AN: The first part of this chapter is kind of like 'a day in the life of' kind of thing. I personally enjoyed writing it, however brief it may be. I'd like to write more stuff like that, but the story needs some form of resolution to all the unexplained questions. While I add one more question, the answers will lie in the next chapter. Stay tuned, enjoy, and await the truth.

"When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the ones which open for us."

-011-

Three days had passed since the incident in the woods. Three very long and unusual days if I might add. Being a somewhat genial person, I took care of my two guests like they were my own family, but since I had not been accustomed to dealing with others I had little idea of how to cheer them up. Rags was perpetually frozen with that scowl in his face as more days past…and Revy…well, she wasn't a happy camper to say the least.

She would fake happiness for me whenever I was near, but deep down I knew she was trying to avoid me. Is that how I am whenever I try to fake a smile? Because it's obvious enough for me to see through hers, I can't imagine how effortless it is to see through mine.

I can't tell for sure if it's her slightly creased brows or if it's because she adds an out of place chuckle in it too. Whatever the case, be it embarrassment for her past to be shared without consent or pain from her bruises and broken arm (which by the way I got a cast for), she was not happy.

Today, if memory serves correctly, Revy was wearing this purple cashmere sweater that I bought for her (it was half-off). She looked great in it of course, and don't get the idea that I'm merely saying that because I have an affinity for her. Any redhead would look good in it, but it's with the brunettes and blonds in which the sweater would look in bad taste. I also purchased a few more clothes for her besides the Christmas sweater…including the undergarments.

The many women of the clothing store kept giving me these intimidating—and downright hostile—stares throughout the business transaction. But the girl at the counter helped me out without much hassle. Once I got what I came for, I ran out of the store before the women would accuse me of being a pervert.

I only dread what news anchors would say about me behind my back. 'A local pervert and registered sex offender is on the loose' or some insulting misinformation like that. It's enough to make me shudder just thinking about it. (Geez, Nyx's ability to pull clothes out of thin air would have been very useful. My public image was at stake here!)

Oh, if you are wondering how I know Revy's 'measurements', don't ask.

…But if you really must know, I compared her um…breasts…to a certain sized fruit and they happened to match her size. Honest. Hah…why am I telling you all this? Ahem, moving on, sorry.

As for Rags, he never took off his red coat. That's an interesting trait of his. No matter what new clothes he wore, the coat would be there to accent the rest of the outfit. That coat coupled with his white hair made him stick out like a sore-thumb in public. As such, Rags and the rest of us don't go outside very often. And in all truth, it is for the best.

Anyway, do you remember when I said December was one of the worst months ever? Well, if you believe it, today was another one of those days where disaster likes to strike, out of the blue and right as things began to calm down. I'm like a misfortune magnet.

So, I awoke that morning feeling like it was any other day. I stretched and exited my room. Everything's good so far.

I walked by and witnessed Ragna performing a few feats of physical fitness that I could not hope to undertake. He pushed himself off the ground, one handed, while doing a handstand. When he pushed himself up for an extraordinary amount of reps, he switched hands on the fly and continued doing push-ups. Yeah, he totally knows how to make a guy feel inferior. My pride was belittled with Rags being none the wiser.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"If I'm gonna' be stuck here…then I have to keep working out. I don't wanna' get all weak or nothing…because of this setback," Ragna said in between repetitions.

"I see…and I'm guessing Revy's in her room?"

Ragna flipped flat on his back and decided to do sit-ups, not even bothering to glance in my direction. What was he going to do next, bench-press my couch?

"Yeah, she's been cooped up in there for a while," he said nonchalantly.

"Ah, I figured…"

Revy's room is only a few feet away from the living room, which makes bumping into each other a breeze if she ever gets out.

I shrugged, walked over, and knocked softly on her door.

No response.

"Revy…are you up? You want some breakfast? I could order some pizza if you guys want."

The door was opened, showcasing the woman inside.

"That sounds good," she said.

Her hair looked like it had been recently washed, a little cowlick rebelled from her straight hair. Her face seemed less stressed than usual. I'd wager she took a shower a few moments before I woke up. Ragna forgot to mention that little tidbit, but since it is Rags we're talking about, he most likely felt like it wasn't necessary to mention. Not that I mind or anything, since she was a grown woman who had recently learned how to work a mechanical shower. (She's a fast learner by the way.) So it's only fair that she be able to clean herself without my knowledge.

...That sounds so wrong. Don't get any weird ideas folks. Let's keep this clean and professional unless stated otherwise…wait...there I go again.

Revya slowly closed her door, but left a small opening.

"Um…tell me when it's ready," she whispered before retreating back into the comfort of her bed.

"Yeah. No problem," I said cordially.

…I suddenly had the urge to go to the library and check out some anti-depression books. Go ahead and guess who the books are for. Go ahead. Guess. I'll give you a tip: there's more than one option to choose from.

I dialed up a pizza joint, placed my order, and they said they'd bring it up in about thirty-five minutes or so. Pretty casual conversation, I guess.

To kill some time, I opened the screen-door to my balcony and looked over at the sights below the second floor apartment. No one was outside. Only a single trashcan was at the bottom. It was peaceful though; a few dogs could be heard barking in the distance to provide the template for a natural day.

I watched my breath escape my lips as I sighed. The weather was telling me to go get a jacket to warm up. Nevertheless, my mind didn't feel like listening.

As time slowed to a halt, the short but recent memories of Nyx came flooding in. She was always so content with answering my questions and being near me, even if she had a haughty disposition about it. I kept racking the thoughts and my brain, trying to remember anything important she may have said, trying to remember any vital clues about how Celestials operate and function. But considering my non-meticulous way of dealing with facts, I couldn't remember any helpful information. Perhaps I was devoid of information from the very beginning.

I leaned over the balcony railway in deep thought.

And as I kept thinking…the tears flowed out like a man at his deathbed. I wiped the tears away feeling that it was a childish act.

"Why…am I crying? Nyx wouldn't want to see me like this...heh, she'd admonish me for it."

Tell me something, how does one react in a situation such as my own? When you don't know how to grieve or have time to think properly…do you go with the flow or not? Even if you had a choice, I didn't.

I never did.

While I hung my head in a slight bout of sadness, this really grating squelching sound came into focus. Combine the ocean waves hitting the beach mixed with the noise of water boiling and the sickening drip of a single droplet of water falling to the ground ad infinitum and you will hear a similar result. I raised my head to locate the source of that irksome noise.

"Eh?"

The roof of my balcony seemed to be leaking a liquid of arcane origin, flowing through at a speed similar to some thick corn syrup more than a normal leak. A nostalgic sensation ran through my right hand, the exact same sensation felt on that cold night weeks ago. An amorphous blob glided over it, moving at a snail's pace. The strange 'creature', if you could call it that, latched on the guardrail soon after.

"That's...the same thing Nyx was drenched in..."

This globule of translucent green liquid wriggled around like an unseen puppeteer had taken control. It danced along the railway as I watched in a mixture of bemusement and surprise. The mysterious liquid appeared to be waving at me…maybe even beckoning me. While it called to me, it jumped off the railing most likely expecting me to follow. I could not deny its request. That creature was connected with Nyx's arrival.

I ran back inside as quickly as possible. Ragna leaped up like a startled cat.

"Slow down! What's going on?"

"Ragna, hurry up! It's Nyx! Your ticket home is nearby!"

"For real? It's about time!"

We didn't even have to bother retrieving our third teammate, as she apparently heard the good news from the small opening of her doorway.

"So…I get to go home again?" she asked enlightened.

"Correcto mundo, Revy! We just have to follow a little green spirit thing!"

Yes, I said 'green spirit thing'. You try describing when you're more ecstatic than a coked-up junkie.

Gig had to be the downer among us. "Whoa, chill out. We're gonna' get up and leave without even eating? Why are we even leaving? There's nothing back home for you, kid. Anyway, doesn't this look like a good world to destroy? It's all about location, location, location."

But I on the other hand was too happy to care. "Haha, this is almost too good to be true! Nyx is okay!"

We all headed out as fast as we could. A strange old woman closed her blinds as we ran past, making a choice not to get involved in our business. Whoever you are, old lady, I don't blame you.

We spotted the green creature already on the same floor as us and gave it chase.

"Which way did that thing go?" Ragna asked hyped up.

"There it is!" I exclaimed.

The small lime-colored creature slid underneath a nearby door with a sign dictating that it was apartment 186. We all dashed after it and opened the door (I was polite enough to knock first though, but Ragna chided me for stalling).

But…the room was vacant. No signs of life to be found.

"There's…there's no one here," Revya said quietly.

"What? No, that can't be right. She has to be here. Nyx! Where are you? Show yourself."

I searched every nook and cranny of the room, including looking for any squeaky floorboards, but I found nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"Dark, I can't sense anyone's presence here. If someone were here I'd be able to hear them breathing," Ragna said considerately.

Gig broke the silence that was eating me up inside. "Feh, it looks like we got gypped. What a bummer. Now how about we go back and eat something?"

"…"

I was at a loss for words. I was certain it entered apartment 186. Everyone saw it too. Then why was no one there…?

"…Maybe it slid below to another apartment? Come on, let's go check if it's downstairs," said I, taking a leader-like command.

Ragna and Revya nodded and exited the empty room. I took one last glance back inside, having one of those feeling of enhanced awareness. I tilted my head up and studied the roof. I didn't find anything…but it was worth looking into.

The door suddenly slammed shut behind me, as a massive surplus of green liquid came from the walls and sealed the door shut as the fluid solidified. I watched in dread as my exit was taken away.

Ragna began futilely pounding on the doorway. "Crap, we're locked out!"

A voice came from inside the room. "It really is you!"

As I turned to face my captor I learned that the person in the room wasn't Nyx, but a young beauty with blond hair. And I saw it. I saw how she hid from us. The girl had camouflaged herself by some means I could not understand. But it had something to do with that liquid. I know it did, because it fell off of her like a snake shedding its skin as she appeared. God, how could I have been so stupid? Nyx can manipulate space-time, not some weirdo liquid. Why did I think chasing after something would lead me to Nyx?

"I was blinded by another opportunity to see her again…that's why I…"

The girl drew back, surveying me intently with bright green eyes. Her features were that of a doll. With eyes that seem to follow your every movement, porcelain skin, bright red lips, and small stature.

This girl began moving forward, walking with a hand over her heart.

"Aah, I've been looking for you for so long! I'm so happy to finally meet you!" she exclaimed in a cutesy voice fit for any famous songstress.

But her cute appearance wasn't deceiving me. She was giving off more eerie vibes than I've ever felt in a life time. I backed up, trying to stay far away from her. More rapid beatings on the other side of my escape happened, louder and stronger as well.

"But, it's a real shame that this is the first and last time I'll get to see you," said she.

The happy girl closed her eyes and opened her mouth to smile, revealing an array of ivory teeth.

Green liquid shot up from the ground near her feet. It circled around her like the spiral staircase at a Vatican museum. The liquid began clumping together above her head. For a moment it formed a shape resembling a halo before expanding and becoming a perfect sphere. The shape crystallized in an elegant fashion and slowly hovered closer to me.

The sphere suddenly moved fast in my direction. I reacted at a speed matching it and jumped out of the way. Were I to have hesitated at the moment, the sphere would have caved my skull in. But instead it joined together with more liquid behind me.

"Oh! That was a nice dodge! But can you avoid this one?"

The young, conductor girl moved her hands in precise movements. More liquid appeared and responded to her movements like the band at an orchestra. They moved according to her cadenza and became as spears to strike down their master's enemies.

The spears rained down heavier than a hurricane. The only choice I had to avoid it was to enter another room. And I was able to by forcing a door open in this time of distress.

"Now, now. Don't run away from me," the girl called.

"You're insane! Of course I'm going to run from you!"

Before I could close the door, a tentacle came out of nowhere and wrapped itself around my leg. As I fought to keep the thing off of me it dragged me across the ground, pulling me in closer to my untimely end. I held onto the frame of the doorway for dear life, but my grip wasn't enough and I was hauled in even more.

"Stand clear of the door!" Revya asserted from beyond my escape.

A shout that could have only come from the bottom of the diaphragm came from the other side of the exit. The door erupted forth, completely torn off from its hinges, severed the tentacle, and slammed into the interior wall of the apartment. The green solid sealing the door scattered across the room like glass, before imitating water once more, and combined with the fellow spears embedded in the floor. The metal door was left utterly broken and dented.

"Note to self…don't do anything to make Revya mad."

The red and white-haired duo charged in the room.

"Well this is unexpected," the insane girl said blithely. "I never would have guessed that you had such great friends with you! You're quite the popular guy. But I can't stand any interruptions! I want you all to myself!"

The spears split down the middle, and thousands of little harpoons splashed the surrounding area. Everyone was drenched in the foreign element. There was no possible way to avoid it. I knew the only thing on my mind was to get to safety, but something was preventing me from escaping. The liquid was acting like a freezing agent. Any and all movement was restricted.

Ragna was deadlocked by some time stopping master. "What is this? I can't move!" he yelled.

All three of us were as statutes. "Hey, what the—this is freaking cheating! If this chick thinks she can get away with this, she's got another thing coming! Kid, do something!" Gig demanded.

Even the girl who can break a door was no match, but if she wouldn't waver in determination then neither would I.

I struggled with all my might. I tapped into some unknown reservoir of strength and was able to move my hand. The feeling was like trying to force two magnets of the same pole together, it will not work no matter what you do. The blond's interest was seemingly piqued by my display of willpower or for some unknown factor that I could not conceive of.

"Those eyes…so she really has chosen you. But, you can't fight fate. Your end is near, I'm afraid."

She raised a hand above her head in the exact same way Nyx had done in the woods. I had no idea what was about to occur, but I had a bad feeling about it.

"I wish I could've spent more time with you," she said as her smile disappeared.

She snapped her fingers and a jolt coursed through my veins. The world faded away in the blink of an eye.

I didn't wake up. It felt more like I was brought to a different world unpredictably. The surroundings were warm, humid even. The sun shined down on me like a beacon of hope. But the malice in the air could poison an entire city.

"Where am I?" I wondered.

I noticed Revya close to me. My friend stood petrified over a multitude of graves. Her back was turned to me…but I think I could hear her crying.

"These were good friends of mine…," whispered Revya in a heart-broken voice.

"These graves mean nothing. They're filled with death, not memories," Gig said cynically.

"Revy…? What's happening here?"

My hand drew near her shoulder. It floated over her and came down. And as I tapped her, her skin cracked and became grey and burnt. It spread rapidly across her body like a virus. She twisted around and stared at me. A small ember fell from her eye like a tear. Her arm dropped to the ground and became a pile of ashes.

"I'm sorry," she said dryly.

I was scared out of my mind. "R-Revy…?"

The rest of her decaying body broke apart; her blackened and charred head was the first to go. The disturbing illness spread downward. I dropped to my knees and collected her ashes within my hands. A strong gust of wind came and picked up the remains. Her ashes slipped through my fingers like sand.

The area shifted into another place. I was suddenly in the middle of an open field. Flowers grew where Revya's ashes had fallen. Grey clouds joined together above a lonesome church. Red and yellow flickered as fire licked the walls, making it crumble into pieces. Anguished screams arose from the church, roaring flames devoured all before long. The cry was gut-wrenching, but I knew I had heard that voice before.

"…Ragna?"

I hastened over to help whoever was inside. However, the church kept getting farther away from me despite how fast I went. I battled to keep going, but my path was shifted in reverse.

I arrived back at the graveyard, but the grey clouds still hung above me. It was as if I was but a toy placed in front of a depressing play-set against my will. I turned back looking for the church, but what I saw next was…it was too much.

Beaming and full of happiness stood my niece. The child named after my sister's most cherished flower. Yes, she took after her mother in almost every way. The one thing that separated them apart, were her eyes. They weren't the pure color of innocence, but the gloomy color of the man I detest more than any other.

"Rozalin…what are you doing here?" The question was said more in disbelief than for expecting a response.

"Uncle, is that really you? Me and mommy haven't seen you in soooo long!"

"No, you can't…be real," I said inadvertently. "None of this is real."

"Don't say such hurtful things. I've waited a long time to see you again and you would push me away?"

"You're not fooling anyone. You're that girl from before, aren't you? Answer me!"

"Girl from before? I don't know who that is. I'm your beloved little niece, Uncle. I'll never be anything more."

"What do you want from me?" I questioned crossly.

"What do I want from you? Mmm, well since you're asking, can you do me a favor?"

"A favor…what are you talking about?"

A chilling grin on her face spread from ear to ear the moment I asked. She muttered something, almost inaudibly, but it rang loud and clear to me.

"Can you please die for me?"

"What…GARRGH!"

Pain burst through my body as a small item of silver pushed through the skin. She inched closer, pulled a blade from under my skin while sporting a bright smile.

"Yes, I want you to die, Uncle. You'll only get in the way of everything."

"Guh…Roza…you…!"

My mouth gushed forth with blood, leaving me unable to talk. I fell to the ground and frantically tried to patch up my wound with my hand. But it was no good. The blood oozed out from my body like a stream. I tried to crawl away, but backed into something hard. I turned and my eyes widened upon discovering what I had hit. In the middle of the graveyard of tributes to lost souls was my own tombstone. Engraved in the stone were my fake name and an ominous quote. Rozalin loomed over me and recited the words with in a tone of sheer animosity that made me tremble.

"Blood's edge can be sharper than any blade forged of steel. Inherent in all, our blood shares with us a piece of another's past. To those who fate has forsaken shall fall upon the wrong end and be punished for that which we are given. This noble man was but another left behind by cruel, unforgiving fate. Here lies a man respected and adored by many, only for his life to be expunged for a past that he was bequeathed."

My legs wouldn't move. The blood wouldn't stop. It was the end for me.

"Heheh, how was that, Uncle? Did I read that to your liking? Oh…silly me, you can't talk anymore, can you?"

My surroundings shifted again. An outside force exerted agonizing strength to pin me against the ground. Rozalin sat atop of me with the knife clasped together with both hands. She hacked away at me repeatedly, plunging the knife deeper and deeper into my body with each new strike, slicing apart muscle by muscle. She laughed merrily, smearing herself with my blood like paint. Even when I could no longer move my body, even when I could no longer speak, she would continue piercing my body, wiping the tainted liquid on her flesh.

"Awww…Uncle, you're not tired already are you? I still want to play! Let's play some more!"

Her contradictory actions frightened me greatly. But I had no means to oppose my niece. I was at her twisted mercy. She leaned in closer and stroked the side of my head.

"…Was I too rough? Hehe, I guess I got carried away, huh? Wake up, Uncle. Wake uuuup~."

…

"Everything's dark…I can't see anything… was it all a dream or…am I dead?"

"…Wake up."

"Wake up? …Yes, it was merely a dream, no, a very horrible nightmare…I need therapy after seeing that. What is my subconscious trying to tell me, man?"

What did the church symbolize? Was it my house? If so, then who was screaming? Why did it sound like Ragna? Mr. Carl Jung, do you have a psychological analysis for such a dream? Although, if it was truly a dream, how is it possible for me to have fallen into REM sleep so suddenly? Even if it were an alien's rendition of inducing Narcolepsy, dreams are never that lucid...that disturbing...not even my worst nightmares can compare.

"Is anybody alive in there? Helllooooo, wake up!"

"Another nightmare...I'm hearing Gig's stupid voice in my head."

"Wait a second, you're not the kid! What are you doing here, why you of all people?"

I ignored the false Gig in my head and his nonsensical words and focused on trying to wake up.

I opened my eyes and squinted trying to adjust to the light of a world coming back to focus. I was still in the same room, nothing of which had changed, nothing except a few unusual details.

The blond girl was in a state of panic, while Ragna had entered a state of equanimity. Revy was nowhere to be seen.

A grown man was also there running his fingers through his short, brown hair. That man with a bandaged left hand…that man with a scarred cheek…that man was me. It was me I was looking at, there was no denying that.

It wasn't the fabled feeling of watching over your own body as you begin to ascend to a different plane. Who I saw right before me was none other than myself, plain and simple. I cannot form a rational explanation for what was happening. With the bizarre sight of my own reflection being cast, another fact dawned upon me.

I glanced down. A white cast covered an arm; a purple sweater tightly squeezed the body, suppressing it. A lovely scent graced the senses, sweeter than strawberry, but an unbearable pain ran alongside it. The back ached and the heart throbbed. Words would not come out, only a gasp in its stead.

I had somehow ended up in Revya's body.