Last Chapters

Oh, well, all it was was Ran Kether ranting about his latest Evil Plan.

Back to your regularly scheduled story.

Kat and Mish burst into the room, followed by Claire and Bryn who were moving at a more sedate pace than the others’ frantic run. “Noooo!” Kat screamed.

“What the hell are you doing?” Mish demanded in a very loud voice.

“Huh?” The unknown lady dropped her knife.

"What are *you* doing?  I'm about to conduct a ceremony here," the lady stated, a quizzical look on her features.  Then, as she recognized Bryn, she smiled.  "Bryn, sweetie.  Who are these guys....Wait! You're Kat and Mish, of the TPC fame?"  She grinned.  "Well, welcome, then! I'm Kat."

Several occupants of the room looked confused.  "What?" Ton said.

"But...I'm Kat!" insisted Kat.

"I'm Kat!" Kat said.

"No, I am."

"No, me!"

Mish looked from one to the other. "Kat's definitely Kat," she said. "Dunno who this knife-woman is, though."

“I’m Kat too,” the woman explained. “Call me Katrielle, though, to avoid confusion.”

“And you all can call me Katrin,” the original Kat spoke up.

“Your name’s Katrin?” Ton asked her.

“You didn’t know that?” she asked.

“No.”

“Oh. Well. Do you realise we’ve been in the same room for two whole minutes and you haven’t kissed me?” Kat asked.

"Yeah," Ton said. "Uhm..." He leaned over and kissed her.

Mish looked at Darillian, who shrugged.

"Damn you all the way to Hades," Mish muttered.

Kat(rielle) cleared her throat politely.  "Well, can I assume you're guests for the wedding?"

Bryn nodded. "Uh-huh.  They're our bridesmaids."

"Bridesmaids, then?  Do you already have your dresses picked out?" Kat asked, stepping down the podium to shake hands with the new arrivals.

When Mish shuddered, Katrielle smiled, and corrected herself.  "Bridesmaids outfits, then?"

“No, not yet.” Katrin smiled back, liking this woman who had the same name, or, at least, nickname, as her. “Know where we can get some?” she asked.

“Yeah, and I still need a wedding dress. It’s time to go shopping, ladies,” Bryn said.

Ton and Darillian both felt a chill run up their spine

"Wedding dress shopping?" Mish visibly paled. "Can I... uh... stay here with the guys?"

“No,” Kat said firmly.

"No?" Mish did her best Simmons’ Puppy Dog Eyes.

Katrielle smiled gently. "And, if you don't mind, I'd like to join you all.  I can...recommend a few shops?"

"Sorted." Mish said triumphantly. "You go with her, and I'll... just be over here..." She started walking quickly towards the exit, but got pulled by the collar back by Kat(rin).

“Sounds great,” Katrin said to Katrielle brightly, still holding Mish’s collar. “Come on, Mish, we’re going shopping. And don’t worry,” she said to the guys. “We’ll pick up tuxes for you.”

Ton and Darillian paled.

"Alright then," Kat(rielle) said, grinning.  "Any places you'd like to stop first, Bryn?"

"Guys? Help?" Mish called plaintively to Ton and Darillian.

Unfortunately for Mish, the guys were already slinking away in fear.

"Damn you all," Mish said dangerously, under her breath.

“It’ll be fun!” Bryn said happily as Katrin continued to pull Mish along.

"Ok..." Katrielle started, looking at Mish a little warily.  "I know this really nice little boutique, too.  And I'm sure I can...use my influence on the prices, if they're a tad too high."

"Is that legal?" Kat wondered aloud.

Katrielle merely grinned.  "Oh, of course it is.  The High Priest and I have a substantial amount of...influence here."

"There's a High Priest?" Mish asked.

"Of course there's a High Priest," Katrielle answered.

"Oh," Mish said. "Well, can I go out for a beer with him instead of going shopping with you?"

“No,” Katrin told her flatly.

"Actually, Ton, Darillian and Danny are all going out for beer while we shop." Katrielle said brightly.

Mish looked skyward.  "Why, just *why*?"

"Well, is the High Priest your husband?" Kat asked, slightly confused.

"Uh-huh", the priestess replied, grinning and waving at a man who passed them, his brown hair highlighted with gold.  "Hey, Gav?"  he turned, and Katrielle continued.

"Why's he got gold hair?" Mish asked.

Kat tuted at her.

 "Why've you got gold hair?" Mish asked Gav.

"Well, it's a neat fringe benefit of being High Priest.  Along with having a lovely wife, " Katrielle blushed a bit at that, "I also get hair that comes in highlights of shiny, valuable metals.”

"Niiiiice," Mish said, her eyes showing interest. "And how much would you say that'd sell for?"

"Oh, well, the hair of the High Priest is known to carry...powers," Katrielle explained in a whisper.

“Can we go shopping already?” Claire asked in an annoyed voice. She was pretty ticked that she’d barely been mentioned all chapter.

They started to move out, all except Katrin. She was staring at the High Priest. “Do I know you?” she asked.

"Do you?" Gav asked back.

"Gav short for anything?" Kat asked.

"Gavin. Gavin Darklighter."

“You’re a pilot!” Kat exclaimed. “What are you doing as a priest on Thyferra?”

"Hanging out with my girl," Gavin explained.

"Sheesh," Mish muttered. Obviously the dress/shopping thing had gotten to her, although some ideas for a lucrative deal in gold hair were going through her mind. "Typical."

“Okay, we can move out now,” Kat said, her curiosity satisfied.

“That’s still my line,” Mish reminded her.

"Shopping." Mish sighed, once they were outside a shop. "I hate shopping. Unless it's book shopping. Or CD shopping. Not clothes shopping."

“Well, we need clothes,” Kat told her.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Hey, think there’d be anything bridesmaid-outfit-esque in the clothes locker on the ship?” Mish asked, trying desperately to get out of going inside the store.

"No," Kat replied sternly, and then dragged Mish into the shop.