Disclaimer:  Ok, so Disney owns most of the stuff in here.  Hotshot owns hotshot, Blue, Hawk, and Candy and SaL owns Wolfgang and Mouse.  Tamora Pierce owns the God Mithros and the gift and any other magic we may use.  Blah, blah, blah.  You should know the drill by now.

Justify the Thrill
Chapter 5
Exempt From Sanity

           

Jack looked pointedly at the thieves for a moment as Spot talked down to Racetrack. He shook his head in aggravation, "Shall we go then?" He asked, standing, "They're probably waiting for us at the palace."
       

Spot stepped forward from the group of thieves, "We'll go when we're good and ready. Give us a few minutes." He nodded to the thieves and motioned in the direction of the stairs. They dispersed and headed to their rooms.
       

Spot on the other hand walked over to the bar, Jack hot on his tail.
       

"Where are they going?" The prince yelled, enraged. He had several other nobles backing him so it may have seemed impressive to most.
       

Spot just turned to them with a smirk. With a quick wink he turned to Blue, "So what'd you wanna tell me before we left?"
       

"You're going to Odessa, right?" Blue made sure his facts were straight before continuing. "There's a tavern there, the Pernik Tavern. It's basically Odessa's version of here. My friend Hawk runs it, he'll help you out. Just tell him I sent you."
       

"You have no idea how thankful I am for your connections sometimes," Spot said, "Save our rooms while we're gone."
       

"Now when have I ever given your rooms away?"
       

"Well, there was that one time…"
           

Blue shook his head, "Alright, but if you do stop at that place be sure not to let the nobles in on it. Keep your gang out of trouble. I don't want to have to watch out for injured thieves; takes all the fun out of it."
           

"I ain't bringing the nobles to Avignon," Spot whispered, "but it ain't a bad idea to stop there." He looked up to find the rest of his ranks coming back downstairs, "I guess we'll see you in a few months."
       

"Guess so."
       

As Spot turned from the bar he flashed Jack an I-told-you-so smile and took the cloak of black material that Mouse offered him. The rest of the thieves had gathered an assortment of cloaks and weapons. Newer swords, more arrows, and daggers and things of that nature. "Shall we?" Spot asked Jack, motioning toward the door.
       

Jack scowled but reluctantly led his boys out the door, the thieves falling closely behind and routinely looking around, more aware than the nobles of their surroundings. Mouse, Race and Spot remained relatively calm as they entered the palace. Their friends' eyes went wide with awe at some of the things they saw outside of their usual spot. All the gold and jewels were exceedingly tempting, but having the nobles right there in front of them kept anyone from trying, even Snitch.
       

Several guards greeted them as they entered the east wing. While most of the thieves, Racetrack included seemed a little on edge Mouse and Spot did not seem at all thrown by their appearance. The guards and thieves continued to exchange nervous glances as they proceeded down the hall. Wolfgang threw open a heavy set of oaken double doors, leading them into a massive study.
       

The room was themed in red and gold. Plush chairs and couches littered the room, and everything shone as though it had just been cleaned.
       

"This," Jack boasted, "Is one of the palace studies. My father's office is right upstairs. We're going to have to start planning your new identities for the trip. I guess you can keep your color schemes," he shrugged, "but we're going to have to get you some new clothes, finer materials. I suppose Spot and I will be making up some titles."
       

"I guess so," Spot agreed.
       

"We will be mixing the nobles and the thieves." Jack all but spat the last word.
       

"My boys ain't all going to be your squires."
       

"Did I ever say they would?"
       

"No", Spot agreed, "But you were thinking it."
       

Jack rolled his eyes and began to walk toward an opposite door. "I suppose your men all know what weapons they want then?"
       

"Us people have our specialties," Mouse put in.
       

"I apologize," Jack said, not sounding or looking the least bit sincere.

"We should probably head to the armory then," Wolfgang quickly interjected. He shot a fierce glance at the prince, "Skittery, you want to get the door?"

Skittery and Bumlets pulled the heavy doors open. The thieves gawked in amazement. Lining several walls and tables, as well as littering the floor were weapons of all sorts, both practice and battle ready. Daggers, swords, rapiers, spears, and tridents; they all lined the walls. Longbows, crossbows, and other weapons lined the tables. Quivers of arrows toppled haplessly to the floor.

These were nothing like the weapons each thief held; even their best were not this nice. Almost all the weapons held precious gems, gold, silver, and Mithros only knows what else.
Spot was the first to stumble out of their stupor, "Who's are all these?"

"My father started this collection when I began my knightly training…" Jack trailed off for a moment looking at all of them.

It isn't right for one person to own so many weapons, Spot thought to himself.

Jack's squire David picked up where Jack had left off, "King Adonis collected weapons from everywhere and made a private armory for the eight of us. We haven't really had a chance to try most of them; just the practice stuff." He pointed to a table of beaten, inexpensive weapons.

"Yes, that's it," Jack agreed, coming out of his daydream.

"At least one of them doesn't have an ego bigger than this room," Hotshot muttered to Mouse. She nodded in David's direction as she spoke.

"Silence," Wolfgang hissed at them while Mouse stuck out her tongue while Hotshot glared, "We all need to pick weapons for the trip. It doesn't matter if you thieves bring your daggers and stuff, but it can not be seen," He glowered at Mouse's belt of daggers as he spoke.

"And just what exactly are you getting at anyway?" Hotshot defended. "Are you trying to say we don't know how to travel? Because let me tell you something, we've been to far more dangerous places further from this kingdom, country even, than all of you combined." Wolfgang made a move to advance but abruptly turned away scowling as he caught the Prince's eye.

The ten thieves began to wander the room, looking more closely at all the weapons. Picking some up and testing them; much to the dismay of two guards by the door. The squires worked their ways around as well as their knights, clearing two of the largest tables of equipment.

Spot had chosen only a simple weapon, a small but lethally sharp dagger. The hilt was a deep black and the dagger itself silver. Never been used and perfect to fit inside a boot. Even when questioned he reassured them that the dagger and his cane were enough protection.

Blink had picked up a trident, one that had been given to the king as a gift from a Cascadian noble. It was a sterling silver trident that would strap diagonally to his back, the gold tipped points downward. The handle of Blinks trident was adorned in pearls, a single large oyster shell and was tipped with and amethyst. It was the very image of things he had seen and grown up around in his childhood. He also found a strap of daggers, pearls and shells magnificently decorating them.

Pie Eater, known simply as Pie also picked out a rather large weapon. To be strapped to his back like an x, point down, were two medium sized throwing spears complete with gold tips and engraved steel handles. Black lather surrounded most of the handle but the last foot was only steel, in it engraved in ancient runes was a message none of them could decipher. Though they looked thin and frail they were heavy and could easily cause damage.

        Bumlets also quickly found his weapons of choice. An elegant saber was placed on the table. It was finely crafted of silver and gold, it's handle wrapped. Along with it he also placed a long wooden staff. He only did this after giving it a good spin to test the weight. Either end was capped with steel to make them heavy.

Mush selected a beautiful rapier. The handle shone gold, several diamonds sparkling from the handle. It looked as if it had just been sharpened, the blade long and slender. He grinned and joined the others by the door.

Snitch and Itey came up to the table simultaneously. They placed down identical daggers, both jagged with lightly colored handles. Their other weapons were also very similar. Itey's mace and Snitch's flails were made form the finest iron. There were black, any points left silver.

Swifty also brought up two weapons. The most elegantly carved crossbow anyone had ever seen; stained chestnut wood with a newly tightened string. Also he added a large crossbow, faded to gray to blend with the woods they would travel through. Along with them he also laid down his own quiver of hand made arrows.

Candy's crossbow was almost an exact replica of Swifty's, save for the fact that it was slightly smaller. The red palace arrows and quiver were also near them. She set an arrow in it, so it would be ready for a test fire the minute she got it outside.

Dutchy was the first knight to finish. Looking nervous he laid a large sword on the empty second table. The same gold and silver scheme was it's coloring but the hilt was wrapped in a gold-colored suede. A single ruby shined form the place where blade met hilt.

Mouse laid down a strap of Cascadian daggers similar to Blink's. Hers were tipped with amethyst. A rapier that looked similar to Mush's in sterling silver was also placed on the table. It was lined with amethyst and pearls as all Cascadian weapons were.

David also laid a rapier on the table. The gold handle was littered with light blue gems and there was a star carved into the blade. It was larger than those of Mouse and Mush but not by much.

Wolfgang chose a back hanger baldric; it was a long sword with an incredibly wide blade that strapped to his back. The people of Adiana, where Wolfgang had grown up, commonly used it. It was heavier and larger than all of the weapons there. Judging by Wolfgang's size he could probably do considerable damage in one swift swing of the weapon. The sword itself was cast in silver with gold engravings along the blade; its hilt was trimmed in jewels as well as a dark green leather grip.

Specs had looked over many weapons and picked up a remarkably simple one. It was a tall staff made of an unnamable type of wood but silver curled around the entire outside of the weapon. The top was finely decorated with rare jewels, emeralds, colored diamonds, and rubies to name a few. The sterling silver of the sides was also decorated with the same ancient symbols that adorned several of the other weapons in the room.

Hotshot found her weapons at about the same time. Swifty had taken a lesser bow and left the better one for her. It was made of ash and very strong. The string was new and there wasn't a single scratch in the wood. She laid it alongside a quiver of her green tipped arrows. She also laid a strap of Muran daggers. They were silver, each black hilt wrapped in dark greed suede.

Jack removed his sword from his scabbard and placed it next to her weapons. It was they typical sword of a noble, its golden handle adorned with jewels of many colors. His initials were also carved into it. It still looked new, though the thieves all realized he had probably fought with it before.

Racetrack was the last to pick his weapons. He brought up a belt lined with throwing darts. They were dark, their pointed tips freshly sharpened. He also added two bottles of liquid next to them, expectantly poisons. He laid another belt on the table as well. Crimson throwing stars from Telc were held on it. The weapons were light, easily thrown and were the perfect size to hide within the cuffs of his sleeves. Race had been testing them out as the others picked their weapons.

"That's it then," Bumlets said, "shall we move on to names?"

"No," Jack insisted. "Spot and I will go upstairs. We have to discuss this trip with my father. We will prepare the names and talk with him about how this will be done. Boys take these men and get some new clothes for them. And Candy, have fun with those two." He nodded toward Mouse and Hotshot.

With that said Jack and Spot walked side by side out of the room. This left the rest of them still standing in the armory doorway.

Dutchy sighed, "We should probably get going then. The seamstress should have something that will fit you." He began walking toward he door and was followed eagerly by the rest of the boys.

"Come along then," Candy said to Mouse and Hotshot, "I'm sure I have something that will fit the two of you. This'll be fun."

Candy, Mouse, and Hotshot left the room quietly and made their way up the stairs. Hotshot took an opportunity and hissed in Mouse's ear, "Why do I have a feeling we're going to regret this?"

*    *    *

     The three entered Candy's room, Mouse and Hotshot made themselves comfortable on the king sized bed while the owner threw open the ebony doors of her large closet revealing her fine collection of dresses. The thieves immediately stiffened exchanging wary glances. "Now lets get started." The girl squealed with excitement ignoring the looks of horror on the other's faces.

"Hmmm" Candy began eying the girls before her. Motioning for the two to stand she began taking their measurements and recording them carefully. "Ah-ha! I've got just the perfect dress to match your cloak Hotshot!" She exclaimed disappearing into the walk in closet.

"By the way are those you real names or are they nick names or what? I mean it sounds funny calling you Hotshot and Mouse as though they were a real names like Catharine or something. Oh where is that dress! I hope I didn't throw it out."

They heard her comment from the confines of the closet as she desperately searched for a dress.

"What about Candy? I mean I haven't heard of any nobles named Candy before." Hotshot responded truly hoping the Lady had lost any dress she wished to give her.

"Good point. Hey, here it is! I found it!" The noble exclaimed emerging with a long forest green gown. "Here try it on for size and if it fits you can wear it the remainder of the day!"

Plastering a fake smile on her face, the thief accepted the garment cringing inwardly as she went into the Lady's dressing room.

Hotshot emerged minutes later and stood awkwardly before the enthusiastic noble and smirking thief. The dress was elegant in its simplicity, with gold piping on the sleeves and stylized neckline perfectly highlighted the solid print. The sleeves of this sateen dress flared to bring extra attention. It fit Hotshot perfectly much to her dismay.

"It's perfect! You look beautiful in it Hotshot! Now all we have to do is fix your hair. Not that there's anything wrong with it but you'll look better in the dress if you let you hair down." Candy praised.

"Yeah, you look beautiful." Mouse managed before erupting into a fit of giggles.

"Shut up Mouse, you're next." And indeed Mouse did shut up taking on a fearful look, eyes growing large. "But, but I am wearing a dress. Can't I just keep this one it's my favorite!"

"Well of course you can keep it," Candy began "You just can't wear it is all. No offense or anything but Lady's don't wear dress that revealing."

"It's long sleeved!"

"Yeah, but the skirt is way too short for any self respecting noble woman."

Scowling Mouse plopped on the bed crossing her arms and mumbling something about unfairness. Hotshot on the other hand wore a smirk, almost identical to the one Spot usually held.

"Now let me see… hmmm yes I think I know the prefect color to compliment your pale complexion, now to find the right dress." And with that Candy vanished once more among her dresses. Seconds later she came back with a pale purple dress trimmed in silver made from flowing delicate fabric. "This used to be my favorite dress. It'll be just perfect for you."

Mouse sulked into the dressing room to put it on, after fifteen minuets or so Candy was called in to help with the lace up back. Overall her new dress was long and elegant, featuring a scooped neck and a slight train. A silver rope encircled the waist loosely and both the neckline and sleeves were adorned by a silver trim.

"Wonderful! You both look like real nobles now! You just make yourselves comfortable while I change into my dress and we'll put the finishing touches on."

"Finishing touches?" Hotshot questioned. "You mean there's more?"

"Uh-hu! Well, we have to do you're hair and make up, and you'll both need a pair of slippers. Boots aren't for dress especially gowns like yours."

After Candy entered the dressing room Hotshot turned to Mouse and the two began complaining. "I don't know about you," Hotshot was saying "but I didn't sign up for this."

Mouse nodded in agreement before adding to the conversation. "No kidding! And what are these nobles thinking anyway? With these fancy outfits we'll never make it to Odessa without drawing attention and suspicion."

"Obviously they haven't traveled alone much. If we're gonna get there we have to travel our way.  We can dress like lords and ladies when we arrive." Hotshot hissed back to her friend.

"I'd rather not dress like them at all, but I guess if we have to work together we need to compromise." Mouse concluded dismally.

Candy came bustling in moments after the two friends had finished their conversation. In one hand she carried a decorative gold belt and in the other two pairs of slippers. The Noble was wearing beautifully flowing champagne colored dress with faux fur and silver trim. The sleeves were three quarter length featuring long flared sleeves. She wore matching champagne colored slippers trimmed in silver and lined with faux fur. To complete her divine outfit was a lined, full length, fawn colored, satin cloak, complete with faux fur around hood and the silver crest of Salso on the back. Lady Candy's blonde hair was delicately curled and pulled half up, leaving the other half falling about her shoulders.

"I almost forgot to give you this Hotshot!" She exclaimed sliding the belt around the thief's waist. "I never wore the dress without it! There now both of you brush you're hair out and put on these slippers while I do your makeup."

She handed Hotshot a pair of gold colored slippers lined in matching forest green fur, to which the Lady explained that she had all of her shoes custom made to match each dress. Mouse received a pair of sliver slippers lined in fur dyed pale purple as well as a new cloak because the one she owned 'simply didn't match'. Mouse's new cloak was along the idea of her slippers it was a sliver colored satin cloak lined in pale purple fur.

When Candy had finished the makeup she worked on their hair. For Hotshot she enhanced its already wavy style and pushed it behind her ears leaving two strands in front to frame her face. When she got to Mouse she decided to make two thin braids both starting just above the ear. Then she joined the two together with a thin strap as the extra-unbraided strands fell and blended in with the rest of her hair. She then took a single white rose and pinned it to the strap that held the braids together.

Finally Candy stood back and examined her work. The other girls squirmed a bit under her scrutinizing gaze. Normally they wouldn't be bothered by, it but they just weren't used to wearing such fine gowns. Add that to the fact that they felt a bit out of place.

"Just a minute." Candy finally spoke rushing toward her vanity table where her prized jewelry collection was held. She drew out a beautifully hand carved, white ebony box engraved with the crest of Salso.

From this she took a gold brooch and approached Hotshot once more. "You just can't wear a brass cloak pin with such a beautiful outfit." Lady Candy explained to the protesting girl as she replaced the cloak pin with her gold brooch.

"Let's see we're gowned, cloaked, accessorized I think we've covered everything. Now we'll return to the weapons room and figure out how we'll attach them."

"What about our clothes? I told you that dress was my favorite!" Mouse whined.

"Oh I'll have them packed for you. Don't worry about it." Candy led the girls out of the room bursting with excitement. "Oh I can't wait to show the guys!" She squealed, "You look so pretty in your dresses! Just imagine their reactions! They'll be so shocked, I bet they faint!" She giggled.

Hotshot and Mouse exchanged glances and finally decided that it would be amusing to have Spot and their friends gawking at them. As they entered the armory they noticed that the boy's weapons were missing.

"Wow the three of us took that long to get ready! They already changed and have their wepons." Mouse thought out loud.

Candy just shrugged, "Well it takes time to look beautiful."

As if she had spoken some magic words the door on the other side of the study opened and the boys walked in. Each was dressed similarly to what he had been upon leaving the room, but even from far away one could tell that the fabrics were finer and less worn. Some were styled a bit differently, not so much though that you could not tell them apart by colors.
They all halted about three feet from the girls. The noble's had raised eyebrows and the thieves were doing little less than smirking.

Ever the ladies man Blink was the first to speak, "Well you ladies look lovely." His eyes were dancing with laughter and behind him Race was trying to contain fits of giggles.

"Thank you Blink," Mouse said sincerely as Race opened his moth to add in. "Race, you've gotten into enough trouble for one day, so stop while you're ahead.

Hotshot approached the group of Swifty, Pie Eater and Specs glaring at all of them. "Don't say a word," she ordered.

"C'mon, Hotshot you look nice." Specs argued.

"I look like a freakin' lady."

Pie grinned widely, "I'm pretty sure that was the point."

Bumlets was standing with Skittery. Though he was Skittery's squire it was only for a short period of time and they acted as equals. Both of them were almost laughing at the thieves' women. It reminded them of how Candy acted outside of the palace and all confinements.

The room went quiet when the doors opened again. Spot and Jack walked in, the latter holding a slip of parchment, followed by two servants. The servants left boxes, presumably the thieves' clothes on a table and left.

Jack and Spot looked over the newly dressed thieves. Jack smirked as a comment came to mind when he saw the girls. "Will you look at that, they almost look convincing. And look at the skirts those two are wearing. They look female now." His eyes lingered a bit longer than necessary on what Candy had found them, "Probably couldn't fight for their lives though."

Hotshot had had it when he made the comment about them being unable to fight. It wasn't hard for Jack to piss her off and she personally didn't care. She stepped forward and swung a punch into his face. One of Spot's friends found it convenient to hold her back after she'd punched him.

"You'd think nobles would learn faster than that," He said, "Don't mess with her. She won't hesitate to beat you into the ground.

Jack hadn't received the full force of the hit, he'd turned his face quickly enough but there was going to be a bruise across his cheek from her. He just glared bitterly as Spot smirked at him.

Spot motioned for his men to sit. The nobles quickly followed their action and soon Jack and Spot were the only ones left standing.

"Ok," Spot started, "We have been talking with King Adonis and worked everything out. We'll fill you in as we leave so don't worry. Anyway, we worked out who's going to be a knight or squire and whatnot. After much arguing we eventually got a list. We avoided leaving two nobles together, except in one case." He nodded in Jack's direction as he was the one holding the list.

Jack rubbed his cheek lightly before he began speaking. "Well, since it is my uncle I have to stay a noble, Jack of Tralee is my title. My squire," he checked the list, "Is Swifty of Viseu, the rest of you do well to remember your titles. Let's see Wolfgang of Adiana will remain a knight. His squire will be Racetrack of Telc."

Wolfgang glared in Race's direction and Race glared back. Neither looked happy about it.
"Skittery of Velda and his squire Snitch of Astrak," Jack continued, " David, you've been promoted to a knight. David of Rhone. Your squire is Mouse of Ohaku. Dutchy of Oort, and squire Candy of Salso," Jack seemed to be getting bored with his list. "Then we have Pie Eater of Toulon and your squire Itey of Aran. Kid Blink of Ipel and his squire Mush of Caldera. Let's see, who's left," He flipped to the back of the page, "Next knight is Specs of Kiel and his squire Bumlets of Gibral."

Specs and Hotshot turned to one another as realization dawned upon them. Hotshot turned back to Jack and the only other person who had not yet been named in the lists of knights and squire.

"Oh hell no…" she started.

"Finally, Spot of Pernik and his squire Hotshot of Mure."

Hotshot muttered a very unladylike word that made Spot raise an eyebrow at her, and Candy to gasp. She opened her mouth to complain to him but he spoke first.

"All of these are final. We argued them for quite a while and I am not in the mood to redo all of them. I don't care who complains. Now, since I don't trust the nobles quite enough yet three of you are staying at the tavern tonight. Mouse, Specs, and Itey, you three are going. Jack has found rooms for the rest of us. You three, we'll talk before you leave about where to meet tomorrow."

"I don't have to go like this, do I?" Mouse griped motioning to her dress.

"Do you want to?"

"What do you think?" The girl demanded drawing a chuckle from her leader.

"No you really shouldn't wear it unless you plan on getting jumped. That goes for all of you, wear your clothes and you'll change back when you get here."

The thieves and the nobles separated into their two groups while Spot began hissing orders into the ears of the three that were leaving, leaving the other six out entirely. "Don't forget the stuff I told you to bring, it's important," He said as they walked out the door.

It was then that Hotshot started in on him. "What was that Spot? You put me with you, and him with some noble. Then you send him out of here for the rest of the day. What is this, some kind of joke?"

"Hotshot," Spot insisted, "just be quiet, I know what I'm doing. If I put you two together there'd be issues. Do we have to remind you of that time-"

"Don't go any further with that sentence."

"Alright, but don't feel bad, I split everyone else up too."

"Yeah," Race agreed, "Just look how screwed I am. I get stuck with Mr. Macho I-can-kill-you-with-a-glare over there. I mean, Mithros, the guy already hates me."

"Which should make the trip interesting," Spot smirked, "and the rest of you got split up 'cause we need to not all be together. The nobles are gonna want to make sure we don't mess anything up and we're gonna make sure they don't."

"Uhhh… yeah," Swifty started, "Spot I was thinking about that earlier. Do you know how many times we're going to be stopped on the road to Odessa wearing these clothes? We look like a band of sophisticated, worthless nobles. And look at what Candy dressed Hotshot and Mouse in; they look helpless, and none of this is going to be good for hunting and stuff in. They'll be ruined before we get there."

Spot nodded in agreement, "Exactly why I sent those three out. Keep the boxes with your old clothes and pack them in the morning, take care of the others' stuff too. I'm taking care of providing clothing and an incentive for the nobles."

"Hey Spot!" A yell came form the door.

Their leader's head snapped up and he met Wolfgang's gaze from the door. The nobles were all assembled there.

"What?"

"Come along, we'll show you to your rooms for the night."

The nobles traveled throughout another corridor stopping at intervals to show two of the thieves their room. Racetrack and Spot shared a room, though Race was afraid of being murdered in his sleep. The other rooms were for Snitch and Kid Blink, and Swifty and Pie Eater. Hotshot was rooming with Candy as it was not right for a woman her age to be anywhere near her friends.

They had dinner in Spot and Race's room while they discussed plans for the trip. Only in what the thieves needed to do to survive it though. They agreed not to tell the nobles about the special powers any of them had. They already knew Mouse and Blink were Cascadian, and Mouse was doing this weird thing lately, but a few of the others had talents they didn't know about. They knew Dutchy and Wolfgang had the gift but were content with the fact that they were the only ones to possess magical powers of any kind.

It was much later that night when they split up to sleep. Each made themselves comfortable in the room in which they were staying. The sheets on the beds were silk with feather pillows. It was heaven compared to what they were used to. They almost felt bad for the three who had been volunteered to leave. Reluctantly they tried to sleep; tomorrow would undoubtedly be a long day, and they would need to be rested and ready.

A/N:  Another chapter done.  The sad thing is we thought we'd have this done by the end of the summer.  We were most definitely wrong.  This story will probably be going well into next summer.  Seeing as both of us work and do band related stuff until Thanksgiving the chapters will probably come pretty slowly, but we'll try to get them up for you.  We're having a blast writing this too.

Thank you so much for all the new reviewers last time and please continue to do so.

So yeah, as usual it is me, Hotshot, finishing these off.  My lovely job to do the final edit and post.  I'm bored and no one's home this afternoon so I figured I'd do shout-outs to all the people that have reviewed because I realized we haven't done any yet.  So starting form the beginning.

Shout outs:

Morning Dew:  I'm glad you're going to be around to hear from throughout this.  And it's really great to hear that our story is well written and stuff.  Yeah there are some issues with spacing that we fixed.  As for the ones remaining where there are sometimes bigger spaces with no stars.  My computer doesn't like me so it happens for no reason.  And as for Spot and Race, those to should provide further entertainment throughout this whole thing.

Raven46:  Another fan of Jack and Spot.  ::claps hands over face::  Anyway, we completely forgot that people usually expect a casting call when this came up and we filled all the spots so sorry.  I'm glad you're enjoying the story though.

Carridwen4:  Glad you like Spot.  Both of us like to play around with his character.  Tamora Pierce is cool and she already made up these certain kinds of magic so it helps.

K Julie S: Don't make me write all that out.  Glad you like the characters and story.  Again sorry about the casting call.

Jacky Higgins:  Glad to find another Tamora Pierce fan.  Those books are all so good.

Shot Hunter:  Spot + Race = comic relief.  Though that might change to Race and Wolfgang pretty quickly.  Glad you're enjoying it.

Shade:  ::nudges SaL:: see I told you we're loved.  ::removes all sugar within reach of Shade::  You definitely don't need anymore of this, unless it will make you review again, in which case you can have it back.

Spider Chick:  I think unusual is a good thing in this genre.  Anyone can do the whole boy meets girl thing.  So hopefully unusual = well liked.

Ok, I'm done with that. We'll try and get these done more often.  New chapter will be up hopefully within the next three weeks or so.  ::cringes at the sound of that delay::  I know it's a long time, sorry, we'll try for earlier.

Forever,

Exempt From Sanity