Chapter 64: Refreshing On Many Levels

~ "Well, my guess is that we're not in the mansion anymore," observed Andrew.

"I can't say as I care," said Takyle. "If this is a dressing room than one of these doors probably leads to a bathroom and I call dibs on the shower." Andrew raised an eyebrow at her.

"You do realize that those spiders were probably a sim and that this stuff is in fact not actually on us?"

"It feels like it's real and on me, and the bites hurt, and that's all that really matters. I want to change clothes," she said, trying the door beside the dressing table and finding that it did indeed lead to a bathroom. "Four minutes, time me," she told them, grabbing her pack off the floor and carrying it into the bathroom. Jaden looked at Andrew, shrugged, then marked time on his watch. They began to move over to the couch to sit down, but stopped when they realized that their pants were still smeared with spider gook. Instead of sitting they just stood silently in the middle of the room, looking around. Behind them the other door burst open and they both spun to face it. A small man with unnaturally wavy blonde hair came running in.

"Well it's about time you all got here! Team 6? Yes, I can see that you are. You're going on quite soon, you know that right? Where's the third?" Jaden stood with his mouth open, staring at the man, and Andrew pointed silently at the bathroom door. "Getting cleaned up? Well that's a good idea. No offense, but I dearly hope you two plan to do the same! Hurry though; I'll be back in ten with make-up and wardrobe." With that he gave a flip of his hand and left the room, slamming the door behind himself. A silent moment passed.

"Did that just happen or did I hallucinate it?" asked Andrew.

"Wardrobe?" asked Jaden.

"Make-up?" responded Andrew.

"What the hell?" added Jaden. The bathroom door opened and Takyle strode out, wearing a relatively clean set of clothes and pulling her fingers through her loose, wet hair in lieu of a comb. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes bright. All in all she just looked much happier. And cleaner.

"And, time! How'd I do?" Jaden glanced at his watch.

"Three point five," he told her automatically.

"What's going on? You two look fishy." Andrew turned to face her.

"Some guy just came bursting in here and told us to get cleaned up because make-up and wardrobe would be here in ten minutes, then he left. And he never took a breath." Andrew shrugged after relaying that and, picking up his pack, went into the bathroom and shut the door. Takyle looked at Jaden for an explanation. He shrugged too.

"I dunno. He acted like we were expected or something. I think that we must be in the next level."

"Ok well, that's good I guess. Did he give an idea of what we'd be doing?" Takyle asked.

"Not really. But he'll be back "in ten" and you can ask him yourself what we're doing."

"Wow, you guys sure are good at digging information out of people," noted Takyle, with amused sarcasm.

"Hey, you weren't here. He seriously didn't pause longer than three micro-seconds," Jaden protested. Takyle smiled and shook her head.

"Oh gosh, it sure feels good to rest and have a shower," she said, sinking down onto the couch and leaning back with a satisfied sigh. For the first time Jaden took some interest in what was on the coffee table.

"Saints above! There's sodas!" he exclaimed, grabbing a can of cola off of a tray.

"Jaden," said Takyle, with her eyes still closed. "Did you just say: "Saint's above"?"

"Uh, yeah. What about it?" He popped open the can and took a long drink.

"Nothing. I've just never heard anyone except my great-aunt Rose use that particular phrase is all."

"Huh, well obviously she has discerning and classy taste," he told her, picking up a handful of crackers and a few squares of cheese to go with his soda.

"Oh yes, most definitely." Just then Andrew emerged from the bathroom in a wave of steam, dirty clothes slung over his arm. He dropped his pack on the floor.

"Oh hey! Sodas!" He grabbed one of the chilled cans and grinned happily. "Did that fella come back?" Jaden shook his head.

"Nope, not yet. I'm gonna clean up. Holler for me if he comes back whilst I'm in t'shower."

"Sure thing," promised Andrew, choosing a red apple from a basket and taking a bite. Jaden moved towards the bathroom then turned around, gingerly feeling below his eye.

"Think I should put something on this bite? It's pretty swollen up, and it hurts a lot worse than the others, but if it's not real there's really no point is there?" Andrew stepped over to get a better look at Jaden's face.

"I'm not sure. Want to let it wait for a few minutes and maybe we can find out something when that guy comes back? Maybe he'll give us more of an idea of what's next."

"Yeah, ok." Jaden turned and stepped into the bathroom. As he closed the door behind himself he heard Takyle moan from the couch.

"Ugh, I hate spiders!" ~