Chapter 12: The Engagement

Michelle put the needle on the record. When the buzzing of the nothingness stopped and the music began, Michelle let out a happy sigh, almost as if she were relieved. She twirled around in a large gown. There were many things she missed about the old days sometimes. This was just one of those days. "Come on, Skips, it will be fun," she said.

Skips was sitting on his bed, still admiring how nice Michelle looked in a dress. They were in his home on lunch. Michelle had made them sandwiches and it might have been a simple indoor picnic had not Michelle noticed the record player. She had then insisted that they dance. She had put on an old dress and was now waiting for Skips to join her in reminiscing.

"All right, you've convinced me," said Skips, a smile on his face. He went up to the attic and put on an old suit of his. He came back down and was received with a look of admiration from Michelle. He put his hands about her and they began dancing across the floor to the music.

"I'm surprised tailors made suits big enough for you," Michelle teased playfully.

"I'm surprised tailors were able to make something to fit such a heavenly figure," Skips replied. To that, Michelle blushed.

"It's nice to finally dance."

"You say that like we haven't done this before."

Michelle playfully punched him in the arm and said, "You know we haven't. We've just been... busy."

"Mm, yes, between work and social activities, our lives have been pretty much booked."

"It's nice to finally have some time alone." She put her head on Skips's broad chest and sighed happily. Skips rested his chin atop her head. It was a moment worth taking in, especially for how short it lasted.

There was a knock on the door. Skips sighed and went to answer the door as Michelle went to the record player to pull the needle out of the grooves and shut it off. The person at the door turned out to be Rigby. "Skips! Skips! We need your help!" said Rigby frantically.

Michelle had come up behind Skips at this point and asked, "You didn't dare Mordecai to do something stupid, did you?"

"No... I might have maybe made a bet with him... maybe," said Rigby. He fidgeted, showing the signs of nervousness and fibbing. Michelle rolled her eyes and Skips sighed deeply. "It's not what you think though!"

"All right, what is it?" asked Skips.

"You know those tough-looking guys who come to the park to practice playing for their band sometimes?"

"Oh, no..." said Michelle.

"Look, all I did was bet him that he wouldn't be able to talk to them without turning into paste. It turns out that they're getting along and Mordecai's acting all different ever since he first talked to them," said Rigby.

"You fool!" said Michelle.

"I know they're a rough group, but they seem relatively harmless to me," said Skips.

"Unless I'm mistaken, Mordecai just got himself immersed in black magic," said Michelle. She went inside and grabbed her magic cane from its place leaning against the wall.

"What do you intend to do?" asked Skips.

"Whatever I have to," Michelle replied. They got outside and started heading on their way, but a cloud of smoke appeared. When it cleared, an old man in dirty robes stood in the midst. "Sensei," Michelle said, performing a formal bow that students do for their masters.

"Come, today is the day," said the Sensei.

"Ugh, now, really?" asked Michelle.

"If you do not come now, you forfeit your chance of becoming a master of the White Crane Style," said the Sensei.

Michelle groaned again, longer this time. She shoved her cane at Skips. "Take this. I have to go. I've already invested so much time into this, I don't want to back out now. After all, after this, I'll only have one more style left to learn before I am a master of Shaolin boxing." With that, a cloud of smoke appeared, taking Michelle and the Sensei with it.

"Uh... okay...?" Skips said. She had vanished so suddenly, he hadn't a chance to say anything to her.

Rigby and Skips made their way to the tough-looking guys. Mordecai was indeed among them, wearing their garb as well as their mean expressions. Rigby was the first to try to reason with Mordecai, but he was greeted by a rough punch to the face. His nose started gushing blood immediately. He never could take any of Mordecai's punches.

"Mordecai, stop this," said Skips, holding up the cane. He had no idea how to use the object Michelle had given him, but was perfectly prepared to improvise.

"Or what?" asked one of the guys.

"He'll pull out a can of magic on you!" said Rigby.

"Magic, huh? For your information, old man, we rule in magic. The only way you could possibly defeat us is if you had magic touched by a Siren," said the same guy.

"What an uncanny coincidence then," said Skips. He brought the cane up, then whipped it downward. A blast shot out of the cane. It hit the guy straight in the chest.

"Ugh," he groaned. He had been knocked down, and as he rose, he spit out blood from his mouth and asked cockily, "Is that the best you got?"

"Not by a long shot," said Skips, whipping the cane down again, yielding more magic from it. The battle was on. Black magic versus the magic within the cane. It wasn't long before Skips managed to get past the others to reach Mordecai. He blasted magic at him and Mordecai fell.

Rigby gasped. "Mordecai!" He ran to his friend's side. The other guys with black magic retreated. They had already lost. Skips came to Mordecai's side and put a hand on the bird's forehead, then, over his nostrils. Mordecai was alive.

A portal appeared beyond them. Michelle walked out of it and came up to them. "Well, it would appear you were successful. Congratulations are in order," she said, coming up to them. She shook Skips's hand and took the cane away from him.

"Can you wake Mordecai up, Michelle?" asked Rigby.

"I think I can," replied Michelle. She put the cane in Mordecai's face. The end facing him began glowing blue. Then, it faded away as Mordecai opened his eyes. He gagged a little before sitting up.

"What happened?" Mordecai asked with a groan.

"It doesn't matter, you're safe now," said Michelle.

"Wait a minute... I won the bet!" said Mordecai.

"What?!" asked Skips and Michelle simultaneously.

"Yeah, Rigby bet that I couldn't talk to them without getting beat up by them, which, I didn't, so ha!" Mordecai poked Rigby in the chest.

"Yeah, well, whatever. It was a stupid bet anyway," said Rigby, crossing his arms and turning away.

"Oh, no, you have to live up to your end of the bargain," said Mordecai.

"And just what was the bargain?" asked Michelle, giving the two boys "the look."

"I won, so Rigby has to-" Mordecai had his beak clamped by Rigby's hands before he could continue.

"Dude, don't say it!" said Rigby. He pulled his arms away, but Mordecai only laughed.

"Whatever, dude. I'm still gonna make sure you do it."

"I- I don't want to."

"Dude, I won, just do it and we can be done here."

Michelle rolled her eyes. "Rigby, it can't be that bad," she said.

"Well, actually... I haven't kissed Eileen yet," said Rigby.

Michelle shrugged. "That's okay. Relationships take time," she said.

"Yeah, but, as much as I really want to, I didn't want to do it too soon," said Rigby.

"When do you have to kiss her?" asked Michelle.

"Tonight on the pier."

"That's not so bad. It actually sounds romantic."

"Actually, there's more to it than that."

"What do you mean?" Rigby came up to her and whispered it in her ear. Michelle blushed deep red. "Oh... okay... well, I cannot control the choices people make. Um... good luck with that." She walked away and Skips followed her. The two friends went back to doing their own thing.

"What did he say?" asked Skips.

Michelle felt something in her throat. It was almost vomit. She swallowed it down and said, "I'd rather not repeat it." With that said, the two went back to work.

The day ended, just as it usually did, with an enchanting sunset. Michelle and Skips were reclined on the roof of the park house, watching the sunset and waiting for the stars to come out. It was nice... peaceful.

When the stars did come out, they just laid back on the roof and looked at them. They each had their own stories to tell. Sometimes, they were both familiar with the tale; other times, one was familiar with it and the other was not. It made for good conversation and the two felt like they were getting to know each other very well. As they looked at the stars, their hands brushed against each other. They slowly clasped together.

Michelle took a deep breath in and sighed out, "This is the most peaceful night I've had in years."

"Yeah, this is nice," said Skips.

Silence fell over them. A comfortable silence. Then, the two noticed something streaking across the sky. "Oh, look! A shooting star!" said Michelle. She sat up, closed her eyes tightly while rubbing a feather on the side of her head (her lucky feather), then, after a moment, re-opened them.

"What did you wish for?" asked Skips.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" asked Michelle, a playful sparkle in her eyes and an innocent tone. The two laughed and Skips brought Michelle forward in a kiss. When they parted, Michelle said, "Besides, if I told you, it wouldn't come true."

"And if it does come true?"

"You'll know... but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt by telling you." She smiled and Skips smiled back. The two looked away from each other, bashful. Nearly two months of dating and they still acted like kids discovering love for the first time.

"Hey, I gotta go get something, but I'll be right back, okay?" asked Skips.

"Why can't I come with you?" asked Michelle.

Skips shrugged. "Well, you could, but I would prefer it if you waited here for my return." He made to get off the roof, but Michelle's voice stopped him.

"Skips, wait!" Skips turned. He awaited what she was going to say. "Aren't you scared, Skips?"

"Of what?"

"Of being separated... it's hard enough being anthropomorphic, but to add onto it, we're immortal too. We're hated by nearly every spiritual being out there. Some of them want to hunt us and some of them want to watch as we destroy ourselves." Michelle hugged her knees to her chest. "I'm still afraid for you, Skips, for us."

Skips came forward and patted her back. "You needn't be." She looked at him and he smiled. "There's nothing I've faced that I haven't been able to fight. Sometimes it was just me and sometimes it was with the help of my friends, but I have prevailed life's problems. You don't need to worry about me, Evangeline. I'll come back to you." He kissed her forehead gently and leaped from the roof.

"What if you're not, Skips? What if you don't return?" Michelle asked, still on the roof.

"I will, Evangeline." It sounded so like a promise that Michelle didn't protest further and let him go off to the engagement of mystery. She was still afraid for him, but she was somewhat comforted by his words. This was Skips, after all, and who could possibly face Skips and take him down?

It turned out, Skips was on a mission with the guys: Mordecai, Rigby, Muscle Man, High-Five Ghost, Benson, Thomas, Pops, Gary, Reginald (one of the Guardians of Eternal Youth), Death, and Skips's cousin, Quips. Skips had gathered them at his house and they didn't know why he had gathered them there. As requested by Skips, they brought their girlfriends/wives (Quip's wife has stayed home because of a prior arrangement.) When Skips came in, the questions began.

"Okay, Skips, what are we doing here?" asked Benson.

"Yeah, this better be worth it. We're missing wrestling for this!" said Muscle Man.

"Unless this is about Michelle, I'm out," said Death, sanding at his bony fingers.

"This is about Michelle," said Skips. Death stopped sanding and leaned back in his seat, ready to listen.

"Why do you care so much about Michelle anyway?" asked Angelica, Death's wife and Michelle's adversary.

"I care because I'm still in love with her," replied Death. There was a gasp from some of the people gathered there. "What? It's the truth. That doesn't mean I'd get back with her, but it also doesn't mean I'm gonna turn my back on her. I know she doesn't want to be with me. She never could be with me, all because of what I do."

"What girl would wanna be with you? You collect souls of the dead and the living!" said Rigby, throwing his arms up in emphasis.

Angelica was about to get up, but was stopped by Death. "It's all right, Angel. He makes a point," said Death. He looked tired, almost as if he were a mortal with thousands of years on his back. At least half of it was true. He turned to Skips, "Whatever you need, we'll get it done. It's the least I can do for her."

"All right, here's what's gonna happen: the girls will keep Michelle at the house. They'll be the distraction and make sure she doesn't leave, no matter what," said Skips.

"What if there's an emergency?" asked Eileen after raising her hand and being called on.

"Then go to the storm cellar. There's no safer place than there to be," answered Skips. He went on with his plan: "Meanwhile, the rest of us will split up around town. We're searching for this..." He pulled out a sketch of a book. The title read: Perfect Wedding by Evangeline Michelle.

Death looked at the sketch. "I remember that book. Michelle would be working on it when she thought I wasn't watching," he said.

"What else do you know about it?" asked Skips.

"I know that the book is meaningless without being together. She's taken pages out and scattered them in hiding places. I can take you to every location except the location of the last page. I think she called that page: Happily Ever After."

Skips nodded. "Then that's what we'll do. We'll split up, get the pages, and meet back here. We'll discuss possible locations for the last page when we meet again." With that, they went their separate ways.

The girls (CJ, Eileen, Starla, Celia (High-Five Ghost's girlfriend), Audrey, and Angelica) went to the park house to make sure that part of the plan went smoothly. Michelle saw them coming. "Angelica...?" asked Michelle.

"Death told me we should forgive each other, so, I'm sorry if I offended you by besting you in being a Siren in every way," said Angelica.

Michelle recognized it as an un-apology, but went with it anyway. "Okay," she said. She put out her hand and Angelica shook it, but pulled away as soon as possible as if burned. Michelle turned to the rest of the girls. "So, what's going on?"

"Skips wanted you to have a girl's night with us," said CJ.

"Really? Huh... okay. I haven't had a sleepover in 54 years... officially anyways." Michelle shrugged it off.

"You're totally overdue then! Come on!" said CJ. The girls went inside and, while most of them weren't really girly girls, they still had fun. Some time later, they were all giggling on the floor of the living room.

"All right, all right, so now what?" asked Michelle.

"Why don't we just talk about our boyfriends?" asked Starla. Most of the others went Oooh. "I'll go first. Mitch is the best thing that's ever happened to me and the way he kisses-" From there, it just got really gross for everyone else there.

"Yeah, but what don't you like about him?" asked CJ.

"There's nothing I don't like about him," said Starla.

"Oh, come on, there's gotta be something. Everyone has something they don't like about their guys," said Michelle.

"Oh, yeah? Name yours and I'll name mine," said Starla.

"So, you're admitting you have one?"

"Just answer the question."

Michelle's face brightened. "Skips is what a lot of girls would want. He is more than well-built, he's a tank that no one else would come against, if they were smart. I find no fault in his physical strength. He's intelligent, due to his many years of being immortal, and that has hardly ever failed him, so I can't fault him there. He has a pure heart that few get to see because of his rough exterior. There's nothing wrong with that. I know he's had many things he's faced over the years, but that is not something I can find fault in either since I've faced either equal or worse situations. There is one thing that troubles me though..." The girls leaned in, awaiting her answer. "I'm concerned about his pride." The girls all groaned out, disappointed. "No, hear me out! What I'm saying is that sometimes, Skips needs to be the best at something and if he is not, he does everything he can to get there. I don't know whether to applaud him for determination or turn my back on that trait and label it as selfishness."

"Well, who could blame the guy for wanting to be great at stuff? He's already pretty good at everything," said CJ.

"Yeah, but don't let Skips hear you say that," Michelle said, a smile on her face. "So, Mitch's fault, spill," she said to Starla.

"All right, all right, I guess I just wish he could not be so concerned about himself all the time," replied Starla.

"Ah, see? I'm not the only one that has a guy who's glorifying himself," said Michelle, finding small victory in this point. "What about you, CJ?"

"Me?" asked CJ.

"Yeah, you and Mordecai," said Michelle. Under normal circumstances, she'd leave the room if gossip was being spoken, but getting all of her inhibitions out-of-the-way helped her loosen up and socialize.

CJ snickered a little. "Well, he's really cute and responsible and nice. I just wish he'd stop getting into trouble," she said.

"Same here. Rigby's always getting into trouble," said Eileen. "But, he makes up for it by being really cute and funny. He always makes my day when he comes to the coffee shop."

" 'He makes up for it,' " said Michelle. The term was familiar with her. Too familiar. "Okay, what about you, Celia?"

Everyone turned to High-Five Ghost's girlfriend. "Well, come on, he's a ghost! How is a relationship like that supposed to work?" They all laughed at that. They knew it was a joke. "Seriously though, we have so much in common that most of the time I don't even notice it."

"Bet you'll notice it on your wedding night. Oh!" said Renae. Michelle snickered a little, but smacked her friend in the back of the head.

"Knock it off," said Michelle.

"Well, it can't be any worse than what Audrey's got," said Celia, pointing at the girl who had lately become the close friend of Benson, the gumball machine. Some even argued that they were dating, but no one was really sure on it, not even them.

"Yeah, he's a gumball machine, and yeah, he's got this really weird feel to him. I mean, it's like touching a gumball machine when we hold hands, but it's also not like it, you know?" asked Audrey.

"Yeah, I know," said Michelle.

"What, did you have sex with a gumball machine once?" asked Renae mockingly.

"An anthropomorphic one? Yeah," replied Michelle. Silence. "He was a nice guy. Sex was weird though. They're kinda different and you can't do it at the same time. You have to go separately, which was often frustrating."

"Okay! Moving on," said CJ.

"Despite the texture of his 'skin' and his temper, he's a really sweet guy. He just gets frustrated at the end of the day and I can't really blame him. From what I hear, this job is really stressful for him," said Audrey. They all murmured in agreement.

"All right, Angelica, it's your turn. What don't you like about Death and what do you like?" asked Michelle.

"I don't know, you had him first, so you tell me," said Angelica sourly.

"He still likes me, doesn't he?"

"Ya think? I mean, why do you think we've still got this rivalry going? I caught him in a room with an explicit portrait in it." Michelle blushed deeply and avoided eye contact for a moment. "You see? She knows what I'm talking about."

"That was a long time ago, Angelica. He obviously married you because he moved on... and you should too."

"It's hardly 'moving on' when he just said a few hours ago that he still loves you." Michelle felt a tugging at her heart at that. "And I guess you feel the same way too, don't you?" Angelica was near sobbing, some tears were already falling.

"Would you have me lie and tell you what you'd rather hear or tell the truth and hurt you more than I already have? I don't want this rivalry between us anymore. Yes, Death and I had a thing. Yes, we were in love. Yes, it was not done so formally or cleanly as you have done. Yes, I'm sure we both feel some small connection to each other still... but we chose our paths. I chose to go after Skips because I still loved him, more than Death. Besides, I couldn't live Death's lifestyle... or 'deathstyle' I should say. Angelica, he picked you because you agree with his path, you love him despite his faults, and nothing in the past is going to change what happens now."

"I just wish he didn't love you anymore." Angelica began crying more then and, as the girls came forward to comfort her, they failed to notice something going on outside. There were spectral copies of the guys... and they looked ready to get in a fight. They headed off in a different direction... toward the original guys.

Hmm... why didn't I mention Renae's lover? What's up with the ghostly copies? What will happen next? Please keep reading and reviewing to find out, thanks :)