Kit saw the scene and smiled contently, happy for her new friend and her older brother. "Okay, Cleo." Xanotos said to her. "I kept my end of the deal. Now you keep yours." "No." Cleo replied. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO?!" "No." "LISTEN, YOU SHAPESHIFTING BITCH! I WENT UP THERE AND MADE AN ASS OF MYSELF AND YOU WON'T DO WHAT YOU SAID YOU WOULD?!!!" "That's right." "Ain't karma a bitch." Kit added. "It wouldn't be the only bitch around here." He said with a look at Cleo and Kit,
who then smirked and flipped him off. "Go back to your seat, ghostie." "No. Not until Cleo gives me what can remove this crap." "Fine." Cleo gave him a white cloth.
"Sweep it across your face." Kit said. Xani did so. "Now, pull out the rhinestones very carefully.
Careful, don't split the nail. Very carefully." When she saw that he got all of the rhinestones from his nails,. she said "Now, wipe your face again." He did so.
"Very good. Now to remove the nail polish. Get a cotton ball." Cleo gave him a cotton ball and a vial of clear, pink fluid. "Open the bottle." He did so." Now, put the cotton ball on the mouth." Kit waited for a while, before she said "Turn the bottle upside down for a second." He did so.
"Gooood, numbnuts. Rub the cotton ball over the nail." He did so. "Now, repeat the process."
James was laughing for a while, before he said "'Gooood, numbnuts.' Okay. So, now you see that right there? That was messed up." "What? I saw it in a movie once." Kit explained as she spread her arms in a helpless gesture. "The bulldog called this one guy numbnuts when he was teaching him how to eat Popeye's Chicken."
After a few mintues, Arachne came on and said "Can I have your attention please?" Nobody looked her way, so she asked again. After a while, though, Arachne's impatience got the better of her and she started to sing
"The Devil Went to Jamaica," a verison of a certain song that the Anicatos taught her. They were quiet, partly because they were suffocated from laughing so hard. However, since they could barely breathe for long, Arachne said "We'll be at the shopping center in a few minutes, so please try to keep control."
Somebody stole Shane's issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition and until they got there, the guys on the bus were playing keep-away with it.
"Damn!" "What is the matter, Kitten?" James asked. "I forgot to bring some sunscreen and my sunglasses."
"You can use some of mine when we get to the beach, love. Now, we have a bigger problem at hand."
"What's that?" "Keep-away." "James."
He looked over to Kit, who gave him a black marker, saying "For the models' teeth. And maybe a few, um, other parts."
James chuckled. "You're evil, love. You do know that, right?" he told her. "Yeah, I know. I was just a little on the wild side to begin with, but hanging around you just made it worse." James reached over and gave Kit's bandanna a gentle tug, pulling it down. "Hmph. I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted."
"Hey, hey, hey. Off the bandanna, please. And you should be flattered, I meant it as a compliment, love," she replied. James shook his head in amusement. Then he leaned down and gently kissed Kit.
After a while, James did color the models black and the game of keep-away continued. When Shane finally got the magazine from Lupus, he saw the artwork and yelled obscenities at them. "Who the hell colored my goddamn magazine with black?!"
Nobody said anything to him, but instead, Arachne got up to the microphone and said "We'll arrive in the shopping center shortly. Meantime, behave. Once we're done in the shopping center, we will have to walk to the beach and maybe the boardwalk, so change into your bathing suits now if you have any. And if you don't, well, wait until we get to the beach." The bus parked in a parking lot. "We're here." Arachne said. Most of the people walked out of the bus, except for a few.
"Cleo." Rehteah called. Cleo turned around and saw Rehteah with the camera in her hand. "Can you show me to the photo-development place?" Cleo nodded and said "This way." When the girls got inside, Cleo gave her a form to fill out as she took the film from the camera. Cleo gave her a pen as well. When everything was in order and she dropped the film in the store, Cleo said "And the best part is, while they develop the film, you can shop for a while. Let's shop." Cleo held up a snakeskin wallet and said "Let's get something legit for a change, okay?" Rehteah nodded and said "I'm sure that Shane will be very mad if we charge anymore to his credit cards." "Just as well. I haven't been able to steal one today anyway." Rehteah laughed. "Oh yeah, Cleo. You're a real humanitarian." She joked. "Yeah. I know. Let's shop."
Kit looked over her two cases and smiled. She would not have to walk after all. James rolled his eyes and took off his shirt. "I was smart. I put on my trunks *before* we got here." He noticed Kit's smile and asked "What are you smiling about?" "Well," Kit told him shyly. "I guess that I realized that I'm dating an incredibly sexy guy. Also, we might not have to walk as much." "Oh. And yeah, I know I'm sexy."
Kit smiled shyly at him and dug around in her pack until she found a red rhinestone-studded tankini. On the shirt and the shorts, there was a rose studded on, as well as the sleeves, legholes and neckhole. When she waited for the next person to get out, before she changed.
James was looking through the packs of Mechano-caps until he found out what Kit meant by we won't have to walk to the boardwalk.
"Kit." She turned around. "I like the look you've got, but it probably would not work best for riding a motorcycle." James joked.
As he spoke, he held up the mechano-cap that had the picture of a Kawasaki ZX-12R on it. "Damn it, James!" Kit yelped. "You just had to spoil the suprise! Oh, well. Put it back in the case you found it." James nodded and did so, before he gave Kit her pack-and jokingly held up the green case out of her reach. Kit yelped again and lunged at him, but he moved in the nick of time. After a while, Kit finally got the case, but she pushed James down in the aisle accidentally.
His body bounced a little and he looked like he was out cold, but when Kit realized what happened, she kneeled down and picked him up. She pulled him on her lap, before she saw a grin on his face and he opened his eyes, looking up, grinning like a cheshire cat. Kit gaped at him and swat him on the chest, though James propped himself up and was still laughing. "James Malcolm Delacour! That was *NOT* funny. I thought you were hurt." "Its hysterical from where I stand."
Kit sighed and told him, "Since part of the trip involves renting a cabana, your ass is sleeping on the couch tonight." "Oh, that's cold, love. I'm sorry about that. I was just teasing. That's all."
Kit turned around and started laughing maniacally. She turned to him, grinning like a cheshire cat and said "Gotcha! " Kit was still laughing as she got up and out of the bus, putting the green case of mechano-caps in her pack. James rolled his eyes, picked up his pack and walked off of the bus. He shook up his sunscreen and shook up the bottle. Kit saw him, pushed a button on each capsule and threw two mechano-caps. There was a puff of smoke and two city bikes appeared.
"I figured that you were right about the Kawasaki, so I used the next best thing." "Your brother made bike mechano-caps?" Kit nodded and said "Cool, huh? Watch the bikes. I just need to stop in real quick to get some sunglasses." James nodded and Kit walked in the shopping center. James put on his reflective sunglasses to protect his eyes from the evil rays of the sun.
Kit walked to the boardwalk, only to see Cleo and Rehteah shopping for something. "Hi." Kit waved to her friends. "Hey, girl." Cleo yelped. She was in a purple bandeau bikini. "I was just taking Rehteah shopping while she waited for her photos to be finished." "What a coincidence. I forgot my shades and I'm going shopping for some new ones. I guess we can go get some shades and stuff. I promised James that I'd be right back." "Well, he's a guy, right?" Cleo said. "Yeah." "And he probably expects you to take very long, right?" "I guess." "Well, let's have a little fun." "Fine, I guess." The girls went to the sunglasses store and tried on different pairs of sunglasses, until each one chose a different pair. Cleo chose black cat-eye sunglasses, while Rehteah chose a reflective pair that, in Kit's opinion, made her look like a police officer, while Kit chose a pink-purple two-tone pair with rhinestones. "I'll meet you two at the beach." Kit said, handing each person a capsule. "Push the button and throw it." She instructed. "Those are just loaned to you, though." Kit walked away as she spoke. "So I want them back when we're on the bus tomorrow night."
Kit put on her sunglasses, walked out to where
James was and said, climbing on her bike, the green one,
"I'll race you. First one to the ice cream stand wins." James closed his eyes and said "Okay, Kit. But I'll have you know that I was the fastest bike rider in elementary school. What do you say to that?" "I say that I'm already halfway there." Kit shouted. James opened his eyes and saw that Kit was no longer there. He cursed himself for delaying, got on his bike, the blue one and raced to catch up.
The race was on. By the time James caught up, Kit was buying an ice cream.
"Hi." Kit said pleasanty. "You want an ice cream?" ~At least she's a gracious winner.~ James thought. "Well, do you want one or not?" "No thanks." James replied. "I'm in the mood for a snow cone." "Suit yourself."
Kit looked around, before she said "Hey, look. Is that Lupus?" "Huh?" James asked. "Where?" "In the middle of that group of Pescon girls." Kit pointed the group out. "I think it is. Lupus is a total flirt." "I know. As humble as he may act, deep down, we know he's really enjoying the attention." "*You* know he's really enjoying the attention. How do you know, anyway?" "Think about it. Having seven brothers and a baby sister on the way. Lupus barely gets attention from his family. And I've met his family, too." "Really? I thought that the Wolfbanes don't travel outside of the Dark Earth Realm." "Lupus' mom and dad are members of the PTA and very active with their youngest son's education." "Wouldn't Lupus get burned to ashes by the sun?" "Dude, you're thinking about vampires. Lupus can go out in the sun." "Oh." James thought, before he said "Kit, we have the wiredest friends." "What? He's a nice guy." "Okay. All I can say is my stepmom wouldn't like Lupus or Cleo." "Is she here?" Kit teased. "I don't see her." "Kit, I don't care what she thinks. Why do you think I dye my hair blue?" "James, I can see your roots." "Okay. Maybe I'll go with a crew cut." Kit shook her head. "You'd look wierd with a crew cut." James snapped his fingers.
Kit saw Rehteah and called her over. "Yes, Kit. What is it?" "I've got an extra switchblade here and you can have it." Kit got out a switchblade and put it in her hand. "Look on the end. Make sure that there's no white rose on the bottom." Rehteah looked and said "There's no white rose." "Good. The white rose is a way to tell you it's mine." "Oh. Okay." Rehteah used the bike that Kit loaned her, pocketed her new switchblade and rode away.
She was on her way to the beach, when Shane ran in front of her. Rehteah panicked and stopped, barely missing him. "Shane!" She exclaimed. "Are you okay?" Shane got closer, saying "I will be...after you kiss me and make it better." "No thank you." Rehteah replied, slowly backing away. "Come on." Shane said, edging closer. "Just one kiss." "No. Leave me alone." Rehteah exclaimed as she backed away. Shane just wrapped his arm around her and brought her very close to him in reply. He sniffed her hair, breathing her scent deep and groaning his appreciation. Rehteah grabbed his arm and, using Kit's trademark move, twisted it to a 90-degree angle. She pushed him away and flicked out the blade of her switchblade, saying "Leave me alone, Shane. I don't want to use this, but if I have to, I will." Shane just chuckled and slowly moved at her. A trace of fear in her blue-gray eyes, Rehteah lashed the knife out, cutting Shane in the face. Shane touched where the cut was, before he growled "Why you little..." However, Lupus and Cleo, who have heard some of the struggle, ran at him just as Shane grabbed Rehteah by her arms and held her against him.
Cleo and Lupus turned into wolves and bit him. Lupus, the pale wolf, bit him in the leg, while Cleo, the dark wolf, bit him in the arm. Rehteah ran away and sat on the ground, backing
away quickly, shielding herself
behind her dark wings, shivering violently. He cursed and pushed the pale wolf off of him, while still combatting the dark wolf. Lupus shifted back into his natural form and hurried to Rehteah's side.
She unfurled her wings as he knelt beside her, taking her into his arms. "Shh. Shh. It's okay. I know honey, I know. Let it out. Let out the pain." Lupus said gently as
Cleo finally let go of Shane and shifted back into her natural form. She hurried to Lupus and Rehteah. Though both were pale, there was still a little bit of a contrast. Lupus' dark hair was spread about their heads like a pool of ink, even though it was shorter. Rehteah's red-gold hair spread about their heads and shoulders like a veil of fire as Lupus slowly helped her stand up.
"Are you okay?" Lupus asked. Rehteah nodded. "I'm all right. Thank you, Lupus. Kit's right about you." Lupus suddenly turned very interested. "Really? What did she say?" "Kit said that you were one of the rare good-looking guys. She said that most of the hotties were either taken, gay or assholes, but that's not the case with you." "Really?" "Yeah. She said you're available, you're straight and you're the sweetest guy she has ever met." "Wow. She said that?" "Yes. What's so amazing about that?" "Lupus is rather taken by Kit." Cleo told her. "If somebody tells him that, then nothing can ruin Lupus' day." "Lupus," Jin said. "Explain yourself." Lupus excused himself and explained in Othertongue. "I hope I didn't get Lupus into trouble." Rehteah whispered. Cleo, who happened to hear her, said "No you didn't. Lupus is explaining what Shane did to you earlier." "Really? How do you know?" "I grew up speaking Othertongue and English."
Rehteah saw the expression of anger on Jin's face and heard the same tone of voice he had when he changed into Black Mask, his normal voice, but with a deeper, echoing snarl and backed away with a trace of fear. Cleo sensed this and said "He's not mad at Lupus or you. He wants revenge on Shane." "I know he won't hurt me.
But, that is just scary." "I don't blame you for being scared of Black Mask. Trust me, though. Kit could be worse." "Why?" "Because Kit can't really control herself when she turns. She's younger than her brothers, so she has a little less control." "Oh." "Rehteah," Jin said, his voice normal at the moment, but his eyes were like golden-green panther eyes. "I'm not mad at you or Lupus. I want to find Shane."
Jin sniffed Cleo's lips and the air, before he snarled in the Black Mask tone "I smell blood. Shane's blood." Jin left the shaken girls, following the scent that he caught and said "Cleo, you watch out for her." "I will." Jin was gone by then, following the scent that he had caught. "Come on." Cleo said as she led her to the beach, while Lupus was being followed by his gang of Pescons. "Cleo?" "Yes?" "What is Black Mask? Do you have it?" Cleo shook her head and said "No, I don't have it. I'm a pureblood and a shapeshifter, so I wouldn't have it. Halfbloods like James, Kit or your boyfriend have that, though. It's a very dangerous form that happens when a halfblood experiences a very intense emotion, usually anger or fear. The Black Mask forms are always predatory animals.
"The younger a person is, the less control they have over this dangerous form. So, her brothers can delay their change, but Kit can just barely delay it. Also, if Kit, James or any other teenage halfblood changes, the best hope you have is to hide until they're over it. Forms can often be passed down from families. Kit's father, for instance, could change into any cat he wanted, so Kit and her brothers have feline forms." Lupus was being followed by his fan club again, until he requested a little privacy. The crowd dispersed, but stayed close. "Lupus, can you help me?" "Sure. With what?" "Rehteah. You've got her back. I'll be right back." Cleo left the group, turning into Shane as she walked.
Kit and James got to the cabanas by the beach and set up. Kit pushed a button on the handlebars and another puff of smoke appeared. In the sand, there was a capsule where the bike once stood. She did the same for James, who asked "Kit, what else did Arachne say?" "We have a roomate. Possibly two. Oh, and the cabanas are pre-rented and already stocked with food and stuff. If we get a loser like Shane or Xani, I think I have a cabana mechano-cap." Kit packed up a towel, the mechano-caps she brought, her tazer, her
lighter, a canister of binaca,
a bathing suit, three packs of gum, a baggie of doggie treats and a compact mirror. "I hope so." Let's get out to the beach. James, do you have the capsule, too?" James nodded. Kit walked outside, pushed the button and threw it. A puff of smoke came and a bike was in the place. "James!" Kit yelled into the cabana. "Hurry up!" Ping walked by with Blondie on her leash. "Hey, Kit." "Hi, Ping. Take Blondie to the beach for me, okay?" "Okay. Have you seen Jin?" "No. Why?" "Shit. Jin's on a Black Mask rampage. I heard he got really pissed about something involving Shane and Rehteah. We had better find him before Jin does." "Why?" Kit asked. "Shane would deserve to get mauled." "Be that as it may, he could get arrested. Wait. What am I saying?" "Ping take Blondie to the beach for me, okay?" "Okay." Ping and Blondie walked away, just as James walked out.
"What was that all about?" James asked. "Ping came by, wondering if we've seen Jin because he went on a Black Mask rampage." "Why?" "Shane did something to Rehteah and Ping wants to find Shane before Jin does." "Let Jin maul him." "That's what I told him. He's taking Blondie to the beach for me." Kit swung her backpack over her shoulders and said "Well, let's go." James nodded and rode after her.
Cleo looked in a mirror in the store. ~Perfect,~ Cleo thought. ~I look just like Shane.~ So she did. Cleo adjusted her now very short blond hair and looked at the world through her new blue-gray eyes. Even the scar looked like Shane had. ~Now to find something to swipe.~ Cleo looked around until she found a very expensive blue muscle tank. Cleo stole the shirt from the rack and stuffed it up her shirt in front of the camera. As she left, a security guard said "Stop right there, sir." Cleo saw the guard and ran. The guard ran after her, but Cleo ducked behind an alley and put the shirt in a purse, before she turned back into her normal form and walked out.
The guard found her and said "Ma'am, have you seen a blond man run by? He stole a tank top." "I'm sorry, but I haven't seen him." "Damn. I'll look in the beach to find him." The guard walked off. Cleo found where Shane set up, took out the tank top and placed it on the towel, putting a preserve spell on the tag that was on the shirt and walked away, but with a good view of Shane putting on the tank top, admiring how it looked. Shane then walked away to find a Pescon girl.
Cleo smirked, when she heard a very good-looking Pescon male say in Othertongue, "Hello. Are you a shapeshifter?" He had shoulder-length blue hair and eyes, his gill-like ears became close to his head, though his skin looked normal, a very smooth, rich, but masculine voice. "Yes." Cleo said in Othertongue. "I've never met a shapeshifter." "How did you know?" The Pescon reached out and touched her hair. "Is this your real hair color?" "Yes." "And your eye color?" "Yes." "Were you born here? Are your parents both Othersiders?" "Yes." "That's how I know. I figured you were either a shapeshifter or a normal human." "Oh." Cleo wrapped finger around her hair shyly. That seemed to have done the trick, because he intorduced himself in Othertongue. "I'm Apam Napat." "Cleopatra Likata." They shook hands and Apam asked "So, what are you doing here?" "I'm here on a field trip." "Oh." Apam nodded. "Okay. I like to meet up with these people." She and Apam started walking, still flirting.
Shane saw two Pescon girls on the boardwalk talking and figured it would be a good chance to show off the muscle tank that he had acquired. The girls both seemed to have just gotten out of the water, as their skin was the color of their hair. One of the girls, a seafoam green girl, had a pink sarong and matching midriff tank top. She seemed to have woven flowers in her thigh-length seafoam-green hair. Her friend was blue-green, also with flowers woven in her hair, but her hair was shorter and the flowers showier than her friend. She was dressed in a sarong and midriff tank top, like her friend, but what she was wearing was yellow.
He walked over to the girls and said "Hello." The girls seemed to ignore them, so he tapped the girl in pink on her shoulder and said hello again. The girls looked at each other and the girl in pink said in Othertongue "Stupid male tourist." "His hair is yellow." The girl in yellow said dismissively. "But, did you see the male with the black hair?" "Which one?" "The one with the silver eyes." "I think you mean gray, Apa." "Oh. Okay, Nagera. Anyway, he can speak our language, not like this idiot." "So," Shane said in English.
"Your names are Apa and Nagera, huh?" The girls looked at him blankly, so he said "What pretty names. And so fitting, too." the girls continued to give him the blank stare. "Okay, I see a little tension, so I'll make a deal." The girls looked at him blankly, so he started to speak slowly "My name is Shane McCormick. I own a cabana around here." Apa turned to her friend and said in Othertongue "He's talking slower. Like that helps." Nagera told her friend in Othertongue "Smile. Maybe that will shut him up." The girls started to smile at him. "You like the proposition? Because the girls at my school are just wild about me." He said slowly. "Even the ones with boyfriends. They all want a piece of me."
"It's a good thing that they can't understand what you're saying," Kit purred in English. "Or they'd be laughing in your face at the bullshit you're telling them." "Kit, dear." Shane said as he traced the rose on her back with his finger. "Would you translate what I tell them?" Kit rolled her eyes and snapped his finger back painfully. "No way." "Come on. I'll do something nice for you if you do." Shane waggled his eyebrows at her. Kit rolled her eyes and glared at him in disgust, but then she got a devious idea. "Okay, Shane." Kit said slyly. "I'll tell them everything you want to tell them." "Good girl. I knew you'd come around."
Shane told Kit "Okay. I told them to come to my cabana and we could party. I also was telling them about how you all want me." Kit looked at him as if to say you have GOT to be kidding, before she said "I'll tell the girls." Kit started to speak in Othertongue. When she was done talking, the girls looked at each other, before they laughed and walked away,m still laughing. "Kit," Shane asked. "What did you tell them?" "Oh, nothing much." Kit replied. "Just that you always try to get with a girl, but you fail miserably. That you were trying to get people to your cabana, but with no luck. Oh, and they asked if your, uh, rocket ride, was really more of a walk in the park and I said maybe." "You told them that?" Kit nodded, a smile creeping on her face. Shane turned red and came towards her, but just as he was about to grab her arm and pull her to him, a nightstick whacked him upside the head. Glowering, he turned around and saw a security guard. "Sir, could you come wit me?" "What's the problem, officer?" "That shirt you're wearing." The officer replied. "Look at the tag."
Shane looked at his shirt and muttered "Shit." The shirt he was wearing was stolen merchandise, as the tag told him so. "I'll need you to come with me." The guard said as he started to drag Shane away. "Nothing to see here, ma'am." Kit nodded and whispered in Shane's ear "Have fun at the joint." Before she walked away.
Kit waited until she was away, before she looked up at the sky and whispered so quiet, she doubted anyone could hear her "Thank you, momma. Thank you, daddy." Kit figured that her parents' spirits had somehow alerted the guard of what Shane was going to do to keep him from hurting her. Even if it was a conspiracy to frame him, the guard couldn't have come in better timing, in her opinion.
Kit saw James waiting for her and walked over to him. "Hey. What's up, Kitten?" "Oh, nothing much." Kit watched James rub suntan lotion on himself and added "Shane just got busted for shoplifting." James started to laugh, when he said "Come here." Kit nodded and scooted over to him. James handed her the lotion and Kit started to put the stuff on her arms, legs, belly, arms, hands and feet. "Hey, what is in this? It smells good. Rub some on my back." James nodded, put some lotion in his hand and started to rub her back. "It's got vanilla scent in it." James laughed and said "Nathaniel thinks that I'm a sissy for this. But I don't like going to the beach smelling like a skunk." "Well, you're not macho. That's nothing to be ashamed of."
James smiled and put his hands on her shoulders. "Mmmm. That feels good." James said nothing in reply. Just as Kit was about to fall asleep, Jin ran by. His eyes were gold panther eyes and he said in the tone of voice he had when he changed
into Black Mask, his normal voice, but with a deeper, echoing snarl "Where's Shane?" "Last time I saw him," Kit replied. "He was being dragged away by a security person." "Thank you." Jin snarled and ran off in search of his prey. "What was that about?" James asked. "Jin wants to kill Shane for some reason." "Oh." James replied, before he just relaxed into the blanket.
Kit sighed in boredom, before she pulled out a capsule with a waverunner on it. Kit walked out to the ocean until the water was up to her waist. She pushed a button on the mechano-cap
capsule and threw it. There was a puff of smoke and a waverunner appeared. Kit used the handlebars to pull herself onto the seat. She started the waverunner and was riding on the water, waving at the Pescons and Gillians swimming by.
Jin found Shane as he walked out of the security tent shirtless. Jin grabbed Shane by the belt of his pants and dragged him away from the tent. "Jin, I don't know waht the hell your problem is, but-" "What did I tell you would happen if you went near Rehteah again?" "Is that what all this is about?" Shane said, looking shocked. "I didn't do a damn thing." "Lupus told me what you did to her." "Lupus?! You're going to believe a werewolf?!" "Cleo can verify that."
Before Shane could say anything further, Jin grabbed him by his pants and threw him at a nearby hot dog stand. He ran over to the wreckage. By then, he had turned into his Black Mask form: a black panther. He dragged Shane by his arm with his panther teeth and kept moving. Pescons and Gillians moved out of the way as they saw a black panther dragging a blond guy by his arm.
Ok, here's bluefire's new part. next one is done by me.
who then smirked and flipped him off. "Go back to your seat, ghostie." "No. Not until Cleo gives me what can remove this crap." "Fine." Cleo gave him a white cloth.
"Sweep it across your face." Kit said. Xani did so. "Now, pull out the rhinestones very carefully.
Careful, don't split the nail. Very carefully." When she saw that he got all of the rhinestones from his nails,. she said "Now, wipe your face again." He did so.
"Very good. Now to remove the nail polish. Get a cotton ball." Cleo gave him a cotton ball and a vial of clear, pink fluid. "Open the bottle." He did so." Now, put the cotton ball on the mouth." Kit waited for a while, before she said "Turn the bottle upside down for a second." He did so.
"Gooood, numbnuts. Rub the cotton ball over the nail." He did so. "Now, repeat the process."
James was laughing for a while, before he said "'Gooood, numbnuts.' Okay. So, now you see that right there? That was messed up." "What? I saw it in a movie once." Kit explained as she spread her arms in a helpless gesture. "The bulldog called this one guy numbnuts when he was teaching him how to eat Popeye's Chicken."
After a few mintues, Arachne came on and said "Can I have your attention please?" Nobody looked her way, so she asked again. After a while, though, Arachne's impatience got the better of her and she started to sing
"The Devil Went to Jamaica," a verison of a certain song that the Anicatos taught her. They were quiet, partly because they were suffocated from laughing so hard. However, since they could barely breathe for long, Arachne said "We'll be at the shopping center in a few minutes, so please try to keep control."
Somebody stole Shane's issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition and until they got there, the guys on the bus were playing keep-away with it.
"Damn!" "What is the matter, Kitten?" James asked. "I forgot to bring some sunscreen and my sunglasses."
"You can use some of mine when we get to the beach, love. Now, we have a bigger problem at hand."
"What's that?" "Keep-away." "James."
He looked over to Kit, who gave him a black marker, saying "For the models' teeth. And maybe a few, um, other parts."
James chuckled. "You're evil, love. You do know that, right?" he told her. "Yeah, I know. I was just a little on the wild side to begin with, but hanging around you just made it worse." James reached over and gave Kit's bandanna a gentle tug, pulling it down. "Hmph. I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted."
"Hey, hey, hey. Off the bandanna, please. And you should be flattered, I meant it as a compliment, love," she replied. James shook his head in amusement. Then he leaned down and gently kissed Kit.
After a while, James did color the models black and the game of keep-away continued. When Shane finally got the magazine from Lupus, he saw the artwork and yelled obscenities at them. "Who the hell colored my goddamn magazine with black?!"
Nobody said anything to him, but instead, Arachne got up to the microphone and said "We'll arrive in the shopping center shortly. Meantime, behave. Once we're done in the shopping center, we will have to walk to the beach and maybe the boardwalk, so change into your bathing suits now if you have any. And if you don't, well, wait until we get to the beach." The bus parked in a parking lot. "We're here." Arachne said. Most of the people walked out of the bus, except for a few.
"Cleo." Rehteah called. Cleo turned around and saw Rehteah with the camera in her hand. "Can you show me to the photo-development place?" Cleo nodded and said "This way." When the girls got inside, Cleo gave her a form to fill out as she took the film from the camera. Cleo gave her a pen as well. When everything was in order and she dropped the film in the store, Cleo said "And the best part is, while they develop the film, you can shop for a while. Let's shop." Cleo held up a snakeskin wallet and said "Let's get something legit for a change, okay?" Rehteah nodded and said "I'm sure that Shane will be very mad if we charge anymore to his credit cards." "Just as well. I haven't been able to steal one today anyway." Rehteah laughed. "Oh yeah, Cleo. You're a real humanitarian." She joked. "Yeah. I know. Let's shop."
Kit looked over her two cases and smiled. She would not have to walk after all. James rolled his eyes and took off his shirt. "I was smart. I put on my trunks *before* we got here." He noticed Kit's smile and asked "What are you smiling about?" "Well," Kit told him shyly. "I guess that I realized that I'm dating an incredibly sexy guy. Also, we might not have to walk as much." "Oh. And yeah, I know I'm sexy."
Kit smiled shyly at him and dug around in her pack until she found a red rhinestone-studded tankini. On the shirt and the shorts, there was a rose studded on, as well as the sleeves, legholes and neckhole. When she waited for the next person to get out, before she changed.
James was looking through the packs of Mechano-caps until he found out what Kit meant by we won't have to walk to the boardwalk.
"Kit." She turned around. "I like the look you've got, but it probably would not work best for riding a motorcycle." James joked.
As he spoke, he held up the mechano-cap that had the picture of a Kawasaki ZX-12R on it. "Damn it, James!" Kit yelped. "You just had to spoil the suprise! Oh, well. Put it back in the case you found it." James nodded and did so, before he gave Kit her pack-and jokingly held up the green case out of her reach. Kit yelped again and lunged at him, but he moved in the nick of time. After a while, Kit finally got the case, but she pushed James down in the aisle accidentally.
His body bounced a little and he looked like he was out cold, but when Kit realized what happened, she kneeled down and picked him up. She pulled him on her lap, before she saw a grin on his face and he opened his eyes, looking up, grinning like a cheshire cat. Kit gaped at him and swat him on the chest, though James propped himself up and was still laughing. "James Malcolm Delacour! That was *NOT* funny. I thought you were hurt." "Its hysterical from where I stand."
Kit sighed and told him, "Since part of the trip involves renting a cabana, your ass is sleeping on the couch tonight." "Oh, that's cold, love. I'm sorry about that. I was just teasing. That's all."
Kit turned around and started laughing maniacally. She turned to him, grinning like a cheshire cat and said "Gotcha! " Kit was still laughing as she got up and out of the bus, putting the green case of mechano-caps in her pack. James rolled his eyes, picked up his pack and walked off of the bus. He shook up his sunscreen and shook up the bottle. Kit saw him, pushed a button on each capsule and threw two mechano-caps. There was a puff of smoke and two city bikes appeared.
"I figured that you were right about the Kawasaki, so I used the next best thing." "Your brother made bike mechano-caps?" Kit nodded and said "Cool, huh? Watch the bikes. I just need to stop in real quick to get some sunglasses." James nodded and Kit walked in the shopping center. James put on his reflective sunglasses to protect his eyes from the evil rays of the sun.
Kit walked to the boardwalk, only to see Cleo and Rehteah shopping for something. "Hi." Kit waved to her friends. "Hey, girl." Cleo yelped. She was in a purple bandeau bikini. "I was just taking Rehteah shopping while she waited for her photos to be finished." "What a coincidence. I forgot my shades and I'm going shopping for some new ones. I guess we can go get some shades and stuff. I promised James that I'd be right back." "Well, he's a guy, right?" Cleo said. "Yeah." "And he probably expects you to take very long, right?" "I guess." "Well, let's have a little fun." "Fine, I guess." The girls went to the sunglasses store and tried on different pairs of sunglasses, until each one chose a different pair. Cleo chose black cat-eye sunglasses, while Rehteah chose a reflective pair that, in Kit's opinion, made her look like a police officer, while Kit chose a pink-purple two-tone pair with rhinestones. "I'll meet you two at the beach." Kit said, handing each person a capsule. "Push the button and throw it." She instructed. "Those are just loaned to you, though." Kit walked away as she spoke. "So I want them back when we're on the bus tomorrow night."
Kit put on her sunglasses, walked out to where
James was and said, climbing on her bike, the green one,
"I'll race you. First one to the ice cream stand wins." James closed his eyes and said "Okay, Kit. But I'll have you know that I was the fastest bike rider in elementary school. What do you say to that?" "I say that I'm already halfway there." Kit shouted. James opened his eyes and saw that Kit was no longer there. He cursed himself for delaying, got on his bike, the blue one and raced to catch up.
The race was on. By the time James caught up, Kit was buying an ice cream.
"Hi." Kit said pleasanty. "You want an ice cream?" ~At least she's a gracious winner.~ James thought. "Well, do you want one or not?" "No thanks." James replied. "I'm in the mood for a snow cone." "Suit yourself."
Kit looked around, before she said "Hey, look. Is that Lupus?" "Huh?" James asked. "Where?" "In the middle of that group of Pescon girls." Kit pointed the group out. "I think it is. Lupus is a total flirt." "I know. As humble as he may act, deep down, we know he's really enjoying the attention." "*You* know he's really enjoying the attention. How do you know, anyway?" "Think about it. Having seven brothers and a baby sister on the way. Lupus barely gets attention from his family. And I've met his family, too." "Really? I thought that the Wolfbanes don't travel outside of the Dark Earth Realm." "Lupus' mom and dad are members of the PTA and very active with their youngest son's education." "Wouldn't Lupus get burned to ashes by the sun?" "Dude, you're thinking about vampires. Lupus can go out in the sun." "Oh." James thought, before he said "Kit, we have the wiredest friends." "What? He's a nice guy." "Okay. All I can say is my stepmom wouldn't like Lupus or Cleo." "Is she here?" Kit teased. "I don't see her." "Kit, I don't care what she thinks. Why do you think I dye my hair blue?" "James, I can see your roots." "Okay. Maybe I'll go with a crew cut." Kit shook her head. "You'd look wierd with a crew cut." James snapped his fingers.
Kit saw Rehteah and called her over. "Yes, Kit. What is it?" "I've got an extra switchblade here and you can have it." Kit got out a switchblade and put it in her hand. "Look on the end. Make sure that there's no white rose on the bottom." Rehteah looked and said "There's no white rose." "Good. The white rose is a way to tell you it's mine." "Oh. Okay." Rehteah used the bike that Kit loaned her, pocketed her new switchblade and rode away.
She was on her way to the beach, when Shane ran in front of her. Rehteah panicked and stopped, barely missing him. "Shane!" She exclaimed. "Are you okay?" Shane got closer, saying "I will be...after you kiss me and make it better." "No thank you." Rehteah replied, slowly backing away. "Come on." Shane said, edging closer. "Just one kiss." "No. Leave me alone." Rehteah exclaimed as she backed away. Shane just wrapped his arm around her and brought her very close to him in reply. He sniffed her hair, breathing her scent deep and groaning his appreciation. Rehteah grabbed his arm and, using Kit's trademark move, twisted it to a 90-degree angle. She pushed him away and flicked out the blade of her switchblade, saying "Leave me alone, Shane. I don't want to use this, but if I have to, I will." Shane just chuckled and slowly moved at her. A trace of fear in her blue-gray eyes, Rehteah lashed the knife out, cutting Shane in the face. Shane touched where the cut was, before he growled "Why you little..." However, Lupus and Cleo, who have heard some of the struggle, ran at him just as Shane grabbed Rehteah by her arms and held her against him.
Cleo and Lupus turned into wolves and bit him. Lupus, the pale wolf, bit him in the leg, while Cleo, the dark wolf, bit him in the arm. Rehteah ran away and sat on the ground, backing
away quickly, shielding herself
behind her dark wings, shivering violently. He cursed and pushed the pale wolf off of him, while still combatting the dark wolf. Lupus shifted back into his natural form and hurried to Rehteah's side.
She unfurled her wings as he knelt beside her, taking her into his arms. "Shh. Shh. It's okay. I know honey, I know. Let it out. Let out the pain." Lupus said gently as
Cleo finally let go of Shane and shifted back into her natural form. She hurried to Lupus and Rehteah. Though both were pale, there was still a little bit of a contrast. Lupus' dark hair was spread about their heads like a pool of ink, even though it was shorter. Rehteah's red-gold hair spread about their heads and shoulders like a veil of fire as Lupus slowly helped her stand up.
"Are you okay?" Lupus asked. Rehteah nodded. "I'm all right. Thank you, Lupus. Kit's right about you." Lupus suddenly turned very interested. "Really? What did she say?" "Kit said that you were one of the rare good-looking guys. She said that most of the hotties were either taken, gay or assholes, but that's not the case with you." "Really?" "Yeah. She said you're available, you're straight and you're the sweetest guy she has ever met." "Wow. She said that?" "Yes. What's so amazing about that?" "Lupus is rather taken by Kit." Cleo told her. "If somebody tells him that, then nothing can ruin Lupus' day." "Lupus," Jin said. "Explain yourself." Lupus excused himself and explained in Othertongue. "I hope I didn't get Lupus into trouble." Rehteah whispered. Cleo, who happened to hear her, said "No you didn't. Lupus is explaining what Shane did to you earlier." "Really? How do you know?" "I grew up speaking Othertongue and English."
Rehteah saw the expression of anger on Jin's face and heard the same tone of voice he had when he changed into Black Mask, his normal voice, but with a deeper, echoing snarl and backed away with a trace of fear. Cleo sensed this and said "He's not mad at Lupus or you. He wants revenge on Shane." "I know he won't hurt me.
But, that is just scary." "I don't blame you for being scared of Black Mask. Trust me, though. Kit could be worse." "Why?" "Because Kit can't really control herself when she turns. She's younger than her brothers, so she has a little less control." "Oh." "Rehteah," Jin said, his voice normal at the moment, but his eyes were like golden-green panther eyes. "I'm not mad at you or Lupus. I want to find Shane."
Jin sniffed Cleo's lips and the air, before he snarled in the Black Mask tone "I smell blood. Shane's blood." Jin left the shaken girls, following the scent that he caught and said "Cleo, you watch out for her." "I will." Jin was gone by then, following the scent that he had caught. "Come on." Cleo said as she led her to the beach, while Lupus was being followed by his gang of Pescons. "Cleo?" "Yes?" "What is Black Mask? Do you have it?" Cleo shook her head and said "No, I don't have it. I'm a pureblood and a shapeshifter, so I wouldn't have it. Halfbloods like James, Kit or your boyfriend have that, though. It's a very dangerous form that happens when a halfblood experiences a very intense emotion, usually anger or fear. The Black Mask forms are always predatory animals.
"The younger a person is, the less control they have over this dangerous form. So, her brothers can delay their change, but Kit can just barely delay it. Also, if Kit, James or any other teenage halfblood changes, the best hope you have is to hide until they're over it. Forms can often be passed down from families. Kit's father, for instance, could change into any cat he wanted, so Kit and her brothers have feline forms." Lupus was being followed by his fan club again, until he requested a little privacy. The crowd dispersed, but stayed close. "Lupus, can you help me?" "Sure. With what?" "Rehteah. You've got her back. I'll be right back." Cleo left the group, turning into Shane as she walked.
Kit and James got to the cabanas by the beach and set up. Kit pushed a button on the handlebars and another puff of smoke appeared. In the sand, there was a capsule where the bike once stood. She did the same for James, who asked "Kit, what else did Arachne say?" "We have a roomate. Possibly two. Oh, and the cabanas are pre-rented and already stocked with food and stuff. If we get a loser like Shane or Xani, I think I have a cabana mechano-cap." Kit packed up a towel, the mechano-caps she brought, her tazer, her
lighter, a canister of binaca,
a bathing suit, three packs of gum, a baggie of doggie treats and a compact mirror. "I hope so." Let's get out to the beach. James, do you have the capsule, too?" James nodded. Kit walked outside, pushed the button and threw it. A puff of smoke came and a bike was in the place. "James!" Kit yelled into the cabana. "Hurry up!" Ping walked by with Blondie on her leash. "Hey, Kit." "Hi, Ping. Take Blondie to the beach for me, okay?" "Okay. Have you seen Jin?" "No. Why?" "Shit. Jin's on a Black Mask rampage. I heard he got really pissed about something involving Shane and Rehteah. We had better find him before Jin does." "Why?" Kit asked. "Shane would deserve to get mauled." "Be that as it may, he could get arrested. Wait. What am I saying?" "Ping take Blondie to the beach for me, okay?" "Okay." Ping and Blondie walked away, just as James walked out.
"What was that all about?" James asked. "Ping came by, wondering if we've seen Jin because he went on a Black Mask rampage." "Why?" "Shane did something to Rehteah and Ping wants to find Shane before Jin does." "Let Jin maul him." "That's what I told him. He's taking Blondie to the beach for me." Kit swung her backpack over her shoulders and said "Well, let's go." James nodded and rode after her.
Cleo looked in a mirror in the store. ~Perfect,~ Cleo thought. ~I look just like Shane.~ So she did. Cleo adjusted her now very short blond hair and looked at the world through her new blue-gray eyes. Even the scar looked like Shane had. ~Now to find something to swipe.~ Cleo looked around until she found a very expensive blue muscle tank. Cleo stole the shirt from the rack and stuffed it up her shirt in front of the camera. As she left, a security guard said "Stop right there, sir." Cleo saw the guard and ran. The guard ran after her, but Cleo ducked behind an alley and put the shirt in a purse, before she turned back into her normal form and walked out.
The guard found her and said "Ma'am, have you seen a blond man run by? He stole a tank top." "I'm sorry, but I haven't seen him." "Damn. I'll look in the beach to find him." The guard walked off. Cleo found where Shane set up, took out the tank top and placed it on the towel, putting a preserve spell on the tag that was on the shirt and walked away, but with a good view of Shane putting on the tank top, admiring how it looked. Shane then walked away to find a Pescon girl.
Cleo smirked, when she heard a very good-looking Pescon male say in Othertongue, "Hello. Are you a shapeshifter?" He had shoulder-length blue hair and eyes, his gill-like ears became close to his head, though his skin looked normal, a very smooth, rich, but masculine voice. "Yes." Cleo said in Othertongue. "I've never met a shapeshifter." "How did you know?" The Pescon reached out and touched her hair. "Is this your real hair color?" "Yes." "And your eye color?" "Yes." "Were you born here? Are your parents both Othersiders?" "Yes." "That's how I know. I figured you were either a shapeshifter or a normal human." "Oh." Cleo wrapped finger around her hair shyly. That seemed to have done the trick, because he intorduced himself in Othertongue. "I'm Apam Napat." "Cleopatra Likata." They shook hands and Apam asked "So, what are you doing here?" "I'm here on a field trip." "Oh." Apam nodded. "Okay. I like to meet up with these people." She and Apam started walking, still flirting.
Shane saw two Pescon girls on the boardwalk talking and figured it would be a good chance to show off the muscle tank that he had acquired. The girls both seemed to have just gotten out of the water, as their skin was the color of their hair. One of the girls, a seafoam green girl, had a pink sarong and matching midriff tank top. She seemed to have woven flowers in her thigh-length seafoam-green hair. Her friend was blue-green, also with flowers woven in her hair, but her hair was shorter and the flowers showier than her friend. She was dressed in a sarong and midriff tank top, like her friend, but what she was wearing was yellow.
He walked over to the girls and said "Hello." The girls seemed to ignore them, so he tapped the girl in pink on her shoulder and said hello again. The girls looked at each other and the girl in pink said in Othertongue "Stupid male tourist." "His hair is yellow." The girl in yellow said dismissively. "But, did you see the male with the black hair?" "Which one?" "The one with the silver eyes." "I think you mean gray, Apa." "Oh. Okay, Nagera. Anyway, he can speak our language, not like this idiot." "So," Shane said in English.
"Your names are Apa and Nagera, huh?" The girls looked at him blankly, so he said "What pretty names. And so fitting, too." the girls continued to give him the blank stare. "Okay, I see a little tension, so I'll make a deal." The girls looked at him blankly, so he started to speak slowly "My name is Shane McCormick. I own a cabana around here." Apa turned to her friend and said in Othertongue "He's talking slower. Like that helps." Nagera told her friend in Othertongue "Smile. Maybe that will shut him up." The girls started to smile at him. "You like the proposition? Because the girls at my school are just wild about me." He said slowly. "Even the ones with boyfriends. They all want a piece of me."
"It's a good thing that they can't understand what you're saying," Kit purred in English. "Or they'd be laughing in your face at the bullshit you're telling them." "Kit, dear." Shane said as he traced the rose on her back with his finger. "Would you translate what I tell them?" Kit rolled her eyes and snapped his finger back painfully. "No way." "Come on. I'll do something nice for you if you do." Shane waggled his eyebrows at her. Kit rolled her eyes and glared at him in disgust, but then she got a devious idea. "Okay, Shane." Kit said slyly. "I'll tell them everything you want to tell them." "Good girl. I knew you'd come around."
Shane told Kit "Okay. I told them to come to my cabana and we could party. I also was telling them about how you all want me." Kit looked at him as if to say you have GOT to be kidding, before she said "I'll tell the girls." Kit started to speak in Othertongue. When she was done talking, the girls looked at each other, before they laughed and walked away,m still laughing. "Kit," Shane asked. "What did you tell them?" "Oh, nothing much." Kit replied. "Just that you always try to get with a girl, but you fail miserably. That you were trying to get people to your cabana, but with no luck. Oh, and they asked if your, uh, rocket ride, was really more of a walk in the park and I said maybe." "You told them that?" Kit nodded, a smile creeping on her face. Shane turned red and came towards her, but just as he was about to grab her arm and pull her to him, a nightstick whacked him upside the head. Glowering, he turned around and saw a security guard. "Sir, could you come wit me?" "What's the problem, officer?" "That shirt you're wearing." The officer replied. "Look at the tag."
Shane looked at his shirt and muttered "Shit." The shirt he was wearing was stolen merchandise, as the tag told him so. "I'll need you to come with me." The guard said as he started to drag Shane away. "Nothing to see here, ma'am." Kit nodded and whispered in Shane's ear "Have fun at the joint." Before she walked away.
Kit waited until she was away, before she looked up at the sky and whispered so quiet, she doubted anyone could hear her "Thank you, momma. Thank you, daddy." Kit figured that her parents' spirits had somehow alerted the guard of what Shane was going to do to keep him from hurting her. Even if it was a conspiracy to frame him, the guard couldn't have come in better timing, in her opinion.
Kit saw James waiting for her and walked over to him. "Hey. What's up, Kitten?" "Oh, nothing much." Kit watched James rub suntan lotion on himself and added "Shane just got busted for shoplifting." James started to laugh, when he said "Come here." Kit nodded and scooted over to him. James handed her the lotion and Kit started to put the stuff on her arms, legs, belly, arms, hands and feet. "Hey, what is in this? It smells good. Rub some on my back." James nodded, put some lotion in his hand and started to rub her back. "It's got vanilla scent in it." James laughed and said "Nathaniel thinks that I'm a sissy for this. But I don't like going to the beach smelling like a skunk." "Well, you're not macho. That's nothing to be ashamed of."
James smiled and put his hands on her shoulders. "Mmmm. That feels good." James said nothing in reply. Just as Kit was about to fall asleep, Jin ran by. His eyes were gold panther eyes and he said in the tone of voice he had when he changed
into Black Mask, his normal voice, but with a deeper, echoing snarl "Where's Shane?" "Last time I saw him," Kit replied. "He was being dragged away by a security person." "Thank you." Jin snarled and ran off in search of his prey. "What was that about?" James asked. "Jin wants to kill Shane for some reason." "Oh." James replied, before he just relaxed into the blanket.
Kit sighed in boredom, before she pulled out a capsule with a waverunner on it. Kit walked out to the ocean until the water was up to her waist. She pushed a button on the mechano-cap
capsule and threw it. There was a puff of smoke and a waverunner appeared. Kit used the handlebars to pull herself onto the seat. She started the waverunner and was riding on the water, waving at the Pescons and Gillians swimming by.
Jin found Shane as he walked out of the security tent shirtless. Jin grabbed Shane by the belt of his pants and dragged him away from the tent. "Jin, I don't know waht the hell your problem is, but-" "What did I tell you would happen if you went near Rehteah again?" "Is that what all this is about?" Shane said, looking shocked. "I didn't do a damn thing." "Lupus told me what you did to her." "Lupus?! You're going to believe a werewolf?!" "Cleo can verify that."
Before Shane could say anything further, Jin grabbed him by his pants and threw him at a nearby hot dog stand. He ran over to the wreckage. By then, he had turned into his Black Mask form: a black panther. He dragged Shane by his arm with his panther teeth and kept moving. Pescons and Gillians moved out of the way as they saw a black panther dragging a blond guy by his arm.
Ok, here's bluefire's new part. next one is done by me.