Don't own nuffingk. Cept Hikari and the loverly drabble and dramatic interpretation in between.

CHAPTER 10 – NOT A DURACELL

HIKARI'S POV

I hate life.

HATE.

IT.

Seriously, what did I do to deserve this? Is this karmic punishment for being happy?!

Let me explain. I'm sitting in some hospital being treated for a broken wrist (thankfully my left one; I'd hate making someone else have to write down everything for me).

I say "thankfully," and I've got a broken wrist. That seems a bit wrong, don't you think?

I'm beginning to wonder if my blood doesn't smell absolutely delicious to every bloodsucking leech out there, because not only do I have a vampire boyfriend, but Kaname Kuran has it out for me, and moreover, I've been the victim of not one, but two vampire attacks.

Maybe I'm just lucky.

Here's how it went down…

FLASHBACK

I was sitting in the car; Dad was driving me back to the train station that would take me the rest of the way back to the academy. Natsuko wouldn't take Mom's advice and go to the bathroom before she left with us (she should know better; Mom got all grouchy because of it), and so we had to stop about two hours into the trip for a bathroom break, instead of just driving the remaining half hour before we got to the station. We stopped at a gas station in the middle of nowhere.

Since we were stopped, I figured I should take the opportunity to walk around and stretch my legs. As I got to the edge of the concrete by the field, something jumped out of the stunted tree behind me and leaped onto me. I was thrown onto the pavement (squashed onto the pavement, more like—I tried to fight her off by kicking and flailing, but she was too heavy) and something hissed in my ear lethally. I remember my wrist hurting like someone had shoved a poker straight through it. "Go ahead and scream," she said in a dangerous whisper. "Scream! I'll make everything that much quicker and maybe you won't feel it…"

Her claws were wrapped around my throat from behind. Saliva from her tongue coated my neck…

I don't remember much about the incident. She was cutting off my air supply, and I was dizzy and my vision was going dark and blurred. A distant sound…

I was told later that it was the sound of a shotgun from the station's owner. The next thing I knew, I was surrounded by Dad, Kaito, and a hyperventilating Natsuko, asking me if I was all right. A medic soon pulled them away, and I was lifted into an ambulance. The medics fed me oxygen and wrapped my wrist in a splint, and I was taken to the hospital (Kaito accompanied me, informing the medics what had happened).

"She was just attacked," he said in his cool, slow voice. "Attacked from behind and shoved to the ground—she landed on her wrist; it might be broken. This woman lay on top of her and tried to choke her. But then the manager shot her and she just… just turned to dust…"

That was when it hit me. It had been a vampire. I suppose my head had been a bit too preoccupied before to recognize it. But the owner shot her, which killed her. That was how she turned to dust.

END FLASHBACK

I think I managed to ask Kaito for my cell phone through crude sign language, and he searched for it, but couldn't find it. I'm not sure if it fell out of my pocket during the attack, or what. At any rate, I lost my brand new cell phone and I can't call Takuma to tell him what happened. I can't get word to Etsuko, either, which sucks. Even though she's mad at me, I know she'll be worried when I don't show up and she'll throw a fit, which I'll have to deal with when I get back on top of Takuma, who will also throw a fit, and everyone else who will interrogate me and ask me over and over what the heck happened. I'd rather not explain. How do you explain that a rabid (for all intents and purposes) vampire attacked you for no apparent reason?! Well, Dad is going to call the Academy (I hope) and if he does, has the sense to ask Headmaster Cross if he can get word to Etsuko.

So now, I'm in the hospital. My throat and neck hurt like the devil, but that's to be expected. I was told that she very nearly crushed my windpipe. It certainly explains why I can't speak. I've also got a concussion because my head hit the concrete. I don't really remember that part, but oh, well.

The hospital insists that I stay overnight to let my throat and head heal, as well as my other injuries (bruises and scrapes, mostly, but they're pretty bad and cover most of my front and upper back). I didn't know I could hurt in so many places at once. It's ridiculous.

And not at all fun.

Great… so much for vampires not existing, huh?

ICHIJO'S POV

Where is she?

I specifically asked her to call or text or something to tell me when she got back so I wouldn't be worried. Maybe I'm just getting paranoid, but I would really hate to see anything happen to her.

"Shiki" and I got back a day late; Grandfather called to clear us. But I still haven't heard anything from Hikari. I just sent Etsuko Akiyama an email message to ask if Hikari had come back… but I also took the liberty of explaining a few things.

Akiyama-san:
Hey, just asking if Hikari's back yet. I asked her to call me when she got here, and I haven't heard from her. My assumption is that if she hasn't called me, she isn't here, and emailing her would thus be pointless.
Another thing, I actually am going out with Hikari. Just wanted to clear that up. No hard feelings, right?
—Ichijo

The vindictive part of me is really eager to hear what her response will be. So after pacing and intermittently checking my Inbox for the past twenty minutes, I finally check my email again. There's a reply…!

Ichijo-sempai:
im so sorry! i ttly yelled at hikari cuz i didnt think she was telling the truth :( i feel bad nao. and she isnt back either srry
idk where she is im rlly worried

Well, that's not good…! Not good at all! Where the heck is she?!

I suppose I could call her home phone; if no one's there, then I'm no worse off than I have been. I just really hope nothing's happened to her…

Thankfully, I'm in luck, and her mother answers. "Hello."

"Hey, Yagari-san…?"

"Ah, no, I'm Hikari's mother." I know Hikari's a foster child, but she never told me her family's name, so I'll just play it off as ignorance. "She's not here."

"Oh, hey—this is Takuma Ichijo; we met a few days ago. I was wondering where Hikari is; she's not at school and I haven't heard from her at all."

There is a pause. "Oh—Ichijo-san, yes, I remember." Her voice is wary, almost, as she speaks—guarded. "I called Headmaster Cross—she'll be there early tomorrow. She… had an accident…"

WHAT?!

My mouth feels a little dry and I'm not sure if I'm standing or sitting—I can't seem to remember. It's one of those odd feelings you get… everything around you seems to just not matter anymore because you're scared. "An… accident…? Would you please… elaborate?"

"She was attacked by a maniac at a gas station," says her mother in a slightly panicked, slightly weary voice. "She's in the hospital." No…! "It's not life-threatening, but she's pretty banged up…"

I knew the chances of her being attacked were very low—I mean, I thought I was just being paranoid! But she's seriously been attacked?! This has to have been another Level E. Really, what are the odds? Twice since she's been around me, a vampire? What in the world is going on? I'm honestly beginning to wonder if there isn't some kind of plot to get her killed… I know she smells amazingly delicious because of her hunter blood, but she's like a magnet! She's never been attacked before that I know of, so why now? Why… now that she's dating me?

"How… bad is it?"

"Concussion, multiple contusions and small cuts," she says in a strained voice. "Broken wrist. Her throat was half-crushed."

This may be as close as I've gotten to swearing in front of a lady. My hand tightens reflexively around the phone, and I inhale very… very… slowly. "I… I see…"

"I'm just glad she's going to be okay," says her mother.

I honestly don't know how I managed to respond and hang up. What in the world…? My head is buzzing: who's behind this? Why? Why are they after Hikari, or what has she done to merit this? How long has this been going on?

Will Hikari live long enough for us to be able to go steady?

My other hand is clenched into a fist, and I slam it into the wall, needing some form of release. I got one… now my hand is stuck halfway through a crater in the wall. Brilliant, Takuma.

Brilliant.

Ugh… this whole mess on top of Rido-sama being back… not three hours ago, we were downstairs in the common room and Rido-Shiki pulled this stupid stunt in front of Rima, who's now suspicious about something. I wish Rido wasn't so reckless; Rima's definitely on to him. Well, she doesn't know he's Rido Kuran, but she knows he's not Senri Shiki. That's for sure. He's not discreet…

This makes me seriously pine (ugh) to be back at Kaname's side again. Even when he's acting like a dolt who's just ordering me around… that's preferable to this dumb pureblood. Seriously, that's practically blasphemy to say that, but… Man, does every Kuran go crazy once they hit eighteen or something? Honestly! And Hikari's involved in this whole level E-conspiracy on top of this—is this hell ever going to end?!

I hear a quiet chuckle. "Do you really care about the girl so much?"

I force my expression into one that isn't angry rebellion. Rido could kill me on a whim. "Yes. She's a hunter; she's a human. And I…" I can't finish.

"Oooh, you love her."

Words cannot describe how I would love to just tell my old roommate to shut the heck up, but he isn't my roommate. Not anymore. He's Rido Kuran, who happens to be the father of my roommate and be inhabiting my roommate's body. "Something like that," I finally manage to say. "What of it? One less hunter going to track us down, anyway."

Rido smirks at me cruelly and leans against the wall beside the window, staring idly outside into the night. "Hikari Yagari… first daughter of… Toga Yagari, isn't she?"

Oh, crap, I didn't think of that…

"The only surviving member of his family, if I recollect."

I sigh. "I don't care who her family is. I care who she is."

"She must taste divine." His eyes, one brown, one ice-blue, turn to me, piercing and fierce.

I look away and slump down on my mattress. "Only tasted her once, just a little."

"And…?"

How to put it into words…? I finally decide that I don't want to bother—not to Rido, anyway—and rephrase my answer. "Does it matter? You won't be tasting her, anyway."

Rido Kuran sneers at me and looks back out the window. Thank heaven; those eyes are creepy as anything. I turn away and flop down on my side to face the wall. I don't care if my back is to Rido; he's not going to kill me. I'm his… liaison, I guess.

Why is it always me…? Can't I ever catch a break?

When is Hikari coming back…?!

ETSUKO'S POV

The dorm phone rings, scaring me half to death. I was just trying to finish up some bio homework and the thing scares the living crap out of me. Then it occurs to me—is it Hikari?! I jump across the room for it, but trip on my history book and bang my knee on the stupid nightstand, but I have the phone. "Hello?!"

"Hey, Etsuko!"

Oh, geez… "Hey, Aoi-chan." Why her? She's an arrogant jerk. She only hangs around me because Junko-chan and her boyfriend do—she's got the hots for Masaru-kun, but she's only a tramp who'll just want to get in bed with him. I hate her. "Um, I can't talk now, Aoi-chan. Call me back later, okay?"

"What the heck?! What's going on?"

I try not to snap back at her. "Just—I've got tons of homework, okay? Just tell me in class tomorrow."

"Whatever…" She hangs up. Good freaking riddance.

Geez, I feel so bad, now… Not for Aoi—lord, no. About yelling at Hikari during break about lying to me, and she totally didn't lie at all! Dang it, I thought she was just joking around about Ichijo. I was having such a bad day when I'd called her. Mom was nagging me about something stupid and Aoi had been griping to me about some stupid drama-thing between her and Kaede-chan, and I was just trying to get my mind off it. I figured that I probably should talk to Hikari, anyway, since we hadn't talked all break long. And so when she said that, I kind of lost my temper and got all stupid with her, and… dang it, she'd better come back, and all right, too! Dang it, Hikari… I didn't mean it! You know that, don't you?

And now… she seriously is dating Ichijo?! From the Night Class? The Takuma Ichijo? It's unreal! I mean, I suppose I did see him looking for her at the ball, but I thought it was just to get back that dumb old manga Hikari kept carrying around with her. She acted like it was a freaking talisman or something. I swear. But was he really interested in her? I'd heard from Akane-san that Ichijo and Hikari were dancing early on and all. I didn't take her seriously because she's just a gossip.

Hikari… come on! You have to come back… and… and tell me about what Ichijo's like! Give me a chance to apologize and all… you're still my best friend, you know…

So please make it back… call, something…!

Screw it. It's pointless just begging the air for her to come back. I may as well finish up my bio and go to bed. Maybe I'll take a long shower, first… Yeah, that'll clear my head. I can use that new massaging oils body wash I got for Christmas… and since the water pressure at Cross is actually decent, maybe this'll help relax me… yeah, that sounds great…

HIKARI'S POV

Well, I was supposed to be back for classes on Monday, and now it's Wednesday, and I'm finally being released from the hospital. Problem is, it's six at night. So I'll not even make it there until eight or so, and that's if I have a ride waiting at the station and I don't have to walk. With my throat the way it is, I'd probably better not be out in the cold for longer than I need to be, so calling the Headmaster's probably a good idea.

I can hear the faint ring on his end of the line. In the middle of the third ring, he picks up.

"Good evening, Cross Academy of Secondary Education, this is Headmaster Cross's office, Yuki Cross speaking."

I'm a bit surprised, myself to hear Yuki's voice. She sounds a little breathless, like she's been running or something. "Hi, Yuki-chan," I say hoarsely. My throat isn't better, but it hurts less and I can actually speak, now. I just sound awful. "It's Hikari Yagari."

"Hikari-chan! Where are you?"

"Can I speak to Cross-sama?"

"Yeah, sure… Uh, give me a moment…" There's a pause and a muffled voice on the other end that sounds very disgruntled. Then I hear a loud thump and a giggle, and after a second, a fumbling of hands and rings on plastic as the headmaster tries to pick up the phone.

"ZERO, PLEASE!!"

Oh… kay…

"Yagari-sa-a-a-an!" says Headmaster Cross in a welcoming tone, like no sort of scuffle or whatever just happened in his office (and from the sound of things, it was Yuki, Zero, and Cross all having a disagreement of sorts). "We've not received word from you concerning your absence. Where have you been?"

"Well, I'll explain when I get there, but—"

"Good lord, you sound awful!"

"I know… I was… mugged, I guess, and I couldn't talk until today." I sigh heavily into the pay phone's receiver. "I'm sorry—I thought my dad had called." You'd think a parent would have the smarts to excuse their hospitalized child from school. "I'll be in the village at about seven-forty-five, so could you send someone to pick me up?"

"Certainly! Oh, my, my, my—you've been mugged?! Wherever did you spend your holidays?"

"Cross-sama, I will explain later—my train's getting ready to leave!"

"Of course. I'll send a car for you, most definitely! Please come to my office once you've arrived."

"Right."

"Thank you very much for calling, Yagari-san. Good night."

"Night."

ICHIJO'S POV

Oh, god…

I think I'm seriously… going to split in two.

Like some gigantic mitosis phasing you see in a science book. This… this is too much. They can't expect just one mind to wrap itself around the situation, even if I am a vampire and can handle more than a human! Ugh… this is ridiculous.

Not an hour ago, Rido-Shiki, Kaname, and I met on the roof of the Moon Dorm. Rido was getting super-cocky, like he was about to send Kaname to hell or something equally garish. I wouldn't have put it past him, if he'd gotten the opportunity to knock Kaname off-guard, somehow. But Kaname talked about having… having killed him once before…!

That was strike number one. Kaname, my best friend, having killed someone?! Or… I suppose almost-killing him? How had this happened?

It's a weird feeling when you find out your friend betrayed you, went behind your back. Even if it wasn't against you, the fact that they did something that serious and didn't tell you? It reminds me of the time when Shiki first told me he'd had sex with Rima. We were fifteen in vampire years—we were about twenty in human years. He told me they'd been sleeping together for two (human) years, which was so odd—I felt like I was extremely dizzy, and maybe a little nauseous. Light-headed. The world just… paused, you know, and I tried to grasp the concept. I mean, we were so young! They would've been fourteen in vampire years at the time! And Shiki had been telling me he was still a virgin, saying stuff like "Mom keeps assuming that every time she's not there, we're off somewhere doing it. Honestly, can you get much lower than that? Doesn't she trust me?" It wasn't the issue of having lost his virginity; that didn't bother me so much as the lying bit. That cut me. And now, Kaname… my best friend tried to commit murder.

Am I fated to be left in the dark about stuff? I suppose I'm a bit naïve, but come on! Murder!

Kaname would say that we're inhuman beasts, and that it doesn't matter; wild animals kill off their own kind all the time, like in duels over a female, or rights to a territory, or over the last scrap of meat. That's fine and good for Kaname Kuran the zero percent-human pureblood, but what about me, the ten percent-human vampire? I am part-human! And… well, we're essentially human-like creatures, so isn't it natural that some of their morals and ideals rub off on us? My grandfather works with them every day… I'm dating one!

Kaname tried to murder his uncle…

I told myself not to do anything and not to judge him, because there was probably a very good reason for it. But still… it's hard… so hard not to think about it. It makes me feel sick to my stomach…

And then, Kaname tried to attack Rido-Shiki, started tearing up the ceiling with this bolt of energy—

I had to stop him. My thought was that it was Shiki he'd be harming.

That was actually true, because Rido's inhabiting his body. Any damage to the host, and Shiki would be left with the damages. How can a father do that to a son!? I mean, Rido's Shiki's dad, isn't he? So how can he put Shiki in danger like that?! Rido's a—a… urgh…

And then, after I stopped Kaname, Kaname ran off.

Come to find out, Kaname's just turned Yuki into a vampire—she's his sister.

THAT IS THE MOST DISGUSTING THING I'VE EVER DISCOVERED IN MY LIFE.

Kaname is in love with his little sister, and she's in love with him.

Well, I found that out much later, after Ichiru Kiryu and Rido-Shiki and I tried to help out Rido by getting him a coffin to rest in and everything; he'd used up quite a bit of energy the past few hours, fighting Rima, fighting Kaname, and all with no food. He refused blood tablets, and Rima wouldn't let him drink, and I think Shiki, as host, wouldn't let Rido attempt to drink from anyone else.

Let's just cover the high points, shall we?

Rido tried to strangle Shiki. Rima tried to stop him, and Rido attacked her. I had to leave her, since it wasn't fatal, because who knew what Rido would've done! I may not be much use against a pureblood, but at least I could buy some time before he did any real damage.

After a bit, Rido's body was complete enough and he decided to return to his own body in his coffin in Shiki's and my room, so when I carried the unconscious Shiki back upstairs, only to see Kaname bent over the coffin with a sword to Rido's throat…

At least I didn't have to worry about him killing Shiki, anymore.

By then, I was so freaking tired of it all that I didn't care if he killed his uncle, didn't care if Rido decimated Kaname. I'd had enough of that stupid double-dealing, back-stabbing, two-timing, traitorous betrayal baloney. Really, I don't even know Kaname. I thought I'd known him, but he's killed someone years ago, and he's been very distant for at least three months… and the whole thing with Yuki, his pureblood sister. This is not the Kaname I once knew. This is a dark, twisted stranger I'd rather not know. Shiki, you are my new best friend.

HIKARI'S POV

I'm hoping with all my heart that Cross sends Takuma with whomever's driving the car, but I'm not that lucky. No, it's Watanabe-sensei, my English professor. It's a very awkward fifteen-minute ride, since Sensei was gracious enough to insist that I be silent and rest my throat, but soon enough, I'm back at Cross and in the headmaster's office. But he's looking incredibly grim, a far cry from his usual, cheery self.

He sighs heavily and stares at me with a bleak gaze. "Am I correct in saying that it was a level E, Yagari-san?"

I nod slowly. "Here are the hospital records—I got copies to make sure I was excused…"

"Of course." Cross takes them and sets them upon his desk to one side and leans his chin on his folded hands. "Have you been able to contact anyone?"

"No—I lost my cell phone and I can't remember Takuma's number, and I thought Dad had called…" I stop rambling. I can tell by the look on Cross's face that something's going on. Something big.

"Yagari-san… I must ask you to stay far away from the Night Dorms until further notice."

"Headmaster—"

"Please don't ask any questions; just… stay away. I want you to stay in your dorm room." His brown-gold eyes peer at me through his glasses balefully. "This is for your protection. There is great danger there to any human, including you. I realize that Ichijo and Kaname have cleared your presence, and normally I would honor that, but this overrides it."

I stare back at Cross. What? What in the world is going on?! This can only be something vampire-related, and I haven't the faintest idea what! Is it a new vampire? A bloodthirsty criminal?

"It's a level E, isn't it?!"

Cross sighs. "I regret to inform you that it may be worse. I assume that you will find out in time, due to your… connections, but as of now, you will not be permitted to leave the building."

Then why the heck did I come back?! What's happened in the last two hours to change the situation that much? What the heck is going on?!

"No further questions, Yagari-san. Aido-kun will escort you in a moment." Cross picks up the telephone and dials a number. He asks for whoever it is to poke their head out the window and tell Aido to go to his office, and something about being careful, because it's extra icy. I haven't any idea what he'd mean by that, because there isn't any ice on the ground; just a bare smattering of snow in the corners and stuff. I rock back and forth on my heels and wait there until Aido opens the door.

He sees me, nods once, and I grab my bags. Aido doesn't bother to help until I glare at him pointedly. "Thanks so much for helping me carry these bags, Aido-sempai!" I growl. To my rather morbid pleasure, I admit, my voice comes out in a demonically guttural voice, and Aido jumps back with a scared expression. He pouts for a moment and picks up my duffel bag and takes off.

Soon, we're back at my dorm and Etsuko is attacking me. Normally, I'd call that a true glomp, but it's an attack. "Etsuko, please!"

She apologizes like heck and I tell her my half of the story, vampires included. She's silent for thirty-six seconds before her first comment. "Are you saying that… vampires exist?!"

"Yeah… sadly."

"Dang… that explains so much…! No wonder they have the Disciplinary Committee!"

"Yeah, no wonder." I sigh heavily.

"No, this is so cool, Hikari!" she squeals. I frown mildly at her. "No, no, this is just like Twilight! It's so romantic!"

I scowl at her. "Shut up, I hate that book and Rob Pattinson looks like he's constantly sucking a lemon."

"But Takuma's way hotter than Edward!"

"He'd better freaking be," I mutter, unable to stop myself. "Rob Pattinson's not hot at all and he's a sucky actor."

"Hikari-i-i-i!"

"What?!"

"Aw, he's kinda cute…"

"Uh, no. Takuma's really cute."

"Okay, you've got a point, there," agreed Hikari. "But seriously—vampires exist!! OMG…"

I smile softly and shake my head. "Yes, they do. But there are more pressing matters…" I pause to shove a load of clothes from my duffel to my dresser drawer. "Like why we're not allowed out of our dorms all of a sudden."

"They totally instated that, like, an hour before you got here!" Etsuko exclaims suddenly. "It was so weird—Cross shows up with Idol and Kain and said we weren't to leave the building, and that we won't be having any more classes until further notice!"

My eyes widen in shock. No more classes, either!? So it's not just a temporary measure—this is serious! I drop my clothes in the drawer haphazardly and make my way gingerly to the window. I look over, and it's difficult because of the angle, but I can barely make out Aido, Kain, and… is that Ruka? Or Seiren? The glass is old and warped, and there are those lead… things that separate the windowpanes, anyway. (What are they called? Oh, forget it.) Those are in the way.

"Etsuko…"

"Yeah?"

"Who told you all this?"

She pauses, confused. "I just told you, it was Cross."

"Was there anyone else with him?"

"There was this weird dude with curly black hair and an eye patch, but other than Aido and Kain, that was it."

I frown to myself. What's become of Takuma?

I bite my lip in vexation. "Can you look up Takuma's dorm phone in the directory for me? I need to call him."

She does so without the slightest hint of grudging, which I take to mean guilt on her part for the entire Takuma-isn't-your-boyfriend fiasco and because I'm still recovering. Soon, I've got his number and I call.

Ring…

Ring…

No answer.

Ring…

"Hey!" Thank heaven!

"Takuma! It's me!"

A gasp. "Oh, geez—what's up?!"

"Takuma, I'm sorry I didn't call earlier; I lost my phone and I—"

"Really? That's great!"

Huh?

There follows a slight pause. "Haha, gotcha. Leave a message and I'll get back ASAP. Later!"

Ordinarily, I'd be laughing at myself for falling for that trick, but right now, I'm frustrated out of my mind. "Takuma, it's Hikari. I'm fine—sort of—I'm back at school… give me a call when you can. But call my dorm phone, cuz I lost my cell… haven't had it since Sunday… I'll explain later. Anyway… um… bye…"

I guess all I can do is wait and hope that he gets the message soon… that may take some time, if things are really that crazy…

But then, I think…

What if…

No, that's stupid. He wouldn't be in trouble…

Would he?

Oh, crap… Stupid overactive imagination!

But I can't get the image out of my head, that of Takuma lying on the sidewalk, bleeding… moonlight glinting off hair and blood…

Dang it.

Determined, I open the window latch and poke my head out. Immediately, Aido's head swivels around to see me. "Hikari-chan, get back inside!"

"What's going on? Where is he?

"Who?"

"You know perfectly well who, you great prat!" I don't bother to ask myself why British insults are coming to mind… probably from House of Many Ways.

"I—don't—know!"

"Yagari-san, please," calls Kain's deep voice. "You'll wake up everyone."

"UGH!" I slam the window shut. Stupid vampires. So much for not existing—it'd be a whole lot nicer if they didn't exist, sometimes…

Sorry it's been a while; been busy and trying to update other stories I'm working on, including an original manga story on my deviantART account. Check it out; my profile page is on my ffnet page. Comments are appreciated there; reviews are appreciated here! :)

Oh, and to me heart aido, haha, thanks! I'm not sure if I'm a genius or a mastermind, but I'm glad you're enjoying things!

To Serena Lockhart, (I think I remember your name correctly *sweatdrop*), thank you for your reviews! I haven't been able to respond properly, so... I'm telling you now! ^_^ And "awesomesauce" is an Internet junkie term meaning "something that's really awesome." Haha. Strange word, but fun to say.