Hundredth Reviewers
100: Wandering Hitokiri
200: Namikazelil
300: Half Human Homunculi
400: Namikazelil
500: KatrinaEagle

100: azori
200! Moi


Zilo: That, Dragon of Twilight, waits to be seen!

Envy: Shut up.
Zilo: A-HEM, what's the rule?
Envy: Shut up, ObsessionsGoTooFar, before I kill you.
Zilo: ...Anyway...
Cray: (displays "Tying People Up--1st Prize" trophy)
Zilo: Yes, "Random Anything" is always funny! And as you can see, the romantic triangle is becoming more defined!
Ed/Envy: THERE IS NO TRIANGLE!!

Zilo: Sup Asj Johnson! Cray was Cornello's henchdude. You know, the one Gluttony ate.
Noa: I guess I wasn't very suspicious of Risty because I was surprised by her eyes. And I only saw her for a moment...
Risty: I-It was a really emotional moment!
Zilo: The full price has yet to be revealed, muahaha!
Ed: Of course I'd feel it. She was really upset. SOMEbody should have been keeping her safe instead of setting her up to be KIDNAPPED!
Zindelo: Look, I already apologized for that!
Ed: Just shut up, you idiot!
Zilo: Hey, no fighting, you guys! Wait...wasn't I just talking about a love triangle earlier? It seems I'm not the only one who noticed...
Ed/Envy: I SAID THERE'S NO TRIANGLE!!
Risty: I definitely wanted my memories back! At least at first...
Zilo: The answer to that remains to be seen!

Zilo: The Sora-muffin died! NOOOOOOOO! And now she's okay.
Noa: Have you noticed the grievous harm Envy and Risty are suffering?
Zilo: They'll be fine by the next panel.
Ed: ...I'm not taking off my pants!

Zilo: Well you see, 13Lulu's, the answer to that remains to be seen! But more will be revealed in flashbacks, muahahaha!
Ed: (wipes nose) It was just a really dry day, that's all!
Envy: Suuuuure...
Ed: You shut up!
Zilo: I'm going to have to have a talk with Chizi about her sense of humor...

Zilo: PhoenixTorque!! Yay! I'VE TURNED YOU TO THE ENVYxRISTY SIDE, WHICH HAS COOKIES! MUAHAHA!
Envy: ...What.
Ed: DORKY?! I'm not dorky!
Risty: I'm sorry you had those kind of nightmares! I seem to be forgetting all of mine, though, so they don't terrorize me for long!
Zilo: Thank you for the song suggestion! It's been added to the playlist!
Envy: And you can stop shipping Risvy already.

Zilo: It's Midnight Sakura-chan, who brightened my day considerably! (hands over a plate of cookies and an Ed plushie) Thank you again for le fanart!
Envy: I was NOT worried!
Ed: The Omakes are funny when I'm not in them.
Zilo: I think I'm alive! Yay for the vague healing powers of Suspendospense!

Zilo: Koinu-chan's mad at me! WAAAAH!
Ed: You need to learn your priorities.
Risty: Ed, don't be mean!
Zilo: Oh K-c, don't feel insignificant! I like all sizes of reviews! The fact that you say anything to me at all makes me a very happy authoress! So keep that chin up!
Ed: And finish your homework!

Zilo: (sings) Namikazelil--!
Ed: I'm not in denial, dammit!
Risty: I can hardly believe it either!
Envy: You fangirls need to get it through your heads that I'm evil, so I do evil things. Obviously. And I wasn't saying it to make for being worried! I wasn't even worried!
Others: Suuuure...
Zilo: Nah, Envy's too good for breaking and entering.

Zilo: Glad you like the shirt, PurpleSin! And thanks! I do my best. Trust me, the underground thing will return, with a vengeance!
Ed: I don't feel like fighting anyone.
Zilo: Shush, Ed, you fight when I tell you to.
Ed: I'm not your slave!
Envy: That damn Gate club doesn't know what it's missing...

Zilo: Hello, fullmetalshadowwolf! Glad you liked!
Envy: How many times do I have to say I WAS NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE BRAT!
Luludja: Until you admit you were.
Envy: Shut up!

Zilo: That's okay, azori, just glad you're back now! I think I survived, so we should be okay.
Zindelo: And this Suspendospense drug brought me back to life somehow...
Zilo: Actually, there's a lot more that happened in there, you'll see! And I'm glad you liked the moment so much! Thank you!!

Zilo: It's chiyochan! Hey girl!
Risty: Laughing and crying at the same time is a great way to confuse your friends...
Zilo: Wow, that's a pretty coinkydinkal coinkydink! I like the word 'vicarious'. I might have to start using it again...Thanks for passing on the word!

Zilo: Oshima zakura, I'm sorry! But I have to write a good story! I'll try to make up for it though! Thanks for the revival!

Zilo: I'm alive, I bashed Voldie's head, DON'T SHAKE ME! MY BRAIN WILL RATTLE! I PROMISE I'LL KEEP WRITING! GWAAAH!
Risty: Um...I really hope Envy was just making that story up...
Envy: You'll never know, brat.
Ed: I wish everyone would stop saying that! It's embarrassing! (glances at Risty and blushes)
Risty: If you like my dark side that much you can have her! She scares me!
Zilo: Oh! Did you like it that much? Yay, thank you!!
Ed: Are you KIDDING me? I don't care if the population of the whole damn world was between us, I wouldn't lose her in a crowd, dammit!
Risty: And I'd do my best to do the same!
Others Except Envy: Awww!
Envy: Remember I'm evil. Remember it well. I'm not going to remind you again.
Zilo: Wait! Did you send the to me yet? Are you under another name in dA? ARGH WHY CAN'T MY FAULTY MEMORY REMEMBERRRR WRRRYYYY?!
Ed: You wanna calm down?
Zilo: YAY POCKY! (ignores Ed and devours pocky)

Zilo: I am, alexthgreat! Way to make up words, Illa Scriptor! I may have to steal that one! (winks) YAY SUPER LONG REVIEW from CrimzonRozeAlchemist!
Envy: I AM NOT!!
Risty: I was thinking all those things and a few more!
Zindelo: I already explained myself to everyone!
Zilo: You would be right about the guy.
Ed: I'm not afraid!! I'm just...well...
Zilo: Yes I know! BUT I LOVE SUSPENSE MUAHAHAHA--I mean, of course it won't last forever, heheh...But you're actually right about it being a plot point.
Envy: You had BETTER not get any ideas that I was worried or something equally stupid. Those two can have each other for all I care.
Risty: ED'S GOT A FIANCEE?!?!?
Zilo: Um...you said it...
Risty: Oh...I was speaking hypothetically, is all!
Envy: Of course I'm tormenting her. That's my idea of fun.
Zilo: There's more Gate Tales to come also!

Zilo: Glad you liked it, Idiot Lloyd and Genius Genis! Yeah, my beta wrote those, and she's kinda loopy!
Risty: I appreciate your concern!
Envy: Continue to hate me.
Zilo: This time I'm on the home computer, so I can type out a proper reponse to you and everyone! Thanks for reviewing!

Zilo: Wickedwitch, SpIcYpEpPeR, thanks for reviewing! Yes, DeLiCiOuSlY HyPeR, cooking oil.
Risty: ...That's so not me...
Zilo: We get about 20 minutes at the small library, and 30 at the bigger one! And YAY CUPCAKES! (devours)

Zilo: Hello, Irogical Argument! Welcome! (gives a "I Read The Switch Glitch In 1 Day And All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt" shirt) Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you like the story. Try to hold on--it won't be too much longer, I think! And please go to sleep! I don't want you passing out or something!

Zilo: (laughs) I see! Hello and welcome, Moi, and congratulations on good timing!


Zilo: TSG has a TVTropes page!! http: // tvtropes . org /pmwiki /pmwiki .php /FanFic .TheSwitchGlitch. Don't know if there's any tropers here, but even if not, have a look! And check my profile page for the new "Fanart" and "Extras" sections. And now for the awaited chapter!


9: Trip For Two To Scheden

Risty's P.O.V.

I woke up with the sun in my face. Blinking I sat up slowly, and stretched. Whatever my dream had been the night before, there was nothing left of it in my brain except for tiny wisps of some strange atmosphere.

Envy was already awake, sitting on his bed, a plate of food in his lap. He looked kind of green.

"Good morning, are you okay?" I asked him.

"Oh, yes, I'm peachy," was his sarcastic reply.

I got out of bed and, pushing my hair out of my face, crossed the room to his bed and put my hand on his forehead. He flinched, and his eyes bored into me like he was trying to stare me away.

Underneath my hand, his forehead felt sweaty, but not too hot. "Did you eat something bad?" I asked him.

"I don't know," he said, slightly huffy.

"All right, well, I bought some medicine yesterday. It's for headaches, but maybe it'll help. Want some?" I asked.

"I'll pass," Envy said.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. I looked up, and suddenly realized I was still only wearing my shift. With a strange combination of a gasp and a shriek, I dived for the foot of my bed, where I had set my suitcase last night. "Just a minute!" I called, throwing it open and yanking out a long-sleeved white shirt. Envy snickered at my flustered behavior.

"Uh...Risty?" Zindelo's uncertain voice floated through the door.

"Coming!" I threw the shirt over my shift, hastily shoved my hair behind my ears, and then, now adequately decent, opened the door. "Hi!"

Zindelo blinked, but smiled at me. "Good morning. Do you want some breakfast?"

"Oh, sure. Just let me finish getting dressed!" I said cheerfully.

Zindelo's eyes nearly fell out of his head. "W-What? G-Get dressed? But you...aren't you...isn't he...I mean...?"

"What?" I asked, confused. Then it dawned on me, and my face flamed. "N-No! Nothing was—did you think—no, we weren't—because I'm not—I mean I'm a—no, Zindelo, that's silly! I wasn't—we weren't—it was just a—well I don't sleep in my clothes!"

"Get your mind out of the gutter, you little retard," Envy, who was suddenly right behind me, broke in, glaring at Zindelo.

Zindelo's face got even redder. "I wasn't thinking anything!" he said hastily, waving his hands.

"I'll—be out in a second," I said, quickly closing the door in Zindelo's face. I went back to my suitcase, ignoring the blush on my cheeks. I heard Envy snort and ignored him too.


A little later, after I'd properly dressed in a white shirt and navy skirt with matching vest, combed my hair into a presentable low ponytail, and had a delicious breakfast made by Zindelo's dad, Zindelo took me and Envy for a little walk. Envy was difficult to budge from his comfy seat on his bed, but somehow I managed.

"So, what was this 'good surprise' you were telling me about yesterday?" I asked Zindelo, swinging my suitcase at my side.

He smiled at me over his shoulder. "You'll see. But I can tell you now—you won't have to worry about living arrangements."

"So...you've bought us a house?" I guessed.

He laughed. "Not quite. Oh, here we are—look." He turned and pointed. Envy and I looked up to see a very tall building that looked to be the same shade of tan brick as every other building in Hannoversch Münden.

"Um, what is it?" I asked.

"An apartment complex. Let's go in," Zindelo said, opening one of the front double doors for us. I thanked him with a smile as I went in and caught the tail end of the flush on his cheeks. Why was he always blushing when I smiled at him? I hoped it wasn't because I had food in my teeth or something and he was embarrassed for me.

The inside sort of looked like the ground floor of a motel or something. There was a small waiting area to the right, with a few chairs grouped around a low wood table. To the left was what looked like a check-in desk, with closed cubbyholes on the wall behind it. There was a girl with sleek dark hair and brown eyes standing behind the counter, speaking very cheerfully and with lots of hands motions to the big bald guy on the other side. Occasionally she'd pause to cough into a handkerchief.

"So you got us an apartment?" I guessed again.

Zindelo grinned. Before he could answer me, the girl caught sight of us. Or, more accurately, him. "Dell!" she said almost excitedly, waving.

"Hey Nuri!" he replied, waving back as he led us over. The bald man turned to face us and I nearly fainted dead away.

"Well, hello there, Zindelo," said the Cornello-alike, smiling and looking nice and kind.

"Hey, Doc," Zindelo said to him.

By then I had recovered, reminding myself that this guy wasn't evil Father Cornello. The girl, or Nuri, noticed Envy and me then. "Who are they?" she asked Zindelo.

"Oh, this is Risty and Evan. Risty, this is Nuri and Dr. Cornello," Zindelo introduced us.

It took me a while, but I did notice that Dr. Cornello was wearing a white doctor's coat. So this was who the ladies were talking about when they referenced the "bald friendly guy who likes Roma". He approached, smiling and extended a hand to me. "It's nice to meet you," he said to me.

"Um, likewise," I said, cautiously shaking his hand. He wasn't a con man like the other Cornello, was he? I certainly hoped not.

He looked over at Envy and seemed to decide not to try shaking his hand. "So, what are they here for?" Nuri almost demanded of Zindelo.

"Nuri, don't be mean. Which key's the spare?" Zindelo asked, eyeing a section of the wall that had keys hanging on hooks.

Nuri swiped a key off the wall and dropped it in Zindelo's palm. She looked at me, coughed into her handkerchief, and then looked at Envy. "So, that your boyfriend?" she asked me.

"W-What? You mean Env—Evan? N-No, he's my...he's my...um, he's not my boyfriend!" I said, flustered.

She looked disappointed at this.

"Come on!" Zindelo said to me, gesturing that we should follow him. I glanced back at Envy, who looked disgruntled as usual, and went after Zindelo as he opened a door. A flight of stairs was on the other side.

"Seriously, Zindelo, did you get us an apartment?" I asked again.

"Not me. You can thank Luludja. She and Dr. Cornello own this building, and she said to give you one of the apartments."

"She owns it?" I said in surprise. "I mean...I didn't know anybody would let her."

Zindelo smiled at me over his shoulder. "People are nicer here in Hannoversch Münden than they are in a lot of other places," he said. "It's not noticed as much since Dr. Cornello's a co-owner."

"Wow," I commented.

Zindelo laughed. "Yeah, we get that a lot," he said as we made it to the second floor. He led us to the third door on the right, then unlocked and opened it. "Welcome to your new home!"

I stepped in and looked around. It resembled a studio apartment. There was a sitting area, a kitchen area, a small area in the corner with a bed in it, and a single door on the wall that must have led to the bathroom. It was already completely furnished, and there was even a bookshelf full of books. "Wow, this is...I mean...we can't just take this. I mean, we don't have any way to pay," I said.

"You don't even have to worry about it," Zindelo assured me. "It's paid for in full—but if you really want a job, Nuri can help you out with that. Why don't you check it out and see if you like it?"

"It's a place to stay—of course I like it!" I said. But I headed in anyway. It was small, but still cozy, and it would work. "En-Evan, what do you think?"

Envy shrugged. "Yeah, whatever," he commented, walking over to the couch and throwing himself down on it.

"There's working electricity and running water, even hot water, though that's not incredibly reliable. Up here—" Zindelo pointed to the ceiling above the area where the bed was "—there's a rail where you can hang a curtain if you want privacy." He proceeded to tell me everything else the place had to offer, and I nodded and forgot about half of it.

"What do you think?" Zindelo finally asked me, beaming.

"It's great," I told him, smiling. "Thank you, Zindelo, you've been really helpful."

He blushed again. "Of course! Anytime you need anything, Risty, you can just ask me."

"I'll remember that," I said.

As soon as he left, Envy rolled his eyes at me. "Why didn't you just marry him?" he sneered.

"Envy, don't be silly. He's just being nice," I told him as I set my suitcase on the bed and unlocked it.

"Right. And the fact that you're a pretty, supposedly Roma girl just stupid enough to fall for anything has nothing to do with it," Envy said sarcastically, stretching on the couch.

I paused and looked over at him. "You think I'm pretty?"

Envy paused for a moment also, then scowled. "Where'd you get that idea?"

"You just said it."

"I was talking about him, you idiot. He's so smitten over you it's pathetic. I ought to wring his nerdy little neck," Envy commented.

I considered. Was that why Zindelo was always blushing when I smiled at him? He liked me? But he'd only known me for one day. That couldn't be it, could it?


Zindelo popped in a little later to see if we needed help with anything. I wanted to find out more about the job he had offered. Envy opted to stay behind, so Zindelo and I set off together. Now that Envy had told me Zindelo liked me, I found myself watching him more than I had been. He did seem very friendly to me, but he was like that with every Roma we met, and even some non-Roma.

"We buy and sell supplies from and to a lot of different people in the city, like Dell and his dad," Nuri told me. She stopped to cough again into her handkerchief for almost a full minute, and then took a sip of something in a bottle. "You can be a supply carrier if you want—" Again, she broke off to cough.

"You should really rest," Zindelo said to her, looking worried.

"Can't." Cough, cough, cough. "Mother's sick too, so I've been working her shifts for her." Nuri coughed some more.

"You know Luludja would let you guys rest and not penalize you for it," Zindelo protested.

"Oh please, Dell." Cough, cough. "Luludja's nice, but she's a business—" coughcoughcough "—woman. There's no such thing as getting paid to stay home and be sick, and there never will be."

"Have you talked to Dr. Cornello or gotten any cough medicine?" I asked her worriedly.

"It's a fever thing, it's going around." Cough, cough, coughcoughcoughcoughcough. "It's not going to kill me, so I can tough it out," Nuri told me.

Zindelo sighed and shook his head. "There's a fever going around?" I asked.

"Something like that. Chills, fevers, coughs and colds, and weird mixes of everything in-between," he explained to me.

"Should I be taking precautions?"

"Yeah, don't touch anything—" coughcough "—or breathe," Nuri said.

"No, it'll be fine," Zindelo told me. "Come on, I'll take you to the back so you can see what we do."


When I went back to the apartment later that day, I felt relieved that I would actually be working and contributing to the people who were being so nice and helping me like this. I'd even gotten a free bag of food and had been invited to share dinner with Zindelo, his dad, Luludja, Cray, and Dr. Cornello. But I still felt a little on edge, possibly because thoughts of Ed kept floating through my mind all day, and it was depressing to think of him.

Envy was asleep on the couch when I let myself in. I figured he probably wouldn't want to go and set about to make him some dinner. The smell of cooking food woke him up, like I had thought it would.

"Are you hungry?" I asked him.

He eyed me.

"Here, this is for you," I said, preparing a plate of food and holding it out so he could see it. It was just sausage and scrambled eggs, but if I can have a moment of indulgence, it looked and smelled pretty darn awesome. I know how to cook stuff, at least. "I got invited to dinner, and I figured you wouldn't want to be there, so I made you some."

"What are you, my wife?" he snapped, sounding irritated.

I blushed. "Just take it, okay?" I said, walking over and setting it and a fork and knife on his lap. "And don't stab yourself with the knife or something."

"I'm not an idiot, unlike you," he commented.

"Look, stop calling me names, would you!" I found myself snapping back. He looked up with what looked like surprise. "It gets on my nerves and it hurts my feelings! I freely offered to help you and now I'm practically taking care of you and I would appreciate it if you could at least stop calling me every synonym for stupid!"

"I didn't ask for your help, you offered it, if I remember correctly," he said with an edge in his voice.

"Help that you accepted! Now eat your stupid dinner and stop biting my head off!"

"And if I don't? Will you try to kill me again?"

I flinched. "No, I wouldn't do that, but maybe I'd pick up a book and hit you over the head with it, you stubborn—!"

"I'd like to see you try, brat! You'd never touch me!"

"I punched you in the stomach, didn't I!"

"Oh, so you'd like to fight, is that it?" Envy had half-risen from the couch, moving the food safely off his lap before it spilled.

"No, I don't wanna fight! I just want you to respect me a little more!"

"And why should I? What have you done to earn my respect?"

"Everything!" Tears bloomed in my eyes. "I'm doing a lot, a whole lot, and I'm always nice to you and I never ever snap back at you when you call me names or even when you would hit me, and you know, that's saying a lot because I think I would have a right to! I don't deserve to be treated like this! Why can't you just be nice to me?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not nice to anyone," Envy stated. "The only reason I haven't killed a pest like you is because you're mildly entertaining, but don't start thinking I need you, because I don't."

"Fine, then I'm leaving! And maybe I won't come back either!" I blinked the tears away before they could fall and left, closing and locking the door behind me.


"Something on your mind?" Luludja asked me.

"What? Oh, um, no, not really," I said, forcing a smile.

Luludja studied me. The six of us were at some restaurant/pub thing, where apparently the better part of the whole city came for dinner. It looked a lot like that restaurant/pub place where Ed and Noa had gone in the movie. I tried to meet her gaze but ended up fidgeting and looking away. Beside me, Zindelo coughed.

"Boy, you'd better not catch whatever's going around!" his dad warned mock-sternly. "You've got a lot of work to do and I don't need you laid up sick."

"It's just a little cough, Pops, I'm fine," Zindelo assured him.

"Please don't pass it to me, either," I said.

"Seriously, I'm fine!"

"You sound like Nuri," Luludja commented. "I had to order her to rest tonight. She wanted to keep working but she sounded like an old man on his death bed. Trust me, in a few hours, you'll feel it."

"I've been getting a lot of patients like that. They thought it was just an ordinary cough, but by the next day they're barely dragging themselves into my office or sending their family members," Dr. Cornello commented.

Zindelo looked offended that everyone was ganging up on him.

"Anyway, next week I'm sending a few letters to Scheden," Luludja went on. "I could use a couple of people who aren't knocking on death's door to escort them."

Scheden. That name sounded familiar. Then I remembered—it was when Luludja had dashed my hopes about Ed. She'd said something along the lines of "I bet they aren't in Scheden anymore." Maybe it was possible to go there and get some information. The little hope in me that had been busy being crushed refused to die out completely.

"I can go," I offered.

Luludja glanced at me and smiled. "Excellent. I was thinking about volunteering you anyway."

"Um..."

"Your traveling partner will be here in a few days to pick you and the letters up," she went on. "He'll know where you're delivering them. Your job is to go with him and help avoid suspicion."

"Avoid suspicion? What's in these letters that are so suspicious?" I asked in confusion.

"Oh, you know. A love letter, a reply to a pen pal, a notice for change of address, a warning to stay the hell away from me," Luludja said.

That last one made me blink. Zindelo coughed again, and I instinctively leaned away, and so did everyone else at the table. "Guys!" Zindelo exclaimed.


(...)


(Edward's P.O.V.)

The next day I got up, went to class, politely turned down two different girls, and tried to look the part of an innocent student. In reality I was examining everyone I came in contact with, and even some I didn't, looking for anyone who might be the culprit that broke into the apartment.

Of course, no one had an air that screamed "Hey Ed, I broke into your home, hahaha!" so it wasn't very easy. I snuck into two different offices, looking through files as I usually did, and also checking to see if perhaps one of the people I'd been spying on had done some spying back.

In the second office, I found a locked drawer on the file cabinet. It didn't take much to open, and I sorted slowly through the files. Most seemed fairly innocent, and actually kind of odd to have locked up—conversational letters to friends and family, notices for change of addresses, pen pal letters, a couple of invitations to parties. One letter, though, did catch my eye, and I read it through instead of skimming like I had with the others.

Dear Lulu,

Thank you for inviting me to your brother's birthday celebration! Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it this time. I'm afraid I'm a bit tied up here—I have a small rat infestation and I can't leave until I take care of it. I found the rat's nest, but it's remarkably clean. Who knew rats understood housekeeping? Ha, ha.

In other news, I understand that my letter will be arriving soon! I'm glad! Please tell Our Man (get it? Ho, ho, ho) to take it to R and E instead. I wouldn't want the rat getting into the letter—you know how they are about paper!

Please kiss Dell for me,

Lala

My brow furrowed. Though the letter had a very cheery tone, I sensed a hidden meaning in it. Being the genius I am, it didn't take much to figure most of it out.

The rat, I surmised, was me. Someone did know I'd been snooping around. As for finding the rat's nest, obviously they were referencing the break-in. Whatever this letter was, it was being sent elsewhere because they didn't want me to find it here.

"Our Man" could be a name, as in "R. Mann". R and E—well, I wasn't very sure about that yet. They were obviously people, but who exactly, I would have to figure out later. I assumed that "Lala" was the owner of this office, Ms. Trennig. But who, I wondered, was Lulu? And how could I find out?

I carefully put the letter back where I had found it and started to go through them all again, this time looking for any letters addressed to Lulu. There was only one, written in a completely different handwriting, and it made no sense to me.

Lulu—

Yes, I received your inquiry. Please inform your "blue-eyed beauty" that her friends are no longer here. I will forward this to Lala but expect more of the same. And stop calling me if it's not important. I have to pay the phone bill.

--R

R as in R. Mann? I wondered. Or R as in R and E?

The steeple bell rang, signaling that it was time for the next class. I quickly put everything back just as I found it and double-checked to make certain I hadn't left any trace of my presence. Ms. Trennig's office would require a second visit from me tonight. Whatever was going on, I needed to know how much they knew.


When I returned to the apartment, I found Al sitting on the sofa, reading. More accurately, I found Al sitting on the sofa wearing a pair of glasses, reading.

"Al?" I said in surprise.

Al looked up. "Welcome home!" he said cheerfully, taking the glasses off.

"Where's Noa? And why are you wearing glasses?"

"She went for a walk. And these used to be Mr. Jean's, but he let me have them when I tried them on and realized they really help. They're reading glasses," Al explained.

"Since when have you needed reading glasses?" I demanded.

Al shrugged. "I didn't know I needed them until I put these on. They really do help, Brother. I can see the words so much better now."

I looked at him for another moment, then shrugged. "Okay. As long as you're happy." I went into the kitchen to find something to eat.

Al followed me. "Brother, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I said, opening a cupboard.

"When was the last time you went to the doctor?"

I paused. The doctor? I hadn't even thought about the doctor for half a month. "A couple of weeks ago, I guess. Why?"

"Why?" Al repeated, sounding incredulous. "Your chest pains, that's why. When was the last time you had them?"

"Well, let's see..." I considered, then blinked, turning to him. "Now that you mention it, I haven't had any in a while." This news made me pretty happy, because those things were very annoying. But Al looked worried. "Do you think they just...went away?" he asked me.

I shrugged. "I guess so. They were pretty regular, so to have gone this long without any..." I found myself grinning. "Looks like I won't need to take those crappy pills anymore."

"You aren't worried at all? But what if they're gone because something more serious is about to happen?" Al pressed.

"Oh, come on, what are the chances of that? They probably just died off or something," I said.

Al didn't reply to that, so I continued my search for food. It was only after I'd found some uneaten fruit that he spoke up. "Do you think that maybe...it has to do with what happened?"

"Huh?" I asked him, in the middle of taking a giant bite out of an apple.

"You know. That was around the time you passed out, remember? And then when you went to the school that one time—"

"You think this has something to do with Risty May?" I cut in, talking around a mouthful of apple.

Al spread his hands. "You did say you guys have that heart connection. Maybe she's got something to do with it."

"What I said was that we had some 'strange mind-and-emotions-link thing', not heart connection, and where did you even get that phrase from?"

"Focus, Brother."

I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, how could it have anything to do with her?"

Al sat down at the kitchen table, and I joined him with my fruit. "Well, I don't really know," he admitted. "It could just be a coincidence, but it just doesn't feel like it to me."

That made me think about it as I ate. I'd thought about the "heart connection" as Al called it, a lot, trying to understand it. There were some things I knew for certain about it. One, it had been caused by Risty May and I switching bodies. If I remembered correctly, that was similar to how Dante would lose a small part of her soul every time she jumped bodies. We had each gotten a little piece of the other's soul, which sounds really unscientific but nothing about the whole thing had any similarity to science.

Two, it linked us together in moments of great emotion. Like when I had killed Greed, and whatever had been going on with Risty May lately. Then we could feel each other's emotions at that point, and it was almost like we could feel each other. What are those, mind-links or something?

Three, it linked us together so well that if one of us died or fell unconscious by unnatural means, then the other would also. The first time that had happened we'd switched back into our own bodies, and I still didn't know why that was. But this was the reason I knew that Risty May was still alive, albeit stuck in the Gate and exposed to who knew what kind of horrors.

Even though I knew all of that, there were still some things I didn't quite understand. The big one was that ability to almost talk to each other, like mind to mind. It was like our own personal form of telepathy, but how was that possible?

I looked up to find Al patiently waiting as I did my thinking. "I don't know yet," I told him. "I'll have to think about it some more."

"Okay. I will too," Al told me.

I smiled at him. "Between us, we'll find an answer, right?"

"Right!"


That night, I went back to the campus and broke into Ms. Trennig's office again. I was able to open her locked file drawer even faster this time, and pulled out the files and folders one at a time, looking through their contents. I looked for any other letters addressed to Lulu, or perhaps R. Mann or even R and E.

It was weird that these letters were being kept here, but maybe Ms. Trennig thought they would be safe here. But why weren't they burned, or destroyed somehow? It was strange.

I skimmed two notes at once, and then the letter "E" jumped out at me again. I stopped and started to read that note.

Hey there, E is in Scheden. He has the box of stuff. Send word to Lulu.

Scheden. I thought hard about that. It was possible that this Lulu lived in Scheden or near it. And E—most likely the same one from R and E—was there, with the "box of stuff". It was possible to find out who had broken into my house, and what exactly they had learned, and if they knew any more about me.

It looked like I was going to Scheden.


Zilo: TO SCHEDEN! MUAHAHAH!

Others: ...

Zilo: You guys sure fall silent a lot!

Risty: Well, we'll see you all next time, unless Zilo goes insane first!

Zilo: And maybe still even then!