Chapter 9

The four friends sat in the secret fortress's large central chamber, and made plans.

It was summer break, and next year they would be Juniors. Well, except for Axorie, who had the sum of all knowledge if she wanted to think about it. Mostly, though, she was all about being a teenager, experiencing life as an individual, not as quantum.

It was somewhat inconvienent being invisible, not to mention being naked. Freaky got lots of strange looks, well, more than usual, when he insisted that he ride "alone" at the amusement park. Of course, when he couldn't swing it, it was fun to ride on his lap. She slept in his bed, but she didn't sleep. Couldn't sleep, couldn't dream, The best she could do was to occasionaly get a bit spacy, but that only lasted until something grabbed her attention. So, she tried to experience as much of 'normal' existance as she could, with the help of her friends, who treated her just like any other person, any other person that is, who couldn't eat, sleep, or dream. Her imagination was not the best either, although in a way, she was the sum of all the imagination of mankind.

But that was not her own imagination or dreams. So she threw herself into being a vital, playful, energetic teen. Freaky was so lucky, she was the perfect girlfriend, except for being all invisible and naked and all. Well, come to think, nothing wrong with the last bit.

Steetch wanted to make his samurai sword (using traditional Japanese methods) for the first two weeks, and then work on completing hs sub, to get his last Eagle Scout

Merit Badge. He wasn't so into the scouts, and never had been, really, but you know how collectors can be. A complete set, and a submarine. He was still deciding between a two man deep sea exploration sub, and a schoolbus sized party boat, only rated to a few hundred feet for 23 hours or so, the proverbial "Yellow Submarine".Either one would be tres cool. Freaky had provided him with the materials he needed to start the refining process (traditional) to turn the iron sand into carbon steel. Usualy it took a small team of people working in shifts, but Axorie had offered to help, and between the two of them, what with her not needing breaks, they could keep the furnace stoked.

They planned the fire off to take place, and lined up Freaky's help with the bellows, and started shoveling sand and coal powder, in the approved way.

"I hope you know, I intend to make both katana and wakizashi for each of us." avered

Steetch. "Will you be wanting a set also, Axorie?"

"Sure, I would like that very much, Steetch," Axorie conveyed telepathically. "Once you give them to me, I can incorperate their essence, and manifest them anytime I want as part of my self-image."

"Can you do that with any material goods?" wondered Hardcase.

"Of Course" intimated Axorie.

"Then you don't really have to be naked then?" realized Hardcase.

"Not at all," giggled Axorie, " I just like being this way. After all," she continued, as her three friends chimed in all in unison "Since she's/(I'm) invisible, noone can see that she's naked anyway".and they all laughed together. "Right," directed Steetch, "this part of the process takes three days, now that the fire is going and the 'bellows' are pumping, why don't you two go home, visit your ... well your people, I guess I should say in your case,

Freaky, get a good homecooked meal and a nice sleep in your own bed. Come back in the morning, and I will take a nap then. Axorie and I can handle it until then."