Hiya guys, back with chapter 13. If all goes according to plan and I don't use too many big words where diminutive ones will suffice this story should go on for maybe 5 more chapters' tops. By then I should have thrashed out all of my ideas and be ready for a nice long break away from writing.

I hope you like this.

Chapter 13 - The Return of the Strings (lol)

The shadow advanced on her and she screamed and took a step back, forgetting that she had neglected to close the door and disappeared below the doorframe as her foot connected with nothing but empty air. Before she could hit the ground she collected herself and exerted her energy on her environment. She floated for a second before shooting back up to her door, a ball of ectoplasm ready in her hand. She landed just inside the doorway and flicked on the light, wanting to hit the shadow rather than anything of the few meager possessions she had managed to amass since her arrival.

The harsh white light blinked on, blinding the two occupants of the space for a second. When her vision corrected itself Ember prepared to take aim, but dissipated the energy as she recognized the bulky shadow, and more importantly, she identified the weapon in its hand.

"Skulker" she breathed as she relaxed her muscles "don't do that to me you sacred me to…"

"…Death, I think it's a little late for that" the large metal man grinned at his own joke while Ember just rolled her eyes and waited for him to speak again. When he didn't, she took the initiative, her indignation of being scared out of her wits in her own home, and her lingering embarrassment of falling out of the door outweighing any potential ramifications from her planned tirade

"How the hell did you find me anyway? And what were you doing sitting in my house in the dark? And what gives you the right to just barge into peoples homes whenever you feel like?"

Skulker just stood and stared at the fuming teen before he spoke "Finished?"

"For now"

"Right, in order, Spectra, waiting for you to get home and I am the greatest bounty hunter the ghost zone has ever known. That's what gives me the right. That and I came to deliver this" He presented the object in his hand to Ember "so I assumed that since it seemed to be so precious to you, you wouldn't mind if I sat in the dark waiting for you to get home, rather that leave it outside your door and assume it would still be there when you got back."

Contented with his logic and grateful that he would bother to be considerate enough to be certain that she got it back she was able to ignore the way in which he went about being certain and instead focused on the object he held in his hand. Gratefully she relieved him of the relatively heavy burden and strode over to the couch where she sat on the far left, right next to the arm. She placed her beautifully repaired guitar on her lap with the head nearly touching the arm of the couch. (Since she had yet to attach the new strap and the old one had completely disintegrated when the original damage had been done so she couldn't remain standing and play it anymore.)

Gingerly she ran her fingers over the stings and winced at how horribly out of tune it was. As she reached for a plectrum in the holder that (thankfully) was still attached to the side of her precious pink and turquoise guitar to help her tune it, she noticed a new addition to the bottom. As well as the original switches for volume and to choose between electric and bass, there was another switch. This one had many more options than the two it sat next too, and the options looked a lot more interesting than the ones that were already there. She ran a finger over the new symbols and felt the couch underneath her shift. She looked up to see Skulker sitting a respectful distance from her but close enough to touch the newly renovated guitar.

"I took the liberty of making additions to the original structure. I assumed you wouldn't mind as you are so weak and you need all the help you need if you intend to survive here."

Ember visibly bristled at the insult. She almost had to literally bite her tongue before she bit his head off. 'Revenge is a dish best served cold. Wait until you're stronger, then prove him wrong' "So what is this thing for then?" she decided on the safer option, for her and anyone else she might bump into. She didn't want to do anything nasty to herself or others in her attempts to figure out what the new button was for.

"This one" he pointed to the purple circles that reminded Ember of ripples in a lake "is a mind control spell, it brings everyone who hears it under your influence until you lift it or another manages to break it, but that is very hard to do"

Ember nodded.

"This one" he pointed to the blue fist "is an offensive spell. It will produce a large fist which will indiscriminately cause physical damage to anything in its path."

Again the teen nodded

"This one" he pointed to the pink heart "is a love spell. It will make anybody who hears it fall in love with the second person they see, as the first will most likely be you and that would make the spell obsolete"

By now Ember was beginning to feel like one of those comical nodding dogs some people had in the back of their cars

"And this one" he pointed to the last symbol on the circuit, it was a red music note and the one on which the guitar was currently set "just lets you play the instrument." He finished rather anticlimactically.

When his explanation was finished he rose, as if to leave, and crossed the room to the door. It was then that Ember spotted the last symbol, the one that Skulker had, conveniently, forgotten to mention.

"Skulker"

The large metallic specter turned back towards her when he was half way across her living room. "What"

"What's this one for?" she asked as she indicated the green skull.

"You don't want to know"

"So why did you put it there"

"You don't want to know. Just don't use it unless you absolutely have to"

"I can't use it if I don't know what it's gonna do now can I?" she stated, more than a little sarcasm laced into her voice.

"Good, then there's no danger then is there" he abruptly turned and headed back towards the door, effectively ending the conversation, until her voice rang out once again.

"Wait…what do you want for it? I don't many credits left at the moment but…"

"Nothing"

"What, then why did you do it?"

"I don't believe a talent like yours should be wasted" then he left, closing the door behind him, leaving the stunned teenager in her home to add music to the lyrics she had created in the absence of her instrument.

End of chapter

I'm sorry, I know it's crap but I really wanted to get another chapter out while I still had the inclination to do it. I should be able to finish 'Trough Her Eyes' soon, and the summer hols are only two weeks away, so I should have enough time to finish it.

Please review, I haven't had one for the past two chapters, and while 'Trough her eyes is making up for it, I really would like to know if you like this story anymore as I was really proud of the last chapter an haven't had any feedback on it.

May the Angels bless you and keep you safe

Anawiel