I think this is the second to last chapter. Yup. Sorry I couldn't update! I was gonna write this after I was done Trick-or-Treating with my buddies yesterday, but I was so tired when I got back that I just went over to the couch, plopped down, and tried to fall asleep... But then my parents were going to watch NYPD Blue, and they didn't want me watching it, so I had to go to bed. Phooey. .

*****

Piers was not having a good day. (A/N: Told ya he'd be in here, didn't I? ^_^) He woke up early because his Djinni were frantically scratching at the door to his room in the Inn to get out. So he rolled out of the bed, onto a nail. (A/N: Don't kill me for being mean to him. !_! ::Cowers::)

Casting Ply on himself, he opened the door. In thanks, Shade nipped at his leg with his claw. Piers shook his head and followed the Djinni.

They walked in a line like people do when playing "Follow the Leader", until they got to the Sanctum. His Djinni all turned to face him. Piers took the hint and let them go off on their own.

He decided he'd go over to Kraden's to argue with the old bat for awhile. As he was about to get into the little clearing, someone bumped into him. Piers was about to apologize, but then he saw who it was. It was Alex.

Alex scowled at Piers. Piers scowled back. The two Mercury Adepts didn't like each other. Not one bit. There had been many scuffles in the past over who was the better Mercury Adept.

Alex nodded mockingly, "Piers."

Piers did the same. "Alex."

The two glared at each other for awhile. Then they got to insulting each other. The Wise One was watching the two. Alex yelled, "That's  IT!" He cast Hail Prism on Piers. Piers landed on his rear a couple feet away. After healing himself, he cast Glacier on Alex.

After rounds of blasting each other with Psynergy, the two lay on the ground, exhausted. The Wise One was still watching. He crept up to the two and took a strand of hair from Alex's head. Alex didn't notice. Neither did Piers.

The Wise One went over to Piers. He got a strand of hair from Pier's head as well, but he noticed. "What're you doing?" He yelled as he leaped up.

The Wise One shifted his eye. "Uh... I don't know what you're talking abou---"

Alex, who had been watching, noticed the hairs the Wise One had. He frantically felt his head. He gasped. "He took my hair! He... touched... the PRECIOUSSSSSSS!!!" He leaped at the Wise One.

The Wise One teleported out of the way as Alex landed on the bridge with a thump. Piers stared.

The Wise One tossed the strands of hair on the ground. The Mercury Adepts stood, transfixed.

The strands of hair levitated off the ground a few inches, glowing. Rings of light circled around the Wise One as he was working. The hairs wavered for a moment, and then...exploded.

A flash of white light blinded Alex and Piers. When their vision was restored, Alex and Piers stood transfixed. Staring back at them was... themselves.

The other Alex and Piers stretched their limbs and then stood at attention, waiting for orders from the Wise One. "Ready for duty, Sir." The other Alex snapped.

Piers snickered. Alex gagged.

The Wise One blinked in satisfaction. Floating over to the duplicates, he whispered in their ears. The two smiled and nodded.

Piers and Alex (the originals) stared. Piers coughed. The Wise One took notice of them again. "I can't have you two knowing my little secret..."

Piers and Alex nodded to each other and took defensive stances, gathering their Psynergy. The Wise One chuckled. He gathered his own Psynergy.

Alex and Piers were about to cast their strongest Psynergies, when the Wise One cast a spell, and when the searing light had cleared, in the place of Alex and Piers were two identical pumpkins.

The duplicates chuckled. The Wise One smiled. "I think that Kay and Aaron were looking for a pumpkin to carve..."

The pumpkins sat still in shocked silence.

*****

One more chappie! Wahoooooo!

Reviews answering:

Naf Naf- Sorry, Anj! ^^; But what did you mean by "bery"??? o_O;;;

Akachi- Heehee. No, psycho pumpkins ain't good... And what I said to E.A.Saraby was not German. ^^; But some "interesting" words in German are: bastard, Bumsen, Scheiße, Mist, Fluch, Weibchen, Esel, und Hölle. I think you can guess what those are... e.e ::Whistles innocently::