While Scott and Star were discussing in the solitude and silence of the sleeping royal palace, the night was still young on Earth It was only half past eight when Marco jumped on his perfectly made bed, and grabbed his phone. He had some talking of his own to do. Searching for Jackie's number, he was absently tapping his foot on the floor, seemingly anxious to share his thoughts with his girlfriend. After two swift rings, she picked up, answering in her usual, laid-back tone, with a line that has become a chorus to the two's poem.

"Hey, Marco."
"Oh, hi, you busy?"

"It's almost nine and it's Sunday. What do you think, Mr. Deductive?" That was a nickname that had been derived from early September. It was a rainy day, and there was no way to get around that. The stubborn wind, blew with an enormous power, expressing his desire for umbrellas to be useless for that day. As gloomy as the weather was, the interior was lively. The school was almost starting, so it was best to make the most out of the last days of freedom, before they'd graduate to the big boys. It was a difference that defined the passing from tween to teen, going from junior high to the freshman year of the top part of secondary education. However, whenever it seems that you're growing up ever so forcibly fast, you feel the need to go back to the good old days, where there were no cares in the world, other than playing. The auspicious sun, who had chosen to hide his life-giving glow underneath a curtain of clouds had hindered any attempts of using any playgrounds or doing anything that involved outdoors, so the down-to-earth kids have decided to go on a slightly nerdier road. This is why, when the wall-mounted clock had beaten five times, Marco's living room table was covered entirely by the board of a game, aptly named "Find him!" It was a role-playing game, where every player was being given a role. There was one sole killer, while the others had the only job to find him, but they had to be careful, as one foul move and they were out. Law-enforcement and neutrals were battling to find the murderer, hidden by an intriguing plot: the death of a wealthy business man, has sparked insidious conflicts between his inheritors, as everyone's greed comes out in play. The six of them, Marco, Jackie, Alfonzo, Fergusson, Starfan13 and Janna were all captivated, but alas, it all came down to Marco's wits to unmask the killer which was Janna, who exclaimed, in a fit of both frustration and relief (that her stress was over): "If it weren't for Mr. Deductive over here to ruin my plans, I'd have murdered you all and taken all of your money!" And, to this day, that nickname stands.

"I'll suppose you aren't, but given that you've been gone for the past two weeks, because your family knows how to book a holiday mid-semester, I'll take my chances with the question."

"I'm free, Marco," she answered giggling. "And I'm back from my trip around the globe, that I've been waiting to do for quite a while. What's up?"

"Glad you asked…There's quite a lot we need to talk about. The past couple of weeks have been nothing if not out of the ordinary…" Marco replied, his voice taking a deeper tone than usual. As if to sync, his door creaked loudly, moved by the airflow between his open window and the house entrance down below, which was left open by his father, who decided to take a walk on the driveway.

"Woah, you sound as if you saw a ghost rise from the dead…"

"That's exactly what I saw."

"Well, since Star was in town, I believe that is not entirely out of the question, yet I strongly doubt that is the case. So, what was so lugubrious that spooked you out that much?" Jackie sounded worried, but more so about Marco, than about what actually went on in her absence. Intrigued, yet a bit scared of the effect the unknown ordeal could've had upon him, she dropped the unpacking she had to do and lay herself on her waterbed, that bounced her up and down a few times, until it finally rested, just in time for Marco to recollect his thoughts and spill them out.

"It all started when I found a trail of blood coming from the middle of my living room carpet and stretched like a maroon snake towards the kitchen…"

Marco hadn't left out anything when retelling the events that lead to him somewhat swearing allegiance to an elusive team of individuals to whom he had no liking or connection with whatsoever. He, himself was surprised that Scott had come back to him, but he couldn't express why he did what he did. Perhaps, it was the nostalgia of the past, coming back to him, or perhaps it was a spur of the moment, whose root was in the brisk nature of Scott's proposal. It was as if he forced it on him, manipulating him, controlling his thoughts and actions with a simple word. This made him appreciate him, but his contempt was now founded. Jackie wasn't on another side either. She didn't know much about him, yet she didn't think highly of him, albeit since she had every piece of information from Marco, who wasn't the most objective of observers. What was the focus of her ideas, at the moment was Star, who had somehow managed to sneak her way back into the plot. It was as if she was the one who came back from the dead, the realm of the inexistent for him, and now her intentions were unclear. But whether if they were purely to reignite an old friendship, or with romantic undertones, she didn't like it…Even though, she willingly let Marco go before, just because it didn't work out, but deep down, she couldn't lie to herself, after that had happened, her opinion on Star changed, involuntarily so. It was something out of instinct…hating the one who stole your love, so she couldn't help it. Anyway, it was best to keep it on a low profile. No need to express lack of sympathy out in the open. It was gratuitous mean-spirit, and Jackie wasn't one to be hurtful for no reason.

"So, what are they going to do now, that this guy has come creeping in their lives and turned them upside down?"

"Yeah, about that…Scott is going to come tomorrow morning at our school, in order to 'scout for talents'…I don't know how to feel about this…" Marco's words came out so pathetically that they moved Jackie down to her toes. She dropped every reminiscence of her thinking to finish unpacking and grabbed her helmet from the closet, while her skateboard was waiting for her just outside the window. Her house had an exterior stairway that surrounded the backside of her house's top floor. It was a kind of elevated porch, its corner having a narrow circular set of stairs, the green paint being washed out by the years. The building was old, but not broken down, as her parents put a lot of care into fixing up the place. Not much attention was put into the aesthetic of the back side, as no one would ever come there, as a steep hill blocked down any attempt to reach her home. It was a strategic position, useless in today's times for them, but extremely useful for sneaking out, without anyone noticing. Not that they'd get mad or anything, but she had no time to explain her behavior, nor the mood to justify her actions. In the blink of an eye, she was surrounded by the soundwaves of wheels rolling down the uneven pavement, as she made her way down Main Street. The moon was shining brightly above her, lighting her way, where the broken lampposts failed to do so. It didn't take her long to get to Marco's house, a true beacon of light. She didn't count on the fact that the echoes of her arrival were heard through his thick window, so she immediately grabbed a small rock, and threw it at his window. As cliché as that was, it never failed to show results, as Marco immediately appeared at the window. She entered the house, greeted the family, who was oblivious as always, or perhaps, used to strangers, ever since Star dropped into their lives. At the top of the stairs, her boyfriend was waiting for her. Taking her by her left hand, he led her to the guest room, that served as a home to Star for an entire year, but now was just harboring an enormous hole in the wall. Marco sat down, his feet dangling out the ledge and Jackie followed suit. It was a beautiful perspective, a majestic sight to behold, as the stars in the sky, formed a bridal gown for their crowned queen. Glimmering, they gave the idea of endlessness, a feeling that was so needed for them, especially given the separating circumstances they were, unbeknownst of each other, facing at the moment. For a couple of minutes they stayed in utter silence, just enjoying the view and each other's company. Jackie let her head fall on Marco's shoulder, as he put her arms around her, seemingly protecting her from the darkness outside. They were now one silhouette, going up and down, as they breathed in the cold air of the night. However, as pleasant and quaint this moment of utter numbness was feeling, she didn't come here just to be lost in the moment. She was here to comfort him, so, easing into the subject, she asked, almost whispering:

"You know why I came over?" Her voice was soft and soothing, as if she was trying to mend a broken soul, although that was not the case. Marco wasn't deductive, except for when it came to logical reasoning. In the matters of the heart he wasn't versed and psychological subtleties didn't ring any bells either. Yet, he'd be stupid not to realize that he was the cause she was here, however, he couldn't infer deeper than that, so he innocently answered:

"Of course…you came for me didn't you?"

"Yes, dummy, obviously, but I came because I was worried you might be, again as broken as you were for the first time you called me after our break-up…"

"I…I didn't know that," he answered ashamed.

"So?"

"So what?" Marco continued his confused behavior that was genuine in its entirety.

"So, are you, again on the verge of a semi-mental breakdown, as you were when Star had left you, again, that is?"

"Well, no, obviously. Nothing had happened, yet. But they just came in, crashing into our lives, without any warning and they are single-handedly messing up the calm and peace I've finally reached. I enjoyed my life with Star, going on about finding pleasure in reckless behavior and finally…'living', but I find that, in retrospect, a necessary bad deed, something that educates and instructs…All that stuff with interdimensional wars, evil lizard-men and weird avian creatures are to live without…I like how things are now, no conflicts, no battles to be fought, but now, I'm being led to think that it is something I don't wish. For the first time, I don't know what to do, if I should try this again, or if I should just stay put…"

"Well, do you want to partake in this new battle? Do you miss your old lifestyle? Because, from what you're saying I can't draw a conclusion." Jackie was visibly worried. She said 'you' as if she was talking to a stranger, hiding inside Marco…She smiled a bit when he referred to the situation as 'our lives'. This gave her the hope that history wouldn't repeat itself, yet she was as uncertain as ever…Marco was obviously conflicted, he didn't look as if he had things figured out for himself. Whether he'd fight and continue his adventurous life from where he left off, or will he remain to the commodity of his newfound peace…The way he was contemplating the seemingly wretched war he had been a part of was off. It sounded like he missed it, to some extent. She knew that it wasn't a fight between an unscrupulous life and a careful one, it was a fight between her and Star, despite he wasn't aware of this. That's exactly what made Jackie's job harder, but she had to try, just because she loved him, to keep him where, he belonged.

"I have no idea, Jackie…Something tells me that I'll regret not doing it, but I don't know if it'll be best not to worry about it, either. It's that sort of double-entendre, that goes both ways, whatever you'll do to it, and I hate it, it gives you the lack of choice, it is presentable liberty…Whatever I'll do there is no way to avoid remorse, and I can't take any more of that. I just got out of so many, and going back into this fight, that is more psychological than physical, just freaks me out; it's terrifying, this destiny…"

Jackie was dumbfounded. She had no answer for that. It wasn't the best thing to come in person, it only added more pressure on her to give immediate answers, to offer instantaneous resolutions that would aid the cause, but now she felt that she was overwhelmed. Marco was for her, always the logician, the realist, not really so dilemmatic, so preoccupied with this genre of problems. On the one hand she was mad that she had no solution, but on the other she was baffled and positively surprised to see that he was more than met the eye. This new layer of him was a hope…although it was hardly clear why. She kissed him on the cheek, lightly and, not to tip him off, whispered:

"Don't worry. Tomorrow is a new day. We'll talk after the two put on their dastardly show…"

The moon set and the sun rose to the sky, as Scott patiently waited, in front of Marco's house, for him to get ready. He didn't know the way to school, but Star did, therefore she was going to meet up with them right before they'd enter. That was all on paper, because Star had a custom to be, as her social status dictated, royally late, and Marco didn't seem to hurry either. Scott knew that the school hours usually start at 8 o'clock, and since he didn't know any better, at seven thirty he was tapping the stiff driveway slabs, anxiously waiting for his plan to begin. He wasn't at all surprised when he saw his 'friend' coming out of the house, looking as unwilling as ever, but he attributed it to the combination of waking up early and having to go to school, rather than just seeing him, which was the cause of his misanthropy. As if he didn't notice him, Marco had taken the lead, with Scott following him. They looked as out of place as beef at an Indian banquet table, a rather tall, skinny, one-armed boy, dressed in a long coat, with a green sweater underneath and washed-up brown pants, while the other was grumpily walking at an accelerated pace in front of him, wearing his signature black jeans-red hoodie combo.

It was a short walk from Marco's house to Echo Creek High, yet the silence between the two only padded its duration by an insidious amount. They were about halfway when Scott decided that it was time to break the icy muteness, with a polite question, that seemed to be the only means he could've forced a conversation with his friend.

"What classes do you have today?"

The instant he had finished his sentence, he regretted ever asking it. However, Marco answered, not a hint of cringe in his response:

"It's Monday, so three Maths in a row, then Biology and we end with two of Gym class."

"Sounds a bit crowded…"

"You get used to it after a while. You should know that." Scott didn't know what Marco was driving at, and frankly, neither did Marco. At this point, Marco was snippy just for the sake of being snippy. That was the last bit of dialogue between the two. Thankfully, they didn't have to endure the quiet for long, as the screams of children were being heard all around the school, they had finally reached. Being the only one in the area, you could understand that it had to have a certain grandeur to it…It was about the size of ten small parks, and it had the common U shape. There were other adjacent buildings, such as the gym or something that reminded Scott of a containment center, but the main one was the one they entered. There was an interior courtyard, where many people were gathered, around someone. The human wall was impenetrable, so Scott and Marco couldn't see whoever was causing such a ruckus, but they both had a hunch they knew the culprit, based solely on the rainbow colors the sky was painted in. Making their way through the dense crowd wasn't an easy task, but they managed to get to the center, where they had found the missing piece in the old trio, doing what she was best known for. Careless and colorful magic flooded the air, as Star was putting on a show fit for the most prestigious of concerts, much to the awe of the crowd. Taking a look around, Marco realized that these people were all younger than him, thus they didn't get to experience any of Star's shenanigans. The princess was so caught in her act that she didn't notice a small ant, dislodging from the swarm and approaching her.

"Well, you surely are impressive, aren't you?" Scott asked as he stood right below the cloud Star was resting upon.

"Finally, you got here," she replied jumping down into a hug. "You came with Marco, didn't you?"

"Yeah, he should be right behind…" Scott answered without looking to see that his friend had actually left.

"He's gone…Thankfully, Janna is right there," Star said pointing to her friend who was currently laying down on a chair made out of marshmallow, eating its armrests. Hearing her name, she raised her head, like a startled gopher, with a mouthful of candy and replied as if she was at a rollcall:

"Here!"

"And she will…"

"She's in the same class as the two we should make amends to, so…"

"We'll have an inside man and we'll reach our goal."

"Sure…" Star sounded a bit discouraged. They had discussed about the whole planning ahead deal, yet there he was, going with strategies all over again. Taking him to the side, as her magical display ended, she tried to (again and hopefully for the last time as they were running out of time to resolve what to do) make sure that they were on the right track. She wasn't looking the happiest, that's all that Scott could think, although he couldn't fathom what in the world could bother her here, where she, surprisingly, felt great.

"Scott, you hadn't gotten around making one of your weird plans for this thing, did you?"

"No…I promised you I wouldn't, and I am a man of my word. Don't worry about it, it's going to be alright…"

Positive reinforcement was what she needed now, because indeed, her heart was in her throat. She didn't want to have 'enemies', unless they were the result of a difference in moral standpoints, and more so, when they used to be close friends. It was her fault, for meddling with Marco's feelings, being hot and then cold, yet it was…No, it felt unforgivable. She was an open person, not one to hold grudges, yet she couldn't say the same thing about Marco, who had a certain level of disliking for many people not sharing his beliefs. And when one of those ideologies he guided himself after was loyalty, a very knight-like conduit, and she had betrayed that. In her acceptance, if she were to think like he would, this gesture here was pointless. It was just a charade of blank and bland apologies, that were as hollow and meaningless as their presence here. They came here, only to spill their mishaps from the past onto people that had no implication in the fact. It always rolls downhill, and the top is always the culprit, whereas the bottom is the meek who shall inherit the mistakes. Star felt bad all of the sudden, being here coming as more of an obligation, rather than a leisure. They were forcing themselves back into the lives of people they had destroyed, and it felt weird. There was a weird tug, something inside that told her it was somehow the right thing to do, but every single detail pointed out that it was a gratuitous and uncomfortable gesture, for all four of them (because she had remembered Jackie was surely in this thing), and it served no purpose apart from wasting everyone's time. They all were good as they were, separated, in two different worlds, yet it was hard to let go of something you've cared so much about. The saying tells you only to renounce something you love, only for your bond to be tested, yet it never tells how difficult that actually is…Confused, she shared her thoughts with Scott, who answered enigmatically, yet understanding the situation.

"I don't know what we have to do either. It doesn't help that we are both in the same frame of mind, nor that it tells us to quit. We've gone so far, best we at least try to not make our worst…We came here for no reason, though. This ordeal could've been done in private…I guess if we're to fail, we must make it heard."

This was exactly what she didn't need to get from him…The bell rang monotonously, signaling the ending of the recess and the start of the class. The courtyard emptied and looked like a desert, the only thing missing was a tumbleweed rolling in the last plane of the background. Star followed Janna, while Scott hung back. He wasn't going in the class, not now and when asked why, he replied simply: "I don't need to." This was his way of expressing apparent lack of concern. He remained on a bench, leaning on its backrest. He reached into his left pocket, which proved to be extremely difficult. After more than it should have taken him, he managed to pull out what he needed, a small book. Thankfully an old-fashioned pen was still there. Laying the book on his legs, he started writing, praising the fact that he was ambidextrous.

"I've got a bad feeling about this...We made a mistake coming here and Star was right, but my ego can't take another failure. I've got to at least try to get back what we both had and what we both lost, because of me. Marco is dilemmatic, he doesn't know whether he hates me or not, yet, but I can't afford to lose another ally, nor another friend. He is surely on the verge of giving up on both me and Star, and I don't think that his girlfriend (whose name I unfortunately do not know), is any more fond of us. We have to carefully plan our moves, despite Star insisting to do everything heartfelt. She is well-intended, but unfortunately, with this kind of circumstances, I can't let anything to chance. I'm ashamed that I had to lie to her, and to manipulate her into thinking that she'll make something up on the spot…Star will just have to play into my hand, and I loathe myself for forcing her to do so. On a side note, I'm going to have to do my job as well and that is actually scouting for talents…It's funny that I won't be doing that at all, because I have a person in mind, already. If she accepts, then I win, but if she refuses I'm doomed…This makes it all the more difficult to know the course of action, because it's going to be a hit or miss, whether we do what Star wants, or what I want…But in the end, I'll have to take this decision on my own. Star is a great person, loving, caring, kind and brave alike, dauntless in her own way, while her steadfast presence, albeit hindered in the last couple of months, behooves all her flaws, masking them. But, even though her qualities are admirable, they are useless for me, at the moment. The world is filled with cold, desolate people, whose general thoughts usually fall into the mean-spirited ones. She is too pure, still too childish and innocent to actually see past the rainbows. Even though she knows her way around the mind and is extremely empathetic, I can't trust her with such decision, yet. That's the hardest part of her training, and my relationship with her only makes it harder for me to help, because I'd have to alienate myself from her, in order to teach her the most valuable, yet the roughest lesson…It always is a game of variables and perhaps the odds could be in my favor, at least this time, for once…"

Scott sighed and let his pen for far too long on the old paper, and it ended up sucking more ink than it should, leaving a significant dot at the end of his journal entry. Unaware of the stain, he put his diary back in his pocket, this time his left one, so it would be easier to get out. He got bored of waiting and staying out in the pleasant glow of the autumnal sun, so he decided to wander off, explore the school. He hadn't been in an educational institution for more than three centuries, on Earth, that is. It was about time for his mind to sync up the image of a school, as the one he had stored in a file cabinet was pretty outdated. He found the building pretty bland, whereas the picture he had painted was filled with details, sculptures, a true beacon of culture, the one he had schemed was filled with boring patterns, those of the floor tiles and beige walls. The classes weren't really standing out, either. Same doors with different labels, each being a slightly more depressing mirror of the other. The professors were absently reciting a lesson they had learnt by heart, by this time, and offered absolutely no insight, while the students were writing mechanically, nodding in agreement when the professor broke the symphony of pencils grazing the paper, writing mindless notes. School wasn't anymore an institution of education, it was nothing but a factory, fabricating people with no personality, and whatever uniqueness would develop it was crushed before it even developed. Marco had to thank Star for her influence, and so should all the people in Echo Creek High. They've experienced something that, on a careful analysis, was to be envied by one and all. It broke the mold the souls of the pupils were being willingly poured into, and offered them an exuberant perspective. Her shenanigans had brought a spark in the darkest of nights, enlightening her colleagues, both voluntarily and subconsciously. Walking around always benefited Scott. He made better connections when faced with changes of scenery, just because his mind was tying up ideas on the go…Now he had another point to make. The clock on the wall said that it was half past eight, so twenty minutes to go until recess. His heavy steps' echoes stopped when he saw a familiar silhouette engulfed by a golden cupola of hair. Not wanting to disrupt the class of the troll teacher..."Wait, troll teacher?" Scott asked himself, only for the question to answer itself…Star was in this class, so obviously someone had to 'suffer' the consequences of her presence. Still, he spotted an empty desk in the back of the class, right near her, so he grabbed his dimensional scissors and used his knowledge to open a portal, just big enough for him to fit and not attract attention. That would've worked, if it weren't for the loud noise passing through dimensional warps made, which attracted the attention of all neighboring seats. However, as brainwashed, tired and oblivious as they were, Star was the only one to truly notice him.

"Decided to chime in, right now, have we?" Star asked smiling, as her confused look, derived from looking at a calculus filled blackboard, changed to a relieved smirk.

"Yeah, I've got bored of sitting all by myself and thought that I'd rejoice in doing some Maths…"

"Will you two keep quite back there?" the troll, also known as Ms. Skullnick roared as she turned to face the mindless students. "Star, you missed for half the semester and returned just now, and you," she said pointing to Scott," I've never seen you before. Who are you? On second thought, scratch that, I don't care, but as long as you're here, mind solving this problem?"

Star was ready to answer for him, but Scott had already gotten up and made his way to the teacher's desk. He grabbed a piece of chalk, being careful not to show his face to his audience, and started writing, what seemed to be Aramaic to Star. It was a simple quadratic equation, but he had to prove that it had a certain number of solutions between two numbers…It was something that was taught a lot later on, yet Scott had written it in about two minutes tops, much to the bizarre amazement of the crowd. Marco, who was sitting in the front desk, had his jaw hitting the floor. Scott never struck him as a connoisseur of the exact sciences, he seemed to be a humanist, not a realist, but apparently he had an extensive knowledge of calculus. He didn't have time to be baffled, as he heard Jackie calling him from behind, asking him: "Who's that?" to which he replied simply: "The root of all my dilemmas."

"You done?" Ms. Skullnick asked, looking up from her notes, only for her eyes to widen when she saw the solved problem, and in record time for that matter. "Okay, then," the teacher continued, regaining her composure," since you're so good, solve this as well." She took out an old issue of the "Mathematics Olympiad" and showed him an exercise that had more text than a short story…Scott solved it in the blink of an eye. Undiscouraged, she showed him another exercise and this back and forth, involuntary one-upping continued until the bell told them to break it up. The class emptied instantly, as if the students were rats crawling through a hole towards the light.

Back, in the court, Scott and Star had tried to start their apologies. First thing they had to do was locate the two, which proved to be the easiest task, as they were by the centerpiece of the yard, sitting side by side, Marco's arm tightly wrapped around Jackie…Scott could've sworn that Marco saw them, and then tightened his grip, ostentatiously, however it was unknown whether that was the case or not. It was best if they approached the inseparable duo, from different ends, so they wouldn't see them and flee, like the two deer they were, but that was harder in practice than it was on paper. The crowded nature of the venue was making it easy for them to lose visuals of their targets…It sounded more like a rescue mission than an amical attempt to make amends. That was partly Scott's fault, but Star thought the same, despite with a slight difference in terms…Their path was strange, but effective, as they snuck their way, agile like a pair of squirrels. However…serendipity strikes in the most unfortunate of chances. Before they could've assaulted their slight frowns with their innocent "Hey", a portal exploded behind them, destroying the beautiful well, reimagined as an enormous flower pot. The second he heard that familiar noise, he jumped out of the way, sheltering the person next to him, reflexively. After the dust had settled, he saw that he saved Jackie, while Marco was in a pink bubble, behind Star. Out of the portal, no one else but Britt had stepped out.

"Seriously? Here? Now? You know you've got a knack for choosing the most inappropriate of times to blink back into our lives. You've got a reason for your untimely appearance, or do you just want to taunt us?" Scott asked, as if he was talking to a small child. Britt didn't answer, but he pulled Marco and Jackie from their respective protectors, and pushed them into Star and Scott, respectively, knocking them down like the human-sized bowling pins they are.

"Look, I'm pretty mad, and decided that it'd be a good time to blow off some steam by paying you a visit. It's your fault you're here with so many witnesses and potential innocent casualties."

"Marco, what the heck is going on?" Jackie asked, as she regained consciousness and saw her boyfriend standing up near her, while Scott helped Star up.

"He's the guy from the graveyard," Marco replied laconically, clenching his fist on the dimensional scissors that rested inside his hoodie's right pocket.

"That's how you present me to your friends? How rude…I should teach you a lesson, now," he said, creating a flock of flying needles in front of him, shortly afterwards pushing them towards him. Marco jumped out of the way, only for the sharp metal strands to follow him, but as enchanted as they were, they followed the laws of motion, coming to a stop a good number of feet after missing the swift boy. This put them on a trajectory that intersected Jackie as well, unbeknownst of Marco. He thought that the attack was done, but when he turned his head, he was frozen on the spot to see how fast the pointy ends of the steel thorns were approaching Jackie. The only thing he could do was yell her name, in hope that it would call down the mercy of a higher being, but he closed his eyes so that the end result would be a surprise, because they were mostly pleasant. When he opened them again, a short while after, period of time he had no recollection of, due to shock-induced amnesia, he felt a tight grip on his chest, and he was greeted by the light colored hair of Jackie, tickling his chin. Looking to her former position, he saw Scott, standing with the disjointed blade of a pair of dimensional scissors in his hand, while an open portal in front of him, granted the tall boy a mystic halo. On the opposite end, there lay Britt, encased in a blue shield that cracked open, to reveal that his pale face had two scratches.

"Okay, looks like you've gotten out your bad mood and aren't the easy target you were before…How-EVER," he said, his voice cracking, providing a maniacal undertone to his speech," don't think I don't know what to do to break it again…I've met this people before, quite recently, and you seemed to care deeply about them when you, imprudently, stabbed me with that wicked dagger of yours…Therefore," he said grabbing Star( who was unconscious, as a consequence of the consecutive shock she had to withstand, trying to protect Marco over herself) and Marco, forcing him out of Jackie's grip," I'm going to have to resort to a slightly eviler plan."

Scott foresaw the next action and threw his blade at him, but Britt wasn't stupid, nor slow to think and act. As soon as his telekinetic glow touched the two, he was half retreated into his portal. By the time he finished his taunt, Scott's dagger had nothing to stab, but the solid stone slab that was serving as a testimony of the monument that reigned there, beforehand. Now the courtyard was empty, once again, and the startled students, continued their monotonous display of amazement, repeating the same phrases as a flock of parrots. Jackie was left hugging the air, small tears forming in the corner of her green eyes, in a desperate attempt to deny the facts, and she was broken down to the heartbreaking reality by Scott, who knew how to act and speak with tact and kindness:

"Look, I know that what happened is hard to understand, and to take in, but…I want you to know it's my fault, and that no one but me is to blame, however, what's done is done. The two are gone, and to make matters worse I know the fortress they had been taken to, but I have no idea how to get there…I can't understand the pain you're feeling right now, as much as you cannot understand mine, but I hope that you'll be able to look past our strained acquaintance and…"

He tried his best, but Jackie was still dismayed, letting her bangs cover her face…His words, filled with as much candor and warmth as he was capable of, didn't budge her. Scott continued, though, knowing that he had nothing to lose, if he just kept on trying. He spoke again, ignoring the sobs and hiccups that had interrupted him the first time.

"And you'll come and help me…That person, that evil-doer, because he isn't anything else, is the single most dangerous one in this entire universe and I can't defeat him alone…"

"And why would I help you?" the crying girl asked between two waves of tears.

"Why? Because you, yourself want this…Your love had been kidnapped, taken away from you, a second time, but now it's not impossible to get him back…It's not his heart that was removed, but his body. I am sure that he is thinking of you, as you are thinking of him, only that you are the one who was the will and the power to do something, two attributes you lacked beforehand. You have a chance to save him, and you're the only one who can do this, because without your help, I won't be able to do anything. Now, I won't be hoping anymore, but I will be asking you, will you come and help me find Marco and Star?"

Finding the two was synonym to defeating Britt, but Jackie didn't know that…Scott had played his hand, and folded all the cards on the table. Now he had to wait and see if he struck the royal flush, or nothing but a flimsy high card. He felt bad…terrible for what he was doing. This blatant manipulation was sickening him, but he kept repeating to himself that the ends justify the means. Britt had to be defeated, and Scott knew that he couldn't possibly do it alone, last time he tried, even losing an arm, but to succumb to such despicable tactics, was that worth it? He was slowly causing his consciousness to degrade, to rot and wither, leaving behind an unscrupulous rest of stray thoughts…He chased away this reflection, by focusing his attention of the most immediate goal he had, and that was rescuing his friends.

On the other hand, Jackie was having difficulty in deciding. She was alone, surrounded by people who saw her broken down, and was forced to resolve whether she was going to ally herself with a backstabbing man or to leave the same scum rescue her boyfriend all by himself. She had so little information to work with that she couldn't even put anything in balance…The only logical choice, as presented by the falsely kind and compassionate man before her, was to help him, following the logic of 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.' Still lost and staring at a point in the ground, she finally answered Scott, trying her best to drown her tears:

"I…will."