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"NDS: Book 13—Neon: Chapter 98: Strange Happenings"

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Next chapter, the wedding. The end of Book 13. So, next time, but for now, this little chapter that is actually important to have before the story of Book 14 and Book 15 can come to pass.

On a side note, this all takes place the same day that the last chapter did, so Gallows and Emilia are not involved in this chapter at all. This is also a day or so before the wedding, so in case you were wondering about the time.

I was actually about to redo the last chapter and replace the roles of Gallows and Emilia, and Emilia would actually admit what I hinted at that all this time she really was in love with Gallows, which is why she gave him such horrible advice about women most of the time. Well, among other things that she has implied, but never came through with.

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The afternoon was a gracious one as the sun was giving a grand smile down upon the Enduro—Maxwell home. Jet placed an ace of hearts down upon the coffee table with a flick. His knees tucked under him in the same manner as Adven's own legs. Adven saw Jet's moved and played a ten of spades. They looked to one another with determined glares as it was now time to start a war.

Virginia meanwhile, was weaving on her loom as Carole aided her. What they were making was unknown, but knowing Virginia they might be making something that she intended to be something else. For example, she could be making what she thinks is a sweater, but in reality is a really bad shirt.

Pike, who was not all too interested in being there in the first place, but not intent on making the trip back tomorrow for the wedding, sat quietly reading a book. He was sort of regretting ever getting involved with Jet. In the end he was chased by drone robots, as well as having to deal with the wedding trouble, as well as the oddities that is the Maxwell Gang and it's allies.

One such ally, juts burst through the front door creating a bang when the knob hit the wall and the screen door shut behind her. Sakura moved quickly to be front-and-center, standing behind the couch, leaving the room's inhabitants to look over at her anxious form. "Hey, you guys have to hear this." She waved a paper in her hands furiously out of excitement. Sakura had a way of being anxious about big news. She was a reporter after all, and knew the scent of a good story.

"What's that?" Jet opened up, knowing no one else would.

"Well, it's really odd." She remarked.

Pike lowered his book. "Something you heard from your paper?"

She placed her index finger up and gave a knowing grin. A wink of her eye. "Yep. It's some strange news that's been coming up over by the city near the new Ark of Destiny HQ."

"The one that was put right where the last one was?" Adven muttered.

"Right." Sakura crossed her arms. Pelt up with some unknown energy. "Y'see, people have been showing up in comas, and some even died."

"What sort of thing can cause that?" Virginia wondered from her stool.

"I don't know, but all of them had their life sucked from them." Sakura replied the grim news, but with an ecstatic grin. "This was happening all over that place two days ago, but yesterday all these attacks vanished. They stopped."

"So…what do the doctors say?" Adven wondered, placing down three cards on the table. "Even better, what does the Ark of Destiny say?"

"Well, some who were in comas came out of them recently. They said they had horrible nightmares while they were in the comas, and once out of them, their health returned." She replied. "They said it was as if their worst fears came to haunt them, but they got free of their comas somehow and simply woke up. So they believe the people in comas were all suffering from some sort of psychological attack…but…no one can really know for sure." The silver-haired beauty shrugged. "The Ark says that they have no official response at this time, but a patrol has been sent out in order to find whoever or whatever has harmed these people. But they feel for now that the culprit has fled the area and for now Filgaia is safe. They say they have other towns at work being on the lookout for an odd person."

"That is odd." Jet noted, placing three cards on the table. "But it's definitely not some demon like that Auriol…when she took life the people are left shriveled up and dried." Jet thought over the situation. "The way you would think this to be…No, forget it." He shook his head.

"What is it, Jet?" Virginia wondered.

"I was wrong." Jet replied. "Don't ask me anything more."

"I'm sorry."

Adven scratched his chin as he played his King of Hearts with a hidden smile at the card. "Hmm…Well, out here in Valhalla we should be safe, and the culprit isn't showing up anywhere so maybe it's all over." He suggested. "It could have just been some bug of lore who poisons people with hallucinogenic chemical and feeds on their life, but then they die in a day or go back into some hibernation for like…another 1000 years."

"I don't think I've heard of such a thing." Carole noted.

"Still…it's possible." Adven remarked as Jet somehow produced an Ace of Hearts. He blinks. "Not…possible…" He weakly lets out as he bangs his head on the table.

Nervously Jet looks away to the rest. "Well, anyway…let' snot worry about such stupid things. We have a wedding to deal with tomorrow." Everyone nodded and went about their business as Sakura sat on the couch to read the rest of the news she had. Jet just waited for Adven to stop banging his head on the table so they could finish their game.