*Poof* Is back!! Ahh…lots and lots of sleep…plus easy cash from watching kids…plus a month's supply of chocolate…I am one happy author indeed! Here's your chapter, go and read it now like good little fans. ^_^

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Amanda slowly woke up as the sun hit her eyes, staring up at a blue sky in wonder as she tried to place where she was. A furry tail brushed her nose, making her sneeze as she sat up quickly. She was lying at the edge of a haystack, Benjamin beside her and wrapped up in the cloak they shared. Silven sat on her shoulder, slowly waking at her bed's sudden shift in position.

#Can't you lie still?? It's just now dawn…# complained Silven, rubbing her eyes with her paws before retrieving her hat from Amanda's lap.

"Which means we need to get going to the next town," said Amanda with a slight smile. "Or Winding Circle, which ever comes first."

#We've already been through Summersea again# said Lyssa, washing her face and ears with the small bowl of water Amanda offered her. #Went through it sometime last night#

"Which means that we should reach Summersea sometime today," said Amanda, getting up and stretching out the kinks she'd gotten from sleeping on the ground. She shook her brother's shoulder gently, waking him from his deep slumber as she picked a few bits of hay from her clothes. "Come on, Benny boy, time to get up and get going so we can find some breakfast."

"Aw…let me sleep…" he mumbled, making her laugh as he rolled back over on his side.

"Now, you little lazy bag of bones," she laughed, tickling him on the bottom of his feet enough to get him up and moving.

"That's not fair!!" squealed Ben, shoving on his sandals and scrambling out of her reach.

"It's plenty fair," said Amanda, ruffling his hair gently as she gathered up her lute and pack from beside her. "I'm your big sister, I'm supposed to do things like that."

"Sure…" He bent to pick up his own back, a silver necklace with a pendant falling from it as well as a signet ring of some kind. "Huh? What's this?"

"What's what?" asked Amanda, looking at it over his shoulder. Her eyes widened in surprise as she took it from his hands. "Oh my…"

"What is it??" asked Ben, standing on tiptoes to see it as she held it closer to her face to make sure it was the right one. "Come on, Manda, tell me what it is!! I wanna know too!!"

"It's something Eliz and another friend gave me," she said, putting the ring on the necklace and putting it on her own neck so it fell beneath her shirt. "Do you remember how I said I was a noble before? A rich and privileged person?"

"Yeah, so?"

"This necklace and pendant is my fief's symbol, or one of them anyways. It's a paw with a sign on it, see? And the ring, it's a signet ring from the fief. Originally, it belonged to Levi, but we traded before we left…he needed mine to secure his claim on the fief and he gave me his that I might have something to remember them all by."

"But how did it get here?" persisted Ben. "It wasn't there before!"

"Are you sure?" asked Amanda, running a hand over the top of her head to make sure all the braids were still in place. "Can you be positive about that, Ben?"

"Well…no…but still…"

"I had it on before we left," said Amanda, putting Silven up on her shoulder as the squirrel had finished her meal of leftover fruit from the night before. "And I had wondered where it went to…"

Ben's stomach growled, bringing them both back to the present. "Can we worry about it later?" he asked, rubbing his stomach ruefully. "I want something to eat…"

"Let's go, then," said Amanda with a grin, shouldering the last of her things. "Come on, we'll stop at the first farmhouse we see and barter some coins for a loaf of bread and jam. And maybe a tart or two as well if we can manage it."

"Alright!!"

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Olivia, Randy, and Bryanna sat in a row, trying to concentrate on the droning Master Mage before them.

"Do you understand that, maglings?"

"Yes, Master Noca," ground Olivia through her teeth, hating being called 'magling' by the old oaf.

"Good…now clear your minds…and concentrate!"

He repeated the exercise another twelve times, each of which they completed perfectly but he was dissatisfied with it nonetheless.

"Enough, maglings," he said after awhile, a hint of disgust in his voice. "You cannot perform it today, therefore we will try again tomorrow."

"What are we to do until then, Master Noca?" asked Bryanna, a hopeful look in her eyes. "We still have this afternoon's lessons to complete…"

"Go study in the library for the rest of the day," he said, waving them away with a flutter of his hands. "Go, copy want you want, I don't care, just know that if I find a single book of mine has been harmed…"

"We will all be burned into little bitty bits my yours truly," finished Randy with a savage grin. "We know, we know. Can we go, now?"

"Get out of here," said Master Noca. "And don't bother me again today, do you understand??"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Useless maglings…can never get them to work…" Master Noca wandered off into his workroom, slamming the door shut behind him. The three of them looked at each other, pausing for a moment before scattering in different directions to find their choice of books.

"Where is it…where is it…" muttered Bryanna to herself, scanning the volumes for one certain title she had spotted earlier. "Come on, come on…" Her fingers traced the titles, knowing it had been in this space somewhere…

"Looking for this?" asked Randy, absently holding a brown, leather book over his head with silver inlaid for the title and edges of the pages as his other hand flipped through the large, dusty chronicle before him.

"Yes!" Bryanna darted over, reaching up to take it from him…only to find she was too short to do so. "Randy?! Come on, I've been waiting to get my hands on that-"

"Since we walked in the door and you first saw it," Randy finished for her with a smirk. "I don't get it, it's just a book on healing in bare minimum conditions. We're always going to be at least adequately stocked as far as supplies go, so why bother with this?"

"Because you never know," replied Bryanna, snatching it from his hand as Olivia sent them a 'Shut-up-NOW' glare from her end of the library. Surrounded by several dusty chronicles and scrolls, some on how to fight and defend with her particular form of magic, they opted to lower their voices for the moment.

"Never know what?" asked Randy, shrugging idly as he turned his back on her. "Come on, our path is set, we're never going to have less than we need."

"That's not guaranteed," disagreed Bryanna with a shrug. "You don't believe me, fine, but I intend to prepare just in case."

"That's what comes from being an ex-thief," muttered Randy under his breath, rolling his eyes. "Now where's that text on Light Illusions…"

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Kaitlin bounced happily in random directions around the band room, her blondish-red hair falling well past her shoulders in a horsetail down her back. She grabbed on to Cheeks suddenly, pulling the startled marching band vet enough off his balance that he was forced to follow her crazy path all the way to the front of the band room. She stopped there suddenly, looking in surprise at the young woman who stood there uncertainly at the door.

"Hey, I know you!!" said Kaitlin in surprise. "You're that Valedictory-thingy-person, aren't you? The one who was ranked first in last year's class!! What's your name again??"

"Uh, Rupal," said the girl, her tan skin and dark hair showing her Asian decent as she looked back at the hyper sophomore with turquoise eyes. "Hey, have you see Amanda Frias or Bryanna Reeves? One of them has a card I need…"

"Haven't seen Bry-Bry," said Kaitlin, tilting her head to the side as Cheeks finally got his head back beside her. He towered over her by at least a head; his barrel chest and thick arms giving him a 'sharp as a dull crayon look' complete with his small eyes and buzzed hair. Luckily, he was also a lot smarted that he looked (most of the time).

"Not at all?" asked Rupal, frowning some. "She was supposed to be here today, wasn't she?"

"So was Olivia and Randy, haven't seen them either," replied Cheeks with a shrug.

"Where can I find Amanda, then?" asked Rupal. "Or is she not here either?"

"Oh, she's here," said Kaitlin, grabbing her arm and pulling the short, young woman after her at a trot. "She's working in Her Room, a.k.a. the uniform room. I swear, she's set up a bed and dresser and live in there if Mr. Payne would let her."

"Um…ok…" She turned to Cheeks, who followed them with a shrug. "Is she always like this."

Cheeks grinned. "Unfortunately."

"Hey!"

"Just kidding, just kidding…"

"Manda!!" Kaitlin threw open the door, finding the room entirely empty, though with a stool and a couple of stands knocked over that hadn't been like that before. "…Amanda? Ben? Lyssa??"

"What's wrong?" asked Cheeks, sticking his head in above theirs over the half-door.

"Nobody's there…"

"That's impossible," said Cheeks, scratching his head as he dead. "The little guy went back in there not even five minutes ago, they couldn't have left since then without being noticed…"

"I know but…ooh!! What's this?" Kaitlin jumped over the lower half of the door and picked up the leather-bound book that lay on the floor. Rupal opened the door from the outside, letting her and Cheeks in. "Wonder where this came from…"

"Looks old to me," said Rupal, touching the parchment pages from beside her. "Ancient, even."

"And maybe worth something too," added Cheeks. "I wonder who it belongs too…"

"Hey, you guys," said Brenna, coming in with a confused look on her face. "What are you guys doing in here? Amanda's not supposed to…" She realized with surprise that the original three occupants of the room had vanished from sigh. "Unless she's not here, which would at least explain why you're standing in there and still alive…" Her eyes narrowed as she saw the book lying open in Kaitlin's hands. "Hey, wait a sec! Holy cow…that can't be-"

"SAVE MEEEEE!!!!" cried Libby, running in the room and slamming into Brenna full force. Everyone toppled from there like dominos, the fateful closing of the book and flash of light marking their exit from that realm into the next…

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Bryanna leaned back on the cushion Randy had brought out for her, Olivia lying nearby with a couple of empty glasses beside her and Randy begging for forgiveness in between them both.

"Please, you guys," he said, groveling to the point that his head was touching the sand. "It would mean so much to me…"

"So you can prance around in that hoe's bed for a night? I think not," cut in Olivia, snapping her fingers like she would at a dog. "Go fetch me another whatever these things are!" She held up her empty glass emphatically. "And be quick about it!"

"Yes, ma'am…"

"What is it he wants?" asked Bryanna, closing her eyes and letting the sound of the waves below them wash over her as if it were the water itself.

"One of my 'never-ending' ice packs obviously filled with Mages Ice, and some sort of a birth prevention potion. Not sure what, but he says he's got the recipe and all you have to do is make it and put a burst of your magic in it."

"And he wants them because…?"

"Some girl in town asked him to. That's where he got the 'recipe' from," explained Olivia. "He says he's just being 'nice', the bastard…"

"So you think he has other intentions, then?"

"Of course! Nothing is ever for free, ever." Olivia considered her words for a moment. "Nope…never free…"

"Well, I don't know about you, but I could honestly not care less," said Bryanna, rising to her feet as Randy came scrambling back with the drink held carefully in his hands. "Later."

"Hey, where are you going?" asked Randy, a hopeful look on his face. "Is my groveling over?? Will you-"

"If she helps you, I will," said Bryanna, simply motioning towards Olivia before heading back towards their rooms. "Otherwise, you're outta luck."

"Aw, but Bry…"

"No buts, get her approval or forget about it," said Bryanna with a shrug. "Personally, I don't care. But I think it's sweet she does. Therefore, you can discuss it wit her."

"Bry!"

Olivia started at her choice of words. "Hey!! Get back here…"

"Not on your life." Bryanna walked away, listening to them argue behind her distantly. They acted like they were married sometimes and they weren't even dating.

This was going to be a long couple of years if the last trip were anything to go by.

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Ben sighed as they continued to walk down the road, kicking up dust behind them as Amanda hummed softly to herself. Lyssa lay on his head, limbs all akimbo as her tongue lolled out comically on the side. "You'd better not be drooling on me," he warned, adjusting the strap on his shoulder.

#I'm not# retorted Lyssa idly, patting his head with one of her paws. #Come on, do I look like an animal to…huh. Ok, then, do I act like an animal to you?#

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

#Shut up and keep walking#

"Haha, that's what I thought."

"Leave her alone, Ben," said Amanda, smiling at them both as she swung the lute around and began to absently pick out a few cords here and there. "She's a squirrel, a tiny little thing that's thought of as a pet. How'd you like to be like that?"

"Remind me why we're going this way again?" asked Ben, ignoring her question all together. "And what is it called, exactly? Winding something…Square? Oval?"

"Winding Circle, you doof," said Amanda, laughing as he ducked his head and blushed slightly. "We're going because Master Collin asked us to. Or, he asked us to for one of his tumblers. She knows someone there, wanted us to pass along a note for her since we were going in that direction anyways."

"Which one??"

"Mistress Undine," replied Amanda, pausing her playing for a moment. "The real little one that's getting kinda old with the gray streaks in her hair-"

"Like you?" quipped Ben, ducking as Amanda swatted at his playfully. Lyssa slipped from her perch, grabbing onto his ear before managing to swing back up again.

#Hey!! Stop moving already!!# she yelled, jumping from Ben to Amanda so she could fine a more stable perch there.

"She getting grouchy?" asked Amanda, letting her curl up on her shoulder while Ben rubbed his ear lightly.

"Yeah," he muttered, "Come on, there's something up ahead."

A huge wall loomed over them as they approached the gate, a guard in a red robe stopping them there with a wave.

"What business have you here?" he asked, a hopeful look on his face as he realized they were performers of sorts.

"A message for Dedicate Lark," said Amanda, bowing respectfully as all performers did. "Can we be taken to her, please? I have been asked to deliver this message in person…"

"Of course," said the guard, waving over one of the Novices who were walking along nearby. "Tanya, take this young lady over to Dedicate Lark, will you? She should be at Discipline, if not try the other loom houses as usual."

"Yes, sir," said the girl, flashing him a slight smile before beckoning for the two humans to follow her down the path. She was shorter than Amanda, though taller than Ben. Probably five foot or so, with long red-gold hair, tinted just a little too copper to be strawberry blonde but close enough. A bit pale as far as skin coloring goes, Amanda could tell she'd been out in the sun too much by the pealing on her pink nose. Grey-blue eyes seemed to constantly flit back and forth between them and the path, obviously filled with curiosity at their odd appearance.

"If you don't mind me asking…" she started shyly. "I was just wondering…who are you? No one in town or the temple dresses like you, not even the street singers and dancers."

"I'm a musician and he's a tumbler," explained Amanda with a shrug. "We dress like this just because we do."

"Oh! Ok…um…I didn't mean to pry…"

"No harm done," Amanda assured her quickly. Silven suddenly got up, scampering down Amanda's arm to chatter at the girl. "Hey, what's up with you?? I thought you were asleep…"

"She's so cute!!" gushed the girl, reaching out slowly to scratch the squirrel behind the ears. "May I? Just for a moment?"

"Of course," said Amanda with a grin. "Behave, Silven." Tanya laughed as Silven snorted and stuck her nose up at Amanda, acting as if she understood every word they said perfectly. Not that she didn't, but being a squirrel usually meant you couldn't do such things.

"Here we are," said Tanya, cradling Silven to her chest with one hand as she opened the gate with the other. "Come, Rosethorn and Lark should be having lunch right about now…"

"Lunch?" asked Ben, perking up immediately.

"Bottomless pit," teased Amanda as Tanya handed Silven back to her, knocking on the door softly. She heard a chair being pushed back inside and low voices talking amongst themselves. "Thank you for bringing us here, Tanya. Perhaps we will meet again sometime."

"Perhaps," she replied, smiling shyly as she waved to them both. Turning suddenly and scampering down the path, she was gone in the blink of an eye.

Ben blinked. "Wow she's fast…"

"Can I help you?" asked a curt voice, bringing them both back to the door. A short woman stood there, as tall as Tanya had been with chestnut brown hair that was mannishly short and parted on the side. Tanned from working long hours in the sun, and sharp eyed as any, she looked them over for a moment before cocking her head to the side. Amanda repressed the urge to break down and hug her as she replied.

"I'm called Briteyes," said Amanda, using the new name the performers had given her. "And this is my brother Scamp." Silven tugged on her ear from her perch on the young woman's shoulder. "And this is Silven. I have a note for Dedicate Lark, and was told I would find her here…"

"I am Dedicate Rosethorn," said the woman, smiling wryly as she bowed to them. She eyed Ben for a moment, as if he were some insect she wanted to rid herself of. "Dedicate Lark is here. Please, come in."

"Thank you," said Amanda, walking in the room with Ben right behind her.

"Who is it, Rosie?" asked a calm voice, three others seated at the table with a meal of cold cuts, vegetables, cheese, and bread spread out for them to eat.

"Are you Dedicate Lark?" asked Amanda, pulling a sealed envelope out of her bag.

"Yes, I am," replied the woman. She looked to be in her late twenties, maybe early thirties, a heart-shaped face smiling on them both kindly as she bowed to them slightly and they bowed in return.

"This is from Mistress Undine, she asked me to deliver it to you," said Amanda, handing the letter to her carefully.

"Then you are a part of Master Collin's Troupe?" asked Lark in surprise.

Amanda shook her head. "We were a temporary addition, and left their company a few weeks or so ago." She looked over at the other two men who sat at the table, one a tall fellow with black hair streaked with silver, elegantly dressed but not to the point of being overly excessive. The other was a massive man, black with a flowing pepper and salt beard and hair just as long. White teeth flashed as he smiled at them both.

"Please, join us for midday," offered Lark, Ben eyeballing the food even as he stood there with his mouth watering. "You must be tired…"

"Please can we stay?" begged Ben immediately, getting grins from the rest of the adults as he looked at her imploringly. "Please, please, please?"

"Here, you can have this bench," said the tall, thin fellow. He got up and moved around to the other side with the huge guy. "Please, we insist."

"Thank you," said Amanda, sitting down and setting Silven on her shoulder. Taking a bit of ham and bread, she gave it to the squirrel before helping herself and her brother to the bounty on the table.

"How is Master Collin and Mistress Undine?" asked Lark as she settled herself back down. "I haven't seen either in years…"

"Well enough," replied Amanda with a half-grin. "Undine maybe twice my age but she's also twice as flexible as I'll ever be…"

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

"Oh, this is so much fun!!" laughed Devan, throwing some spells together before sending the group on to their new home. "Fun, fun, fun!! Hehehahah! Hhahahhahahahh!! MUAHAHAHAHHHAHAHH-" *choke* *gasp* *COUGHCOUGH*

A storm began brew outside as the young mage brought himself under control.

*rumble* *rumble*

*BOOM*

*CRASH*

"Eep!!" Devan hid under the table, covering his head with one arm as he continued to cough with the other.

"Don't tell me you're still afraid of lightening," said Grendal, appearing in the corner as usual.

"Shaddup and make it go away!!" he growled, sounding more like a frightened puppy than anything else. "I'm a bit…touchy in this form!"

"You're a bit touchy in every form," replied Grendal ever so sweetly, making it all disappear with a wave of her hand.

"No good, dirty rotten, stinky, bratty, annoying, meddling, older sisters!" muttered Devan to himself.

"What was that, Dev?"

"Nothing," he replied quickly, diligently going back to work.

"Right…"

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Brenna grabbed on to the closest thing to her, which happened to be a very unstable Libby, causing both of them to crash to the ground. "What did you do this time, Lib?!" she groused, rubbing her head where it had hit the ground none too gently.

"Payne …was gonna…kill me…"

"He's gonna kill you even more when he sees what you did! We must've knocked over every stand in the whole-"

"I don't think we're in the uniform room anymore," cut in Kaitlin, sounding very, very nervous. "For that fact, I don' think we're in freaking Charlotte anymore!!"

"What?!" That's when it hit Brenna as she slowly rose to her feet. The leather book…the flash of light… "Oh my gosh…Libby, do you know where we are?" she asked softly, not even bothering to look around herself at all.

"Where?" asked Libby, rubbing her eyes on her sleeve. Then she realized something, she'd been where a sleeveless shirt when she walked out the door this morning. How in the world…?

"WE'RE BACK!!" cried Brenna, laughing maniacally as she reached for her sides and found what she assumed to be her two trusty daggers sticking right in her belt. Pulling them out with a twist, she cried, "The QUEEN of THIEVES is BACK IN BUSINESS!!"

"Um, Brenna?" asked Kaitlin, hiding behind Cheeks with Rupal as they all stared at her. "You're holding a small shovel and tine…one of those little pronged garden thingies…"

"Huh?!" Brenna brought them to her face, seeing Kaitlin was right and her thief garb had been traded for the hitched up robes of a common farmer. "This can't be right…no!! I want my leather, daggers, and Court of Thieves!!"

"Brenna wearing leather," said Kaitlin, still the only one out of all of them able to speak at all. "Sexy."

Cheeks sat down hard on the ground. "I am so freaking lost…"

Rupal joined him there. "You're not the only one, at least."

"Wait a sec," said Libby. "We could be back, you know, it could just be that we're somewhere else in Tortall." She made a face. "Or you know what would really suck? If we came back and all our friends from before were preschoolers."

"Don't say that!" cried Brenna, bopping Libby on the head with the handle of her shovel before putting both tools back in her belt. "That CANNOT be the case, alright?? No, I…never, it can't happen."

"Let's just find out if it is the same book," suggested Libby. "Who had the book? Come on, raise that hand high…"

"We did," said Cheeks, pointing to himself, Rupal and Kaitlin.

"What as the title?"

"Circle of something," said Rupal with a shrug. "Might've been magic…"

"Oh no…"

"Tell me what's going on!!" demanded Kaitlin, pouncing on Brenna and sitting her stomach while the latter stared up at the sky. "Enough riddles, enough confusing Kaitlin because it happens too much as it is!! Where are we and why are we dressed all funny?!" She was dressed in a long skirt and shirt, a plain smock over it all with a pouch pocket above her belt and a few others below.

Cheeks stood up and dusted off his pants, wearing that with boots and a loose work shirt complete with a worn leather vest with pockets. Rupal stood beside him, wearing boots to her knees and loose linen pants, her collar shirt well fitting and leather vest decorated with a circular pattern in thread. A thick belt around it all, she looked more like a businessperson of sorts than the farm boy Cheeks was dressed as. Libby wore leggings and low boots, her shirt loose like Cheeks with a smock over it that resembled Kaitlin's only it went to her knees and not her ankles.

"We got pulled into Tamora Pierce's book, or series, the Circle of Magic," explained Libby, rubbing the bump on her head as she pouted at Brenna. "Or at least, that's what I figure has happened.

"That's the only thing that could've happened, numbskull," said Brenna, inspecting her own outfit more closely. Loose, long one-piece linen dress with a cloth belt, she might've passed for a dedicate in some temple if it weren't a light purple.

She started to play with her hair, wondering what to do not when she realized something. Her hair reached to the middle of her back, the length it would be if it weren't so curly…only it wasn't curly anymore and it was a deep purple-black as well.

"Holy cow…"

"Oh my," said Kaitlin as she really looked at Brenna for the first time. "Um, Brenbren? You got dark violet eyes…"

"I WHAT?!?"

"Settle down," said Cheeks. "You always said you wanted purple eyes. Now you've gott'em."

"This almost makes up for the fact that I'm no longer a queen," said Brenna, happily prancing around as the others just got more and more lost on what was going on. She paused for a moment, considering it. "Well…no. Only almost." And resumed happily prancing as always.

"I can't believe this," said a little boy, appearing before them. "Why are you still standing out here?!"

"Where else would we have to go?!" demanded Libby. She pounced on him and shook him firmly. "Hey, you're the mage dude, aren't you? What's going on here?!"

"Trystan recommended you, therefore I brought you here," he said with a shrug. He ghosted out of her grasp, becoming solid again a few steps away. "Anyways, the dark girl with the nice vest has the land deed, that house right there and everything in it plus the land named in the deed is yours." He pointed to a two-story farmhouse behind them, the only building for a few miles either way down the road. "I'll give you three guesses at your new occupation."

Brenna looked down at the tine and shovel in her belt, and then looked back with a scowl on her face. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Nope," he said with a benevolent smile. "Have fun!" And disappeared from sight.

"This is so depressing," said Brenna. "I went from a Queen to a farmer. There's no in between either, it's just 'poof'! Here ya go! Go be a farmer now!"

Rupal looked at them all, and then fished the deed out of her pouch where it was just as he'd said. "I am still so incredibly lost…all I wanted was my card!! Was that too much to ask??"

"Let's go in," said Libby with a shrug. "He said it was ours, after all. We can figure out what's going to happen from there."

"Alright," said Rupal, putting the deed back in her belt and following the others to the front door. Brenna fished about her own pouch and found a key, the one that opened the front door.

"Um, guys?" said Cheeks, scratching his head as he did. "I don't really care what's gonna happen, and all, I just have one thing."

"What's that?" asked Kaitlin, looking at him in confusion.

"I get my own room!"

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~\

Randy stuck out his tongue as he went through the layers of the illusion, using all the detailing tricks Master Noca had taught them (or he'd pulled from the library) to make it even more realistic than before.

First the sight, building it bit by bit so everything from its rich, dark color to the moist, soft texture was picture perfect. The extra parts he added on carefully, making sure the shadows fell right on it and everything was to the best quality he could design.

Then he went on to smell, it's deep, appetizing aroma rising from it in steamy tendrils. His own mouth began to water, but he stopped himself from trying to dive into it by putting his hand through it and still finding it to be intangible.

Last, but far from the least, he added on a spell of imagining, where what the person thought would happen when they touched it, it would. Also, he added on a trick spell just for fun, wishing he'd be awake to see it but knowing after such expenditure he'd be out for a while.

Randy laid his head on the table and cut off his magic from it, letting it stabilize on his own so it would stay as it was until he'd woken up again. Drifting off into the land of nod, he smiled happily as he felt he'd outdone himself again. You shouldn't give such tempting powers to one who has little self-control at times…

Bryanna came in awhile later, seeing a humungous chocolate cake with medium bits of decorations like flowers in vanilla and chocolate icing covering the top and part of the sides. "Wow…" She walked around it, seeing Randy asleep on the other side with a small smile on his face. She poked him a couple of times, but finding that he wasn't going to wake anytime soon she went back to circling the cake and wondering if it was for them or not.

"What smells so go?" asked Olivia, coming in the door with a few bags in her hands. Setting them on a bed, she went straight to the cake with huge eyes. "Oh my gosh…it's chocolate heaven…"

"I know," said Bryanna, her mouth watering to the point that she thought she was going to start drooling. "But is it for us or not…?"

"He's here asleep, so I'd say it is," said Olivia, taking out a knife and a plate. "If it's not, that's their problem. They shouldn't have left it near me." She cut out a slice and put it on the plate, picking up a fork and taking a bite of it without any hesitation.

"How is it?" asked Bryanna, watching her chew on it thoughtfully.

"A bit rich, but great," added the ice mage, quickly devouring the whole slice. "Man, I want some more…"

Bryanna shrugged and cut them both a slice, sitting down at the table and trying it for herself. Olivia was right, it was one of the most delicious things she'd ever eaten before in her life! They continued to eat and eat, each going through goodness knows how many slices when Olivia paused, her fork halfway to her mouth when she realized something. They were eating and eating and eating, but nothing more than the slice she'd first eaten was disappearing at all. In fact, it looked as if that bit of space was shrinking as well.

"What's going on…"

"Hmhm." Bryanna shrugged and opened her mouth, biting down on another piece of cake…only to find herself with a mouthful of form. "Hm?!" She took it out, running her tongue over her teeth gently. "Eck…what in the world??"

Olivia looked over at Randy, who's smile had gotten bigger and had an eye cracked open just enough so he could see. "RANDY!!" She thwaped him over the head with her fork, reaching for the cake to toss at him as well only to find it had disappeared entirely. The crumbs, the icing on the plates, the taste in her mouth, everything was gone like it had never existed at all.

Both girls looked at Randy, their eyes glowing with one single, harrowing intent.

"DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH-" *gurgle* *choke* *gasp* .

.

.

o.o "Um…Olivia? He's turning blue…"

-_- "DO YOU WANNA TAKE HIS PLACE??!!!"

0.o;; "Never mind…"

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Amanda and Silven helped Rosethorn in her garden, pulling up weed after weed in the morning sun. "You are sure you are staying until Midsummer, then?" asked Rosethorn, carefully planting a new shrug she'd gotten on the side of the house.

"Oh, yes," said Amanda with a nod. "We've been asked to be a part of the festivities, and who could refuse when our pay will be bags of food from Dedicate Gorse? If ever a man should be declared the cook of the world, it would be he." Her pants pulled up around her knees and her usual blue top traded for a plain white one from the attic, she was more than happy to do her share of the work while they stayed at Discipline with the two Dedicates. Their last students hadn't moved out more than a few months ago, and enjoyed the company Amanda, Ben, and Silven provided while they were there.

"Mandamandamanda!!" shouted Ben, running around the side of the house. He skidded to the stop at the edge of the garden, knowing perfectly well what would happen if he disturbed the slightest thing within it. And he had a deathly fear of wells because of it. He stilled called her by her old name, though, and was the only one she allowed to do so.

"What is it, Scamp?" asked Amanda, standing up straight and wiping the sweat from her eyes.

"Dedicate Moonstream is here to see you," said Ben, his eyes huge.

Amanda frowned, trying to place the name. "Dedicate Moonstream?"

"The head Dedicate of Winding Circle," said Rosethorn, sounding surprised herself. "I wonder why she would wish to see you…"

"Are you the one called 'Briteyes'?" asked a woman, appearing beside the garden the same way Ben had come. She was an older woman, her light hair streaked with gray and lines around her mouth and eyes. She had a worldly, assured aura around her that put the musician at ease immediately.

"I am," said Amanda, quickly stepping out of the garden and dusting herself off as best she could. She bowed to the woman respectfully. "A pleasure to meet you, Dedicate Superior Moonstream."

"Dedicate Moonstream," said Rosethorn, standing beside Amanda and bowing as well. "What a surprise."

"My apologies, Dedicate Rosethorn," said Moonstream with a slight smile. "But I wish to borrow your helpers for awhile, if I may."

"Of course," said Rosethorn, bowing again before heading off into her garden once more.

"This way, if you will," said Moonstream, her gaze catching all three of them before heading off towards her office. They followed in silence, finding themselves a short while later sitting with her in a circle of trees seated across from each other.

"What is it you require of us, Dedicate Superior Moonstream?" asked Amanda, Lyssa sitting as still as a statue on her lap and Ben beside her.

"Your squirrel," said Moonstream, motioning to Lyssa with her hand. "She is not really a squirrel, is she? And you two…you are not from here, are you?"

"W-what do you mean?" stuttered Amanda, the color draining from her face as Lyssa stared at the woman like she'd just grown a beard and was singing drunkenly at the top of her lungs. "We weren't born in Summersea, yes, but…"

"I mean you're not from here period," said Moonstream. "That squirrel…every time I see her I see a young woman's face. Come here, child." Lyssa went forward to her, drawn by some unknown force before she stopped and laid her paw on the Dedicate's hand. "What are you, child?"

#I am a human# replied Lyssa, all three of them able to hear her even though only Moonstream was in physical contact. #Though, for as long as we're here, I inhabit this form instead#

"Who did this to you, child?"

#The Master Mage did, he gave Amanda her gift and all of us our new life, just as his sister Trystan did in Tortal…#

"Good," said Moonstream, a look of relief crossing her face. "Then it is only him…"

"What do you mean, 'only him'?" asked Amanda, completely confused out of her mind as Lyssa fled back to her waiting arms. "This makes no sense…how could you possibly-"

"He's a mage, dear," said Moonstream with an all-knowing look on her face. "And a young one at that…when he first started out, he took his lessons in magic from those here at the temple who were before me." She shrugged, a small smile forming on her face. "He's been around a few times since his days as one of this temple's students…I have only had contact with him once, but I would recognize his signature of work anywhere."

"Do any others know?" pressed Amanda, leaning forward slightly.

"No," replied Moonstream firmly. "They do not."

"Oh, good…"

"I will keep your secret, and make your connect between the three of you more secure." She spoke a few words and made a motion like pulling a thread from a spool. Amanda felt the tug of her magic being pulled from her, then added in a web like pattern to the other two.

#Hey, what was that?!# demanded Lyssa, her tail shaking as she tried to control her temper. #Give a girl a little warning next time, will you?!#

"Hey, I can hear her!" cried Ben in surprise, even though he was a foot away from her. "Thanks!"

"You're welcome, young one," said the Dedicate with a serene smile. "Please, go back to yours hosts. But remember, you will always be welcome at Winding Circle no matter what."

"Our thanks," said Amanda, rising to her feet slowly before bowing respectfully to the Dedicate. She flashed a smile, Ben already halfway back to Discipline at a dead run. "If you ever need anything from any of us, just ask. We owe you that much after the help you have given us."

Moonstream nodded, rising and leaving through the other side of the circle. Amanda shrugged and followed her brother, her and Lyssa chatting softly on their way back. It had been a very strange time indeed, and they both wondered how many more people they might meet up with who knew of the existence of their 'Master Mage.'

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Brenna felt the sweat beginning to pour down her face as she trundled along behind the horse, keeping the plow on track as best she could. Cheeks followed behind her, two sacks slung over his back as he picked out the biggest of the stones that she turned up from the ground. Sticking them in one back, he then turned and put down a handful of fertilizer from the compost heap in the back. What was in it, he didn't want to know, but all the mattered at the moment was that it would help the plants that would be sown in that field very soon.

They had gotten lucky, or so Brenna thought, three of the fields had been sown with early corn that was already growing by the time they got there. This they were planting was late wheat that would be harvested right before the first frosts. The corn would be in well before that, though how they were going to harvest it and get it to town was still beyond them.

"How many…more rows?" asked Brenna, taking a swig from the water skin that hung beside her on the plow. "A guesstimate…"

"I'd say another twelve or so," replied Cheeks, considering the few lengths left before they reached the corn. "Maybe ten, you want to leave a space so you can walk between them, you know."

"I know…I know…" Brenna grimaced as she felt another blister forming on her hands. Already she'd had one on each thumb, and a few on the palm of her hand. Now she was getting them on the pads… Oh well, Kaitlin would just bandage them up as she always did and they'd be all right again.

"How much longer…would you say…?"

"At least until sun down." Cheeks lifted a few more stones into his bag before chucking out a handful of compost, stirring it in some with the hoe he carried.

"Sun down!!"

"Getting tired?" asked Cheeks with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"No!" replied Brenna, pushing the plow with renewed vigor. It ran out a few strides later. "Well…yes…"

"So am I, so lets keep moving so it'll get done before then."

"Ok!!"

Cheeks sighed. He didn't mind being away from home, and definitely not living in a houseful of women, but Brenna could be strange sometimes…

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Bryanna smiled at the wind gently riffled through her hair, the setting sun lighting the sky with colors only dreamed off. first, a golden light that waned into a bright orange, then into a deeper and richer tone that eventually took on the shades of red. A pink tinge on the edges of it as always, the very core of its color began to fade as the red melded into a vivid purple. Eventually, the purple itself began to wane and in turn became the inky, blue-black blanket that covered the sky.

She watched it all from a stone by the sea, content to listen to the waves since there wasn't the time to fully enjoy a dip in them. The ocean was something she'd always liked, even back on earth, but without the noise or the trash, all signs of civilization gone; it had taken on a look she'd never thought about before. The beach she walked on was in its completely natural form, one that had never been tampered with by man, one which was owned by none and claimed by none so it could just simply be.

"Are you staying out here all night?" asked a quiet voice, someone setting a plate beside her with dinner on it. "It's going to get colder very soon, and you forgot your cape…"

"I will be in soon, Randy," she replied, picking at the food lightly. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Amanda carefully ran a rag with polish on it over the body of her lute, cleaning each and every piece she could get to until it shone as best as it could. The strings were re-strung and tuned to a perfect pitch, then laid away in a box to the side where it would wait for the day when it would next be played.

She left her bedroom on the bottom floor, the one nearest to Rosethorn's workshop, which she happened to share with her brother and friend as well. Since they'd come here, he didn't feel comfortable being very far from her at all and sleeping in a different room at night was out of the question entirely in his mind.

"Briteyes, do you mind setting the table?" asked Lark, chopping some vegetables and lettuce together for a salad. "Just plates, forks, and cups, if you will. Oh, and a mug for Rosie's spot, she will need her tea when she gets in from the meeting the Air Temple officials."

"Another one?" asked Amanda in surprise, getting the cups, plates, and forks from their proper shelves and drawers.

"Something about a bird someone found, and who's responsibility it is to raise it…"

"Oh, I see."

Ben came huffing in right then, a basket in either hand filled with either bread, fruit, or packs of meat and cheese. "I'm back…from…the kitchen…" His mouth had a smudge of icing about it, and his sister could tell he and the squirrel riding on his shoulder had been fed by Gorse again.

"Good," said Lark, taking them from him with a smile. "Go wash up and get ready to eat, dinner will be ready soon."

"Ok!"

"Been pilfering bits of sweets again?" asked Amanda, poking the squirrel's round stomach with a grin. "Not that I blame you, but we're gonna be showing you as a side show freak soon when you become the world's fattest rodent!"

#I would prefer to say 'roundest'…# Lyssa laid back lazily, not even bothering to protest as she was set on the table.

"You'll have that one too."

"It is nice of you to stay this long with us, dear," said Lark, giving one of her famous smiles as Amanda arranged the meat and cheese on a plate.

"We're glad to stay," replied Amanda. "Even Silven will agree that staying in Discipline is better than sleeping under the open skies most nights. Especially later on in the season."

"You're sure you have enough to get by in the lean season?" asked Lark, a hint of concern creeping in her voice. "If you need to, you can always go back to Summersea for a few days to make what you can there, or we could arrange for you to stay here for the winter…a mage of any type has a use, you know."

"I know," replied Amanda with a shrug. "It is very kind of you to offer, but I really don't think we can stay…we have other business to attend to, as I've said every time before."

"Ah, but you've never said what type," said Lark, a twinkle in her eye. "Perhaps a special someone…?"

"No," replied Amanda quite simply. "If you want to know, we're tracking down old friends. We all…grew up together…sort of. The main thing is, though, to find them all again."

"I understand that," said Lark with a sympathetic smile on her face. "We will miss you and Scamp when you are gone, though."

"And we will miss you two, as well."

"Hey, let's eat!!" cried Ben, bursting into the room with his skin still pink from the recent scrubbing it got.

"Alright, alright," said Amanda, sitting at the table on one of the benches, Ben beside her and Silven between the two of them on the table. It was almost like they had a family again. Albeit, a small one that they had only had a short while. But living like this had given them warmth and security that all three were loath to give up, and finding the resolve to leave again was something Amanda knew she was going to have trouble with in the end.

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Olivia sat across from her teacher; a fire-starter mage with blood red eyes and hair was orange as flames themselves. "You think you are strong," said the old man, looking her straight in the eye. "Don't you?"

"I am strong," replied Olivia. "There is nothing to think about it. It is what I need to be."

"You think you're invincible, don't you?" went on the old fellow with a wry grin. "Don't you?"

"I know I can overcome anything this life throws at me," replied Olivia, her eyes as hard as ice and just as cold. "There is nothing that can break me, nothing that can take away myself from me."

"That is where you are wrong," said the mage, a frown covering his face. He surrounded himself with fire, a flame that danced in the air and on the cushions but did not leave a scorch mark on it itself. "It is not about strength. It is about control. Do you think you have control?"

"Of my life or of my magic?"

"That is a very good question. Here is another: do you have control over either one at all?"

"I…I don't know." Olivia blinked, trying to sort through the thoughts that swirled in her head. "I control my behavior…my reactions…my thoughts and feelings…but the path of my life itself is something that is out of hands right now. At times, anyway."

"Your magic, though?"

"I have control of that," said Olivia, forming a ball of ice before herself. It hung there in midair, spinning slowly. "As much as any other ever could."

"Then form ice about this," said the mage, holding up a heat crystal. "Without touching it, and it has to happen spontaneously or it will crack and break apart."

"I can do that," said Olivia confidently, taking it from him. She put just enough ice around it to levitate it in the air above her hand. She concentrated for a moment, building everything into a single point of work…then…

*crack*

Olivia looked in surprise at the bits of glass embedded in her hand, the blood slowly dripping onto her lap. "I…"

"You were too confident of yourself," said the mage, a knowing look on his face. "Another thing, it is not knowing your objective or your so called 'enemy', it is knowing yourself and your own limits. Do you understand now?"

"I…think so…" replied Olivia, touching the glass in her hand almost as if to make sure it was real.

"Good," said the fire mage, standing and tossing a rag on her hand before leaving the room. "Tell the blonde one that her assignment is to heal you without a scar. I will see you in the morning." He left the room, leaving Olivia to deal with the wound herself and think over the words he'd said.

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Amanda slowly opened her eyes, the late morning sun flittering through the screen to play across the three of them gently. Ben lay with his arms and legs sprawled everywhere, using her stomach as a pillow. Last she remembered, he'd been on the floor when she'd come in that night. Apparently that hadn't lasted long, and they'd both gotten in so late…

*flashback*

Things had started early, right after the noon rest period finishing a few performers from the troupes that had come in and Dedicates themselves getting set up and starting their acts. The Air Temple had had several things with birds, and the Fire Temple a show of weapons skills by their well-trained guards.

Amanda and Ben had been granted a bit of space among the younger folk, Ben doing tumbling tricks and playing his tamborine as Amanda kept the music flowing from her well-polished lute. They'd kept a good-sized crowd most of the night, coppers tossed at them occasionally when they'd perform one of their more daring feats. That had lasted until sundown or so, when most of them were called to the Hub. A huge fire was lit there, a dance of celebration going on around it. Ben joined it with the younger folks, easily picking up on the steps as he moved his feet and arms in time with the music. Amanda easily picked the tune up herself, joining the musicians and dancers with a will. An air of general good-natured-ness prevailing over all.

Slowly, little by little, the young ones were sent off to bed and the Dedicates and oldest of the novices began to break off into little groups. Ben getting tired as well, she'd sent him with Silven back to the cottage to sleep. That had been close to midnight, and both had been more than happy to comply. The novice they'd met before, Tanya, had found her and invited her to join several others their age by a fire in the back.

Singing and telling stories for the rest of the night with those students and novices there, she'd finally stumbled home around dawn to find Lark asleep at the table and Rosethorn making a pot of tea. She'd gotten a scowl for staying out that late, but it was one of worry more than anger and Amanda had simply apologized before heading to her room and falling asleep straightaway.

*end flashback*

"You awake?" asked Ben, feeling her shift under his weight.

"And if I am?" asked Amanda, closing her eyes for a moment to just enjoy the morning-that-was-closer-to-noon sun.

"Then it means I have to get up." The boy heaved himself out of bed, catching Silven as she fell of his shoulder where she'd been soundly asleep.

#Hm?# She looked around herself and yawned. #What's going on?#

"We're getting up," said Amanda, feeling her throat constrict suddenly. "And getting ready to leave."

"Not today, do we?" asked Ben, looking at her with large, round eyes.

"We do," replied Amanda steadily, slipping behind the screen to change into her old clothes. "Get dressed and get packed, we need to leave right after we get something to eat."

"Are we going to say goodbye?" asked Ben suspiciously, pulling his shirt over his head as he left the borrowed clothes in a pile by the bed.

"Yes, we are," replied Amanda. "That's the only way we can get the supplies from Gorse, remember?"

"Oh yeah…"

"You're up," observed Rosethorn with her wry grin, sitting down to lunch with Lark as the trio walked out of their room.

"Finally," said Lark, teasing them mercilessly about sleeping in so late. "Thought you'd never wake up, lazy bones. I bet a hurricane could've passed over head and the three of you wouldn't have budged even when the very roof over your head fell down on you!"

"You're probably right," admitted Amanda with a grin. "Where's those packs from Dedicate Gorse, though, we need to get going…"

"We know," said Rosethorn, pointing to them in the corner with her spoon. Amanda was taken aback by their willingness to let them go. "We talked about it this morning, and you need to get on with this search of yours if you're to ever get some more money before the lean season and find those who you're looking for."

"We just have one request," added Lark.  "Promise you'll come back and visit if you're ever in Summersea, for there will always be a place open here for you."

"'We' or 'I'?" asked Amanda, a mischievous look on her face.

"We," said Rosethorn. "I never thought I'd see the day I'd admit to missing a rodent and a Scamp, I must be getting soft…"

"Then we will," promised Amanda, gathering up the packs and putting them in her bag.

"Bye, Lark," said Ben, giving her a hug. He turned to Rosethorn, but stayed a respectful distance away. "Bye Rosethorn. Thank you for letting us stay with you like this."

"You're welcome, Scamp," said Lark.

"Stay outta trouble, understand?" added Rosethorn.

"We will," replied Amanda, finding everything to be in its place and heading for the door. "So long!"

"Take care!"

"Good riddance!"

"Rosie…!!"

"Alright, alright…bye!"

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Kaitlin and Rupal sat side by side in the good-sized kitchen, several papers spread out before them with figures and calculations covering every inch that could be seen.

"That can't be right," said Kaitlin, going back and starting all over again. "No, seriously, there has to be something we're not accounting for. I don't care how nice the guy is, he wouldn't just give us-"

"He gave Amanda a whole fief, remember?" cut in Rupal, shrugging her shoulders as she chewed on the end of her pen thoughtfully. "But you're right, though, it does seem like a bit much…"

"A BIT?!" cried Kaitlin. She smacked herself in the head with her palm. "If you're 'new knowledge' and these figures are right, we could forget about the farm, sell the whole thing, and live comfortably in some town for the next three years, easy, four or five if we planned it out and maybe even longer if we saved and scrimped on every penny that we had."

Rupal frowned, comparing the pieces of paper for a moment. "I know, but we went over it three times, and got the same thing each time…"

"I still can't believe that this is it, though." Kaitlin sighed, resting her head on her hands. "He didn't seem like that nice of a guy…"

"You never know." Rupal stood up and straightened her back, stretching out for a moment before pouring herself some juice from the pitcher.

"What's wrong?" asked Brenna as she stuck her head in the door. "Something the matter that I need to know about?"

"Just a disagreement on how much we have," replied Rupal.

"Too little?"

"Too much!"

"What are you disagreeing about that, though?!" demanded Brenna. "Just take it and be happy!"

"We're not even sure if it's right…" started Kaitlin.

"I am," stated Rupal. "I've done it three times without any deviations. It cannot be wrong."

"Plan as if we have ¾ of it or so," suggested Brenna. "Then, if you're right we have extra. If you're wrong, hopefully it wasn't by that much."

The two tired young ladies glanced at each other and shrugged. They didn't really care anymore; they just wanted to get it over with. "Fine."

"Or maybe you could-"

"We've got it, just go and leave us alone!!" cried the pair at the same time, scaring Brenna to the point of her curly hair standing on end.

0.o "Ok…I'm leaving…"

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Libby was surprised to see two girls her own age, or maybe a bit younger, walking up to the door carrying a basket each. Both were fairly short, one just barely taller than the other but not by any truly noticeable length. They couldn't be more than an inch or two over five foot, she figured, and headed in from the barn to see who they were.

*two girls*

"You know, mum's not going to be too happy about us putting off visiting them this long…" said the shorter of the two, a young woman with long, brown hair that was tinted blonde and red from the sun.

"And how's she going to find out?" pointed out her companion, eyeing the other girl suspiciously. "Unless you plan on telling her…" She brushed her bangs from her eyes, her brown hair just coming to her chin with the same tints from the sun. Both had the same cornflower blue eyes, and were fairly pale. The shorter had a few freckles over her nose, but other than that they were relatively the same.

"Oh, no! I was just saying…"

"Save your talking for the new folks," said the second girl, walking up the steps lightly. "They might actually care."

The first girl frowned, knocking on the door. "Ouch…you're getting better at that, sis."

Her sister smiled smugly. "I know."

"Can I help you?" asked Kaitlin, opening the door with her foot as she wiped her hands on a towel. The moment all three of them laid eyes on each other, the earth trembled and thunder rolled overhead. Lightening flashed and the very air itself was alive with the connection that was forming between the three.

Kaitlin looked very, very confused. "What the heck?!"

"I have no idea," admitted one of the girls.

"That's very strange…"

"Do you want to come in?" asked Kaitlin, cocking her head to the side. "Or do you have a fetish with staying out in the cold rain?"

The girls exchanged glances. "We'll come in."

"Ok!"

The three of them went to the kitchen; Kaitlin going back to her pathetic attempt at candle making while the other two unloaded their baskets on the counter.

"We brought you some bread, cake, doughnuts, and jam!" said the one with the longer hair.

"And some of pop's cheese, fresh ale, and a package of sugar…"

"Thanks," said Kaitlin, looking surprised as she nearly burnt herself with the hot wax. "Eesh…uh…who are you guys anyways."

"That's Alexandra," said the one with the shorter hair, pointing to the other girl. "Generally knowing as Alexa, Lexie, Lex, Ally, and Lexa…but Alex is just fine."

Kaitlin looked very confused again. "Ok…"

"And that's Jessica," said Alex, pointing to the girl who'd introduced her. "Also known by Jess, Jessie, Felix, and…and…Lix or Lixie, I guess. But we just call her Jess most of the time."

"Right…" said Kaitlin, giving them her 'who the hell are you?' look.

"And together…" They linked arms, smiling at her brightly. "We're the Bradson twins!!"

"Ok…" Kaitlin gathered herself together, figuring they couldn't be any more dangerous than the twins looked. "Well, I'm Kaitlin, and only Kaitlin. I've been called many things, but that's the only one that actually goes with my name, since it is my real name, so…yeah. And with myself," she posed dramatically, looking like a female superman. "I make…KAITLIN!!"

The twins froze and looked at her. "Man…she's worse than us," whispered Jessica.

"Yeah, I know…"

"I am not," pouted Kaitlin, going back to her rather…feeble attempts at candle making. "I'm just…uniquely odd, that's all."

"Ok, then," said Alex with a shrug. "I never said it was a bad thing."

Jessica snorted. "Says who?"

"Jess!!" Alex glared at her twin.

"Alright, alright…sorry about that." Jessica shrugged, brushing her bangs out of her hands with a wry smile.

"No hard done," said Kaitlin, smiling as always. "At least you don't slap me around like everyone else does most of the time."

"Why don't you slap back?" asked Jessica, smacking her fist into her palm. "You know, show 'em who's boss?"

"They're bigger than me."

"Oh…"

The three of them paused, all looking at each other oddly. Suddenly, Kaitlin grabbed a knife and a lantern, grinning manically. "Wanna go create massive amounts of chaos with whatever we can lay our hands on?"

The other two matched her grins and grabbed a knife and a lantern as well from their baskets. "Alright!!!" They threw back their hands and laughed together, letting it echo through the house before grabbing some capes and racing out the door.

"You know," commented Alex as they ran down the road shouting like mentally inane barbarians. "You may be odd, but you have a good idea now and then."

Kaitlin grinned. "I try."

*back at the house*

Brenna stuck her head in the kitchen, finding Libby huddled in one of the corners with a terrified look on her face. "Um…Lib? Why are you-"

"THERE'S THREE OF THEM!!" screamed a petrified Cheeks, running in the kitchen and rounding the table at a full sprint. "NOO!! PLEASE, GOD, NO, NOT THREE OF THEM!! ANY THING BUT THAT!! IT CAN'T BE TRUE!!  IT CAN'T!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-" *SMASH*

"Ow…" Brenna went and put a blanket over Cheeks, where he fell, making sure he didn't leave a dent in the wall where he'd run head first into it before moving on to Libby. The girl had entirely passed out, and Brenna spread a blanket over her as well since she didn't feel like dragging either one to their bed at that moment. "I wonder what's gotten into those two…"

"What happened here?" asked Rupal, coming down from her study with a surprised look on her face. "I heard someone yelling…"

"I don't know," said Brenna, shrugging her shoulders as she nudged Cheeks with her toe. "Something must've scared 'em…"

"Hey, Brenbren!!" yelled a familiar voice, Kaitlin bounding into view, covered in mud and weeds with two girls bearing the same maniacal grin on their faces right behind her. "Look!! I made some friends…"

Rupal and Brenna glanced at each other before taking out the back door as fast as their legs would carry them. "AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

*falls over laughing*

Ok, ok…Manda has had WAY too much sugar right now…hehe. ^_^

Anywho, there it is, be a dear and review, and I LOVE YOU ALL JUST CUZ I DO!! *sniff* Hmm…who gave Manda chocolate…hm, I wonder…it was…NO ONE!! SHE BOUGHT IT HERSELF!! MUAHAHAHAHAH- *choke* *gasp* *wheeze* -HEHAHAH!!

Please review!! Authors on sugar highs REALLY like those!! Much love to you all!!

May penguins bow before you and porpoises never bite you,

~Crosseyedbutterfly~