A story I was inspired to do by a good friend. :)

Skylanders belongs to Activision. I only own Rachel and Crystal.

Finding Your Balance

"Crystal, calm down, mija," Rachel chuckled as she tried to help her little sister put on her ice skates.

"Hurry up!" The seven-year-old said excitedly as she bounced in her seat. "I want to skate!"

The older girl chuckled. "You got to sit still so I can get your skates on properly, hon," she said.

Two black hands gently caught Crystal around the middle and held her still. "I got her," came a familiar voice.

The young girl giggled as she titled her head back to look up at Krypt King, her big sister's Trap Team partner. "King!" She giggled as she tried to squirm, but he had her in a gentle, secure hold.

"Let your sister make sure your skates are on right before I let you up," he said with a smile in his voice. "You don't want to injure your ankle while you're on the ice."

Crystal finally sat still and Rachel got the skates laced up and secure. "Okay, now you're ready," she said, standing up carefully as she had her ice skates on too. "Careful. Ice skating is a little different from roller skating."

"Okay," the young girl said, walking very carefully to the skating rink that was just a couple of feet away. Krypt King helped her and the Life Portal Master held onto the wall for a moment before pushing off gently, finding her balance and carefully moving her feet.

"You're doing great, Crystal," Rachel said before she stepped onto the rink herself and turned to her partner. "You coming, King?"

He stepped onto the rink, finding his balance thankfully and he smiled. "Good thing you gave me those skating lessons sometime back," he said as they joined hands and skated in tandem.

Chop Chop, who had just returned from a mission that had almost gone south, saw them and decided to try ice skating to get his mind off of things. He took a step onto the rink and then another before his foot slipped and he fell stomach first on the ice. Rachel jumped when she heard the fall and turned to find Chop Chop looking a bit dazed. "You okay, Chops?" She asked, skating over to him.

He sighed. "Yeah, just lost my balance," he admitted, trying to get his feet underneath him, but that was hard. Rachel leaned down and carefully grabbed him by his underarms, lifting him up and setting him back down on his feet. "Thanks," he said, trying to skate, but falling down again.

Krypt King came up to them and helped Chop Chop back up again. "Try getting your balance," he said.

The skeleton warrior tried, but fell down again. Letting out a sigh, he sat still for a moment before trying again and falling down again. "You guys make it look so easy," he said.

"It's really not," Rachel said gently.

Krypt King was thoughtful before perking up. "Actually, if you can't get up, then you can't escape either," he said with a chuckle.

Chop Chop looked up at him. "What?" He asked.

The black-armored skeleton chuckled. "Don't think I forgot that it was you that jumped on me the other morning and tickled my feet while I was trapped in the covers."

The smaller skeleton quickly tried to get up, but was unable to, to which King grabbed one of Chop Chop's feet and began tickling it with his free hand.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! KIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHING!" The Arkeyan skeleton protested through his laughter.

Crystal came over to see what was going on and giggled too. "I didn't know Chop Chop was ticklish," she said.

Rachel chuckled. "Oh, he is, just like you," she said, playfully tickling her sister's underarms and making the little girl squirm and giggle while she successfully kept her balance on the ice.

They then turned to see King had caught both of Chop Chop's feet and held them in a headlock, his free hand scurrying all over the sensitive feet and making the shorter skeleton laugh harder. "Tickle, tickle, tickle!" King cooed to his companion. "Who knew you were so ticklish?"

Crystal giggled. "He's as ticklish as Grim Creeper," she said, recalling when her older sister had tickled the ghost.

"Yes, he is," Rachel agreed with a chuckle. "I was wondering why King was so tangled up in the sheets that morning."

Chop Chop was still laughing and tried to pull his feet away, actually succeeding, but at the same time, he made King lose his balance and both ended up flat on the ice. Rachel and Crystal laughed before the little girl perked up and skated up the the black-armored skeleton, tickling his exposed ribs.

"AHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA! CRYHIHIHIHIHIHIHSTAL! NOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOT THEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHERE!" He laughed out.

Chop Chop laughed. "Get him good, Crystal!" He cheered before laughing as Rachel tickled his ribs.

"Did you forget King's got a partner?" The Tech Portal Master asked with a chuckle.

Krypt King reached up and tickled Crystal's stomach, making the little girl squeal with laughter as he tickled her, nudging up her shirt just a little to expose her belly button and he blew a raspberry right onto that spot, making her squeal louder and squirm.

Finally, after a bit, Rachel helped Chop Chop back up and then helped King and Crystal up. The black-armored skeleton gently took Chop Chop's arm. "Follow my lead," he said as he skated backwards, gently pulling the smaller skeleton forward.

Managing to keep his balance, the Arkeyan skeleton mimicked his friend and it wasn't long before he was skating without help. "Huh. Once you get your balance, it's not that hard," he said.

"Finding your balance is always important," Rachel said as she skated up to them. "Like with me learning from the Senseis about the elements. Master Eon said I almost have the Fire element down. If I keep it up, I just might become the Tech/Fire Portal Master."

"Or maybe Tech/Fire/Undead," Krypt King said. "Chopscotch said you've been working with her and her sister on the Undead Element."

"I have been, yes," the young woman said, a nervous look crossing her face, but she quickly schooled her features back to a smile.

Crystal came up to them. "Watch this!" She said happily before skating off and lifting her right leg up behind her until it was straight up in the air so it looked like she was doing a split standing up.

"Great job, Crystal!" Chop Chop said, clapping his hands.

King chuckled. "She's been taking lessons?" He asked.

"Yeah," Rachel said with a smile. "King Pen's been teaching her."

Crystal came back to them, a big smile on her face. "Rach, do you think I can be a champion skater someday? Like on T.V.?" She asked.

"If you decide that's what you want to do, I bet you can," the older girl said.

"You've got a good start so far," Chop Chop said.

"Just remember to have fun with it too," Krypt King said with a smile.

Crystal giggled happily as they all continued skating, keeping their balances and just having fun.

Fun fact: It is possible Rachel could become a multi-element Portal Master. :) But that is another story for another time. :) And the sister King is referring to is Candy Chopscotch. I know it's a variation of Chopscotch herself, but I think the two would be sisters. :)

Please leave a review, but no flames!

GoldGuardian2418