"Who the hell are you?" Selphie felt herself tense immediately, when an annoyed voice called out to her. She knew very well that she was not supposed to be where she was – but who could blame her? Kairi was pulling a major temper tantrum, and even though she was overreacting and could take the whole situation from a different angle, Selphie felt that a chat should be brought up with that long-distant boyfriend of hers who she adores so much. She had to do something to help her friend, right? Why else would she be here in this strange land looking for someone she only met once? She should be brave, like Kairi!

"Don't hurt me!"

Oh yeah, real brave.

A shaggy figure towered over her and leaned forward so that his face would come into better view, revealing a human face that had a slight snout and short fur covering his face. He wore a lose yellow, collared shirt with the collar turned up and ripped, denim shorts. His clawed feet were bare. She shivered beneath his curious gaze. "Me hurt you?" He found the idea humorous. "Not to fear, I don't fight girls." Selphie turned back to him, heat streaming back to her cheeks realizing how ridiculous she was acting. "So, I'll ask again, who are you?"

"S-Selphie." She curtsied. He backed up awkwardly as she watched her actions.

"Riku," He grabbed the sides of his baggy shorts and mimicked her actions. She burst out laughing. She shook her head no.

"No, that's what girls do, you bow!" She bent forward to show him and he stared at her.

"Why would I do that? That looks stupid." She straightened out and glared at him.

"It's the polite thing to do when you meet somebody!" She told him, her annoyance rising.

"Still looks stupid. When I meet someone, I just introduce myself without any physical motions and then we just have small talk." He shrugged, seating himself on the ground. "Nothing polite about it." He used air quotes around the word "polite". Selphie sat herself down as well.

"Well you don't have to be biased against me just because I have a different way of communicating with people!"

"You're the one critiquing my attempts at 'bowing'!"

`8'

Kairi was gone. That was all that she needed to know to alert the entire campus. Aerith was beginning to wonder if she had made a mistake from the way that Santa Claus was pacing in his office, waiting for word from anyone about his granddaughter, as well as the young High Elf who it appeared had disappeared a short time afterwards. Perhaps accompanying the girl, or trailing her? Either way none of them have been heard from in a long period of time and anxiety was beginning to rise within everyone's stomach as the already stressed Saint Nicholas was beginning to grow in anger and frustration.

Her head popped up with the creaking of the door and a small elf walked in timidly, perhaps worried that he may end up on the receiving end of his boss's anger and worry. A chair scraped against wooden floor and creaked as a heavy weight was lifted from it. "Well?" drawled a heavy, deep voice. The young elf gulped audibly and the High Elf immediately sent her regards silently to the poor fellow.

He shuffled as he pulled out a letter and with shaking hands, he began to read. "I-it ap-p-p-pears that someone had c-c-ame into L-l-lad-dy Kairi's bed-droom f-five hours ago. Her ware-a-abouts have been unkn-nown since then. From the looks of it, i-it seems that a cloaking s-s-spell had been c-c-c-casted be an experienced … something." The elf's squeaky voice stopped for a moment so he could gather himself. "The type of magic found did not appear to belong to any species that I know of, but is at the same "level" of that of a High Elf." Santa Claus leaned back in his chair, stroking his beard, eyes blazing.

"I bet it was that hooligan, Sora, little demon child has his claws on my Kairi. Anyone in cahoots with that Jack-!"

"On the contrary, sir, it is not possible, his remnants have not been here since, well, when you caught him and Lady Kairi together, we have checked for his scent and DNA over her room. There was nothing. And even then, the magic used was not even by a male of any sort, but, in fact, a woman." This seemed to surprise the man in the big red coat, so that he sat back in his chair, wide eyed.

"You don't say…"

She felt it was time for her to speak up. "Sir, if I may speak?" He nodded affirmative. "I find this whole ordeal rather trying of both yours and Kairi's energies and feel that the two of you should make up and I also have the feeling that she would be found in the perfect place for the two of you to resolve her problems." His eyes narrowed.

"You don't mean to tell me that-."

"Yes, she is in Halloween Town, I can feel it, besides the fact that we found a large smell of blood-not Kairi's, I assure you," she added once seeing the look on Santa Claus's face. "With hints of the same smell that Mrs. Claus had when she was taken back from the clutches of Jack Skellington." A large crash resounded to the desk that now lay on its side, Saint Nicholas was standing.

"Do you mean to tell me that that skeleton has kidnapped my granddaughter?! That heathen!" He rasped. He took off running, crashing through the glass window and landing heavily on his feet on the snowy streets of Christmas Town. Aerith flinched at the sound of his landing and several yelps that could be heard by elves passing by. She sighed deeply and waved her arm across the air. As she did that, the stained glass picked itself up and put itself together.

"I had better follow him, incase he ends up doing something he regrets." She snapped her fingers. An elf immediately popped up. "Tell the Madame of the situation and where her granddaughter and husband are." The elf stepped back, alarmed.

"Eh? But--!"

"Please!" Aerith rounded on the elf with a look of desperation that he failed to recognize. "That was a direct order!" She then vanished with a small pop. The elf then bowed and muttered a quick "yes", then disappeared as well, leaving the office empty.

`8'

"JAAAAA-ACK!" A voice roared in an air that shook the ground and those within range were rattled as well. A scurry of ravens shot into the air and rodents scattered, adding to the effect. Santa Claus stood in the midst of Halloween Town, furious as can be. "GET OUT HERE!!!"

Aerith, who had accompanied him, cringed with each shout that he made. This really was not the way to go about things; it could be solved in a peaceful manner. This yelling is only bound to make the skeleton even more mad, right? A woman made of rags appeared from a high tower, a rather worried and anxious expression spread across her face. Her large eyes widened even more when she saw who it was, shouting at their door.

A furious skeleton (whom she assumed to be Jack Skellington), glided down to the ground, holding the Ragedy Anne-like woman, and landed lightly on the ground. His gracefulness did not meet his expression.

It did not take long for the two to be brought up in an argument over the two missing teens. It seemed that only the females in the area, decided to put the pieces together, when both parties were denying to have captured the demon or the red head.

"Jack!" Sally interrupts, placing a calming hand on him. "Mr. Sandy-Claws, do neither of you think it's possible that somebody else could have been involved in the supposed kidnapping of the children?" The two pause, obviously not too keen on the idea that they could possibly be wrong.

Awkward glances are shared.

Aerith decided to put in her two cents. "With all of the yelling going about," she says softly. "I wouldn't be surprised if they were to try and run away."

However, none seemed to believe that as a possibility either, since no one wanted to admit that their kid could possibly want to run away from home. That would be irresponsible.

When the question was then posed on who could possibly want something with them, the Pumpkin and Father Christmas exchanged horrified expressions.

"You don't think …?"

"Are those children still around?"

They then dashed off in a hurry, Sally and Aerith stumbling behind them.