free hosting   image hosting   hosting reseller   online album   e-shop   famous people

started 4:20 PM; thursday, july 13, '03
Just kidding! This part's fucked up.

"How so?" How could FATE owe Yokiko anything?

"Just . . . don't ask. I'm not normally this nice, I just thought . . . I mean, oh well." A hand was pressed to Yokiko's forehead, and for a moment she felt whoozy, to the point where she could not keep herself up any longer. When her vision cleared again, she was laying on the slide instead of the figure, who leaned closer to her. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she thought that she could see a grin glittering somewhere in the darkness of that hood.

"I guess this is good-bye, then," it said, brushing her hair back away from her face. "Take good care of the world for me. I'll be there just in case."

"W-wait, just . . . Let me know who you are? That way I could call out if I needed help! It might save you some trouble too." She hoped that might convince the figure somehow.

"I'll hear you if you call out for me. Just don't tell anyone about these powers and you'll be fine. And, ah . . ."

In the background, there was a voice, and the figure tensed.

"Good-bye!" it bid, and the person in the distance ran up to her.

"Are you okay?" Yokiko was shaken, and again the voice called out: "Are you alright? Yoki, talk to me."

Vision still somewhat blurred, Yokiko tried to think of who called her Yoki. Well, a lot of people called her Yoki, but still! "Who is it?" she rubbed her eyes to try to make them better while she asked.

Soon, she was looking into red eyes, and Saen grinned. "You always seem to turn up in the strangest places. Are you alright? And how did you get here?" Checking her over, he helped her to her feet. "Urgh, you smell of Mors," he noted, wrinkling his nose.

"Yeah, I kinda died . . ." She didn't think about the fact that she would have to explain how she got out though.

"Ick. That sucks." Saen shoved his hands into his pockets, leaning up against a pole. "Everything returned to normal; it's odd. Even Xanthe seems a little more normal than usual."

"Xanthe, normal?" she questioned, not knowing that Xanthe had ever been normal.

"But our team's never going to be normal again," Saen sighed. "No Adobe, no Chandler, no Daemian, no Kessi, no Jaimi . . ."

Adobe . . . Daemian . . . What had happened to those two? She knew about Jaimi already, and let's face it, she hardly even wanted to think about the other two. "What happened to Adobe and Daemian?" she asked, hardly believeing that Xanthe would let Adobe die, or that Daemian would let himself die.

"Dead. Or at least missing," Saen admitted shakily. "We took some hard hits. Me too . . ." he said, pulling up his shirt to show off a large scar on his stomach. "Xanthe's Good-Morning Impalation."

Yokiko laughed nervously, "Is that what you mean by "Xanthe seems a little more normal than usual"?"

"What else is normal for him?" Saen asked, grinning.

Yokiko thought back to the Xanthe that she had known for a few minutes when he had been explaining to her about his feelings and about the note to give to Sachi. Wait, wasn't that supposed to bring Jaimi BACK? In everything that had happened since then Yokiko had forgotten her only hope. "Jaimi . . . Wait, so Jaimi isn't back?"

"Not . . . Jaimi-Jaimi," Saen explained. "I mean, there's a "Jaimi", but not the real one. He's Dante. I think that this is supposed to somehow make us feel worse about the situation than we do already. But Dante is gone, and Ikaika is nowhere to be found, so . . . The only really BAD thing is that we're stuck with Sachi, who's gone crazy beyond any means of salvation."

Holding her head, Yokiko tried to fight away a headache, "So you mean we have no Jaimi, and we're stuck with Dante? Argh, Sachi can just make a clone of Jaimi, can't he? He seemed to be happy with his own creation . . ." Everything from today was almost too much for her to comprehend.

"Yeah, well . . ." Saen sighed. "There's a difference between the real Jaimi and a sex doll. Not . . .very MUCH of a difference, but you get the point."

"I'm suprised that Sachi could get over himself long enough to notice that difference," she said dripping with sarcasm.

"He never did. I think that's why he's still crazy."

"True," Yokiko admitted," but what are we going to do now? Ikaika and Dante are going to be stronger than any of us can imagine now that they are together again, aren't they?" Oops, she had forgotten that she was now part of FATE, didn't she? She COULD maybe fight against them if it came to that, couldn't she? But it would have to be without the others knowing. And with the feeling of power that was surging through her body she was sure that she could at least TRY.

"That was my first suspicion," Saen admitted. "Still . . . what does Ikaika have left to fight for? Anyway, if he ever does come back . . . We'll just have to be ready for it."

Yokiko nodded. SHE would be ready, even if the others weren't . . . though she still wished that she could learn more about these powers from the one who had bestowed them apon her.

"Rommi's doing just fine, I should tell you." Scratching his head, he added, "She refuses to move from Biel's side . . . I think. That's what Xanthe told me. And Xanthe's not one to tell the truth so much anymore. She's still in Sun-- Going to find your disciples, Chandler?"

Chandler was caught by the collar, and dragged back towards Saen. Obviously, he had been trying to sneak past them, and he paled.

"S-Saen," Chandler squeaked. "Um . . . I've really gotta' go. I'm in a rush and all."

"You're up to something," Saen muttered, pointing to Chandler's black nails. "You're wearing your Apocalypse clothes again."

"Yeah, well . . ." Chandler ducked, and ran off.

"Great. Now let's expect an attack from Sati as well," Saen grumbled.

"What do you mean?" Wow, it was hard to believe, but she was more powerful than Hyne now, wasn't she?

"So it seems that everyone is on their own agendas," Saen complained. "Including my father. Hyne, I hate my life." At that moment, Saen seemed bitter; everything WAS back to normal after all.

"It seems we all have it badly now, huh?" she agreed, remembering that she couldn't have Jaimi back.

"We've never had anything going well for us. That I remember, anyway." Saen thought back a couple of years. "Well, there WAS the time when . . . no. Okay, we never were very well off."

"Sadly, things were better when I was stalking you and not having tried anything yet. Not that I would ever want to do that again," she laughed nervously, "No offense."

"Oh yeah. You WERE the one who fucked everything up, weren't you?" Saen asked suddenly. All at once, the world around her dimmed again, and when she'd regained her sight, she was in the middle of Sunderland, as it had been before, when it was normal.

"Thank HYNE," she looked around her, being more thankful than anything for the sudden change of scenery. She would have to remember not to remind anyone of her past from now on. "Now, to find out how I got here."

"Whoa --" A voice from behind her called out. "You just . . .appeared right in front of me. Odd . . ." Suddenly, hazel eyes brightened. "You're the new FATE!"

Blinking, Yokiko put her most confused face on that she could manage and moved to look the figure straight in the eyes.

"Um . . . Or at least, I think you are . . ." Backing away in something like fear, Kessi managed a nervous smile. ". . . Hi," he squeaked nervously.

"Oh!" Yokiko brightened, she would just let him use his own thoughts against himself. As long as she was calm around him he wouldn't be sure about anything. "How are you, Kessi?"

"Not too good. . ." Kessi seemed paler than usual, considering his previously tan features. "I would apologise, but I don't know where to even begin. I've pretty much betrayed all my friends; I don't even know what I thought I was doing at the time." Glaring at the ground, he added quietly; "I'm really sorry."

Frowning, Yokiko wondered if he was telling the truth or if he was just trying to save his hide from the new FATE's wrath -- not that she would do anything like that with her powers. "You really are sorry?"

"Of course I am. And I'm not doing anything to save myself from your newfound FATE wrath, if that's what you're thinking," Kessi continued. "I mean . . . there's nothing left here. Why would I?"

Yokiko shook her head and sighed. "If I took out revenge on everyone who had ever done anything to me, Kessi, I'd be a mass murderer. I'm not like that though."

Kessi sucked in a breath, glaring at the ground. "I . . . understand. I just don't know what got into me back there. It's like . . ." Shaking his head, he muttered, "Nevermind."

"Ack, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to remind you of that . . ." Yokiko wondered if she should try to comfort him, seeing as what happened last time, so this time she just settled for a pat on his head. "Please continue?" she asked, prodding him to go on.

Kessi attempted to smile again. "Um . . . It's like . . . I don't know how to explain it. One second, I was looking into Chandler's eyes, and they were turning purple and I thought, "That doesn't happen everyday." And then the next second, I was . . .trying . . .to kill Mary again. And then it was you and it was just bizarre . . ."

Yokiko didn't know if she should trust him, but it did seem to make sense. They all were controlled after a while, one by one they all had begun to fight each other. "Just . . . don't ever try to kill me again, alright?" As part of FATE she should be safe from that, right? "I already died anyways . . . That's why I appeared here, I just got out of Mors." She nodded, keeping her face serious, "I'm no FATE. Who would give YOKIKO of all people that power?" The irony of the situation made her laugh as if she was laughing at the thought of it.

"I won't ever try . . ." Kessi frowned. "I was really starting to like you . . . before I went crazy and tried to end your life. I wouldn't ever really do that." Thinking for a moment, he added: "Have you seen Chandler anywhere around here? He's been avoiding me ever since coming back from Mors too. "

Yes, she had, but that had been in an unrecognizable land, and so she couldn't tell Kessi where he was currently anyways. "I'm sorry, I wish I could tell you . . . Awe, thank you though, for saying you were starting to like me before all that. I was almost thinking of you like a son that I never had as well." Thank Hyne she wasn't that desperate for companionship that she was falling for Kessi because he said that.

Kessi seemed to almost immediately transform back to his prior self, grinning. "Really? Thank you, Miss Yokiko. I'm really flattered you think so," he chirped happily.

"Yup, you're very welcome too!" she chirped happily. Things actually almost seemed alright for her at this moment. "Oh, but I wish I knew where Rommi was . . . Xanthe, that's what I was told, but Hyne knows where he is right now. If I could find her then things would almost be alright." She learned that she would have to make her own happiness in this world; it was too rough otherwise.

"I can show you where she is!" Kessi offered, waving her in a certain direction so that she would follow him. "Just inside this building."

Sure enough, heading up a couple flights of stairs took them into a lush apartment, where Biel was laying on a couch, Rommi beside her. Xanthe was sitting in a corner, staring absently at the door, and then at Kessi and Yokiko as they entered.

"I didn't find Adobe, but I did find Yokiko!" Kessi chattered, laying his backpack on the table. "AND I bought some groceries from the store a couple of blocks down. Rommi, want a cookie snack?"

Xanthe snorted, kicking at the carpet.

Rommi, having learned to try her hardest to ignore Xanthe now, couldn't help but not hear Kessi; she was focused on her mother. "Mommy!!" she cried, quickly running up to cling onto her, "Oh mommy! I can't believe it, I thought you were dead forever . . . "

Yokiko clung onto her daughter, "No, dear, don't worry. Mommy is here now. I won't go away like that again." She could keep that promise now that she was fate, couldn't she?

Hanging in a corner, Kessi smiled at the sight of the two, remembering his own family. Of course, that was a depressing thought, but a thought easily beat back down into the corners of his mind. "I'll make dinner!" he offered cheerily, grabbing random items out of his backpack.

Xanthe thought for a moment, back to their "dinner" the night prior. "NO," he shouted, tackling Kessi out of the kitchen. "I'LL do it," he growled, grabbing the ingredients and a pot.

"O-Okay . . ." Kessi agreed nervously.

"Xanthe, I can cook if you want," she nodded, "Jaimi couldn't cook at all, so I had to always do it, and I think I got pretty good at it."

"Yah! Mommy's food is the best," Rommi was still sad about Biel, as she knew she would be every day for the next 7 years, but she could at least pretend for now.

Xanthe slammed the door to the kitchen shut, and that was all.

"Um . . ." Kessi attempted to make up for the uncomfortable silence. "So . . . anyone want to watch TV or something?"

Rommi said something about having something to do in the bedroom, but Yokiko nodded, "Can we watch the news maybe? I want to know what the media is making of this all." It would certainly be good for a laugh, if Kessi agreed.

"They're just pretending it never happened," Kessi said, flicking on the set. "They're making a lot of money off of this just by staying quiet, it seems." Leaning back against the other couch, he watched an image of a burning building flicker onscreen.

"Police are still looking for the arsonists that set Elvet ablaze yesterday . . ."

"Yeah, that and someone's setting the world on fire," Kessi muttered. "Stupid idiots."

"Haven't they had ENOUGH carnage?" Yokiko growled, not wanting to see even a ruined building ever again.

"Sources say, however, that these eight individuals spotted at each building hit COULD be the source."

Kessi's eyes widened. "Is that Adobe?"

"Meep! It IS. Xanthe!!" Yokiko knew full and well that Adobe being gone was the reason that Xanthe was acting so strangely, but was Adobe back too now? "Xanthe, come look!" she ran to the kitchen to get him moving faster.

Xanthe shuffled into the room, glancing at the TV once before he grabbed his jacket and shot out of the door.

"Um, well . . ." Kessi stammered. "What do we do now?"

"Should we follow him? He doesn't seem in quite the right mindset to be allowed on his own."

"But we can't take Rommi," Kessi protested. "And we can't leave her here alone either."

"Urg, don't worry about that, I have it taken care of." Thinking quickly of an excuse other than "I have the powers of FATE", Yokiko muttered, "I can call Rommi's old baby sitter on the way and tell her to come over." Pathetic excuse, yes, but it was all she could think of at the moment. She just hoped there was a pay phone on the way that she could use.

A flash of smoke ignited in the middle of the room, and a dark figure appeared. "Is the Mistress in need?"

Kessi raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I'm not FATE," he mocked her, lightly, from before. "I have Dante calling me "Mistress", but I'm not FATE."

Yokiko winced, "Please don't tell me that . . ."

"As leader of the Committee of FATE, Dante is here to do his Mistress's bidding. And his Master's, but right now the Mistress prevails."

"We have to hurry or we'll lose him . . ." She was still thinking in mortal terms as well, but with the added stress of the thought of DANTE of all people watching after her daughter. "Just don't let her see you looking like Jaimi, alright? She'll just think he's back and have hope and everything . . ."

"Who does his Mistress wish he looked like?" Dante asked. "His mistress orders Dante's appearance, his actions, and his future."

If not for the complete bizareness of the situation, Yokiko would be on the floor laughing right now. For a moment, the thought of Dante looking like a monkey popped into her head, but she quickly let that thought drop away. She didn't think that Rommi would feel safe with a monkey watching her. "Please look like . . . Like. . . Kessi. That way she just thinks I went out to buy something." "Miss Yokiko . . ." Kessi protested softly as Dante shifted into Kessi's form.

"Howdy, ya'll," Dante beamed proudly.

"I do NOT talk like that," Kessi moaned.

"His Mistress and the redneck must move out quickly," Dante urged. "He wishes his Mistress good luck on her journey."

"Thank you, Dante." Yokiko was completly shocked, but at least her manners were in tact. "But we've wasted so much time, how ever are we going to find Xanthe now?"

Kessi glared at her critically. "Gee, I wonder."

"Dante thinks that his Mistress should cast a spell."

"Oh . . . That would make sense." Yokiko was probably making a fool of herself, but she didn't know anything about the powers of FATE yet, " I keep thinking I'm still mortal. Umm . . . Bye then, Dante. Make sure you keep those two girls SAFE, alright? No tricks? No "I'm keeping them safe, if I kill them myself then no one else can" sort of things?" Yes, Yokiko had seen many movies in her time, and the bad guys always got you by doing cunning things like that. "I want them alive and safe and in their own minds and bodies when I come back, you hear me?"

"It is clear to him, Mistress," Dante said.

"What about you?" she asked, suspiciously.

Dante thought for a moment; damn speech impediment! "It is clear to Yu too."

Yokiko shook her head. "Clear to Noah too, I mean?"

"Xanthe revived only Dante."

"Oh . . . I didn't know that. Thank you Dante." Alright, it seemed that was as good as she was going to be able to get, "Ready to go then, Kessi?"

"Kessi's been ready to go," Kessi muttered, slipping out of the apartment. "Good-bye, fake Kessi."

"Ya'll come back now!" Dante chirped, again beaming.

Kessi was silent for a moment, then he closed the door behind him. Yokiko looked suprised, "Can I just use the spell on him from here? Cause he sort of left . . ."

"The Mistress can."

"Alright! Bye again Dante." That was the final farewell for now before she casted the spell. Both her and Kessi were teleported.

It was very hot where they arrived, which was right up the street from where they had been. Kessi paused a moment to regain his balance, then cried out as someone running into him threw him off again.

"Hey!"

Xanthe lifted a middle finger in honour of Kessi's cry. "Adobe!" he yelled at the boy, who was standing amongst a crowd of Necromancers.

"Burn, burn!" they shouted, and formed a flesh wall around him to protect him from evil red heads.

Xanthe decided to cut down each one in his way, leaving a bloody trail in his wake. "Adobe!" he cried again, pouncing on the littler boy, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend. Xanthe hugged him for a bit, then drew back, frowning. "You're . . .so cold," he said, placing a hand against Adobe's cheek.

"T-they wanted me to be their leader . . . and they told me that they would help me look for you, but they kept setting fires on the way and . . ." Adobe didn't know how to explain the situation anymore than that. "They took me out of Mors with them."

Xanthe was thoroughly inspecting his boyfriend for scratches, as Xanthe often did, and couldn't help but laugh at the way he seemed lost in the Necromancer King's royal robes. "These look a little big for you," Xanthe said, patting his shoulder. "Well, I suppose we'll have to lose these idiots now. Who wants to be first to die again?" Flinching, Xanthe realised that about eight spears were all pointed at his neck. "Ooh-kay."

"Don't kill him!" Adobe half cried, half commanded. He learned that they listened to his requests, at least to the extent that they had wanted to: ie: they were "leading him to Xanthe" but they were taking the long way around, but hopefully they would have to listen to him all the way this time.

"Aw, but Master . . ." groaned one. "Please?"

"No. No, definitely not. You have to protect Xanthe if you want to do anything."

The spears were revoked, and Xanthe raised an eyebrow.

"Holy shit, 'Dobe," he gasped in shock. "Well done."

Adobe smiled at him happily (n.n) in his normal manner, "Thank you, Xanthe!"

Leaning closer, Xanthe brushed his lips against Adobe's softly, and the group tensed again. Xanthe turned, growling. "Fuck you ALL. You'd better get used to this," he raged.

"When Dante was leader," one spoke up, "anyone who participated in such behaviour was castrated in public."

Xanthe's eyes widened. "Adobe is the fucking leader of DANTE'S ex-clan!?"

"Who else would we be? The most respected clan in Mors," bragged another.

"Before we were thrown out of the army for being "roisterous and a public annoyance"," admitted another.

"I remember you all. I was KING of Mors once," Xanthe snapped. "Come on, my Grateful Dead 'Dobe. We have to do something about this odd little plot twist you've fallen victim to."

Adobe clung onto Xanthe. " I missed you so much . . . I thought that since I was dead . . ." Adobe didn't even want to finish the sentence. It seems that Xanthe was finally here to make things better again.

"So . . . what's going to happen to us, eh?" asked Mircea for the others. "Are you risking a mutiny?"

"No, he's not," Xanthe said, and opted to pick Adobe up instead. He was light, so that was an easy feat. "You losers are going to follow us home and occupy the basement, fuck you very much."

"We're doing NOTHING of the sort," scowled one.

"Adobe? Are they going to do everything I say?" Xanthe inquired.

"Of course, Xanthe," he chirped, happy to be in his love's arms once again.

"I think he's risking a mutiny," another whispered.

"Not unless you want your undead asses kicked back to Mors," Xanthe snarled, and they sighed.

"It'd better be a NICE basement."

The group, which included Yokiko and Kessi, moved back into the apartment.

"You know that Dante is at the apartment, right?" Kessi asked, though Xanthe couldn't possibly know that.

"Great. Then they won't bother Adobe," Xanthe replied stiffly.

"Yeah . . . I guess."

Xanthe grinned maliciously. "Thank you, though, redneck."

"Redhead," Kessi shot back.

"I just thought I'd jump in the bandwagon and have a go at it," admitted Xanthe, heading into the apartment. He opened the door, and blinked. "Um . . . Hi, Chandler. What are you doing?"

" . . . getting very sleepy . . . Oh! Hi, Xanthe." Chandler continued swinging his little pendulum in front of Dante's glazed eyes. "You are getting very, very sleepy . . ."

Yokiko came up from behind Chandler and swatted him in the back of the head. "Stop that, would you!" Who knows how long Chandler had been trying this, and how long their daughters had gone unprotected?

"Hey! Lemme' 'lone," Chandler protested weakly. "I only did this AFTER the girls were asleep, and besides, why would you leave them with DANTE? I mean . . . He's my brother and I still wouldn't do it."

"That's Kessi," Xanthe pointed out. "Only another one."

"I HAVE my reasons. They are safe, aren't they?" She then poked at Dante, "Was he really able to hypnotize you?"

Chandler grinned. "When I clap my hands, you will be turned into a redneck!" Clapping his hands, he watched Dante wake up and pounce him to strangle him. "ACK! DANTE!"

Yokiko sweatdropped, "Dante? Are you alright now?"

Dante and Chandler paused, glancing up at her. Dante turned once again into his Jaimi form, then to something resembling his old body. "Dante is fine."

"Dante is fine," Chandler mimicked, still pissed off about being laid on. Dante was CRUSHING him.

"Yeah, well, if you both don't get up, I'm going to kill you all," Xanthe offered helpfully, opening the door to the basement. "Troops -- move out."

The Necromancers muttered spitefully, shuffling down to the basement. Kicking the door closed, Xanthe threw a chair under the doorknob, then ran to find a board, a hammer, and nails.

Yokiko found another sweatdrop overcome her and wondered what Xanthe thought he was doing, "Xanthe . . . I don't think that will keep them in." She wondered if that was in her power too, probably seeing as she was part of FATE and all. The possiblities seemed endless.

"Watch them escape," Xanthe muttered, stuffing a dagger into his ankle bracer. He brightened. "So! Who's hungry?" Heading into the kitchen, there were the clinks of pots and such, and the stove started up again.

Chandler's jaw dropped for a moment. "I . . .well . . .nevermind. Dante, get off of me, and for Hyne's sake, stop eating all that trans-fat," he scolded, wriggling under his older brother.

Dante nodded. "Yes--"

Chandler slammed a hand over his mouth, laughing nervously. "Just get up. DON'T talk."

Silently, Dante rose to his feet, and Chandler continued laughing. "Well, uh . . . I'm just gonna' . . .go! Yeah, sounds good. Sorry I couldn't stay for dinner, but--"

SLAM. Chandler groaned as he was thrown into the wall.

"You're not going to stay for dinner?" Xanthe demanded angrily. "I slave away in the kitchen and you think you can just bolt out of here?"

"No. I guess I'll stay!" Chandler ducked Xanthe's last smack, and brushed his hair back anxiously as Xanthe moved back into the kitchen. "So . . .um . . ."

How was everything so . . . NORMAL? It almost threw Yokiko off guard, but instead of thinking about it she decided that she liked how everything was now. "Whatcha making, Xanthe?" she asked happily, watching Adobe follow Xanthe around like a puppy-dog.

"Chicken noodle soup. I'm kind of on limited supply here," Xanthe admitted, casting a glance at Kessi, who shrugged.

"Maybe tomorrow I can go harvest some tomatoes for ya'll," he growled.

"Good idea, Redneck!" Xanthe bubbled.

Kessi was obviously in a state of either rage or hurt, glancing every so often at Chandler, who seemed to be totally ignoring him. "So y'aren't gonna' say anything?"

"What is there to say? You STABBED me, Kessi," Chandler retorted.

"I didn't . . ."

"FOUR times. At least ONE of them had to really be you."

"But I . . ." Kessi sighed. "Sorry, massa'. I'll just roll over for you since you're so high and mighty now like the slack-jawed yokel I really am."

Chandler gnawed on his lip as Kessi stormed outside, slamming the door behind him. "Dante?"

"Yes--"

"Shh. Dante, just come here and don't speak unless I tell you to." Putting his feet up on the coffee table, Chandler continued; "Go follow him, please? An' make sure he's safe and sane and all that."

"Dante really would like to go home to Ikaika."

"After. Please?"

With a sigh, Dante headed out after Kessi, and Chandler laid back against the couch, starting as a cloth was dropped in his lap.

"Food," Xanthe said, placing a bowl on the table in front of him.

"Hey! It looks edible!" Chandler cried in surprise. He took a sip of it, and raised an eyebrow. "And it's good."

"Dante should go home to Ikaika . . ." Yokiko was a bit worried, "If Ikaika's happy he won't do anything to hurt anyone."

"So? With your powers, Yokiko, I DOUBT you need to be concerned with Ikaika," Chandler laughed, and Xanthe glanced up at him as he served Yokiko.

"Powers?"

She gave Chandler an "I'm worried about everyone ELSE" look, and Xanthe a sweet smile, "Chandler's just talking about how I finally got my mom's powers, somehow."

"Yeah!" Chandler chirped, nodding enthusiastically. "Mom's powers. Uh huh."

"She got Venus's powers finally?" Xanthe asked, stirring the soup. "I get it. So that's why your ass is looking so--" Clapping a hand over his mouth, he blinked. "Well, that totally just slipped out."

Alright, that was bizarre.

"Heh . . ." Xanthe laughed hollowly.

"Oh-kay," Yokiko offered, but at that moment Adobe came from where he had been inside the restroom.

"Time to eat, Adobe!" Yokiko said cheerfully, trying to forget the prior scene.

"I think I'm going to go visit the porcelain gods," Xanthe squeaked, rushing past Adobe.

"He's back!" Chandler cheered.

"Who is back, Chandler?" Yokiko asked him, not understanding.

"Xanthe. The REAL Xanthe," Chandler explained. "I knew he couldn't shove it down for much longer. Xanthe's never been the same since his bout with amnesia, but now . . . Now I think that everyone will be returning to normal, since the stress of Ikaika is gone and we're all allowed to relax now." Chandler took a deep breath. "And I don't feel like killing anyone NOR like I'm possessed. I think this is a real special occasion."

Adobe's face turned more serious looking, his usual giddy smile gone, "What do you mean, the real Xanthe?"

Noticing Adobe then, Chandler's face went red. "I -- I didn't mean it that way, Adobe . . ."

Yokiko, endlessly confused, "Which way do YOU think he thought you meant it, Chandler?"

"I mean . . . Xanthe is the same person, only he's . . .recessing to his previously slutty behaviour!" Chandler continued quickly. "It's nothing that you should take personally, I mean, Xanthe is just like that . . . But you can't, like, oppress him and make him change back into an id-- I mean . . . I mean. . . It . . . Well, you should . . ." Chandler bit his lip. "You know what? Someone else do it better."

Yokiko looked around, "Sorry, you're the only one still here." Adobe bit his lip for a second then went back to his normal happy-go-lucky smile, "I'm sure it's nothing, Yokiko, don't worry about it."

Damn, she was really interested too! Xanthe was someone else a long time ago? Definitely news to Yokiko; she would have to ask around later.

"I'm back," Xanthe announced, entering the room. He had changed into a new shirt, a white wifebeater, and he paused at a large bookshelf that led into the living room. "Interesting. "The Joys of Dissecting Kismetcho Corpses". This should be an exhilerating read," he murmured, picking up the book, dropping on an abandoned couch.

"Boots off the couch." Chandler needed to feel important. The way that Xanthe flipped him off did not help.

Yokiko couldn't help but giggle at Xanthe's dismissive behavior, but no one noticed Adobe begin to bite at his lip again.

"Sorry, Adobe," Xanthe said, putting down the book. "Are you okay?"

"Course!" he nodded vigorously.

Sitting up, he motioned for Adobe to come over to him, and Chandler laid down on the couch, stretching. "So, where do I sleep tonight?"

Xanthe pulled Adobe onto his lap. "On the street. In a box, if you're lucky."

Sticking out his tongue, Chandler pushed off the couch to go get another bowl of soup. "Never knew you cooked, Xanthe. This recipie has "Saen Milj" written all over it."

Xanthe stuck out his tongue as well, then brushed a hand through Adobe's hair. "Um . . . Sorry, 'Dobe. 'Bout that little slip of character back there. Heh." It was, in reality, really, really hard for Xanthe to slip between two characters. "Um . . . character-slips are for the weak."

"Come here, Chandler." Yokiko went to where Chandler was, picked him up by the ear, and dragged him out the door. "I think we should get you a hotel room, or something." She nodded and took out a wallet FULL of cash.

"Come on, Yokiko," Chandler protested. "Don't you think it's a little wrong for Adobe to not want Xanthe to be like he really is? And the recipie IS Saen's. I was just pointing out that Xanthe learns things quickly when he's not pretending to be retarded."

"Chandler . . . Did YOU ever think that maybe him and Adobe can't talk about anything with US around?" It made perfect sense to her, she just needed Chandler to see the same and come out with her for a little bit.

"Oh . . . I just figured they'd go into a different room or something if they really needed to talk. So then I guess we have to go . . . "hotel room shopping"," he said, elaborating by making the quotation marks with his fingers. "Coming with?"

Yokiko pointed to the money, "Unless you want to pay by washing dishes or something."

"What? My charming personality and boyish good looks won't score me a free room?" Chandler faked hurt as he began to walk through the streets. "Besides, there are no hotels in Sunderland, silly."

"Fine, fine! We'll get you an apartment then. I think I have enough money in here." With that she pointed out the hundreds to him.

Chandler, however, was walking towards a bridge that ascended over a small lake that flashed brightly coloured lights. "Lah lah. Can't hear you. Come closer," he told her.

She laughed, half joking, "I'm not falling for that one."

"You have no choice!" he faked in a booming voice, grabbing her playfully, tugging her across the bridge. "We're in the Ripon district now."

"And . . .?" asking him since she didn't know this area.

"Hopefully, everyone's dead," Chandler offered. "Then, we'll have lots of very expensive, nice homes with wine!" Glancing around, he headed into what seemed to be a leisure area, complete with an abandoned tennis court and swimming pool. There was a bench and he sat down on it, pulling up his knees to his chest. "When do you think they'll be finished talking? I don't want to accidentally run into . . .you-know-who out here."

"Nope! No-clue-who is more like it."

" . . . The . . . Oundlian one . . ." Chandler offered, knitting his eyebrows. "You know! Kessi."

"Oh, the redne . . . Hey! You made me say that!" She wrinkled her nose, not liking the fact that she had adopted the phrase everyone had been using to describe Kessi by accident, "Kessi is NOT a redneck!"

"Everyone has their own nicknames," Chandler explained. "It dates back to before I was even born. It's just a way of being accepted in the group -- if we don't make fun of you, then you know we don't like you."

"Hm . . . Lemme guess then! You're the schizophrenic?" she offered, "kindly".

"No." Chandler frowned. "They don't make fun of me."

"Awe . . . Poor Chandler. Don't worry, I'll make fun of you lots and lots!"

"Ditto!" he chirped happily. "I guess we've found our sub-clique then. Together, we can denounce the mothership and commandeer it as our own!"

"Wow, you're fun when you're not an idiot, " Yokiko commented, truthfully.

Chandler glared at the ground. "It's not like it wasn't your fault that I "was an idiot". At least partially," he mumbled.

"Hey! How so?"

Kicking out his legs to spear a rock, which rolled into the lake, Chandler said, "I wanted to die and be with my family. What was I supposed to do: leave you all sad and not hating me while I had fun in the afterlife? It's not important. Just leave it alone."

"Eh, I'm starting to learn . . ." Yokiko thought back to her time in Mors, "Things aren't exactly what you think they are . . . You're right, we're both wrong, truce?"

Chandler curled up into a ball on the bench. "I thought that maybe if you hated me, then you wouldn't be hurt. And if everyone hated me, they wouldn't care. And you shouldn't care about me again."

"Don't worry!" she cried, cheerfully, "I came out in Mors. I don't want men ever again."

"And I tried to make things better, y'know . . . I tried to be there for Rommi, but you hated me and then she hated me, and I didn't know what to do, and damn Kessi is so persistent . . ." Chandler shivered. "And his brother is so creepy. Man, Larry gives me nightmares. Eww."

Yokiko thought about it for a little bit, "You know . . . You push everyone away Chandler. I don't mean it in a hateful way, but . . . I mean, again it's like both our faults there. You were horrible to me when you came back. I really had been waiting all that time for you, and no . . . Rommi decided that on her own, after she touched you and saw everything. In fact, I made sure never to bad mouth you around her ever."

"I know I was horrible to you," Chandler sighed matter-of-factly. "Remember my logic? How am I gonna' let you be in love with someone like me? I'm not DUMB, despite my hair colour."

That made her crack a smirk, "No, that only comes through sometimes, but . . . I think I'm sort of beginning to understand. It would have worked with most other women, but . . . I'd been through a lot, and I wasn't willing to let any hope go, you know? Then . . . it was all dashed, at once." She shrugged, thinking again, "Kessi is sort of like I was. Maybe you go for people like that, or something?"

"Kessi, in case you missed it . . ." Chandler began, "is a psychopath. "

Yokiko sweatdropped again, "Only . . . sometimes. Besides, he doesn't lie, that's what he hates most in other people . . ." she couldn't help but add in, in a soft and friendly tone, "He should be perfect for you!"

"Right. He's only SOMETIMES a psychopath." Chandler sighed, shaking his head. "The kid was stalking me, Yokiko. He has posters of me plastered all around his room, he -- he reminds me of my brother and that just creeps me out. But he was nice to make everyone think that I had moved on and wasn't still bummed about . . . y'know. I even fooled Saen. Still . . ." Chandler shuddered. "My gods, he gives me the creeps. Him and his whole family. And he doesn't lie? His entire EXISTENCE is a lie."

"Chandler . . . I would NOT be saying such things out in the open . . ." She darted her head around, looking for Kessi, waiting for him to pop out from behind them with a knife.

Chandler drew closer to her, glaring the other way. "You're right," he whispered nervously. "Anyway, it doesn't matter, I guess . . . "

She sighed, "Of course it matters, if it matters to you, but just not right now, alright?" Again nervous, she wondered if she could make Kessi forget if he had heard somehow.

"If he comes here, you could just make Kessi forget if he had heard," Chandler offered, shrugging. "I'm sorry . . .about slipping with your power secret before. It's just that you're glaringly obvious, and your power aura just permeates the entire earth, which kind of gives me this little squeaky feeling in the back of my head."

She laughed, "No, Chandler, I'm not going to give you my powers." Thinking, she decided to ask him, "I guess you already know, but is there any way I can dampen the effect so that no one else can figure it out?"

"Being the only god of earth, I think that you're alright with only me knowing," Chandler said. "And . . . I apologise for being so weird tonight. I mean, it's usually much, much easier for me to be heartless and not care if everyone hates me, but ever since I got my powers back, my bipolar condition just kind of went away, and for the first time I'm kind of. . .bouncy-happy." Chandler grinned. "Bouncy-happy."

Yokiko groaned, "If you're going to just go back to pretending that you're an asshole can you at least not be like that around me, alright?"

"As long as you don't tell anyone what I'm REALLY like," Chandler said. "And . . . Yokiko?"

"As long as you don't tell anyone what I'M really like," she replied to the first part of his sentence, then went on to the second part, "and yes?"

Chandler raised an eyebrow. "If you don't take good care of my powers, I'm revoking them still, no matter how much I like you, mmkay?"

"Hey! How did I know it was you? Well . . . You know, it could have been your voice, but who knows?" she sweatdropped, "Yes, don't worry, I won't do anything stupid."

"It must be the beauty I exude," he laughed, flipping back his hair. "I mean, who else could it be?"

"Hm . . . Well, I DID hope it was a girl for a minute there . . . " she admitted, " but no, Jaimi's not around anymore, so it had to be you."

"At least you didn't say 'James'," Chandler moaned, wrinkling his nose. "And a GIRL? Do I have to hypnotise you too, Yokiko Yolu?"

"Hey! I didn't say that I thought you were a girl, " she giggled, "thought that is a funny thought. Too bad you weren't po'ele. Then we could really see that."

"Shh!" Chandler hushed her. "If we're not careful, FATE will do that just to spite me and -- oh yeah." Chandler laughed happily.

"Hey!! I forgot!" And with that, Yokiko promptly changed his chromosomes to make him a girl.

Chandler sighed. "Tsk tsk. Any and ALL higher level spells MUST be agreed between us," he teased, sticking out his tongue.

"Awe, c'mon schizo boy! Just this one time, pleaaaaaaase?"

Chandler clapped his hands together. "Ah! The joys of being accepted. But I'm getting a special, FATE-only message from the grave . . . It sounds like . . . Nnnno."

"Hey! Not fair!" she yipped, sticking her tongue out at him, "Oo, I know." Instead of making Chandler himself into a girl, she conjured a picture of what he would look like if he WAS a girl. "Low enough level for you?" she asked, pointing at the picture.

Chandler shrugged, flipping open a magazine that had suddenly appeared. "Hey, Yoki! I didn't know you did modeling," he teased, showing her a Playboy centerfold of herself. "Nice bunny ears."

"Heeey!" Then she conjured Chandler's look-alike into the picture instead, "Yup, I agree." She handed it back for him to see.

"I look hot in bunny ears," Chandler laughed, two bunny ears appearing atop his head. Then, two ears appeared over her head as well. "Is this some sort of odd sexual innuendo?"

"I thought we had to agree?" she asked, ignoring his statement except for her tongue sticking out of her mouth again.

Momentarily destracted by her gesture, Chandler returned: "That's why they're LEVITATING above your head. Your own dark cloud of bunny-ness!"

Yokiko blinked, "Ah! Two can play at this game then." She laughed evilly and summoned a mixture of plastic, makeup, and other accessories, giving Chandler a costume of sorts. "There, now you look like a girl."

Chandler flinched away from them. "What is it with girls and loving the way I look in makeup? I'm not Jay Gordon," he moaned, wiping the spell away. "Do you think they're done NOW?"

She thought about it for a moment, "Hm, I'd say to listen in, but that'd be going against their privacy so . . . We can start walking home and listen in at the door!"

Chandler shook his head. "I can't go back there now."

"Awe, why not?"

"Because . . ." Chandler trailed off, nibbling at his lip. "It's . . . Y'know . . . Rommi's gonna' be there . . .and she still . . . y'know . . ."

She nodded, "If you want to come with me though, I can help you. We'll talk to her and tell her that we've made up? That all the bad stuff doesn't matter anymore?"

"She's a teenager. When she hates someone, that's it," Chandler moaned, glaring at the ground again. "She's not a little girl anymore. I just . . .kinda' fucked everything up."

"I know Rommi though. She's not very good at keeping grudges, besides, if there is any dislike of you left in her, it's probably because you're never around. She needs a dad, you know? And Jaimi . . . isn't there anymore."

"Yeah, but he was when it counted," Chandler murmured. "He was better than I was, and I could never compare to the way that he and Rommi got along. I was basically just replaced, and I don't want to shift around Rommi's situation like that. I mean, I can't replace JAIMI to her. She really loved him."

"She loved you just as much though, Chandler. You WERE there, it's just, I guess she felt betrayed when she found out what you had done."

"Sometimes I miss being her dad so much . . ." he admitted. "When I got back the powers of FATE, I seriously considered just changing my identity forever because I knew that I'd messed up so bad. And maybe I could finagle my way into the family or something, and then I wouldn't have to deal with the fact that I had . . . y'know, fucked everything all to hell. But at that moment I knew I couldn't leave you just . . .thinking that I hated you or something."

She bowed her head; that HAD been exactly what she had thought. "We can make everything better now though, can't we? I mean, I don't think you hate me anymore, and you know that I don't hate you anymore, right? Rommi listens to me, most of the time."

"So when should we "kill Biel for her own good"?" Chandler joked, not able to help a smile. "Or at least to make Xanthe angry."

Seeing that Chandler was joking, Yokiko cracked a smile. "It's weird though, everyone who has had a tough exterior has been showing me that they have different sides too." She remembered that Xanthe hadn't wanted her to tell anyone about how he could be like either, but that hinting seemed appropriate.

"Who else has been showing you their "sides"?" Chandler asked, mock-reaching for his gun.

"Hey! No more men for me. Kessi and Zarin pretty much showed me it's best to give up on your kind." She nodded, sadly and then smiled.

Chandler blinked. "Suddenly, it all makes sense about why you wanted me to be a girl so badly."

She sweatdropped. "I don't know, it seemed like a good idea at the time."

"I was just teasing," Chandler laughed.

Laughing nervously, Yokiko didn't want to think about ANY future relationships at the moment. "They BOTH tried to kill me, what do you expect?"

"Why do you think they tried to kill you?" Chandler asked, then raised his voice in a mocking tone, "Look, gay men of Bere Alston! She's a woman who might tempt away our future boyfriends! Kill 'er!!"

Yokiko couldn't help but laugh out loud at this remark. "Yes, that's it. I'm going to steal Ikaika away from Zarin! We'll see how long that goal would have lasted."

"I think Kessi's the only one you need to worry about," Chandler muttered under his breath, glancing around.

"He said that would never happen again though," she told him in a wondering tone. Did Kessi really mean it?

"Why do you think Kessi killed Mary?" Chandler asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hm? Wasn't it because she lied to him?" she asked, lowering her voice so that no nosey bushes could hear them.

". . . About how she was sleeping with the guy that he had the hots for, yes."

"Ick, now I see . . . Wow, no wonder he slept with you so easily."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

She bopped him on the head. "That you're both gay, silly!"

"F'you say so," Chandler grumbled. "Last time I checked, doing stuff against your consent never counted as liking it. Then again, that's different than what a certain Necromancer told me."

"Hm? What do you mean by "against your consent"?"

Chandler stood up, heading off. "I don't want to talk about it," he called over his shoulder.

"Awe, Chandler! Don't go, I'm sorry . . . I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Hey, you're FATE now! Nothing that you don't want can happen anymore."

Shrugging, Chandler turned around. "I've been the 'traitor angel' all my life. Why not just give in to it again? At least it's a profitable status."

"Chandler, but it's not you. It's what people have forced on you." She too had heard the stories, so she somewhat knew what he was inferring to. "Even though you don't love me we can make a family with Rommi, you know? She's not an adult yet, and she needs a father. Even if you don't want to do that . . . there's plenty of things you can do that might make you happy." She hoped that he'd get away from just being the traitor angel that he thought he should slip into.

Chandler sighed, standing up. "I guess I should do this now," he told her, pulling up his shirt a little, waving a hand over the scar on his stomach where Toshiro had so politely carved "Traitor Angel" into his flesh. It disappeared quickly, and Chandler leaned back against a tree, then winced as an alarm went off.

"Step AWAY from the tree, pedestrian!" screamed a voice.

Chandler silenced it, and leaned against the tree again. "I don't know what everyone wants me to do."

"Most just want you to do what will finally make you happy, you know? Some others are idiots, and don't care either way, and others just think you're a joke or something. I'm sure you could make them think otherwise though, given time. Positive of it."

Chandler brightened. "I'll forgive you for sleeping with your whole family if you forgive me for being gay."

She laughed. "I'll forgive you for it all, what the hell?"

"Ditto," Chandler chirped.

"Hey! Jaimi wasn't even related to me though," she rememberd afterwards, sticking her tongue out in victory.

Chandler knabbed it -- gently -- and refused to let it go. "Especially after Kessi smothered him with that pillow," he added solemnly.

The sound that came out of her mouth next couldn't quite be called a word, as Chandler had hold of her tongue, but it sounded something like, "neyea?"

"Ah, sorry." Chandler released her captive tongue and stuck his own out -- quickly. Yokiko was known to bite.

"Ah, it's alright! I'm used to it . . . but what did you mean by what you said, just kidding still?" Yet knowing Kessi she wasn't sure of anything.

"Someone told Kessi about how Jaimi and I used to be close," Chandler said. "And . . . Kessi killed him." Shivering, he sat back down on the bench. "I told you he's a psychopath."

Wide-eyed, Yokiko found herself having to sit down as well, "N-no one ever told me exactly how Jaimi died."

"And, to show me that he was really dead . . ." Chandler continued, "he gave me Jaimi's powers."

"Oh Hyne . . . I - I didn't know he was that bad . . . And I can't even confront him about it without him probably freaking out, can I?" Thoughts were running wild through Yokiko's mind, but that was the first one to make it out of her mouth.

"Don't go near Kessi," Chandler warned her. "That's just . . .suicide."

"If we weren't both FATE, but yes, I understand what you mean." Yokiko still couldn't believe it though. "I thought he was such a sweet, kind kid. I almost started thinking of him as my own, since he was Jaimi's and all," she sighed her words out, "Men LOVE to lie . . . How could you stand being gay?" she eyed him, with a sort of respect, but also as if she thought he might be a bit crazy as well.

"I don't know. Being unconscious most of the time, I kind of missed it," Chandler retorted.

"But . . . Then you're not gay. Having someone do that to you doesn't make you gay. Maiia did the same thing, and that doesn't make me a lesbian or anything, does it?"

Chandler blinked. "Maiia!?"

"Yes . . . "

"As in . . . the girl who used to be in MY clan!?"

"Yes . . . "

"Well fuck," Chandler moaned. "They said it would happen, but I never thought I'd ever inherit my mother's density."

Yokiko blinked, "What do you mean?"

"I used to OWN her clan. Like, I was there with her while she was probably doing that and I didn't even notice." Growling, Chandler shook his head. "No, as far as I'm concerned, I'm not gay. I was MARRIED before all that stuff with Toshiro, and Dante doesn't count if Venus doesn't."

She blushed, "I was out of my MIND then. I don't know, maybe I was on some drug that someone slipped me that lasted years and years?"

"Yeah . . ." Chandler blinked. "In essance, your James was my Sachi."

"Ick, I hate Sachi too. He like, tried to kill me and do bad things to my corpse . . . but yah! Exactly. And you don't think I'm a bad person for it, do you?"

"At least he was courteous enough to kill you first . . ." Chandler muttered. "I don't think you're a bad person for that Yokiko."

"I'm sorry, at least that will never will never happen to you again, right?" She wished she could cheer him up. "I don't think you're a bad person for those things either. No "Traitor Angel" for sure."

Chandler smiled then. "I want to raise a family with you," he told her.

"Really? You don't HAVE to, I'm sorry for trying to make you feel badly about it all before, but I really felt sorry for Rommi not having her Daddy around like before."

"I wanted to before, I just thought that it wasn't possible," Chandler replied.

She nodded, "Oh well, the past doesn't matter anymore, right?" Yoyo almost felt like she was back. Life certainly seemed like it might be getting better.

"Not at all. Only for blackmail," Chandler said, wrapping an arm around her.

She laughed, "Oh well, it's not like everyone doesn't know all of our secrets anyways, right?"

"Thanks to Xanthe . . ." Chandler glowered.

She hugged him with one arm, comfortingly, "At least you can't be blackmailed now."

"I wish I could say the same for you," he laughed.

She blinked and asked, "What could they use to blackmail me?"

He blinked and said, "I was kidding."

"Ooh, oops. Not used to anyone else's sense of humor except for Xanthe's anymore." Thinking about that she couldn't help but sweatdrop yet again.



And in case you were wondering . . .



Back at the apartment:

"I wonder where they went," Xanthe muttered. "Oh well. Good night, Adobe," he said, heading over to another couch, drawing up a blanket around him and going to sleep.



Back in the park:

"Sense of humour?" Chandler gasped.

"Exactly, he HAS none." She couldn't help but nod sadly.

"I was always known as the witty one," Chandler offered hopefully, even though he was . . .omitting the truth! Yes, that was it. He was omitting the fact that he was lying.

"You certainly are," she cooed, trying to stroke his ego.

"Oh, darling," he said in falsetto, "do I sense that you are attempting to humour me?"

"Noo, silly. See? You are witty," she told him with a smile, and nodded vigorously.

"I guess we should get back . . ." Chandler said, glancing up at the rising sun.

She blinked several times, "Wow, that was really fun . . . and I didn't even get tired a bit."

"You'll be tired soon," he told her, walking towards the apartment.

"Ah, maybe, sleep kinda comes from nowhere sometimes," she said, and nodded in agreement.

"No, I meant with everyone running around. Having to deal with Xanthe being all weird and Adobe being not happy and Rommi being a teenager. It's tiring," he elaborated. "And if I was mortal, I would be sprouting gray hairs just thinking about it." As he said so, his hair brightened to silver, and he turned around to face her, brushing through his hair. "So what d'ya think? Sephiroth look: me or not?"

She giggled, seeing the natural blond in such an aged color. "Maybe you should try lime green?"

"That was last year," Chandler said, then nodded, "I mean, seriously. My hair was that colour last year."

She giggled at the irony, "I had no clue . . . How about blue . . . or purple. . . or pink! Then you can be my brother!"

Chandler thought about it, then grinned, turning his hair pink. "Hey, sis," he said, winking.

She laughed til there were tears in her eyes, "Spoken like a true Shakti."

"Disturbing."

Chandler's face went red. "D-Dante. . ."

"So Dante no longer has a brother? Why is he prepared to accept that?" Dante asked, placing his hands on his hips.

"Heh . . ." Chandler let the pink fade away, then blushed more. "Aren't you supposed to be all submissive to me or something?"

"Not if he pretends that his Mistress is the only FATE," Dante shot.

"And aren't you supposed to be with Ikaika?"

Ikaika stepped out from behind Dante. "If he wasn't so TALL . . ."

Chandler looked around for a tree to slam his head against. Or at least climb and live in for a year or two.