Once they were in the hushed space of the library, Slaughter threw the book to Amanda. "Go find something bloody and violent for Mac, would you?"

Amanda caught the book easily. "Wilco," she replied, and disappeared into the shelves. Slaughter rolled her eyes. How could Amanda even know her way around the library like that? Slaughter herself got continuously lost.

Slaughter set off to look for China, mentally running through the layout of the library. After seven dead ends, Slaughter finally found China with some of her students, teaching them symbols. Leaning against a shelf, Slaughter waited for her to finish. She only recognized one of the students, which was worrying for Slaughter- Blaze Repose, an elegant sorceress of formidable talent, untrained but powerful, with the raw talent to challenge China herself. But, of course, Blaze needed training herself, and had been the first to sign up for classes.

Someone pushed past Slaughter impatiently, and, reluctant to get kicked out of Mac's favorite library, Slaughter stepped out of the way. A boy her age with golden colored hair hurried past, going to speak to China. "Jerk," Slaughter muttered. But he was good-looking... "He's still a jerk," she muttered to herself.

"But he is good-looking," Amanda pointed out, like she could read Slaughter's mind, stepping out from behind her.

"No, he's not." protested Slaughter.

"If you say so." shrugged Amanda.

Slaughter scowled at Amanda. "That's the part where you say yes he is, and we get in a huge argument consisting of us repeating the same things over and over."

Amanda paused. "Yeah, I'm not gonna do that. I have a reputation to uphold."

"Yeah, right."

"Actually, I do."

"Yeah, right."

"I do!"

"Yeah, right."

"I do!"

"My evil plan is working!" Slaughter pointed out.

Amanda paused. Slaughter was right. "Damn."

"You two!" China called. "I take it you're actually here for a reason?" While the teenagers had been arguing, the class had ended, and the only ones left were Blaze,- who liked to stay behind to study- China, and her good-looking - but jerkish, Slaughter reminded herself- friend.

"Here, as in where?" Slaughter asked. "As in, are we all here for a reason greater then ourselves? Or are we merely here because-"

"You're sounding like Pleasant again." Amanda pointed out.

Slaughter immediately stopped talking.

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Slaughter told Mac to tell Slaughter to tell Mac to tell me to ask you if you've heard anything about a bounty reward for Tanith Low?"

A brief pause while everyone struggled to understand this convoluted sentence.

Slaughter was the first to understand. "I did not!"

"Bounty hunters? You're bounty hunters now?" China asked, somewhat surprised.

"Nope," Slaughter replied easily. "But we heard that there was a few people out looking for her. One of the hunters might know something."

China shrugged. "The reward was twenty thousand euro last I heard. It's probably gone up already. Happy, now?"

"Very!" Slaughter replied cheerfully. "Thanks, China!"

"Get out of my library then, if you would please."

Slaughter shrugged, and she and Amanda went to check out the books Amanda had gathered. "I think she's starting to like me."

"Speaking of liking..."

"Amanda, why did you put emphasis on a word for seemingly no reason?"

"Oh come on!" Amanda exclaimed, exasperated. "You like China's brother."

"Mr. Bliss? God, Amanda! What kind of sick, evil-"

"Her other brother."

"Who?"

Amanda rolled her eyes. "The guy who is apparently not good-looking. Thunder Bolt."

"Again, Amanda, you put emphasis on a word for no reason. You baffle me, you really do. And no, I do not like, nor like, China Sorrows' annoying jerk of a little brother."

Amanda gave the books to the assistant. "The first step to solving your problems, Ter, is to admit you have 'em."

"Don't call me that. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"You're like a politician, Ter. You never stay on topic, do you?"

"Should I be offended or insulted?" Slaughter accepted the books, and started looking through them "You got him New Moon? I told you he didn't like Twilight."

Amanda shrugged. "A load of pages with months on them. At least it won't have many words."

The duo went out onto the street, and veered towards the nearest Supervalu, while Slaughter continued to look. "Lord of the Rings? Ten Ways to Use Necromancy in the Everyday House? Mortal Coil? Teleportation for Dummies? Ye Olde Verily Rare Booke of Spells And Other Useful Incantations?"

Amanda shrugged. "I wanted to read Lord of the Rings again, and the others just looked interesting, Ter."

Slaughter frowned, but let it go. "Did you get anything actually good? That Mac'll read?"

Amanda frowned. "Uh- hm...I think I might have... No, actually, no, nothing he'll read. Just stuff he won't."

"Who's Derek Landy?"

"His books have skeletons and loads of evil hands on them. Freakin' skeletons, Ter! What's not to like?"

"If you say so..."

The two girls stepped into the warmth of the supermarket, and Slaughter stuffed the books into her bag, and consulted the list again. "Okay... Do you know where we can find us some flowers?"

"Next stop?"

Slaughter checked the list. "The weaponsmith, and the pharmacy."

"Okay. VanDermeer's first. He doesn't creep me out as much as Saffron."

Slaughter raised her eyebrow. "Selda Saffron creeps you out?"

Amanda nodded as they hurried down the street, wanting to get finished before the heavens opened. "Yes. She does. Very much so."

"Wimp."

"Call me all the names you like, Ter, and remember- Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can mentally harm."

"Awesome."

Amanda grinned. "Hey, how 'bout you go get the medicine, and I get the knives? We'll be quicker that way."

"And you won't have to come near Saffron."

"That too."

Slaughter rolled her eyes. "Fine. You know what to get?"

"Of course."

"Okay then. Meet you at home?"

"Deal."

Sorry I didn't update! Anyway, hope this makes up for it, and I'll be posting more tonight, probably.

dragon eyes 4- I was in hospital overnight, but I'm okay now. Thanks for your concern!

dragon eyes 4- I like to think of Amanda, Slaughter and Mac (to a lesser extent, of course) as anti-heroes- good guys who will do bad things to do good things! (Does that even make sense?)

Jade Midnight- Sorry! Jade'll be in the next chap, promise!

Heather lola- Thunder'll be more major later.

Blaze Repose- Thank you! As you can see, Blaze was in this chapter (not very large, but still.) She'll be more major later.

Next chapter: Meet Van Dermeer, Saffron, Aqua Torrent and Jade Midnight! Yay!