(A week had passed since Tori had seen Nami, and training had continued on as always... except with school mixed in. Kara's G-ma had some sort of 'business' to do, which seemed weird, but Kara was happy, because she could visit with Anna, Yoh, and Amidamaru.)
An: Hey Kara, I got the invite to your b-day.
Kara: Oh yeah! My b-day is coming up-wait, huh?
An: So who came up with the masquerade idea?
K: WHAT!
A: Ah, a masquerade. They are almost unheard of in these times. Do they not have their roots in old England?
Y: What's a "masquerade"?
K: (Very confused)
An: A party where you wear masks...
A: And all the ladies wear ball gowns, the guys dress up too... right Lady Anna.
An: Yep...since when do you know about it? I thought it was after your time?
A: Achem (Blushes)
K: (Shakes head) Someone must be pulling a prank on you Anna...
An: No, I'm pretty sure it came from your house.
K: No way... let me see the envelope.
Y: What does that mean Amidamaru?
(Anna hands Kara the invitation she received as a grinning Yoh questions Amidamaru.)
A: (Mumbles something about meeting a lady ghost from that era)
Y: Amidamaru, you have a girlfriend?
A: (Blushes and mumbles some more)
K: (Takes envelope from Anna, and looks at her address written by an all too familiar handwriting) No… (Thinks about G-ma's strange business, then lets out a wail) WHY! I shouldn't have been so trusting when she said she had business to attend to!
An: I've learned from Yoh's Grandma that you shouldn't easily trust a shaman grandmother...
K: (Looks at envelope, then at Anna) Well, don't count on coming, I'm NOT going to a masquerade, and I'm NOT wearing a dress. (Stomps off to find her G-ma)
An: It's your party, you're not supposed to skip, unless you feel it's absolutely necessary...
T: I think this whole thing is a bit unnecessary, isn't it? I never saw the point of celebrating birthdays...
(Kara is too busy muttering to herself to hear them. She tramps off to her house to confront G-ma, muttering all the way. Slamming through the door she sees G-ma, and waves the invitation in her face.)
K: WHAT THE HELL KINDA STUNT ARE YOU TRYING TO PULL!
G-ma: No stunt, but I think it pulled off perfectly...don't you?
K: (Stares aghast at her) You must be kidding. I will not go to a masquerade, so you are just going to have to tell everyone that you've invited that it's off.
G-ma: The hell I will! I'm throwing this party for you because of all the work YOU'VE done. But did you stop to think that I made it a masquerade to reward the work I'VE done? It's not exactly a cakewalk to train you, you know...
K: (Stares down G-ma for a moment, then turns to walk out) Do whatever you want, but I will not be there.
G-ma: I suppose I'll give you a choice Kara... we'll either have a masquerade, or we'll have a wedding...YOUR wedding...
K: (Stops, and is almost afraid of turning around to look at G-ma)
G-ma: I suppose I could dig out your mom's old wedding dress and trim it up to fit a thirteen-year-old girl...
K: (Thinks to Tori) -You don't think she would, do you?-
T: (Thinks) -On a normal circumstance, no. But your G-ma isn't normal...-
K: (Sighs, and turns to look at G-ma) On second thought, I am amazed that you were so thoughtful in having a masquerade for me. However, dresses are too overboard for this century, and masks won't work because the ghosts will tell who the person is... so we should ditch the masks too. (Hopes that she just outwitted her G-ma, but doubts that she has)
G-ma: (Cheerily) Oh I wouldn't worry about it. I'm not asking you to wear a gown, just a simple dress like your friend wears, only not that short, and the ghosts aren't going to be there.
K: (Grinds teeth, but then remembers the masks, and thinks to Tori) -HA! She's forgotten the masks-
T: (Thinks) -No she didn't, she just said we weren't going to be there...so therefore you can wear a mask...-
K: (Groans) Well, I won't wear a dress, and that's final! You know I hate dresses. I'll go in pants and a nice top or something...
G-ma: Here I'll let you choose again, you can go in black, or you can go in the huge poofy pink dress your mother wore to her senior prom.
K: WHAT DID YOU SAVE ALL HER CRAP JUST TO TORTURE ME!
G-ma: Actually, your mother was a pack rat, so all of her stuff is just sitting there...
K: (Thinks) -Ok, I'm definitely going to throw ALL of it away-
T: (Thinks) -You're really going to throw her stuff away? It's full of memories your G-ma has of your mom...it's painful to lose a loved one, those things of your mother's are probably what keep her going...it's harder to lose someone you've raised...
K: (Glares at Tori) Gee, thanks for being against me TOO! (Holds out hand impatiently towards G-ma) If I have to buy a dress, you're paying for it.
G-ma: That's what I'm planning on...here. (Hands Kara a few bucks)
T: (Thinks) I'm NOT against you Kara, I'm just pointing out the fact that losing people who've had a huge impact on your life is hard...I should know...
K: (Doesn't want to listen to Tori, 'cuz she knows that Tori is right, and will be sad all over again) Since you probably have some top-secret mask thing, I'm going to get the stupid dress now. (Saunters off in the direction of the mall, muttering)
G-ma: Ok! Have fun!
K: (Louder muttering)
(Finally at the store, Kara is hesitantly picking at dresses when she hears Anna's voice)
Y: C'mon Anna, what's wrong with the dress you have?
An: Too informal.
Y: I wouldn't worry about it; Kara said she wasn't having it anyway, so what's the point? (Seeing Kara) Oh, Kara?
An: As I said before..."you shouldn't easily trust a shaman grandmother..." Hey Kara
K: (Dull voice) Hey Anna. (Goes back to picking at dresses halfheartedly)
An: You look like you're having fun...G-ma won I take it?
K: (Forlornly looks at Anna) Ya think? (Sigh) Will you help me pick out one of these dress things?
An: (Grins) If you want, Yoh you can go home if you want, unless you want one of these too? (Gestures towards the wide variety of dresses)
Y: YES FREEDOM! (cough) I mean... have fun! (Runs off with Amidamaru)
An: (Mutters) Idiot...
K: (Looks after Yoh, and wishes she could go with him instead)
An: Heh, I know that look, you can go as soon as you choose something... so hurry up.
K: Uh... (Closes eyes, and randomly grabs a dress. Opening her eyes, she sees that she grabbed a pink one) AHH! IT DEFILES MY SOUL! (Drops dress)
An: (Snickers) Heh, it is sorta your color you know?
K: (Pouts) You're having fun torturing me, aren't you!
An: Hey, you're torturing yourself, I'm just having fun watching...
K: (Sticks out tongue at her) So... how the hell am I supposed to pick one... they all suck; they're all dresses...
An: Well, this could go a lot faster if you would only choose a stinking dress... Choose one that sucks less than the others...
K: (Sighs, pulling out a black one with purple fringes)
An: Nice (Pulls out black one with red outlines)
K: (Looks critically at hers) Well, it's way too dressy... but it's the least dressy of them all. And it's got a wide skirt, so I can fight if I need to-not like those mermaid ones- (She stops realizing she's been banged over the head with fighting too much)
An: I have doubts that you'll need to fight at your party, but knowing you, you probably will...
K: What's that supposed to mean? You think I'm obsessed with fighting?
An: No…you're just like Yoh, a trouble magnet...
K: Well... (Grin) Maybe its just when you're around Anna? Maybe you're a bad luck charm. (Kara teases her as they buy the dresses and walk out the store…although constantly wondering what horrors her birthday party will bring…)
The hit counts of the story are over 21 times that of the reviews...this makes me sad...