Hey people I'm back! Would've updated sooner but I had a driving lesson.
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Chapter five; We went to the animal fair.
"What are you doing with those tape measures?" asked Ian to Spencer.
"Would you rather a complete stranger measured you for your suits?"
"Not particularly." said Kai as Bryan stood.
"Stand up straight in a star shape." Nix instructed, the blonde started to measure him and take notes. "Luckily for Ian that Kai's old tux only needed a little taking in."
"Needed?" repeated Kai. "How?"
"Very carefully. Ian and I managed to do it between us and measured Spencer before you three got up."
Spencer hid his face, that was embarrassing with her running her hands over his body to lay out the tape measure where Ian couldn't reach.
"After you lot are measured up we'll go."
"What are we doing afterwards?" asked Ian.
"Well we have Zoo, Bird Sanctuary, Aquarium… Tala and Kai didn't put in a suggestion."
"We don't really have anything we want to do at the moment." shrugged Tala.
"So we've got three choices." said Bryan.
"We'll see when we're done shopping." shrugged Nix, straightening the shirt she was wearing, it was a plum colour with three vertical blue stripes down one side.
"Where have I seen that shirt before?" asked Bryan, noticing his cousin's attire.
"Um, your wardrobe?" she grinned sheepishly.
"Looks good on you." he smiled, hugging her. "You taken your meds?"
"Yes Kuzzy."
"Where's Calcifer?" asked Ian.
"He's flying around outside." she replied, more focused in her cousin's warmth.
"You ok Nix?" asked Spencer, grabbing Tala to hurry things along.
"I'm fine. Just didn't get a lot of sleep last night." she smiled over Bryan's shoulder.
"Oh, why Nixy?" Ian asked, hand on her arm in concern.
"Not entirely sure myself. But I'm ok Ian." she brushed his bangs out of his face.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Kai soon solved the problem Tala brought up about travelling, driving a black 1959 Cadillac Cadster to the front door when everyone was set to go. Tala and Ian in front, Spencer and the Kuznetsov Cousins in back after Nix threw her backpack in the boot.
Nix was keeping occupied by knotting a loop of string between her fingers, 'Cats Cradle' Spencer recalled her calling it.
The blonde watched entranced as she continued to make complex criss-crosses in the string by only moving a couple of fingers.
"You think that's amazing, you wait 'til she starts dancing." Bryan told him.
Spencer could only imagine.
"Hey Bry, snap her out of it we're almost there." said Kai, looking in the rear-view mirror.
"I'm fully aware of my surroundings Kai thank you very much. Tala, if I sense you looking at my chest once more, you won't need a dentist ever again." she warned, not looking up.
Tala's face become the same colour as his hair as he sat back facing the front, Bryan and Ian laughing really hard.
"And you say I'm perverted." Ian wheezed.
'God it must be true, girls do have a sixth sense.'
"Spencer, are you ok?" she asked, he looked to see she was looking at him with some concern.
"Yeah… I'm fine." he told her as Kai pulled up into a parking space and the others hopped out, Spencer going straight away to the map of the shopping complex.
A hand on the small of his back made him look to his side.
"Are you sure you're ok, you seem a little spaced out today." Nix asked him.
"I just feel a little like I've got my head in the clouds." he admitted, she smiled and held onto his arm, dragging him into the complex with the aid of her cane.
"Right Nix where are we… Nix?" Bryan turned around to see she was gone.
"She just dragged Spen inside." snickered Ian.
"WHA!?" was the choked reply from Bryan, Tala and Kai.
Ian rolled his eyes and took a step back as Bryan and Tala raced inside.
0o0o0o0o0
"Shouldn't we wait for the others?" Spencer objected as Nix pulled him further into the mall, looking back to see Bryan and Tala's hair weaving it's way through the crowd.
"Huh? Oh yeah. I never thought this place would hold so many people. The din is deafening."
"It's not usually this crowded." frowned Spencer. "Unless there's a…"
"Attention Shoppers, as of now Marks and Spencer's has items up to seventy-five percent off! Happy Shopping!" (A/N; no pun! Don't own!)
"Sale." he finished pathetically as a large crowd stampeded towards the store, shoving Nix into him and onto the floor of a shop doorway.
"Ow…" she whimpered, as Bryan and Tala fought their way to join them, Ian and Kai behind them.
"Nix! You ok? Is it your ribs?" Bryan asked.
"Someone elbowed me in the spine between the shoulder blades, but I'm fine." she told him as Tala helped her up.
"At least we ducked into the right doorway." said Kai, seeing tuxes and suits in the window.
"Right, so what'll it be guys? Zoo, Bird Sanctuary or Aquarium?" asked Tala, placing the tuxes and Nix's bags in the boot of Kai's car.
"Doesn't a zoo usually cover all three to an extent?" pondered Kai.
"Well we can always go to the zoo today and the others another time." said Bryan.
"Go for it." shrugged Spencer.
"Know any places Nix?" asked Ian.
"There's one thirty miles north of here, it's well sign posted. What's your fave animals' guys?"
"Whales."
"Snakes."
"Wolves."
"Birds of prey."
"Red pandas."
"Seriously Kai?"
"I've only seen them in a book, they're like me, unusual."
"They even got them. And you're not unusual, Kai. You're unique." Nix told him. "And I'm sure Hilary would agree with me."
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's get going!" Ian cried.
"How old is he?"
"Thirteen." Spencer answered.
"When we get there he's eight ok?"
"Why?" asked Tala.
"You'll see." she said simply.
"I got in free?" asked Ian.
"Yeah and Bryan got in half price." Nix laughed, Spencer holding the ticket receipt she had brought.
"Why?" Bryan asked.
"OAP discount." Spencer snorted.
"What! I'm not old. I'm dying my hair." Bryan pouted.
"What are these down here Nix?" Spencer asked, pointing to the five extra things on the receipt. He had heard Nix speak in hushed voices with one of the pay cabin managers.
She seemed to know what he was talking about even though she couldn't see for she said-
"You'll see, actually we better get moving if we're going to make it for the first one."
"First what?" Kai narrowed his eyes.
"You'll see." she grinned as they walked into the first section of the animal park.
"Wolves!" cried Tala.
"You Miss Kuznetsov?" asked a zoo keeper standing outside the wolf enclosure, bucket of meat in hand and another holding a camera. Tala instantly looking over the rail to watch his favourite animals.
"I am."
"Who's going in with me?"
"The redhead." Nix laughed.
"That's about to fall in." added Kai.
"Nix, what's going on?" asked Bryan.
"You'll see, stop asking. Tala get over here."
"Oh." he pouted.
"Cheer up, you're helping me feed them." laughed the zoo keeper.
Tala's eyes doubled in size. "What? Seriously?"
"Surprise." smirked Nix. "Go on Tala." Tala could only nod and follow the keeper inside.
The other keeper took pictures of Tala being greeted by the wolves, feeding them and playing with them, jumping in surprise when she had used all twenty four pictures in the film when Tala came out, part his hair flicked upwards where the wolves had licked it.
"I got licked by a wolf." His grin looked like it was going to split his face.
"They really liked you Tala, then again with Wolborg as a bit beast I'm not surprised." the keeper smiled. "Your next one's in an hour Miss Kuznetsov."
"Thanks very much." she said, the other keeper, reloading the camera and putting it back in the satchel she had against her side, being the group photographer for the day. "Right, Tal can you tear yourself away from the wolves to look around?" she teased. He nodded and hugged her.
"Thanks Nixy."
"It's ok Tally." she smiled.
For that hour they walked around, the keeper taking pictures of the other animals for them and exchanging what knowledge they knew on them.
"Kuzzy, how much falconry do you remember from when we were kids?"
"Everything, why?"
"You're helping fly the falcons." The keeper grinned, as Bryan grabbed Nix and spun her round.
"Thank you Nixy! You are the greatest." he beamed, kissing her on the cheek.
"I'm also getting dizzy Bry. Go on, have fun." she smiled as he put her down and joined the keeper.
"Nix, what's 'fly the birds' mean?" asked Ian.
"It's where they take birds of prey out and make them attack their prey much like they would in the wild, at the same time training them for their shows, using lures and leather gauntlets." she replied.
"Much like the ones Bryan's using." Kai supplied, the clicking of the camera beside them, taking pictures with the new film.
"He seems really stuck in." said Kai.
"He started at a young age, we both did."
"Explains Calcifer being well behaved." mused Tala.
"Hey Nixy this is so cool!" Bryan yelled, swinging the lure like a lasso, a falcon diving after it before regaining altitude.
"Doing great Kuzzy!" she grinned.
"You and Bryan seem inseparable."
"We were once. Though when I saw him on TV during his battle with Ray… that was Bryan Kuznetsov, but it was wasn't the one I knew." she said sadly.
"He apologised to Ray the minute the Boris was arrested, it was like he came out of a dream." said Tala.
"I bet." said Nix.
"He's grinning like an idiot." Kai pointed out.
"Oh yeah. I dunno what scares me more, his happy grin or his sadistic smirk." said Tala.
0o0o0o0
"If you're not careful Bryan you may end up with a job." the keeper laughed as they returned to the group half an hour later.
"Nah, I'll leave it to you guys." Bryan smirked. "Get any good pics Yenna?" he asked the photographer.
"Oh yes. A whole film of them." she grinned. "You might want to make it over to the reptiles. Everyone knows about your purchases and you generous donation."
"Thanks." and they headed over to the reptile house.
"Donation?"
"I gave them half of that money Kai gave me." Nix told them.
"Animals will be your downfall Nikita." sighed Bryan.
"You just flew five different falcons and you're complaining?"
"Not at all." he grinned.
Ian's surprise was he got to feed and handle some of the snakes, one of which coiled all the way round him to get to a high branch, Yenna again used up a whole film. Then they were released for lunch.
"Thanks Nixy that was the best! Though I swear that python was going to eat me." Ian cried excitedly.
"If it did Ian I'm sure it would've got indigestion, and eat before you poke somebody in the eye." she said, pointing with her spork. (gotta love the sporks!)
"So what are we doing next? We've covered most of the zoo, even with the surprises." said Tala.
"Well we have small mammals to cover, then primates." she said recalling the map from memory it seemed.
"To return Ian." muttered Bryan into his sweet and sour, to get cuffed around the head.
"To return you if you're not careful. Then we have the penguins and then the aquarium right up the back."
"Oh what that big blue thing about three quarters of a mile from here?" asked Spencer.
"Yep."
"You crazy!" squawked Tala.
"No, from the primates there's this ride over there, stopping by the farmyard area on the way."
"We'll avoid the farmyard thanks, Tala has this thing about chasing chickens." Kai smirked at his redheaded companion.
"They remind me of that Majestic, oh what's his name, Jimmy Mc-something." Nix frowned, munching on her chicken and noodles. All five bladers snorted into their food. "Was it something I said?"
"You mean Johnny McGregor?" asked Bryan, eyeing Kai laughing into the table.
"Whatever, I don't like him. That Robert's pretty cute though."
"He has such a stick up his arse!" said Bryan.
"So have you first thing in the morning I've noticed."
"Ancestry this, my family that. Mwarp Mwarp Mwrap." Kai squawked with a scrunched up face.
"Mummy is that man crazy?" a little kid asked as they passed the table.
"Don't pay attention honey." their mother chided, walking away quickly.
"Nice going Hiwatari." teased Spencer. Kai was red in the face.
"Shut up."
"Cheer up Kai, and eat up you lot or we'll be late."
"I'm feeding the red pandas I'm guessing." said Kai.
"Yes Kai you are."
"Thank you Nix." Kai gave a genuine smile.
"You've done so much for us and it's not even been a full week." added Tala.
"Does that bother you?" she asked.
"Course it doesn't."
"Bryan, I want an answer from these guys. An honest one." she turned her blank gaze to each of them all in turn.
"Well, it's been nice to have a… a sister figure in the house." Ian said slowly, like the concept was alien to him, probably was.
"We haven't argued as much actually." pointed out Tala.
"We've… what's the word? Co-operated more as a group." added Kai.
"But we're a team anyway though." said Ian.
"There's a difference of being in a team and co-operating as one. The Majestics learnt that lesson."
"As they were getting their butts kicked." smirked Kai.
"Well some of the best lessons are learnt in defeat." said Nix wisely. "What say you Spencer? Does it bother you that I'm here?"
"Not at all, it's been good that I'm not the only peacekeeper, and now I have a cooking teacher." he replied.
"Told ya Nixy."
"Bryan, no-one likes a know it all. Kai, red pandas, come on."
"She keeps us on our toes I'll give her that." said Spencer, picking Ian up and setting him on his shoulder. "Ian, you're getting heavy."
"Tell your cooking teacher to quit teaching then."
Kai stood in the red pandas enclosure with the keeper, bowl of fruit and meat under his arm, as he enticed the cat like creature onto the branch next to him with a piece of pear.
Soon the timid creature was sitting inches from his hand, taking the pear delicately in it's paw. The camera going off behind him.
He smiled when the animal nuzzled his hand and licked his fingers.
"She likes you, that or she wants more pear." smiled the keeper. "You seem to have a way with animals Mr Hiwatari. Frisco's usually quite shy."
"Bit like Kai then." teased Bryan.
"Would you rather he be like Tyson?" asked Spencer.
"One Tyson is more than enough." Kai chuckled softly, stroking Frisco's head.
"Hilary's gonna melt when she sees Kai's an animal lover. It's so sweet."
"Sweet, us lot? Imagine it."
"Oh stop it, you're all sweet in your own way. Some of you just have to discover it." Nix said, sitting down carefully on the bench next to Ian. "When I get this cast off will be a very happy day indeed."
"Yeah, when are you getting it off?" asked Bryan.
"This Saturday." she grumbled. "Which is a pain really because I did have a nice corset thing I could've worn tomorrow night."
"Nix, you'd probably make a potato sack look good."
"Want me to test that theory Kuzzy?"
"No!"
"You are so easily wound up Bryan." snickered Tala, looking like he was checking his nails as he leant on the platinum teen's shoulder.
"Right, let's get moving." said Spencer, "I want to see the marmosets before we head up to the aquarium."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Spencer."
"Yeah Nix?"
"How would you feel about getting wet?"
"We all think he was born with webbed feet." said Ian.
"At least it wasn't a big nose, I don't have any problems getting wet, but my clothes do."
"Well you'd wear swim shorts and a surf suit."
"Which you've got for him in that bag of yours I take it."
"I have as it goes."
"Well that explains you flitting all over the mall like roadrunner on speed." said Tala. Nix just grinned.
"I'm not coming out." came the gruff reply from the cubicle.
"Spencer, you've never been scared of anything, don't start now." Tala called through the door.
"I'm not scared, I look like a frickin' idiot!"
"Spencer, if you don't come out I'm under strict orders to drag you out." said Bryan.
"Like to see you try."
"Turanov, as your team captain and friend, I demand you come out."
"Look, I'm sure Nix wouldn't organise anything to make you look stupid. Come out Spen before we get Ian and Kai in here to do the puppy look."
"Argh! Fine." the lock slid back with a bang and a black lycra/rubber clad Spencer stepped out, hands on hips and half glaring at his friends, his clothes stuffed in his bag and boots loosely tied on his feet.
"You don't look stupid. Come on Nix and the others are waiting."
Nix was waiting outside the Gents with Kai and Ian when the door opened and Spencer stepped out, Kai making a comment about it being a second skin, just the thought of what was underneath the suit made heat rise to her face.
'Damn I wish I could see again!'
"Nix? Nixy-kins! It's been a coon's age, how are you my dear?" they all turned to see an old looking man with youthful eyes in a wetsuit walk up to them. Nix outright grinned and felt her way to hug him.
"Shogun! I'm good thanks, yourself?"
"Been great since you prescribed those herbal teas of yours." the old man beamed. "Got your letter, such a shame, you really did prize your eyes as well."
"I'm coping."
"Nix?" Bryan was, to say the least, confused.
"Sorry Kuzzy, guys this is Shogun, owner of the zoo and a good friend of mine. Shogun, this is my cousin Bryan and his friends, Tala, Kai, Ian and Spencer."
"Pleasure's all mine boys."
"So how did you come to know Nix?"
"This little scallywag? She was flying that bird of hers on my land, years ago, she's been like a granddaughter ever since. That and helped design the bird of prey area."
"Such a sweetie Shogun." laughed Nix.
"So Spencer, ready to swim with Akami?"
"Who?"
"By gods Nixy, you haven't told him?"
"Told you it was a surprise."
"Excuse me? Five Russian bladers majorly confused here, one of which in a lycra suit." Ian piped up.
"Spen, you are going to be swimming with Akami the baby Orca."
Spencer's eyebrows almost shot off his forehead.
"I'm swimming with a Killer Whale? Seriously?"
"Yep."
"Poor boy's been knocked for a loop, Nixy you are mean, you should've told him sooner. No wonder you haven't got a boyfriend."
"Shogun!"
"Kidding Nixy-kins. Right, come on Spencer."
"Sure." he handed Bryan his bag and followed Shogun, the others behind.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"When she did that dive with me on her back it felt like the whole world had slowed down, that was fantastic!" Spencer told the others as the headed back to the car, Shogun insisting on seeing them out personally after he and the blonde dried and changed, Nix was placing the films in her bag.
"I think Yenna got some good shots of that." said Kai.
"She got two rolls of film. You must be very photogenic Sp-Spencer." she stifled a huge yawn. "Oh excuse me."
"When are you getting them developed Nixy-kins?"
"Soon as." she said sleepily.
"Well if you do dear could you send us one of each, that's if you boys don't mind helping promote our attractions." Shogun asked.
"Not at all." they replied.
"I was nose to nose with a killer whale. Everyone should experience something like that." laughed Spencer. "If Boris could see us now, he'd die of a heart attack!"
"Here's hoping." laughed Kai.
"Akami likes you Spencer." laughed Shogun, "Should you boys ever want to come again, you're more than welcome, and Nixy, don't be a stranger." he said as they got in the car.
"I won't."
"And bring Calcifer up, he could probably teach our hawks a thing or two."
"I'll remember that." she grinned. "Thanks a lot Shogun. Today's been brilliant."
"Good to hear it, and take care you lot." he said moving out of the way to let them reverse out.
"Today's been great, and no paparazzi on our tails." sighed Tala stretching his arms over his head, Nix resting her head against Bryan's shoulder.
"Well unless you count Yenna."
"She won't plaster them over the papers." said Kai.
"Nix's gone really quiet. She ok?" asked Ian.
Spencer looked to the girl next to him and found she had dozed off, Bryan looking slightly squashed. "She's asleep." he told them, slowly moving her so she was resting against his chest, that annoying warmth coming back to him.
"Thanks Spen, she didn't look too comfortable."
"Neither did you." he replied.
"I just had a thought, a group shot of us, to remember today." said Bryan.
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea Bryan, plus how often do we see a picture of ourselves as a bunch of friends, not a blading team." asked Spencer.
"People would think you're sweet on her Spence." Teased Ian.
"At least I don't go into a girl's room in hope to catch her changing." the blonde quipped in reply.
Ian was about to retort when Nix stirred, everyone- save Kai for he was driving- froze, to heave a sigh of relief when she nuzzled into Spencer's chest more.
"That… wasn't supposed to happen." Spencer said slowly, fighting the blush that was creeping up his neck to his cheeks.
The ride home was quiet after that.
Kai pulled into the driveway and everyone climbed out, Tala holding open the door so Spencer could climb out, carrying Nix.
Spencer waited 'til Kai opened the door and went inside, he really didn't have the heart to wake her as she was usually drowsy by six, the blonde it was that time now, having lost his watch, he medication for her ribs really took it out of her.
Opening her bedroom door, Spencer was greeted by the threatening hiss from Calcifer.
"She's alright, just tired." he reassured the Harris Hawk, as he set her down on her bed, or tried to when he found she had bunched her fists in his shirt, when did that happen? He noticed the bear he had given her on her second night and rested it on her stomach, her hands instantly hugged it.
"Having trouble?" Bryan stood by the door.
"Not now no." he replied, setting her down. "She had hold of my shirt."
"Aww, Kai's ordering take-out so she doesn't have to cook."
"She's done plenty for us today, she shouldn't have to cook as well." Spencer said heatedly.
"That's what I said when Ian went to protest. Come on, let's leave her to sleep."
"Yeah." he turned back to the girl again, noting her expression looked a little pained.
'Must be her ribs' he thought, leaving the room with his friend.
Saving a plate of food for Nix, the boys ate in silence when Calcifer swooped in from the garden, a vole of some sort in his claws.
"Stupid bird." said Tala.
"He's no more stupid than wolves are." Bryan protested
'Maybe I shouldn't have been so dismissive of the look on her face.' Spencer thought, picking at his meal. His mind always seemed to drift to the Kuznetsov girl, and he couldn't put his finger on why.
"Spen, you ok?" asked Tala.
"Why, shouldn't I be?" he asked, then sneezed.
"Sneezy Sneezy, Achoo Achoo, someone special's thinking of you." Ian taunted in a singsong voice.
"Ian, keep that overly large appendage you call a nose, out of people's business." snapped Bryan.
'Interfering worm, I've known her six days, then again she does look cute when she wrinkles her nose… gah what am I thinking, how did I end up thinking of Nix?' he said leaving the table for his room, he needed to think.
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