Hello! Sorry the long time it took to update. I went on vacation to New York City for a while, and it was awesome! I saw the Pan Am building, and the heliport on top, and it was so cool! I could so picture evil helicopters landing there!

Ok, so on with the chapter:


Chapter Seven—"Wow"

Dairine once again stormed into her sister's room, and began rummaging through her sister's things. She let all thoughts of "respect for others property" leave her head as she dumped all the drawers in her sister's desk and dresser.

She knew she didn't necessarily have to rush like this, but for her, faster was always better, no matter what it was about.

She prodded the piles roughly, running her fingers through the pencils and stray socks that were now mixed. At last her hands found what she was looking for: A thin chain of symbols in the Speech, woven into the shape of a loose necklace.

She pulled on it, and then yanked as it got tangled. Immediately, she feared that if she pulled hard, she might break it, so she bent down, and disentangled it instead.

Handling it almost as gently as the emerald necklace, she fastened it around her neck.

You don't know how to use that…said a small voice in Dairine's head that she realized was not her own.

I do too! Dair objected; I've seen my sister use it…

But have you ever used it before? that slightly familiar voice taunted.

No…

Told you so, that voice said, and she caught the mental hint of a smile.

Who are you? Dairine asked curiously.

The Great Hound; Defeater of the Wolf that Ate the Moon, and as one very amused Transcendent Pig commented, I am the One's 'spell-it-backward' joke…

The answer struck Dairine with a series of mental images: the darkness over the moon, wizards crying out at the pain of that darkness, Kit crying as he stared up at the darkness receding, and Chiao, grinning, and commenting on the new, Canine One.

Ponch!

True…I was going to try to be normal and beg you for dog biscuits, but it would be practically impossible to get them to me in my current state…later, though…

But Ponch, Dairine protested, you should be with Kit, not helping me!

Kit's has Nita for this one. I was sent to help you find your boyfriend.

He's not my—well, whatever, Ponch. Fine then, help me.

One moment while I change state…and take off that lucid dreaming necklace, Dairine. Now. Before you hurt someone…

Ignoring the joking insult, Dairine obligingly unfastened the clasp, then put the necklace on her sister's desk. She frowned at the mess she'd made.

I guess I'll clean it up when I get back…

The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Dairine called to her father as she swept past him.

As she opened the door, a smile came to her face. There sat the neighborhood's stray sheepdog, collar on, and leash in mouth.

Well? Have any leftover dog biscuits? Or chicken?

Dairine walked back into the kitchen, motioning the dog inside.

"Uh…Dad? Do you think the leftovers from last week are still good?"

Her father put down his paper and stared at her blankly for a few seconds.

"That chicken stir-fry?" he asked, puzzled.

At the word "chicken," the sheepdog had trotted into the kitchen, tail wagging.

Chicken? Where?! Oh. How do you do, Mr. Callahan.

Harry Callahan had long ago learned enough of the Speech to hear this dog talk. He raised his eyebrows, taking in Ponch's new appearances.

"And why is he here? I though he was transcendent, or holy, or something, now."

Dari grinned. The terms 'holy' and 'transcendent' weren't exactly good enough description for what Ponch was now. 'God' was more like it, though not exactly right.

"He's helping me, dad. That good enough?"

Mr. Callahan grinned. "Sure. I think the chicken might still be good, by the way.

Please and thank you! Ponch said enthusiastically, his tail wagging.

--

"Well," Kit said, bringing up the shield spell, "how exactly should we get rid of It; defenestration, or deflagration?"

Nita grinned. "A combination, perhaps? Set it on fire, and then throw it out the window? Well, if there was a window in this place…"

"This is not a joking matter!" the Lone One squeaked.

"Who's joking?" Kit asked.

The Lone Power stamped Its foot, and for a moment seemed like a frustrated six-year-old, rather than the creator of death.

"This is all I need! I come here trying to be a friend, trying to help, and all I get from you wizard-folk is hatred! Hatred and spite!"

It threw a minor lighting bolt into the air for emphasis.

"'Greetings and defiance' you say, you say it again and again! I am sick and tired of your defiance, and I want to change that! Do you not see that I am not the evil one here?!"

Nita and Kit stared at it, then turned mentally towards each other.

Well? Nita asked, do you believe It?

I dunno, Kit answered, It seems to be…truthful…Maybe. Hmm…what to do…

I have an idea…

"Does this place have a spellblock or something?" Nita asked the Lone One, in a boredly curious tone.

It frowned. "Not one that I put here. But maybe there is."

Kit, I have a hunch. Back me up on this one, okay? Whatever I do?

Kit smirked. What, like I'd suddenly decide not to trust you? 'Course I'll help.

Good.

"We reject your offer of help. We have no way of trusting you after everything else that you did to us, so how can we believe you? Your logic must be sorely distorted to think that we might listen to you!" Nita said calmly.

"And when all other troubles that have come to us during our time as wizards have been from you, why would we believe that this isn't your doing as well?" added Kit.

The Lone Power looked like he was going to throw a fit. At the last second, he somehow regained his composure, and returned to glaring at them.

"Fine," it snapped, sounding again like Dairine, "I don't have time for this. If you can't trust me, then I'll just leave!"

And in truth, it probably intended to do just that.

It reached out a hand into the air, and pinched Its long dark fingers around nothingness. It twisted the nothing, and with silence that was deafening…

…Nothing happened. Nothing at all.

It frowned, and then tried throwing another lightning bolt to express Its anger, but again, nothing happened.

Nita's unsurprised expression gave away her knowledge of the situation.

"Neets," Kit mumbled, nudging her gently with his elbow, "what's going on?"

Nita didn't answer immediately, instead finding Kit's hand and pulling it around her waist for support. She leaned into him, relishing the feel of it, and then answered.

"There is a spellblock here," Nita spoke calmly, "But it doesn't only work on us. You," she said to the Lone power, "you said you're here to help us?"

It scowled. "Yes, I did say that."

"Then your power is different," Nita continued. "It changed to your current state of being. Normally your power is partially fueled by malice, wanting revenge. Now, though, since you came to be a help, your power is fueled by the will to save, and the assist."

Kit stared. "Wizardry?" he asked, understanding.

"Well, he is preserving life, in a way. I think it is wizardry."

"I get it. That really doesn't help our situation, now does it?"

"No, Kit, it doesn't. But it does prove our theory."

"What are you two talking about?!" screamed the Lone Power, glaring darkly at them both.

Kit shrugged. "We thought you were going to take the opportunity of changing that we gave you, and you did. Well, partially."

"And since you're now the 'good guy,' it seems that you're stuck here with us. This spellblock doesn't allow good magic."

"Well…what are we going to do about this, then?" It asked, restraining anger.

Nita and Kit looked at each other. "We keep waiting," Kit admitted helplessly, sitting down, and pulling Nita close to him again.

The Lone One sat calmly, the fabric of Its long robes flowing around It on the cement.

Nita had already snuggled into Kit, rubbing her face against his neck.

"I'll have none of that!" The Lone Power exclaimed.

The wizards looked up to see the Power's disgusted facial expression, and instantly blushed out of habit, though they didn't let go of each other.

"Do I honestly have to be tortured twice? Isn't it tormenting enough having to sit here with you, without also being nauseated?"

"Fine," Kit and Nita sighed, pulling away the slightest bit, their arms still around each other.

The Lone one sighed, and pinched the bridge of Its nose in exasperation. "Is that the best you can do?" It asked, strained.

Nita's fingers dug into Kit's back, refusing to let go.

Kit shook his head at the Power. "I'm not letting go of her," he stated defiantly.

"I've never understood this," The Lone One said, motioning towards their tight embrace.

"What?" Nita asked.

"This!" It pointed again.

"Love," Kit answered Nita's question. "It doesn't understand love."

"Oh," Nita said plainly.

"What about it don't you understand?" she directed at the Power.

"What is there that is understandable?" It shot back, still looking repulsed. As Nita was about to respond, it held up a hand.

"No—a change of subject, before you answer. Why did that lightning spell work earlier, and not now, if the spellblock does affect my magic as well? How do you explain that?" It seemed bewildered.

"It wasn't until after you threw that first lightning bolt that you had fully decided that you were on our side in this case. That's when your anger stopped fueling you," Kit explained.

"Oh." It frowned. "Are you saying that if I were evil again, I could get out of here?"

Now it was Kit's turn to frown. "Well…yes…but something tells me that it isn't that simple. I think it might take longer than just a minute or so. It took you ages to change to good, and it would probably take that much time to change back."

"Kit?" Nita whispered suddenly.

"What is it, Nita?"

"I dunno," she said, her voice shaking, "I can't tell if I'm just paranoid, or if this is some sort of precognition, but I feel really horrible, like something bad is going to happen."

"Shhhh," Kit comforted, "I'm here for you. If anything goes wrong, we're in this together. Don't forget that."

Nita shuddered once from the pain she felt through her emotion, and sank deeper against Kit.

"Hey, get some rest, Neets. We've been here for a while, and you need it," Kit added after some consideration.

"But if I sleep, then-"

"Nita," Kit interrupted, "I think I can manage. We're obviously not going anywhere, and nothing's happening. It's okay."

Nita seemed conflicted as she thought this over, yet finally sighed and said, "Wake me if something happens?"

"Of course." Kit shifted position so that she was more comfortably cradled in his arms, and leaned back against the nearby wall.

Kit watched as she slowly fell asleep, her eyes closing, and her body relaxing. He waited until her breathing had evened out before looking back to the dark Power again.

The Lone One was looking at Nita, examining her peacefulness, and seeing how relaxed she was able to be.

"I don't understand how you can do it," It finally asked, in whisper.

"Do what?"

"How you can trust someone so much, enough to give yourself away to them. Both of you seem not to care that in this; you're risking your life on the strength of another. If the other should fail, your entire existence would fail with it. How can you be so daring?"

Kit thought on the subject for a moment, before cautiously responding.

"It doesn't seem to be that much of a risk, to me. It never does, seeing as that if something were to happen to her, if she should 'fail' as you put it…my own life wouldn't mean anything to me anymore. I see not much point in living without her. I would almost welcome death, at that point. It would be what would bring us together, in the end."

The Lone One hung Its head slightly. "Not my death. That only condemns the innocent, hurts the blameless, kills those who don't deserve it. It does nothing in bringing people together after life."

"No…but it starts the process. Your death only does the killing, the ending of life. Yet even in that, it leads to the beginning of endless life, from which none can ever die."

"Timeheart?" the Power asked, unbelieving.

"It's where what loves, and is loved, is preserved. I think of it more as a pathway. Nita puts all her trust in the fact that one day, it will lead her back to her mother. And I trust in the fact that it will lead me to Nita, when the time comes. Or, lead her to me, depending…"

Here he stopped, lost once again in thought. A small ironic moment came to him, as he realized that he never had thought that he'd discuss death with its actual creator.

"I have another question," The Lone Power asked after a while of silence.

"Go ahead, you can ask."

There was a slight pause.

"…How does it feel, to…love…someone, and to be…loved? To be that close to someone that you…love?" There was obvious hesitance as it said the word, and Kit wondered what It's motives were for asking.

At this question, a slight smile came over Kit's face, and his gaze became distant.

"To love someone, it feels like there's an extra purpose in your life. A bonus reason to live, something added onto the whole concept of life. It makes you rethink things.

"To be loved is one of the best things you could ever feel. It brings you a comfort; a certain warmth that fills you and gives you another thing to live off of; a different source of energy. It feels extremely wonderful to know that someone thinks about you, and cares about you¸ the real person inside.

"And to be close to someone you love," he whispered, as he gently stroked Nita's arm, looking down at her affectionately, "is like nothing else imaginable. All problems fade, for the most part, and all you can see is them. All else ceases to matter; nothing else is as important, as their safety and happiness. And that's just the mentalities…" he pondered.

"It's as if the whole world is bathed in Timeheart's sunlight; and the sense of belonging, that I truly belong with her, and that I can never be whole without her, is overpowering. And in that, there is the realization that I'm only who I am, when she is with me."

The two sat in silence, mulling this over for some time, as darkness fell in around them.

--

"So how exactly can you help me?" Dairine asked, unconvinced.

Ponch put his paws up on the edge of the coffee table in the Callahan's living room, and did his best to look Dairine in the eye.

How did I help others before you? I am the Finder. I heard you were looking for your sister. Or, I guessed that by the way you stole her lucid dreaming necklace with the intent to use it.

"Oh. You mean like how you led Kit through those alternate universes a while back?"

Pretty much. Only this will be harder. The universe your sister and Kit are in is pretty blocked off.

"Wait—blocked off? Something put up a spellblock, or something?"

Something of the sort. Not the Lone One, this time, though.

"How can you tell?" Dairine was amused.

It doesn't smell like him. Well it does, he's there, but the spellblock isn't his work.

"The Lone Power is there!?"

Yes. Don't worry, he's not attacking them.

There was a pause.

"Why not?" Dari asked out of curiosity.

He's on their side.

"Well…that's a change…"

Ponch smiled slightly, a toothy grin.

It is. So, when are we going?

"As soon as possible."

Alrighty then…

Ponch nudged the handle of the leash into her hand as it appeared out of nothing. Dair realized that the other end was already clipped onto his collar.

"How did you…?"

I can do things now that I couldn't before. It just works like that. You'd best hold on tight, Ponch added, before calmly pulling her forward, and leaping into nothingness.

Dairine was startled from the sudden transition into utter blackness, and had to fight to get a breath in this strange world. She could feel Ponch in front of her, pulling her along.

About ten minutes after she had gotten her bearings on the situation, the darkness was replaced by brilliant white light.

We have to take a few detours, and I thought this would be a good place to stop, Ponch explained, do you like it?

Dairine gazed over the beautiful planetary landscape, and then to the wondrous starry skies above.

"Wow."


Ok, so it's the same as last time, I want three or four reviews before next update, and depending on when I finish writing the chapter. :D