Prologue

Dear Lord Phantomhive,
Thank you very much for the work you have done for me. In return, I will send you to a lush vacation resort in a place away from England. The location will not be revealed, however, until you arrive, so as to keep it a surprise. A carriage will come for you tomorrow morning. There is no need to bring anything but your butler, Sebastian. Have fun and good luck!
Sincerely,
Queen Victoria

Ciel eyed the letter thoughtfully. "Why would the Queen wish me good luck on a vacation?"

"I wonder why he wants us two and not our partners?" Tsubaki wondered aloud as she stood in front of the great red door next to Death the Kid.

"Yes, it's weird that we're separated from them," Kid answered. Then he knocked on Lord Death's door and pushed it open. They entered, and, finding the room vacant, rubbed 42-42-564 onto Death's mirror.

"Hiya!" Lord Death said as he appeared in the mirror.

"Father, you sent for us?" Kid inquired.

"Yes I did! I have a special mission for the both of you. And don't worry about your unsynched wavelengths because soul resonance is unnecessary in this task."

Kid and Tsubaki listened with curiosity.

"Your presence was requested on a hidden property somewhere far beyond Death City. I want you two to go there and hang out, see what's going on. They requested the both of you specifically, and I find that odd."

"Do you think they're up to something?" Tsubaki asked. "But what if Kid and I can't work together-"

"You are both very good students. I am sure you can handle it," Death said confidently. "Be at the train station at 9 o'clock sharp. Bye bye now!" Lord Death said, waving as the image in the mirror dimmed.

"Why couldn't it have been 8?" Kid sighed.

The Vocaloids jumped in surprise as Hatsune Miku burst through the front door of Luka's house with an enormous grin spread across her face.

"I'm finally here!" she exclaimed happily. "And guess what? One of my fans won a free vacation to a tropical island, and they gave it to me!" She exclaimed, not allowing time for any guesses.

"That's great!" Luka said with a smile.

"That's not all! I get to bring a friend!" Miku announced enthusiastically.

The Vocaloids present-Kaito, Meiko, Teto, Rin, Len, and Luka-glanced at each other. Finally, Rin asked, "So who are you taking with you, Miku?"

"Good question," Miku answered, thinking. Then she simply pointed at Kaito.

"Me?" Kaito said in surpise.

"Eenie, meanie, minie, mo," Miku chanted, moving her finger across the group. "Catch a tiger by the toe. If he hollers, let him go. My mother says to pick the very best one and you are it! Okay, Len is coming with me!"

"Really?" Len exclaimed, beaming. Then he glanced at the rest of them uncomfortably.

"That's fair," Rin assured him. "Have fun, you two!"

"Alright!" Miku said. "Len, we've got a train to catch at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning!"

Britain's phone rang at about two o'clock in the morning, waking him from a nice scone-related dream. He slapped his hand on his cell phone and put it to his ear. "'ello."

"Dude! Britain! I have totally rockin' news for ya, bro!"

"America!" Britain hissed angrily. "Do you have any idea what time it is over here?"

"I dunno, like two in the morning or something," came the answer. "But dude seriously listen! My boss wants me to take you on vaca with me! Sound cool or what?"

"That's not cool at all."

"Awesome! Meet me at my place at 9 o'clock A.M. my time, tomorrow, 'kay? See ya!"

"Wait, I don't-" Britain started, but America already hung up.

The Englishman stared at his phone for a minute. Then, he muttered, "Bloody hell..." and went back to sleep.

"Look at this," Light Yagami said to Ryuk. He held up the newly opened letter so his shinigami friend could see.

"What's that?" Ryuk asked, too lazy to read it.

"It looks like we've been invited to a secluded vacation spot by an anonymous host... No, we're required to come."

"Are you gonna go?"

"I suppose so... And you're coming with me. The letter was addressed to both of us."

"Really? Let me see." Ryuk peered over Light's shoulder to examine the letter. Sure enough, it was addressed to "Light Yagami and Ryuk Shinigami."

"This person knows who you are," Light said to Ryuk interestedly. "I'd like to meet the host and see what this is about. Looks like we'll be catching a train at 9 o'clock tomorrow."

Korra looked happier than usual when she came into the gym, where Mako and Bolin were already training.

"Hey Korra. Why so smiley?" Bolin asked when he saw her.

"I was invited to go to a vacation spot in on a 'newly explored' island! And Tenzin is letting me go! AndI'm allowed to bring one person!" Korra explained excitedly.

"Sweet! I knew inviting you to the team would be worth it!" Bolin said happily. "So, what should I pack?"

"Slow down, Bolin. I'm not sure who I want to bring, so you and Mako can have a mini probending match to decide the matter!"

"You want us to fightfor a vacation with you? I'll pass," Mako said, rolling his eyes.

"Then I win by default!" Bolin declared.

"It's settled! Mako's coming with me!" Korra grinned. Both bending brothers' jaws dropped open in surprise.

"But I-"

"I don't want-"

"We have a special cab to catch at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning, Mako. Don't be late!" She smirked annoyingly and left, leaving Mako and Bolin staring after her.

Ayano was stubbornly waiting in the garden of the Fire House for Kazama's arrival. Ren had grown tired and went to bed long ago, and now the moon was high. And Ayano did not budge.

Finally, Kazuma landed in the garden in front of her, bright blue eyes fading to brown. "What are you doing out here?" he asked.

"Waiting for you, idiot!" Ayano snapped. "Where have you been?"

"Places," Kazuma said with a shrug.

Ayano clenched her fists, but then uncharacteristically sighed and relaxed. "Look," she said, "I'm going on a trip. A vacation, actually. I want you to come."

"When, tomorrow?" Kazuma asked, and when she nodded, he said, "Well, I have some plans..."

"I'm not taking 'no' for an answer," Ayano said, crossing her arms.

Kazuma laughed. "I hate it when you get like this. Fine, I'll come."

Ayano smiled. "Be ready to travel at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning.

Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum was ecstatic to find in his mailbox a letter requesting his presence at "the greatest tournament of all time." The letter said that champions from all over the world were attending, and the tournament included a fine vacation spot on a tropical island.

The only problem with the invitation was that he was only allowed to bring one Pokémon with him. However, his choice was a no-brainer.

"Are you ready for the big day tomorrow, Pikachu? We have to get going at 9 o'clock!"

"Cecily. Lisa and I are going on a short trip tomorrow," Luke said as he, Cecily, Lisa, and Aria ate dinner.

"Where are you going?" Cecily asked.

"We're going to some newly explored island," Lisa explained. "It's more of a vacation, actually."

"Oh! Can I come? Please?" Cecily pleaded, somewhat upset that she had been excluded from the plans until now.

"Sorry. Only two people can come," Luke said. "The invitation said so."

"I can stay home," Lisa said. "I don't really want to go," she added more quietly.

"Lisa, we're required to go," Luke told her.

"No, you're required to go, Luke. The second person is your choice."

Luke raised his hands in defeat. "Looks like you're coming with me, Cecily. Be ready early tomorrow morning."

"Yes!" Cecily exclaimed, punching the air.

Sakura,
Great work on the mission today. You did especially well. You've earned a break, starting tomorrow at 9 A.M. Be at the dock and ready to sail then; you will be spending time at a private resort.
-Sensei

Sakura stared at the letter incomprehendingly. Was this real? Then, deciding (at least to hope) that it was real, Sakura jumped up and fisted the air, shouting "Yeah!"

Suddenly she became dead silent. Off in the distance she heard the voice of a certain blonde that drove her crazy mad.

"YAHOO! I'M GOING ON VACATION!"

"Naruto got the letter too?" Sakura growled, crumpling her own letter in a clenched fist.

"I'm so bored!" Rangiku complained, stretching out on the sofa. "Even the weater is boring." She looked outside at the pouring rain and sighed.

"That isn't much of a problem," Toshiro noted, placing his Zanpakuto in its hilt, "Captain-Commander Yamamoto wants to see us."

Rangiku sat up. "For what?"

"I don't know. Something about sending us to the human world."

"For what, getting rid of more hollows? Finding potential Shinigamis?"

"He didn't say."

"Ooh! Maybe we can go shopping while we're there!"

Toshiro sighed. "Yes, now come on."

"You two are to scout an island in the human world. However, you may not bring your Zanpakuto," the captain said, handing them a sheet of paper with directions. "Be prepared to leave the Soul Society by 9:00 tomorrow morning."

"Vacation!" Rangiku cheered, spinning in a circle.

The Ao Oni had grown quite bored after Hiroshi left his mansion. Now that he had escaped, he had most likey told everyone to stay away. The Ao Oni hadn't had a human snack in ages.

Abruptly, there was a knock at its old wooden door. The Oni perked up and waited for his next snack to come in. It never did. Instead, a slip of paper slid under the door.

Great Ao Oni,
You are cordially invited to join us in T. A. G. Please bring a friend.

The Ao Oni's awkward smile became wider.

"Hiroshi... Revenge..." it rumbled. Then it opened the front door, walked across the lawn to the gate, and cautiously stepped past the gate. The rules of its game were now violated. But that no longer mattered.

It was alive. And past the gate.

"Hiroshi... Revenge..."

The Ao Oni followed its prey's faint, transparent scent. It followed the scent all the way to Hiroshi's house. Then it politely rang Hiroshi's doorbell.

The student with gray hair, glasses, and a white scarf answered the door. He took one look at the Ao Oni and fainted.

The Ao Oni grabbed him by the scarf and walked off. It wished it could eat him right then and there, but that was not possible. It was no longer playing by the rules of that game. But there was a new game to be played.

"Hiroshi... Revenge..."