She crossed the street and knocked on the door. It was opened by the same man who had invited her.

"Miss Annallee!" he exclaimed, "I'm so glad you could make it. Please, come in, come in."

He led her through the front hall and down a flight of stairs into what looked like a miniature ballroom. There were already a lot of guests there, but it was the strangest assortment of people Annallee had ever seen. From people wearing the most fancy clothing Annallee had ever seen, to a man who looked like a beggar.

"I'm certain everyone would enjoy a good song or two if you wouldn't mind. Perhaps you have something of your own composition?" her host said.

"I wouldn't mind at all," Annallee smiled. She could sing one of her own songs, she realized. And Pico and Alberto weren't there to say how stupid they were! This would be great!

Annallee walked over to the little raised platform that was made specifically for performers and began to tune her lute. So far, no one noticed her there, but that would soon change. She finished tuning up and started to play a cute little song with a nice rhythm that she'd written a while ago.

"It started with a look
in an old and dusty book
Of things we were not really meant to know
And now I'm running scared
From dread beyond compare
And an invite for being dinner at Tcho Tcho's!"

Sanding at a snack table, munching on cheese squares on sticks, were two off-duty Muse guards. Or, at least, they were dressed as off-duty Muse guards. Both had bright red hair cut in the exact same way. The first one munched on his fifteenth cheese square and asked his companion, "Hey Berty, do you really think the crown'll be here?"

The second jumped and said quickly, "Don't use my name or they might figure out who we are!"

"Okay, Berty," replied the first.

"Stop it! I'm not Berty!" said not-Berty.

The first guard narrowed his eyes in concentration, trying to figure that out. Instead he just noticed the music that was being played. "Is that... Achy Breaky Heart?"

Volidan Del Akutuer, Master Treasure Hunter and Explorer tapped his foot to the music as he got ready to make his big entrance. He fixed a strand of hair which was out of place and adjusted his collar. Then, at last, he put on his pristine white gloves and picked up the box veiled by a red silk cloth. At last he would have the fame he so rightly deserved.

He carried to box in to the ballroom just as the song ended, timed so that it seemed as if the silence was created for the awe of his entrance. It was a beautiful, perfect entrance. He walked to the center of the ballroom where a table was set up for his presentation and set it down.

"Good Ladies and Gentlemen of Muse," he began, "You are gifted to be the first to see the great treasure unearthed by me, Volidan Del Akutuer, Master Treasure Hunter and Explorer. I single-handedly delved into the bowels of the darkest Sindarian ruin to discover this great treasure. I faced the most dangerous Sindarian traps and monsters and have returned alive to bring this most beautiful of wonders before you this very day. And now, here it is, the Crown of Sindar." He pulled the silken cover away and revealed the shining crown.

There was a collective gasp from his audience, and then the applause began. Volidan Del Akutuer, Master Treasure Hunter and Explorer, basked in the attention he so rightfully deserved. At last, fame was his. Now those fools who had mocked him in the Association would have to admit his superiority.

And then two Muse guards had to come and ruin everything. "The Crown!" exclaimed one of them, "I have just learned that this crown is an imitation!"

What?! How could they have possibly discovered that?

The crowd of people moved a bit closer, trying to tell whether it was real or not. "The way it shines... it must be real."

"Could someone have switched the crowns?"

Volidan Del Akutuer, Master Treasure Hunter and Explorer, grasped for words, "Wha... what's going on?"

"I have called an expert. I'll have him examine the crown right away!" said the guard.

"Y-yes," sputtered Volidan Del Akutuer, Master Treasure Hunter and Explorer. "Do it immediately!" If he could maintain some semblance of being the victum, perhaps not all would be lost.

The guard picked up the crown and started to leave. But then the host of the party, Dom Madalikahn spoke up, "I don't remember inviting you two. Who are you?" The guards said nothing in response. "Well? Cat got your tongue? Speak up!"

"Dribbles, drubbles," said the guard. "I see you noticed, eh?"

The guard set down the crown next to him and both began to spin very quickly. When they stopped, both looked very different. The first became a young man with blue hair and wearing a somewhat ragged light gray shirt and pants. The second changed to another man, this one with blond hair slicked back and equally ragged pants and grayish-blue shirt.

"Welly, well well!" said the first. "'Tis I, Berty, world renowned thief!"

"And I, as welly well," continued the second, "'Tis Bart, Berty's first apprentice! Greetings."

Annallee watched in facination as the scene unfolded before her. Wow! She was present at a robbing by two famous theives, and they were robbing a famous Treasure Hunter and Explorer! Not that she'd heard of any of them before, but that was okay.

A lot of the guests moved to surround the thieves to make sure they didn't get away.

"Ah, ah! Don't move!" said the apprentice named Bart, setting down a large bomb that had been hidden in a pouch and lighting it.

Annallee's eyes widened, not from fear but from excitement. This would make a great ballad! And she would be the one to write it and make it famous!

"I assume all of you can see this boomin' bomb well now, eh?" said Bart.

"What are you waitin' for, Bart? Let's party arty, eh!"

The bomb started to bounce. It would explode soon. All the guests scattered, except Annallee, who stubornly decided not to sacrifice her view of everything that happened.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Watch out folks, the big one's coming!" said Berty.

"Here it comes!" said Bart. "Three... two... one... BOOM!!"

Nothing happened.

"......"

".....?"

"What's goin' on, Bart?"

Bart looked at the bomb closely. "I haven't got a clue, Berty."

"What're you plain' at, Bart?" Berty asked, moving closer to look at it too.

And then the bomb exploded.

Annallee was pushed back by the force of the blast into the wall and was slightly stunned for a few seconds. At the same time, the two thieves wandered back towards their previous position, stumbling through the person-shaped holes two of the walls. The guests who had moved out of blast range peered at them, especially Volidan Del Akutuer, Master Treasure Hunter and Explorer.

The two thieves shook their heads clear. "Hmmm... I'm a great and generous kind of thief," Berty said, "I'll let you go this time."

"Welly well done! You hurt Berty and me something terrible! But no more. Gone! Poof!" said Bart as they ran off.

Annallee got up and watched as Berty ran quickly back, picked up the crown, and ran off again. Then she realized something. She still hadn't gotten the full story for her ballad! She ran after them.