Changing

[KaraS]

The Shark zipped through the hallway with Kitten in hot pursuit and the Scoobs pounding down the hall after her.

The Shark came to a stairway and headed up...

[RagnarRB]

Kitten sliped and slid at the base of the stairs, then lost a little time struggling up. At the top she sniffed the air...which way did it go? Which way did it go?

She caught a feint scent.

[Kayde]

As they followed Ragnar, who was following Kitten, who was following the Shark, they passed mirror's in the halls. At one, Kay stopped short. Kara was signalling them. She pointed off to the side. Kay looked and turned back to Kara, confused. Kara pointed again. Kay looked again, and saw a small door to the side of the wall. Kay pointed to it and when she looked at Kara questioningly, Kara nodded her head up and down feircely.
The Shark was hiding in there. She saw a rock, and with a precision that surprised her, she threw it and hit Ragnar in the back of his neck with it.

"Ow!" he said, grabbing his neck and turning around.

Kay put her finger to her lips to keep them quiet and pointed to the door.
The Scoobs turned around and came back.

Now, how to get the shark out of there.

[Sandworm]

Sandworm was confused.

"This shark has outwitted us from turn 1. Why would it just sit there?" he said.

[RagnarRB]

"Because it's an aggrevating pain in the...." Mouse clamped a hand over his mouth before he could finish the comment.

He had to admit, short of a harpoon he was at a loss as to how to catch the thing. At leats Kitten could smell it when the others couldn't.

[KaraS]

The Shark snickered quietly. She was planning to hide in the closet until the Scoobs ran by, then double back. But somehow they had pinpointed her location.

As the Scoobs stood outside the door, discussing what to do, suddenly, the door burst open and the Shark shot out the door, past their heads and rocketed back down the hallway. The Scoobs took off again in hot pursuit.

Meanwhile, in mirror land...

Kara and Emran watched out the mirror as the Scoobs took off down the hallway again.

"They're never going to catch that shark. It's too fast." Emran said.

"Don't count them out. The Scoobs are pretty clever." Kara said.

"Let's try to find them in another mirror." Emran said.

But while they were between mirrors, suddenly, they found themselves surrounded by five glowing red sharks.

"Uh oh." Kara said.

[Emram]

Emram stopped sharply. The sharks had turned up with such suddeness he'd nearly soiled his armour!

"Kara?" he muttered out of the side of his mouth. "Any ideas?" She shook her head silently in reply.
Oh, well, when in doubt - he drew his sword and swung a deadly blow. His sword went straight through the shark - or so he thought. As he drew his sword back again to swing at another, it felt incredibly light. He stared, incredulous, at the four inch piece that was left, it's edge glowing white hot.

"Uh-oh," Kara whispered, fear in her voice. "They're lava sharks."

"What exactly is a lava shark?" the stunned Emram replied.

"Big trouble, that's what," Kara said.

"I don't care what it is," Emram fumed, his shock turning to anger. "I've had that sword for over three centuries! I'm going to make that vile creature pay." He whirled, looking at all of the sharks. "I'm going to make you all pay!"

[Sandworm]

Sandworm sprinted off after the shark, easily outrunning the other scoobs. But that shark was fast. after about 10 minutes, the shark escaped. Sandworm stopped, panting, and waited until the other scoobs caught up.

[KaraS]

"Um, just HOW are you going to make them pay?" Kara asked Emran. "If you physically attack them they'll incinerate you."

Emran stopped and thought a moment. He was a recourceful and courageous knight, but not rash or stupid. Anything that could melt his heirloom sword like butter could turn him into carbonized ash.

"I'll come up with something!" Emran grated through clenched teeth.

The circle of sharks moved to the left and Kara and Emran moved with them to stay in the middle of the circle. The sharks moved some more and it soon became obvious that the sharks were taking them somewhere. Somewhere away from the mirrors that were their lifeline back to their own dimension.

Suddenly, Emran dropped to the ground and rolled out of the circle underneath the sharks (with a tremendous clatter due to his armor). He sprang to his feet and danced away. One of the sharks broke out of the circle and followed him as the remaining sharks closed in around Kara.

"Run Emran!" Kara yelled. "Go find the others, get help!"

[KaraS]

The shark glided into an unused bedroom and through the mirror into her own dimension. She slipped noiselessly across the sands to the back of the mirror in Ragnar's room and through it back into our dimension. Making herself room temprature, she curled up on Ragnar's bed like a big dog and took a short nap.

[Sandworm]

Sandworm saw Emram run into the mirror, gesturing wildly. Sandworm didn't have to think twice, the other scoobs had not caught up yet, and Emram looked like he needed help - he jumped at the mirror, and fell through.
"why does that only work sometimes?" he wondered.
"Hey, what do you need, pal?" he asked.

[Sandworm]

Once Emram explained the situation, Sandworm looked a little less happy.
"Lava sharks? That are trying to force us to do their evil bidding? Aren't you the goodly knight? We could use some magic... that might work on them... maybe I can help, after all. I mean, Sandtrout survive in the hottest desert...?"

[KaraS]

"Do they survive in lava?" Emran asked.

"Not normally." Sandworm sighed.

Meanwhile...

The VolcanoSharks were herding Kara farther and farther from the mirrors.

"HELLLLLP!!!"

[Sandworm]

Sandworm grabbed Emram and ran towards Kara.
When they reached her, he put Emram down.
"Sorry, but I though we might want to help her. Any thoughts Kara?"

[Rivyn]

"Something's not right here," Rivyn announced, frowning. "This thing moves too fast and not in any way we can predict."

"You think it's teleporting?" Drum asked.

"I think we'd notice that," Sunny answered. "It's a hard energy signature to miss."

"So how else does a Lavashark travel?" Ragnar asked.

Her frown deepened as she paused to think. "Even if I knew anything about this particullar elemental composite, all bets are off since it's from the other side of the looking glass."

Chryse's head shot up, her expression alarmed. "Rae, don't do it..."

"Will my magic work there?"

"Well, it won't not work," the elf admitted.

"Will my weapons work? Raegun? My pulse pistol?"

She shook her head. "No. They'd function exactly opposite of how they should."

"Oh, God, Rae, you can't plan on going in there?" Kay protested. "We need your help out here to catch the lavashark."

"Catching the thing may not be possible. We're functioning without all the Intel. We need recon."

With these words and a salute to the Scoobs, Rivyn dove through the nearest mirror.

"How she ever passed Tactics with a high enough grade to get into Covert Ops," Crais muttered, shaking his head. "Ah, well. On with the hunt, shall we?"