Chapter Two

Ed: Hello readers!

Jinx: Time for the second chapter!

Hikari: We plan on changing the title of the story so yeah.

Ed: So anyway. Here's the story.

"What happened to Jinx, guys?" Ed asked, standing on top of a stool with one leg sticking out to keep her balance while she was cleaning with a dustpan broom and a duster. The others looked around but no Jinx to be found.

"Aw…damn it! We lost her again!" Ryuko cried out.

"So much for telling her not to go near the door." Neko said.

"Okay, how did you guys get in here?" The fire asked.

"Well, O-great-Mystical-Speaking-Fire," Hikari said, "We came through the door."

"Door?" The fire seemed to frown, if fires can do such things.

"Yes, O-flamey-one. The passage by which people walk in and out of most buildings."

"Don't mock me! I just thought it was odd that I didn't know you came in …is all…"

"Enough!" the boy had been fuming in a corner (now squeaky clean, thanks to Ed), finally he spoke up, "You need to get out before Howl gets back!"

"But we lost Jinx!"

"She can't have gone far!"

"When did she leave?"

"Wait!" The boy threw up his hands for silence, "Did you say she was by the door?"

"Yeah."

"Oh-no."

"What do you mean by 'Oh-no'?"

"Guys…?" Ed asked, "Guys…I'm losing my balance…"

"She could have gone to one of the cities."

"WHAT!"

"G-guys…!"

"We got to look for Jinx!"

"Help-!"

"How! You're friend could be anywhere!"

"But we gotta find Jinx!"

"Aah-! Aah-!"

"But really! She could be anywhere!"

"WE'LL FIND HER!"

"OMIGODWE'REFALLING!" –THUD! -

"Alright! Let's go!"

"Thanks … Thanks a lot guys…"

"Oh. Weren't you on the stool a minute ago Ed?" Neko asked.

"…Yes…" Ed answered.

"Then why are you on the floor now?" asked Ryuko.

"…It's all your fault." Ed simply replied, still on the floor.

"Well hurry and get up! We have to find Jinx!" Hikari told her.

The group of girls rushed to the door-o-portal (except Ed, who muttered to herself while marching to the portal door). All of them stopped.

"Uh…" Ryuko said, "Who knows how to work this thing?"

"I do," the boy said, "but first I need some answers."

"Yeah, that would be nice." The loudmouth fire replied.

"What if we don't wanna give you're the answers? Or what if you wouldn't like the answers?" Ryuko challenged.

"Then we kick you out of the castle and you won't get to find your friend." The fire said surely.

"Who says you can get us out? It's only you, a fire in a chimney, and you, a little boy." Ryuko mocked.

"Oh, wow! I'm so scared!" Hikari said sarcastically.

"Fine! Good luck finding our friend!" the boy shouted, grinning at the faces of the stumped girls.

"Well, fine."

"Go on then, the door's right there."

"Wait a minute…" Neko said, "Did you say 'castle'?" The boy freezed.

"Um…I didn't say 'castle'…" he replied.

"Wait a minute…this is all making sense!" Ed cried out, "The talking fire, the portal door thingy, and this filthy castle!"

"Wha-? Really? Ryuko, Hikari, and Neko said at once.

"We're in a flippin' dream!"

Neko cocked her head to the side, "But how do we know if we're dreaming?"

Neko was surrounded.

"Ow! Stop, that hurts! Quit! Ow, stop pinching me!"

"yup, not a dream…" Hikari pointed out the obvious.

"Okay kid," Ed began, "if you help us out, we'll give you your answers."

"How about your names first?" The talking fire asked.

"Ryuko."

"Hikari."

"Neko."

"Kirika."

"Um… but they call you 'Ed'." The boy pointed out.

"And I don't want you calling me 'Ed' stupid. Just call me 'Kirika'." Ed simply said. "What are your names?"

"Calicfer." The fire answered.

"Michael." The boy said.

"Michael! Show us foolish mortals how to use the Portal-O-Matic!" Hikari said dramatically to the door.

"Okay…these humans are beyond strange…" Calicfer said to himself a little to loud. Neko simply glared at the fire.

"Calicfer," Michael addressed the talkative ball-ablaze, "I don't know how long this is going to take, so if Howl comes back, lie. Lie like you never lied before!"

"Got it."

"Sooo…" Neko slid over to Michael, "When do we get to meet this Howl person?"

"Never."

And with that, the young Michael turned the portal-o-matic dial to green and showed the group out through the door.

"Calicfer," Michael said before closing the door, "If I don't come back alive…you can have my comic books."

To be continued…

Ed: There it is! The second chapter. Please review!

Jinx: See you next chapter!