I smiled at the three kids and outstretched my hand. "Rosaxi!" I said happily, and Akane was shaking her head frantically beside me.
"They're trouble, Rosaxi!" she warned, and I turned to her.
"I think I've worked with worse than a trio of trick-or-treaters." I replied, and they each shook my hand in turn. "Amusing introduction, by the way. And I take it you know Akane?"
The trio giggled and nodded. The little devil, Lock, stepped forward and said, "Yes, of course we know her! We all work for Mr. Oogie Boogie, of course." When I looked confused, the little witch, Shock, stepped up and explained, "Mr. Oogie Boogie is the gambling master of Halloweentown... Jack never told you that?" I racked through my memory and figured out Jack had mentioned him to me, but as I remembered, I was yawning and the sun was rising.
"Yes, I believed he mentioned him while he was tutoring me..." That phrase made the four of them jump.
"He's... your... mentor?" Akane asked slowly, and Lock, Shock, and Barrel started laughing.
"WE KNEW IT!" they chorused, and skipped off. Akane's face turned from shock to anger. "Ooh. Someday I'm going to..." she started, but I cut her off.
"What just happened?" I asked, sounding a little slow.
"Well, since Oogie sent them here, something bad... he probably already guessed you were being taught under Jack. He sent them to investigate, and you told them what they wanted to hear."
"Oh my God, I'm sorry! I feel so STUPID now..." I said angrily, pulling at my long, red streak in front of my eyes.
"Don't feel stupid, Rosaxi!" Akane comforted me, and I spun away.
"We should probably try to catch up with them." I proposed. "Got any tricks up your sleeves?"
Akane nodded, and right then I knew- this wasn't just fun and games anymore.
