A/N: Ugh, an episode of Cold Case with bullies. Ah, to get my aggression out, I'll add a little scene where someone tries to beat up my dear Nami...and while she's on the ground, she takes out her knife and stabs them in the leg. Revenge! ...Anyway.

to Roksu: Haha, it's probably a mixture of bad translations and flub-ups in the story, like Alex being Mary's cousin and her father teaching him rather than Mary teaching him. I thought it was odd since Alex acted/looked older than her and from the way he spoke to her. The djinn can talk, but from the way he said it, it seemed like he could feel where he was.

This Sunday is National Ice Cream Day, so go out and get some ice cream.

Read, enjoy and review!

Escapism

Kraden's door flies open and smoke billows out, his students pouring out and stumbling over each other, coughing as they run for the nearest window. Ivan steps out after the last of them, covering his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, looking over his shoulder to make sure Kraden's behind him. I rush over to him, catching his elbow and pulling him out of the way, "What happened?"

Ivan lowers his hand slowly, patting his clothes down—puffs of smoke rising from the fabric, "Kraden was teaching his students some new experiment…I don't know where it went wrong. I was watching the entire time."

Kraden tries to laugh but it quickly turns into a cough and he takes a minute to catch his breath, removing his glasses to wipe at the corners of his eyes. He pats Ivan's shoulder, "Experiments tend to go wrong. It's the nature of the beast."

Ivan sighs, shaking his head, "Kraden…I'd think that by now you would know what reacts poorly with what to avoid such…beasts." He looks up at me, his eyes softening, "I'm sorry, did we disturb you?"

"Not at all, I was just coming to fetch you. Too much time down in that damp basement, you might start to grow mold on you."

He colors, giving me a gentle shove and looking away, "That's absurd. It is about time we took a break, though." He smiles, "Dora suggested we have a picnic near the lake today. Mary and Gerald said they would join us."

"When did you talk with her?" I take his handkerchief, cleaning off the parts of his face that had been exposed to the smoke. He tilts his head back for me, shutting one eye at a time.

"This morning, while you were still sleeping…" I pause, cupping his cheeks in my hands and he looks up at me, tilting his head as much as he can. "I even managed to make it back in time before you woke up. Glad to be sleeping in a bed again?"

I chuckle, "It's better than sleeping on the ground…but it's not as if I miss it terribly when we're traveling." I glance at Kraden as he starts to leave, "Kraden, you've been acting strange lately."

He smiles, the usual twinkle back in his eyes, if only for a moment and he links his hands behind his back. He looks out the window, "I'm still not sure yet, there's a lot about Golden Sun that we don't know…a lot about the Lighthouses that we don't know. I won't say anything until I'm certain; I don't want to worry any of you. You've been through enough already. Go ahead and enjoy the day."

I glance at Ivan but he shakes his head, "We'll see you later then, Kraden." I rest my hand on Ivan's back, leading him out of the palace. "What's he going on about this time?"

"Kraden…thinks something happened to us back on the aerie, when the Mars Lighthouse's beacon was lit. He won't say more than that and I don't want to press. That time…it seems like ages ago—it's a blur…but it felt like something washed over me, different from when the other Lighthouses were lit. I can't explain it."

"You don't have to…I think we all felt it." I pause in the square, letting a goat pass as Gerald's brother and another boy chase after it. "I don't feel any different now, if he's worried about that. If anything…my abilities are growing."

"Growing?"

"No more than I can handle…but it's strange. Sometimes, I feel like I can sense things through the earth. It doesn't last long and I'm always drained after." He reaches up, resting his fingertips against my temples and massaging gently. With a sigh, I slip my arms around his waist, leaning down slightly. "Have you…felt anything different lately?"

He hums softly, the sound washing over me and I smile. "It's easier to talk with animals now…I thought it was because my powers were getting stronger. I wonder if it could be connected to what we experienced in the Lighthouse."

"Well…Kraden is looking into it so, let's try not to worry about it until he decides to tell us. Once he does, we can let him know what's been going on with our abilities."

"Using Psynergy as a bargaining chip?" Ivan pulls away slowly and I open my eyes, seeing the smile on his face before he turns away, "Are you finished being his student?"

"You can say that. I've been learning on my own…with you, Mary and Gerald for those months, believing in a lie we'd all been told. I don't want anyone to tell me what's what, not anymore. I want to see it for myself."

"Determined as always." He smiles, pushing his bangs back.

I grin, leaning down and picking him up, spinning him around, "You're the one to blame for just how determined I've become." He starts to lean in for a kiss.

"What are you doing?" Jasmine. She stands nearby, an incredulous look on her face as if we just crawled out of the catacombs covered with leeches.

"You have eyes; I'd think it would be obvious." Ivan slides down, resting his hands on my arms and watching Jasmine with a weary stare.

"There are children here. You can't do that sort of thing out in the open."

"As I see it, what we do—out in the open or in private, is none of your business, Jasmine. In a busy town like this, I'm sure there are hundreds of people you could pester. Sounds like you have a full day ahead of you; you probably want to get started on that right away." Ivan grabs my hand, pulling me past her. "She has no right to say those things. Such an insufferable woman, I'd feel sorry for her if she didn't act like such a witch."

"Have I told you how amazing you are?" I chuckle, pulling him into an alley and pushing him against the wall. He glances around, blinking, taking a moment to make the connection of when we'd gotten here.

He colors a little, "Not today, anyway…"

I lean down, pressing my forehead to his, "Just ignore her. The more we pay attention to her, the more she'll keep sticking her nose in our business. We can leave tomorrow, get back on the road and head north. We'll go to Contigo and spend some time with your sister. You can get to know her properly."

"Robin…always trying to please people." He smiles, clutching at my tunic and nodding, "Yeah, let's go…Mary and Gerald too, it wouldn't be an adventure without them."

"No, it wouldn't."

-TBC-

I wouldn't mind Jasmine if she weren't so...boorish. She's like a female Gerald, without the comic relief.