door, and Elsa stuck her head into the room, having already claimed the master room for her and James. "It even has two beds in it." Elsa laughed as the rest came up the hallway, looking into the room as Nicole jumped onto the bed closest to the windows.

"This one is mine," she said offhandedly. "It's the fluffier of the two." She rolled over onto her back, hanging her head over the edge to look at the other teens standing in the doorway, Ren and Val having already wandered over to the room that was left.

Sylvia blushed suddenly as Kiru said, "Then we'll take this one."

Nicole burst out laughing as she saw the look on Sylvia's face. "Oh come on Sylvia-chan, you can't be that nervous, I mean you did literally sleep on him last night on the couch. I mean, you had to have-" Kiru's hand slipped over the weapon's mouth.

"Would you rather sleep Nicole, Sylvia?" He asked with a smirk.

The young dragon's cheeks flamed bright red. "I just, I didn't-"

Nicole's laughter filled the room as she slipped away from Kiru's hand. "You didn't seem to have any problems sleeping with him on the couch! And what do you two do when you poof off anyway, I mean, that's even worse, isn't it?"

Kiru grabbed for the pillow on Nicole's bed, and the teen slipped off the bed laughing. Her laughter was infectious and after a moment of Kiru trying to get to Nicole to suffocate her and Nicole avoiding the meister Sylvia felt herself laugh.

"I think I'll be alright to share a bed with Kiru-kun," she said as Nicole smirked.


"Mama! Nous avons arriver!" Melody shouted as they walked up the stairs. "Mes amis et moi desirons dormir au ton maison!"

"Ah, Melody!" A red haired woman stepped out of the home. "C'est bon."

The other two weapon-meister teams stood awkwardly as Melody and her mother chatted in French. Avalon cleared his throat suddenly and Melody looked up and blushed.

"I'm sorry, very rude. Mama, you met these others yesterday, we want to sleep in beds tonight. That's fine, yes?"

The woman smiled kindly and nodded. "You will have to pardon me. My English is not that good; but I believe Melody said you wish to sleep here."

The group nodded and the woman turned, motioning towards the large home behind her. "Then, I welcome you."


The next morning found the two groups reunited, the boys grumbling as they realized what the women had planned.

"Seriously, shopping?"

Elsa just grinned. "When else are you going to get to do shopping in France? Think of the things that you can get for the people who didn't get to come here. Besides, we're girls. We get to go shopping."

Eyes rolled, but the men all loaded into the cars, following along to go shopping.

The first stop, after breakfast, was at a store that sold small knickknacks. All of the teens wandered through it, several of them picking up small baubles to give to those back in the states as souvenirs. Elsa left without anything though, shaking her head at the selection.

"Elsa, you're not going to find anything for your father in any of these stores." James said as they sat outside the store, waiting on the others to file out.

"I know that, James. I can't go back empty handed though. Mother is fine to get something for, but dad, he just isn't a beach ball that says France or a t-shirt that says "They went to France and all I got was this crappy shirt." I just don't know what to get him." Elsa sighed.

It suddenly clicked. "He helped you come, didn't he? That's why you're being so picky."

"He helped pull the strings to get this covered by the expense account, that's why we have to gather a soul or two before we come back. The other groups don't have to, but we need to. That way it can all be written off."

James laughed, draping his arm around Elsa's shoulders. "Don't worry, we'll get some souls and find your dad something worth giving him." Elsa smiled up at him and James was suddenly hit with the urge to kiss her. He lowered his head and did so, but the sound of breaking glass caused him to pull back suddenly, looking over his shoulder.

Ren was hurriedly cleaning up the mess she had made when she dropped the snow globe she was holding; Val stood beside her, a white bag held in his hands as he watched Elsa and James impassively.

"Let me help you, Ren." James said, standing from the street corner and moving over to her. He gingerly picked up shards of glass as the shopkeeper came out with a broom and dustpan.

"Mademoiselle, my apologies for your item, the bag must not have been secure, we will replace it." He said kindly.

"No… don't worry about it." Ren said quietly, moving away from him and sitting down in the car and waiting on Val to join her.

Looking at the rest of the group James just shrugged, walking over to the other car, climbing in. In short order the three cars were loaded with the teens and they were moving on to the next stop on the list.

"James!" Elsa's voice shrieked out as she pointed at a store they were getting ready to pass. "There, I need to go there!"

James obediently slowed the car down and Elsa was out of it as soon as it stopped, darting through traffic to enter the store, her door carelessly left open. James looked at her strangely as the other cars pulled in behind him, the other teens loitering around them as they got out. James pushed her door shut and just shrugged at the looks they gave him.

"It's Elsa, who knows what caught her attention?" The group laughed at that, and James carefully picked his way across the street.

Elsa stood in the middle of the store, spinning in a small circle and the group all crowded in close to the door. The store was… macabre. There wasn't another word for it.

On one wall there were preserved organs and old medical devices. Another wall held three full skeletons and individual bones were proudly displayed. There were marionettes and old items propped against shelving scattered throughout the store. Various unique items dotted through it all, including baby coffins and other items.

The look on Elsa's face was one of pure joy as she picked up item after item, the shop keeper following her around as if afraid that she would break something.

"Mademoiselle, I am sorry, but I do not allow unaccompanied children into the store," he said finally, turning to look at the group of teenagers. "I must ask you to leave."

Elsa turned to look at him then, a smirk crossing her features. "Oh, but you see, I'm not unaccompanied. In fact, Sylvia and I are the only ones here who aren't adults."

The man hesitated. "My… apologies," he finally said. Elsa smiled, wandering around a bit before her eyes alit on a leather bound case. She sat down, carefully moving it into her lap and opening. James felt the rush of madness before he saw its effect, and moved to her. She tilted her head to look at him, a small rush of giggles flowing from her before they were quickly tamped down.

"That's what I'm buying daddy." Elsa said sweetly. James swiftly took the case from her and opened it, shuddering slightly at the contents.

"Alright, Elsa. Let's get it and we can mail it to him right away, alright?" Elsa nodded as she took his hand and stood, taking the case back from it.

"I'll be purchasing this," she said as she sat the case on the counter.

"This isn't something a young lady should be buying…" the shop keep muttered even as he rung the item up.

"Her father will love it." James said and the shop keep just nodded, stowing the item in a bag. Elsa paid the asking price with her credit card.

As they left the clerk muttered, "Her father must be a collector or insane…"

James just smirked, though the idea of Elsa buying Hakase Stein an antique urethral probe set that included a miniature scalpel wasn't exactly his idea of a normal gift either. The other teens reacted similarly to the shop keep as they crowded around to see what had caught Elsa's interest.

"Melody, you know where a post office is? I want to mail this to Dad today. I have Mother's already." Elsa smiled.

Melody nodded. "Just follow Avy and I! We'll go to the open air market after; it's close to that location!"


After they mailed the Professor and Marie's gifts off they drove over to the open air market that Melody had mentioned. It carried all manners of items, but the girl's immediately drug the men off to the clothing and fashion accessories section. Avalon hung back as Elsa slipped her arm into Melody's, catching Nicole's attention.

Low words were spoken between the pair, Nicole laughing as she pulled away from the man, planting a kiss on his cheek. "Just leave it to me!" She sprinted ahead. "Hey, Melody! Elsa! Take a left; I see a hat that I have to have! And I see another one that's perfect for Syl-chan!" The crowd followed the women, the men moaning as purses were handed to them.

Nicole slid her arm into Melody's, handing Kiru both of their purses. Kiru looked down at the three purses in his hand and just sighed, reaching up to scratch his head for a moment before realizing that Avalon was nowhere to be seen and a grin just crossed the dhampir's face.

He strolled along behind the others, willingly carrying the women's purses, a smirk on his face until Avalon crept back up a few moments later. Kiru stopped him, glancing down at the small bag Avalon was carrying.

"Let's see what I had to carry your woman's purse for." Kiru said quietly, standing between Avalon and the others.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I'll take Melody's purse." Avalon said just as quietly.

Kiru smirked. "Show me, or she'll know that you ran off to buy something and that you don't want her to see it."

Avalon glanced over Kiru's shoulder and sighed. Pulling the small box from the bag he opened it, showing Kiru the item inside. Kiru smirked, and handed Avalon Melody's purse. "You were here the whole time, weren't you, Avalon, not at the store on the corner from here?"

The Englishman grinned. "Yes, yes I was here and never there."


"James!" Elsa's voice was animated as she darted ahead of the group, stopping in front of a stand that sold costumes. "Halloween is soon! We should all get costumes while we're here! The D- school will be having a masquerade party this year, remember?" Elsa said, barely catching her slip-up in time.

Grins split the faces of nearly all the teens as they stepped into the canvased building to look over the costumes. An hour later the teens were filing out, each clutching a costume, laughter spreading through the whole group, with the exception of Kiru, who simply smirked- the simplicity of his costume not lost on him.

"Food!" Artemis said suddenly. "And not pizza or cold cuts again. We need to go actual food shopping for tonight."

Elsa grinned. "I'm sure the men can all fit in one car, send them on with the costumes, us women can go and get food!"

The men reluctantly filed into one vehicle, Kiru refusing and just poofing back. Elsa grinned as she slipped into one of the driver's side seats, Melody leading in the other. Leaning forward she turned the radio on full blast, Nicole, Sylvia and Artemis laughing as the words blared out in French as Elsa tried to sing along.


A/N: More shopping next chapter, more fluff, more everything ;) Should be quite entertaining, as well. Just give it a shot! :D I don't own anyone but Elsa and James- and big thanks again to my beta, Fall :)