"Thanks dude."
Zac couldn't help smiling.
"Who would have thought one day we would be eating pizza with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. By the way are you guys still fifteen?"
"Yeah, we are and we will eternally be fifteen." Leonardo replied.
"Cool. So, next year I'm gonna be older than you."
Janet giggled.
"People! Enough of this. We must find the Vampirrre valley!" Slink insisted.
"Well, you know, Mike did have a point." Zac replied. "You can't think on an empty stomach."
"Yeah, you know, when I was going to buy my car, Mom told me I should make sure I eat before hand. That why I'll have more patience to deal with the salesman and not be eager to get outta there 'cause I'm hungry, and end up paying more than I may have needed to." Isaac agreed.
"A very good point there Ike."
"Of course it is. I said it. So, where exactly is this Vampire Valley anyway?"
Slink opened his mouth to reply. Then shut it.
"See? Exactly. Thank you Mike, for your valuable input into this meeting." Isaac grinned.
"We should send out some scouts to find the valley." Janet said. "I guess we'll need someone small, and preferably not human, or any blood at all. Otherwise the Vamps'll smell 'em a mile away and they may not be able to return."
"Or you could just go out and look forrr the valley yourrrselves." Slink put in.
"Yes, yes we could." Zac agreed. "And truthfully, I'd much rather we didn't send out scouts. Especially with the landscape changing. They may not be able to come back."
"Oh, you can always come back." Slink assured him. "And I do rrrememberrr hearrring once that there was someone who has the ability to stop the essence from changing the landscape any further, but she has no idea of what she can do or how to do it."
"Well, I still think you'd better find her." Raphael said. "We did get lost. After rescuing April from Shreader."
"We did no such thing." Leonardo said.
"Where is April anyway?" Janet asked.
"She's reporting of course." Leonardo pointed outside.
Sure enough, April was standing outside (well within the boundary) holing a microphone and talking to a camera.
"Ok, this just keeps getting weirder and weirder." Isaac said, shaking his head. "Not that I mind weird, but too much weird has got to be bad for your health."
**********
Kristin stroked Taylor's hair. A tear ran down her eye.
"Oh Taylor." She whispered.
Unable to help herself, she leant over and kissed him again. This time, something seemed to trigger with Taylor. The previous kiss still lingered, but now, now this. To Kristins' surprise Taylor kissed back.
It was strange. It felt to Taylor like the kiss was literally pulling him out of his state. As it continued he started to begin to be able to move himself again. First his lips, then eyes and nose, ears, face, head neck and so on. Slowly, oh so slowly, but neither one minded. Probably because it met they could kiss longer.
As soon as her could move his arms, he wrapped them around her. And even once he was free from the strange force that held him pinned, they kept on going. Then he sat up. They were no longer kissing but their arms were holding each other tight like they were afraid to let go.
"I love you." He whispered softly.