Notes: This chapter has more of our favorite enforcers in it, and some more elaboration on the story. Also includes a wild mirror chase! Not to be missed! Read on, adventurous...erm, readers.
Disclaimer: I do not in any way, shape, or form own Jackie Chan adventures or the characters of said show. Jackie Chan and numerous other network executives do. I only claim the characters of my own creation, including, but not limited to, Anne, Lys, and Lucky, as well as others when/if they come. This should be a deterrent to a lawsuit, but if it's not, keep in mind that all I have is a pair of old, dirty socks. Nyah.
Chasing After You
Anne put her hands on her hips and frowned at the room. Her cousin's presence was very evident. An empty pizza box peeked out from under the couch, and a plethora of half empty glasses adorned the coffee table. Lys' mutt Lucky was nosing about the carpet, obviously searching for something edible. His search was hampered by the presence of several large piles of clothing; her cousin had apparently not done her laundry for quite a while.
All this in itself was not extremely upsetting to Anne; she personally did not care how her cousin lived. It just didn't seem fair that all of Lys' stuff eventually ended up taking over her space as well. They even hypothetically had an agreement about that. Anne shook her head, then sighed despairingly. She wasn't a clean freak, but she did like to have a slightly livable area. Her cousin wasn't going to help her anytime soon, either. The sounds of snoring from the other room merely reinforced what Anne already knew; Lys had pulled an all-nighter to get that paper done. Stooping, she picked up a pile of clothes and threw them in a nearby hamper. She paused to look at her work. It wasn't a lot, but there was already a marked difference in the appearance of the room. The sounds of early morning traffic on the San Francisco street lulled Anne as she bent her back to the task.
Elsewhere, the Dark Hand's enforcers were also bending their backs to their respective tasks. They set about their day a bit awkwardly; they felt a bit dusty after what seemed like months of disuse. Today, though, they had a mission.
Ratso collapsed into the driver's seat and turned the ignition key while Finn and Chow scrambled into their seats. Finn clutched a round mirror set in a fancy jade and ivory frame adorned with Chinese dragons. He studied it, turning it over in his hands several times and holding it close to his nose to look at it more closely. The thing was definitely a mirror; it had the high polish of a mirror, and it reflected the scenery. It just didn't reflect him, or anyone else for that matter. Finally he shoved it away, shuddering.
"Man, that thing gives me the creeps." He muttered, setting it in his lap.
Chow yawned. "It's sposed to be an aid. Ignore it."
An uncomfortable silence fell over the group as Ratso navigated the streets of San Fran. There was not even the mindless music of the radio to fill the background; it had been ruined months earlier in a fight with Chan. The three men sat nervously for a few seconds before Finn nervously spoke up.
"Well, it's pretty good to get a job again, ain't it?" There was a chorus of half-hearted yeahs. "Especially one that doesn't have to do with Chan." He added quickly. This elicited a better response.
"So, all we gotta do is find those animals?" Ratso asked slowly. Finn nodded and Chow smirked.
"See, that's what Shendude gave us that mirror for. When we find one of those talismany animals, it's sposed to flash a picture of that animal. Easy, huh? I mean, how hard can it be to find something like a rat or a dog? All we have to do is cruise on down to a pet store and bingo! Job's done." Finn grinned and leaned back in his chair leisurely. Now this was what he'd signed on for; this was the easy stuff.
Two hours later a rather more humble group slouched out of a downtown pet store. Ratso now held the mirror, and Finn slid behind the wheel.
"That's the twentieth store already, and not one animal. What's the deal?" Finn griped.
"If I have to look at another dog, I'm gonna go bonkers." Chow muttered, absently punching the back of the seat in front of him. Ratso gazed into the mirror, apparently spellbound.
"Yeah, well at least he's enjoying himself." Finn muttered, pointing to their rather slower associate. Ratso looked up.
"I really liked all those doggies. Especially that one that licked me. You think Valmont would let me keep it?"
"Fat chance, amigo. Valmont's not too fond of pets, and Shendu'd probably fry the poor thing." Chow said, crossing his legs and staring at the ceiling.
Ratso's face fell, and he went back to staring into the mirror. Another silence fell. Finn started to hum, and Chow sat up.
"Wouldja stop that already?" He snapped. Noticing Ratso's crestfallen face, he punched him in the shoulder. "Cheer up, compadre. It's not like you needed a dog, anyway. Maybe you could talk him into letting you have...I dunno, a rabbit or something."
Ratso didn't answer. He was apparently spellbound by the little round hunk of glass he held. Chow sat back, muttering something rude. For a moment, nobody spoke.
"Hey, you guys, whaddayou think this means?" Ratso asked, pointing at the mirror.
"It means this is all a wild goose chase, that's what it means." Finn grumbled.
Ratso frowned and scrutinized the mirror. "Actually, it looks more like a sheep than a goose."
"Yeah, yeah." Finn muttered, not really listening. A second later his eyes grew large and he snapped around to see the mirror. Sure enough, there was something taking form there. He slammed on the brakes, throwing the gang forward in their seats.
"Learn ta drive, wouldja?" Chow muttered irritably, rubbing his nose. Finnd ignored him.
"If I know magical seeking items like I do-and you'd better believe I know them-that means a talis...whatever it is we're looking for is nearby." Finn gallantly stepped out of the car. "Let's just hope that mirror dealie has a seeking thingy on it." Finn stepped around the side of the car and casually swiped the mirror from Ratso through the open window. Chow limberly exited the car, leaving Ratso sitting in the passenger seat.
"Does this mean I can get that doggie?" He asked of the silence.
A few moments later the group stood in front of a rather serene looking red brick apartment building. By the looks of it, it was somewhat old, maybe from the 1920s. A row of large trees was set in the sidewalk in front of the street, and the stone steps had a pleasant worn look to them.
It was onto these same steps that Chow collapsed, muttering something about "stupid magical junk." Finn nonchalantly leaned against the banister, and Ratso stood awkwardly in front of the steps.
"So...what now? This cheap piece of junk obviously isn't working, but it's not like we can tell Shendu that..." Finn shuddered, anticipating the demon's reaction to that statement.
"Maybe if we smash it, he'll give us something that does work." Chow suggested. Finn made a face.
"Yeah, and do you wanna be the one that tells him we broke it? That's sounds more like a death wish to me."
"You have any better ideas, brainiac?" Chow said threateningly. Finn stiffened, looking down at his buddy.
"Ummm...guys?" Ratso said, nervously eyeing the mirror.
"Not now! Can't you see we're busy?" Growled Finn, viciously glaring at Chow. Ratso scratched his head in confusion.
"But you might want to see this..."
"He said, not now!" Chow shouted, jumping to his feet. The mirror simultaneously emitted a bright flash, startling Chow and causing him to tumble down the stairs. Finn watched in amazement as the mirror gently lifted off the ground and slowly rotated so that its polished surface faced the door.
"Well, whodathunkit?" He said in awe as the mirror completed its rotation. Chow picked himself off the ground and dusted himself off, still staring at the mirror.
"Whaddaya think it means?" He asked nervously, readjusting his yellow sunglasses so they once again covered his eyes.
"I think it means we're supposed to go inside," Finn said, jerking his thumb back over his shoulder. As if in response to this, the mirror began pulsing gently. Chow looked at Finn, who shrugged.
"Ours is not to reason why, etc., etc." He bounded up the stoop and pondered the listing of names. "You suppose we should ring the bell?"
"No time for that," said Chow, pushing past Finn. Ratso obediently followed. Finn watched them walk by and shrugged, grabbing the mirror before he followed.
The three paused as they entered a small lobby area. Early morning light shafted in through tall bay windows, artfully spotlighting a few wilted plants. Linoleum-sheathed steps, worn by many generations of feet, led both up and down. A threadbare Oriental rug lay limp in the middle of the floor.
"Wow," Finn quipped. "This place could really use an interior decorator." He grinned, but nobody laughed.
"So which way are we supposed to go, oh brilliant one?" Chow asked, fidgeting. Finn shrugged.
"Don't look at me. Direct all questions to that paper weight." He motioned towards the mirror. "I just work here." The enforcers looked expectantly at the mirror, which rested peacefully in Finn's hands. A moment passed. Finn frowned.
"What, it's broken already? I just took it out of the box!" He shook the mirror violently. "Hell-o! Do your little glowy spinny thing already, wouldja?" He yelled. Frowning, he looked at it closer. "There's got to be an on switch here somewhere," he muttered. Chow grabbed for the mirror, but Finn held it over his head.
"Aw, c'mon Finn. You obviously can't work the thing. Lemme have a go." Chow whined. Finn smirked.
"Naw, I can work the thing. I'm just...testing it." He hefted it higher over his head, and as if on cure, it began to glow. The disco-suited mobster had maybe a half a second to register this before the mirror shot off down the stairs, Finn still attached. Chow and Ratso looked at each other, then loped off after their companion.
"How do you stop this thing?" Finn cried as the mirror shot down the stairs; he was doing all he could to keep up. After the first landing he wiped out, but the mirror continued to pull him along. He had barely a second to wonder how a two-pound mirror could pull a full-grown man before they shot into a corridor. After stumbling for a moment Finn managed to regain his feet. For a moment he gloated over this, before he ran smack-dab into a door.
Anne stood up slowly and rubbed her back. Over the course of several hours the mess had greatly dissipated, leaving a livable, if slightly untidy, area. With a groan she fell back on the couch. It was pretty hard work cleaning this stuff up. She also had a lurking suspicion that her bout with pneumonia had done something to her lungs, but it didn't do to think about that.
After taking a moment to catch her breath and give her feet a rest, Anne stood up. She ambled in the general direction of the kitchen, hoping to find something to fill her empty stomach. The second she grabbed the handle of the refrigerator, and loud thump came from the door. She froze, one hand still grasping the refrigerator, and listened.
Finn slowly fell back from the door in a daze. His nose was noticeably more bent than it had been, and his eyes had somehow managed to get swirls on them. He rubbed gingerly at his face as his companions ran up.
"Was it supposed to do that?" Chow asked, suspiciously examining the mirror, which had fused itself to the door. Ratso shrugged.
"Ban, I think this thing broke by nose," Finn muttered as he struggled to his feet. Ratso gave him a hand, and they both examined the mirror. The polished surface had fused itself to the door with no apparent supports. Chow had wedged his fingers around the circular mirror as best he could, but it wasn't coming up. He looked at them somewhat helplessly, and Ratso stepped forward. Together they set to prying the mirror off the door. Finn hovered behind them, gingerly examining his face with his hands.
"I really think it's broken," he said, trying to snap it back into place. Chow finally managed to get leverage on the mirror by placing his feet flat against the door, and, with Ratso's help in holding him up, they were trying to pull it off.
The door opened.
Almost as soon as she had heard the sound, Anne had carefully crossed to the door. At the foot of the short flight of stairs leading up to the door, she had grabbed an umbrella that sat in the umbrella stand. She stood for a moment with her umbrella poised above her head, listening to the voices outside. It was men; she could tell that much. She bit her lip, trying to decide if she should call the police or open the door. Finally, she made her choice. Grasping the umbrella tightly, she flung open the door.
She was hardly prepared at all when a small Asian man fell at her feet. She stared at him in shock, then raised her eyes towards the others. There was a very awkward silence as Anne took in the maudlin scene before her. When none of the men made any motions towards her whatsoever, she cleared her throat.
"Can I help you?" She asked quietly, looking at each of them in turn. Chow scrambled to his feet, and Ratso looked away modestly. Finn, however, sidled up to her.
"Yeah, Biss...I think by nose ith broken."
Anne regarded the red-haired man standing in front of her. She made no attempt to hide her suspicion, but he didn't look harmful, so...
"Why don't I call the doctor? I'll get you an icepack in the meantime." She said. Finn looked very relieved about the icepack, but put out his hand to stop her.
"Uh...no need to call a doctor....the icepack will do fine." He said swiftly, grinning obsequiously. Anne regarded him calmly, then turned quickly towards the fridge.
"I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail." She said over her shoulder. With a shake of her head she trotted down the stairs and across to the kitchen. Why was she even getting this guy anything? It's not like she knew him. For all she knew, he was waiting there to bash her brains out with a baseball bat, not to mention what the other two might do. of course, she didn't see a baseball bat, but that didn't mean he didn't have one. People were getting pretty tricky these days. She dumped some ice cubes in a bag and sighed. I'm really doing this because...because I can tell he's no threat to anyone but himself. It was almost like a vibe. Sealing the bag tightly, she headed back towards the front door. The three enforcers were still standing there quietly, if a little awkwardly. Anne slowly approached the doorway and silently handed the bag to Finn, who accepted it graciously. With one last look at then Anne quietly shut the door.
Finn delicately held the ice pack to his nose and grinned. "Nice broad, ain't she?" Ratso shrugged noncommittally.
"Hey, look at this!" Chow said, excitement creeping into his voice. He held up the mirror, which had come loose when Anne closed the door. The three enforcers huddled around the mirror, vying for space. The polished surface was clearly showing the girl's face, though slightly different...they couldn't quite put their fingers on it, though. The three looked at each other and grinned.
"I think we found what we were looking for, guys."
Anne leaned against the door, trying to listen through the thick wood, but not having much luck. She was picking up the vibes of the conversation, though, almost as if she could see the three guys. They had found something-what was that sposed to mean? She shook her head and slid the deadbolt into place. This was all just a bit freaky.
Lys stood in the doorway of her bedroom, groggily rubbing her eyes. She looked at Anne curiously, then yawned. "Whas tha all 'bout?"
"Salesmen." Anne said haughtily. Lys just shrugged.
"Yeah? They were kinda weird." Lys yawned. You have no idea, Anne thought, watching her cousin shuffle back to bed.
Fin
Love it? Hate it? Asleep? You can send any questions or comments you have to ichiban_Cheshire_cat@yahoo.com. And any reviews you might have would be greatly appreciated ^_^ v.
The next chapter: Chess, an epic battle of wits, the great equalizer. A great way to annoy ancient, evil dragons. Also, Uncle, Jackie Chan, and Jade (but most importantly, Uncle ^_~) will be making their premier debut in chapter two. Hurrah!
Disclaimer: I do not in any way, shape, or form own Jackie Chan adventures or the characters of said show. Jackie Chan and numerous other network executives do. I only claim the characters of my own creation, including, but not limited to, Anne, Lys, and Lucky, as well as others when/if they come. This should be a deterrent to a lawsuit, but if it's not, keep in mind that all I have is a pair of old, dirty socks. Nyah.
Chasing After You
Anne put her hands on her hips and frowned at the room. Her cousin's presence was very evident. An empty pizza box peeked out from under the couch, and a plethora of half empty glasses adorned the coffee table. Lys' mutt Lucky was nosing about the carpet, obviously searching for something edible. His search was hampered by the presence of several large piles of clothing; her cousin had apparently not done her laundry for quite a while.
All this in itself was not extremely upsetting to Anne; she personally did not care how her cousin lived. It just didn't seem fair that all of Lys' stuff eventually ended up taking over her space as well. They even hypothetically had an agreement about that. Anne shook her head, then sighed despairingly. She wasn't a clean freak, but she did like to have a slightly livable area. Her cousin wasn't going to help her anytime soon, either. The sounds of snoring from the other room merely reinforced what Anne already knew; Lys had pulled an all-nighter to get that paper done. Stooping, she picked up a pile of clothes and threw them in a nearby hamper. She paused to look at her work. It wasn't a lot, but there was already a marked difference in the appearance of the room. The sounds of early morning traffic on the San Francisco street lulled Anne as she bent her back to the task.
Elsewhere, the Dark Hand's enforcers were also bending their backs to their respective tasks. They set about their day a bit awkwardly; they felt a bit dusty after what seemed like months of disuse. Today, though, they had a mission.
Ratso collapsed into the driver's seat and turned the ignition key while Finn and Chow scrambled into their seats. Finn clutched a round mirror set in a fancy jade and ivory frame adorned with Chinese dragons. He studied it, turning it over in his hands several times and holding it close to his nose to look at it more closely. The thing was definitely a mirror; it had the high polish of a mirror, and it reflected the scenery. It just didn't reflect him, or anyone else for that matter. Finally he shoved it away, shuddering.
"Man, that thing gives me the creeps." He muttered, setting it in his lap.
Chow yawned. "It's sposed to be an aid. Ignore it."
An uncomfortable silence fell over the group as Ratso navigated the streets of San Fran. There was not even the mindless music of the radio to fill the background; it had been ruined months earlier in a fight with Chan. The three men sat nervously for a few seconds before Finn nervously spoke up.
"Well, it's pretty good to get a job again, ain't it?" There was a chorus of half-hearted yeahs. "Especially one that doesn't have to do with Chan." He added quickly. This elicited a better response.
"So, all we gotta do is find those animals?" Ratso asked slowly. Finn nodded and Chow smirked.
"See, that's what Shendude gave us that mirror for. When we find one of those talismany animals, it's sposed to flash a picture of that animal. Easy, huh? I mean, how hard can it be to find something like a rat or a dog? All we have to do is cruise on down to a pet store and bingo! Job's done." Finn grinned and leaned back in his chair leisurely. Now this was what he'd signed on for; this was the easy stuff.
Two hours later a rather more humble group slouched out of a downtown pet store. Ratso now held the mirror, and Finn slid behind the wheel.
"That's the twentieth store already, and not one animal. What's the deal?" Finn griped.
"If I have to look at another dog, I'm gonna go bonkers." Chow muttered, absently punching the back of the seat in front of him. Ratso gazed into the mirror, apparently spellbound.
"Yeah, well at least he's enjoying himself." Finn muttered, pointing to their rather slower associate. Ratso looked up.
"I really liked all those doggies. Especially that one that licked me. You think Valmont would let me keep it?"
"Fat chance, amigo. Valmont's not too fond of pets, and Shendu'd probably fry the poor thing." Chow said, crossing his legs and staring at the ceiling.
Ratso's face fell, and he went back to staring into the mirror. Another silence fell. Finn started to hum, and Chow sat up.
"Wouldja stop that already?" He snapped. Noticing Ratso's crestfallen face, he punched him in the shoulder. "Cheer up, compadre. It's not like you needed a dog, anyway. Maybe you could talk him into letting you have...I dunno, a rabbit or something."
Ratso didn't answer. He was apparently spellbound by the little round hunk of glass he held. Chow sat back, muttering something rude. For a moment, nobody spoke.
"Hey, you guys, whaddayou think this means?" Ratso asked, pointing at the mirror.
"It means this is all a wild goose chase, that's what it means." Finn grumbled.
Ratso frowned and scrutinized the mirror. "Actually, it looks more like a sheep than a goose."
"Yeah, yeah." Finn muttered, not really listening. A second later his eyes grew large and he snapped around to see the mirror. Sure enough, there was something taking form there. He slammed on the brakes, throwing the gang forward in their seats.
"Learn ta drive, wouldja?" Chow muttered irritably, rubbing his nose. Finnd ignored him.
"If I know magical seeking items like I do-and you'd better believe I know them-that means a talis...whatever it is we're looking for is nearby." Finn gallantly stepped out of the car. "Let's just hope that mirror dealie has a seeking thingy on it." Finn stepped around the side of the car and casually swiped the mirror from Ratso through the open window. Chow limberly exited the car, leaving Ratso sitting in the passenger seat.
"Does this mean I can get that doggie?" He asked of the silence.
A few moments later the group stood in front of a rather serene looking red brick apartment building. By the looks of it, it was somewhat old, maybe from the 1920s. A row of large trees was set in the sidewalk in front of the street, and the stone steps had a pleasant worn look to them.
It was onto these same steps that Chow collapsed, muttering something about "stupid magical junk." Finn nonchalantly leaned against the banister, and Ratso stood awkwardly in front of the steps.
"So...what now? This cheap piece of junk obviously isn't working, but it's not like we can tell Shendu that..." Finn shuddered, anticipating the demon's reaction to that statement.
"Maybe if we smash it, he'll give us something that does work." Chow suggested. Finn made a face.
"Yeah, and do you wanna be the one that tells him we broke it? That's sounds more like a death wish to me."
"You have any better ideas, brainiac?" Chow said threateningly. Finn stiffened, looking down at his buddy.
"Ummm...guys?" Ratso said, nervously eyeing the mirror.
"Not now! Can't you see we're busy?" Growled Finn, viciously glaring at Chow. Ratso scratched his head in confusion.
"But you might want to see this..."
"He said, not now!" Chow shouted, jumping to his feet. The mirror simultaneously emitted a bright flash, startling Chow and causing him to tumble down the stairs. Finn watched in amazement as the mirror gently lifted off the ground and slowly rotated so that its polished surface faced the door.
"Well, whodathunkit?" He said in awe as the mirror completed its rotation. Chow picked himself off the ground and dusted himself off, still staring at the mirror.
"Whaddaya think it means?" He asked nervously, readjusting his yellow sunglasses so they once again covered his eyes.
"I think it means we're supposed to go inside," Finn said, jerking his thumb back over his shoulder. As if in response to this, the mirror began pulsing gently. Chow looked at Finn, who shrugged.
"Ours is not to reason why, etc., etc." He bounded up the stoop and pondered the listing of names. "You suppose we should ring the bell?"
"No time for that," said Chow, pushing past Finn. Ratso obediently followed. Finn watched them walk by and shrugged, grabbing the mirror before he followed.
The three paused as they entered a small lobby area. Early morning light shafted in through tall bay windows, artfully spotlighting a few wilted plants. Linoleum-sheathed steps, worn by many generations of feet, led both up and down. A threadbare Oriental rug lay limp in the middle of the floor.
"Wow," Finn quipped. "This place could really use an interior decorator." He grinned, but nobody laughed.
"So which way are we supposed to go, oh brilliant one?" Chow asked, fidgeting. Finn shrugged.
"Don't look at me. Direct all questions to that paper weight." He motioned towards the mirror. "I just work here." The enforcers looked expectantly at the mirror, which rested peacefully in Finn's hands. A moment passed. Finn frowned.
"What, it's broken already? I just took it out of the box!" He shook the mirror violently. "Hell-o! Do your little glowy spinny thing already, wouldja?" He yelled. Frowning, he looked at it closer. "There's got to be an on switch here somewhere," he muttered. Chow grabbed for the mirror, but Finn held it over his head.
"Aw, c'mon Finn. You obviously can't work the thing. Lemme have a go." Chow whined. Finn smirked.
"Naw, I can work the thing. I'm just...testing it." He hefted it higher over his head, and as if on cure, it began to glow. The disco-suited mobster had maybe a half a second to register this before the mirror shot off down the stairs, Finn still attached. Chow and Ratso looked at each other, then loped off after their companion.
"How do you stop this thing?" Finn cried as the mirror shot down the stairs; he was doing all he could to keep up. After the first landing he wiped out, but the mirror continued to pull him along. He had barely a second to wonder how a two-pound mirror could pull a full-grown man before they shot into a corridor. After stumbling for a moment Finn managed to regain his feet. For a moment he gloated over this, before he ran smack-dab into a door.
Anne stood up slowly and rubbed her back. Over the course of several hours the mess had greatly dissipated, leaving a livable, if slightly untidy, area. With a groan she fell back on the couch. It was pretty hard work cleaning this stuff up. She also had a lurking suspicion that her bout with pneumonia had done something to her lungs, but it didn't do to think about that.
After taking a moment to catch her breath and give her feet a rest, Anne stood up. She ambled in the general direction of the kitchen, hoping to find something to fill her empty stomach. The second she grabbed the handle of the refrigerator, and loud thump came from the door. She froze, one hand still grasping the refrigerator, and listened.
Finn slowly fell back from the door in a daze. His nose was noticeably more bent than it had been, and his eyes had somehow managed to get swirls on them. He rubbed gingerly at his face as his companions ran up.
"Was it supposed to do that?" Chow asked, suspiciously examining the mirror, which had fused itself to the door. Ratso shrugged.
"Ban, I think this thing broke by nose," Finn muttered as he struggled to his feet. Ratso gave him a hand, and they both examined the mirror. The polished surface had fused itself to the door with no apparent supports. Chow had wedged his fingers around the circular mirror as best he could, but it wasn't coming up. He looked at them somewhat helplessly, and Ratso stepped forward. Together they set to prying the mirror off the door. Finn hovered behind them, gingerly examining his face with his hands.
"I really think it's broken," he said, trying to snap it back into place. Chow finally managed to get leverage on the mirror by placing his feet flat against the door, and, with Ratso's help in holding him up, they were trying to pull it off.
The door opened.
Almost as soon as she had heard the sound, Anne had carefully crossed to the door. At the foot of the short flight of stairs leading up to the door, she had grabbed an umbrella that sat in the umbrella stand. She stood for a moment with her umbrella poised above her head, listening to the voices outside. It was men; she could tell that much. She bit her lip, trying to decide if she should call the police or open the door. Finally, she made her choice. Grasping the umbrella tightly, she flung open the door.
She was hardly prepared at all when a small Asian man fell at her feet. She stared at him in shock, then raised her eyes towards the others. There was a very awkward silence as Anne took in the maudlin scene before her. When none of the men made any motions towards her whatsoever, she cleared her throat.
"Can I help you?" She asked quietly, looking at each of them in turn. Chow scrambled to his feet, and Ratso looked away modestly. Finn, however, sidled up to her.
"Yeah, Biss...I think by nose ith broken."
Anne regarded the red-haired man standing in front of her. She made no attempt to hide her suspicion, but he didn't look harmful, so...
"Why don't I call the doctor? I'll get you an icepack in the meantime." She said. Finn looked very relieved about the icepack, but put out his hand to stop her.
"Uh...no need to call a doctor....the icepack will do fine." He said swiftly, grinning obsequiously. Anne regarded him calmly, then turned quickly towards the fridge.
"I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail." She said over her shoulder. With a shake of her head she trotted down the stairs and across to the kitchen. Why was she even getting this guy anything? It's not like she knew him. For all she knew, he was waiting there to bash her brains out with a baseball bat, not to mention what the other two might do. of course, she didn't see a baseball bat, but that didn't mean he didn't have one. People were getting pretty tricky these days. She dumped some ice cubes in a bag and sighed. I'm really doing this because...because I can tell he's no threat to anyone but himself. It was almost like a vibe. Sealing the bag tightly, she headed back towards the front door. The three enforcers were still standing there quietly, if a little awkwardly. Anne slowly approached the doorway and silently handed the bag to Finn, who accepted it graciously. With one last look at then Anne quietly shut the door.
Finn delicately held the ice pack to his nose and grinned. "Nice broad, ain't she?" Ratso shrugged noncommittally.
"Hey, look at this!" Chow said, excitement creeping into his voice. He held up the mirror, which had come loose when Anne closed the door. The three enforcers huddled around the mirror, vying for space. The polished surface was clearly showing the girl's face, though slightly different...they couldn't quite put their fingers on it, though. The three looked at each other and grinned.
"I think we found what we were looking for, guys."
Anne leaned against the door, trying to listen through the thick wood, but not having much luck. She was picking up the vibes of the conversation, though, almost as if she could see the three guys. They had found something-what was that sposed to mean? She shook her head and slid the deadbolt into place. This was all just a bit freaky.
Lys stood in the doorway of her bedroom, groggily rubbing her eyes. She looked at Anne curiously, then yawned. "Whas tha all 'bout?"
"Salesmen." Anne said haughtily. Lys just shrugged.
"Yeah? They were kinda weird." Lys yawned. You have no idea, Anne thought, watching her cousin shuffle back to bed.
Fin
Love it? Hate it? Asleep? You can send any questions or comments you have to ichiban_Cheshire_cat@yahoo.com. And any reviews you might have would be greatly appreciated ^_^ v.
The next chapter: Chess, an epic battle of wits, the great equalizer. A great way to annoy ancient, evil dragons. Also, Uncle, Jackie Chan, and Jade (but most importantly, Uncle ^_~) will be making their premier debut in chapter two. Hurrah!