The Return Of Wiseman

by Shadowsevilfish

When Dreamer Shady finds herself in the Night Dimension, she has no idea what lays in store for her or those around her. Wiseman has finally returned, and is plotting his revenge on the traitorous NiGHTS and her fellow companions.

4. Chapter 4

Ch. 4 Wiseman

When I had returned to the Dream Gate Plaza I had a limp to me, and my right leg was bandaged up. As I hobbled towards the door to the world Reala was still in, Nights had grabbed my left shoulder and turned me around. I spat at her, and turned for the door again. I had a lot of difficulty walking, and each step I took hurt like hell. The female Nightmaren grabbed my shoulder again, spun me around and smiled.

"Stop it. I got him out. He'll be okay." She said.

I stared at her in shock, tears running down my face. "I-It was all my fault...I-I-"

She nodded, "Don't sweat it. We heal fast. He probably wants to see you. I left him back at the Spring just inside the forest. He can't go far with an injury, so don't worry about him trying to fly away from you."

I smiled, and wiped at the stray tears on my cheeks. "How...did you find him?"

"Owl told me that you two just cockily flew into that world, and never came back out." She shrugged, "I figured something bad had happened, and I was right."

I frowned, and shook my head. "It was my fault. Thank you for getting him out of there. How bad are his injuries?"

Nights shrugged, "When I brought him here to let him heal, he had a broken ankle, bad deep slices into his leg and was shivering from a cold."

I sighed, "It would've been nice if I had known this earlier. I could've brought him something."

Nights smirked, "I believe all he needs right now is you. Go on."

I smiled, "Thanks again Nights. I'm sorry about last time we met."

She shrugged, "Bygones."

I turned and began my limping journey into the woods. It took me twice as long as before, due to the fact that my fractured ankle made it really difficult to move. When I set my eyes on him, he was leaning against one of the various trees and seemed to not have noticed my presence. I limped towards him, and stopped a foot away from him. I smiled.

"Reala?" I asked softly.

The surprised Nightmaren opened his eyes and looked up at me, he smirked weakly. He didn't bother to move, but his foot had been bandaged up as well. So we did share similar injuries. The smiles we made at one another only proved that we had forgiven each other for our shared stupidity.

Limping closer, I managed to wrap my arms around his neck. "I'm glad we're both okay. I didn't really want to see 'Killed by a fish' on my tombstone, or yours for that matter."

He chuckled, and wrapped his arms around my waist. "That wouldn't be all that bad now would it?"

I rolled my eyes, "Do you think maybe Aura's Ideya can heal us?"

He shrugged, "That depends entirely on the fact that she is with Jackle. He'll drag her all over the place. We may end up healing slowly here by ourselves."

"That's not awesome." I whispered, raising my eyes to meet his. "What can we do in the meantime then?"

His smirk grew, "I have some ideas."

I raised a suspicious eyebrow, "And what are they?"

He shrugged, "Why should I tell you?"

"BECAUSE I ASKED AND TRIGGERED THE RESPONSE." I snapped.

The following moment was nothing but challenging glares shared between the both of us before I let him go and shrugged out of his grip. "Fuck you then."

He extended his claws and grabbed me again, "Listen closely eh? Remember what I said earlier about Wiseman?"

I blinked, the pain from his claws against my hips were nothing compared to the pain in my ankle and leg. "Sure. You seemed upset about it."

He nodded, "That's because Wiseman was the old god of the Night Dimensions. I was once...not the Nightmare you have before you now."

I cuddled against his chest, "Yeah? So what all happened?"

He sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Well, let's just say I had done nothing good. I stole Ideya, I hurt Dreamers like yourself, and I came close to killing Nights several times."

I smiled, "That's okay. Everyone gets a second chance to be better than they were. This must be yours."

He smiled down at me, "That's a quick assumption, but I do suppose you're correct."

We sat together cuddling for a few moments before we heard voices. Familiar voices. They belonged to Jackle and his Dreamer, Aura. We both groaned, of course they would ruin this moment. I sat up straight and sighed. Reala kept an arm around me, but he sat up as well. Both of us turned our heads towards the insane pair. When they came into sight, I felt Reala's claws dig into my shoulder. I turned to give him a curious look, which he shook his head as if he was disappointed, and gave off an almost inaudible growl. I could feel it, for I was so close to him, but I could not hear it.

"What are you so upset about?" I whispered.

"Jackle. He-" He shook his head. "I'll tell you later. In fact, I'll bring you with me when I talk to him about it."

I grinned, "Okay."

We then looked up at the pair, "Can we help you with something?"

Jackle glanced at our shared injuries and grinned, "Did you have a bad time?"

I rolled my eyes, and Reala shrugged.

"it's just a simple flesh wound. We'll heal." Reala said blandly. "I would rather ask of course why your Dreamer has an INTERESTING new scent."

Jackle quickly averted his eyes, "I have no idea what you're talking about Reala. She must've used a new soap before she fell asleep."

NOW I could hear Reala's growl. It vibrated his entire body, and mine as well. I try to worm away, but his claws dug into the skin at my shoulder. So, I stayed put, and tried to hide that fact that his claws hurt. I instead glanced at Aura. She hadn't said a single word. Was something going on here? I was about to open my mouth and ask, but Reala kept me from doing that too. His claws dug in deeper each time I did something he didn't want me to do. So I gave up. I crossed my arms and huffed angrily.

"You broke a law! A tradition! Jackle what the hell were you thinking?!" Reala hissed at him, his eyes had narrowed into slits that had became blood red.

I winced in pain, those claws of his dug in again. But I looked up to Aura, and despite the pain, I spoke.

"Can you...help us? I need you to heal us. Please." I whispered.

Reala loosened his grip on me, noticing that I wasn't going to interrupt his yelling at the orange wizard.

Aura's fingertips began to glow a faint white, and she smiled. I could tell she had pride in her powers, for she was eager to try and help. She stepped forward and held her hand above my bandaged area and I saw the entire bandage dissolve and the wounds close themselves up. It was creepy to watch when my ankle snapped back into the correct place and the bones healed back to the way they were before. I stared in horror. What kind of Ideya did she HAVE?

Jackle watched, but didn't seem as shocked as Reala and I were. Had he seen it before? Wiggling my ankle, I smirked. I was able to go back to my nightopia world again! But before I would do that...

"Can you help Reala too? He won't bite...hard." I giggled at my joke.

Reala rolled his eyes, and carefully sliced the bandages off his leg. "I thank you in advance for this, Dreamer."

Aura had repeated the same process with Reala, then stood up straight again. Reala and I stood up shortly afterwards. Reala sighed, and gave Jackle a glance that said he had bad news. I could read that expression and realized he was going to warn the wizard about the fact that Wiseman was back, and that he had sent other Nightmarens after us. I leaned against him once more, and his arm stayed around my shoulders.

"Thank you Aura." I whispered, unsure if I had any right to speak.

Reala turned to Jackle again, "I have bad news, and really bad news. Pick whatever one you want first."

Jackle's grin faded quickly, "Really, you say? What's up?"

Reala took a deep breath before he spoke. "It's...Wiseman. He's back. He's probably pissed, and has sent many other Nightmarens after us and our Dreamers. In short, we're in trouble. I couldn't get the chance to tell Nights, because the bitch won't sit still. It'd be great if we got to force Ritalin down her throat." He shook his head, "The point is, the injuries my Dreamer and I had were caused by Girania. You remember him right?"

Jackle nodded slowly, "The giant evil fish right?"

Reala nodded as well. "Yeah. That's why I think Wiseman is back. Girania is only a lv. 3, he would never attack me like he did unless he was ordered to."

Jackle seemed bothered by the words, and lowered his eyes, "I understand. What can we do though?"

I clenched my fists, "I won't let you do anything without my wit and swiftness at your side, Reala."

Reala smirked, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

I hugged him happily, and received a hug in return. I then turned to face Jackle and Aura again, and smiled.

"So, how do we handle this situation?" I asked slowly, looking from Reala to Jackle.

Reala seemed to be thinking about it, and Jackle just lowered his eyes to stare at his shoes. The silence lasted for several minutes before I crossed my arms angrily.

"How about we all just check the worlds we've already been in? I mean, if Nightmarens were sent after us, wouldn't that mean, that they were sent where Wiseman thought that we were?" I asked.

Reala blinked, "That is true. But we just barely made it out alive last time."

"I did. You passed out on me you wimp. Without me, you'd be dead right now." I snapped.

He averted his eyes, "Sorry about that."

I looked to Jackle, my eyes bright and intense. "Do you understand me? I need to know what you encountered."

The orange wizard looked up at me in surprise, "Well, um, cats." he blushed in embarrassment.

"Then we ran away." Aura added almost silently, but unhappily.

Reala chuckled, "Stand and fight like a man Jackle. Geez."

"I'm allergic to those damn cats you jackass!" he snapped, but was quick to flinch back when Reala glared at him.

"Alright, so there were cats there eh? What do you all say that we go back in there, and find who's cats they are?"

Reala nodded, "That would be the surest and quickest way I do suppose. Let's go into your world Wigg-" he stopped himself, and chuckled, but did not finish the sentence.

Dualizing with Reala was faster each time we tried, and we were in the air in seconds. Taking control, I motioned for Aura and Jackle to follow suit. It took them awhile, but they Dualized and followed behind us. Reala and I had landed on the steps of the door to Aura's world, and turned to allow Jackle and her to open it.

'Do you think this will go well?' I asked him telepathically.

He took a moment to think, before he responded. 'I think so yeah. All we have to do is fight alongside them. Speaking of that, can I tap into your Ideya now?'

'WHAT?! Why?'

'Because you may have powers you don't know you have, and I'm starving.'

I let him have at it, and tried to ignore the tickly feeling it was leaving behind. However, it did leave me in control of the body. I tapped our foot boredly, Jackle and Aura were really slow. Maybe they were making out or something, I wasn't sure. Having read Reala's mind, I got that the fact that Jackle had some sort of special claim on her now, but I didn't know what exactly it was. He never opened his mind up to me more than that. I tapped the foot faster, and crossed our arms.

'Is there a drug that speeds people up?' I asked Reala.

I got no response, and the tickly feeling continued. I sighed sadly, this sucked.

When I saw Jackle appear, I stopped tapping our foot and turned so that he had access to the door. "Open this, or I'll eat your cape."

I loved how everything sounded when I spoke in Reala's voice. It made me sound like I was a deadly warrior, which of course I knew he was. Yet at the same time, I sounded rather seductive. It was a great mix of two powerful ways of speech, and I was proud to use them. When Jackle moved forwards, I waited patiently, I was surprised I had any patience at all; so I just focused on the tickly feeling inside our shared body.

When the wizard reached out and opened the door, I raised an eyebrow. The world was that of a haunted Chateau? What in the hell? Shaking off my thoughts, I flew in after him. When the door closed behind us, I turned to look at it. A feeling of uneasy started to rise within me as I followed closely behind Jackle. He lead us into the mansion, and I got a good look around. There were several assorted doors, each a different color. I moved our eyes around, looking for something amusing, but finding nothing. Each door seemed similar to the next, yet so immensely different. I continued to follow the wizard up the stairs, and was unable to shake the creepy Sonic Heroes haunted house theme from my head.

I was amused when I saw a red door outlined with black paint, in the middle of the door was a large black 'R'. I widened our eyes, this...place. I narrowed our eyes and poked at the door.

'Hey Reala. What's going on here? I swear I'll let you starve if you don't answer me.'

He chuckled, 'So what? I've ate my fill. Besides that, this is mah room. If it wasn't already obvious. Did you want to have a look?'

I sighed, 'Why not? How do I open it?'

'I'll do it.'

'If it's a mess I swear I'll make you clean it. WITH NOTHING BUT A FEATHER DUSTER.'

He chuckled, 'Sure you will.'

I let him have control, but I was only vaguely aware of the fact that we had just lost Jackle and Aura. He reached forward, and placed his palm on the door; for it had no handles. The door began to glow and pulse red, and with a loud SLAM!, it opened to reveal his room. I flinched from the sound. What if Jackle and Aura noticed we were not behind them? Oh this was bad. We promised to help them. Hell, it was even MY idea. Yet here I was, looking into one heck of an elegantly furnished, painted and decorated red and black room. I'm serious. Everything was in that color scheme. Even the bed. He floated inside, and the door closed behind us; I flinched at that as well.

He floated around the room, pointing things out to me and explaining a bit about them but he skipped the bed. I took control and sat on it, running our fingers along the soft black silk slowly.

'What about this bed? Do you even sleep?'

I felt our shared cheeks heat up, 'No, well, it's mostly for if I got injured or needed a place to relax.'

'But you have a sofa.' I responded quickly. 'So, why the bed?'

He growled, 'I have it in case I want to mate a female. I refuse to do so on anything but elegant materials.'

I giggled, 'How very thoughtful of you.'

He growled, and took control again. He stood up off the bed and walked towards the door, placing his palm against it, it opened yet again. He then flew out, and the door proceeded to shut by itself. He then headed down the hall further. I had noticed some cat fur here and there, and told Reala. He seemed to notice it as well, and said that the large crazy orange door ahead belonged to Jackle.

'Are they in there?' I asked.

'Heh. Want me to tell you something that has nothing to do with your recent question?'

I groaned, 'No not really. But why not.'

'When Aura was here last night, Jackle broke a law if you do say.'

'A law? About what?'

'He mated a Dreamer.'

I blinked, 'Is that...a bad thing?'

He chuckled, 'Maybe not. But back when Wiseman ruled us, it was. He's the first one to ever have the balls to do it, and so quickly nonetheless.'

He opened the door slowly, and his eyebrow raised. This room was destroyed! The bed was shredded, the furniture scratched, sharp objects bent, chains broken, and valuables were chewed to bits!

I was the one to speak the words, "What happened in here?"

"Shit happened. That's what." was Jackle's reply.

Reala took the control again and inspected the clawed items and bent and otherwise ruined objects.

"This place was ruined for a reason Jackle and you know it. We can clean it up after we go after those cats."

The sad expression on Jackle's face was either caused by his allergies, or the fact that everything he loved was ruined. I wanted to say something, but Reala held me back, telling me that comfort was a waste of my time, and he would never learn if he didn't experience sadness and loss. I didn't want to agree, but I had no choice.

Turning around, I pointed at a hole in the wall the size of a small piece of looseleaf. Reala spoke for me this time.

"Jackle. They came in through this hole. Can you send one of your cards inside it?"

The wizard looked up in surprise and came over to the hole as well, "Really? Alright. I can use this card as a pair of eyes."

Jackle pulled an Ace of hearts out of his cape and chanted something before he flung it into the hole and it vanished from view. He seemed to be aware of everything though.

Reala and I waited patiently, and within a few moments, Jackle had a large grin again.

"Well?" Reala asked.

"They're in a green room. All of them. A witch is in there with them." He answered simply.

'Great. Let's find a green doored room.'

Reala nodded, "Let's go then. Find a green door."

We all took off out of the room and each down a different direction of the hallway, Reala even released me from the Dualize to let me check on my own. I ran down the stairs and began to check to lower rooms on the first floor. When I came to a part of the house that had flipped upside down with distortions I smirked.

"YEAH." I fist pumped the air, and laughed when I could walk sideways on the walls.

This was like Mystic Mansion all over again. When I was sure I was on the ceiling, I happened to turn my head to the left and gasped. I had found the green door! I chuckled to myself, who wouldn't want their room on the ceiling?

'So much swag right there.' I thought to myself.

Looking over the door, I noticed a large deep green 'B' on it that was darker than the rest of the door. This was definitely the right one. Go figure that I would be the one to locate it. I was about to run back went I heard I heard a cackle. It wasn't one that I was familiar with and I whipped around quickly just in time to see a midget witch grab my throat roughly, sink her claws into it and drag me inside the room before I had the chance to scream.

~*POV CHANGE!*~

I hadn't managed to find a thing, and there was no way a witch would be in the first or second level room area. Turning around, I headed back to the stairs. In a way, I felt bad for letting that girl go off by herself, yet she seemed like one who could look after herself. Was I wrong? No. I was never wrong. I scratched at my arm, maybe I was wrong. The thoughts were starting to get to me, and I decided to go and find her. This place could still be holding some Nightmarens that were pissed off or confused, and the last thing I need to do is save her from them.

Flying down the stairs and looking to my left I gasped. Aura was laying on the wall...upside down. I facepalmed, THIS IS WHY I DON'T LEAVE PEOPLE BY THEMSELVES. I flew forwards, and helped her up. I glared at her with distaste.

"Where's Shady?" I asked angrily.

She had to know, after all, no one is stupid enough to land like that for no good reason. After waiting for her answer for a few moments, I started to ignore her, and spotted the door on my own. I smirked. As I neared it, I felt a shiver go through my entire body. I pulled back from the door in shock. It was a cursed door. Go figure. I examined it for a few moments before I pulled a small dagger from my left boot. I flug at it at the door, only to have it bounce back, and flip so that the blade was facing me. It flew right at my face and I chuckled, how predictable. I caught it in my teeth and extracted it from my mouth and slid it back into the boot. So the door had a magic guard on it. Jackle could break it.

I turned towards the Dreamer Aura, "Call Jackle. You can do it telepathically because you're his mate."

She stared at me in shock, before closing her eyes. I figured she was doing as I asked, because Jackle appeared next to her in an orange flash.

"This door has a guard Jackle. Break it would you?" I asked, motioning to the green door.

There was more urgency in my voice than I had expected, but I had a bad feeling deep inside my heart. Something was wrong, but I didn't know what. It was like something was trying to call me. I twitched slightly, and dug my claws into my palms. I wasn't aware that I had began to grind my teeth together either. Jackle couldn't be any slower could he?

Jackle had his eyes closed, and he was chanting his mumbo jumbo magic again. I wondered if maybe he was just swearing at me in some foreign language. It irked me slightly. When I saw a green flash around the door I almost jumped in shock, why was I so jumpy all the sudden? What was wrong with me? Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I nodded to Jackle and floated towards the door, and with a well aimed punch, I knocked it right off its hinges. I snarled when I flew inside.

The room was littered with various shelves of potions, and variously random and eerily unidentifiable items. There were books, smothered in dust and a large green glowing cauldron with rainbow smoke snaking out of it slowly. I frowned at the color selection of the room, for it resembled snot. I shivered with distaste and looked around quickly, there was cat hair here and there, but there was no sign of any witch or cats. When I heard a whimper, I was quick to recognise the voice. It came from the cauldron. I dashed forward and lowered my gaze to the liquids inside it. A look of horror came across my face when I realized that the images inside the cauldron where revealing to me where Shady was. Bomamba had her and another human boy chained to a stone wall, in a room of stone, and was pouring random liquids into a cauldron similar to this one.

My heart almost stopped when I realized what was happening. Bomamba planned on using Shady in her next potion! I screamed at the cauldron, unsure of how else to get Shady's attention. I had to get to her somehow, before it was too late. I yelled at it again, but to no avail. My shoulders slumped and I lowered my head. What was I to do now? I wasn't aware that a tear had slid down my cheek. I couldn't watch Bomamba kill her; there was no way I could. I had tried to be nice, and had succeeded in gaining her trust. The first trust of a female I'd ever gained, and she had meant more than I expected. I bit my lower lip, how could I have been stupid enough to let her go alone? It was my fault she was in danger this time. Great, I WAS going to hell like Nights had said.

I was surprised when Jackle poked me in the back, "You alright bro?"

I punched him in the shoulder, "Of course not you idiot! Why would you ask such a stupid question in the first place?!"

Jackle flinched back, but didn't say a word for a moment. "You should calm down so that you can be reasonable okay? Tell us what happened."

I stared at him like he had two heads for a moment before I pointed at the cauldron accusingly, "Go ahead. Take a look. See that the woman I have tried to protect will soon be potion material."

Jackle peered into the cauldron with interest, and pulled back in surprise. "This is a cursed cauldron Reala. With a simple spell, we can use it to transport ourselves to the area where Bomamba is."

I stared at him with anger, "WELL GEE. THAT'S JUST GRAND." My voice darkened, "If you don't find a way for me to get to her within the next minute, I will devour your precious little mate. RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES."

I watched as Jackle narrowed his eyes at me in a dare for me to even try, I smirked in response and moved my eyes to the form of the young woman. Jackle moved so that he blocked her from my view. I chuckled, that wouldn't stop me. Nothing would.

"NOW JACKLE." I hissed, for this was only a warning.

Jackle growled lightly in a return warning, before he focused on the cauldron again, mumbling once more. I watched as a bright orange flash came from the object and I raised an eyebrow.

"Did it work?" I asked.

Jackle's eyebrows furrowed in concentration, as if he was having difficulty with something. I watched carefully, before floating back to the rim of the cauldron and looking inside again. The transmitted picture was gone! I snarled as I spun around to face a grinning Jackle. Why the nerve of that idiot to smile! NOW of all times!

"I did it Reala. Jump in. Go on. We're right behind you." He chuckled.

I stared for a moment, before I glanced back at the now orange swirling liquids inside the cauldron. I smirked, and was about to jump in, before I turned once more.

"Keep Aura safe. Trust me. It doesn't feel good when you're Dreamer is gone. It must be worse for a mate."

Spinning around, I dove into the cauldron. I hadn't meant to close my eyes as I did so, but I guess it was a force of habit. Diving usually involved water did it not? When I opened them again, I was on my rear on the stone floor of the room I had once been watching with terror. Cracking my back, I furiously stood back up as to not look like an idiot.

I saw Shady open her eyes on the wall and smile at me; so she was happy to see me as well. I had been completely unaware of Bomamba's eyes watching me the whole time, for I rushed towards Shady and freed her from her bonds. I was pleased to have been on time, and felt a little cocky about it too. Shady stood and nodded at me in what I guessed was a thank you. I nodded back at her and turned slightly, only then did my eyes meet with Bomamba's. I wasn't aware that Shady had got the boy of the wall as well.

"YOU-!" I was cut off when Jackle and Aura appeared.

Bomamba cackled, "You're all here with me now. How pleased Wiseman will be when I return your bodies to him."

Shady stepped forward angrily, "No way in hell I'm going to Wiseman anything but alive and deadly!"

I glanced at her before I nodded, "If you want us, you have to fight us of course."

"Not like I have to really." Bomamba smirked, "I have my ways."

"What?!" Shady and I asked in sync.

Bomamba dropped something into her cauldron and the room became full of some sort of gas. I was quick to grab Shady and lower ourselves to the floor, trying to get us not to breathe it in. I didn't have time to think of what Jackle and Aura did, so I just didn't bother. Whatever the smoke was, it was meant to knock us out; for my eyes had became clouded and my thoughts fuzzy. Damn, if we passed out here, Wiseman would have at us for sure. I covered Shady's mouth with my hand, and shook my head to tell her that the gas had bad effects to it.

She seemed to get my point, but shrugged. When I pulled my hand back some, she showed me that it had no effect on her. I was shocked; how even-? It was then that I saw the yellow glow in her fingertips. Ha! Her Ideya was helping her! She held out her palm to me, and I didn't think twice about Dualizing.

Her Ideya managed to allow me to breathe the gas just fine without suffering, and cleared up the symptoms I was having to it earlier. It was safer to have her with me this way, but I couldn't help but ask her what she thought her Ideya may be capable of. She didn't respond with a useful answer, but it was worth asking her. I had got her to think. Standing up, I turned to face Bomamba yet again.

"Your stupid gas won't work on us." I smirked. "You truly are a pathetic level three."

Bomamba screamed angrily, and I saw a flurry of black pogo stick-like cats sprout from her hat, only to leap at me with their teeth bared. I raised an eyebrow, so these were the cats Jackle spoke of. Big heads, sharp teeth, and the body of a pogo stick. Not so scary really. More along the lines of sickeningly cute.

I drove my claws into the head of one, and flung it back at the other cats. It knocked them over and those who had got hit disappeared in puffs of black fur.

'Hey! It's bowling!' Shady told me.

I chuckled, 'Yeah, I guess you're right.'

After demolishing her group of cats, I smirked again. I watched the witch hiss and curse at me, and finally she held eye contact with me; but her mouth moved like she was chanting something. I tilted my head to the side to hear, but it was as if she wasn't making any sounds at all. Then it hit me. She was chanting a curse towards me! I tried to break my eye contact with her, but I had failed. I struggled, but was very unsuccessful.

'Reala? W-What's going on..?' Shady's voice was faint inside my head.

I growled, what was this trickery? The witch seemed pleased with her actions for her lips tilted upwards with a grin. I felt a tearing pain inside of me, and the next thing I knew, I was on the floor. Shady gasped next to me. Both of us looked up at Bomamba in horror. She had just destroyed our Dualization!

I coughed, the gas starting to get to me again. Shady seemed to notice, for her fingertips begun to glow brighter yellow. She stood up and clenched her right hand into a fist, it had taken on the yellow glow as well. I watched as Shady's fist connected with the face of Bomamba, I smiled slightly, the woman had fire. When her fist landed, I was blinded with a bright yellow flash.

When I opened my eyes again, Bomamba's skin had began to bubble and distort. She was screaming violent words as she tried to grab Shady, who was swiftly dodging her grabs and smirking. As I watched her, I could've sworn I seen her eyes flash yellow. What was going on? Shady ducked to avoid a clawed hand that would've removed her head from her shoulders and spun to kick Bomamba in the chest. The witch howled again and began to shrink back; her skin was peeling off her very bones. Even in my dazed state I knew that Bomamba had somehow became poisoned.

Shady had then returned to me and held out her hand, I took it and stood back up. She Dualized with me again, and the pair of us watched Bomamba scream and writhe until her bones and clothes were all that was left. I shivered slightly, rather quite unnerved by everything that had just transpired.

'How did you do that?' I asked.

'My ideya did. I punched her, then she somehow became poisoned. After that, I just decided to activate my sonic instincts and move faster than her. It was all I had to do to stay alive.'

'I'm glad it happened actually. I'm also glad I can think straight again. I might've went insane or worse if your Ideya wasn't nearby me. For that I thank you.' I told her.

Turning back, the gas had began to fade away. We spotted Jackle and Aura in the far corner of the room, it appeared Jackle had passed out- but that Aura was fine. I floated towards them slowly.

"What happened to him?" I asked.

Aura looked up at me slowly, she still seemed slightly dazed. "I've had this birthmark for the longest time. You know that song? The longest time?"

'The gas still affects her. Poke her for me will you? My ideya will cure it.' Shady suggested.

I reached forwards and poked Aura's shoulder and Jackle's face. I wasn't surprised when Jackle's eyes opened and he blinked in surprise. He had removed his cloak from around Aura, and stood up.

"Did you do it?" He asked.

I blushed madly, "Do what?!"

"The witch. Is she gone?" Jackle asked slowly.

My blush faded and I nodded, "I believe so yeah. Shady kicked some Olympian butt."

I felt her giggle inside of me, and smiled slightly. Jackle and Aura glanced at each other for a moment before Jackle spoke again. "Let's get out of here then."

I nodded, the faster the better. I waited for Jackle to mumble his magic whatever again and we had appeared back in the mansion again. As I nodded to him in thanks, I turned to head for my room. I had something planned, and this time, I was going to break some rules. Her humming some eerie thing inside of my head only slightly threw off my groove, but not enough to lose my interest in my plan. She didn't ask me anything, she just continued to hum randomly. Had the gas actually affected her, or was this an after effect of using her Ideya?

'What are we doing? Where are we going?' She asked.

I chuckled, 'It's a surprise. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Trust me.'

She didn't ask, but she did stop humming. Great. I had her interested.