The day of the sleepover had arrived. Pinkzilla drove me to the low-income apartment complex and proceeded to escort me to the room number written on the paper Elizabeth gave me. It was clear to both me that Pinkzilla was not impressed. Frankly, neither was I. The handrails on the stairs were a rusty mess, every other light in the hall was out, and there were stains on the concrete floor of all kinds of colors. 

We reached the top floor of the three story building and arrived at the correct apartment number. I knocked on the door once.

Elizabeth opened the door immediately making both me and Pinkzilla jump with surprise. Was she standing there waiting all morning? 

"Hey." She whispered, hearing Elizabeth speak quietly was odd enough, but only one word came out of her mouth. Was she sick or something? Or just nervous about having a friend over? Another odd thing was she was only opening the door as far as her body was wide. Maybe a precaution from some of the ruffer tenant's?

"What's up?"

"Hi sweetie, before I go, could I talk to your parents?" Pinkzilla had been looking forward to this meet and greet ever since I told her about this sleepover.

"Um, they are dead." 

Pinkzilla appeared to have been caught off guard. "Oh, Well who's here then?"

Was it just me or was Elizabeth sweating? "My grandma, but she's asleep."

"Is that why you are whispering?" Pinkzilla inquired, matching Elizabeth whisper. 

Elizabeth's eyes shifted to one side then to the other, then met Pinkzilla's again. "Yeah." 

"Ok, we won't disturb your grandmother then. I do hope I can meet her when I pick up Lily. Can you make sure she know's?" 

"Sure." 

"Ok, I'll leave Lily to you then." She turned to me. "Ok, Flower you be good now." Yes at some point she started calling me Flower. No, I am not a fan.

"Oh, I'll have this place nice burnt to a crisp by the time you get back. Don't you worry."

She pursed her lips in a thin smile. "I'm sure you'll have fun." With that, she walked away. My sense of humor was growing on her I could tell.

"Come on get in here." Elizabeth still whispering was now urgently beckoning me inside.

"Ok ok, what's the rush?"

"Just get inside."

Walking inside, I saw the layout of the apartment. To my right, a door hung open reviling a bathroom, at my left the kitchen, in front of me was a little alcove that made up the living room. Two rooms that I assumed were bedrooms were placed on both sides. 

Behind me, Elizabeth was watching Pinkzilla leave. She gave a sigh that I could only translate as relief and shut the door. What was she so nervous about?

"What's that sound! Elizabeth you better not be leaving!" A shrill and gravely voice came from the kitchen. 

"No, I'm not!"

Grandma walked into plain view. This was not the kind old lady you would find at bingo night. She was grossly overweight, wore glasses that magnified her eyes so much that she probably could see into space, her teeth were yellow and crooked, she had a beer in one hand and a lit cigarette between her middle and index fingers, in the same hand. Despite the cigarette smoke haze that was in the air, I could tell, by her snarl, that she was looking down on me in a "Your so puny, you're not worth squashing." kind of way. More importantly, she was not asleep as Elizabeth stated to Pinkzilla.

"Who the hell is this!?" She growled while adjusting her magnivision 3000 glasses to get a better look at me. 

"This is my friend Lily she came over for the weekend. Remember?" Elizabeth sounded desperate. "We talked about this."

Grandma took a puff of her cigarette. "I'd don't remember. And since when do you have friends anyway?

After that statement, I was feeling a little defensive on Elizabeth's behalf.

"We did talk about it. Remember?" Elizabeth asked again.

Grandma took a sip of her beer. Then another puff on the cigarette. "Fine whatever! Just keep it down, I got soap's to watch!"

Elizabeth turned to me. Giving me a thumb's up. Then without warning grabbed my hand and pulled me to the bedroom on the left. Her room.

I placed my bag and purse, in the corner next to her dresser, which was just to the right of the door.

The room itself was about what you would expect from a little girl's room. It was bright colorful and girly as could be. Granted it would never meet Pinkzilla's standards.

"So your gran..." I was trying to ask, what that was all about, but was interrupted by myself. And by that, I mean...

"Here look I drew this from all the footage of the magical girl floating around the internet." Yep myself, I was interrupted by a drawing of myself. Of course, Elizabeth had no idea, whom she was really fangirling over.

Honestly, It was a good sketch, surprisingly good. So good you could easily mistake it as a work done by an adult. She had me sitting on my bike posing with my gun pointed up and to the left. "Wow, that is very detailed. Does the internet footage, really show that much detail?" Seriously there were details about my outfit, on this drawing, that I didn't think would show up on a fuzzy store security cam.

"Oh yeah, especially the footage from the Chinatown shoot out! Everybody was getting good shots with their phones, y' know!"  

Cell phones of course. I hoped none of that footage showed me killing people. A girl like her should not be watching that. I had to ask... "So how much does this footage show?" 

"Oh, all the best stuff!" So yeah this went on for a while. 

This girl has witnessed far too much of my brutally. Slitting throats, blowing a man's brains against the wall with one of my sidearms. You name it she's seen it. Worst yet is the fact that she recalled all of my horrible deeds with a big grin on her face like it was the greatest thing she ever saw.

That said, I hereby declare that my first wish will not be to become the man I once was. No, I vow that all cell phone cameras are to be eradicated from the face of the earth. So that no child will ever look upon brutality like this ever again. 

Thank you, Elizabeth for making me see the light. 

Elizabeth suddenly stopped her fangirling. "Oh no, it's almost noon!"

"Why, what happens at noon?"

Elizabeth did answer, but instead walked over to the far wall, and knocked on it. 

"Um, Elizabeth?"

"No, call me Liz like Jeramy does."

"Um ok, Liz. what's going on?"

"Look!" Liz pointed out her window. 

There's a man out there! Or rather a boy. The boy lifted the window and came inside. It was none other than Eraser himself.

"How?" We were three stories up. "Why?" The balls on this kid!

"Hey, Lily what's up?" Did he seriously just ask that like nothing was wrong?! That it! I'm changing his nickname to Dumbass!

"You're up Dumbass! You can't just use a door!?"

"Pfff HAHA, No way, that old bag hate's me. No way I'm getting in through there."

"So how?"

"His room is next to mine!" Liz filled in for Dumbass.

"Next apartment over, but yeah, what she said." Dumbass added.

"Yeah but, still." I couldn't believe what I just saw. I might be repeating myself, but the balls on this kid.

"Oh, who cares. I brought lunch!" Dumbass announced triumphantly holding up a bag that was once slung over his shoulder. 

"Lunch!" Liz shouted. 

"SHUT UP IN THERE!!! OR YOUR ONE AND ONLY FRIEND IS GOING IN THE STREETS!!!" Screamed grandma.

Bring it on bitch. Was the only thought in my head at that moment. I was starting to like her less and less.

But enough about her. Dumbass had brought over ham and cheese sandwiches, potato chips for weeks, and sodas for days. How he got his hands on all this was a mystery to me, but whatever.

There was only one problem. Noon had come, the soap opera had begun.

Male voice: But, what do you mean it's not my baby! How could you do this to me!

Female voice: Not everything about you! Besides, you are not the only man in my life you know!

BLA BLA BLA BLA BLA BLA BLA BLA.

That was the kind of crap we heard for the last 2 hours. At full volume through paper thin walls. 

Not that we didn't have any fun with it mind you, we mocked and insulted probably every character and every unfortunate circumstance. And I know these are fictional characters I was listening to, but still. Who lives such pathetic lives? 

When all that was finally over, we had to find something else to do. I had brought just the thing, from My Home.

Poker, chips and all. A perfect game for small children don't you think? But seriously all the gambling crap aside, Poker was a harmless game of skill and luck. Depending on how you played that is, for example, you could be a good card counter, that would put you on the skill end of the game. If you were a complete newbie or just not good at card counting, you would likely be on the luck side. However, regardless of the side, you fell on, you had to be able to read your opponent, and not fall for bluffs.

Of course, we weren't using real money or anything. Just the chips. Nothing wrong with kids learning the game, and playing just for fun. Right? Besides learning not to get suckered in a game like this was good practice for when facing down real life con-men.

Dumbass was all for learning the game, where Liz was a bit more skeptical. After a few practice turns, showing them the ropes of the game. The real thing got underway. 

And the results!

• Yours truly- 3 wins 
• Dumbass- 2 wins
• Liz- 5 wins

That right Liz of all people beat us 5 times, and now we can make that 6.

"WAHAHAHA!" Liz laughed as she pounced the remaining chips like a cat on a mouse. "Mine, mine, mine all mine!" 

I couldn't believe this I only showed her card counting once. Once damn it! I underestimated the gray matter in that girl's head. I didn't help that she already had the best poker face ever. All she did was sit there with a goofy grin on her face. It never changed even when she had a bad hand. 

Except for Liz who was on roll, nobody wanted to play anymore. That's when something interesting happened.

"Hey, Liz." 

"Yeah, Jeramy."

Jeramy pulled something else out of his bag a goodies, a small cake that said happy birthday. "Happy Birthday Liz." 

"Jeramy, no you didn't have to."

"Oh, don't give me that. That old bag out there never gives two shits about your birthday, not that she could even remember it these days."

After he said this Liz tensed up. At first, I thought she was offended by the slight on her grandmother, but nope I was wrong. She set the small cake aside and gave the boy a big hug.

I was feeling a little like an intruder. 

Liz let go of Jeramy. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Now looking incredibly awkward Jeramy stood and headed for the window. "Well, I should be getting back before my mom wake's up."

"Wake's up?" I asked.

"Yeah, she works nights. Been asleep all day. Later." He opened the window and began to head out. Then turned his attention back to me. "Hey, Lily you're alright. Thanks for teaching me poker."

"Thanks, and your welcome, later Dumbass." 

"Haha, fuck you." Dumbass then gave me the finger and left for the night.

I turned to Liz who had her full attention on the cake. Grabbing the small cake with her hands and shoving it in her mouth. Classy girl real classy.

"So why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?" 

"I didn't want you to come because you had to."

"Oh, well I had fun, so no regrets over here."

Oh good, it's my turn for a hug now. Liz squeezed me tight. Frankly, I am not a hugger, but I did my best and gave her a couple of pats on the back.

She pulled away. Tears threatening to pour out of her eyes. "Thank you, for coming. I don't have many friends. Just Jeramy, and he a jerk." 

"It's ok, I think I got two and two together, here. You've wanted to have a sleepover with a friend for a long time, haven't you?"

"Yeah, but the only person I could ever have one with is Jeramy." She put on a look of mock disgust when saying his name. Poor guy. Oh well, they were only 9 and they would figure it out eventually. 

"So what you mean is you wanted a friend that was a girl."

"Yeah, cuz boys are kind of gross. Y' know." Again, that poor guy. Also, this was coming from the girl who was shoving a cake in her face like a cavewoman, a minute ago.

"Then why'd you invite him over then?"

"Because he had food!"

Too funny, far too funny. I was gone, laughing like an idiot. I couldn't help it, that logic, was just so childish, and a good reminder that although they may seem more mature than most other kids their age due to hardships, they were still 9.

"What so funny." Clearly, the poor girl didn't get her own joke. Not that she intended to make one in the first place.

I've got to be honest, what I said to Liz was true I did have fun today despite myself. It was the first time I truly laughed like this since the incident that put me in this form, to begin with. It felt good.

A knock came from the wall. It was Dumbass. "Hey Liz, I almost forgot to remind you!"

"Oh right." She looked a little annoyed. "Got it thanks!" She then responded. She then went to the door and locked it.

"Why?"

"Because of grandma, you saw her this morning. She started early today."

"Drinking?"

"Yeah. she usually doesn't until after her soap's, but today for some reason..."

"I see."

"Yeah, I have to lock the door so she doesn't wander in."

I see now, this poor girl was always so cheerful, despite all of this. It also explained she was so shifty at the door, and lied straight to Pinkzilla's face, about her grandma being asleep. There was no way the woman would have left me here knowing I might come to harm. Liz knew that. 

Come to think of it. It's kind of irresponsible of Liz to invite a friend into an atmosphere like this, to begin with. I couldn't blame the girl thou, she was after all very lonely. What with her only company being a "gross boy." 

Thump, Crash! Speak of the devil. Sounds like grandma can't walk straight. 

Liz winced. "It's still early, but turning out the light will help so we might as well go to bed now. " She looked a lot disappointed, but not surprised that things turned out like this. 

I pulled out a sleeping bag that I had brought, from my bag and set it out. 

It was a few hours later before the crashing, banging and glass breaking stopped. Liz was fast asleep. I was about to go off to dreamland myself when. A soft, but still unmistakably masculine voice started to speak.

"Excuse me, are you, Lilyana Rose?" 

I sat up. Fully on guard. "Who's asking?" I asked softly, not wanting to wake Liz.

"I am a member of the Fey guard. You are requested to return to the Dixon household. Your mascot Tulip is under arrest for unauthorized creation of a Divine Hero."