Chapter 2

'Awful weather, isn't it?' The sound of her voice made him jump.

'It's not so bad,' he shrugged as he turned towards her, 'shouldn't you be inside?'

'I could ask you the same thing.'

'Yeah, but I asked first.'

'True.'

'So?'

'So…?'

'So why aren't you inside?'

'It's too hot in there, besides they keep talking in Etean.'

'You should ask your brother to teach you.'

'I think he's more concerned with teaching Crovell.'

'Well, you know I could teach you if you like.'

'It would be nice not to be the only one who doesn't understand it,' a slim smile pulled at her lips.

'I don't think Téa and Duke really know it either.'

'Oh I don't know, they seemed to be following it better than me,' she sighed. 'But I guess that's because they're round it more than I am.'

'Well then that settles it,' he smirked, 'you've just been enrolled in the Mokuba Kaiba School of Etean. Class begins tomorrow, nine am sharp.'

'Oh yeah?' She laughed, cocking an eyebrow at him as she did.

'Yeah,' he nodded, 'and I don't appreciate lateness.'

'So where does class take place exactly?'

'Um…'

'Some teacher you are,' she giggled, 'you don't even have a classroom.'

'You want to learn Etean or not?'

'Yeah,' she nodded, 'I want to learn.'

'Then don't make fun,' he folded his arms. 'Look, just come over to mine, there are plenty of free rooms there.'

'Sounds cool,' she grinned. 'So you want to tell me why you're outside now?'

'I'm waiting for that to reach us,' h pointed up towards a break in the threatening black sky.

'Why?'

'I don't know,' he shrugged, 'maybe because then the rain will stop.'

'I thought you said this weather wasn't so bad.'

'It's not; there's just something... threatening about all this rain.'

'True.'

'No,' he shook his head, 'you don't understand, I mean there's something really threatening about it.'

'You don't think something's coming, do you?' Serenity frowned.

'The last time we had weather like this, Crovell was born.'

'Probably because it was a year ago,' her face filled with a confused frown, 'unless I'm missing something.'

'Joey did fill you in on the events surrounding your nephew's birth, didn't he?'

'Not really.'

'Typical,' he rolled his eyes.

'So what happened exactly?'

'It's complicated.'

'You mean more complicated than my brother becoming the First Mistress of Light, impregnating a member of the Reganna and then having a son who might just be the most powerful child ever born to mortal parents?'

'That's complicated?' He laughed. 'That's like an average day around here,' he shook his head. 'So you staying with Téa again?'

'No,' she pressed her lips together. 'My Mum's down too, we're saying in a hotel.'

'Why isn't she here?'

'Joey wouldn't let her come.'

'I see...' now it was his turn to frown. 'But... doesn't she have a right to see her own grandchildren?'

'Yeah, but Joey can be so stubborn.'

'Tell me about it,' he rolled his eyes again. 'So how long are you down for?'

'Until my Mum gets to see Jo and Crovell,' she shrugged.

'In other words, indefinitely.'

'I guess you can say that.'

'Good.'

'Why good?'

'It gives me more time to teach you.'

'Huh?'

'Etean,' he grinned, 'I'm teaching you Etean, remember?'


Ahna gave a heavy sigh as she carefully lay her son down into his crib. Behind her the rain beat heavily against the window; once again the weather on Sil was reflected the weather in Domino. A part of Ahna couldn't help but wonder if she should always expect rain on her son's birthday or if this weather was an ominous sign of things to come.

'It was a nice party,' Covo's voice sounded from behind her, 'but I still don't get why we couldn't have it here.'

'Covo, did I ever tell you what punishment the Mistresses gave me? For being Gan the first time round I mean.'

'Something to do with blocking your powers.'

'That was part of it,' she nodded, 'but I was also forbidden to leave Sil.'

'Does this have something to do with holding Crovell's party on Earth?' An almost knowing smile tugged at Covo's lips.

'One year ago my son was born and one year ago my ban was lifted.'

'So it's a celebration of being able to go to Earth?'

'I guess you could say that.'

'You're a weird one Ahna Crovell.'

'You've only just figured that out?'

'No,' he smirked, 'I've known for a while.'

'You know I am feeling a little guilty about my decision,' she pressed her lips together. 'I'm sure Veronie missed Mai not being able to come tonight.'

'He did seem a little tense.'

'I can't believe he's married,' she shook her head. 'Is it wrong for me to be jealous?'

'I guess that depends on what you're jealous about.'

'That I should be a married woman, but I'm not,' she lowered her gaze. 'Stupid really; it's not even about Veronie, its more… knowing I should have been married.'

'How did he propose to you?'

'He didn't, it was more a mutual agreement we both came to. Everything in our relationship was a mutual agreement. It's why neither of us could ever say we loved the other; because neither of us agreed it was true.'

'It's not like that with us though, is it?'

'No, it's not, nothing with you is the way it was with Veronie and for that I'm truly grateful.'

'Because you love me?'

'Of course I love you,' she placed her arms around his neck, 'and... I want to marry you.'