Tat watched as Leorina paced around the room, conflicted. One half of her wanted to tell her to calm down and wait before doing anything rash. The other half wanted to help her do exactly the opposite. As such, she began to tremble and ultimately came apart at the seams. Splitting into two was a fairly common trait for feline Lunateans and not painful physically. This particular instance was caused by emotional turmoil, however. A conflict of interest.

Tat's white half flew in front of Leorina to stop her. " Please calm down, nya. "

Leorina snorted. " I am calm. " She said in a tone that did not reflect it.

White persisted. " You have been pacing for two hours! "

" Yeah, you have. " Black chimed in. " Maybe you ought to do somethin' about it, nya? "

Leorina slowed to a stop upon hearing that. Her fists were clenched at her side. Her eyes cast downward. The warmth that was in them once again extinguished. Perhaps for the last time.

Before White was able to question why she stopped she was off again. Leorina made a beeline for the closet and swung the sliding door open. A leather sack sailed across the room to be caught by the conspiring Black Tat who urged her into action.

" That's the spirit, nya! " Black cheered as she opened the mouth of the bag. She sailed around the room catching the articles of clothing that followed as if it were a game.

At least until White flew between them. " Stop this! " She cried out and smacked down a tossed dress as if to deny her less-than-nice half. " You can't just run off - "

" Why not? " Black countered. " They did. "

Leorina paused briefly in her work. Until that moment it had not quite sunken in. That she had a bit of a row with her lover that meant that one of them had to sleep on the couch for the night. It happened from time to time. She kept a plastic container with a pillow and blanket undereath the couch for just such an occasion.

This time they decided they wanted to take the couch. Leorina allowed them and as always left the bedroom door closed but unlocked in case they changed their mind. Sometimes they did and came back into the room at some point in the night looking for warmth and forgiveness. This time they had not. In cases like this she'd come out of the bedroom and apologies were made at some point during their morning rituals.

Today they were nowhere to be found. The bedding was folded neatly on the couch but nothing else had been done. They hadn't run the shower. They weren't making coffee or breakfast.

They were … gone. This had never happened before.

Leorina had their promise that this would never happen. That they would never leave them. It was the only reason that she agreed to reign in her adventurous (and dangerous) lifestyle and actually settle down. Together they had a house which they made their home. They were talking about setting up a shop to make more money.

Now she was kicking herself, mentally, and fighting back the tears that came with that. Had she really been that naive? Did she really think she could have a normal life after all she had done? How could anyone love someone like her? Truly and honestly?

She should have seen it coming.

It did not take long for Leorina to pack their belongings. Her " profession " meant that she often had to travel light, pack quickly, and be ready to flee at a moment's notice. While she thought that she would not have to resort to such drastic measures so long as she lived here she could not shake her old habits. Now the Sky Pirate wished she had held onto her old ways more dearly. That way, perhaps, she would not have felt as hurt as she did by this turn of events.

Tat was unable to pull herself together by time they descended the stairs. White went from pleading protests to all out bawling once Leorina handed her a small leather knapsack. The good half was trusted with the medical supplies and food rations. Black carried their keys and weapons while she carried the heaviest bag with their clothing and keepsakes.

Leorina did not move as briskly as she could have through the hallway and stairs. Her eyes traveled to the things that she could not take. She took nothing of her lover's, for example, even though she knew that certain things were valuable. Though she could feel new cracks forming and splintering what she thought was a solid foundation, she knew what she felt in her heart. Thief though she was she could not bring herself to steal from them.

Black was so elated to be leaving that she flew ahead to open the door for them. While Black did not necessarily dislike Leorina's lover she did not enjoy being cooped up in a house and " made to be domestic ". At first, Leorina shared her sediment and resisted many of the changes in her life. Then with time, patience, and White's understanding she had grown to appreciate certain things.

As soon as Black opened the door a figure ran inside and wrapped their arms around Leorina's waist. Leorina nearly shoved them out of reflex with her free hand, but the shaken sob that cracked through the air was enough to ground her.

Her hands, tentatively, went in to embrace their shoulders instead. " … Lolo? " Leorina barely recognized her own voice. Mentally and physically she was exhausted.

Then the anger came. " Where have you been!? " Her voice was too hoarse to scream.

Lolo pulled her face away just enough to look up at hers. She took had been crying. " I was … kidnapped? " The way that she said it seemed to imply that there was a story to be told.

After the two girls got a change of clothing they retired to the couch. Once reunited Leorina's arm never left Lolo's waist. Lolo leaned against her, exhausted, as she recalled the unusual turn of events that today took.

Lolo was getting ready to go to the bedroom to apologize for yesterday's argument. Then a bright light engulfed her and took her to another place. She'd been " invited " to participate in a tournament with other competitors and managed to come in fourth overall. The aim of the competition was not to become the best, however. The organizer of the event wanted someone intelligent enough to act as a central computer in their mechanical empire.

Despite the seriousness of the situation Leorina could not help but grin. It was her training that enabled Lolo to progress to far in the tournament and beat so many opponents. She felt a jolt of pride, and perhaps something more endearing. The Lolo who could not even throw a punch two years ago could now hold her own in a tournament of the Dream World's champions.

Leorina wasn't interested in hearing the end of the story. She didn't care whether Klonoa or that jerk who delivered her Lolo to Garlen actually stopped his ambitions, though she did make a note to soundly beat the former should he darken their doorstep in the future. The thief stopped the story by leaning in and delivering a kiss.

" As long as you're here and safe it's fine. " That's all that mattered.

The younger girl twitched from the sudden brushing of their lips. She never thought she'd get used to this kind of contact. The heat spread from her nose to her cheeks to produce a deep blush as they pulled away.

Lolo's breathe hitched. " I don't think I could ever leave you no matter how mad I get, Leo. " She admitted, reaching for Leorina's free hand to give it a squeeze of reassurance.

" I'm … glad. " Leorina sighed, feeling a wave of relief washed over her that made her muscles relax for the first time since she'd woken up without her Lolo today. " I don't think my heart can take it. "

Then, she tip-toed back onto a certain subject. That which sparked the argument from the previous evening. " I don't think my heart can take seeing the High Priestess again, either. "

There was a tinge of sadness in Lolo's eyes that almost made Leorina regret her decision. She knew how much the High Priestess' praise meant. She'd been in Lolo's shoes before and desperately wanted to forget it.

Lolo smiled. " I understand. " There was disappointment in her eyes, but she tried not to let it show in her voice. It was her hope that two of the most important people to her would be able to set aside their differences and meet, if just once. " I suppose we don't need Claire's formal blessing. "

" I don't think she'd approve a Sky Pirate dating her sweet innocent hand-chosen apprentice, anyway. " Leorina teased as moved to stand, scooping up the younger priestess in the process. An arm supported her back while the other hooked under her legs. " Not if we have to do confessionals in any case. "

Lolo giggled at the implication, her tail already swaying in excitement. " If she heard all I did I wouldn't be a priestess at all! " She laughed, and that laughter carried through the house.

Black's eye followed them lazily from her vantage point in the kitchen. From the couch, to the stairs, and out of sight where a door slammed.

She frowned and looked back to her counterpart. " You can stop with the tea. They're … busy, nya~. "

" I know! " Her good counterpart smiled as she floated over to take the other's hands. " Isn't it wonderful? "

The darker feline rolled her eye in agitation before swaying with her other half. Once they were in sync with one another they could become whole again. It was nothing flashy about it. White just sprung into Black's arms and then they were one. Tat, now whole, circled around to check herself and brush off her skirt before looking back to the ceiling.

Conflicted. Again.

" You're just a little jealous, nya. " Tat spoke to herself, about herself.

Nodding, she sauntered off towards the door to let herself out. The day was young and there was a need to leave her dear friends to their privacy.

" If Lolo saw Klonoa maybe he came back here? Maybe we can play with him a while, nya? "