Celly stood on the sidewalk in the warm California sun, waving at the car as it pulled out of the garage, onto the driveway, and finally into the street.

"Be a good girl, okay, Celeste?" her mother said through the rolled down window. "Don't stay up late, don't forget to mail in the bills for the electricity and cable, no parties, but if you want to have some friends over, you can--"

"Don't forget to water the yard," he father added. "And remember to turn the lights on at night. We'll call to check up on you--"

"DAD! MOM!" Celly exclaimed, blushing, "I'm twenty-one! I understand! You guys better hurry up before you miss your flight."

"Yes, yes..." her mother replied. "Love you!"

"Bye, mom! Bye, dad!" Celly called out as the car drove down the street. The white Pontiac Grand Am turned the corner and Celly placed a hand on her forehead and took a deep breath. "Thank L-sama they're gone!" Looking around to make sure no one was watching, Celly pulled open HammerSpace and stuck her head in. "Okay! We're clear!"

Celly took a step back as Sorano suddenly popped out of HammerSpace, two hands holding her hanging in midair. Sorano giggled in glee and reached out to her mother's younger self. Celly settled the girl onto her hip as Dion pulled himself out. After Dion came Orion, who stuck his hand back in to help Mercy out. The blonde smacked the hand away, nimbly hopped out, dusted herself off and looked behind her to see Remy haul herself out of the portal, aided by Mikagami-sama and P-kun. Aoshi-sama pulled himself through the portal with a quiet grunt, and Sanosuke-sama was the last to pull himself from HammerSpace before the portal snapped closed right behind him, causing the rooster-head to curse in surprise.

"I'm glad we have a big house..." Celly muttered before she lead the group into the house.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

With nine people and a small child in the house, the quarters were tight, but not bad. So her house wasn't Castle Anthrax... nothing much was. Still, it was home, and it was nice to be back. She just blessed the fact that the house had four and a half bathrooms. Celly ran a hand through her still-damp hair as she walked down the stairs to where everyone was gathered. Dion was in the kitchen, cooking up a storm while Mercy helped. Sano kept sneaking things to eat, and Sorano giggled every time her was caught by Remy and smacked over the head. Everyone else was gathered in the living/family room watching TV, surfing the internet, reading, or doing whatever pleased them (which in Aoshi-sama's case meant meditating in a separate part of the house, alone).

"So, what's everyone up to?" Celly asked as she stepped into the room. Silence answered her and she frowned. "What? What's wrong?"

"Uhh..." Orion stuttered. "You... you're wearing clothes..."

"Yes," Celly answered, enunciating each syllable as if talking to a child... or someone really dense. "I do that. I'm know for wearing clothes. It's a strange habit I picked up in childhood."

"I think he meant regular clothes," P-kun said.

"Yeah, we've never seen you out of fuku," Mercy added.

Celly sweatdropped and looked down at the tank top and jeans she was wearing. "Yeah, well... we're trying to be quote unquote normal, right? Actually, I'm surprised too. I actually had to get dressed instead of shifting my clothing magically. Maybe it's the environment."

"Well, I still wanna know what's up with the Game," Remy said, taking a sip from her soda. "I mean, we're in LA, right? Nyx's territory? It makes me nervous that we're just hanging around. Are any of us really sure that we can pick up the pieces of our lives?"

"That's what we're going to find out." Dion turned the burner off and continued to stir whatever was in the pot in front of him. "Ce-ko's parents have been getting her grades, and she hasn't been near her campus in a long time. I think that we can blend into everyday life without any problems."

"Besides, if this is the 'Real World,' wouldn't Nyx rather not destroy large chunks of her territory?" Orion swiped his finger across the edge of a cake and licked the white frosting off. Mercy smacked him, then faced the group.

"Hello? Disneyland? We're Otaku. We've got the power to blow up the damn world if we want to. Still, I'd rather not hang around LA. Nyx is gunning for me or something, and she's already whacked me twice. You can stay if you want," Mercy pointed at Remy. "You've got three Bishounen to protect you, not to mention your Guardian. All I've got is this loser here."

"Hey! Was that an insult?!"

"What did it sound like?"

"I'm not that bad!"

"Not compared to some winos in the street... wait... that's a step up..."

"Hahaue? What's a 'wino'?"

Celly's eyes widened and she placed her hands over Sorano's ears as Mercy and Orion continued to bicker. "Anou... minna? MINNA!" Everyone turned to look at Celly, who still had her hands over Sorano's ears. "Look, could we not fight in the presence of my child? I don't want her to pick up any bad habits." Celly grinned lopsidedly.

"Sumanu..." both Mercy and Orion muttered.

"Good. Now, since we've got time-travelers," Celly pointed at Aoshi-sama and Sanosuke-sama, "I'd think it'd be a good idea if we got them some clothes that fit in with the time period. I need to get Sorano some stuff as well."

Remy's eyes lit up as she eyed Sano and Aoshi with a predatory stare. "Shopping! Of course! I can't wait to see how these two clean up."

Sano backed away from Remy who was rubbing her hands in glee. "What's wrong with the clothes we got?"

Remy tsked. "You'll never fit in. I know this is LA, but if you go out in public wearing that," she motioned to Sano's open gi, "I'll have to beat all the girls offa you with a stick."

"Boys, too," P-kun added. "Even dressed normally, they'll be attracting admirers left and right. Not just girls. It might get ugly."

Suddenly, all the Bishounen in the room got *very* uncomfortable.

TBC...