Hehehehee. One thing I noticed while spell checking this was that it didn't except the word Draciel. The only choice was Dracula. "Max's bit beast, Dracula..." Doesn't suit Max much...
Kaie woke up the next day to Judy's voice on the hidden intercom. "Time to get up All-Starz" her voice was too sugary sweet and Kaie felt very much like hitting her.
Except Judy was the manager
And Max's mom
And would then kick her off the team
And she would have to face the wrath of Dranzer.
Kaie pondered for a bit and then groaned and rolled over. She dressed into a pair of Max's pants, pulled a belt to keep them from falling down and then pulled a light-weight shirt on over top. She brushed her hair, put on her necklace, and grabbed the one item of clothing that was hers.
Her gloves.
She practically lived in them. Kaie slid her blade and launcher into her pocket and left her room. Luckily for her, Max was coming out at the same time as her and was able to show her the way to the kitchen.
"You know you don't have to wear your gloves to breakfast."
Kaie said nothing.
Max looked at her. "Why are you wearing your gloves?"
Kaie pulled out her ripcord and showed it to him without saying a word. "I can't blade without them..." Max waited for her to continue, "and they are all the connection that...I have, other than my necklace." Then she replaced the rip chord into her gloves and continued walking.
Max said nothing to her as they walked along the quiet hallways. When he was seven his parents had divorced. It was not a violent divorce, and around him little of the rough talk had been exchanged.
His mother had decided to go the states while his father stayed in Tokyo. Max had lived with his father because Judy was going to school and it would be easier for Max that way. Max usually saw his mom once a year when she flew in to see him, usually around Christmas.
The reason that he had gotten through everything, including the death of his grandparents, now all deceased was through the pendant that had been given to him by his grandmother, the same pendent that had contained Draciel. He fingered its shape under his shirt.
Kaie noticed Max's movement and knew what he was thinking. It was lucky for them both that they reached the dining room, where all the other All-Starz were sitting, with different amounts of consciousness evident on their faces.
Michael looked worst off, his hair falling over his face, and his eyes had a definite glazed over I-am-not-in-this-world-yet look about them. Both Emily and Joel looked tired but at least they looked able to act like a normal human being.
"Morning" Judy trilled in an ungodly cheerful tone. Kaie now saw where Max got his attitude from, although he still looked half-asleep.
"Today Max, Kaie and I need to go shopping for school uniforms, as school starts in a few days (a grown from Michael, sigh from Max, silence from Kaie, and Joel and Emily silently cheering) and both of them also need school uniforms as well as normal clothing. After lunch Michael, Joel, and Emily will join us at the mall, then we will meet Luke for dinner. He wishes to meet our newest member."
Max and Kaie had, by this time, been guided to the table and had begun to eat their breakfast of muffins. "Max, Kaie" Judy said. They both looked up. "We leave in ten". They nodded and finished eating.
The ride to the mall was half an hour during which Kaie had worked herself into frenzy. She hated... no loathed shopping. She was pretty short so she either had to hem clothing or she had to buy it from the Children's section. No, she was not looking forward to this in the least.
The three of them got out of the car and entered the mall; Judy leading the way to a store named "Perfect". The clerk inside greeted them with a smile that said I-will-help-you-as-long-as-you-buy-lots.
Kaie, who had long ago learned to mask her true emotions, stepped through after a less than eager looking Max.
The clerk led Kaie away to be fitted, while Max was helped by Judy, because after all, Max was her son.
One and a half hours later
"Is that all?" the clerk said smiling. Kaie let out a silent sigh. This had been a looooooooooooooooooooooong hour and a half. Now as they were leaving she carried one bag, Max carried a bag and Judy carried a bag filled with everything that didn't fit.
"Now" said Judy, "We are off to 'Fitters'." Max sighed. Judy smiled at the blond. "Fitters is where they take all your measurements so that no matter what store you go into you can find what you are looking for. They print out a list so you can match the size you need to the store you go into. And here it is"
They had stopped in front of a tall, mirrored shop with huge glass doors. Judy pushed them inside and closed the door.
Max and Kaie were immediately descended upon by two women covered in way too much make-up, giving them the appearance of dolls that had had a run in with 8 children and make up. Kaie shuddered, and just when she thought the day could get no weirder. The fates must enjoy playing with her.
They were both dragged off to different corners of the massive room where they were 'attacked' (as they both later said) by these ladies and their tape measures. Judy obviously was well known here as she made conversation with two of the clerks.
Kaie silently cursed Judy and all her bright ideas as she was sent to one of the dressing rooms to try on another shirt. Ohhhhh when she got her hands on Judy...
Her pocket gave her a little shock and she muttered quietly "Just kidding Dranzer, but you know how much I hate the mall." and she disappeared behind a dressing room door.
Half an hour later they left the store, a slip of paper all they had to show for their efforts. "First we will go to "Off the Wall" then "360" then "Garage 1" then..." Kaie and Max sighed. It was going to be a long time till lunch, even if it was only two hours away.
XxxxxxxxxxXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"I'll have a burger and fries"
"Me too please"
Max and Kaie were exhausted from shopping and would have eaten almost anything. Judy had gone off to sit with some people she had met while shopping today and had given Kaie and Max twenty dollars with which to get some food with.
They grabbed a table and sat down to eat. Max started the conversation with a statement that was screaming in their minds. "I hate shopping...you?"
"Same. I don't see how your mom can like it"
Max shook his head. "Me either. Why do you think Joel, Emily and Michael are coming?"
Kaie shook her head. "No idea. Your mom was too secretive for my liking."
Max nodded. "Yea. It is probably going to be shopping for something that we would find any excuse to get out of. How much did you get today anyways?"
Kaie sighed "Let's see...ah...six casual shirts, two formal shirts, one pair of formal pants, five pairs of casual pants, a box with twenty socks, but only ten pairs, undergarments..."
Max sniggered, and Kaie sent him a look and a splotch of ketchup that landed on his face.
"Not to mention my uniform, which was two kilts, six white shirts, three golf shirts, two blue shirts, six pairs of socks and one pair of uncomfortable black shoes."
Kaie said that in such a monotone voice Max let out a huge roar of laughter.
Max looked so stupid with ketchup on his face, laughing loud enough to wake the dead, and looking so utterly drunk that Kaie gave a little giggle, which turned into a laugh, which turned into full blown laughter.
Judy came over at that time, seeing as they were attracting a lot of stairs and some shakes of the head with mutters of "teenagers these days", and told them it was time to calm down and go. So still snickering they emptied their trays and followed Judy outside to wait for their teammates' arrival.
They had no idea of what Judy had planned, but it took four hours of dressing rooms, annoyance, mirrors, annoyance, clothing, annoyance, and pain, annoyance, and suffering.
And annoyance.