First Date

First Date is a collection of stories from fellow users who contributed to a contest of the same name made by bigrika. They all feature her OC Takai Meowth as he was the bachelor for this contest.

NO TITLE by Blue-Ribbonz
''feat. Kingston Fox''

A figure paced across a large handheld device quickly, running a hand through the pixels on his head that resembled hair before a large dragon appeared on the screen and subtitled appeared on the bottom, reading: GAME ON!

A monster named Takai held his device greedily in his hand as he prepared himself for the boss battle, cracking his neck slightly before leaning back on the park bench and starting the process of mashing different buttons to get different attack combinations, hopefully ones that achieve good hits. He was concentrating on the game in intense amounts, so intense his mind had zoned out from the competition going on around him.

Cheers and shouts were heard for around him as his time was broadcast around the large monster mall, the atmosphere was extraordinarily joyful, for today Takai was trying to get a world record for the completed time for the game Dragons Atmosphere.

His mind raced as all the different combinations appeared in his head, all the gaming knowledge he had crammed into his mind that lead up to this moment roared through his mind as he pressed the A button, and suddenly, it seemed everything went in slow motion. A tan-brown furry hand appeared from the side of Takai’s vision and he lost concentration. The hand knocked the game out of Takai’s hand and the time on the screen stopped. The console’s screen shattered against the concrete ground and Takai was suddenly forced back into reality. He looked up at the crowd to see shocked faces, thought they weren’t looking at him, they were looking at a face next to him, most in a confused rage.

Takai himself looked next to him and saw a tall figure with tan-brown fur, fox ears and purple eyes smirking at the wreck of a console. He noticed Takai looking at him and shrugged, before hands gripped the males back and he was dragged away by the mall security, hopefully far away from the place.

Takai looked to the wreck of his device is shock, he was in denial. He had memorized all the codes and combinations for this and now that monster had ruined it, for no good reason, in fact, Takai wasn’t even sure why he did it. Takai bent down to look at the remains carefully, picking up a bit of the glass and inspecting it before sighing, it was truly broken.

He lifted himself up and looked to the crowd before glancing in the direction they sent the monster away. It was quite a surprise Takai hadn’t lost his temper or had a fit, but he was in front of a crowd, who were slowly breaking apart from the scene. He glanced up at the people who were recording his game, and they looked fairly apologetic.

“Sorry kid, I guess things like this happen, there’s nothing much we can do about it except schedule this again a month from now.”

Takai sighed before shaking his head.

“That’s too long, I can’t wait…”

He looked around the mall, glancing at a few of the shops before he got an idea. He pulled at the strings at his jumper to adjust it slightly before he started down the stairs, much to the dismay of the game records. He looked around before starting towards the exit of the mall, where he saw the mall cops take the monster. He was going to get an explanation out of him as well as all the money he deserved, why the devil did he do it anyway?

The automatic doors opened for Takai and he walked out of them, suddenly having a weird gut feeling to go back inside, but of course, he wanted his refund, and the monster couldn’t be far, besides the mall cops hadn’t gone inside yet.

He looked around, his eyes taking a few seconds to adjust to the suns rays before he heard a strange noise in an alley way. He looked around quickly before he walked over to their, and noticed the fox male and bloodied with a black eye.

Takai sighed before rushing over to him. He didn’t bother asking if the male was okay because, he really didn’t look okay. Takai ran a hand through his curly hair and examined the fox’s eye.

“Uh, did the mall cops do this do you?” He said awkwardly. The fox nodded before opening his mouth to speak and only letting out a groan. Takai sighed

“No need to talk, I’ll uh, get you to a hospital, and then you can explain to me why you did what you did, okay?”

<p class="MsoNormal">The fox growled slightly before he nodded. Takai started walking away, but he noticed the fox wasn’t following, he sighed again before he took the fox by both his hands, much to his distaste, and helped to fox up. The fox then put a hand around Takai’s shoulders to stabilize himself and started limping next to Takai as they walked to the hospital.

<p class="MsoNormal">After much time in the waiting room, Takai heard footsteps from the other side of the hall and looked up to see the fox. He saw him glance at him before walking away, and Takai automatically stood up and ran after him.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Wait!” He exclaimed, before grabbing the fox’s wrist and stopping him. He turned the fox around and looked him in the eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Why did you do it? You ruined my console.”

<p class="MsoNormal">The fox exhaled before yawning.

<p class="MsoNormal">“You were going to beat my record.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Takai looked at him confused before a look of surprise crossed his face.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Your… Your Kingston Fox?”

<p class="MsoNormal">Kingston rolled his eyes and shook Takai’s hand of his wrist.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Wait, don’t go! I have so much I need to ask you!”

<p class="MsoNormal">Kingston glared at him before speaking.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Me? I’m sorry but you were the person who brought me here despite me being in perfect health. I only looked injured on the outside Takai, and now my family has to pay another hospital bill, its enough they had to pay for two funerals for the same person.”

<p class="MsoNormal">With that, Kingston walked away, and Takai just stood there for what felt like forever. He then walked forward, and when he neared the door, he almost tripped over something. He stepped backwards in confusion before picking up what looked to be an ID card and turning it over. It had the picture of Kingston on the card and all different details. Takai smiled to himself before noticing the address, he had heard of the street name before…

<p class="MsoNormal">He made his way to the house, and in no time approached it. It was large, yet it was pretty much in the middle of forest, which was quite mysterious. Takai walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. He waited for a few seconds before a girl of average high and clouded eyes smiled up at him. She appeared about 16. She tilted her head before a small question passed across her features.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Who exactly are you, and how did you find us?”

<p class="MsoNormal">Takai chuckled slightly.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Uh, I’ve come to give Kingston back his ID.”

<p class="MsoNormal">The girl smirked before suddenly gripping his arm and dragging him inside. She then closed the door and yelled up the stairs.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Kingston! You’ve got a visitor!”

<p class="MsoNormal">Takai, meanwhile was glancing around the large, mansion like cabin house. It was decorated in all different colors, and he could see many doorways. On the couch he noticed two small figures of children and from a room he could hear soft snoring. He looked back up the stairs and noticed Kingston slowly making his way down. Their eyes met and Kingston stopped as he tilted his head backwards.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Why is he here?”

<p class="MsoNormal">He asked before he continued making his way down the stairs. Kingston had an unpleasing look on his face.

<p class="MsoNormal">“He brought your ID, oh! And he’s also coming laser tag with us, I mean if he has the time!”

<p class="MsoNormal">Kingston looked at Takai for a second, a look of hope flashing across his eyes. Takai threw the ID card at him before smiling at the female.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I’d love to come.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Afterwards, after about 20 or so foxes made their way out of their rooms they all went laser tag. The female fox who he later knew was Kaylee asked Takai many questions and after she talked to a few of her siblings, she managed to get Takai and Kingston a game alone together of laser tag. They versed for hours in one of the arena, and it was only over when they were nose to nose without knowing it and Takai shot him.

NO TITLE by Solarius Balasar
''feat. Maya Sparks''

Takai was running around the school hallways looking for his Chemistry classroom. He wandered from place to place, to then find a strange light emitting from a dark corner. "Curiosity kills the cat, but who cares?"-he thought to himself "I'm early for class so I can still have time even after a little peek." Takai followed the light, which lead him to the catacombs, where a rather elaborate glowing graffiti of Kawaii animals, the Japanese flag, androids and the famous 3D animated singer, Hatsune Miku was, on a cracked marble wall. "Ay, it must have been drawn by an fellow otaku. Whoever painted this has put a lot of effort into it. It's such a shame no one saw this. And this neon paint is..." Takai touched the graffiti, and before he could finish his sentence, he realized the artwork itself started to sing (Miku's World Is Mine). "Surely this can't be Operetta, she plays a different kind of music" he thought. A colorful aura surrounded his hand, sparkling to the beat the music. It was not like anything he had seen before. Surely he had seen glowing graffiti, but he had never seen one that makes music or one with magical aura. He stood there, marveling at its pure mystery. Suddenly, Takai felt a hard slap on his right shoulder."Stunning, ain't it?" An alien girl with red hair was behind him. "Do I know you?" He asked the ghoul. "No, we haven't met each other before. But seeing that some manster finally found his way to my work, I just thought I introduce myself. The name's Maya Sparks, what's yours?" the ghoul extended her hand "Um, Takai, Takai Meowth. You made this? It's the most amazing thing I have ever seen! How do you do that?" He shook her hand, screaming out of ecstasy. Before Maya could give him an answer, the school bell rang. "Oh look, it's time for my art class. And it's also time you should be going to your class, too." Maya looked at her watch, then rushed off. Takai stood still for a while, then he himself ran off as well because he was late for Chemistry on the first day upon his return to the school! "I can't be late on the first day of the year!" He cried.

For the entire day, Takai couldn't get his mind off of the masterpiece. As soon as he got home and ate dinner, Takai carefully scrolled around his Chemistry textbooks, trying to find out what kind of ingredients the paint was made of. He even tried searching online, but nothing came up exactly like what he was looking for. He then tried looking up on Freakbook and Boogle+ for Maya Sparks, which lead him to her email. "If I can't find how the paint was made from textbooks nor online sources, I should ask her myself" He wrote an email then sent it to her. While he was working on the computer, his sister Neko happened to be standing behind his door, peeking through the keyhole. She had never seen her brother so determined to do something other than beating a video game level, so definitely something fishy was going on. Neko walked into the room. "Takai, is something on your mind?" She asked him with a poker face. "No, what makes you think that?" Takai replied, staring at his sis suspiciously. "It's just not you when you're working on something not related to your game addict needs like that. Tell me now, lil bro, tell me, tell me!"said Neko as she poked her brother's face. "If you really wanna know, ok then. You see, just this morning, I saw the most amazing thing ever! Would you believe me if I told you I saw an illuminating graffiti that sings when you touch it! Its colors surround your hand, dancing to every beat, isn't it incredible? I even get to meet the artist who painted it, a fellow student at Monster High named Maya Sparks. She was a really nice alien." said Takai "Hahaha, yeah right? you must have been day dreaming. Probably from playing Sci-Fi games too much." Neko laughed at the idea, making Takai very annoyed. "If she doesn't exist nor her art, then how come this exists?"He pointed at his computer screen to show his sis Maya's Freakbook and Boogle+ accounts "Don't get fooled by photo manip, I'm convinced that alien is real but not too sure about the art, though" Neko shook her head. "I really saw that artwork, sis, somewhere in the school catacombs. You know, the place we like to party? Oh look, she replied. She said she'll tell me what the paint's made of if I meet her at the same spot where that piece was after school tomorrow. Come with us and I'll prove it to you."said Takai. "Fine, I bet ten bucks if that isn't true, you get ten bucks if it's real" sighed Neko. The next day, Takai took his sister to the marble wall where he first got his glimpse of the painting. But how unlucky was he, for the graffiti was no longer there. "But..." he muttered. "You owe me 10 bucks, bro. Now let's go home, you're wasting my time." said Neko. Just then, Maya happened to be getting to the spot. "So you're here Takai, and with someone. Where did my art go? Well, I washed it away. Don't worry, I only did that so I can get some space to draw. You might as well try it yourself, since I left a lot space for you and your friend there."she said with a smile on her face. "I'm actually his sister, Neko. And you are must be Maya Sparks? You've gotta be kidding me, those paint buckets are empty! So you draw in thin air and the picture just shows itself up?"Neko raised an eyebrow. "Not exactly, but I can show you how it really works. The key to making sparks is in the artist's imagination" Maya removed her gloves and puts her hands under the candlelight. A rainbow aura appeared, swirling around. Maya began doodling on the wall, a keyboard was formed, so were a guitar and a drum kit. A jazzy tune echoed on the walls, leaving the Meowth siblings stunned. She then put her hands into the bucket and filled it with rainbow paint. "It's impossible for normal paint to be contained like that, the colors will be mixed together!"said Neko. "This isn't normal paint. It isn't made of artificial ingredients, it's made of light. My species have a minority called sparkers, we can harness light and turn it into glowing paint. The more light, the more paint. Simple as that. Every drop has its tune and by touching it, you've just activated its music properties."Maya explained. "I'm sorry for doubting you, bro. This really is...real. Here's your ten bucks"said Neko "Forget the bet, sis. Just enjoy yourself here."replied Takai "Why don't you guys try it yourself? I've got the paint, some brushes, a refillable spray can or you can use your fingers if you like." said Maya. "Oh sorry, we can't. It's high time we headed home, otherwise mom's gonna kill us for not eating dinner."said Neko."you can bring these paints and brushes home free of charge, just consider as a gift from a friend Wait, I have one last thing I want to show you! It won't take too long." said Maya. She climbed on top of the vertical wall, then slid down from a height that is lethal to a normie (or most monsters for that matter) without a scratch, leaving a trail of paint, lots of it. "It's impossible, but how...?" Takai was both impressed and a bit scared of what Maya did. "The paint itself works like an adhesive, but I don't reckon anyone should try this other than another sparker."said Maya. "We should be going now, so see you later." said Neko as she pushed Takai's back, telling him to leave. What Maya did not know that one stunt has left a bad impression on Takai. He felt a bit cut up about what she said about "only sparkers can do this", which made him envious and wanted to prove her wrong. The next couple weeks, Takai started requesting large batches of paint from Maya. He told her it was for a big school project involving a lot of painting, but she knew that was too much for even a small mural. Turns out, he was trying to use it for the sliding stunt. He shot her an email, telling her to meet him late a night at his house without telling her about the stunt, the time when everyone has fallen asleep,. That was to ensure that he wouldn't get arrested for "promoting dangerous acts", since a lot people didn't pay attention to things around them during late times and so did most cops. When Maya arrived at the Meowths' doorstep, she heard Takai calling from above, he snook out of his bedroom and now he was on the roof! "You think only sparkers can do the slide, think again!" He leaped, using the spray gun he bought several days before to help him spread the rainbow paint so he can stick to the wall. In an unexpected turn of events, the paint ran out, meaning Takai was falling to his doom. Maya quickly shined a torch on her hands. Harnessing the light from the moon, neighboring street lamps and the flashlight, she created a wave of paint to slow him down, which slid him down safely."Thank...thank you for saving me"Takai muttered."I didn't say that because I doubted your abilities, it's because you won't have enough paint to succeed without killing yourself, even if you have a great supply of it. A sparker is able to constantly make paint which keeps them sliding at a safe speed, whereas other monsters can't. If they don't have any special gravity defying technique of their own, they won't stand a chance of surviving. Werecats like you are able to jump from incredible heights but from that roof is off bounds for you guys because of your weight." she said. It wasn't long before Neko and Mrs Meowth woke up due to the noise. As they look through their window, they saw rainbow paint splattered all over the wall. When Mrs Meowth looked down, she also saw Takai completely wet and Maya below. "Takai, young man, you are grounded. Shower immediately and get back in bed!" she shouted from the window. "Aw man. I'm sorry for bothering at this time and I'm sorry for doing such a stupid thing." Takai apologized to Maya. "It's ok, but I hope you learned a lesson from all this. Good night to you then." said Maya. From that day on, they became the best of friends and they both grew older and wiser from their experiences.
 * THE END

Yes, I will fight for you by Lissamel123
''feat. Carlotta Samedi''

<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-8fb83a31-2bd6-d464-1034-e3f418eeda82" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">THE SERVICE OF THE FORGOTTEN IS LOOKING FOR RECRUITS TO FIGHT

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b45f06;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">THE CLOCKWORK QUEEN

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">NUMBSKULL, THE DEMONIC CLOWN IS <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#6aa84f;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">ONLINE

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">KATIE, THE HAUNTED PUPPET IS <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#6aa84f;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">ONLINE

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">00100001, THE MECHANICAL KNIGHT IS <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">OFFLINE

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">DR. MILTON BRADLEY, THE CONTROLLER OF TOYS IS <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#6aa84f;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">ONLINE

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">ZETTAI RYOUIKI, BURLESQUE VAMPIRESS IS <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">OFFLINE

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">YOOHOO, THE IMAGINARY FRIEND IS <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#6aa84f;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">ONLINE

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">HIBIKI, THE DREAM EATER IS <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#6aa84f;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">ONLINE

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LOOKING FOR <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">2 <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">RECRUITS TO REPLACE <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">00100001 <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">AND <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">ZETTAI RYOUIKI <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">FOR THIS MISSION

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Summertime, for a lot of people, meant sunny days, trips to the beach, a lot of sleepovers, and plenty of ice cream. But, for this particular sixteen-year-old werecat, it meant long hours on a laptop playing an online RPG, <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulseless Memories. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> Okay, the title didn’t make a lick of sense, but it was still fun regardless. You designed your own character, name, species, job and all, then made a guild to battle large monsters and other such ghouls. His guild, The Service of the Forgotten, was pretty dang good, if he did say so himself. He would find time to spend with all six others--Numbskull, Katie, 0010001, Dr. M. Bradley, Zettai, and Yoohoo--Killing ghoulies and hanging out in the beautiful overworld town of Tayzen, restoring health at the local drive-in and buying equipment and new costumes. All in all, it was fantastic, and his six other guild members were probably his closest friends over the long summer months.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Until 0010001 and Zettai didn’t show up when they all promised they’d fight The Clockwork Queen.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Sure, there was a game mechanic that allowed them to get new (temporary) guild members, but it wouldn’t be the same without the robo-knight and the saucy vamp. He slumped, watching the screen as his other members talked in the chat client and two new members were searched.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Ping. Color Test, TV-Headed Robot, has agreed to join. A robot for a robot. Not so bad, all things considered.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Ping. Lucky Daze, Controller of Fortune, has agreed to join. THE FIGHT BEGINS! GUILDS, MOVE OUT! The scenery wiped itself clean, and The Clockwork Queen in all her steam-powered glory appeared, laughing a noblewoman’s laugh. She’d be no pushover--She was rated five of seven stars on the difficulty--But The Service of the Forgotten could handle it.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Dr. Bradley and Katie were, as always, a tag team; with hit-and-run tactics and chipping damage at her. Numbskull inflicted his status ailments, finding she was immune to paralysis but not to poison. Yoohoo was down--Bradley--The final member’s controller, named Takai Meowth, bit his lower lip. This was <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">not <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> going well…

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">470 damage dealt!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Huh?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Lucky Daze was still standing by the skin of her teeth while Color Test (apparently something of a white mage) worked on healing the guild. With magic blasts, stars rained upon The Clockwork Queen, dealing random amounts of damage. Lucky Stars! His mouth twitched into a smile as he charged his strongest move, Soul-Crushing Darkness, and unleashed it onto The Clockwork Queen. The mechanical monarch’s health was massively taken off, and a barricade of stars rained, followed by Dr. Bradley and Katie’s team finisher, Toybox Terrors. Tin soldiers marched up and assaulted the boss with popguns, and she was done.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Takai pumped a fist. Success! That wasn’t worth those stars. EXP was dealt, treasure looted, and the guild returned to the main hub.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> nice job guys!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">KATIE <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">No prob!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">NUMBSKULL <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> not bad 4 a new timer

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">HIBIKI <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> Your stars saved our hides there!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">aw shucks

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">COLOR TEST says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">g2g night guys!!! :D

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">HIBIKI <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">It’s true!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> youre totes flattering hibiki~

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">--LUCKY DAZE HAS PRIVATE MESSAGED YOU--

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Raising an eyebrow, Takai clicked off the chat client and went to the smaller, private messaging chatroom.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">wanna do a private campaign?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">HIBIKI <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Sounds cool!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">~

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Lucky Daze was fantastic.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The two of them went on small private campaigns together, slaughtering lesser monsters and laughing all the while. Day after day, the two chatted, bought more equipment, and when someone in the main guild was absent, she eagerly took their place. Takai had begun looking forward to those long hours when he could log on to <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulseless Memories <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> and hang with Lucky. She was peppy. She was cheerful. She was fantastic.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> so who we doin tonight?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">HIBIKI says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> I was thinking Rattlecake. You cool with that?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">i like poison birthday cake as much as the next guy!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Takai smiled at the digitized polygons on the screen. Sometimes, in the back of his mind, he’d wonder if he had a crush on her. She was happy, always eager to go on the next quest, and she’d talk about anything under the sun, from ghosts and ghouls to doughnuts and board games. If she were real, she’d be the kind of person he’d like--Someone who could just have a bit of fun. But Lucky Daze wasn’t real, and besides, he didn’t even know who she--

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> didja know voodoo doughnuts has this chocolate-peanut butter-banana ale?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> i didnt. isnt that weird?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> i managed to get some though so daddy can try them when i go back.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">HIBIKI says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Wait wait wait.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">HIBIKI says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">That’s in Oregon, right? Voodoo Doughnuts?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> yeah. why?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">HIBIKI says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> I live in Oregon, too.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> omg omg omg

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">we need to get skypes like right now

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">maybe we can even meet up omg omg omg

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">LUCKY DAZE says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> mine is yobaron-icandigit. yours?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">HIBIKI says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Yoroshiku-Onegai-Shimasu

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">HIBIKI says: <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> Wordy, but it’s one of my favorite Japanese phrases.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Immediately, he heard Skype make a blipping sound. The icon glowed orange, the number one within an orange circle alerting him of a message. He opened up Skype, and there waiting for him was a friend request from YoBaron-ICanDigIt. Takai found himself smiling all the wider. He accepted the request and looked at the name that presented itself to him.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The Hon Carlotta Samedi.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The werecat paused, then got off his bed and went over to his bookshelf. He yanked out last year’s Monster High yearbook, and quickly flipped through all the pages. He stopped at the freshman, scanning his eyes over every picture before he found the right one. A grinning zombie girl, face pink and green, hair in frazzled pigtails, sunken eyes, and a beige shirt that hung oddly on her body. Under, the name <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Carlotta Samedi. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> Takai stared at the picture for a long while, then blinked, chuckling at it. He got up, went back to his bed, and sent her a message.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">You’re the zombie girl from Monster High, aren’t you?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The pencil that showed she was typing wobbled along, and soon, a reply showed itself.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">that’s me! the honorable carlotta samedi. disappointed?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">No, <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> he replied. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">You’re actually pretty cute.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Her reply was but a simple <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">:D

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">~

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">While he still played <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulseless Memories <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> with his beloved guild, a lot of time was going to chatting with Carlotta.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">She’d gush about one thing or another, telling him tales of the Other Side and her father, nightclub-owning zombie Baron Samedi. He’d talk of his sister and his transfer year to a monster school in Japan, showing off the phrases he learned while there. They’d frequently voice chat while battling monsters, and her voice always make him smile. It was just as cheerful as he expected it to be.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Once, one very late night, they’d video chatted. He figured out why her shirt hung so oddly in her picture--She was missing an arm. Her pajamas were cute, simple banana-yellow shorts and a pink shirt that beared the words ‘GOOD THINGS COME IN PINK BOXES’. She’d turned it around to display a familiar logo: Voodoo Doughnuts. He never slept with a shirt on--Not in summer, anyhow--And upon seeing this she laughed, saying she’d most certainly blush, if she wasn’t a reanimated corpse. He laughed, too. They’d talked all through the night, looking at each other and smiling, laughing, speaking of equipment they’d need to get for the next campaign and the oncoming school year. She was fun, she was bright. He couldn’t believe it, but he felt that pang in his heart that people only got when they were in love, truly in love.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">He began to explain another Japanese phrase to her. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Koi No Yokan. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> The sense upon first meeting a person that the two of you will fall in love.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Carlotta’s mouth twitched into a smile. She said she knew the feeling.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">~

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The school year began once again, and Takai Meowth went in front of the school building, backpack over one shoulder. His mind was on so many things, of new games and lacrosse teams he debated on joining, of homework and exams and friends. A whole year ahead of him. He shifted his backpack, walking up the steps of the building and entering slowly.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">There, cramming stuff into a coffin locker near the door, was a familiar mess of black hair in pigtails. He smiled, walking over and tapping her on the shoulder. She turned, her own face lighting up as she saw him. “Nice to see ‘ya, Hibiki.” She winked, putting her only hand on her hip.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">“Same, Lucky.” He held out a hand. She took it, and the two of them walked down the halls, laughing and grinning and waiting for things to come.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Neither said it, but going steady was implied.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;">

NO TITLE by GorjesterMaster
''feat. Kitsune Kyuubi''

Takai looked at his cereal dully. He rested his head onto his hand with the support of his elbow on the table. He played with his cereal using his spoon. Man, was he glum.

Takai Meowth was not getting ready for the first day of school. More like the opposite. He'd rather stay at home and finish Halo but no. He was just thinking of all the medals he would have gotten over the weekend but he was forced to study. He ended up not studying because he just got too lazy.

"Takai? Are you alright?" A voice suddenly shook him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see the face of his host mother. "You're playing with your food again. Is there something wrong?" She curiously asked. He always did this when he was bored or just sad. "Yeah, i'm fine. Just not really that hungry." He lied. He was starving. He wanted to gulp that whole bowl in his mouth but he didn't feel like it. "I can tell you're upset about something." His mother spoke again. He didn't give a reply. He just nodded to her while still looking at his bowl with a bored face. Another thought popped in his mind which made his sides of his mouth curve up. He was thinking about if he went to the Anime Convention but there was no way his host parents would let him. He frowned again and continued with his food-picking. "Tell you what, if you stop being so sad, i'll let you go to that Japanese Animation thingy." His mother said which made Takai look up with a shocked face. "What? Seriously?" Takai squealed. "Seriously."

Kitsune closed her locker door. It was her first day at Yokai High too. She sighed at the thought of her best friend not being there. She shuffled to her classroom for another boring day.

She sat in the desk at the back and started to doodle. The whole class was a riot while they waited for their biteology teacher. She started drawing an X-box controller then suddenly felt the aura of another student sit down to the chair beside her. The seats weren't exactly beside each other, they has quite a space in-between. She looked up slowly and saw the student. She didn't see his face but he had cat ears and an afro like hair. He was spinning his pencil in his hand while he looked at the clock. Kitsune wondered why he wasn't rioting with the rest but it didn't really concern her. She went back to shading her X-Box controller while the teacher stepped in the class.

After their class, Kitsune headed to the creepateria. She picked a place to sit and started to walk there. Just in time, Toralei Stripe had noticed the fox and pushed her foot forwards ready to trip her. Kitsune hadn't noticed but she was walking with her plate of food and just an meter away from Toralei's foot she checked her watch. That annoyed Toralei. Kitsune nodded and continued on with her table finding. When she finally found her table, she tripped over the smirking cat's foot with her food launching in the air and suddenly Takai catches her fall while he was walking towards the other direction. "Are you okay?" Takai asked and looked at her head. Kitsune looked up to reveal the same guy earlier. "T-Thank you!" Kitsune stuttered to him with bright pink blush on her cheeks. She raised her tray and caught all her food. Toralei screeched in annoyance and walked away. Takai and Kitsune were in that position for a while until Kitsune suddenly snapped and shuffled back. "Hi." Takai smiled while still looking at her face. "H-Hello.." She replied back nervously. She walked away in embarassment to her designated area. "Who was that?" Takai whispered to himself. Not because he found her pretty, he also noticed the Gamer's Badge on her collar which made Takai have an insane crush on her.

When Takai got home, he dropped everything and fell on his bed. He was smiling too much because he'd met someone who actually likes what he likes. He couldn't even explain it in words. "TAKAIIIII! ARE YOU READY?" His mum screamed from downstairs. "Ready for what..?" He thought to himself but suddenly a thought mentally smacked him. "The Anime Convention!" He gasped and jumped up to get changed.

When he arrived, his cheeks hurt from all the smiling. He couldn't believe he was actually here. Everyone was dressed up and all and it was too exciting for him. He walked up to a souvenir shop which was selling Shingeki No Kyojin stuff when something even better caught his eye. In the back he saw someone very familiar. She had black hair which was dyed orange at the ends and she was dressed as Naruto Uzumaki. He found her incredibly pretty by just looking at her back but he remembered that he had a crush on the girl earlier. He approached the familiar-looking ghoul and tapped her lightly. "He-" Takai stopped his sentence when he realized that she WAS her. "Do I know you?" She asked while staring into his eyes. "I'm Takai.. From Yokai High.." He said unsurely. She immediately blushed at the sight of him so close to her face. He noticed her Gamer's Badge and smiled widely. "Kitsune, right?".

Kitsune and Takai spent the whole day together while talking about their favorite animes and even trying out the video games together. They were showing a lot of kinship and they hadn't noticed. After the convention, they decided to go to the arcade. They learnt that they both loved video games and started to become competitive. "Oh really? A video game battle?" Takai teased while he smiled. "Fine. But our first game is Call of Duty." He smirked because he thought she couldn't handle a first-person shooting game. "Aww.. Why?! I hate first person shooting games!" She lied. First-person shooting games were her specialty but she figured she'd play with his emotions. They walked towards the machine with two guns. They placed in two coins and started playing. Takai kept glancing over to Kitsune to see if she was struggling. To his surprise, it was quite the opposite. She held her tongue out and got 5 points and shot all of them. He gasped and lost control which led to him losing 10 points. The machine rayed a word, 'GAME OVER, Player 1 wins!' He kept his mouth wide open to see him lose his first Call of Duty game. TO A GIRL. He smiled and clapped to her. "You're an expert at all of this, aren't you?" He smiled. "It's my specialty~" Kitsune sang as she turned her back towards him to buy another ticket. "Ready for round two~?" She asked as she held out her hand. Takai smiled cheerily and grabbed her hand while Kitsune rested her head on his shoulder. Maybe his high school won't be so bad after all? Who am I kidding? It'll be amazing!

THE END~