A/N: Finally, the famed Christmas shopping chapter is up! Expect drama, shopping, and random crap. Enjoy.

"ONLY 6 MORE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!" sang 3 as she skipped around everyone else: 6, 9, and 8, who were having a video game tournament; 7 and 4, who were playing cards; 1, who was checking his stocks.

"We know, 3" said 4 with a grin. They were all as excited as her, and everyone felt ready for the holiday.

Except for one teeny little thing.

"AAAH!! WE HAVEN'T DONE OUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!!" yelled everyone but 1 and 5 as this struck them.

"I have" said 5 smugly. "And 1 donated cash, so they're his gifts too."

"Come on, guys, we have to go! The mall closes in four hours!" said 7 frantically. "Get some bus fare!"

So everyone except for the older two piled into a bus. "Bye!" called 5. "Bring back some stuff! Oh, and we're out of Mountain Dew, we need more Coke, the printer needs new cartridges, we ate all of the candy canes…"

By the time he finished his list, they were almost to the mall.

3 was listening to her iPod. She was just zoning out when an idea struck her.

And it was a brilliant, sneaky, prank-like but good idea.

She grinned, and the smile stretched from ear to ear. 4 looked at her suspiciously. "Oh, no, she's smiling again. Now what, 3?"

3 turned to her and somehow, said, "It's hard to talk with my teeth like this."

4 rolled her eyes. "Okay, whatever. Just please, don't cause anyone bodily harm."

3 bit her lip. "What about emotional harm, shock, and/or the revealing of embarrassing secrets?"

4 shrugged. "Eh. Everyone would find out anyway."

"So you wouldn't care if I did something that involved you and 6?"

4 promptly tackled her sister.

"OW!! 4, it's not like anyone doesn't know!" sputtered 3 as she unlatched her teeth from around a pole.

"Yeah, that helps," growled 3. "You are NOT telling anyone!"

"Did I say I was?" said 3 indignantly. "I'm not a filthy secret-betrayer!"

4 crossed her arms.

…

…

3 raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, so maybe you're still angry about that one prank I pulled…it wasn't even about you!"

"Yes, but did you see his face?"

3 chuckled. "Heh. Yeah, that was great."

4 sighed. "Again, whatever. Now come on, we're here."

All of the dogs hopped out of the bus and entered the mall.

3's eyebrows touched the ceiling. "I'm in heaven…there's stuff everywhere…."

"Wow…" breathed 4.

7 stood in front of everyone. "Okay, you lot, seeing as there's 6 of us, we can all split into pairs. We'll meet up at the food court when we're done."

There was silence for a second or two. The 4 said cheerfully, "Waiting for the grass to grow, people? Come on, 6." And she dragged him away by an arm. 8 raised an eyebrow, and 6 just shrugged.

More silence…

"OKAY!" said 3 loudly. "7, let's go get something for 5."

"Wha? Oh, yeah, sure." 7 quickly followed 3 out of the area.

8 grinned at 9. "Guess that leaves us."

9 nodded. "Lets go blow tons of cash on Christmas presents for people we don't even like! Well, we don't like 1, anyway. Why do we keep him in again?"

"Eh" said 8 nonchalantly. Then he chuckled. "So that he won't be released on the unsuspecting public."

9 snorted. "Yeah, that makes sense. Now, who do we get stuff for first?"

8 pulled out a list. "Hmm…I've already got my gift for 1, do you?"

"No. Great, this is gonna be difficult."

8 scratched his head. "Didn't his computer run out of memory yesterday?"

"Oh yeah! Well, there's a problem solved," said 9 with relief. "To the Apple store."

They weaved through crowds and went up and down escalators and stairs to eventually find themselves at…

"Wha--Taco Bell?!" 8 checked a map. "Oh wait, the Apple store is on the 5th level. I thought it said 4th. Well, off again."

One escalator ride later, they were at the door to the Apple store. They went in and began rifling through stuff. "Lets see, computer games, programs, here we go, I'll get him a C-Drive."

9 dug out his wallet. "Hmm…ah, crap. This is $30 and I've only got 20."

8 avoided looking at him. "I'm not lending you money, however, I would like a burger later."

9 rolled his eyes. "Fine. Give me 10 bucks and I'll buy you a burger."

"Excellent, sir!" said 8 cheerfully, handing over the money.

9 purchased the C-Drive, and then they plunged back into the sea of frenzied customers and poor overwhelmed employees. The song ended and then another one started.

8 checked the list again. "I haven't gotten something for 5 yet…" Suddenly he felt himself being pulled somewhere. "Aaah! 9, what are you--"

Then he saw it.

"You think I should get him a $50 gift card to See's Candies?" 8 asked 9 incredulously.

9 shrugged. "It doesn't have to be 50, it can be 30 or even 20."

8 nodded. "Fair point." He then bought a $30 gift card and stuffed it in his wallet.

"I assume you already got your thing for 5?" asked 8.

9 grinned. "I got him a 7-layer chocolate cake. Now, I haven't gotten something for 3, but I have for 4…"

"What'd you get her?" "A star chart, a really fancy one. And I got 6 a telescope."

8 made a few checkmarks. "I got my thing for 6, now what would we get for a hyperactive gossip spreading teenage girl?"

They thought for a moment. Then they snapped their fingers, pointed at each other, and said in unison: "Voice Recorder."

9 did a facepalm. "Man, do you know how much damage she can cause with one of those? Do you remember when she got her cell phone?"

8 grimaced. "I do. That was scary."

9 grinned. "I call getting her the Voice Recorder."

"Crap" mumbled 8. "I could always get her a gift card to her favorite store…what is it?"

9 thought. "I'll ask 4" he decided, and pulled out his phone. "Speed dial..3" he muttered. Then he held the phone up to his ear and asked, "Hey, 4? What's 3's favorite store?"

There was a pause. Then 4 said, "I think its Macy's." "Okay, great" said 9. "See you."

He hung up, and then pointed 8 to Macy's. "Go."

Macy's was packed. You could hardly move without knocking someone over. 8 made it to the checkout counters with difficulty.

8 bought the gift card and then he struggled back out through the crowds.

9 had went into a store that had electronic devices, and found the voice recorder pretty quickly. He met 8 outside of Macy's.

"3 better appreciate this," grumbled 8 as he rubbed his sore side where he had bumped into one bag too many. "Now who's next? 4?"

8 frowned in concentration. "What could I get her?" "How about a book?" suggested 9.

8 nodded. "There's a thought. What's her favorite book that she doesn't own?" "I'm not sure."

8 found the solution. "I'll buy her a video game."

9 thought a moment. "We don't have that new Halo game…"

8 grinned. "There we go. Where's GameStop?" "Third floor" replied 9.

They headed down an escalator and found GameStop quickly. 8 quickly headed for the Xbox games. "Awesome, 15% off!" He handed the game to the checker and was about to pay when 9 came running in, gasping "They have *gasp* Left 4*gasp* Dead 2 and *gasp* we don't *gasp* have it yet!"

8 rolled his eyes. "Then let's buy it, dummy."

So they left GameStop with 9 hugging Left 4 Dead 2. 8 tried to act like he didn't know him.

"Mmkay, did you get something for 7 yet?" asked 8 as he looked down his checklist. 9 dropped the game, apparently in temporary shock.

Hee hee.

"Um. Yes" 9 mumbled. "I got her a skateboard." 8 grinned. "A skateboard? Cool. I still have to get her something, though."

He thought for a moment. "What would she like?"

9 replied evenly. "A video game."

8 did a facepalm. "We just LEFT the video game store!"

9 said nothing.

8 sighed. "Fine. Let's get Brutal Legend for 7."

So after purchasing the game, 8 and 9 headed for the food court.

Now lets go back about 45 minutes and join 3 and 7.

They had both gotten their things for 1 already, but they were having a bit of trouble with 5's gift.

"So, 3 *umph* you were absolutely *oof* sure that 5 wanted *pant* a giant number 5 made out of chocolate?"

3 nodded cheerfully. "Yep! And he also wanted this new game." She held up Tekken 6. 7 grunted as she tried to carry the "5" to a wrapping paper store where she could get it boxed and wrapped.

10 minutes later, 7 was holding a very large box. She went to the front desk at the mall to get it held for her until the end of their shopping trip.

"Whew!" she panted. "Now what to get for 4…"

3 slurped a Fanta and remembered what she had thought about on the bus ride. "I've got an idea," she said with a grin. She leaned over and whispered in 7's ear. 7's eyes shot open. "Really? You can honestly interfere in your sister's love life like that?"

3 grinned. "Hey, I interfere in everyone else's."

7 shrugged. "True. Now, where would we--"

3 pointed to a store called "Hire-Out Performers".

7 said in a loud and weird voice, "ISN'T THAT JUST CONVEEENIENT?!"

Awkward silence…

7 laughed. "Had to do that."

They went into the store and up to the front desk. "Hi, can we pay a violinist to play for us on…the 23rd, 10:00 to 11:00?"

The front desk guy nodded. "That'll be $300, anything else?"

7 shook her head. "Very well, then. A violinist will be by at 10:00 on the 23rd. Please write down your phone number and address here." He handed 7 a slip of paper. She wrote down her cell phone instead of the home phone, because otherwise the certain prankees may get word of it…

"Excellent, ma'am. Have a good day."

7 grinned as they sat down on a bench by a fountain. "That counts as 4 and 6's gift from me." 3 started to speak up, but 7 cut her off. "And I'll tell them that all the inspiration came from 4's lovely sister."

3 rolled her eyes. "Suit yourself. It'll be my gift to them too. Here's $150." She handed two bills to 7.

7 thought for a moment. "What could we get for 8?"

"You mean, what could you get for 8" said 3 smugly. 7 sighed. "Whatever. I think I'll just buy him a computer game."

She walked out of the game store 15 minutes later with Dragon Age Origins for PC. "Well, that's done," said 3 cheerfully. "We sure are efficient shoppers. Now I'm going to go pick up my gift for 9."

"You ordered it ahead of time?" "Yup. It's a manual to one of the games he has, I forget which."

3 went to the other game store to retrieve the manual, and 7 headed to an outdoor sports store. She bought 9 a skateboard.

When 3 saw, she laughed silently. How funny would it be when they opened their presents Christmas Eve and found that they had bought each other the same thing.

The two of them began their search for the food court.

Now we go back about 30 minutes ago. Those girls shop quickly.

4 was whistling cheerfully as they strode through a bookstore. She had already gotten her stuff for 1, 3, 5, 6, and 8.

6, on the other hand…

"You haven't gotten anything yet??" asked 4 indignantly. 6 shrugged, trying to defend himself. "Hey, I haven't had the time!"

4 rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that might explain how you finished Modern Warfare 2 in less than a week."

6 sighed. "I'm just gonna get 1 a book. How about 'Great Travels in Europe?'"

4 nodded. "Actually, that would go good with the plane tickets I bought him."

6 raised an eyebrow. "You got him plane tickets?

"Yup, to France" 4 said with a nod.

"Hmm..." 6 thought for a moment. "I'll get him a French to English dictionary."

"Good idea."

6 purchased the book and then he went to pick up his gift for 5. It was a customized hoodie with the words, "Where the hell is my eye?!" on it.

4 gave him a questioning look. 6 grinned. "I figure he'd get a kick out of it."

4 rolled her eyes. "Whatever. So what're you getting for 3?"

6 thought for a moment. "Hmm…I could get her one of those fancy contraption thingies that they have on TV."

"More description, please."

"You know, that thing…that…oh yeah, that new-fangled Lie Detector."

4 did a facepalm. "Are you mad?! Do you know how much damage she could do with that?!"

6 nodded with a smirk. "Hopefully, if I get it for her, she won't use it on me."

4 considered this. "Makes sense to me, I guess. Let's find one."

They managed to find it in a store called "Seen on a Screen", where they sold the latest things seen on computer and TV ads.

Afterwards, 6 and 4 went looking for something for 7.

"Hmm…9 already bought her a skateboard…we could get her a computer game," suggested 6.

"Okay, you go get her that. I have something in mind" replied 4.

After 6 had left for GameStop, 4 headed for a store that sold metal, and then to a place that sold things from animals, like bones, feathers, teeth, claws, and a mess of other stuff.

She met up with 6 in front of GameStop. He had bought a game called Alliance of Valiant Arms for 7. 4 kept her to-be-assembled gift a secret. Not even 3 would know.

Now 6 pondered on what to get for 8. It struck him as he gazed absentmindedly at an ad.

"I'll get him a treadmill!"

4 nearly fell over from 6's unexpected shouting. "What the crap?"

"Well, you know how he goes to a gym every day? With the treadmill, he could work out at home!"

"Cool. There's a sporting goods store over there. I'll wait here."

4 slurped her soda and contemplated stuff until 6 came back in a few minutes. "Geez, it took a while to verify that I wanted it shipped in gift wrap," he grumbled.

4 stood up. "What to get for 9?" she mused.

6 grinned wickedly. "We could always get him…"

He whispered into 4's ear.

She assumed this expression: -.O

"Hell, no, 6. You're disturbed," she said with a mock shudder.

He laughed. "Just kidding. I think I'll get him a Starbucks card, you know that he goes there all the time in the morning."

4 nodded. "Good thinking. I'm gonna get him a GameCrazy card."

So they went their separate ways to buy the cards. They met up again at an escalator.

"Well, that's that! Time for lunch" said 4 as she licked her lips hungrily. They took the escalator to the food court to meet up with the others.

No more time traveling. We're in the present now.

"Hey guys!" 7 called, and waved 6 and 4 over. "Hi, 7! Successful trip?" asked 4, eyeing the bags. "Oh yes" said 3 with a smirk. "And neither of you are allowed to look."

6 shrugged. "Where are the others?"

3 rolled her eyes. "They're probably ogling some video game or whatever."

4 raised a paw. "There they are!"

8 and 9 came over, carrying some bags. 9 set his down and brushed his hands together. "Lovely. What's for lunch?"

"Anything we want," replied 4. "If you've got enough to pay."

7 checked her wallet. "I've for four 20s and three 10s, if anyone needs extra after I get my food."

She headed to the pizza place and 6 followed her, the latter having to take a 20 from 4 first.

Then 3 decided to get Chinese food, along with 9.

4 and 8 went to the McDonalds.

Soon they had all regrouped art a large table.

7 looked warily at 4's burger. "How can you like that stuff?" she demanded of her friend. "Its just…ick."

4 shrugged. "I dunno, just something I was born with."

7 snorted. "Unlike 8, who eats everything."

"Hey!"

Once they had polished off their meals, 7 stood in front of them all again.

"So we've accomplished the first three-quarters, two-thirds, or however else you want to put it. Now, the last part: pair up with someone else so we can get the last few items."

7 joined 4, 6 and 9 walked off towards GameStop, talking about some video game or other, and 8 and 3 took the stairs down to the third floor.

"So, basically, now I can get something for 9 and you can get your thing for 7?"

3 nodded. "Yup. And I've already got my thing for my dear sister." She whispered in 8's ear about her plan.

8's jaw dropped. "You're going to do that?!"

3 smirked. "7's helping me pay, so it's both of our gifts. What did you get for her?"

"A Macy's card."

"Hmm…hang on a minute, I'm going to call 5."

3 pressed her first speed dial number and waited for the answer.

"Hello?" "Hey, 5. It's 3." "Oh, hi 3, what's up? You guys hijack another bus?" "No, but I'm wondering if we have strings of purple and blue Christmas lights. Just blue and purple." "Hmm, I don't think so. Want me to order some on Ebay?" "Yeah, go ahead. We need them for a...heh heh, plot." "Oh joy. I'll order some. Anything else?" "Yeah, I want buttons to control them that we can plug into a normal outlet. And they need to be able to work out in the house." "Well, I'll look. See you, 3." "Bye, 5."

3 pressed a button and looked at 8. "Now, do you have any idea what to get him?"

8 shrugged. "I suppose I can just get him a video game. We rented Grand Theft Auto 4, and he liked it."

"Okay, problem solved."

Back a few minutes, let's join 4 and 7.

"Alrighty, I need to get something for 3" said 7, scratching her chin. "What would she like?..."

4 spoke up after a silence. "Give her a gift card to the Apps store."

7 nodded. "Good idea."

So the Apple store was their destination. As 7 bought the gift card, 4 got a brain flash on what to get for 6.

Once 7 was done, 4 dragged her to Hot Topic. 4 looked around. "Accessories…posters…here we go!" 4 dug through a pile of exclusive Three Days Grace t-shirts. "I'm totally getting him this. They're his favorite band."

She realized 7 wasn't next to her, and looked around. "7?"

7 was at the checkout counter, practically drowning in stuff. 4 rolled her eyes and walked over.

"7, put some of this back." 7 glanced at the stuff. "Yeah, I should. I've got 15 identical belts." 4 did a facepalm.

7 bought a few t-shirts, 5 armwarmers, some necklaces, three posters, and four belts.

Going back in time for the last time, I promise.

Now we have 6 and 9.

"What do I get for 4?!" exclaimed 6 as he paced around a bench. 9's eyes were unfocused, and it was only when he fell off the bench that he jolted up. "WHAZZOIE!!"

6 sighed. "I suppose I could just get her a gift card. How about one for Ringside?"

9 nodded. "Sounds good."

They found a bunch of gift cards in a booth in the middle of the mall. 9 got 8 a gift card for some game store while they were there.

Then they headed for the entrance to the mall. Not surprisingly, they were the first ones there.

A little bit later, 3 and 8 joined them. Then 15 minutes after, 7 and 4 showed up. 7 went over to get the giant chocolate "5", which was now in a box.

They loaded everything onto the bus and headed home.

By then, 3 had told everyone about her plan.

Well, except for two.

4 looked at her sister suspiciously. "What are you planning?"

3 tried to hide her grin without much success. "Why, nothing, what would give you that impression?"

4 rolled her eyes, and pretended to consider this. "Well, let's see, you've had the same stupid smirk on your face the whole time, you're whispering something to everyone, and when you're not doing something, you're planning something."

3 sighed and held up her hands in mock defeat. "Fine, fine, I am plotting something. However, it is none of your business."

4 folded her arms. "You're my sister. Your business is my business."

3 shrugged. "Suit yourself. I'm not telling you."

And with that, she struck up a conversation with 7, who was next to her.

A few minutes later, they were all home.

8 called wrapping his presents in one of the storage rooms first, so 7, 9, 6, 3, and 4 decided to play Left 4 Dead 2.

They had barely gotten started when 8 yelled, "Okay, who put the camera in the Coke box?!"

Everyone looked at 3. She smiled sweetly. "Innocent until proven guilty, my friends."

A/N: Oh yush, 3 has a plan. Which will be revealed soon.

Hmm...

Oh! My friends Cyan and Claire are over! Type Hi, guys!

This is Cyan--HELLO PEOPLES OF THE WORLD :D

Annd Claire--O ME GOD IT'S A PERSON! BLLAAAAA!

Claire's had a bit too much sugar...

Well, good night! I will upload again tomorrow morning!

Until next time, reviews are lovee,

Skye/Mija/10...

And to a lesser extent, Cyan and Claire or Jenna and Moon, as they are called in Syren: A Parody.