InuYasha Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction / Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ *What* Insertion? ❯ Moore Than a Power Trip ( Chapter 4 )

[ A - All Readers ]

*WHAT* INSERTION?
by Curtis Wildcat


Chapter Four --- Moore Than a Power Trip

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(Cue theme)

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Place: Two blocks from Beika Park
Time: Mid-to-late morning, the next day

The following morning while they spent an hour waiting for Marcus or Sylvia to "wake them up" (Phibrizzo didn't need to sleep, so he just rested on his side with his eyes open), the trio had set several goals for the day: #1, take one of the plain T-shirts and the suggested pictures over to Sherry's contact so he could work on silkscreening the designs; #2, establish the teleportation points throughout Tokyo's various districts and wards; and #3, see what they could do about compensating for Phibrizzo's current state. They figured that they had plenty of time to finish, considering that he didn't have school that day.

The first goal was easy to accomplish. After breakfast, Phibrizzo took his dark violet T-shirt (he'd thought about taking two shirts, but he didn't want his foster parents to get suspicious) and the designs and searched the streets until he came across his destination. Upon their arrival, a large man had welcomed them in and motioned them towards his studio at the back of his office; he said he'd gotten a call from an old friend who said to expect a black-haired kid to show up. The friend had even agreed to cover the charges, and had lived up to her word several minutes before Phibrizzo arrived. The half-mazoku turned over the shirt and the designs, and after a short discussion the man told him that he could pick up his shirt in two days. Satisfied, Phibrizzo had thanked him and left the office with a small smile.

They hadn't gotten very far in their second goal. Phibrizzo had let Inuyasha take charge on each respective trip in order to reach their destinations quicker. After they'd established points in five different districts from Shinbuya to Shinjuku, Inuyasha had switched back so that Phibrizzo could teleport them back to their starting point, which they now knew was somewhere in Beika, Tokyo. Before they could head out to establish another set of points, their three initial acquintances from Teitan Elementary---Amy, Mitch, and George---had stumbled across them. Upon being reminded that Phibrizzo had agreed to spend some time with them today, he relented and was now following along behind them towards the park.

"Hey, guys," Mitch was saying, a frisbee under one arm. "Did any of you hear that rumor that's been going around?"

Phibrizzo figured he knew what he was referring to, but asked: "What rumor is that?"

"They say that this strange person with white hair and quick speed has been appearing around town," Mitch explained. "They mentioned him on the news the other day."

"Oh, yeah," Amy said cheerfully. "I've heard of the person before!"

George nodded. "So have I. They said on the news this morning that he stopped a group of thugs from robbing a hotel last night. Didn't the news guy say that one look at him caused some of them to turn white?"

Phibrizzo smiled. Even though Inuyasha's white hair and his borrowed medieval outfit made him look slightly out of place, he'd turned downright scary the second he unsheathed his sword. "Wouldn't want to run into that person anywhere," he stated, thinking about the incident. Two of the thugs had willingly given up, while the others didn't convince themselves to do the same until Inuyasha quickly took their guns from them and destroyed them with several strokes. He'd stuck around long enough for the police to arrive and arrest the men, then bolted to resume his patrol.

The others nodded. "I'll say," Amy said. "With that white hair and old clothes, he'd probably scare anyone. I hope I don't see him myself."

"Did they say anything else about him? I mean, besides the hair and clothes?" George asked.

Mitch looked at him, apprehensive. "Yeah. They said that he carries a 'huge sword' around with him, and that he's just over a meter tall. As if that's possible."

The conversation, in Phibrizzo's opinion, slowly degenerated to how it could be possible for someone that size to carry such a huge weapon---or, for that matter, on why anyone would carry around a sword in this day and age. Eventually, the subject changed when they came within sight of the park.

"We're going to have to find a way to get away from them and finish getting those points set up," Curtis spoke up. The human still wasn't looking well, but he looked anxious to be under way regardless. "Maybe we could call it quits before lunch, grab a bite, and then finish them off during the afternoon."

We'll have to do it soon, no matter how we plan it, Phibrizzo murmured mentally. Like we agreed on, we'll need to know where everything is so that we know where to go.

"Looks like we're delayed for now, then," Inuyasha remarked. "Oh, well. It's not like we're in any sort of rush."

A girl's delighted cry interrupted the conversation that was taking place between George and the others; this caused them to stop and look for the source. Phibrizzo spotted it behind them before they did...and froze.

"Julien! I've got something for you!"

"Who's that?" Amy asked. "And why's she running towards us?"

"She's not running towards you," Phibrizzo moaned aloud. "She's running towards me. Doesn't that girl have practice to go to or something?"

Azusa had indeed sighted the half-mazoku and was racing towards him; she had two bows in her hair instead of one, but she'd switched her dress for slacks and a long-sleeved shirt. She must've anticipated that she'd be running again.

Phibrizzo backed away past his schoolmates, looking more and more nervous with each passing second. "Hate to leave you like this, but I'm gonna have to go. If she's going to be hanging around, I want to be as far away as I can! See ya!" After that farewell, he spun around and scampered off like a frightened squirrel.

Azusa raced past the trio, causing a small breeze to pick up briefly. "Wait, Julien! Come back!" she called as she ran. "What about brunch?"

The trio of kids sweatdropped and shook their heads. "Some kids get all the attention," George muttered.

"Looks like love at first sight," Amy decided.

Mitch shrugged. "For her, anyway. Who here thinks that Phibrizzo's afraid of girls?"

Everyone raised their hands, then lowered them and continued towards the park. At some point or another, they started wondering how Conan was doing.

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The secretive woman who had helped Phibrizzo yesterday, "Sherry", parked her car and headed out to the store. Considering the work she did within the organization, her health ranked amoung the most important things in her life. It wasn't the most important, of course...

"Get away from me, you psycho girl!"

Sherry blinked, then turned around---and almost got knocked over as a familiar figure blasted past her. "Sorry about that!" she heard him yell as he continued on, not slowing down. "Gangway!"

It was only about two seconds later that she saw Azusa run by, somehow keeping pace with Phibrizzo's speedy clip. "I know this really great restaurant! Julien, come back!"

Sherry blinked again. "I hope he's not expecting me to bail him out again," she said to herself. "The less time spent around her, the better."

She waited a bit, watching as the two of them were soon blocked from view by other pedestrians; they too watched the kids run by for a few seconds. Shaking her head slowly, she continued on into the store. This'll become a daily occurance. I just know it.

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Time: Several minutes later

Blast it! Are those running shoes!? She was fast enough wearing those heeled shoes!

"On the whole, I've never liked girls too much," Curtis sniffed. Even after dodging around multiple pedestrians the past five minutes and running like mad, Phibrizzo still hadn't lost his pursuer. "They're a complete mystery. See anyplace you can hide?"

Inuyasha pointed off to the side of the chamber's viewport. "There's that 'Moore Detective Agency' you told us about," he suggested. "Turn in there, quick!"

"Julien, why won't you come back?" Azusa called after them. "All I want is to treat you to brunch!"

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Conan stared out the window, blissfully bored. Richard was half-asleep at his desk, hardly paying him any attention. Nearby, Rachel was reading something and waiting by the telephone; her friend Serena had promised her that she'd call her if she was doing anything.

Half-wondering if there was anything going on, Conan yawned and let his eyes droop halfway shut. I wish SOMETHING would happen. Anything! Ever since I got back from Agasa's house earlier, nothing's happened!

Someone yelled from down the street: "My name's not Julien, you crazy klepto!"

Conan's eyes opened as he tried to see who had shouted. When he did, he recognized the person immediately. Phibrizzo? What's he doing here? He focused a bit more, noticing the older girl whom he'd seen running after his classmate yesterday. Still after him, huh? At least she doesn't give up.

There was a *thud* as Phibrizzo reached the door of the building, yanked it open, and slammed it shut behind him. There was another *thud* as the girl opened the door and followed him in. "Come back, please!"

This got Rachel's attention. "Hey, who just shouted?"

Conan ran from the window and towards the door, reaching up and pulling it open partially. He was still in the way when Phibrizzo shoved his way in, nearly pushing the smaller kid into the wall. Spinning around, the black-haired kid grabbed the door and slammed it shut, jarring Richard awake.

Rachel looked at Conan's classmate sternly. "What's going on?"

Someone pounded on the door, then tried to open it. Phibrizzo braced himself against the door; taking the hint, Conan decided to do the same. "Lady," the first kid shouted, ignoring Rachel, "I do not want to go to brunch with you. And for the last time, stop calling me 'Julien'! Now go away and leave me alone!"

The pounding persisted for a bit more, then stopped. Putting his ear to the door, Conan thought he could hear a bit of sniffling. Shortly afterward, even that stopped as the noise of footsteps subsided. The door out to the street opened, and then shut.

Phibrizzo straightened and sighed, relieved. "Thought that girl would never leave." He looked up, seeing Rachel's stern expression and Richard's irritated look. He scratched the back of his head nervously. "Um, I didn't bother any of you, did I?"

"Who are you?" Richard asked, annoyed. "Who was that girl?"

"A kleptomaniac, that's who," Phibrizzo muttered. "You ever hear of the name 'Azusa Shiratori', detective?"

Richard frowned, likely not recognizing the name. Rachel seemed to, though. "I have. I think she's part of an ice-skating duo called 'The Golden Pair'. I've never seen her except in the paper, though." She looked at Phibrizzo intently. "Why's she after you?"

"Isn't it obvious? Because she's nuts. She chased me here clear from the park." Conan's classmate seemed to remember what he was supposed to do; he bowed just a little. "Sorry if I bothered you any. My name's Phibrizzo, and I'm in the same class as Conan is." The corners of his mouth twitched. "And don't say anything about the name, okay?"

Richard leaned back in his chair, still a bit suspicious but at the same time disappointed that it wasn't a client. Rachel nodded, accepting Phibrizzo's presence even if it was completely unexpected. "Alright. Come in. You want anything to drink?"

"No thanks," Phibrizzo said, shaking his head as he walked farther into the room. Conan followed him at a slower pace. "As soon as I think it's safe to leave, I'll be heading out again."

Conan smiled, interested. "So how's that little trip of yours coming along?"

"I dropped in on Shinjuku earlier this morning." One of Rachel's eyebrows raised at this. "Neat place if you can stand the noise and the crowds. I didn't stay there for very long."

Rachel smiled. Sounded like he knew how to get around. "That's nice. So you're one of Conan's friends?"

Phibrizzo seemed to think on this for a moment. "Yeah, I guess so. I got adopted a few nights ago, and his school seemed the best choice." He looked up at her. "I know I'm changing the subject, but do you know anyone named Marcus?"

"Yeah...he's my uncle," Rachel said hesitantly. "You know him?"

Surprising everyone, Phibrizzo jumped several feet in the air and hugged her. "Cousin!"

Too surprised to react, Rachel let herself get dragged down to the floor. Richard jumped to his feet, surprised. Conan looked on, his eyes wide. What!?

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What...just happened? Phibrizzo sounded stunned.

Curtis's voice was heard from another speaker. "Inuyasha, did you just do something over there?"

Inuyasha didn't say anything, smirking. His hand, which had pressed down on a button labeled "Impulsive Hug", drew away as he backed off.

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Phibrizzo withdrew away from Rachel, letting her stand up. He slowly turned to Conan. "Tell me, Conan," he said quietly. "Did I just yell 'cousin', jump up and hug her?"

Conan slowly nodded; it was surprising enough as it was. All three on-lookers continued looking on, unsure of what the response would be.

Their response came soon. Phibrizzo slowly sank to the floor, his face a bright shade of crimson as it stared straight ahead. His arms hung limp. "I...I...I...I..."

Richard walked towards him and smacked the back of his head. "Snap out of it, kid!"

Phibrizzo finally did, but he maintained the same posture. "I didn't mean to do that...I don't know what came over me..."

Rachel blinked, her mind getting back in gear. "Hold on a second. Did you just say I'm your cousin?"

"Yes. By adoption." Conan noted that Phibrizzo refused to move, and that his face hadn't yet resumed its normal coloring. "Does your uncle have blue eyes, somewhat of a stocky build to him, and a cheerful disposition? Looks middle-aged but isn't?"

"Yes."

"Then it's the same guy I'm thinking of."

"Never really thought of Marcus as the adoptive type," Richard said. He reached down and ruffled Phibrizzo's hair, still looking somewhat tired. "At any rate, welcome to the family, kid."

"The same," Rachel added, frowning. "And for goodness sake, could you get up and stop blushing? Hugs aren't that embarassing!"

Admit it, Rachel, Conan thought. That surprised you. Just say it.

Phibrizzo pulled himself to his feet, although it took a while for his face to return to normal. "That was the first time I ever did that, okay?"

"I kind of understand how you feel," said Rachel. "So how's Sylvia doing? Has she gotten better at all?"

"A little. Dad thinks that my coming along must've had something to do with it."

Conan continued watching Rachel, Richard, and Phibrizzo converse, although his thoughts were elsewhere. I remember being introduced to Rachel's uncle Marcus about a week ago. He seemed like a really nice man, but it was tempered a bit by the fact that his only son died of some sort of sickness. He told me that his wife, Sylvia, used to be extremely enthusiastic up to that point; afterwards, she let her grief affect her health. No wonder Marcus decided to adopt someone.

"Anyway, I should get going," Phibrizzo was saying. "I think she's gone by now. Do you mind if I come by sometime and spend time with Conan?"

He looks like a normal child, but there's something back there. It's almost as if he's older than he actually is. He didn't get shrunk by them too, did he? Even if he didn't, though, I think I could get to like this guy.

"Sure," Rachel said, smiling. "Anytime."

Richard shrugged. "Fine with me. Just try not to get in the way. Is that alright, brat?"

It took a second for Conan to realize that Richard was talking to him. "Oh...okay!" he said cheerfully.

Phibrizzo nodded and started edging toward the door, smiling politely. "Great. See you again!" He turned around and cautiously poked his head out the door....

...and immediately started flailing wildly, almost losing his bracelet in the process. "Hey! Let me go, lady! Let me..." His flailing subsided. "...Wha...I..."

Conan hurried over to the door and pulled Phibrizzo back in, just as Rachel came over and closed it again. Richard stepped over to the window, probably to see if whoever it was that had done that had really gone outside. A second later, the other door slammed shut; Richard nodded, then went to see what the matter was with Conan's classmate.

Said classmate had slumped down again upon being brought in, his face somehow being two shades of red on opposite sides. Rachel shook his shoulder a few times. "Phibrizzo? You okay?" Conan asked, concerned.

"No," Phibrizzo murmured. "I'm not okay."

"Why?" Rachel inquired. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you what happened," the boy said quietly, his shoulders now shaking of their own accord. Without further warning, he glared at them and roared: "That psycho klepto kissed me!"

Everyone's hair was blown back by the force of the yell.

While Phibrizzo fumed, Conan edged closer and noticed a slight mark on his right cheek. His eye twitched as realization hit him, and an amused smile formed as he tried not to laugh. No wonder his face looks that way...he's embarassed and angry, he thought as he tried to smooth down his hair.

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Meanwhile, someone else wasn't having the same degree of success---both of Phibrizzo's 'parasites' were cracking up. The chambers themselves were glowing a light pink.

"Alright, it may not be funny to you..." Inuyasha started, supporting himself against the wall of his chamber as he tried to get himself under control.

"But it sure is to us!" Curtis finished, continuing to laugh until he erupted into a coughing fit.

If either of you mention this to anyone when you take over, I'm not going to give you guys a moment's peace again!

"In the situation you're in, annoying us is about all you can do," Curtis said after he finished coughing. He mentally noted that Inuyasha had gotten his laughter under control.

Phibrizzo mentally groaned as the pink glow subsided and was replaced by a slight red glow. Leave me alone. Just leave me alone.

Curtis looked up at the speaker and nodded. Deciding not to bother Phibrizzo any further, he walked over to the television and began to see if he could get an NES to materialize.

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It took a few seconds for them to convince Phibrizzo to get up. With some help from Rachel, he was finally able to stand on his own. After mumbling: "I guess I'll see you later", he walked out the door and exited the building, scowling.

Richard looked out the window as the kid slowly walked down the street. "That kid's scary."

Conan nodded. No kidding, Richard.

"Uh-huh," Rachel said, doubtful. "I don't know. No boy should act like that after getting kissed by a girl."

Conan walked over to the couch and plopped down on it, hearing the phone ring and Richard answering it. He's a strange one, that's for sure. There's something that came up, though... He listened without interest as Richard passed the phone over to Rachel. What's with that slight black outline I saw around his body when he left? I hope I'm not just imagining things.

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For some time, Phibrizzo half-heartedly wandered the streets around the agency, still upset. Inuyasha decided that he was better off leaving the half-mazoku alone and dozed off. Curtis, in the meantime, was fiddling around with a device connected to the television in his chamber.

Phibrizzo didn't say anything, though. He wasn't calm enough to communicate to the others how he felt, so he just stayed quiet. It wasn't until he heard his stomach rumbling slightly that he decided to brood over some lunch.

Walking into a place where no one could see him, Phibrizzo focused and teleported away.

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Place: The Cat Cafe, Nerima district
Time: Five minutes later

Shampoo sighed quietly to herself as she passed out food to the few customers that were in the Cafe. It was the lull before the lunch rush, and as much as she wanted to see what Ranma and Co. were up to she knew that Cologne and the dummy would need her around. Oh, well. Such is life around here, she thought.

She turned around, seeing the door open. Her demeanor returned to normal when she saw who it was. "Hello!" she greeted as Phibrizzo walked in and went to a corner table. "Small boy want ramen, yes?"

"Two regular and one special," the 'small boy' muttered quietly, not bothering to take offense at her remark. "And a diet cola if you have any."

Shampoo nodded, turning and walking towards the kitchen to give Cologne his order. She returned a few minutes later with said order in hand. "Here, but why no ask for specific kind?"

Phibrizzo didn't respond, instead taking the meal and setting to work on it half-heartedly. After a few minutes, he paused to look at her. "You ever hear of the Golden Pair, Shampoo?"

"Strange pair of skaters? Yes," Shampoo said. "Why?"

"I was tricked into getting kissed by a klepto," the boy growled, drinking some of the cola. "It's the most embarassing thing that's ever happened to me in my life."

Shampoo stared curiously at the boy. "Why so depressed? If think of other things, kiss may not seem bad."

"Maybe not to you."

"Shampoo pretend not to hear that," Shampoo said warningly. She sat down at the table, seeing as no other customers had walked in yet. "It not wise to upset Amazon warrior."

Phibrizzo ignored the comment, instead eating some more of his lunch. Shampoo spoke again. "Anyone see Phibrizzo get kissed?"

"I'll say," Phibrizzo muttered. "A school classmate, my cousin, and her father. It was bad enough that the crazy girl kissed me to begin with, but to do it with others watching? I'd much rather jump in the path of another Shi Shi Hokodan."

Shampoo thought for a moment, trying to remember if any of her great-grandmother's teachings had covered this sort of thing. She wondered what he meant when he mentioned Ryoga's attack, but set it aside for later thinking. After a bit, she remembered something that had been mentioned to her as an aside after an encounter with Mousse a few years ago. "Small boy forget small problem," she suggested. "Do best not to fall for crazy girl's tricks. Avoid at all costs."

"Easier said than done. That girl's scary." Phibrizzo finished off the ramen. "Besides, what if she catches me again?"

"Use distraction. It work for airen and panda-man."

"Panda-man?"

"Airen's father."

Phibrizzo remained downcast, staring into his drinking cup. "Hmm...I dunno. She's chased after me a few times, and she seems to have a one-track mind. Unless there's something she sees and wants better than me, she probably will stick on me like glue."

Shampoo recalled a recent kitchen incident that she'd witnessed at the Tendo home. "Or like violent girl's last cooking attempt. Not-food stuck to inside of pot. Needed hose and jackhammer to remove and throw away."

Phibrizzo looked up for a second, then looked back down. At first, Shampoo thought he hadn't found it funny; then he noticed that the boy had nodded his head just a bit. It was then that several subtle changes in the boy---the brown hair and the increase in weight---were made evident. It was clear to her that whatever personality had been in control during his encounter with Kodachi had just reasserted itself. Shame that the insane gymnast hadn't noticed.

"Miss Shampoo? Since Phibrizzo is too down in the dumps to get his own life organized, I'm going to take matters in my own hands. First, I need you to do me a favor."

"What does small boy want?"

"What this small boy wants..." Phibrizzo held up the empty trey and flashed a bright smile. "...is a second helping!"

Shampoo almost fell to the floor, but caught herself. "Not fat enough?"

"Nuh-uh. Not full enough. Second helping, please!"

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Time: Thirty minutes later
Location: Just outside Beika Library

A quiet *snap-hiss* marked Curtis's rearrival in Beika. Not knowing how Phibrizzo teleported around, he'd asked Inuyasha to check if there were any buttons marked 'teleport' or the like. After the hanyou had pressed down on it, all Curtis had to do was imagine the library in order to return back to his home away from home.

"It was nice of that near-blind guy to give us that attack demonstration," Inuyasha said, "but whatever for? Are you trying to see if the brat can do the same thing?"

"Well, sort of," Curtis explained. He walked past the library, toning down his voice so that no passers-by could hear him talking. We can't fry anyone around here---it's just plain not a good idea. However, we can defend ourselves whenever you're not in control. Do you know what 'subspace' is, by any chance?

Inuyasha shook his head. Behind him in the green pillar Phibrizzo floated silently, looking downcast and probably still upset with them.

Well, you remember those little yellow orbs that Phibrizzo used against Lina's friends back in his homeworld? I'm not sure if you noticed, but he didn't make those things on the spot. He was storing them in a pocket dimension, or subspace. Think of subspace as an empty storage shed, only a lot bigger. With me so far?

"Yeah."

Suppose for the sake of argument that we decided to put the Tetsusaiga in a subspace pocket---which is a much smaller portion of subspace adapted for personal use. It's hidden from view and we know its there, but no one else can see it. I didn't say invisible; I said hidden. However, if we needed to we could reach into the subspace pocket and bring out the sword. That guy we saw earlier, Mousse, uses a somewhat similar principle with his Hidden Weapons Techniques. That's why most of his attacks seemed to come out of nowhere.

"From what I understand, it seems pretty neat. Where are you going to find non-lethal stuff to use, though?"

Curtis tried to remember a specific store that he'd noted somewhere on one of the maps they'd obtained, then smiled. Shouldn't be a problem. For Phibrizzo, it'll make for a nice introduction to standard human recreation.

"What do you mean?"

Curtis stepped behind a tree outside of an auto-repair shop, out of view of pedestrians. Take over, Inuyasha. I'll point the way. There's a sporting goods store out there with our names on it!

Not sure, Inuyasha shrugged and initiated a Switch. Gaining control, he darted first into the tree and from there on top of the shop. Facing the direction that Curtis next pointed him to, he dashed off and left only a brief breeze behind.

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Down below, a person lazing idly in the shadowed part of the auto-repair shop perked up. "Huh? I think I heard something," she said, her voice indicating that she was female.

A boy, probably no older than eleven, shifted slightly so that he could see her from where he was examining a car. "What was it?"

"I'm not sure," the person said, sitting up. "But I'm going to find out. If I'm not back in thirty minutes, go ahead and eat without me. Okay?"

While she was saying this, the boy continued to examine the car. The next time he looked, though, the person was gone.

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Place: A short distance from intended destination
Time: Late morning---early afternoon

"Where is this place, anyway?" Inuyasha asked impatiently. "When you asked me to switch back, I thought that meant that we'd gotten there already."

We can't let people see you during the day, Curtis told him as he walked past numerous stores. There have been people who've seen me today. If by any chance they saw you in the same getup I'm in now, someone might get suspicious.

Phibrizzo floated silently within the pillar of green liquid behind Inuyasha, not saying a word and not even listening to them speak. He wasn't sure why he thought like this, so...so angry with himself and the world in general, wanting to just stay hidden. He felt like his very self...not just his self, but his very identity was in danger. Ever since he'd came to this world, it had been one mishap after another; he felt that if this went on, he'd just keep acting out of character until one day he'd start acting like another person altogether. This worried him.

What is happening to me? he asked himself. Why am I questioning what I am after just one miserable encounter with a human female...albeit one that displays kleptomanic tendencies from time to time, but still a human female? I'm supposed to be Ruby Eye's most powerful supporter! Humans are supposed to be below me!

But if that's the case, why am I so upset with myself for my actions...and so afraid of the unknown? If I'm supposed to face life head-on, what's keeping me from doing so?

"Hold on one second," Inuyasha was saying to Curtis, who was staring dejectedly at the seemingly empty (no people inside, not even a clerk) sporting goods store that they'd gotten to. "You mean people actually make a living by playing those games?"

Yeah, I'll say, Curtis thought. It's rather silly, isn't it? It's a wonder that---wait a second. Inuyasha, did you hear someone tailing us at all when we went over here?

"Yeah. It didn't seem threatening, so I didn't say anything about it." Inuyasha's ears twitched. "In fact, I do believe she's standing right behind us."

That was all the warning Curtis got. Someone behind him tapped his shoulder, applying some force to it. "Hi, kid," a female voice growled.

Curtis slowly turned around. Phibrizzo pulled his head up a fraction, the strange voice interrupting his thoughts. There's something about that voice that doesn't sound human, he thought to himself.

The figure that had tapped Curtis was brown-skinned and stood at least two feet taller than him. She was wearing blue jeans and a long-sleeved sweatshirt, which was strange considering that it was actually a mild day. Long gray hair hung off her head in a heavy braid, nearly reaching her knees; a baseball cap was perched above narrowed blue eyes, and a yellow headband could be seen in the space that was left. At the moment, she was staring down at him with a strange smirk on her face.

Curtis hesitated to speak to her, a bit put off by her appearance. "Um...yes?"

The figure folded her arms. "You wouldn't, by any chance, know anything about a strange noise I heard at my friend's repair shop about ten minutes ago, would you?"

Didn't we start ten minutes ago? Curtis asked.

"It wasn't any sooner or later than that," Inuyasha said, annoyed.

Hold on. I think it was a car repair shop that we started from when we went here... "I think so. I think I may have been the cause of it." Which was true; he'd suggested this trip to the store in the first place.

"Funny," the young woman murmured suspiciously. "I didn't think anyone could've gotten off the roof that quickly without using the ladder first. Instead of footprints on the ladder, I found some fallen leaves where there shouldn't have been."

"Are you a detective, lady?" Curtis asked.

The woman's eyes widened, and she held out her hands nervously. "No way," she said to him. "There's no way I could be a detective. I was just curious about stuff, that's all. In fact..." she pointed behind Curtis at the store. "I work in that very store you're standing outside of!"

That'll make it easy. "Great. Could you let us in?"

The woman twiddled her fingers nervously. "Well, I'm supposed to be off work today. The manager and his other helpers are in the back of the store counting inventory, and they didn't want me selling stuff without one of them watching. I don't think they trust me," she said, finishing her explanation with a whining edge to it. She muttered under her breath: "Accidentally damage a baseball bat, and they mark you for life..."

"Oh, come on," Curtis begged, sweatdropping at the woman's aside. "I can pick out what I need and pay for it. You don't even have to help me! Could you please let me in?"

For a moment, the woman looked like she was going to argue. She abruptly caved in without warning, though. "Aw, I never could resist kids," she said, a wide smile evident. She reached into a pocket and pulled out a key, then executed a mock salute. "Come on in. Miss June is at your service!" She unlocked the door, then ushered him in.

Curtis chuckled. At least he's playing his role as a younger kid quite well, Phibrizzo noted silently.

--------

Miss June stepped near the counter and leaned on it as the well-rounded kid made a beeline for the golf clubs, examining each one intently. Then...he went on to look at basically every available piece of equipment in the store, muttering to himself all the while.

Cute...he must really be into sports. To think I used to be like that while I was still being homeschooled. If only more people considered me one of their own instead of regarding me as different... Miss June propped her chin on one hand and yawned. So what if I look like this. What's the deal?

The kid heard her yawn and turned toward her. "You okay?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. I just haven't had much sleep, that's all. Go ahead and take your pick!"

The kid shrugged, then went towards the tennis section to find a racquet. His search was interrupted by the "Employees Only" door opening, letting the manager---a blonde-haired man of about Aisha's height but over twice her age---into the room.

The man looked around, surprised and then displeased to see both Miss June and the kid in the same room. "Miss June, what have I told you about being here without one of us present?" he asked, sounding exasparated.

"Aw, you know I can't stand to see little kids beg!" Miss June whined. "Besides, he said he'd look himself!"

The man sighed, nodding his head a little. He turned to the kid. "Excuse me, young man. She's a bit of a flake. May I help you?"

"I don't mind," the kid said, shrugging. He let his gaze wander around the tennis section. "I've seen worse. And as for help, I'm sort of having trouble choosing a tennis racquet."

The manager raised an eyebrow. "Really? Most of these racquets aren't made for someone your size."

"I can handle them." As he said those words, the kid's eye seemed caught by a racquet hung near the ceiling. "That one right there. The purple one with the green strings. I'd get it myself, but...well, you know."

The manager raised an eyebrow, but turned to Miss June. "Could you get me that stepladder, please?"

Miss June nodded. "Right away!" she declared, hurrying behind the counter and pulling out the stepladder she needed to get. She set it down near the racquets, then stepped onto the ladder intending to get the racquet herself.

Her boss stopped her, though. He placed one hand on her shoulder, getting her attention. "Not so fast, Miss June," he said. "The last two times you used this ladder, you wound up spilling the merchandise on top of a customer. I think that kid Kudo's still stinging from the 'soccer bat' incident."

Miss June laughed nervously, then stepped off the ladder. When she got down, she saw that the kid had stepped to the side. Sweating a little, she figured that if the kid hadn't moved, she would've stumbled into him and knocked them both over. That would've gotten me fired for sure...or at least gotten me a pay cut. But I can't help it if I'm a bit clumsy!

While she was thinking this, the manager had gotten onto the ladder and obtained the racquet himself. He got down and handed it to the kid. "Well, try it and see what you think."

The kid took the racquet in his hands, gripping it two-handed and turning it a few times. Despite the size of the racquet, he didn't seem to have any problems holding it. "Seems alright to me," he said, grabbing a canister of tennis balls from a nearby shelf. "I'll buy these, then."

The manager nodded. "Miss June, could you get the register ready, please?"

Miss June nodded. "Okay!" she said cheerfully, heading over to the counter.

She heard the kid talking to the manager in the background. Most people wouldn't of heard the conversation, but she never had any problems with how she could hear. It was problematic whenever she heard what other people were saying, though.

"Pardon me, sir, but why do you let her work here if she's as clumsy as you say she is?"

"She's a bit odd," the manager explained, sighing a little. "That, and wherever she goes, people treat her like dirt just because she's different; I learned that she'd been homeschooled all her life. I'm sure you've noticed her skin color and hair. To say that's unusual would be a bit of an understatement considering her parents are both your typical Japanese citizens, so you can understand why people would be against her." She slowly walked toward the counter, the kid following along behind him. "According to her, she's tried getting a job at a dozen different places. None of them were willing to hire her. Finally, I came along and decided to give her a chance."

"My parents can't afford to send me to college," Miss June said, moping a little when they reached the counter. "And I can't walk the streets without people talking about me. This is the best I can do. I try my best. Honestly..."

"There's one thing I do like about you, Miss June; it's the reason you're not out of a job and likely never will be as long as me and my team are around," the manager said firmly, facing her.

Miss June perked up a bit. "What do you mean?"

"It's because as clumsy as you are, you don't give up," her boss explained. "You never let the incidents of the previous work day bother you, and you always come in willing to give it your best. That's what I look for in an employee, so I don't let how a person looks or otherwise acts interfere."

-------

Inuyasha looked around as the chamber, which had been a strange shade of red ever since Phibrizzo's impromptu visit with the Moores, slowly became a dim blue before turning back to normal. "Wish I knew what that's all about," he mumbled as he watched the scene before him.

-------

Miss June heard a quiet cough, and she looked at the "Employees Only" door. The employees that had been counting the inventory had gathered around the door, and all them were smiling and/or offering quiet and encouraging looks. Seeing this, tears started to gather in her eyes. "Thanks," she said. "I really needed that."

Someone cleared his throat. Miss June turned her gaze down towards the kid she'd let in. "Um, as much as she probably needed the encouragement, I'd like to be able to pay for this," he said, holding up the racquet and tennis balls. "Does 'anytime' sound alright?"

It was the first time Miss June had ever seen a group of people sweatdrop simultaneously.

--------

Place: Auto repair shop
Time: Fifteen minutes later

"Jim, I'm back!"

'Jim', the kid who was examining a car within the confines of the repair shop earlier, looked up and smiled as Miss June jogged on in. "Great! It's lunchtime, anyway. I didn't think you'd like it if I started without you, so I decided to wait." He led her into a relatively small office/waiting room, opened up the fridge, and got out several bags and drinks. "I got you your favorite this time."

Miss June brightened, smiling. "Double cheeseburger?"

"And miso soup. I won't need to reheat it or anything; it hasn't been in the fridge for very long." He got out a bottle of 'Coca-Cola' and stared at it disapprovingly. "I don't know what you see in this stuff, though."

"I've got to get my calories somehow," Miss June argued. "My parents already have me drinking tea and juice four times a day, and with my metabolism that just doesn't cut it!" She grabbed the Cola from his hands, opened it, and drank about half of it before closing it up again.

Jim shook his head as he got out his own food. "Aisha," he said wonderingly, "sometimes I just don't get you."

"It's just me," she told him. "I can't help what I am."

Jim waved her off as he began eating. "Yeah, I know. I know."

---------

Place: Local indoor racquetball court
Time: Twenty minutes later

I must admit, Curtis said as he stood at one end of the court with his new racquet in his hands, I didn't think they had one of these courts around here. Should've figured that if they liked table tennis, they'd like regular tennis too.

"It was nice of that man behind the counter to let you in," Inuyasha commented, snacking on some cookies that he'd found in Curtis's chamber while they were heading towards the court. "You trying to figure out how to do that subspace thing yourself, or do you just need practice playing this game of yours?"

Both, actually, Curtis said seriously, glancing down briefly at his feet where the jar of tennis balls was. I haven't played tennis with any regularity in years. At the same time, I need to figure out the subspace pocket trick so I can defend myself when I'm in control. Now, let's see...

Curtis closed his eyes, checking the inside of his burrowed mind for any links to subspace that Phibrizzo may have made over the years. After a minute, he found a link that connected his mind to what was imagined to be a giant hole. I think I've found something. Hey, Phibrizzo, was this hole where you kept those orbs when you weren't using them?

Phibrizzo just nodded. "Mm-hmm." He likely still didn't want to talk to them; his head was still lowered, and he still looked sullen.

That's all the confirmation I need; looks like its just big and empty now. Now, let's see if this works. Here goes!

Activating the hidden trigger in his mind, Curtis raised the racquet behind his back and let it go experimentally.

No noise. The clatter of a racquet hitting the floor did not register to his ears. Temporarily letting the link go, Curtis reached behind his back and patted the back of his shirt. The racquet simply wasn't there. After waiting about four seconds he reached behind him again and reactivated the link, searching for the racquet. Finding it, he held it out in front of him. No mistake; the idea of using a subspace pocket was a go. Well, guys, it works.

"Obviously," Phibrizzo said disgustedly. With his hair floating above his eyes, it was easy to tell that he'd decided to close them for some reason. "It's my link to subspace that you're using. My influence is still there, but since I lost my main abilities it's no more than a giant storage room."

Curtis was about to open up the canister at his feet, but stopped. Hold on. Your main abilities? You actually have secondary abilities?

Phibrizzo snickered a little. "Yes. But you'll just have to wait until I decide to show them to you, understand? It's been who knows how many centuries since I've needed to use them, and I don't want to mess them up just because I'm a bit rusty."

"I suppose so..." Curtis opened up the canister, grabbed a tennis ball, tossed it up in the air, then whacked it with the racquet.

The ball bounced off the wall, made a one-hop over the net, and was whacked again. Curtis kept this up for several minutes, not staying in one place for very long. All the while, Phibrizzo was rattling off advice. "Idiot, you're putting too much strength behind it." "Don't overextend too much. Got it?" "You have to keep moving, slowpoke!"

Curtis gritted his teeth as the both of them kept it up. Don't tell me you've actually played brass racquets before.

"Amazing how similar tennis is, isn't it? Zelas Metallium likes to play against the Knight of Ceiphied, and she's dragged me and Xellos along on a few of those excursions. I've been told my backhand's pretty mean."

Then maybe YOU'D like to take a crack at this instead of complaining in my ear. It's hard to concentrate with you doing that.

"Well, now you know how I---"

In that instant, Curtis initiated a Switch and disoriented his host for a second. At the same time, the ball made another one-hop over the net...and smacked into Phibrizzo's forehead. Flinching, the half-mazoku covered it with one hand and finished his sentence as the ball bounced a few meters away. "---feel."

"Real graceful," someone remarked sarcastically from the door.

-----------

Phibrizzo turned to see several people who had entered the room. The first one was easily taller than Miss June, had slightly tanned skin, was holding several racquets and a large jar of tennis balls, and had a reasonably friendly face (I don't think he looks Japanese, either, Phibrizzo thought). The other one, the one who'd spoken, was about his foster mother's height, had orange hair (which reminded him somewhat of Lina) and an air of toughness around her. Definitely not one to be messed with.

Of course, Phibrizzo didn't care. He didn't have Conan's mind, but he knew a snobby person when he saw one. Thus, he said suspiciously: "Did you just see that? I just got disoriented for a second, that's all."

"Sure," the young woman said disbelievingly. "If you don't mind, I'd like to use this room. Practice, and all that."

Phibrizzo didn't move, instead folding his arms. His racquet was still clutched in one hand. "Who are you?"

"I'm Nami Keeler," the woman said with a smug smile, "and I'm an attorney. The rest I'm pretty sure you wouldn't understand."

"I don't know...he does look reasonably bright," the man next to Nami spoke up, his speech accented and somewhat deep. "I mean, how many kids know what the word 'disoriented' means?"

Nami turned to him. "How much could he possibly know? He's a kid."

Phibrizzo's eyes narrowed. "This 'kid' is smart enough to recognize a stuck-up jerk when he sees one. Are you going to be rude to me, or are you just wasting my time? Because if you are, I have my own practice to get over with."

"Phibrizzo, you're really pushing it here..." Curtis warned.

Quiet, tubby. I have some steam to let off.

Nami marched over to Phibrizzo and stooped down so that the two were at eye level. "You're a real brat, aren't you?"

"You're not exactly Miss Perfection yourself." Phibrizzo grinned, the good-natured gesture at odds with his angry eyes. He held his racquet behind his back, then slipped it into subspace without the two noticing. "Anyone who has the nerve to call someone else a brat must have some serious issues to work with. By the way, would you mind getting out of my face?"

"I like it where I am, thank you. I think you should just leave and let us get on with our practice. Find somewhere else to play."

"Well, I think you should get some breath mints, a pint of toothpaste and a gallon of mouthwash," Phibrizzo shot back, waving one hand in front of his face. "Your breath absolutely reeks of garlic and pepper! Yecch!"

"She threw a fit yesterday when her last client had trouble paying the bill," the man explained. "She usually works out her anger by eating a lot of spicy food. I've tried to get her to stop, but she's not the easiest person to work with. It's hard enough trying to keep her calm."

Phibrizzo's eyes lost some of their intensity. "Um, who are you?"

"Oh. I'm the second half of Keeler and Krunk, attorneys-at-law. Jonathan Krunk's the name. Nice to meet you." He put down the jar of tennis balls, grabbed Phibrizzo's left hand and shook it vigorously, then let go. "Your hand's real limp. You should put more effort behind those handshakes."

'Blink', and 'blink' again. "Oh. Uh...right." What's with this man?

"Tall, dark, and dumb," Inuyasha grumbled. "That's a nice package."

"And if the name 'Krunk' is any indication," Curtis added, sniffing, "those two are a troublesome combination."

Nami stood up and turned to Krunk. "We're in Japan, not America. Try to remember to bow when introducing yourself."

The man looked from side to side as if to see if anyone else was watching, but didn't respond to his partner's comment. Phibrizzo sighed exasparatedly, then turned to Krunk's other half. "You want to practice, and so do I. Neither of us want to leave this room. Unless we can arrange something, we're stuck here. You, me, Krunk, and your horrendously bad breath."

Nami stared down at him, strangely calm. "Who are you, kid?" she asked, not reacting to his insult.

"Don't say a word about my name," Phibrizzo uttered. "It's Phibrizzo Kaden."

"Marvelous." Nami smirked haughtily. "In one of my previous cases, I had met up with a lawyer named Eva Kaden. Name ring a bell?"

Phibrizzo remained silent outwardly. So my new aunt's one of them, too? Figures.

"'Figures'?" Inuyasha asked. "What are you talking about?"

Back home, the most dangerous humans weren't those like Lina Inverse, believe it or not. The scariest and most dangerous ones...were the attorneys, especially those involved with the major kingdoms. Whenever a major trial took place, they were there. I met one once. Kind of reminded me of a shark. Would you believe that some of my sister's servants actually took part-time jobs as lawyers?

"You're scaring me, Phibrizzo," Curtis muttered, sweatdropping.

Good. That was the intention. I don't know if they're actually like that here, but---

Something tapped Phibrizzo's nose, and he nearly crossed his eyes staring down at it. Nami had taken one of the racquets and had tapped his nose with it. "I asked you a question, brat."

Phibrizzo blinked. "Huh? What?"

"I asked you if you wanted to settle this in the simplest way possible," Nami said testily. "Paper, rock, scissors."

"Huh?" Phibrizzo asked, exasparated and confused.

"It's either that or challenge you to a tennis match, kid." Nami placed her hands on her hips. "A rookie doesn't have much of a chance against a professional, after all."

"Jerk," Inuyasha and Curtis muttered simultaneously.

Phibrizzo shrugged. "Whatever. Winner stays, loser leaves. We're only doing this once, though. My own patience is wearing somewhat thin, if you can comprehend that."

Nami just smirked. "Heh." She lowered the racquet and held out her other hand. Phibrizzo did the same.

"One...two...THREE!"

Phibrizzo blinked. So did Nami.

"What if it's a tie?" Krunk asked. "Do both of you have to leave?"

Phibrizzo had chosen paper. So did Nami. "I...had not thought of this," they both said.

"Um...maybe we could both stay," Phibrizzo suggested. "It's not exactly my first time playing this. I got distracted before the ball hit my forehead." He smirked. "I tend to have a pretty nasty backhand."

"Well then, here's what I propose. You can play against Krunk for a while, and I'll go off and practice on my own. When I'm done, though, you have to leave. Is that okay, kid?"

"Sure." Phibrizzo shrugged nonchalantly. "But don't use your breath as a weapon. I think that makes it a little unfair for the wall."

Nami frowned. "I really wish you'd quit insulting me, brat."

"And I really wish you'd call me by my name," Phibrizzo retorted. "If I'm going to be meeting up with you again someday, I also want you to try some minty toothpaste."

"Well, what kind of name is Phibrizzo Kaden?"

"And what kind of name is Nami Keeler?"

Nami was starting to look annoyed by now. "None of your business."

"Then it's none of yours, either."

"Do your parents actually trust you to go around on your own?"

Phibrizzo's eyes narrowed. "I'm a lot tougher than I look."

Nami shrugged. "Right. I'll take your word for it...Phibrizzo."

"Good...Miss Nami." Phibrizzo's eyes assumed their normal width, and he reached behind his back and retrieved his racquet. "Well, then?"

"Kids are really amazing nowadays, aren't they?" Krunk said to himself, smiling and shrugging.

------------

Time: Three hours later
Place: Beika Park

(BGM --- Post-game cutscene music, from Megaman IV)

Phibrizzo looked around from his spot on the grass, his racquet and tennis balls long since banished to subspace. For an hour, he and Krunk had played against each other; while the two weren't experts, they weren't half bad, either. Following that, he'd convinced Nami to play against him for an additional hour; he knew that the older girl was in a different league, but he didn't much care (Nami admitted afterwards that she'd gotten a decent workout out of it). For another thirty minutes he watched his new acquaintances face off, then decided to take his leave.

Ever since he'd met Miss June, the words of the store manager had rung through his head. He'd kept this secret from the others, but he'd felt his self-confidence returning. Perhaps for the time being, it would be best if the sillier things that happened to him were put behind him so that he could get on with his life. No way would he let those events bother him that much again. At least, he hoped he wouldn't.

"Phibrizzo?"

Phibrizzo focused inwards. What is it?

Curtis looked up. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry. About earlier."

His eyes widened ever so slightly. That's new. What for?

"When Azusa kissed you. I shouldn't have laughed, especially since I've had similar grade school-esque experiences myself. I wasn't too happy about it back then, either." He looked up at the general direction of Inuyasha's chamber, then began fiddling around with something at the back of his television. "Can't say the same for him, of course."

"I feel a bit bad for laughing, yeah," Inuyasha admitted. "It was probably the irony of it all that set me off."

Phibrizzo thought for a moment. There is some irony there, at that. He stared upwards at the sky, which was clouding over just a little. He wondered for a bit what everyone was doing right now: Nami and Krunk; Richard and Rachel Moore; Conan and Dr. Agasa; George, Mitch, and Amy; his acquaintances from Nerima; the mysterious woman who called herself "Sherry"; Miss June; even that police officer who first woke him up.

No use being afraid of the unknown, he told himself. I can't keep looking behind me. The problems in my future are the ones to worry about now. Somehow, I think I can manage. I think it's just me, but I think that those people are going to have a positive impact on my life...And to think that I once shuddered at the thought of it. Heh.

He wasn't aware that the others were listening until about a minute later. "It's not just you," Inuyasha commented.

"We should probably get on home," Curtis suggested. "Your parents would probably appreciate it if you were home early."

Phibrizzo looked around. Everyone had their attention elsewhere, and for the moment at least there weren't any cars going by. After checking if he had enough energy for a teleport, he nodded and vanished.

----

Time: One hour later
Place: Kaden residence

Knock, knock.

"Phibrizzo? I'm busy cooking. Could you get the door?"

Phibrizzo nodded and got up from the couch to do as asked. He reached for the door, hesitated for a brief moment, then opened it...and stood somewhere on a line between awestruck and amazed. She's...sharp.

The woman was easily taller than Sylvia; her purple business suit and glasses indicated, simply, that she was all business when it came to her occupation. "She must've come here straight from work or something," Curtis thought aloud, pausing what he was doing; he'd had another one of his disappearances a few minutes ago, and was busy making sure that everything was still where he remembered it.

"Oh, so you must be the child that my brother adopted," the woman said, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Nice to meet you; I'm Eva. How about you?"

She even sounds sharp! "Um...it's Phibrizzo." When Eva arched an eyebrow, he added with a slight blush: "Don't ask."

"Yep," Curtis sniffed, smirking. "She's definitely a lawyer."

I can definitely understand why she chose that particular job; she seems like the relentless type. Phibrizzo checked to see what Inuyasha was doing, then snapped mentally: Don't try that twice, Inuyasha. If I'm going to hug anyone...as if I'd want to...then it's going to be on my own terms.

Inuyasha stepped away from the wall, grumbling to himself.

"Miss Eva, you wouldn't happen to have a daughter named 'Rachel', would you?"

Eva stepped in and let Phibrizzo shut the door behind her. "Yes, I do. You've met her before?" she asked, switching to a set of slippers set near the door for her use.

Phibrizzo nodded. "I was trying to run from an older girl earlier, and I slipped into the Moore agency so I could hide. That's where I met her." He paused for a moment, then looked away. "Is it okay if I call you Aunt Eva?"

"That or just 'Eva' is fine, dear. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to talk with Sylvia for a bit."

"Sure. She's in the kitchen," Phibrizzo said, smiling as he gestured towards the kitchen.

As Eva smiled and went off that way, Phibrizzo sat down and turned his thoughts back inwards. Seems nice enough...I hope. Now, what did you say that was supposed to be?

"It's called a 'video game'," Curtis explained, indicating his television screen as he sat in his chair. He looked off to the side briefly as Inuyasha came in. "It needs the television to work. Basically, it keeps the person playing it entertained. The newer games look nearly realistic, but I prefer the older games where the pictures and plots are simple." He pointed out the screen, which had the words 'Super Mario Bros.' in a brown box sitting above a small red figure. He then held up a small box-like device and added: "See, watch what happens when I push the buttons on this controller..."

----------

Chapter Four completed. Chapter Five soon to commence

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Okay, so I've managed to throw in alternate-universe characters from Outlaw Star, One Piece, and the movie The Emperor's New Groove. I've got a few more characters to throw in---minor for the most part, but still important down the line---but first, I'm going to hold off on that for a bit.

This version of Nami may seem a bit out of character for those familiar with One Piece, but you can probably imagine that she's let the success from her job and her previous pro tennis career go to her head. She'll change down the line, I promise.

Aisha's not really that clumsy in the anime. You could probably chalk her current clumsiness up to the fact that she's trying too hard to keep her job and be accepted in others' eyes. That, too, will eventually change. As to what she's doing here? That'll be explained eventually, but I'll let you know now that it's not exactly an "out-of-this-world" description.

Why'd I throw in Krunk? I just like him, I guess. I originally thought about having him operate that art studio that Sherry mentioned, but I decided to go with this instead.

Why's Phibrizzo acting out of character? Becoming half-human and making the mistake of letting Inuyasha play "Push-this-button-no-you-push-the-other-button" can do that to a guy.

The major characters are in place. It's time to continue. Heh, heh.













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