And here's another chapter.

Reviewer Thanks!

MatrixDan: Glad to know I keep delivering the laughs ^-^ This next chapter should bring you more! :D

Disclaimer: Ruby-Spears, Studio-Ghibli, Level-5 and Bandai own everything. I just own the fic.

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Once the creature was distracted, Swaine pushed it off him and got to his feet, keeping his gun out; by this point, a few citizens were gathering to see what was going on; a couple grunts ran over as well. "Your highness, what's going on?" one of the grunts asked.

"That's what I want to know!" Swaine replied, turning to Puggsy- who was just face-palming in embarrassment, the creature standing in front of him while glaring at the ex-thief. "Puggsy, what IS that thing?!"

"Thing?! *grr* I'm not a 'thing', sir! I'm a werewolf!" the creature responded first.

Swaine gave a jolt. "Blimey, it talks!"

"Yes… it's getting him to shut-up that would be surprising," Puggsy remarked, walking up and resting a hand on Fangface's shoulder. "This is my friend, Fangface; Fangface, this is-"

"Swaine!" called a voice, and they looked over, seeing Oliver, Esther, and Mr. Drippy running over… along with two strangers. Oliver was the one who shouted. "Is everything alright?"

"I'd be lying if I said 'yes'… Any of you lot know what the hell's going on around here?" Swaine replied, crossing his arms. "Who are the twosome with you- and what's with the wolf-creature?"

"This is Biff and Kim. We're helping them find their friend," Esther replied, then looked over at Puggsy. "…Is that him?"

"Ooh, ooh, you betcha!" Fangface exclaimed, wrapping an arm around Puggsy.

"So this creature is not a threat?" one of the grunts asked.

"At the moment, no… Go back to your posts, we'll handle it from here," Swaine assured them, and the grunts walked off.

"Puggsy, are you alright? What all happened?" Biff asked.

"Where to start? One minute I'm being used as a hacky-sack by some monster until I hit the sea, then I come to this island only to be harassified by MORE monsters, nearly get killed… and then come across a wizard and his gun-slinging brother here," Puggsy replied, thumbing at Swaine. "What happened to you guys?"

"Basically the same thing," Kim replied. "It's a lot to talk about…"

"I'll say… I'm still lost! How did we end up flying on a dragon? And… who are these kids? *grr*" Fangface asked, pointing at Oliver and Esther.

"This is Oliver and Esther- they helped us find you guys, and know something about that wand," Biff replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "As well as taught us how magic works here…"

"What do you mean how magic works?" Puggsy asked.

"Well… it turns out Biff is a wizard! Oliver lent him a wand, and he managed to cast a spell!" Kim replied. "They also taught us how familiars work,"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down! What do you mean by Biff being a wizard, and familiar-talk?"

"Geez, have you've got a lot to learn…" Swaine sighed under his breath.

"W-We'll show you in a minute. …Right now, where's the wand?" Biff asked Puggsy.

"I left it back with Marcassin at the palace, just to make sure no other creepos come around," Puggsy replied.

"Hidin' it away won't do good. What we need to do is banish that flippin' staff again!" Mr. Drippy scoffed.

Puggsy looked down, just now noticing the fairy. "Okay, one more question. What-"

"I'm a fairy! Don't bother askin'! Sheesh!"

"A fairy, huh? Weird… I figured fairies looked like little people with wings and tights,"

Mr. Drippy gave a glare. "Well, April Fools, Puggsy-boy!" he turned to the others. "Wings 'n' tights… what kind o' fairy-tales do you people tell in youer world?!"

"C'mon, lets go see Marcassin. We've got to figure out how to banish the wand and get everyone back home," Oliver stated, getting back on-topic.

"Yeah, especially before that Tobias creep gives us any more trouble," Puggsy muttered.

"How did you find out about Tobias?" Kim asked.

"We all learned the story a few days ago," Swaine replied, then muttered, "…God forbid this happens every time we have a history lesson…"

"I never heard about it," Esther spoke up. "I just know everything from what Oliver, Biff, and Kim told me."

"It's a story we came across while we were helping out Cassiopeia last weekend," Oliver told her. "We learned that her father, the Wizard King, had banished Tobias's wand before imprisoning him."

"And, as it turns out, the damned thing can't be destroyed by anyone but Tobias himself," Swaine muttered, flexing the fingers on his still-sore hand. "What I want to know is, if Tobias has been dead as long as his legend, who could have-"

"Tobias isn't dead… we saw an image of him while we were trying to find Puggsy," Biff replied. "At least, that's who Oliver claimed it to be…"

"How did you know?" Kim asked Oliver, after considering this.

"I don't know… It's like I could tell it was him just by the sound of his voice," Oliver said, rubbing his head, remembering the image- especially those frightening, violet eyes. "It's like he wanted us to know he was still around…"

"Why? Don't most villains want to remain discrete, until it's too late for them to be stopped?" Puggsy questioned.

"Since no one even knows who he is, much less where, I doubt he's completely exposed himself," Swaine commented.

"But… if he was imprisoned over 10,000 years ago, how can he still be alive?" Esther questioned.

"Marcassin brought up something about him probably being immortal- and if that's the case, we're in a world of trouble," Puggsy replied.

"*grr* Immortal or not, he made a big mistake messing with THIS werewolf *grr* and his friends!" Fangface snarled, clawing at the air. "He'll be wishing he wasn't immortal once I get my paws on him! *snarl!*" he then paused. "…What does 'immortal' mean, by the way?"

"Save it for the battlefield, furball… And, word of advice, don't go around attacking people BEFORE you find out whether they're on your side or not!" Swaine told him.

Fangface gave him a look. "Ooh, ooh, you're the one who pulled a gun on me! *grr*"

"Swaine!" Esther gasped, appalled.

"H-He attacked Puggsy!" Swaine said in defense, then turned to Puggsy. "What was all that about, anyway? I thought you two were friends?"

"We are- the nit-wolf just forgets every time he transforms," Puggsy scoffed.

"Wit' an attitude like youers, I en't surprised…" Mr. Drippy commented, earning a glare from the teen.

"C'mon, everyone to the palace- you can all quarrel AFTER we settle things," Kim firmly advised.

Everyone began walking, Oliver and his friends leading the group through the streets until they reached the Porcine Palace; Biff, Kim, and Fangface were looking around, marveling at the industrial city as they walked. Once they reached the palace and entered, they were lead through the corridors towards the royal chambers.

Marcassin was in the middle of writing on a scroll, when he noticed everyone enter. "Oh, hello Oliver, Esther, Mr. Drippy- I didn't know you would be visiting so soon," the young sage replied, then noticed the newcomers. "…or that you would be bringing more guests!"

"These are Puggsy's friends- Oliver and Esther managed to find them for us," Swaine stated.

Marcassin gave a nod of greeting. "Welcome to the Porcine Palace. I am Prince Marcassin, Emperor and Great Sage of Hamelin,"

"Willackers- an emperor!" Kim whispered.

Biff shook his hand. "I'm Biff- these are my friends, Kim and Fangface… and I see you've already met Puggsy," he stated. "Thanks for taking care of him,"

"Heh, glad someone finally shows some gratitude for our heroics," Swaine commented.

"(Gascon, hush). It was no trouble at all," Marcassin replied, after lightly scolding his brother. "However, I'm afraid you're all still in danger…"

"We know… That wicked wand brought us here, and now Tobias is trying to get it back!" Kim replied.

"So, I was right… Tobias has found a way to remain alive, all these centuries," Marcassin walked back over to the scroll, continuing to write. "I'm sending word to Queen Cassiopeia about it now- perhaps she can find the spell to banish the wand once again,"

"I figured it was a combination of 'Gateway' and 'Breach Time'," Oliver inquired. "Maybe we can do that- Biff and his friends can use 'Breach Time' to return to their own time-period and take the wand with, and then use Gateway to take it back to their world and send it somewhere safe,"

"That could work…" Marcassin rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "However…"

"Blimey, not a 'however'… What's wrong?" Swaine questioned.

Marcassin turned to Puggsy. "You said the moment you and your friends touched that wand, it brought you to our world. And Oliver, you said they were from another time?"

Oliver nodded. "Yeah. The year 1978, Biff said."

"This is puzzling… Why would it bring you to the past, instead of take you to our world set in your own time period?"

"The heck if we know." Puggsy scoffed, crossing his arms. "I just know that the sooner we send that wand away, the better! …Why can't we go with Oliver's plan?"

"Yeah, it sounds fool-proof," Swaine added.

"But the wand could bring you back to this world- maybe even take you far enough back in time before Tobias was imprisoned. Wands tend to grow powerful with age and use."

"So if it was taken to a time when Tobias still had power, he'd be able to take over!" Esther gasped.

"Not quite… that would be a paradox," Marcassin stated. "If it was taken to him before he was imprisoned, then it would contradict the timeline; the Wizard King never would have banished the wand, which means it would never have been found by our visitors here, and thus never brought to the past. It would cease to exist, and foil his plans."

"So, he had to have it be brought to a time after he was imprisoned." Biff thought. "But why 10,000 years?"

"Well, a lot had happened in those 10,000 years," Marcassin explained. "The Wizard King had died, and a corrupt council seized control of the kingdom which lead to its ruin; afterwards, Queen Cassiopeia, our friend, fell into despair and became the White Witch, and eventually gave power to the Dark Djinn, known as Shadar, who cast the world into despair- that is, until he was defeated and the White Witch was reformed, the world finally at peace."

"Maybe THAT'S why it brought us to this part of the past!" Kim realized. "With your world at peace and no one else causing mayhem, Tobias would be able to seize control for himself!"

Marcassin nodded. "Precisely what I was thinking, …Yet that means Tobias is preparing to break free. If he gets Serpens back…"

"Then we'll make sure he won't," Biff firmly stated. "We'll make sure he doesn't get his wand- and help banish it!"

"'Banishing' it won't be enough, mun. Didn't ye hear Marcassin? That blasted stick will probably just haul you lot back here!" Mr. Drippy stated.

"We need a way to remove its curse, then." Oliver agreed.

"Do you suppose some 'Curse-Be-Gone' would work?" Esther guessed.

"I don't think it will be enough. As powerful as the spell seemed to be…" Marcassin paused, looking over and arching an eyebrow. "Um… Might I ask what you are doing, Fangface?"

Everyone looked over. While the group was in the middle of their discussion, the werewolf had decided to browse around the room, looking around empty pots, in drawers, studying miniature statues, observing paintings, and just generally being curious.

…Though, his curiosity got the better of him, and his paw ended up stuck in a little jar full of colorful stones.

"Um… nothing!" Fangface sheepishly replied, giving an innocent smile while hiding the stuck jar behind his back.

Puggsy stormed over, forcing his hand out. "Good grief- we're in a crisis, and all you do is poke around!" he scolded.

"I can't help it! *grr* Werewolves happen to be curious! It's an instinct we can't fight!"

"Yeah, well, curiosity whacked the werewolf… or got his paw stuck." Puggsy began helping the werewolf pry his paw loose.

*Pop!*

The jar came off…

*Crash!*

Though slipped and shattered on the floor, little colorful marbles sliding all over. "Oops! *grr* Sorry, your highness!" Fangface apologized, quickly sweeping up the broken glass with a tiny broom and dust-pan he pulled from his hat. Puggsy picked up the marbles, grumbling under his breath.

Marcassin sighed. "Quite alright… they're just gems we give to our familiars," he replied, grabbing a glass bowl for Puggsy to put the stones in.

Swaine rubbed his face. "I agree with Oliver- let's un-hex that wand, just so these guys don't keep coming back," he muttered.

"Swaine, be nice!" Esther scolded.

Biff was rubbing his chin, deep in thought. "I just realized something… Oliver, you said that 'Breach Time' can only be used once, right?" he asked.

"That's right. Why do you ask?" Oliver replied.

"In that story we heard, the man who dropped off the wand ended up disappearing- maybe returning to this world. Do you think he might be around? If he came from the past, he probably remained in the future and just used… Gateway, was it? The man who told us the story said he had received the wand a while back…"

"Ah, I see what youe're thinkin'! Whoever was sent to drop off th' wand might be lingering round!" Mr. Drippy stated.

"But… the Wizard King had been the one who banished it. Unless he sent someone through time to drop off the wand, and they used 'Breach Time' themselves to return to their time." Marcassin pointed out. "If someone went to the future and remained there, it might have drastic results in the timeline…"

"Or… they'd end up dying," Oliver replied, a solemn expression on his face.

Swaine rubbed the back of his neck. Oliver's mother, the Great Sage Alicia, had travelled to the future in her plan to have Oliver be born as Shadar's soul-mate… which caused her to break her link with her soul-mate and giving her a weak-heart.

Best to distract from THAT sad memory. "Well, I doubt the Wizard King was one to just have his men die doing an errand, so either whoever he sent in time managed to return back, or he might have used a different ritual in banishing the wand." Swaine stated.

A clock on the wall chimed, showing that it was growing late into the night. "We will go to the Ivory Tower and seek answers, next time we visit with Cassiopeia." Marcassin stated. "For now, we should get some rest. It has been a long day for us all,"

"That, I can agree on…" Puggsy said, stretching his back. "…I'll probably sleep for days after the day I've had,"

Marcassin lead everyone out to the corridors, towards a hallway with a stairway. "You're all welcome to sleep in our guest chambers on the second floor,"

"…can't they book a hotel room?" Swaine whispered, earning a look from his brother.

"Thank you, your majesty," Kim replied, as they walked up the stairs with the emperor.

"Must you always be such a pill?" Esther scolded Swaine, as they stayed at the bottom of the stairs with Oliver and Mr. Drippy. "A few strangers from another world and time are in need of our help, and you act like they insulted your whole family!"

"Lay off, I had to buy supplies for a smart-mouthed shrimp, and in turn got attacked by his fanged friend! And did I mention Marcassin and I had to save him from a three-headed monster? It's not exactly part of our routine!" Swaine remarked.

"Eh, I have to say, th' short guy is a bit o' a loudmouth, an' One-Fang is a bit high-strung... Unless they manage to keep their wits 'bout themselves, we may be doin' a lot o' rescuin'!" Mr. Drippy agreed, somewhat.

Oliver looked up the stairs, thinking for a moment. "They do need help… Why don't we all teach them how to defend themselves?"he suggested. "I can teach Biff more spells, Esther can help Kim and Fangs with their familiars… We can all show them how to fight and grow stronger!"

Mr. Drippy grinned. "Ye read my mind, Ollie-Boy! …Have to admit, I do miss bein' a mentor to wizards-in-training."

"Yes, we can show them everything we know!" Esther agreed in excitement. "…Maybe one of them is a musician, too, and I can teach them some of my song-spells!"

"Yeah, well, have fun with that." Swaine scoffed, leaning against the wall. "I've already helped that pipsqueak enough as it is. I have nothing to teach him,"

"Well… why don't you let someone borrow one of your old guns? Kim and Fangs don't have magicka- Puggsy might not either- so they'll need some other weapon to use," Oliver suggested.

"Oh, c'mon! I already bought the half-pint a sword! And there's no way I'm going to trust some stranger with a gun,"

"Why not? We trusted you with your gun after we first met you," Esther shot back. "And keep in mind, you were a pretty shady character- I'm still actually suspicious of you!"

Swaine gave her a look, then grinned. "Probably because you have an obsession with me?"

Esther blushed, crossing her arms. "More like I can't believe anything you say!"

"There are other things you can teach them too," Oliver told Swaine, breaking up the quarrel. "You can show them how 'All Out Attack/Defense' works, and show them how to assemble their own weapons-"

"Just as long as youe're not teachin' th' lot how to pick pockets, they'll be fine." Mr. Drippy quipped.

Swaine sighed, crossing his arms. "Alright, I'll give a couple pointers- but once they get the hang of it, they're on their own! I think we're doing enough just trying to get rid of that damned wand and stop Tobias,"

"Hmph. See if we ever come to you for help," Esther huffed, walking up the stairs.

"Let's get some rest. We can start training them in the morning," Oliver stated, following Esther up.

"Tidy- can't wait to get back to coaching!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed, heading up next.

Swaine shook his head, walking to his own room while rubbing the back of his neck. "This should be fun…" he muttered sarcastically.

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"What makes you think you can rebuild a kingdom? All you know how to do is destroy it!"

"Do you honestly believe you can change your ways?"

"You spent thousands of years living in darkness, don't think you can leave it behind so quickly…"

"You cannot deny your true identity…"

"The White Witch shall be reborn!"

"Augh!"

Cassiopeia sat up in bed, hyperventilating. She looked around, realizing she was still in her bedroom, and let out a deep breath, resting a hand on her bosom to help steady her racing heart. Just a nightmare… she assured herself.

It wasn't the first time she had a nightmare about hearing the Zodiarch's voices taunting her in her slumber. She used to have them every other night, until she began receiving help from her friends in rebuilding Nazcaa. It had been two weeks since her last one… though no matter how many times she assured herself it was just a bad dream and the past was behind her, it still unnerved her to be hearing their voices in her head.

As if somewhere in her subconscious they were trying to regain control…

No, that is not going to happen! She scolded herself, climbing out of bed and deciding to go to the kitchen for a comfort-snack. I have friends now, who will help me… and I plan on doing the same for them, whenever they need it! I'm doing the best I can to make peace with this world… I don't plan to foul up after coming this far!

She walked through an empty ballroom just then; noticing how vast it was, it made her feel alone, surrounded by silence. How she longed for the day when she could hold grand parties, take part in ballroom dancing, hear music fill the halls and socialize with patrons from around the world!

But she had a long way to go; she was still trying to convince other rulers that she had changed her ways. Marcassin and Swaine were the only ones who were giving her a chance so far, but that was mainly due to the fact that they had witnessed her reformation with the others. Unless they managed to put in a good word for her, she wouldn't be having many audiences with other leaders.

I have to keep trying...I will not give up until I have made things right with everyone! Cassiopeia told herself, determination welling up inside her.

'Do not bother. No one will trust someone who tried to destroy the world!' echoed a voice of a Zodiarch, from the back of her mind.

'It was better that the world feared you… Give them reason to be afraid, and submit to your power!' echoed another.

Cassiopeia winced, rubbing her head and picking up her pace, hurrying down the hall. Perhaps she could find Horace, and seek counsel from him about her fear.

'You cannot run from your fears. You WILL return to the White Witch once again!'

'You know nothing of ruling a kingdom properly- you didn't even know everyone was in trouble until you made things worse!'

'You ruined their lives!'

'You failed your last subjects, and you shall fail the ones you gain!'

'If anyone ever trusts to live under your rule…'

'Who wants to be ruled by one who knows no experience but that which induces suffering?'

"S-Stop!" Cassiopeia finally yelled, tired of the negative feelings swirling through her mind. Overwhelmed with anxiety, she ran out onto a balcony, taking in deep breaths of air. "I won't give in… I've left that life behind me… I will not give up!"

"You might as well… the world you've grown to love will be destroyed soon, anyway!"

The witch queen froze, hearing all the Zodiarch voices speaking at once…

Yet, they weren't coming inside her head…

Now that she thought about it, they could never 'echo' in her mind. They sounded like…

…they were standing right behind her!

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A/N: Dun Dun DUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNN!

Well, what more is there to say? XD

Next chapter, we get a training session! …we'll figure out what happened to Cassiopeia later. *please don't shoot the author*

Please review, hold back on the flames, and we'll see you in the next chapter!