Christie's Life on Zack Island

Chapter Five

Secrets, anyone?

Thanks Anonymous for your reviews!!!!

a/n: ah...just hope that this would go well......I'm planning on writing more this time, but I don't know if I can do it...let's see...............!

Christie tried to look normal, to hide the excitement she was holding. But she could see that everybody was excited as hell so what the heck. Lei Fang, however, looked a shade too nervous.

'I really don't like the idea of this game......' She mumbled, head low, playing with her lemon yellow nails.

'Aw come on! It'll be great fun! Imagine how many secrets would be revealed!' Hitomi whined. Lei Fang actually looked even more nervous. She was losing her usual rosy complexion and turning into a pale green.

'You look horrible in green. I don't want to look anymore. Let's play.' Christie said, probing Lei Fang. Lei Fang still looked nervous and shook her head lightly. As she looked on the verge of leaving, Hitomi piped up a suggestion.

'Look, we can do it real fair. It'll be based on luck –only.' Lei Fang raised her eyebrow at Hitomi, as if asking, 'If it's based on luck then would it be fair?'. Hitomi continued. She saw that the situation getting worse.

'You bought all those food, right? Let's pour everyone some strawberry juice –' Kasumi fidgeted. '- and use the bottle. We'll put it like playing 'spin the bottle'. We'll start clockwise, starting from me. I spin the bottle, and whoever it lands on, I'll have to truth or dare her. Then she spins the bottle, and so on. Sounds fair?' Everyone else nodded, including Lei Fang.

'Everyone ready?' Hitomi asked. So we're going to start......

Hitomi spun the strawberry juice bottle. It became a pink-red blur as they all watched tensely.

It pointed at Kasumi.

Kasumi, who was shyly sipping her paper cup of strawberry juice, gasped quietly.

'Truth or dare, Kasumi?' Hitomi smiles and gulps down her strawberry juice.

Kasumi put her hand on her mouth, as if forbidding it to say anything.

'Um...' The decision was hard. If truth, she would surely have to reveal her runaway shinobi life. If dare, worse even. How could she pretend to be a gorilla? 'Truth.' She said definitely. So what if I tell them my secrets? No harm done. Hitomi smiled slyly. Oh no, Kasumi thought.

'Tell us about your first crush.' Hitomi said. As if that's something horrible enough! Kasumi almost laughed out loud. She was so sure Hitomi would ask her about Ayane or Hayate or worse, her shinobi life. Well, turns out Hitomi isn't smart enough to pick the right questions.

Kasumi blushed. She certainly looked better in this shade of pink.

'Um...I didn't have one.'

'Hey, you can't just stay away from anything! C'mon, tell us!'

'Erm..do friends count?'

'Nope! Friends are friends, lovers are lovers. Quick! Is it Hayate?'

'No!!!!!' Kasumi yelped. 'Hayate's my brother!!!'

'Oh, sorry, I mixed him up with the throw-you-up-in-the-air-and-rocket-you-down guy. So, is it him?'

Kasumi looked a little angry of Hitomi mixing up the two and humiliating Hayabusa's famous move. –Izuna Otoshi.

'Then who is it?!' Hitomi prodded on, frustrated.

'Ah...' Kasumi moaned.

'Quick quick!!! ' Hitomi chanted. 'Oooh...' Hitomi paused and made a dramatic look on her face. 'Don't tell me you're a lesbian?'

Kasumi's face turned bright red and she buried her face in her hands. Just as Helena was about to say this was enough, Kasumi yelped out.

'It's Ryu!! It's Ryu!!!!!' The pressure had triggered her senses.

'There, there, Kasumi. Now tell us who this Ryu is and how was he in bed.' Hitomi said soothingly.

Kasumi looked as if she wanted to kill herself – and maybe Hitomi, for that fact.

'RYU HAYABUSA!!! YOU BEAT HIM IN THE TOURNAMENT!!!! AND HIS SKILLS IN BED --' Kasumi shouted, and her voice fell. Ooops, slip of tongue.

Everyone looked astonished. Helen'a eyes widened. Christie had her mouth slightly open. Lei Fang was staring hardly at the flames. Even Hitomi looked a bit shocked.

' – is none of your business.' Kasumi added , flinging her hand on the bottle. They still didn't look convinced. To make sure that they all heard her, Kasumi said again, 'NONE-OF-YOUR-BUSINESS!!' Everybody continued their shocked reactions: widened eyes, opened mouths. The bottle spun fiercely and pointed at Hitomi. Hitomi, who was cheerfully stuffing her mouth with sache torte, stopped chewing and widened her eyes. She wasn't prepared for this. Kasumi's eyes told her 'you thought you could get away with this'.

'But..but...it's pointing between me and Helena!' Hitomi said through a big mouthful of chocolate cake. Kasumi looked disgusted at the sight of chocolate cake in her mouth.

'How could you?' Helena gasped.

'Well, if you think it's fair, okay then. Who thinks it's pointing at Helena?' Kasumi asked. Revenge. Nobody raised their hand.

Hitomi whined again. 'All right! Dare! I have no inner secrets!'

Kasumi smiled.

'Kiss Zack.'

Everybody screamed and whooped. Hitomi literally fell dead on the spot, her chocolate cake still in her wide-open mouth.

'Or do you mean 'piss' Zack?' Lei Fang joked. ' 'cause that's real easy. Right, everybody?'

'Yeah!' They chanted. Kasumi, however was fair on both sides.

'It's true, he lied to us about the tournament, but if he didn't, we wouldn't be here. We'd be staying at home practising our fighting skills, preparing for the next tournament.'

'As if, ' Lei Fang muttered. 'I for one would be holding a party back home, instead of playing this horrid game.' Drifts of memories floated around her head. That night, she thought.

'I agree, Kausmi.' Helena said, breaking the boundaries of her politeness. 'We wouldn't have known so much about each other without Zack.' Of course, 'known so much about each other' referred to Kasumi's revealed secret. Kasumi nodded silently and continued. She didn't need any more of that crap.

'So, Hitomi. Are you going to do it?' Hitomi sat up, dazed. Christie could tolerate no more. All this waiting and prodding had driven her mad. She walked up to Hitomi and shook her by the shoulders.

Finally, Hitomi jerked awake. 'But how?'

Kasumi didn't even have to pause to think. She had it all planned. She pulled out a pink cell phone from a hidden pocket in her tube top. To everyone's amazement, she dialed a few numbers and spoke into the phone.

'Hi, Zack, it's me, Kasumi.' She faked out a soft and sweet voice, melting Zack's heart in the process. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Kasumi cut him down. 'Wouldn't you come down here? We're in the Private Beach right now. Care to come? We have a lot of-' Kasumi paused and glanced around the group. '-stuff awaiting you-' Pause. Kasumi clicked off her phone.

'That's it!' She sat back down cross-legged. 'Now all we have to do its to wait for him to come.'

This was so unlike Kasumi that they were all speechless for 5 minutes. Then they heard wheels. It was Zack in his pearly white limo driving to them. Kasumi stood up and signalled Zack to stop. She ran over to him in her most sexiest way (waggling her hips and flinging her hands back and forth) and seemed to be talking to him. Christie tried to lip-read her words. She moved her lips so little that it was amazingly difficult.

'don't drive...walk...me...campfire...waiting' Zack then put his arm around Kasumi and headed toward them. He was wearing his usual white suit (a new one, because the first one's sleeves got burnt) and had combed his white hair with unimaginably huge amounts of gel. He was all ready to see the girls, all right. He also brought along three bottles of red wine and glasses.

'Hi babes.' He said, smoothing his hand over his hair. 'Want me to join your little party?' Kasumi nodded, her face filled with anticipation. She glared at the others, ordering them to obey. Christie uncorked a bottle of wine and poured it into a glass, handing it to Zack. She wanted him to get drunk so that he won't remember anything. He accepted the glass gratefully. They must've looked weird staring at Zack drinking his wine doing nothing, because Zack started pouring them each glasses of wine.

'One for you, sweetheart.' He poured one for Kasumi. She stared at the glass, her expression hard to read.

'And one for you, teddy.' He poured one for Hitomi. She was so scared and humiliated she almost punched him in the face. But she decided not to make her hands dirty.

'Some for you, birdie.' He poured one for Lei Fang. She wriggled her nose in disgust.

'A good n' strong one for you, hon'.' He poured one for Christie. Her eyes raged with fury. The nickname was poisonous to her.

'And finally, one for my little princess.' He poured one for Helena and poured the last of it for himself.

'Cheers to all of you and this island!!!!' He raised his glass. The others did so reluctantly. He drank his in a full gulp but none of them touched their glass. Zack looked at them, puzzled. Just as he was about to coo them, Christie held her glass to Zack and said, 'Cheers to the wonderful man and great boxer, ZACK!' Everybody, realizing the situation, raised their glasses in unison. Zack seemed so happy he turned his head to Kasumi and kissed her. Kasumi almost backed away, but her eyes were the size of eggs. Christie felt sympathy for her.

'Thanks to you, babe, for this super thank-you party for me.' Zack said dreamily. All was explained. Christie hated him so much her hand flew out to throw her glass at him, but Helena's hand flew out to stop hers. Christie immediately felt gratitude for Helena because at that instant, Zack turned to face Christie.

'You know, babe, you're the coolest gal I ever knew of.' He said, closing to Christie. Hitomi flung her fist with the wine glass onto Zack's back. Red juice poured all over his expensive white suit.

'OW!!!!! Who did that?' He swung around. Hitomi had got another glass in that split second and pretended to cry.

'Oh, baby, what's the matter?' Zack cooed.

'She...she......' Hitomi pointed at Kasumi. 'She hit me!'

Kasumi didn't react. Zack was shocked.

'Really? Are you sure it wasn't an accident?' He asked.

Hitomi sniffed loudly and wept. 'No.'

'I'll do anything to help you, baby. Just tell me.'

Hitomi's eye's brightened.

'There's this one thing. Hire us a stripper!' Hitomi's request wasn't difficult. It was just one phone call away. But Zack didn't believe his ears. The girls choked on their food and had no idea what was going on. Is Hitomi making a diversion to make Zack go away so she wouldn't have to kiss him?

'Hire...hire a...a stripper?' Zack stuttered. Hitomi nodded, making her little-girl-wants-lolly face again.

'It'll be super fun!'

'Oh...oh well, as you wish, baby.' He flipped out his platinum cell phone and dialed.

'Er..hello? Yeah, it's Zack. Listen I need the best stripper you can find –' The person on the other line cut him down. '-no, not a chick.' Pause. Pause. 'No, no, I don't mean that!' Pause. 'Oh, er yes. ' Pause. 'What for? It's none of your business.' Pause. 'Qualities? Do we really need to talk about that? Oh, all right then!' He walked to the sea, making it unable for the girls to eavesdrop. It was this time that they all blurted out different questions.

'What the heavens are you doing, Hitomi?'

'What's going on?'

'Why did you accuse me?'

'I really don't understand!!!'

Hitomi giggled. 'I'm making Zack get entertainment for us, that's what I'm doing! And the accusing hadn't any meaning. It was to make an excuse for me to cry and plead Zack!' Christie still didn't understand. Why go through so many obstacles to get some entertainment?

Zack looked at the girls, still talking on the phone. Christie took this chance to lip-read his words. It was fairly easy. He totally exaggerated the movement of his lips.

'You don't? What d'you mean you don't? Okay, five thousand dollars. It's not the money? What the f are you playing at? Oh, great, there's one available. Problem? What problem? I don't see no problem! Okay, bye.' He frowned as he turned off his phone and walked back to the girls.

' 'bit pesky little researcher. Kept saying there's no one available. But no worry, there's one on his way here.'

Hitomi clapped her hands. 'Yay!'

'So what are we gonna do while we wait?' Zack asked.

'We don't need to wait.' Christie muttered. 'He's already here.' A tall and handsome figure was walking towards them. It was wearing a beautiful white suit just like Zack's, but on his body it looked a million dollars, while Zack looked nothing more than crap. As he moved closer in his graceful way of walking, Helena thought there was an air of specialty about him. That he had a connection with one of them...she glanced at Lei Fang. What she saw was overwhelming. Lei Fang had her hands to her chest, her face red as a robin's chest (thanks to her bird-name swimsuits), her mouth open. Helena knew this guy was gorgeous, but he isn't that gorgeous, isn't he? She looked at the others. They were all politely amazed. Christie, in fact, showed no sign of amazement. It was as if she saw guys like him everyday. Zack was pouring himself some wine, still unaware of the stripper moving closer. Helena looked at Lei Fang again. She wants to leave, but doesn't want to attract attention to herself. Poor Lei Fang.

'Hi!' The stripper said to them. Zack stopped drinking his wine and shook hands with him.

'Finally you've come! Now, I want you to do your best...' He turned his back to the girls and counted a wad of cash for the stripper. The stripper sat down between Hitomi and Kasumi and started chatting with all of them.

'I'm Kenneth.' He said. 'And would you all please introduce yourselves?'

'I'm Helena. Nice to meet you.' This man is really polite.

'...Christie.' Since when did strippers order their clients to do things?

'Hitomi here!' Oh my god he's gorgeous!

'Kasumi......' I love him...

Kenneth turned to Lei Fang, expecting her to introduce herself. She back-faced him and stood up.

'Can I be excused for a while? I need to go to the loo.' Her voice was somewhat different. She walked out of the beach and went back to her dorm. Helena sensed that she should divert Kenneth's attention from Lei Fang. She poured a glass of wine for Kenneth. He accepted it and drank like he never drank before. Kenneth turned on his CD player and played the Solid Gold Disco CD. The first song was good ol' 'Hands Up'. He danced around with a stupid smile on his face(in Christie's opinion) and threw his expensive jacket into the sea. He must've had powerful muscles because once he threw it, it disappeared completely. Then, always keeping his hands 'up', he did the lamest thing Christie could ever imagine. He blew kisses to them. Like a toddler. Like a jerk. Then he quickly removed all his clothes and then he was stark naked. He had a good body, but not as good as Christie imagined. Zack was dancing along too, and doing what seemed to be tearing off his clothes too. Kenneth noticed. He danced wilder, flexing his muscles in the process. Hitomi screamed. It was too much for her young and purified soul. Lei Fang hadn't come back yet. In the distance Christie thought she saw a cowering shadowy figure around the road. She looked closer and almost thought it was Lei Fang. But with all the fun they're having here, she'd want to come, right?

Kenneth's body and dance moves were nothing to Christie. Beside her she saw a blurred Helena moving to and fro in slow motion, clapping her hands and enjoying her time like an old lady. The music changed to the mind-twisting 'YMCA'. Why...Em See Ei.....Why em see ei...boring....boring...

They chatted all except Christie. What's he doing here anyway? She sipped her tomato juice, bored as hell. She did wish she could go to hell sooner, because maybe hell was more interesting. At least you have something to care about. Pain. Nothing to care about is something to care about for Christie. She lied down on the soft sand gazing at the moon, finding unknown constellations, her tomato juice bottle in her hand. When were they going to continue playing? Why is Kasumi acting like this? The questions disturbed her. Skeptic as an assassin should be, she had many suspicions. Why did Hitomi hire the stripper? Did she simply wanted to escape the dare Kasumi set her? As the others seduced Kenneth, she closed her eyes, drowning in the chatter of her friends.....

'Wake up, Chris! We're playing the game again!' Somebody with a sweet voice and strong hands shook her awake.

They were sitting in the campfire circle just like before, Zack and the stripper no where to be seen. Christie groggily come back to her senses.

'Where are they? How long have I slept?'

'You slept for half an hour. And Zack, well...it's hard to explain. We drunked him and told the entertainer to send him back to his house. It took a bit more than ten glasses to drunk him, you know! We had a really bad time drunking him and pretending to be drunk ourselves, and to make the Kenneth go away. He still wanted his money, see.'

'...I'm sorry I wasn't there to help.' Christie said truthfully.

'Nay, you're lucky not to be there anyway. It was a real mess.' Hitomi paused. 'So, shall we continue our game?'

Christie wanted greatly to ask her if she really had gave Zack a smooch, but decided that it might not be safe......

Hitomi spun the now-sand filled bottle. It pointed at Helena.

'SOOOOOooo........HeeeeeLLLEEEEEENNNAAAA!!! Straight TRUTH or scaredy DaRe????' Hitomi asked, now chomping on a meat bun. Lei Fang had gave it to her because she wasn't in the mood to eat.

'Truth.' Helena said. After the dreadful dare Kasumi set for Hitomi, everyone was keen on truth instead of dare.

'Let's see......hmm............' Hitomi said, munching on her meat bun.

'AHA! I've got the question of the universe! If you answer this I'm sure we'll all be surprised!' Helena tilted her head. What question was that important?

Hitomi lowered her voice to a dramatic level. 'How old are you?'

'What?' Helena gasped. 'Did I hear you wrong?'

Hitomi laughed out loud, thankfully she had swallowed her meat bun already. 'I was kidding! Kidding, Helena!'

Helena clenched her fists. 'That was not funny.'

Even Lei Fang wanted to laugh.

'Okay, here's the real question.' Hitomi paused to let the atmosphere grow tense. 'Are you a virgin?'

Haha, that's a nice question. I wonder what she'll say, thought Christie playfully.

Helena closed her eyes for a bit.

'To be truthful I don't know.'

'Huh? So you mean you don't have to be one?'

'No, but...'

'But you think you'll miss all the fun?' Lei Fang suggested. Judging by her silence all night, a suggestion from her is already a big improvement.

'Maybe so.' Helena said.

'SO DOES THAT MEAN YOU AREN'T ONE?' Hitomi asked, getting bored and sleepy.

'Y...y......no.'

'IS THAT NO FOR NEGATIVE OR NO YOU AREN'T ONE?'

'No for negative!' Helena spun the damn bottle before Hitomi can talk. It pointed at Lei Fang. Oh...there are many things I'd like to ask you, Helena thought. Unless you choose dare.

'Truth or dare, Fang?'

'Dare! Gimme a nice dare to spice up the atmosphere!!!' Lei Fang cried. Christie thought she was a bit drunk. But she wasn't red in the face.

'Okay...' Helena racked her brains for the worst dare she could imagine. This would make Lei Fang want to choose truth instead. Then Helena could squeeze the truth out of her. Not that she was nosy, but she was very, very curious about Lei Fang and the entertainer.

'Ah...' She decided. She picked out a log with flames from the campfire. 'Swallow this.'

'But that's murder!' Lei Fang cried. 'That's no dare!'

'Oh yes it is one. It's possible. It only depends on your bravery.'

'Even if I had all the guts I need to murder myself I can't do it. Just swallowing a log whole is crazy.'

'Well then you can choose truth.'

'Is that a threat?'

'No. I have no desire to know your secrets.' Helena lied. I'm just curious.

Lei Fang hesitated. Then she held up the log to her mouth. The flames almost burnt her. She's going too far, Helena realised. Luckily Lei Fang gave up in the last second.

'No, this is mad!! I can't do this!!!!!!' She shouted. Helena felt proud of her little tactic.

'Truth?' Lei Fang nodded her head and cooled her lips with a bottle of cold water.

'May I ask you a few more questions as you didn't complete the dare?' Lei Fang nodded. 'Whatever!'. Helena rubbed her hands excitedly at this great chance.

'How are you feeling today?' Helena asked. Lei Fang looked cautious. Such an easy question...there might be traps.

'I'm okay, fine. Why ask?'

'Because you chose truth.' Helena continued quickly. 'What did you think of the entertainer just now?'

Lei Fang looked taken back and fumbled with her fingers. 'What makes you ask that?'

'You didn't swallow the log.'

'I think he was cool and everything, thank you. Are you doing some kind of survey? 'Cause this kind of question isn't that private!'

'I shall ask what I wish to. I saw you were nervous when he came. Why?'

'He's handsome, that's why! Honestly, is that to important to you?'

'It is. Maybe it isn't. Thank you for you answers, Fang.'

'What? That's it? So you don't want to probe into me?'

Helena smiled softly. 'No. I have no desire for your personal life.'

Lei Fang shrugged. She wasn't too keen on letting her secrets out, especially on her life before the tournaments. But Helena was different. She wasn't the kind that was too nosy. Lei Fang spun the bottle and it pointed at Christie.

'Finally you get to play the game, Chris.' Lei Fang gave a wide smile to her friend. 'Truth, I can give you some privacy. Dare, I guarantee there'll be a lot of fun.'

'...dare. I have no interest in the degree of your mercy in truth.'

'I did wish you'd pick truth,' Lei Fang smiled sinisterly. 'This ain't gonna be easy......'

'How about I dare you to answer my question?.' She asked Christie.

'Fine. I don't care if you dare me anything. As long as it's reasonable.'

'Great!! Now here comes the question: Have you ever picked your nose before?' Uh-oh, thought Christie. They all giggled at the question. If she says yes, then it would be quite embarrassing, but if she said no, it would be impossible. Her nose would be stuffed with bogies of 24 years if she denied it. Everyone has done it before, but you can't really say you've done it, right?

'Hem...' Christie cleared her throat. 'What kind of question is that?'

Lei Fang giggled again and played with the sparks of the campfire. 'It's a question! A question's a question, it's that simple.' She had all the cunningness a Hong Konger would have.

'What if I say no?'

'That's impossible!' Lei Fang looked up Christie's nose. 'You're quite clean, believe me.'

Christie jerked away in disgust.

'If it's not no, then we all know the answer.'

'You have to say it yourself.'

'Okay then. YES.'

The girls all had a fit and slapped their thighs. How childish. Christie thought again.

'Is it over?' She asked, losing patience.

'Yes, yes. I'm overly satisfied.' Lei Fang laughed, doubling up.

Christie cast a cursing glance at Lei Fang, and spun the freakin' bottle. It took a full ten seconds to choose the doomed one. Which was Kasumi.

Christie glared at her. She didn't take notice as she was cutting off an edge of her strawberry millefiulle, sending it straight to her mouth.

'Dreaded questions or embarrassing moments?' Christie asked.

'Hmmph?' Kasumi looked up with cake in her mouth.

'So you want both?' Christie said matter-of-factly.

'Mmmphtrmmpp!' Kasumi said, frantically shaking her orange head. 'Phare!'

'Yes, this is fair, Kasumi. Go on and choose. I'm losing patience.'

'Phare!'

'I told you, this is fair!' Christie played on. It was fun to see her struggle like that. Finally, Kasumi swallowed her damned cake and said slowly and loudly, 'Dare.'

'Get us a coconut and run across the beach like a crab and sing 'Under the Sea'.'

'What?'

'Just do it.' Christie said, peeking at her black leather-strap watch. She had it for years and it was quite worn out now. Three in the morning. Gosh.

'But Zack of All Trades is closed by now!'

'What's that I see up there?' Christie pointed up a palm tree nearby, filled with coconuts the size of footballs.

'Oh no.' Kasumi moaned. She walked back a few metres and accelerated. She jumped – almost smacking into the tree – hugged the bark – and fortunately caught a branch. Swinging around, she panted, 'And what now?'

Christie lay back and looked at her, high above. What a powerful jump. It was at least three metres off the ground. She had to impress them before she embarrasses herself during the crab thing later, Christie realised. 'Climb up to the top!'

Kasumi groaned and put a leg up ontop of the tree and pushed herself onto it. There she lay drenched with sweat, but not too tired.

'Okay. Now get us a coconut!' Christie yelled.

Kasumi climbed over to the side of the leaves and fetched the brown furry fruit. She dropped it to the ground.

'Get us a bigger one!' Christie cried again. Kasumi, tired of the orders, found the biggest one and tried to pull it off the tree. No such luck. The force of it made her fall off the tree, giant coconut in hand. She landed with a soft thump. Luckily she was fine as anything.

Christie approached her, getting the coconut.

'Thanks a lot, ' She said, examining it. 'You okay? Wow, this one's big.'

Kasumi stood up and brushed sand off her swimsuit. There was no reason for that action. It's a beach, for Christ's sake!

Christie threw the coconut to the group casually and Helena caught it.

'Now for your crab scene.' Kasumi almost fainted. She gingerly made out the crab pose.

'Stay on your toes and stretch out your arms like a real crab.' Christie ordered. Kasumi followed. As her face was red, she very well looked like a crab already. 'Do you know how to sing 'Under the Sea'? The Little Mermaid song?'

'No, sorry, I don't watch the Disney films.'

'Too bad. Fortunately, I've got the CD and a CD player. ' Christie got them out from her bag and played the CD. Funny 'sea' sounds started.

The seaweed is always greener
In somebody else's lake
You dream about going up there
But that is a big mistake
Just look at the world around you
Right here on the ocean floor
Such wonderful things surround you
What more is you lookin' for?

Then came the funky voice. 'This part is easy.' Christie said, as the singer proceeded to the famous theme.

Under the sea, under the sea
Darling it's better down where it's wetter
Take it from me

'Go on!' Christie said to Kasumi. The other girls were waving left and right and clapping hands. Kasumi made her crab pose again and mumbled, 'under..under the sea......'

'Louder!' Christie encouraged her. 'LOUDER!!!!' Kasumi cast her a furious glance and obeyed. She yelled out with all her might:

Down here all the fish is happy
As after the waves they roll
The fish on the land ain't happy
They sad 'cause they in the bowl! (Kasumi scattered around tip-toed and all crabby)
But fish in the bowl is lucky
They in for a worser fate
One day when the boss get hungry (She rubbed her stomach)
Guess who goin' be on the plate?

Wo-no, under the sea
Under the sea
Nobody beat us, fry us and eat us (She clamped her 'claws' and knashed her teeth')
In frickazee

It was so funny nobody could bear it. When the song was over they were all laughing their guts out until they were aching all over. Kasumi joined in the laughing as well.

'You're a true actor, Kasumi!' Hitomi said as she wiped her tears.

'Yes, it was all superb!' Helena said, applauding. She caught sight of Christie's watch. It was almost sunrise.

'Oh, no. If I don't go to sleep now I couldn't wake up early tomorrow morning!'

'Yeah, we had all the fun we need. Time to snuggle up in that cozy bed!' Lei Fang said, rubbing her arms. It was getting cooler and the wind blew like it was autumn.

'I hadn't had so much fun in years.' Christie sighed. They threw away empty bottles and put the excess food into their bags. The campfire was almost finished but Christie put it out and threw the logs into the sea anyway. They didn't want anyone else finding out about their party.

'Look, what's that?' Hitomi pointed to the sky.

Kasumi gasped. 'A shooting star! Quick! Make a wish!' They gathered around and made their wishes, backpacks on their backs Christie normally wouldn't have wished with them as she thought it was unnecessary, but since everyone did so...she wished for luck anyway. Soon it was time to go.

'Bye!'

'See you tomorrow morning!'

'Night!' Hitomi walked away with Lei Fang. Helena went back to her room alone, while Kasumi said she just spotted another shooting star and wanted to stay. Christie walked back to her room, thinking of the wonderful happiness she had just now. As she walked along the carpeted corridor to her room, she heard talking. It seemed to be Lei Fang.

'What you do, I don't care. Maybe it's like that. Maybe it isn't.' Then came Helena's voice.

'But you aren't sure yet. You're jumping conclusions.'

Lei Fang sighed. 'Well, I hope it isn't then.'

'I do hope so too.'

Christie didn't have the nerve to stay there listening, so she walked quickly back to her room. Once there, she grabbed two wrapped soft packages from her wardrobe. They were presents for Hitomi and Lei Fang. She pressed a button beside the minibar. Soon enough, the doorbell rang. A bellboy appeared in the doorway.

'And what may I do for you, madam?' He asked politely. Christie gave him the two presents. 'Give these to Hitomi and Helena. And cut the 'madam'.'

'Yes, I certainly will. And there's a package for you, um, miss.' He handed her a soft package wrapped in gold and tied with a blue ribbon.

'Thank you.' Christie said, and closed the door. What's this? Clothing? She sat on her bed and unwrapped the package without mercy. In the middle of bits of gold wrapping and paper, she held the soft thing in her hands. It was black with grey spots. She held it up for a closer look. A swimsuit. It had cute panther spots all over. It was a thong one-piece, without any straps, with slits on the side, and a tail. A furry black tail. Another thing that came with the package was a pair of panther ears and a note from Zack.

Great performance on the beach today! A little gift from Zack. You'll look sexy in Panther, I'm sure.

Oh. It's from Zack. How very thoughtful of him. Christie put away the things and hung Panther prominently on the balcony door, smiling widely. She lay on her bed in bliss and fell asleep......

a/n: There It is! It was better and longer than I imagined. Hope you liked it! Anyway, say something, please!!