*blows on mike* Testing, testing. Can you hear me? Good. Well... this chapter has been long long long overdue, hasn't it? I am very very very sorry for the lateness... it's been, what, two months since I last posted? Story is, I've lost interest in Fanfiction. I know, big shock, eh? I'm working on a fiction novel, and it eats up my muse! Anyways, enough with my excuses. My muse has in fact come back from a long vacation, and is somewhat ready to cooperate! However, this chapter is short, like, four pages in Open Office... yuh. Enjoy, if you can.

-O-

"Lilly, it's not funny."

"Yes, it is. You're the size of... like, a large nibbler."

"Or a small rat!"

It was still night time and the trio had set up a small camp a little ways from the mouth of the cave. Lilly had ogled at the moon for a good ten minutes, then started back on making fun of her dragon.

Xerxes twitched his large black wings irritably, muttering profanities under his breath.

Lilly huddled closer to the fire. "Oh, lighten up. You'll get big when we go back in a few days...right, Dad?"

Gregor shrugged.

Xerxes puffed smoke.

Awkward silence reigned.

"So... Where are we going tomorrow?" Lilly asked, trying to break the silence.

"We'll be heading towards Virginia, I want to see if we can get to my parents' house within the week."

Lilly's face lit up in a smile. "Oh yeah! I have grandparents on your side of the family! Isn't your mom a total bi-"

"Lilly!"

"What!? Ripred said she was!" Lilly defended. "I mean, really. Think about it. After the Code of Claw crap went down and you finally got your poop in a group about Mom, gram still wanted you guys to leave!" she crossed her arms, hoping to look like she had a point.

Gregor gave her the 'I'm not impressed' face.

-O-

When Ayla and Zeva finally revived, Jinx and Fergus were well acquainted.

"...and I told her, 'sis, if you name him that, he'll be picked on for the rest of his life," the imp was explaining from the top of Jinx's head.

She nodded slightly, careful not to knock the tiny little thing onto the floor.

Ayla sat in her desk, glaring at Fergus. Zeva was watching from a concealed corner. They were both feeling testy and edgy. Ayla didn't like strangers in her library. Zeva didn't like tiny green things that talked. There was a mutual dislike.

"So...Fergus, is it?" Ayla said finally. She spun a little sword letter opener between her fingers.

The imp turned his blue eyes on her. "Oh, lookie, she's talking to me now."

"Shushup." Zeva muttered from her corner.

"Testy, much?" Fergus snorted. "Are you ready to speak with me, then?"

Ayla set the letter opener down on her desk and frowned. "Yeah."

"Good," the imp hopped down from Jinx's head, and jumped up onto the desk. "You, my good friend, have made quite the oopsie."

Ayla shied back a little when he stepped forward, and picked up the letter opener. It was the perfect size, and looked like a right little sword for him.

"Oh, I like that. Can I keep this?" Fergus questioned, as he was slightly amused.

Ayla nodded.

"Good. Now, you have opened the Box. Do you know what that box is? Why, it's a right Pandora's box, that it is!" he said, not giving the former Trickster time to answer. "I am afraid all the area underground within a two hundred mile radius will be wiped out. I suggest you pack up and go while you can, an-"

Ayla snapped her hand forward, grasping the imp in her palm. "What?!"

Fergus squirmed in her grip. "Eheh, Pandora's box, kiddo. You opened it, and therefore, you have unleashed the power!"

She squeezed him, and he wheezed. "How do I stop it?"

Fergus coughed. "You don't."

"Wrong answer, Booger. What will come, and how do I stop it?!"

The imp's face had turned an interesting shade of purple. Ayla realized she was squeezing him to death. She let up a little, and he gasped.

"Fine, fine!" he yelped. "There are monsters, ghosts, all that junk! No diseases, or anything like that. You may be able to defeat them, bu-"

She slapped him down on the table. "Well. We get to fight then."

Zeva's nose peeked out of her corner a little. "Fight, eh?"

Fergus's eyes popped out of his skull. "Fight?! You can't fight them! You'll be obliterated!"

Ayla flashed him a smirk. "Fergus, please. A little trust. I used to be like, uber ghost hunter when I was little. I think I can handle this sort of thing."

He crossed his arms, and scowled. "Fine. Go get yourselves killed. You have until midnight or so until they send in the first attack. Have fun."

-O-

Buh. I thank all of you guys for keeping some sort of patience! Especially my wonderfull beta, Assassin! Really, you guys are keeping my outta the gutter and in my computer chair :) To you, I owe... something... I dunno.

Have a great day, you guys! It will be a bit until I post again, but, do not fret! It will happen!

Cozzie.