Note: Diethyl's name is said Dee-a-thel. I was thinking and decided to redo this. What the heck. As for the story it's self. Holy---! I looked this over and went, make-over! I had botched the story line before, but the errors! I know I didn't fix them all, but I tried to fix the immediate ones.

Diethyl looked at his younger brother, and cursed their parents for the...the number was much too high, Diethyl had stopped counting. Lydian had gone out and was back now. Hopefully he had been more careful then last time.

"Go wash up at least. You're going to catch people's attention."

"Why should I?" Lydian demanded emerald eyes blazing, hard as the stone who's color the mimicked.

"I told you too, do you want to go back?"

The feeling behind those eyes shifted, and Lydian went into the room's bathroom to clean the blood off his face and hopefully off his clothes. The last thing they needed was to be caught.

Diethyl satisfied his brother would not be stupid enough to go out again but then again...he should stay up until his brother had gone to sleep. Then he could do no harm and could not get them caught...of course, by now their meddling cousin would have found out. Knowing the little punk...he'd come after them...oh well mores the merrier.

"Happy?" Lydian demanded, coming out of a smoking bathroom.

"Yes." Diethyl grinned at his brother and went into the bathroom, opened the window a crack rinsed the ashes of his brother's once blood stained clothes down the grain, the cleaner would do the rest in the morning.

Diethyl walked back out and lay next to his brother, and stared at the ceiling until his brother's breath evened out. Then he too closed his eyes.

----

Lyserg crumbled the note in his hand. His psychotic cousins had broken out, how? That wasn't possible... Wait. People have broken out. It was only a matter of time until they did too. I only hope they haven't caused too much trouble.

He sighed and put the ruined letter in the garbage and went to find where Morphine had gone, he would need his pendulum as well. He had to find them before they did some serious damage.

Besides, he didn't like the idea of them running around loose. He had worked very hard to work them out of his life…

(This part was initially chapter 2. But I'll add it here since I'm not writing the first few chapters…though I think 3 needs major work!)

Diethyl and Lydian

Lydian was the first of the two awake. Which he considered a good thing. He had washed the blood out of his hair, and had also washed out the dye. Half of his lie was to keep Diethyl in the dark. So grabbing his bag, and re-dyeing his hair, he changed from what was left of his previous clothes. He came out when Diethyl woke up.

"What were you doing?"

"I didn't get all of the blood out of my hair."

"Alright."

Lydian almost felt sorry for the poor sucker. His mother had told Lydian that Diethyl sometimes got 'confused'. Which left him an opportunity. Of course, that didn't mean he had to work to keep the ruse up. Diethyl was not that stupid.

"We should go." Diethyl suggested. "Why did we leave again?"

Unlike Lydian, Diethyl didn't have to worry much on money. His father had left him enough to last a long time. Diethyl had covered their expenses; he hadn't bothered using a fake name. Besides, the idiotic staff at the confinement center, or what-ever-it-was, would be looking for Lydian, not Diethyl. Diethyl was harmless from their examination. There simply wasn't anyone in his family left alive to take care of him…no one old enough to do so anyone.

" To see our cousin." Another half-truth.

"Right." Diethyl took that answer like he always took the others, for being so damn smart, he was awfully dumb.

Lyserg

Lyserg knew that had they really broken out it would be Lydian's idea. Diethyl for the most part the followed rules, so long as they didn't manage to confuse him. Lyserg shook his head, looking at the path he was walking down. Morphine was floating near by, but she was looking around, rather then look at Lyserg. Lyserg also knew that Lydian would be up to old tricks...like murdering people.

"I've got to find them, morphine. Before Lydian gets Diethyl to do something he'll regret." Lyserg said to the fairy.

It was as difficult now as it had been then, knowing that Lydian was lying to Diethyl...only now without a voice to block said lies. Lyserg picked up his pace. He had to help Diethyl, then get Lydian locked back up. Even if it meant shattering Diethyl's world for the second time…no, third time. Lyserg briefly wondered if Diethyl could handle that.

Lyserg was so preoccupied that he didn't noticed a few of his friends happened to be in the area.

"HEY!"

Of course, being so lost in thought, he didn't hear them either. As such, he ignored them and went on his way. Curious behavior for the young brit.

"What's wrong with him?" Horo Horo asked looking after the British boy. "Has he gone deaf?"

"No. But he probably doesn't want to listen to your annoying voice."

"Why are you always so nasty!!?"

"Because I can be."

The other two people merely ignored Ren and Horo Horo's bickering. It was an everyday occurrence.

"Should we follow them?" The voice was cold, calm, and bored. " It might be fun."

"I don't know...maybe."

Yoh remembered the last time Lyserg had been preoccupied enough to ignore his friends, he had joined the X-laws not long after that. He was worried Lyserg may do something like that again. Yoh shook his head. Whatever he was doing, he would trust Lyserg...sometimes the best way to learn from a mistake was to live it.

"Well, I think I will." Hao replied looking at his younger brother. "It's just too boring around here. And listening to these two has become…tiresome."

"Will what?" Horo Horo asked just coming back into the conversation.

"Follow Lyserg."

"YEAH." Horo Horo agreed. "He may be hanging out with those X-law goons again..."

"The X-laws are dead." Hao reminded the blue-haired boy. "Or most of them..."

"No." Ren stopped and killed the conversation. "It's none of our business."

"Well, do what you want." Hao replied and walked off.

Yoh blinked and gave up on trying to figure out what he'd been thinking about, and followed his brother. "As long as we're not seen what can it do?"

"Get us into something we have no business in!" Ren hissed but deciding he didn't trust Hao, followed. "This is none of our concern!!"

Diethyl and Lyserg

Diethyl was looking over the city from a hill he had found. Lydian had wandered off again. Diethyl really was in no mood to look for him. Let the bonehead do what he liked.

Why did I leave? Diethyl was getting a headache trying to figure it out. They weren't mean to me, I was kind of happy...why did I let Lydian talk me out of staying...? I do want to see Lyserg again...but...

"Diethyl?"

Diethyl noticeably brightened. Diethyl stood up and turned toward Lyserg. "Hi."

Standing not more then a few feet away from each other, they did look a lot like. Both had emerald eyes and hair, but Diethyl's was styled to frame one side of his face, and he had thin square shaped glasses. Diethyl was dress much like Lyserg, without the Sherlock cape, and the bow. Diethyl seemed a bit more fragile, if it were possible, then Lyserg. When he stood it was always with one arm wrapped around his waist. Unless he was holding something else.

"Where's Lydian?"

"Off. I don't feel much like looking for him. Why?"

"Has he done anything he shouldn't be...like hurting people."

Diethyl tilted his head with that ever-present grin. "You know Lydian just as well as I do, Lyserg, of course he's been hurting people, there' s hardly anything I can do about that, try as I might."

Lyserg sighed. I know Lydian better then you do. " Well, if he comes back tell me okay? He should be back were people can watch him."

"You're going to turn us in?" Diethyl stressed the comment.

"No, just Lydian."

"Why?"

This is where explaining things to Diethyl gets a little difficult. Diethyl didn't know that hurting other people was widely considered wrong. Where this belief had sprouted from, Lyserg didn't know. Luckily, Lyserg was used to explaining things like this to Diethyl…he was just…out of practice.

"It's not right to hurt people. People, decent people don't hurt others for fun. You don't, and I don't...Is it okay to know that Lydian is doing this? Doing things like that. Just because?"

Diethyl frowned for a moment. "But don't prisoners get punished, don't the guards enjoy that? Isn't that just because they can?"

Oh, boy. "Yes. But that's not right either."

"Why?"

Okay, think...just… don't… lose your temper. "Because, those prisoners are people too, And Lydian's not hurting criminals, is he?" Lyserg needed to change subjects before Diethyl brought up that they probably deserved it, Lyserg wouldn't be able to argue with that.

"No." Diethyl looked down.

"Then how is that okay?"

"It's not...but..."

"It's okay, we just have to find him?" Lyserg didn't want Diethyl to get hurt from this. "If you see him, you'll tell me, right...Where's Itany?"

"Itany?" Diethyl blinked. "Oh, over there."

The tiny dragon spirit was laying on a branch. Lyserg was relieved to know Diethyl had not left her were ever they were staying. Lydian had turned on Diethyl once...He had been alone, of course, Diethyl had gotten Lydian back, as soon as he could walk again, Lydian had lied his way back to having Diethyl's trust.

"Be careful, okay?"

"Lyserg?"

"Yeah?" Lyserg turned toward is cousin.

"I think I know why Lydian wanted to leave..." Diethyl wasn't looking at his cousins face, he felt bad about even thinking of betraying his brother.

"Why did you?"

"To see you again." Diethyl looked back up at Lyserg, wishing he could figure out just what he wanted to do. "I…" Diethyl hesitated and fidgeted. "I don't know…but it wasn't at…that place."

(This part was Ch.3. Went over it too.)

Lyserg and Diethyl.

"Why do you think Lydian left?"

Diethyl fidgeted, he still didn't want to betray his brother. Lyserg sighed. It would have to wait. "Never mind, where have you two been staying?"

"Here and There." Diethyl waved absently. "Where ever Lydian thinks it's okay."

"Why..."Lyserg stopped. He shouldn't ask Diethyl to leave Lydian just yet. Not until he was certain Diethyl could handle that. Besides, Diethyl would be something to explain to his friends, I'm not sure if Diethyl wants to come back, not just yet...I want him back where he's safe... with people more suited to taking care of him…

"What?" Diethyl asked tilting his head again.

"Nothing. Just be careful. I have to get home, you should be getting back before Lydian realizes you've left..."Lyserg thought of something. "Don't tell him you've seen me."

"Why not?"

"Lydian doesn't like me very much." Lyserg told his Cousin. He hates me, because you listen to me...and I know what he is…what he's doing to you…

"Alright. But I don't know why...it's not like he'd do anything to you."

"Just don't, please." Lyserg stressed the point. He'd hurt you, if he knew I knew you were both here, he'd hurt you to keep me quiet.

Diethyl fidgeted before walking closer to Lyserg. "Why don't you come with me? Then it won't matter."

"I can't." Lyserg replied, he sounded honestly pained. It would make things worse for you.

Diethyl gave Lyserg a sad looked and walked off. Itany jumped up and followed her keeper silently.

Yoh and Friends

"What. Was. That?" Horo Horo chose to ask.

"A Friend?"

"It's none of our business." Ren had not dropped this viewpoint; he had tried to stress the point. He wouldn't give up until he felt a reason too. And a Look-alike was not reason enough.

Hao chose to say nothing, having heard the entire conversation, even the bits that the two Diethels had not said to each other. This certainly gave him something new to use against Lyserg. Teasing Lyserg was the highlight of his days. Since he was supposed to be a good citizen.

"We should get back soon." Yoh reminded His brother. "We have to get up early."

"You made that up." Hao accused knowing he brother had a bad sense of time, and an even worse memory…and early for Yoh was 9 in the morning.

"No, really, now we do."

"What for?" Hao didn't really like his brother making plans, it would mean he would have to be nice...that wasn't something Hao as partially fond of, Yoh was the nice half.

"Your sister is going to give you more training if you get home late right?" Yoh asked Horo Horo who blinked then freaked.

Ren merely waved and walked off without explanation.

"What is so important?" Hao asked after the other two had left.

"We need to talk to Lyserg."

"About what, I thought you didn't want him to know about our spying." Hao asked. He'd have to be nice. Worse to Lyserg, where was the fun in that, besides, the British Shaman was so fun to tease.

" I get the feeling that this is something he needs help with." Yoh replied shrugging.

" Do I have to stop teasing him?" Hao already knew the answer.

"Try?" Yoh asked his older brother. "He loses his temper and that would give him a reason to leave."

"I hate it when you say that." Hao muttered. Then grinned. "Alright, but only for a little while."

Lyserg, Yoh, Hao.

Lyserg was groggy, when he came down to see whom ever was banging on the door. He had been up wondering all night if Diethyl had told Lydian. Though it was foolish. Diethyl usually did what Lyserg asked him to do. So why the stupid all nighter? Telling himself he was concerning, he was really scolding himself over not asking Diethyl to leave Lydian be...to come back with him. Chances were something might have gotten Diethyl into trouble.

"Yes...oh, hey, Yoh...Hao." Lyserg tolerated Hao now. Barely.

"Hey, Got time to talk for a while?"

"Yeah." Lyserg let them both in wondering what could have brought them here. He really didn't have time, but if he said no, that would only get Yoh worried and he didn't need them finding Diethyl yet…not just yet.

"Um, this is really strange, but you were talking to someone who looked like, you, and well, it looked like it was going to the wrong way." Yoh said knowing how the green-haired shaman would react…

Lyserg sat down rather harshly. "You heard that?" Damn. So much for keeping his friends in the dark.

…Almost.

"Yeah." This made Yoh worry all the more; he had expected the dowser to reacted a bit more violently. "Who was that?"

"My cousin, Diethyl...He's...a bit off in the head." Lyserg replied. No point in lying now. They would both see through it.

"He's Crazy?" Even Hao had to raise his eyebrows at this, there had been nothing strange about his thoughts, they looped back sometimes, but that happened to everyone.

"Not Exactly. He's not mentally challenged either...anyway, I'd rather you stayed out of this. Diethyl's not dangerous but his Stepbrother, Lydian is."

"Dangerous?" It was Hao who asked this, interested perked.

Diethyl and Lydian. (Back to the night before.)

Diethyl came home, in a better mood then he had been in for the last few days. Lydian noticed and wondered what he had been doing.

"Where were you?"

Keeping his promise to Lyserg he only told Lydian he had found a nice view, and looked at the stars and such. It gave Itany a chance to stretch her wings.

"Itany isn't real, you psycho." Lydian was sick of hearing about the non-existent creature.

"Really?" Diethyl got an amused look as he looked at the little dragon spirit perched on his arm.

"Of course." Lydian snapped losing his temper.

This made Diethyl think, and think very hard.

Diethyl could not sleep that night. For a number of reasons. He wondered if Lydian was only trying to bother him again. He had said Itany wasn't real, she was. She was sitting down on the nightstand watching Diethyl, watching him watch her then the ceiling. He was confused again, confused and worried. He need to talk to Lyserg...he would have to wait until the chance came back up. Diethyl had promised not to mention Lyserg to Lydian and he wouldn't.

Still, Lyserg was another reason he couldn't sleep. Lyserg had seemed concerned when he told Diethyl that he couldn't come with him. Why? Lydian had never tried to hurt Lyserg...though Lydian had hurt Diethyl, once. He'd had hurt him badly, but Diethyl could only remember waking up in the hospital. He'd been told that Lydian had done it, and Lydian had admitted...but otherwise, it was a black spot.

Diethyl turned his attention back to Itany.

What should I do? I can't go find him, he wouldn't like that much. Right now, I guess I should sleep.

Itany watched her keeper go to sleep, but she herself did not. She had learned not to trust Lydian. He simply was crazy.

Lyserg, Yoh, Hao.

"Dangerous?" Hao asked again when the dowser didn't openly respond.

Should i tell them? It's really none of their business. If I tell there's a chance that Diethyl will be hurt. Should Lydian find out. Lyserg fought with himself and lost, horribly. No, maybe they can help. Lydian doesn't like Shaman.

"Lydian would make a very good serial killer." Lyserg said it reluctantly at first; momentarily forgetting they may not know what this meant.

"Serial Killer?"

"Some one who kills for the joy of it, and because they don't get caught. Reminds me of someone." Lyserg added trying not to glare at Hao, so instead the floor got the look. "He's tricking my cousin into believing he's his twin brother, a twin who died during birth. How Diethyl even knows about him..."

"Wait, how can he be fooled?"

"I told you Diethyl gets confused." Lyserg rolled his eyes. "It makes him difficult to handle."

"Confused...?"

"Diethyl has a hard time with facts that don't match up, if it contradicts it's self, then he gets lost. Sometimes what's said doesn't get to him. It takes a lot of patience to talk to him. Lydian took advantage of that, and got them both locked up when they were close to 10, Lydian is closer to 13, they decided It couldn't have been Diethyl who did it, so they let him live in...a home I guess."

"Did what?" Hao wanted to know.

"A home?" Yoh said this in unison it took Lyserg a moment to figure what was said, and by who.

"A murder, it's not anything of any importance, the weirdo was going to kill himself, but decided to let Lydian do it for him, Anyway, yes a home, I don't know how to explain it. with no one in our family able to take care of him, adult wise...or at all really, they decided for the better that he should stay where he was. Lydian was thrown into a cell and the key was thrown away, i don't know how he got out."

"A Shaman could get out of something like that if they're powerful...what?" Lyserg had shaken his head when Yoh tried to figure that out.

"Diethyl is a shaman, but Lydian isn't. He doesn't like shaman ethier...he hates Itany, Diethyl's guardian ghost."

"He's not a shaman?" Hao asked getting a plan in mind, more to the fact he was bored over the fact that it would help Lyserg.

"No, he's not. And don't kill him, at least, not until I can get Diethyl out of the way. He won't understand."

"Then make him." Hao said getting annoyed by this.

"You can't, I can't. Diethyl can't be talked to like that! Most of the time."

"Okay, okay...so maybe we can't set the full truth out, but he can be told Lydian is a bad guy, right?"

"Yeah, but it takes a lot, I can try again, presuming I can find Diethyl without Lydian hanging around." Lyserg crossed his arms.

"Why does Lydian matter?" Both Twins were confused.

"If Lydian finds out that I'm here, then he may hurt Diethyl again. It keeps me from going straight to the police."

"One thing, Lyserg," Hao had to ask. "Where you and Diethyl ever a couple? Oh, good." Hao was already changing his plans, this is going to be more fun then i thought. Lyserg's sudden blush had said everything.

"W---what? No!"

Lydian, Diethyl.

"No." Diethyl said crossing his arms. "I'm not leaving, you do as you like… I'm staying here."

"Why? Do you want them to find us?"

"Us, no. But then they're not looking for me are they? I'm sick of moving around. live with it or leave." Diethyl turned his back on Lydian, and walked out, Itany followed, having already hissed at the unknowing human. "I'm not a pyscho." this was added under his breath, "I just get confused." the door closed, and clicked shut.

Lydian clenched his teeth, Oh, great. Now what, I've got to keep moving...what's gotten into the little psycho? Lydian looked at the door his "brother" had left through. There may be a way to get him to go...but it wouldn't be pretty.

Yoh, Hao, Ren, Lyserg and Horo Horo.

"What part of secret didn't you understand!" Lyserg demanded. " This isn't the best way to keep things from Lydian..."

"I know." Hao replied. "That's why I had Yoh tell them."

"YOU? You told them, after everything I told you..." Lyserg honestly thought he was going to have a mental breakdown, or a heart attack.

Yoh could only grin a bit sheepishly at the dowser's glare.

"It's part of my plan, now, there's something you need to do."

"Like What?"

"Find Diethyl, You can do that can't you?" Hao asked smirking.

Lyserg wasn't sure about this. "Why?"

"You still don't trust me?" Hao mocked being hurt.

"No." Lyserg answered.

Hao rolled his eyes, and sighed. "Argh, just do it, alright. My plans normally work out, look how close I was to being Shaman King."

"Yeah, Close. You didn't," If this helps Diethyl, it won't be too bad, just remember that. "This had better not backfire on Diethyl."

"Protective Lover isn't you?"

"I AM NOT…" Lyserg didn't know where this idea had come from but it was doing to die here and now.

"Sure you aren't.." Hao said it sweetly. " I'm good at seeing these things."

"Your a bastard..."

"Anyway," Ren replied. " Who is this Lydian anyway?"

"Lydian is Diethyl's stepbrother, after my uncle remarried."

"We knew that, but why did he have to get married again?"

"My aunt died in an accident on the way to the hospital." Lyserg hesitated. "She was going to have twins, or so I've always been told, but only Diethyl and his Father Survived...When Lydian heard that...well, he saw it as an opportunity. Though he has to wear colored contacts, and dye his hair all the time. Diethyl wasn't going to know about his twin until he was older, but he found out somehow."

"Why wasn't he going to be told?"

"I don't see why that's important." Lyserg was getting irritated. This wasn't something he liked to talk about.

"It might be. You said he gets confused, but they wouldn't just lock him up for that."

"They didn't lock him up, there just wasn't anyway one old enough, or alive, to take care of him after his Father passed on, or whatever happened to him, Lydian they locked away. He's the real crazy one."

"Why does Lydian have to Dye his hair?" Ren asked. "Couldn't he just leave it be, tell this Diethyl that he had dyed it?"

"I don't know." Lyserg thought a moment. "In the Eight years he's been lying to Diethyl, and to a lot of other people I've never quite figured that out. I don't even know what color his eyes or hair are normally."

"Then how do you know he's dying it, dude?"

"He told me."

"Told you!"

"I told you, Lydian doesn't make much sense. But I've got to get him locked up before he does something really bad to Diethyl...or kills any more people."

"Eight Years? That's a long time to keep a lie, and keep the facts straight." Yoh said.

"He doesn't." Lyserg glared at both the wall, then Hao for blabbing all this. " He only has to keep enough in line to get Diethyl to believe him, Diethyl knows he gets 'confused', the facts don't add up, he puts them off as something he's done, not something Lydian may have. The only thing Lydian has to be really careful about is Itany, Diethyl's Guardian Ghost, Lydian can't see her, but has to pretend he can."

"Why?" Horo Horo asked.

"I said this earlier," Lyserg rolled his eyes, then bit down on his thumbnail, " He's pretending to be Diethyl's twin brother, if they're twins then they should both be able to see spirits. If he says he can't, Diethyl will think on that. Diethyl's not stupid...he's really smart, he just doesn't think about things in the way everyone else does."

"Oh. Good." Ren sounded Sarcastic. "How are we supposed to tell him that his brother's a faker? Why am I even being asked to take part in this?!!"

"Very carefully." The last part of Ren's statement was ignored.

Diethyl.

He knew it was dangerous, and would very likely break his promise, but he wanted to think, and he hoped that maybe Lyserg would come back and help to explain a few things that Diethyl himself didn't understand. Why had Lydian insisted that Itany wasn't real? Was he really only trying annoy his brother, he did this sometimes, or had he been serious. What did it matter if they stayed or not? It wasn't like they were in any rush, if Lydian would stop hurting people.

Diethyl paced, "Why won't any of this make sense?" Diethyl asked the open air before crouching, hands on ethier side of his head. Diethyl stayed like that for a long time; trying to understand the senselessness of the questions he needed answers to, even when it rained for a while.

Lydian

Lydian looked around and cursed Diethyl's name. He should have paid more attention last night, then he'd know were he was. He had to find the annoying bastard and 'convince' him that leaving was of his better interest. Lydian now wondered what could make Diethyl want to stay, to disagree with Lydian, even to snap at him, and went over their last few conversations the ones he could remember.

"Itany." Lydian muttered and clicked his teeth. "Damn Shaman."

He'd made a mistake. A big one. Itany sometimes meant the world to Diethyl, by losing his temper and finally telling the little weirdo that she wasn't real had pushed him in the wrong direction. He had to find Diethyl and apologize, before someone else, who may clear things up, found him. But then the chances he'd find another shaman were very slim.

Diethyl

Diethyl had no idea how much time had past, he didn't care. I'm not leaving until i figure this out. Even if I takes me days to do so. Though it was annoying Diethyl to no end and it was tempting to just give up. Lydian's last conversation would come back and Diethyl would wonder again. He knew he should get back but not until he found an answer without Lydian's help. He could do this, he wasn't stupid.

"Is something wrong?"

"Maybe I don't know." Diethyl said not looking up, and tighting his hold on his hair, shaking his head slightly. "I can't figure it out."

"Maybe I can help." The voice was calm, if a little cold. " What's your name?"

"Diethyl Diethel." Diethyl looked up.

"Mine is Asakura Hao." Hao held out a hand, smiling. "I know a friend of yours, who's looking for you."

"Really?" Diethyl took the offered hand, not wanting to wait in the cold by himself any longer, but then Itany was there, wasn't she? Or was Lydian right and Itany was little more then a figment of Diethyl's imagination, his brother may only be trying to help. Diethyl just didn't know.

"Itany is real, as real as any spirit I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of them, why would someone lie to like that, why would your brother?"

Hao looked genuinely concerned, Diethyl hesitated only a moment.

"I guess your right."

Even Hao had to feel something. He really is easy to trick. Lydian probably doesn't have to try very hard. "Of course, Do you know what a Shaman is?"

"No."

"I'll tell you on the way back to my brother's and my house, okay? That will help clear things up."

"Alright."

The only chapter I can't really figure out how to stick in just yet is Ch.5 of the old one. I can make the rest of this work. As for Lyserg/Diethyl's Relationship is up to you guys. I'm trying to keep it as a Familial thing, but it's a bit difficult…still I don't know if I want to do it as anything else cause that may not be received very well. So it's going to be up to you guys. Only Cousin's or More?