KK:HOWDY, Y'ALL! Now that I'm not grounded, I can get my chapters on faster, to your viewing pleasure!

Murdoc:(lying in hammock, drinking a martini)What took ya?

KK:(evil glare)You know how I feel about your drinking.

Murdoc:(lifts sunglasses away from eyes)Actually, I don't care what ya think, so HA!

KK:(anime vein)You're going back in my closet.

Murdoc:(gets out of hammock)(puts drink down)Not if ya can't catch me!(runs away)

KK:GET BACK HERE, MAN-WHORE!(chases after him) Just read the chapter!

Chapter 9:Dashing Through the Ice

"Adria-san! Adria-san! Wake up!"

Adria awoke to being violently shaken by little Noodle. "Man, Noodle, where's the frickin' fire?" she groaned, putting her head under a pillow.

"It it Christmas! Wake UP!" Noodle took the pillow off of Adria's head and hit her with it square in the face.

"Okay, I'm up!" Adria yelled, getting out of bed.

"Nice pajamas." Noodle laughed. Adria was wearing a pair of long pajama pants with bullet hole designs, and a long-sleeved black skirt with the Happy Tree Friends on the front, either smiling and waving, or bleeding uncontrollably.

"Domo arigatou, Noodle-san. Now, let's go and open some presents." Adria then picked Noodle up with both hands and carried her, over her shoulder, out of the room. The little Japanese girl laughed all the way up the stairs and into her own room, where everyone else was waiting.

"Heh, nice pajamas," Murdoc commented.

"Shut up, Muds," Adria muttered, placing Noodle down.

As soon as Adria sat down, the four bands members went to work opening their gifts from each other, all satisfied heavily with what they had received. Now, it was time for Adria to give and receive her presents. First up was Noodle. The two exchanged, and didn't waste any time to stop tearing away the brightly-colored paper.

Noodle squealed happily and hugged her stuffed bear. "He is so kawaii, Adria-san!"

Adria had received a Hello Kitty doll with a black satin skirt, a red shirt, devil horns, and a silver pitchfork. Limited edition, might I add. "And so is my new Kitty. Thanks, Noodle!" She gave the small girl a quick one-armed hug.

Next up was Russel. He gave her a large box, and she gave hi one that was about twice as big. While Adria opened her box to discover a red and black kimono, Russel's box contained a new symbal with a fold-up stand, real silver with "RUSSEL HOBBS" carved into it in golden script.

"I love this kimono!" Adria screamed, holding it close to her.

Russel stared at his new symbal in amazement. "How'd you get this?" he asked, astonished.

"Let's just say that I have 'connections' with a very skilled artist back in Kyoto," she replied. The two then gave each other a high five and laughed. Now, it was 2D's turn. the two gave each otehr another present.

"I'll open mine after you open yours," said Adria. "I made yours myself."

2D tore away the bright red paper, and his eyes widened. In a box was a long-sleeved black shirt with a picture of two criss-crossed syringe needles. Under them, in red, bloody letters, were the words "I SURVIVED THE AUTOPSY".(Author's Note: I'm actually going to design a shirt like that; no one had better take my ideas! I'm dead serious!)

"I can't believe ya made summink like this," he gasped.

"Took me two hours. Made it that day I was locked in my room. I know how much you love those shirts that don't really make any sense, so I made this."

"I absolutely love it. Open yours, open yours!"

Inside another box was a school girl's uniform, and it looked rather familiar to her. It wasn't until Adria saw the letters S.U. in script on the skirt did she realize what it was.

"Is this, a Shiz University uniform, from the 'Wicked' musical?"

2D nodded. "Yup. I'm friends wit' a guy who's gonna be in the musical 'ere in the U.K., an' I 'ad 'im get you this fromthe costume manager."

Adria then leaned over and hugged 2D tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" she kept saying over and over.

"Adria, I can't breaf'," 2D strained to say.

She let him go. "Sorry, 'D!"

Now, Murdoc was the last one. She handed him the box with the necklace and he handed her a box about the same size. He opened his in about two seconds, and when he lifted the lid of the box, he was in utter awe of its beauty. It even had his first name engraved on the blade!

"Well, I'll be damned!" he said, his eyes never movng from view of the necklace. "Is this blade silver?"

"No, it's white gold," Adria answered. "You like it?"

"Hell yeah, I love it!" Murdoc slipped the necklace over his head. "It really suits me. Go a'ead an' open yours; you'll go completely insane."

She did, and when she opened the box, her eyes widened. Inside, there was a golden choker, the chain appearing as if gold thorns were sticking out. The charm in the middle was an onyx rose with a brilliant shine. As soon as she was done looking at it, Murdoc took it out of the box and fastened it around her neck. "Whaddya think, Garrison?" he asked.

"Muds, you are so sweet. I'll never take it off." She turned around and hugged him, almost knocking him over in the process. He, in turn, wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tighter.

"Happy Christmas, Adria," he whispered in her ear.

After ten seconds, Russel cleared his throat, and the two broke away. He then looked towards 2D. "Yo, 'D. We going iceskatin' and snowboardin', or not?"

"Well, duh! Of course we are."

The five were now all outside Kong Studios. And busy trying to decide what to do first...

"I will go snowboarding," Noodle announced.

"I'll go wit' ya," Russel told her. He didn't want anything else to happen to his little sister, especially after what happened last year, when she nearly cracked her skull open crashing into a gravestone.

"Adria, ya' goin' skatin'?" asked Murdoc. She nodded.

"Guess I'll go skatin', too," said 2D.

As Noodle and Russel walked off with their boards, Murdoc, Adria, and 2D made their way down the hill behind Kong to find a large lake. Soon, the three were all sitting on a bench, putting on their skates.

"I can't get this fuckin' skate on m' foot," complained Murdoc.

"Then, stop trying to put your left foot in your right skate," Adria said, smirking. She and 2D then broke out in laughter.

"Whoops! I knew that." He took the skate and put it on his other foot, without any difficulty.

After getting their skates on, the three stepped out onto the ice, only to all slip and land on top of each other.

"2D, you're sitting on my leg," groaned Adria.

"Well, ya skate is 'bout t' go right through mine," 2D replied.

"Ya both on top of me, so get the 'ell off!" yelled Murdoc.

They all got up, helping each other to not hurt the next person, and slowly started to skate. For some reason, Adria decided to skate by herself. Probably to think about something. But, what?

Murdoc, on the other hand, never took his eyes off of Adria. She skated so simply and gracefully, and she seemed so peaceful with her task. Apparently, Murdoc regretted not paying attention to what he was doing, because, within thirty seconds, he tripped and fell into a snowbank. Seeing this, Adria went over to be a good friend and help.

"And you call me clumsy?" she teased. She grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. He then dusted the snow off his pants.

"Do you want to hold onto my arm, or something?" she shyly asked.

"I think I'm okay," he replied. At least, he was, until he crashed into the same snowbank five minutes later. After helping him to his feet for the second time, Adria held onto Murdoc's wrist.

"You're skating with me, like it or not," she said firmly.

They took off, and Murdoc was able to skake much better. About two minutes into it, he moved his hand from around her wrist to around her hand, holding it gently. Adria's face was soon as red as blood.

"Are you, blushin', love?" he asked, producing a half-smile.

"I don't blush," she lied.

"Okay, 'ow stupid do ya think I am?"

"You're not stupid, Niccals. Well, not that stupid. Just keep your eyes on the ice and not on me, for both our sakes."

"Yeah, ya right."

" 'Course I'm right. When aren't I?"

"Still in ya li'l world, eh?"

"Yeah, and still partly cloudy."

The two started laughing. If you just looked at them, you could easily tell that they were two close friends, enjoying each other's company. But, though afraid to admit it to themselves, they both wanted a little more than that...

CRASH! 2D had slipped and was now on his backside, rubbing it and moaning in pain.

Adria let go of Murdoc's hand and made her way towards 2D. "Hang on, 'D! I'm coming!" She then arrived at 2D's side. "What did you trip over?"

"Ow,...m' own two feet."

A long pause, then more laughter. This Christmas seemed like it couldn't get any better, but, then again, there was still half the day left to go through...

Heh, a cliffy! FINALLY GETTING MY REVENGE ON ALL OF YOU DUMMIES THAT HAVE LEFT ME AT CLIFFIES IN THE PAST! HAHAHAHAHA! Anyway, please review. I'd write more, but I'm too busy watching Sukisyo, one of the coolest anime shows ever! Oh, and a quick question: can you buy the Gorillaz from Albarn and Hewlett on eBay? Hehehe... Nevermind...