A/N: Enjoy.

Tell me where our time went and if it was time well spent. Just don't let me fall asleep feeling empty again.

6,465 words.

OoOoOo

I've figured it out!

Alex ran up to her, pushing her up against the wall with an angry expression. Scowling at this invasion of personal space, Raine ducked under his caging arms and shot up with a sharp uppercut. Alex spun around, stumbling back a few steps, but otherwise seemed fine since he continued to talk. Maybe they couldn't feel pain in the dream world.

The only reason you want Mesha is because of her mana, he accused, rubbing his jaw but keeping a healthy distance from the half-elf, who stood crouched with her feet spread and her fists ready for a second round. You... you're...

You went through my memories again. Raine relaxed into a normal, non-fighting stance. Her eyes overflowed with disgust.

Alex could only shrug. Your mistake to leave your thoughts so unguarded when you know I'm here. The Sage family members have unique control over each other and that doesinclude you, Raine.

I feel so loved,she said bitterly

Don't change the subject! Why didn't you tell me why you really keep Mesha around? Maybe I could help you, if you'd just let me.

Because it's none of your business. Why don't you tell me what you're trying to hide from me by placing a bit of your soul into my subconscious to make sure I don't stumble into anything?

Alex's lip twitched in a humorless smile. But you do know what I'm hiding. You asked me to hide it from you. You said it would change everything.

But if I asked to forget it, why do I want to remember it so badly? Raine sat down on the ground, her arms wrapped around her head. Why do I see you in my dreams every night? Why is it that sometimes I know everything but other times I talk aimlessly, knowing I'm missing a piece of this puzzle but not knowing what it is or where I could ever find it! If you're going to wipe my memory, do a better job! Don't let me remember that you took something from me!

Raine... I can't help you with that. If you want to remember- for good this time- you have to do it by your own free will, he said. You have all the tools you need. He began to walk towards her again, cautious this time. But that's not what really matters right now. You have a serious problem, and I don't think using Mesha-

I'm not going to use her, Raine said, her voice flat. I've changed my mind.

What? Alex blinked in surprise.

I'm going to do what I told her I was doing. I'm taking her on as my apprentice alongside Harley, until I... Raine hid her face again, drawing her knees up to her face and hunching over. She's been through too much already, and I really do want to help her now, instead of using her to help me, she finished.

There was no unnecessary noise in the dreamworld, unless the inhabitants took the time to conjure one up. So Alex made no noise as he walked to her side and sat down, one arm around her shoulder. You've changed, he said almost in surprise, turning to her so that he could wipe away stray tears that managed to leak through. Not so immature anymore, are you Rainebow?

I blame Lloyd, was Raine's muffled response. That foolish boy forced me to be less of a bitch.

Raine...

Alex?

Please let me help you.

No one can help me. But-

Raine opened her eyes to find that tears were streaming down the sides of her face. Wiping at them with the white sleeve of her nightshirt, she rolled over on her blankets to watch the gently sleeping form of Mesha lying only a few feet away. She was a good girl, Raine decided, her thought muddled from sleep. The maturity of an older woman with the meager life experience of a fifteen year old, even if she was a half-elf. Something about her stirred up tender feelings in Raine, an urge to be with her and protect her. It was strange, because even if she was pretty she wasn't the sort of girl that Raine generally took an interest in. For one thing, they had to at least be legal. And well able of taking care of themselves without any help from a self-centered lesbo teacher, thankyouverymuch.

(Like Sheena, she couldn't help but think. But the scholar soon squashed that thought.)

Sighing again, she shifted under her blankets, trying to find a comfortable spot to try and fall asleep, though she doubted she would get another hour of rest tonight. She glanced at her wristwatch, checking the time. Just a little bit past midnight, a days worth of travel left to get to Asgard. She turned again, but only to almost jump out of her skin to see that Mesha was facing her now with her emerald green eyes wide open.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Mesha asked. "I heard you talking in your sleep."

"Ah..." Raine sat up, rubbing at her eyes. "I can't remember. I don't think I did."

"Mmm." Mesha's eyelids drooped. "OK, then." And without further ado, she nodded off again. Raine sweatdropped, turning away again. Light sleeper, but could fall back with simply a whim.

Raine let her thoughts wander aimlessly for a while, staring at the wall of her tent when she was startled yet again by a loud hiss. She looked over her shoulder to see Mesha dragging her mat across the grass, plopping it down right next to Raine's. Settling down, the sleepy half elf girl snuggled up next to her teacher. "S'cold," she muttered against Raine's shoulder, hugging her around the waist.

Raine had to bite back a surprised laugh. "Are you sure you're comfortable with this?" she asked instead, keeping her voice calm as she turned to face her student. She wrapped her arms around Mesha's shoulders and neck, one hand in Mesha's green hair and her chin resting on the top of Mesha's head.

Mesha nodded a few times. "Why shouldn't I be?"

"No reason!" Raine said, somewhat indignant at how cheerful her voice sounded.

And, closing her eyes, she went back to sleep.

No specters haunted her dreams- just the ending to an unfinished sentence.

But I won't let that stop me any longer.

OoOoOo

The ground began to shake.

"Who-o-a," Presea said, her voice vibrating with the room. She lost her balance, lurching forward and managing to catch herself before she tumbled on top of Matias on his bed. "Wha-a-a-at's hhhhhaaapening?" she shouted over the increasing noise. Matias could only shrug helplessly, getting up on unsteady feet as the sounds of roaring water joined into the cacophony of rumbling earth. He made his way to the window, Presea following as they looked out to the confusing view that the ocean presented them.

"Is that-"

Presea stopped, squinting to make sure. "Oh my g- it is her! What the hell is she doing?"

Matias fumbled around in his pockets, pulling his ragged coat off the bed and searching it as well. Eventually he found what he sought- gels. Quickly applying them and looking instantly refreshed, he extended one hand to Presea, pointing with the other out the open window.

OoOoOo

"If you gotta make a pit stop, now's the time to say it!" Gnome chirped from his spot on Sheena's shoulder. Now in the form of a scruffy brown-furred rat, he nipped at her ear as he broke his concentration for a moment. The island slowed considerably as they were now within eyesight of Altamira, but they still motored along at quite an impressive speed.

She sat on a sizable chunk of earth that stormed through the ocean like a never ending wave always on the verge of crashing. They moved faster than Rheiards, the tangy sea air buffeting against her loose hair like a silky black pirate flag. "We can't afford to stop!" she called out over the wailing wind, spitting out a spray of salt water as she did so. "Martel herself warned us of danger, and right now I need to make sure my village is on alert."

"Ummmm OK!" he said, backing up on her shoulder until he was precariously close to falling off. "But it looks like the pit stop is coming to us, baby."

Confused, Sheena squinted over the spray to see a black blob steadily growing closer. A black blob with a bright shock of pink splattered across it. It didn't take long for her sharp ninja eyesight to pick out the details and let out a frustrated noise.

"Matias!" she snarled. "And he has Presea!"

"Heeeeyyyyyyy!" the girl in question called out to them, waving both her arms widely. Matias was carrying her in his long arms, purple eyes calm as he pulled back, flapping his wings carefully as he slowed for a decent, landing lightly on the tips of his toes. Presea vaulted from his arms and ran to Sheena, hugging her tightly around the waist.

"Ewww, you're all wet," Presea said after a moment, letting Sheena go and wiping her hands on her shorts.

"Well, my mistress thinks that speed is a priority over comfort," Gnome said, shrugging as best as he could with his rat shoulders. "Now... can we keep them Sheena? Please? They're following us home and I'm sure they're paper trained."

Sheena didn't even bop him on the nose for being pert. She was too busy examining Matias, sizing him up and judging whether or not he was there to make trouble. He held up his hands in a gesture for peace, stepping back and letting his wings shrink to fold neatly behind his back.

I'm sorry, Matias sent to her. His mental voice echoed in her mind caused her to shiver- she had forgotten what it felt like. It seems you know the truth on your own now. I wanted to break it to you slowly, cousin.

"Oh, shut up," she growled, averting her gaze. The mana emanating from her fellow half-elf was making her eyes water and her mouth dry.

"Jeez, fine," Gnome said, misunderstanding her. He hopped to her feet to sulk in silence.

There may be some physical changes as well... Matias mused. For instance, your hair might change color.

Sheena blinked a few times, rubbing at her eyes. Not looking at Matias didn't do much, since she could still feel his chaotic mana like a cloud hovering around the immediate area. "I said be quiet!"

"I am being quiet!" Gnome wailed, clutching at her leg and pressing his face against it.

"Oh- Gnome." Realizing what her conversation would have sounded like out loud, she bent down and held the rat, kissing the top of his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean you."

She glared at Matias.

"You mean you can hear him?" Presea asked incredulously. "So can Genis!"

Matias shrugged.

"Yeah, I hear him," Sheena admitted. "It's because of a lot of really random factors that I don't feel like explaining right now. Now, why shouldn't I lock you up with your buddy Kloitz?" This last statement was directed back at Matias, along with a cold, burning glower.

I've done nothing for you to act so hostile towards me.

"You've attacked me!"

I've saved you, too.

"Whatever," Sheena snapped, irritated. "I don't need a reason. I don't trust you and if you don't like it, tough. What do you want from me and my friends?"

Firstly, I wanted to warn you of Kloitz. He's planning to escape; he has strong allies and isn't afraid of using dirty tactics.

Sheena cursed under her breath. "That must be a part of the danger Martel warned us about," Gnome added, whispering in her ear. She nodded, scratching the back of his ear.

Secondly, you must be familiar with Kloitz's servant Kuchinawa. I understand he was a member of your tribe. He used ancient shinobi arts on me and sewed my lips together magically so that I can't speak and can't remove them for longer than five minutes. I want you to help undo the spell.

Sheena didn't know what to say to that. It went against her nature to let someone suffer unduly, but...

"Only if you answer a few more questions," she said, steeling herself. "And only once we know this Kloitz problem is done for good. Understand?"

Matias nodded rapidly. His purple eyes glittered with their own savage light. I'll kill him with my bare hands if that's what it takes, cousin.

Making a face, Sheena put Gnome back onto the earth. "Fine then. And just because I'm a..." she stopped, glancing once at Presea. "...Just cause I'm that way now doesn't mean you can try to use that to make me like you better, so stop calling me your cousin. I'm not your freaking cousin, or anything like it."

But you are.

"No, I'm not." Sheena frowned.

Yes, you are. Annoyed.

"No, I'm- listen, that's impossible," Sheena snapped, feeling the sickness that dread brought her beginning to stir. "I'm not."

You are. So is Genis. I.. the reason I've been following you for the past eight months is because I suspected. I wanted to see what you were like, if you were like me...

Sheena turned away. "You must be mistaken. There's no way I'm your cousin. There's no way Genis is my cousin, cause then that would mean Kloitz is..." Sheena's mouth went dry with another realization. "And Raine..." she croaked, shuddering. "No. I mean, we don't even look similar. If you were to tell me Pandora is my cousin, well, that wouldn't be so surprising. Pandora doesn't know her elfin ancestors and neither do I, and we do look really kinda like sisters so-"

Sheena stopped, realizing she was rambling. Clapping a hand to her face, she growled, "Listen. I have something very important to do, so if you guys are staying with me that means I'm the boss, no questions, no backtalk. You got it?"

"Aye aye captain!" Presea said, saluting her cheerfully. Matias bowed low, making no further comment on the cousin issue.

"You are not going anywhere."

The familiar hum of a Rheiard engine was suddenly present to their ears. Regal sat astride a massive light blue Rheiard, his side facing them as he glared at Presea from over his shoulder. "I almost had a heart attack when I saw you jumping out the window with him," he said, and Sheena could see it was a struggle for the man not to start shouting. "Get on the Rheiard."

"I-"

"I don't want to hear a single word of your lying excuses, I've had enough of that for two lifetimes!" Regal boomed, losing his carefully cultivated control. "Get on this Rheiard, NOW."

The small rock island was shocked into silence as Presea meekly hopped aboard. "Do as you please with him," were Regal's curt directions on Matias before he roared off, long blue hair flapping in the wind.

"Jeebus," Gnome said. "There's not a lot of things scarier than a big, angry man."

"Especially when the man is Regal," Sheena agreed, shaking her head. "I guess uh... I guess it's just us three now."

Where are we headed?

"Mizuho," Sheena answered.

Then let us make haste.

OoOoOo

"Ken-kun?"

Ken jumped, startled by the girl's stealthy approach. "KYA!" he shouted, leaping back and clumsily trying to find some semblance of a fighting pose before realizing his 'attacker' was a ten year old girl. "Oh- er... Hello there, Kyoko-chan," he answered in Mizanese. He squinted at her, trying to see her in the gloom. It was just after sundown, and he had been training hard. He wiped off the sweat from his brow with the edge of his sleeve. "What's the matter?"

Kyoko absently placed a plate of rice balls in front of him. "I thought that Ken-kun might be hungry because you missed dinner to go practice here."

"Aww, thanks kid," Ken said, stuffing one of the treats into his mouth. "Nice of you to do that for me."

"Nee-san was a lot like you before the old chief exiled him," Kyoko sighed. "I would often do that for him as well."

Ken almost choked on his rice ball. "Ahem, right."

Tiga's household had become something of a home for lost souls. Last year during the strange attack led by the half-elf Kloitz, the old vice-chief had taken in a young girl named Aiko. Now, with her exile withdrawn by the new chief Sheena, the sister of the traitor Urashima had also found a home with Tiga. And since Tiga often coached the young foreign man in the matters of Mizuho, Ken saw a lot of the two girls and they had both cemented their place in his easy-going heart.

"Kyoko-chan!"

Kyoko's head shot up. "That's Aiko-chan," the solemn girl said, her brow furrowing. "She sounds distressed."

The girl soon came into the pair's sight, running as fast as her little legs could take her. "Kyoko-chan! Kyoko-chan! Sheena-onee-sama has returned!"

"Really?!" Ken and Kyoko said at the same time. They took off, but Ken's longer legs soon left the two little girls in the dust as he ran to the main gates of Mizuho to spot the familiar purple-clad ninja.

"Sheena! Hey, welcome back!" he called to his friend, the chief. Once he reached her- already busy in conversation with Tiga and Orochi- he stooped over, clutching at his knees to suck in huge breaths. "How was... your.. trip... Sheena?"

Tiga smacked the back of his head. "Sheena-sama," he corrected the young man.

Sheena grabbed Tiga's hand, sparing Ken a brief, distracted smile. "Forget about that right now, Tiga. I need you to answer my questions."

The old vice-chief slowly stood up straighter, bringing his hand back to his side. "Nothing has been amiss since you left, Fujibayashi-sama. No threats have reached these old ears."

"Or these young ones," Orochi added. Oddly enough, he wasn't wearing his traditional ninja garb today- his black hair and pale face were completely bare. Maybe she had woken him up? She had arrived at the time when most respectable townspeople should be asleep at home.

"How many guards are posted around the village?" Sheena continued.

"Ah... I would have to say-"

"Double the number, whatever it may be," Sheena cut him off before he could even answer. "Effective immediately. I want this town on full alert, I want a few select shinobi out scouting for trouble before it comes to us. Do you understand me, Tiga?"

"Do you know something we don't, Sheena?" Orochi asked, his hands in his pockets. Despite the tense situation, he was completely at ease. It was different from his normal, rock-solid poker face- it was almost as if he was amused by all of this. She didn't know why, but it irked her and disturbed her at the same time.

"Yes, I do," she responded, her voice clipped and curt. "I know trouble is coming. I don't know what shape or form it might take, but trust me when I say that things are going to get interesting within the next few months... or maybe even weeks."

"Or days?" he suggested. Something about his tone of voice implied he was teasing her, as if he didn't quite believe she was acting so foolishly.

Sheena paused. "Yes... I suppose that's not impossible either. Excuse me."

Having had quite enough, she brushed past Orochi, Tiga, and Ken without another word. She headed towards her house, wondering if Ken had watered her plants like she had asked him to. Matias was waiting for her inside when she got there, sitting on the edge of her low, knee-high table with his violet eyes trained on the floor.

"Well... My village is warned," she said, standing in the doorway. Once more she was no longer Sheena, chief of Mizuho, but Sheena. Just Sheena. And right now, Sheena wanted nothing more than to curl up on her cot and fall into a deep, deep sleep.

"Would you like some tea?"

Matias shook his head, slowly unwinding his scarf to show her the damage. Sheena, despite herself, felt a deep plunge of pity and guilt for the pseudo-angel. "Let me see," she said, going closer to him and gently brushing her fingers against his lips. He could have been handsome but for that loathsome black stitching, frayed and worn in places around his badly infected lips. Handsome, or more like girlishly pretty. He had the face of a young boy, clean-shaved and innocent. If she had first seen him without knowing his gender, well, she probably would have guessed he was actually a girl. She frowned at the thought.

"This is definitely Kuchinawa's work," she said after forcing herself to look at it for longer than she wanted or needed to. "He's brutal and sloppy when it comes to torture and punishment. When did this happen, and why? Can you tell me that?"

Matias had kept his eyes averted but met her gaze when she talked to him.

I wanted to see Kloitz, he admitted. I thought... I thought he died almost three years ago, when Rodyle's ranch was destroyed. After finding him, I watched him and then I started to watch you. Eventually, I decided it was time to act and I tried to contact him via his servant, Kuchinawa, since he was in jail at that time. At first it was fine, but I learned that they were plotting my death together. Kloitz even showed him where to find some of my father's old inventions to help the job go along smoother.

Matias began to wrap the scarf back around his head, his eyes closed in recollection

But he wanted to do it hands on. He captured me, did this to me... I don't know what he would have done next if I hadn't escaped. Only then did he send all of my father's remaining creatures after me, like the one you saw that night over the ocean.

As for the why, I... I wish I knew, and I wish again that I remain ignorant. All I can say is the Kloitz I knew as a child would have never...

He stopped again.

Where shall I sleep tonight? He asked, abruptly changing the subject.

Sheena looked to Gnome, who was greeting his old friend- the potted plant. He was in his bipedal mole form again. After a moment of heavy thinking, she went to her closet and pulled out another futon. Slamming it down on the opposite side of the room, she pointed to it with a neutral expression. "Right here," she said. "And if you pull any funny business you'll be dead before you hit the floor, bird-boy."

I understand, he sent to her. I know that right now, you have no reason to trust me, but let me assure you that-

Sheena, concentrating hard on how he had blocked her out when they had met in Triet, visualized an old, wrought-iron gate slamming shut with Matias on the other side, holding onto the bars and looking into the fortress of her mind. The mental speech was cut off so sharply she was almost lost at the sudden silence in her mind. Matias was taken aback, blinking owlishly at the grinning Sheena.

She pointed to him. "You're not the only one with powers anymore," she said to him, her lips quirking up. "Man, you weren't lying when you said you like to hear yourself talk. That what you wrote... in that note. In Flanoir."

Matias, of course, could not respond. He stood with his hands at his sides, looking lost, before settling down on the futon she had provided for him. But not before giving her a quick little bow of thanks. Sheena wondered if he was only being polite to her because she could take off the stitching, but didn't think on it long. Though it took her awhile to relax, eventually she fell asleep in her own futon with Gnome always watching over her, curled up next to her in the form of a large brown wolf.

OoOoOo

"Now, either we can sit here in an uncomfortable, awkward silence, or we can talk."

Zelos sat, looking around him expectantly at everyone.

He gave up soon.

"Man, it feels like we've been waiting for this boat for weeks," he said, deciding to fill the silence in himself. "Oh... I hope that doesn't break the fourth wall..." he mused right after he had said that, but no one seemed to pay him any mind.

"I can see it approaching," Kratos spoke up. He stood overlooking the ocean, his keen seraph eyes unblinking as he waited for their escape. "It should be here within the hour."

Yuan stood with his back to a lamp post with Zelos's Dragon Tours insignia branded on it. He watched Colette and Lloyd sitting not far away, his metal claw twitching every now and then as if it, too, was getting bored by the calm. "Hopefully we can get away from this island and find Sheena, since she apparently has a plan for this new threat."

Kratos glanced at Yuan out of the corner of his eye. "Yuan, without a plan to turn things to his benefit? This is a first."

The silver haired half elf shrugged uncomfortably. "What do you expect from me? I wasn't even here for the original threat to the world... or at least, I don't remember it. Right now all I'm concerned with is getting this problem over with so we can concentrate on getting my memory back. Also, I think you should all know that I've taken it upon myself to become Colette's official shadow."

He turned his smirk on the girl. "And don't you feel special now?"

"Shadow?" Lloyd voiced for both of them. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'll explain it to you in simpler terms, Lloydie. Martel told me I should be nicer to the girl, and so I figure since she's particularly delicate right now I should put this to good use." He hefted up his glittering, sharp claw for them to see.

"Um, thank you Yuan," Colette said, putting one hand over Lloyd's.

"What, I can't protect you well enough?" Lloyd muttered under his breath.

"Are you saying you're going to refuse a command from the Goddess, Lloydie?" Yuan said, putting one claw over his mouth in mock shock.

Lloyd's eyebrow twitched. "...Why the heck are you calling me Lloydie?" he demanded, choosing not to answer Yuan's question.

Yuan shrugged. "I really don't know. It just seemed amusing at the time, Lloydie."

"The boat is picking up speed," Kratos called out suddenly. "It might be here sooner than I thought."

"Yeah, well it won't be soon enough," Lloyd said.

"We could go see those flowers now," Colette reminded him gently, trying to stop anything from getting out of hand. "The last time was just a fluke. Sheena's not here now so no other summon spirits are gonna attack, right?"

Lloyd struggled with himself for a moment, torn between wanting to sit and sulk and wanting to please his young wife. Laboriously, he got to his feet and grabbed his swords, fastening them to his hips. "Sure thing, Colette. Better than the company here anyway." Helping her to her feet, he held Colette's hand and they made their way- alone- towards the field of flowers.

Yuan stayed where he was, his eyes closed and his head bowed as a man who had fallen asleep does.

"Not being a very good shadow, are you?" Kratos noted.

"Heh." Yuan's eyelids flicked open and his upper lip curled up in a vicious smile after the pair. "You're not supposed to notice your own shadow."

Only then did he slip off after them, his feet making no noise on the green earth.

Zelos looked up at Kratos from his seat on a bed of moss. "So..." he said, waggling his red eyebrows. "We're alone now. Wanna make out?"

Kratos's eyelids shot up in a rare expression of shock. Then his features crinkled in disgust and he turned his back on the red head, the square set of his shoulders saying clearly enough that he was going to ignore the ex-Chosen for the remainder of their time together, however long that may be.

"OK," Zelos said, smiling. "Maybe some other time!"

Kratos suppressed a shudder.

OoOoOo

Maybe it was because she made peace with her mysterious demons that haunted her conscious and subconscious mind. Maybe it was because of Mesha, of their budding romance and the sense of security that could sometimes bring to a woman. Maybe it was because for the first time in a long time, she got a full night's rest and woke up refreshed.

But when she did wake up, Raine Sage had an epiphany.

It wasn't immediately. When her eyes opened she saw nothing but Mesha's green head and she smiled to herself (after squashing thoughts of seeing nothing but messy black hair put up in a bun). Shifting to get more comfortable without waking up the light sleeper, she let her eyelids slowly drop again, holding Mesha closer to her.

Then the tent was flooded with sunlight as Harley barged in. "Hey Professor!" he shouted, "Wake up, we gotta get going if we wanna reach Asgard by sundo- wha!"

Raine had shot up from the two cots, leaping over Mesha's small form to shove Harley out of the tent, feeling as though her whole body was tingling unpleasantly with little electric sparks. Her heart beat faster, unable to cope with the idea of anyone finding out about her and Mesha just yet.

"Harley," she said between grit, scarily smiling teeth. She clenched at his shirt and he shrank, trying to distance himself from the onslaught. "Do not. Barge into my tent." She began to shake him to emphasize her point. "Without warning me first!"

Harley, thoroughly cowed, could only nod over and over again. After a moment Mesha came out of the tent as well, clearing her throat and busily trying to get her mop of green hair into some semblance of order.

"Uh, well, Harley does have a point. We should definitely break camp and head out, right Professor?" she said, putting a hand on Raine's shoulder. "What time is it, anyway?"

"Oh, how should I know?" she muttered irritably, unleashing Harley and taking a few deep, calming breaths. Massaging her temple, she closed her eyes.

Harley ventured to speak. "Uh, cause you have a watch and we don't?"

Raine's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, I have a watch? I don't have a-" she raised up her hand to brush a strand of her wild silver hair out of her face and froze.

On her wrist was a watch.

She'd never seen that watch before... had she? But even as she reassured herself that she didn't own a watch, the times she had already used it went flashing through her mind.

Wordlessly she checked the time on a large man's watch that dangled from her delicate wrist. "It's almost noon," she said, standing up and walking to where their Rheiards were sitting, waiting patiently to be flown. "We should leave soon."

Looking at the time on her watch, she realized she'd been asleep for over an hour. Cursing, she shot to her feet and ran out the door, looking around for her students. They had been told to meet her at the memorial just outside the Academy, the fountain that listed the names of all who had died in the Palmacosta disaster almost three years ago.

Mesha and Harley exchanged glances as Raine continued to stare at the watch, her eyes wide in incomprehension. "Harley," Raine finally said, "Do you remember where I bought this watch?"

"Nope," he said, inching away from his teacher. "I think you've always had it. I just... well, it's just been kinda there. Never jumped out at me, y'know?"

Raine frowned, her mind running full time on this unnecessarily confusing problem. She knew she didn't "always have it" like Harley said. And that was disturbing- she didn't know when she had it, since obviously her own memory couldn't be trusted if she didn't even realize it was there in the first place. It was just a watch, true, but the fact that she never truly noticed it until someone pointed it out was more than strange.

She remembered the day, almost nine months ago now, when she saw Kloitz again for the first time in years. He had been attacking Mizuho with those soldiers- probably remnants of the Desians, she knew now- and somehow he noticed Sheena's magically hidden pendant, the one that had always been there but no one ever saw. It was like that, she figured. Some magic. But who had casted a spell on her? And why? Ignoring her students completely, she turned and walked back into her tent, moving Mesha's cot a more respectable distance from hers and then sitting down without ever taking her eyes off the watch.

Watch, she thought. Watch. Was it some sort of riddle for her to decipher? What did a watch represent? Slowly taking it off, she dangled it in front of her curious lilac eyes. She observed the sunlight reflect off it's pretty silver surface. It was a man's watch, for sure. Big and bulky, meant for a strong, thick wrist.

The sentiment that there was some hidden meaning in the watch only grew stronger as the minutes ticked by and she did her best to ignore the way her students hovered outside her tent, wondering if their teacher had finally gone off the deep end over a stupid watch. Watch. Time. Time going by. Lost time? Too obvious. Not time. Not...

Watch. Watch. She closed her eyes, squeezing the watch tighter in her hand. She could feel it, there on the tip of her tongue. Easing it's way out, but then suddenly snapping back inside before her mind could securely wrap around the concept of what she was trying to remember. She opened her eyes again, letting them roam, searching for inspiration. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the pocket dictionary Mesha bought when they were in Meltokio. More and more she felt the idea growing in density, fleshing itself out, logically spreading out before her.

Of course!

"Watch"!

Not the noun, not this physical thing that caused her so much consternation- there was more than one definition for watch! The verb! The action! To watch... but watch what? Watch the... watch? Feeling on the verge of something monumental, she brought the silver timepiece closer to her face, eyes roving over every inch of it to find the secret she know knew lay inside.

It didn't take the fabled Professor long to find the secret compartment. Her heart beating, she reached inside and pulled out a small scrap of parchment with more writing- more riddles.

"You have the tools you need," it read. "Sage can only help you find Ignorance. Ignorance is bliss. Maturity demands sacrifice, Knowledge claims innocence and happiness. Decide for yourself. If you want to find it, Misery loves company. Find it where it congregates."

"Decide?" Raine whispered to the note, clenching it hard between her shaking hands. She got that feeling again- she knew she had just forgotten something, but she didn't know what. She chased it in her mind, struggling to remember, trying to reclaim the train of thought she had been following to see if she could find this missing memory. "Decide what? What is that supposed to... Fuck!" In a rare moment of pure distress, the Professor caught herself cursing, clasping her hands to her head and crouching over, fighting to make sense of all of this.

But only a few seconds later she strode through the tent flap out into the open, cool as you please. She held the note loosely in one hand and the watch was back where it had lived for who knew how long- back on her wrist.

"Harley," she said, smiling thinly. "Mesha. I have a question for you two."

Without waiting for a response, she turned abruptly to her left and began to pace, one, two, three steps and then doing an about-face, one, two, three steps. "You've heard the saying, "Ignorance is bliss," she said as she paced back and forth, and odd light glimmering in her eyes. "So, knowing that, would you choose to be a happy idiot or a sobering, stuffy intellectual?"

Again not waiting for them to answer, she stopped her pacing and faced them, her smile completely without humor.

"Tell me," she prompted them, spreading out her hands as if to receive any answers with warm, welcome arms. "Where do stuffy intellectuals congregate?"

But of course, she didn't need them to answer. She'd already had her epiphany.

Their next destination was clear in her mind.

OoOoOo

A/N: It's getting harder and harder to sit down and write these chapters. Sorry for the long wait, people. You guys are better than I deserve D: Perhaps an explanation is in order. In the time that I set down to write I don't work on Partners anymore. I work on my original fiction, "Immortal Games" about three girls, three freaks, one boy, one vampire, a unicorn, a were-lion, and a dragon who are all connected to each other through enemies and ex-lovers, families and old friends. There's also a conspiracy, attempted genocide, a genesis, the prevention of war, the disruption of the flow of time, a journey to find home, and the decision whether or not to believe in true love.

Phew!

So how did you like all the needless Japanese suffixes? Just to let you know... cause they're just not Japanese enough in the game. They need to be SOOPER DUPER JAPANESE. No mistaking them for average people, ho no! So wow. Raine is officially a pedo-bear. If Mesha doesn't cool it, Rainie here might end up going to jail for statutory rape! And has Raine finally gotten over Sheena? Will Matias keep pretending to be a man? Didn't Orochi get stabbed with a big-ass needle? Who's side is Alex on, anyway? What the hell was up with that trippy note? How many other people didn't notice the watch- the watch that only appeared AFTER Alex wiped the three's memories! By the way, the watch also makes an appearance in the spoof chapter fifteen. "Can't it wait an hour or three?" Haha.. awesome. Chapter thirteen is still my favorite though.

All these and more, NEXT TIME, ON PARTNERS!

(Closed captioning sponsored by Doctor Emmet Brown's Time Train- "Get where you want to be, when you want to be there!")