1The hallway is quiet, and not a sound can be heard, save some small footsteps. Melody is still lost in her thoughts. She is hardly aware of the walls surrounding her. How is it that this necklace, which Melody has no recollection short of when she found it, Hers? It doesn't make sense. But still, the necklace seems so familiar. Melody shakes her head. How is all this connected? She doesn't notice the mist forming at her side.
"Hello, little one," says Artemis. Melody starts, then looks up. "Hey, Artemis," she says. She looks at the necklace. Maybe Artemis will know! "Is this mine?" asks Melody. This time Artemis is startled. 'She found 'emerald of heart'!' Thinks Artemis in surprise. 'Then, it can be no other! The necklace serves only the one.' "Has it done anything... unusual?" Asks Artemis. "Yes," says Melody. "It showed Mommy and Mr. Khipf kissing when they were younger." Artemis nods. "I see. The necklace is, err, special. It only works for one person, and one person only," she says. "The necklace showed you that because of your powers. Someone's emotions subconsciously caused you
To give off an aura of energy. The Gem fed off of that. It used your energy to show you what someone near to you's emotions were saying."
Melody looks down at the necklace. Could it be? "Does it really work only for me? And how did my energy effect it?" says Melody in puzzlement. "Yes. The pendant will work only for you, Melody. And you know how you willed the monster away? That took magical energy," says Artemis. "You used a magic you haven't used in a long time to force the monster away." "What do you mean, magic I haven't used in a long time? I've never used magic," says Melody. "You never know..," says Artemis mysteriously. "Okay," says Melody. She is fine with this explanation.
Suddenly, the hallway ends, and Melody is standing in a clay room. The walls are painted with strange symbols. Melody looks at one. Why does it look like she just saw it somewhere? Then it hits her. Melody reaches into her pocket, and pulls out her stone. "Here it is," she says cheerfully. Suddenly the walls glow pink. The stone levitates out of Melody's palm. As it does, the emerald begins to glow brightly. The entire room is lit from the light of the stone and the walls and the gem. Artemis steps back. As the glowing in the wall begins to fade, something seems to fall out of the sky. It is a choker, with the world's brightest unidentified silver symbol on it's front.
"Look, Artemis," says Melody, in the same voice someone would point out a flower in spring, or a butterfly. "A choker." Artemis has to hand it to Melody, she was calm throughout the whole 'glowing walls' thing. Most people would have just cried. But of course, Melody isn't just any girl.
"Yes," Artemis responds. "Your choker." "Mine?" asks a puzzled Melody. "That's why you found the stone and the choker fell from the ceiling," says Artemis. "It was intended for you." Melody smiles brightly. She runs over, picks up the choker, and places it around her neck. As she clasps it shut, she suddenly sees in front of her a cloudless sky. She is on top of a mountain, on a nice rocky cliff. The air is so fresh...
Melody's eyes open. Her she is in the same room she was before. But what was that memory?
"We're here," says Candy morbidly. She has disappeared behind a bend, and Pai and Lettuce run to catch up. "Great invention: waiting for people," Pai mutters. Lettuce overhears and chuckles.
When they turn the corner, they are standing in a hallway made of metal. "This is the terrifying hallway of geisha?" Asks Pai. This place is actually a welcome sight after those rough hallways.
"Oh yes," says Candy, sounding dark. Lettuce just raises her eyebrow. "Looks fine to me," she says, and steps into the hall. Candy makes a choking sound. Suddenly, a section of the wall near Lettuce opens up, and out comes a massive metal panel, headed straight for Lettuce!
Lettuce jumps away. The panel narrowly misses her. "See!" Screams a sputtering Candy. "SEE!"
Pai is in shock. He hopes he'll be able to move soon enough. "WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING?" Pai screams suddenly. "I tried, but the knife panel was too quick," says Candy.
"We have to be careful, or we'll be chopped to bits." Pai would strangle her, if she was alive in the first place. But, unfortunately, someone beat him to it. Lucky them.
Lettuce is just numb. "What happened?" she asks. "You almost got chopped by the geisha's fans, and that would have killed you," says Candy. "Good thing you dodged." She says this in a relieved tone, and Pai almost feels bad about wishing she would die another brutal death. Almost, but not quite. "We have to be careful. Every three feet, there are things like the one that almost claimed Lettuce," Candy explains. "Like this," Candy steps into the hall, and the fan comes shooting out of the wall. Candy moves forwards. As the fan withdraws, Lettuce and Pai see a grinning Candy. "See?" she asks. "Nothing to it."
And with that, she gestures they follow her lead. "Don't dodge till I say," Candy tells them bossily. Lettuce nods and grabs Pai's hand. They step into the murderous corridor.
Lets hope they live.