Chapter 7

"Master Koji, you have guests. Must I show them in?"

"Yes, thank-you Marietta." Koji put down his book and straightened his shirt collar. Ikki, Metabee, Erika, Brass, Clover, Alex Sam, Shun and Shiryu trooped in. Hyoga and Mandy hand elected to stop and rest in Koji's front hall, along with Jerry.

"Ikki? What can I do for you?" Koji asked.

"Our friends need a place to stay, Koji," Ikki stated.

"And why should I give them a place to stay?"

"Like, why wouldn't you want to give us a place to stay – you'd never see us!" Clover giggled.

"Clover's right – in a house this – "

"Mansion, Alex. This isn't a house!" Clover interrupted her.

"Don't interrupt!" interrupted Sam.

"Anyway…" Alex looked meaningfully at her friends. "In a mansion this big, you'll never even know we're here!"

"Listen, Koji, or whatever. We aren't from here, but I can feel that my powers are just as strong here as they are at my world, so let us stay or get a Meteor Punch in the mouth!" Seiya erupted. Koji turned pale.

"Um… I'm sure I can manage something…." He trailed off, then smiled and pushed on a button on his watch. "Transport Medabot!" The area in front of him glowed and formed into his Medabot, Sumilidon.

"Yes Koji?" asked Sumilidon. Koji's face returned to its normal colour.

"Sumilidon, ask that tin toy – "

"Hey!" yelled Metabee. Koji ignored him.

" – if he or his Medafighter want their friend to try punching me now." Sumilidon's eyes glowed angrily.

"What? Koji, who wants to punch you?"

"Oh, the little black-haired bohemian over there."

Metabee sweat-dropped. "Dude, all the guys in this room have black hair!"

"Hey! I am not a bohemian!" shouted Seiya.

"Prove it," Koji smirked.

"Grrr… why I outta…!"

"Very sophisticated," smirked Koji sarcastically.

"Koji, would you please listen to me. I have an idea… If you let us stay here, we'll be gone within the week. If you don't… well, let's just say you'll never hear the end of this," Shun said carefully.

"How will you be gone?" asked Sumilidon suspiciously.

"It's a secret!" said Shun, unwilling to impart the knowledge that he was from a different reality to a person who was practically a stranger. Koji 'humph'-ed.

"Well, stay… but I'm gonna get it out of you!" Koji turned back to his book irritably. Shun and Seiya exchanged high-fives.

"Koji, must I call Marietta to escort the visitors to their rooms?" asked Sumilidon.

"Yes, thank-you Sumilidon."

"What a suck-up!" muttered Metabee.

"I heard that!" said Sumilidon as he walked past Metabee.

"Kiddin'….I'm kiddin'," protested Metabee. If Sumilidon could've, he would've rolled his eyes.

---oo00oo---

"Hey Misty! Ready to shop?" Tea called cheerily.

"What? Oh, right… yeah," Misty said unenthusiastically.

"What's the matter?" asked Tea, leading Misty outside. "Early morning blues?"

"Um, yeah…"

"Well, shopping will get ride of that quickly! This is Mai and Serenity. Guys, this is Misty."

"Hi…"

"Hey Misty – wow, that's such a cool name!" Mai gushed.

"Yes. Well, let's go!" the soft spoken Serenity said. The girls turned 'en masse' and headed towards the mall in high spirits…Well, most of their spirits were high….

"What did I get myself into?" Misty thought.

"So, Misty, what do you do if you don't go to school?" Mai asked curiously.

"I'm a Gym Leader!" said Misty, glad to be away from the topic of school.

"What's that?" asked Serenity interestedly.

"I train Pokemon. Water type Pokemon, to be exact."

"What?" said Mai and Serenity together.

"Pokemon… Oh man, this different realities thing is making my life a misery!" Misty complained. Mai, Tea and Serenity laughed. Misty frowned.

"Hey, I have an idea!" she said suddenly.

"What?"

"I don't have to tell you – I'll show you! Do you have a secluded pond around here?"

"Umm…. Mai?" Serenity said.

"Nope… Tea?"

"Er… Hey, what about the one behind Glazigo's?" asked Tea thoughtfully. Mai went red.

"What's the matter, Mai?" asked Serenity concernedly.

"Nothing…" Mai trailed off. Serenity and Tea exchanged knowing glances.

"Guy trouble?" they asked in unison. Mai went even redder.

Misty rolled her eyes. "Let's just go already!" Mai looked at her gratefully and began to walk in the direction of the store.

"Hey there ladies!" they heard a voice cut through the morning. Misty whipped around.

"What did you say?' she asked hotly.

"Temper, temper, my little titan rose!" admonished the speaker. The first thing Misty noticed about him was the fact that he was wearing dice earrings.

"Mmmf…" she tried to stop herself from laughing, and failed. Tea, Mai and Serenity turned and stared.

"What do you want, Devlin?" asked Tea.

"Ah, the lovely Tea…. So many girls so little time…" Duke sighed. Misty recovered from her laughing fit and glared at him.

"What's your problem?" she asked.

"Misty…" Mai trailed off, looking at Duke.

"Ooh! The very name sends shivers down my spine! Misty…" Duke sighed. Misty socked him in the jaw.