A/N: Well, I kept my promise; it's been less than six months since my last update. I personally had fun writing this theme; it definitely fits Xander and Vida. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all!!

"…": characters talking to each other

'…': characters talking to themselves

(…): extra facts about something in the story

(Takes place sometime after "Mystic Fate II")

Theme 12: Dare

Rootcore, February 24, 2007, 2:30 PM – Briarwood, CA, USA

It was a typical Saturday afternoon at Rock Porium; that is, it was empty. This was, of course, likely because it was freezing outside – a nice and toasty 20 degrees Fahrenheit – and Toby had decided that instead of closing the store like all of the other stores around him he'd stay open and get all the business.

Right. Let's check in, shall we?

"Ow! Watch it!" screeched Leelee as she swerved to avoid a large box that almost ran into her. Leelee had been stacking some CDs when the box had tried to flatten her.

Chip stuck his head out from behind the box and, looking sheepish said, "Sorry. Couldn't see where I was going."

Leelee put down the CDs she had been holding and, looking at her co-worker asked, "I thought Vida was supposed to be telling you which way to go and what to avoid so nothing gets broken."

Chip looked around furtively before carefully placing the box on the ground and moving closer to Leelee as if he had a secret to tell. Leelee, gossip queen that she was, recognized what Chip intended and, grinning, moved closer to Chip as well, ready to hear whatever juicy tidbit of gossip Chip had for her.

"Vida's not helping me out because Nick dared her to," Chip broke off, licking his lips, as if afraid that if he finished the sentence lightning would strike him where he stood and a pile of ash would be the result.

Leelee narrowed her eyes. "Come on, Chip. It can't be that bad, whatever it is that you're afraid to tell me. Are you the Yellow Mystic Force Ranger or what?

Chip glanced around him again and on seeing that the coast was clear sighed and, running a hand through his slightly shaggy ginger-colored hair continued, "Nick dared her to…"

"Yes?" Leelee prompted, placing her hands on her hips in a pose that eerily reminded Chip of his aunt when she knew he was hiding something and was trying to wring the answer out of him. Wait… Chip shook his head to dispel that image; he should not be thinking of his friend like that, especially comparing her to his aunt, who would most likely ground him or, worse, take away his archery supplies for daring to think ill of her.

"Chip?" Leelee asked warily, not sure what to make of Chip's slightly vacant expression.

Chip shook his head to clear any other random thoughts that had taken up residence and, grinning again, said, "Sorry; I kind of zoned out there for a minute."

"Right," Leelee drawled, starting to get impatient. How hard was it to spit out what went down between Nick and Vida? "Are you going to finish telling me what this dare was or am I going to have drag it out of you?"

Chip coughed and replied, "No, no, violence isn't necessary, Leelee." Looking around one last time to make sure that no one was trying to eavesdrop he leaned closer to Leelee and whispered, "Nick dared Vida to do 2 things: ask Xander out on a date and kiss him."

Leelee's mouth dropped open. Oh god. No wonder Chip was afraid to tell her; if Vida found out he knew and that he had told her they were both dead. Pulling her rainbow-colored scarf closer (that damn arctic air… this was California, for heaven's sake!) to her neck she looked around warily, relieved beyond logical reasoning that Vida was nowhere to be found.

Chip watched his co-worker's actions, trying to rationalize just why she was looking like a death sentence was on her. "Leelee, why are you looking like you've been sentenced to death?"

Leelee looked at Chip and replied, "Chip, if Vida finds out that you and I both know about this dare, we're dead. That's why you were looking around earlier, right?"

Chip paled; he had forgotten about Vida's temper for a few minutes. Looking around quickly, he whispered, "You're sure that Vida's not around here?"

Leelee nodded. "Absolutely sure. Vida's not here at the moment." Looking around, she saw that the box that had nearly collided with her earlier was still on the floor. "Come on; let's get that box of stuff put away in the back and then we can relax until Toby comes back from wherever he is." Chip nodded in agreement and picked up the box, shifting it in his arms until he was ok with its weight.

Leelee moved in front of Chip and began directing him, and in a few minutes, they had the box put away and its contents shelved. As they moved towards the front of the store, they heard sounds coming from Toby's office. Glancing at each other, they each wondered how to handle the current problem. Was it rats? Had burglars gotten in and were now ransacking their boss's office? Could it be something else entirely? Leelee, deciding to be the brave one, reached out a hand and, grasping the doorknob firmly, pushed the door open only to quickly it shut again. She grabbed Chip and dragged him outside into the weather and around the corner.

"Leelee, what's wrong? What'd you see?" Chip asked anxiously, not used to seeing the daughter of the Queen of the Vampires (or former Queen, anyway) panic as if she had just a few minutes before… not to mention that it was very cold outside.

Leelee, rather than confirm Chip's suspicions that someone was in the office akin to a murderer, allowed the corners of her mouth to twitch, slowly melting into a small smile. "Remember what you told me about that dare?"

"Um, yes," Chip answered, honestly confused. Why was Leelee being so calm about this? "Aren't there burglars or murderers in Toby's office?"

Leelee giggled, and after catching her breath replied, "No, Chip, Toby's not going to be robbed and there are no murderers in that office. However, what is in there is something that I've been waiting to happen for months now."

Chip still looked confused so Leelee rolled her eyes and, raising an eyebrow mouthed two names that caused a mélange of emotions to cross Chip's face, ranging from excitement to happiness to shock to fear. Wait, why was there fear on Chip's face? Unless…

Leelee slowly turned around and found herself face to face with a flushed and very embarrassed Vida, an equally embarrassed Xander behind her. "Um… hi, Vida, Xander."

"I'd suggest you two run, now." Vida hissed her normally placid gray eyes now stormy and promising harm to her friends. Leelee gulped and, grabbing Chip's hand began running, the Yellow Mystic Force Ranger keeping pace with her.

"Guess that the dare was fulfilled then, right?" Chip asked cheekily, earning him a slap upside the head from Leelee, causing him to stumble and fall prey to the humiliated Pink and Green Mystic Force Rangers. "Guys, come on! Don't do that… stay away! Leelee, don't leave me here!"

Leelee chanced a glance over her shoulder and, seeing Chip's predicament said, "Sorry, Chip, but it's every woman for herself. Good luck, though." Leelee managed to get away from the angry rangers but her friend wasn't so lucky; in fact, next time she saw him his hair was bright pink and blue and his skin was rather green... She just thanked whatever deity out there that liked her enough to spare her the humiliation that Chip was undergoing right now for having interrupted a dare that, for once, went right.