So...what will happen next I wonder? Perhaps Martel knows? Then again, maybe not.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own ToS. If I do, then you owe me $10.

The next day, Mithos didn't utter a single word all morning. Whenever he had that same class as Lloyd, the half-dwarf would try to get Mithos to answer his question of: "What's wrong, Mithos?" Although Lloyd tried as often as he could, the young blond wouldn't answer.

During lunch, Lloyd came to a conclusion. A conclusion that Suna doubted was the right one. "But, Suna, why wouldn't that be it? If Mithos isn't talking, maybe it's because the Angel Toxikinesis has taken his voice away."

"If he did have Angel Toxicosis, he wouldn't be in school," Suna countered, getting tired of Lloyd trying to prove that his point was valid.

Mithos, however, was no where to be seen. In fact, he was purposely keeping his distance from the two of them; especially Suna. He sighed. "I'm sorry, Martel," he mumbled, disappointed that he had too much pride that he couldn't even apologize to Lloyd…and Suna. "I know I've always tried to do what you say, but…I just can't tell them."

"Can't tell who what?" A seventeen-year-old boy's voice asked, his tone mocking. "You're so-called 'friends'?"

Mithos whipped around to face the other boy. "Leave me alone, Zelus," he retorted sourly. "I'm not in the mood to deal with your antics."

"Oh, but I'm in the mood to talk to you. So you had better be grateful that I'm not here to hurt your sorry little self," Zelus responded, his voice turning from the critical-sounding tone he had been using to one that was kinder than usual. "I just want to help you, that's all."

The young tri-elf gave him a suspicious look. "And what's in it for you if you do?"

Zelus shrugged. "Nothin'."

"…Are you sure you wouldn't be—?"

The pure elf nodded. "I'm sure," he answered as he sat down next to Mithos. "Look, buddy, those of us with elven blood gotta stick together, right?" Zelus asked, slinging an arm around the younger boy's shoulders.

Which Mithos immediately shrugged off out of disgust, commanding him to keep his "filthy, pure-blooded hands" off of him.

"What's the matter, bud? Don't you wanna be friends with me?" Zelus wondered, sounding hurt that Mithos didn't like him. "Besides, can't you see what those two are tryin' to do to you?"

"…What do you mean?"

Zelus looked at the younger boy in shock. "What do I mean? I mean they're messin' with your mind, bud. Haven't you realized that?" Mithos shook his head slowly, his shoulder-length blond hair waving back and forth as he did so. "Wow…they've really done a good job on your mind, seriously. Can you not tell what's real anymore? Those two have been messin' with your brain so dang much that you'd just go along with anything they said, haven't they? I feel so bad now…I never took the time to see what was happenin' to you all these years and well, I really regret that I couldn't prevent this from happening."

"Really?" Mithos asked as he turned look up at Zelus, his face full of surprise.

"Yep, yep. That I do. And…"

"And what?"

"And all this time me and my friends have been makin' everything worse for you…we didn't really take the time to think of what it was like to live a day in your shoes. Not at all…Can you forgive me, Mithos?"

The young tri-elf simply stared, disbelievingly at Zelus. "Wha-wha-what did you just call me?"

"Mithos. Isn't that your name?" Mithos nodded. "See? I was just callin' ya by your name. Is there somethin' wrong with that?" Mithos shook his head in response, still surprised that Zelus had called him "Mithos." Zelus sighed. "Good. I was startin' to think you didn't like me, Mithos. Although…I can't really blame you if you don't. I mean, I've been a total jerk to you the whole time we've known each other and all, so I—"

"Stop it."

"Huh? What do ya mean?"

"Stop saying how wrong you were to be mean to me," Mithos explained, his voice strained slightly. "I-I just can't believe that you'd be able to say it so easily like that. I mean, I can't even say it to my friends and you can say it to someone who you've beat up your entire life…I'm pathetic, aren't I?"

"Not at all!" Zelus responded, once again putting an arm over Mithos' shoulders. "You're just so confused because of all that junk those other two have been stuffin' you head with. Don't blame yourself for what they did, okay, Mithos?" The younger blond boy nodded. "All we need to do is set them straight, right?"

"Yeah!" Mithos agreed, smiling up at Zelus.

"So this is how we're gonna do it…" Zelus explained the plan of action to Mithos.

After hearing it, he nodded in agreement to Zelus' idea. "That sounds good to me, but…do you think they'll listen to me?"

"Of course they'll listen to you, bud! They still think they can control you by whatever they tell you to do, am I right? Then there's no worries!" Zelus reassured him. "If it were me tellin' them it, then we'd have to worry bout it since they don't exactly appreciate what I try to do."

"But I do," Mithos told him.

"Yep, yep! That you do."

After lunch ended, all the students went inside for the rest of their classes. When school was over for the day, Mithos stood outside the gate of their high school as he waited for Lloyd and Suna. "I told them to come over here right after school, didn't I?" He murmured, trying not to let his friends' absence get to him. "I must stay on task."

"What do you mean, Mithos?"

The young tri-elf spun around to face the speaker, surprised to see it was, "L-Lloyd! Wha-what are you—I mean, where's Suna?"

"I'm right here. What is it you wanted to talk to us about?"

"We-well…I…" The blond's head fell downward.

"Hurry up, okay? I don't have all the time in the world like you do," Suna commented impatiently, placing a hand on her hip.

"I knew it," Mithos muttered as his head slowly rose, his eyes brimming with tears. "I knew it! Big Brother!" He shouted, stepping back from Lloyd and Suna.

Cliffie!!!!! (don't hate me, okay?)