(Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro World)
"X. I'm home."
There was silence.
"X?"
"Hold on!"
Ai stood motionless, waiting, and suddenly the wall nearby burst in, and through the hole came a very large gorilla, X riding on top of it. "Have a look at this, Ai! Gorilla!"
"-_- What about the many boxes of frogs we've ordered?"
"Oh, I've grown sick of them already. I'm ready to try gorilla liver!"
Ai sighed, looking over at the mountain of boxes full of frogs. This wasn't good. Maybe she could sell them to a school for disection.
When she looked back, she found the gorilla back in its cage, as seen through the hole in the wall, and X was missing.
"X?"
(HOME)
Edward and Alphonse arrived, in a mysteriously unknown fashion, to a very large building, painted with crazy colors and patterns. There were pentagrams, binding and curse circles, stars, planets, clocks, cartoon-based ghosts, and many other things besides like playing cards, rockets, and cotton candy.
"What an interesting place," Alphonse noted nervously.
Edward just nodded numbly, overwhelmed by all of the paintings.
"Hmm? Hello. Who might you be?"
Both Elrics turned to see a young man with long, black-brown hair walking up to them, a leisurely grin on his face. Over his shoulders he wore a tan scarf that seemed to act double as a shoulder cape.
"I-I'm Alphonse," said Al. "You can just call me Al!"
"I'm Edward Elric, his brother. ELDER brother, to be precise."
The boy smiled. "I see that. I'm Hao Asakura. Are you here for the same reason I am?"
"I dunno, that DEPENDS," Edward said. "What are YOU here for?"
Hao held up a folded piece of paper. "I got a letter."
"So did we!" Al said. "We don't really know what's going on though..."
"And nobody knows who our host is?" he asked politely, cocking his head and still smiling like he was in a daze.
Ed and Al both shook their heads. "It's a mystery to us."
"Ah, hello, honored guests."
Approaching them now was a tall man, in black robes hemmed in red. Lucifer. Behind him walked a very confused and very curious X.
"And who are you?" Hao asked. "Our host?" He looked around Lucifer to the boy behind him, studying him curiously.
"I am Lucifer. The host is away at this time, so I will be leading you inside."
Hao frowned. "I would really rather meet the one who sent the invitation."
"I'm deeply sorry." To prove it, he bowed politely. Straightening, he took X's hand. "She will be with you shortly, or so I believe. This way, please." He led X to the door, then momentarily let go of his hand to open both of the doors. He waited for them to enter before closing them again.
They soon arrived at the closet in one of the numerous hallways. Upon their entrance the four occupants all sat up and stared at the new group.
"May I present to you," Lucifer said regally, "Edward and Alphonse Elric, Hao Asakura, and Kaitou X."
Kurama, L, and Higuchi all nodded in greeting, while Hiei snubbed them with with a grunt, averting his head.
Hao quietly took offense.
"Lucifer? Where is PheonixFox?" Kurama asked politely.
"Not present at this moment--"
"Nevermind! I'm here! I'm here!"
Everyone in the doorway turned to see PheonixFox skipping down the hallway, dragging a silver-haired boy behind her, one with longer hair than X's. "I have Riku! From the Kingdom Hearts World! Isn't that wonderful?"
Lucifer took the time to clap for her, the noise muffled by his black gloves.
She bowed. "Everyone, this is Riku! Say hi, Riku!"
"Why should I? You just dragged me here without my consent!"
"At least you're not duct-taped," L, Kurama, Hiei and Higuchi all chorused simultaneously.
The new arrivals all looked at them quizically, but they were given no more details.
"Welcome to my happy home! Your happy home! Our happy home!"
" 'Our'?" asked Al.
"That means you don't know," said Kurama with a smile. "We're all living here."
Ed, Al, Hao, and Riku all froze. "What??"
"Congratz! You get a house that has everything! Banzai!" cheered PheonixFox. "Welcome, welcome, one and all! I am your host, PheonixFox! We--as in, Lucifer and I--want to wish you well during your stay here!"
Edward demanded, "But WHY?"
"Good question! Adventure!"
"What kind of explanation is that!?"
Hao sighed. "I'm out."
Everyone looked at him.
"Wait," said PheonixFox. "You're in."
"No, I'm out. Didn't you hear me?"
"You seem to be mistaken," said PheonixFox. "You're in. Look around you. Walls, no trees. In."
Hao looked iritated. "You know what I meant. I'm not staying here."
"Oh? Why not?"
"I have things to do."
"What kind of things?"
"Things. Important things."
"That's a LITTLE vague..."
"He's right, though," said Riku. "You can't keep us here."
"I'm not keeping you here. I'm letting you live here. This place has everything, from virtual reality rooms and libraries to training rooms, rooms with crystal balls and maps, dolls, train sets, magic mirrors, star charts, you name it!"
Ed perked up. "Library? Library, plural?"
PheonixFox nodded.
"Training...room..?" Hao asks, confused.
"Different kinds too! Spiritual, physical, mental...there's a games room, an excersize room, a weather room...yup, we've got lots of that stuff!"
"But how?" L asked, ever the realist.
"Doesn't matter! It's awesome, isn't it!" PheonixFox sang. "And trust me, there IS a reason why you're all here! It's just not to be discussed presently. Since it's important, and there are still a few people absent."
"STILL!?"
Higuchi groaned. "I can't believe this..."
