Matt yawned and snuggled deeper into his blankets as the chill of the morning hit him. He could smell rosemary and chocolate on the air so he smiled and inhaled deeply before he sighed and let out a jet of warm breath onto his hand. He felt the mattress dip slightly next to him but he didn't move until his hand moved without his permission.
He cracked an eye open to looked down at his folded palm.
It wasn't his hand that had moved.
It was the hand within his.
Matt let his eyes traveled from the hand up a sleeve covered arm. He passed his eyes over the clothes covered shoulder to the sleeping face of his roommate.
Mello's eyes were closed and his breath was low and heavy. Pieces of straw colored hair had fallen lightly across his face and his breath was rippling a few strands. His face had smoothed out from it's usually mask of concentration and he looked peacefully relaxed.
Matt reached out to brush the strands away from Mello's eyes as the blonde let out a small sigh.
"Good morning Mello." Matt whispered, a tingling sensation in his gut. He lay there a couple minutes longer before he pulled his hand away and slipped his feet onto the cold floor. He pushed himself up, letting go of Mello's warm hand.
The sight of the candy wrappers and cake plates that littered the floor caused the memories of the previous night to come blasting back to the gamer who groaned and had the urge to flop back down next to the warm blonde. Matt almost stepped on a sticky unwrapped jolly rancher as he made his way over to his bed. He took his DS from below his pillow and walked over to the window. He sat down on the window sill and pulled his feet off the floor. A light morning mist hid the sun from view and Matt could faintly see his own breath as it fogged up the glass.
He turned the DS on and turned the sound off as it let out a small ding. He slid the clicking pen out from it's slot and tapped the screen lightly. His game began to load and he felt the cold pricking at his fingers.
He began his game and let his mind stray from the cold morning and his sleeping roommate to focusing on the bright pixels. He slammed the buttons with his cold fingers and felt his teeth chatter.
"Aren't you cold?"
Matt looked up to see that Mello was sitting up, rubbing his eyes and curling his blankets into a ball around his feet.
"Kinda." Matt shrugged, looking down at his game just as he died. He whispered a curse as he was forced to restart the level. Mello still wore his costume minus the wing and whatever had been in his eyes. His blonde hair still had blacked tips that matched his black outfit and he still wore the vampire fangs. Matt had thrown aside his sheet long ago and now wore just his white clothes that weren't doing a very good jump of keeping in his body heat. He pulled his legs closer to his chest and rested his chin on his knees.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Mello spit his fake fangs out and approach the window. The blonde dropped his comforter around Matt's shoulders before he began to watched the screen of Matt's DS silently as the sun rose higher in the sky.
"What time is it?" Matt asked after a while as he noticed he hadn't heard any sounds from the hall since he'd gotten up. Mello checked their alarm clock before he returned to Matt's side "Almost eight."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"That's pretty early." Matt muttered saving his game and closing it with a snap "Especially considering how late we went to bed."
Mello nodded but didn't say anything. An awkward silence filled the room and neither wanted it to last nor wanted to break it. Matt wrapped his arms around his knees and pulled Mello's blanket tight around him. Mello sat down with his back against the wall below the window and looked down at his fingers that were twisting together in his lap.
"So," Matt cleared his throat "Um... well...so...yeah."
"Yeah." Mello nodded, his voice sounding as awkward as Matt felt. The red-head looked down at Mello who's head was leaning against the wall and who's eyes were closed.
"...Thanks. I guess." Matt muttered, his cheek turning a light shade of pink.
"No problem." Mello answered, his face as red as Matt's.
"Wow..." Matt let out a laughing kind of sigh "This is really awkward."
"Mmmhmm." Mello nodded.
…
So the two boys went with the classic we will not speak of this ever again and this never happened.
…
"Red or white?" Matt asked his roommate, holding up his two striped shirts. Mello didn't look up from his book when he answered "Which ever one is in your left hand."
White it was.
Matt slipped into the bathroom with his change of clothes and took a quick, warm, shower. He dressed and combed his hair before a quick brush of the teeth then he was out and Mello stepped in. When the blonde came out with wet hair and his regular clothes on he joined Matt in cleaning up the mess their room had been left in.
"They could have stayed to help," Matt complained as he tied a garbage bag shut "Stupid Linda and Pavel."
Mello rolled his eyes and slid a last wrapper into the hole at the top of the closed garbage bag "Your so lazy."
"I'm not lazy!" Matt denied but Mello just shook his head with a chuckle. The gamer scowled "At least I'm not fat."
Mello snapped his head around "Are you suggesting I am?"
"Noooooo," Matt grinned "What would possibly make you think that?"
The blonde reached over and punched Matt's arm while the red-head laughed. The punch was playful. Mello playing. Huh...
"Tell me Mels," Matt grinned as he set the trash outside the door for future disposal "Have evil monkeys taken over your mind and turned you into a rainbow with magical sprinkles of niceness all over it?"
"Not that I know of." The blonde replied, falling down onto his bed and staring at the ceiling.
"If they do will you tell me?"
"You'll be the first to know."
…
November went fast.
People blockaded themselves in their rooms for half of the cold month. Exams were coming and everyone was quiet with tension as they stayed up all night studying.
The only break was for Thanksgiving which the orphanage spent outside. The day was luckily sunny and Matt had managed to convinced Mello to come out with the promise he didn't have to take part in the games that teachers had set up. The blonde sat off to the side in some shade while the other kids ran around throwing Frisbees and hitting balls.
Everyone was required to attend the Thanksgiving dinner.
Even Near was there with a robot in his hand and his dinner slowly disappearing. Mello sat next to Matt and the ginger finally got to see Mello eat. As boring as it sounds the weird looks Mello sent Matt's way as the gamer stared at him made it fun.
The day after Thanksgiving however was a day of cramming in two days of studding without hideously exploding.
…
Exams were held on a Friday ,the 10th of December.
Matt spent six long hours in wooden chairs and cold classrooms, slaving over his test. But it was all worth it. For in the end. The three weeks long period of vacation had come.
…
The first week passed quickly for Matt who had a grass/snowball fight with Pavel, a painting session with Linda after several complaints, general hanging with Mello time, and watching the first snowfall (Before the fight) with all three of his friends.
Now the week before Christmas was approaching.
Matt threw himself into chores doing so when the time came, it would be video games all around.
…
Matt whistled as he zipped up his jacket and pulled on his gloves. Mello was beside him in the entrance hall, coat on and gloved hands stuffed in his pockets.
"Aren't you excited Mels?" Matt asked as he, with difficulty, pulled on his boots.
Mello shrugged.
Matt smiled.
It was the first day that students were being aloud in town. Footsteps had already disturbed the fresh snow, the mark of the people who had left earlier. Pavel and Linda were going later in the week, when less people would be there.
Mello pushed opened the heavy front doors and stepped out onto the grounds with Matt skipping along beside him. The red-head took the lead as they passed through the iron gates of the school and out into the streets.
"It seems so different out here." Matt breathed "I had forgotten what it was like to be outside the gates."
"It's not that big of a deal." Mello shrugged. The blonde walked a foot or so behind Matt with his muscles tightened against the cold. Although luckily there was no wind, the morning was a cold one. Matt slowed down slightly so he walked next to Mello, his arm brushing the blonde's.
"It's cold." Matt muttered, rubbing the arm that wasn't touching Mello's.
"It should get warmer." Mello replied, eyes forward.
They entered town around ten-o-clock, warmer then when they started but the wind was starting to pick up. People had scarfs wrapped tight around their necks but smiles were everywhere.
"Oof." Matt grunted as a group of kids shoved past him. Mello grabbed one the kid's shoulder and brought him to a dead stop.
"Why in such a hurry?" Mello asked, clearly he too had been hit.
"I'm sorry sir!" The boy bowed still grinning "But you've got to have heard! Street performers! Their wicked good!"
The boy's friends were waiting by the corner, bouncing up in down impatiently. Mello let the kid go and exchanged a look with Matt.
"Let's go see!" The gamer squealed and he grabbed Mello's hand and began to run after the kids. Mello willingly followed and up ahead they could see a large, larger than large, group of people.
Matt reached the group and tried to see over the head of a few adults. Mello simply pushed through the crowd so Matt kept close behind him. Mello let Matt stand in front of him, the gamer being shorter, as they reached the front of the crowd.
Two girls and an oddly colored canine stood in the center of the large circle the crowd had formed.
Matt had to squint to see them as the wind blew against his eyes and blurred his vision.
One girl had long black hair that was like a slice of midnight that waved down her back and that's tips curled. She wore a black dress that fell to just above her knee and fluffed out slightly at the lower part. Her skin was a snowy pale, definitely paler than Near's and she was shorter than her partner. He couldn't really see her face or any other features but he did notice one other thing. She was barefoot.
"She's not wearing shoes." Matt muttered, tugging on Mello's arm.
"Neither are." Mello pointed out and Matt switched his eyes to the other girl that was similar in appearance.
The other girl's hair was the identical color and length of the first's. It was straight and blew lightly in the wind. Matt could just see that her skin was a shade tanner then her partners but still a bit pale and she was a lot taller. And as Mello had said, she too was barefoot.
"Wow," Matt muttered "Their almost identical."
"From a distance maybe," Mello shrugged "They might look completely different close up."
"Their kinda pretty." Matt commented truthfully. Mello chuckled behind him but didn't comment.
Matt finally turned his attention to the canine.
It was clearly a wolf. It's fur was dark gray, almost black and Matt could see something silver on the bit of chest hair he could see. Although he couldn't see the color of the eyes he could see dark red wave marks beneath each eye. As the gamer watched the wolf wagged it's tail and Matt could see something gold on it.
"Puppy!" Matt heard a little girl yell and he turned his head to see a mother lunging after her daughter who was running out into the circle.
"Sorry little one." The shorter of the two girls sang, dancing over to meet the little girl before she reached the wolf who had tensed "I must ask you to stay back to watch the magic."
The girl handed the child back to her bashful mother who began to scolded her daughter at once. The girl shooed them lightly out of the circle before she turned to smile at the whole crowd.
"Welcome!" She called, her voice carrying so no one, small or large could miss her words "To the trouble trio show!"
There was a chorus of applause as the girl moved back to the center of the circle and her friends moved backward to give her space. Something slid from the girl's sleeve into her hand. She began to move her hands quickly, eyes still on the crowd.
"I am Arty!" The girl introduced herself as her hand movements grew faster and faster "And I am the card master!"
She spun and dozens of small cards flew out from her hand. They zoomed at people and people screamed and ducked. Mello's hand closed around Matt's arm as if ready to jerk him out of the way. The girl twisted her fingers and drew her arms to her chest. The cards stop, mid motion in front of their victims faces. Arty snapped out her arms and the cards leveled out with each other, side by side, horizontally. She then began to slowly rotate and so did the cards and Matt saw atleast five aces as the cards passed him. The cards began to pick of speed and soon they were nothing more than a blur. Arty's spins grew faster although no one could see her through the line of cards.
Matt reached out a hand to touch the solid line of spinning cards but Mello smacked the back of his head with a hiss "Idiot!"
"Sorry Mels," Matt pouted, transfixed by the cards "But it's so...amazing."
Matt gasped as the cards sailed upward and he saw that Arty had ducked low to the ground and was now moving her arms to and fro as the cards flew around the circle in random patterns.
She froze and thrusted out her arms. The card made a dome over the audience and there were: oows and ahhs.
Arty drew the cards back and moved her arms till a small staircase in which she jumped up easily. The cards amazingly held her weight. She kept getting higher, using the cards she had already stepped on to form the next step. When she was dangerously high she let all the cards but the ones she stood on, drop. They fell together, like a spiral to the earth where they lay in a pile.
"What's she going to do now?" Matt asked, subconsciously leaning forward "You don't think she's gonna..."
"Jump?" Mello asked and Matt nodded.
Arty spread her arms and closed her eyes, her smile still broad on her face.
"No!" Matt screamed as the card master fell forward toward the ground. She fell into her pile of cards which flew into the air.
"Where'd she go?" Matt gasped, fighting against Mello's grip as his eyes searched the ground. Other onlookers were looking at each other and their faces had fear lines.
"HOLY CRAP!" Matt jumped a mile into the air as Arty popped up right out of the snow in front of him. She laughed before she did a triple cartwheel back to the center of the circle.
The wolf stepped forward and Arty created card hoops that floated within the air.
"Introducing!" Arty called with a small bow to the wolf "Our furry friend! Kaala!"
The wolf let out a great howl before it began to jump through the hoops, spinning and twisting. Matt clapped along with other spectaculars as the wolf jumped through a spinning hoop.
"I wonder what she does." Matt jerked his chin in the direction of the nameless girl still standing off to the side, watching her two partners.
The wolf, Kaala, started doing flips and dodging cards that Arty was throwing at her like darts.
"Alright folks!" Arty called as Kaala slid to a stop next to her, spraying snow into the air "Time to introduce the third member of our trio!"
The other girl stepped forward, pulling what looked like a necklace off her head.
"Last but certainly not least," Arty continued, taking the girl's hand and presenting her to the crowd "Shadow."
There was a round of applause as everyone waited eagerly for Shadow to do something.
Shadow raised her hand and let the necklace she held swing freely. She started to mutter something and everyone strained their ears to listen. It sounded like a different tongue, almost alien like. The necklace began to glow and a gale of wind struck the crowd. There was a flash of light and where the necklace had been sat a sliver flute.
Shadow brought it to her lips and played one long note.
Matt looked around, the crowd had gone silent.
"Is it just me?" Matt whispered, glancing back at Mello "Or is it getting darker?"
"The shadows," The blonde mumbled, eyes wide "Their going to her."
Matt looked back at the girl.
Shadows were leaving their owner and creeping toward the flute playing girl. They seemed like ghosts as they slithered along the ground, dragging themselves toward her.
Shadow moved her fingers along the flute and the shadows began to move.
The flute's sounds soon formed a melody and the shadows began to dance.
It was a magnificent sight.
The song picked up speed and so did the dancing of the shadows.
The shadow puppeteer's hands moved so fast on the flute Matt couldn't see the girl's fingers.
The tone was now so fast Matt's ears were starting to ache.
Matt gasped.
The shadows were beginning to rise from the ground. They were becoming 3D.
They formed people that danced together. A graceful waltz most of the owners of the shadows couldn't even do.
Shadow's eyes were closed and all at once the shadows zoomed together to form a mass ball of blackness. Shadow played one solid note as the ball grew bigger and bigger. The note became more high pitched with every second and Matt had to clamp his hands over his ears to block it out. It rattled his teeth and spun his eyes.
The the ball of shadows exploded and the shadows were sent rocketing back to their owners were they lay in the snow. As normal as ever.
Matt stared at his shadow before he looked up at the now bowing flute player. The day seemed to grow lighter and Shadow took a step away from the center.
Matt was the first to start clapping.
But soon the small sound of his hands grew to a loud roar as everyone joined in. Cheering and whistling.
"BRAVO!" Matt called, punching the air and jumping up and down "THAT WAS AMAZING! WASN'T IT MELLO?"
Mello nodded, his own hands rising to clap.
Arty joined hands with Shadow again and together bowed with Kaala dipping her head beside them. Arty raised her hand and a hat made of cards formed and zoomed around, collecting the money people were throwing at them. Matt was still digging into his pockets for his money when Arty reclaimed the hat and bowed again "Thank you everyone. For being such a good audience."
"Wait!" Matt cried stepping forward "My money!"
Arty blinked as Matt ran forward and offered her a bill.
"Well," She said, her smilie growing wider "Just for that I think you deserve a special treat. Would you like to see Kaala do one more trick?"
"That would be awesome!" Matt grinned, looking down at the wolf who nodded.
The wolf backed up and Arty grabbed Matt's arm and pulled him out of the way. Her hand was icy cold.
Kaala began to run straight ahead, as she began to gather speed she began to glow. She lept into the air when she had reached the center of the circle and spun, covered with a white light. But what appeared from the light wasn't a wolf or a dog or any kind of canine. It was a girl.
The girl used her hand to slow her to a stop as she slide across the ground with her feet digging into the snow.
The girl looked up and grinned at Matt who could see her canine teeth were slightly bigger than normal.
"Wow..." Matt breathed.
"Bet you didn't count of that." She laughed, straightening up and flipping her hair behind her shoulder.
"That was awesome!" Matt cried, clapping his hands raw.
The girl was taller than Arty but shorter than Shadow. Her hair was black with silver and white streaks. The silver streaks had pale neon red tips and the the tips of the white streaks were a glistening gold. She wore a black muscle shirt with fire behind a wolf's paw print in the middle. She wore dark blue jeans and a faded blue jean fingerless glove on her left hand. On her bare upper arm was a small silvery crescent moon with an amber peace sign. Her skin was tan and she, like Arty and Shadow, was barefoot.
"How- I mean- How- like- Whoo." Matt laughed as he took in the new Kaala.
Now that Matt could see all three girls up close he noticed that around Arty's neck was a long dangling necklace with a yin yang sign on it. Her eyes were dark orange with a light gleam to them. Shadow still held her flute which had a small ribbon tied to the side of it and her eyes were a light, pale blue. Kaala's eyes were a dark, blood red that made her look more vicious.
"Thank you!" Matt bowed to the three "it was an amazing show!"
"Thank you ...?" Arty tilted her head questioningly.
"I'm Matt." Matt looked up with a smile.
Arty's orange eyes flicked upward above Matt's head momentarily and Matt thought he saw a small change in her eyes. The grew it bit brighter yet darker at the same time, them looked almost red. Matt noticed Shadow doing the same thing and he glanced at Kaala who just looked on without change.
"Matt?" Arty said slowly, looking back down to meet Matt's eyes.
"Yep." Matt bobbed his head up and down.
"Matt."
"Oh, Mello!" Matt turned at the sound the blonde's voice. His roommate was eying the three performers warily as he stepped forward to stand next to Matt.
"Your name is Mello?" Arty asked, a small smirk curling onto her face.
"Your name is Arty?" Mello countered.
"Nope," Arty shook her head "My names Artemis but I like Arty for short."
"Like the goddess?" Matt asked, curious.
"Yep."
The crowd had dispersed by now, that left only Mello and Matt with the performers.
"How much did we get?" Kaala asked Arty who still held the hat full of money. The wolf girl tried to look inside but Arty flicked the girls forehead "Don't be rude Kaala!"
"I'm not being rude!" Kaala snapped, rubbing her forehead.
"I apologize deeply for her actions." Arty took Matt's hand in the hand that wasn't holding Shadow's "Will you please forgive her?"
"There is nothing to forgive!" Kaala roared, towering over Arty.
"Um..." Matt blinked but Arty and Kaala weren't listening to him.
"Do not yell in public Kaala."
"I'M NOT YELLING!"
"No need to get unsophisticated. If you hadn't been so rude in the first place I wouldn't have scolded you."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I WAS RUDE! I DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING!"
"Oh dear, you know, boys don't like a girls who get mad all the time."
"SHUT UP!"
Matt watched silently as Kaala chased the much shorter girl around, trying to grab her. Arty just danced out of the angry girls reach however, laughing and smiling.
Shadow just stood by, watching them, her face impassive.
"Matt!" Arty cried, pushing Kaala into the snow and taking the boys hands again, grinning broadly "We should go together as a group!"
"What?" Matt asked, bewildered.
"To see the town!" Arty pointed off down a random street "This is our first time here so we're counting on you!"
"Um," Matt glanced at Mello who shrugged "Well I guess...Sure... Okay! That sounds like fun!"
"Great!" Arty turned to Shadow "Did you hear that, my dear sister?"
"Yes." Shadow whispered, clasping Arty's hand in her own and smiling softly "I did."
"Then let us go!" Arty cried, smiling at her sister.
"Don't I get a say in this?" Kaala asked, her ears still red from embarrassment as she brushed snow off her pants.
"Do you not like Matt?" Arty asked.
"I didn't say that!"
"Then you like him?"
"I DIDN'T SAY THAT EITHER! HE DOESN'T BOTHER ME BUT-"
"Then there is no problem." Arty grinned smugly and Kaala just shut her mouth as her ears grew redder. Arty laughed and turned to Matt "Lead the way!"
"Um, Okay!" Matt turned "Um, toy store?"
"Sure!" Arty sang and Matt sent a smile at Mello before he led the way with Arty and Shadow following him and Mello and Kaala bringing up the rear.
"Wow!" Arty cried, looking around the brightly lit store "It's lovely! Is that a pack of German cards! I've been looking for those!"
She led Shadow off to look at different toys while Kaala and Mello stayed by the door. Kaala silently fuming and Mello being Mello. Matt shrugged and went to look around. He found aMario playing card and decided to add it to his collection that at the moment consisted of Toad.
He also looked through remote control cars, this time looking for one to call his own. He decided on a bright orange one with blue flames and went to look at the pole tables where he found Shadow knocking in five balls in one shot.
"You've got quite the arm." Matt laughed as he perched himself on the table and watched as Shadow knocked in another three. The girl didn't answer so Matt continued "So your Arty's sister?"
"Twin."
"Twin?" Matt raised his eyebrows "I noticed you two look a lot alike. Who's older?"
"I am." Shadow replied bluntly as she made a bounce shot and knocked a green ball into a hole.
"Well-" But a scream interrupted Matt sentence. He jumped off the table and almost fell when Shadow sped past him. He hurried after her as she darted between shelves and back toward the front of the store.
Arty was on her knees near a small stack of books, clutching her hand. Matt could see blood trickling down her index finger where she had apparently cut it.
"Sis." She breathed, a small tear bubble forming in her eye
Shadow knelt down next to her sister "Does it hurt?"
"Yes." Arty replied as she clutched her sister's wrist "a-and it's bleeding!"
Shadow gently took her sister's hand and closed her mouth around the bleeding finger.
Matt blinked "Um..."
Kaala and Mello had joined them by now, alerted by Arty's scream. Kaala was slamming her head repeatedly into a shelf now while Mello looked on with raised eyebrows. A small group of people had also gathered to see the source of the scream and were now looking on, breath held.
"Does it still hurt?" Shadow asked through her sister's finger.
"N-no." Arty whispered as more tears welled up in her eyes.
Shadow drew away from the now blood-free finger "You've got to be more careful, my sister. I don't wish to lose you."
"Yes." Arty reached up and wiped a tear away from her eye "I'm sorry sister, I didn't mean to worry you so. I'll be more careful next time."
Shadow smiled softly and hugged her sister, still gently holding the card master's hand.
The group of watchers broke into applause and Matt heard someone blowing their nose.
"H-how beautiful!" One onlooker stammered, wiping their tear filled eyes "Such a loving relationship! It brings me to tears!"
Kaala whirled around to face the man that had spoken "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"
The man looked at her in alarm "Are you not touched by such a display of sisterly affection?"
Kaala looked ready to stab the man with a toy army knife. The group slowly inched away as Kaala glared at them. The girl turned back to the still hugging sisters and roared "OH GIVE IT A REST!"
She turned to Matt who wasn't really sure what to think "DO YOU SEE WHAT I HAVE TO DEAL WITH EVERY DAY?"
Shadow pulled away from Arty and rose to her feet, pulling her twin up too. The taller girl kissed her sister's cheeks lightly before she smiled softly at her twin.
"OH COME ON!" Kaala growled.
"You are so cruel Kaala." Arty sighed, a glimmer of a tear still on her cheek. Kaala resumed slamming her head on a bookcase while Arty turned to Matt "Shall we move on?"
…
"I think," Mello muttered as he watched Kaala chase the shortest of the three performers around for about the twentieth time that day "that they are insane."
"Probably," Matt nodded "But their fun!"
"Matt!" Arty called while Shadow held on to Kaala who still looked murderous "Shall we take an ice cream break?"
"Now that you mention it," Matt replied as his stomach growled "I am rather hungry."
"Alright!" Arty clapped her hands together "Ice cream time then!
Mello led them to the small ice cream shop with Kaala stomping along next to him.
"I'll pay." Arty volunteered, holding up her wallet "It's the least I can do."
Kaala snorted and folded her arms onto a snow covered table that sat by the ordering window "Your actually going to pay? Bring on the fifteen scoops."
"You'll get fat. Fatter anyway."
Kaala swung at Arty's head but the girl ducked, laughing.
"Well I'm ordering." Arty stood and was followed by Shadow and Mello who knew what they wanted.
That left Matt alone with Kaala who looked worn out and beaten.
"You okay?" Matt asked, leaning forward across the table to feel her forehead.
"Fine," Kaala muttered "It's just...so frustrating sometimes."
"Are they, well I guess I should say Arty, like that all the time?" Matt asked, watching the black haired girl swinging her and Shadow's clasped hands while she ordered.
"Yep." Kaala nodded "She and Shadow have been together forever, the thing they did in the shop is common and also not acting. I joined them about three years ago. Three years of torture."
"Why don't you leave?" Matt asked.
Kaala shrugged "I don't have anywhere to go. No where I could still have freedom."
"Do you want to leave?" Matt inquired.
Kaala gave another shrug "Life's not a party with Arty around."
"HEY THAT RTYMES!" The named girl cried, making Kaala jump. Shadow and Arty had returned to the bench while Mello was getting napkins. The wolf girl glared at the card master but Arty shooed Kaala off the bench "Go go! Go order or I'm not paying!"
Kaala rolled her eyes and walked over to where Mello was having trouble with the napkin dispenser.
"You should lay off Kaala." Matt commented, looking at Arty "She doesn't seem very happy."
"Kaala," Arty said, resting her chin on his fist "is happier than you think."
"You seem to torture her a lot." Matt frowned.
"Kaala says she doesn't leave because she has no where else to go," Arty's smile turned gentle "But really she knows that me and Shadow do love her and that we don't just keep her around to torture."
"Why are you so mean to her?" Matt asked.
"First because it's fun," Arty winked "But second because although she gets mad and embarrassed really easily she needs some laughter in her life. And I know that she loves me and Shadow just as much as we love her so I know she really does want to stay, even if she won't admit it."
Matt glanced back at the ordering window where Kaala was glaring daggers at the owner who was holding two ice creams.
"I will go retrieve our ice creams." Shadow whispered, standing.
"Thank you sister." Arty smiled, kissing her twin's hand before she let the girl go to the counter.
"What about you Matt?" Arty asked, turning back to the ginger.
"What do you mean?" The gamer asked, taking a drink of his soda.
"I mean you and Mello."
"What about us?"
Arty chuckled and closed her eyes "You'll see. Just stay with him, k?"
"...Okay." Matt muttered, more confused than ever.
"I have your ice cream sister." Shadow muttered, handing an ice cream cone with blue ice cream on it to Arty who licked it happily "Thanks sis!"
Matt ran to order and was the last to return to the table after Arty paid.
"This is delicious." Arty smiled as she sucked the ice cream off her cone. Matt nodded, his carmel ice cream slowly melting "I love this place. We should come more often during the school year."
"Your going to start sneaking out?" Mello asked without looking away from his chocolate ice cream.
"Yep." Matt grinned and licked his ice cream.
"Well aren't you daring." Arty laughed as she licked away a small trickle of melted ice cream that was running down Shadow's cone "Don't let it get on your clothes sis."
Shadow smiled and nuzzled her sister's cheek "I won't, do not worry."
Kaala made a barfing gesture and the still smiling Arty kicked her under the table.
"OWW!" Matt cried as an angry Kaala struck back "THAT WAS MY LEG!"
"That was mean Kaala."
"It was YOUR fault."
"That's absurd." Arty sniffed.
…
After ice cream Matt led the group to the same stand that was selling New Year's fireworks. The same smiling woman was selling them and she told them about each kind while Arty and Mat threw themselves excitedly into the subject.
"Wow!" Arty held up a large one that was almost as tall as her "It would be awesome to sell these!"
"Would you like me to fire one for you?" The woman asked, taking the firework from Arty and picking up a smaller one and a match. Arty jumped around eagerly, bobbing her head up and down. Shadow moved to keep up, of course holding her sister's hand.
The women lit the fire work in the middle of the street and jogged backward away from it as it began to sparkle. It shot into the air and let off a bang like a fire cracker. It exploded into a mass of orange sparks that left small black holes in the snow.
"That was beautiful." Shadow said, a small smile on her face.
Arty spun to face her sister and cupped the tall girl's cheek in her hand "Not as beautiful as you my dear sister."
Shadow raised her hand and mirrored what Arty had done and whispered "You melt my heart, sister."
Passersby stopped to stare, waiting with baited breath.
"MOVE ALONG!" Kaala shouted at them as wondrous tears began to well in their eyes.
...
The two groups parted after the fireworks stand. Arty hugged both Mello and Matt tightly. Mello had gone stiff as the girl's arms wrapped around him but hadn't shoved her away. Kaala waved and Shadow nodded to both the boys before Arty bounced back over to them and took one of each of their hands. Kaala tried to twist her's away but Arty held it tightly.
"Bye Matt! Bye Mello!" Arty called over her shoulder as she began to drag her partners away.
"Bye Arty!" Matt called, waving after her.
Mello raised his hand limply but dropped it seconds later.
"They were fun."
"Fun?"
"Yes."
"More like insane."
"Yes, but fun."
Author's note: So, this really didn't have much to do with the current story line but remember these characters! They will be coming back for ….. one or two other chapters way in the future! Arty, Shadow, and Kaala are my own characters and the relationship Kaala and Arty have is very similar to one I have with my best friend in real life. Shadow is created by one of my friends but she's not like the person who created her. Well that's all for now! Thank you reviewers! I have passed the 75 review mark!
Please R&R!