Chapter 36: Missing Persons

July 17, XX59

Monsteropolis Museum of Magic and Technology

After his fourth victim, Omega's mind cleared up from that strange hunger. He dropped the female fox to the floor. She wasn't quite dead; he hadn't killed any of the four. He wasn't sure why. Maybe he instinctively knew that the last bit of aura would taste bad. That third one, the human, he had tasted different. Not bad, but different. He preferred the reploids.

There was a fifth guard. He had sensed her, but hadn't found her. He contemplated going after her for a little while. But no. He was no longer hungry and there were more important things to do. Like finding Zero Light.

He knew the child was important. He was supposed to have come to life by killing him after Zero had ritualistically killed or witnessed the killing of two others. He knew that, but it hadn't happened that way. Who did Xenith think he was to bypass Master Wily's will? Or was he right, in that his old masters no longer mattered?

"Omega," a shadow elf called. Three of them had been ordered to follow him. "We should go back to the Palace."

"I'm not going," he told them.

"But Master told us to return," another whined. "Dawn is near."

"I don't care." He left through the main entrance.

The city seemed ablaze in aura. Omega's senses were overpowered for a few seconds. He could thrive here for decades, maybe even forever if he was resourceful. Although his tastes were tempted, he was satisfied for now. He began screening the population to find that one he absolutely needed.

He knew that child, had shared his body for several months. And he knew that he wasn't complete. He only had half his soul and... some strange parasitic partial soul. That parasite was the one who craved blood and aura. And while the power and the pleasure of its habits were intoxicating, he still wasn't whole. Zero had the other half of his soul. Omega was certain of that. He had to find that child, and how convenient that he lived here...

Except that Zero was no longer in Monsteropolis.

Scowling, he kicked the concrete barrier post. It was designed to keep anyone from driving close to the museum and could withstand being run into by a semi-truck. A large chunk of it came off to Omega's kick.

"We have to go," the elves pleaded. "Come back inside."

"Then you go."

Where could he be? He had to be alive. He could have moved away. But how was Omega to find him now? Frustrated, he looked up and saw sunlight on the tops of nearby skyscrapers. What were those silly elves so worried about?

The scent of aura was suddenly gone.

Omega wondered about that. Had he grown used to the scent now? People were still here. That much was apparent by the delivery vehicles that were starting their routes. He looked back up at the golden sunlight, sliding down the skyscrapers as the sun rose. It made him dizzy.

And weak. He looked down at the concrete barrier that he had kicked down just a minute ago. Somehow, he felt like he couldn't even lift the piece that was there. "What's going on?"

Two of the shadow elves grabbed his hair and tugged him back to the museum. The third came in front of his face. "We have to go now! The sun will kill us all."

"I am the Fire Dragon. I can't be killed by the sun."

"You're an undead and you're a shadow. You don't stand a chance against it. Neither do we. Come on, before it reaches the street."

As much as he didn't want to obey the shadows and their Master, he was growing weaker the closer the sun came to street level. Omega consented and ran back inside. "Now what? Most of the guards are unconscious and someone will come to check on them."

"Let's go in the bathroom." The three elves flew that way.

When he entered, he found them in front of the mirror. "Okay, Omega, listen closely. You need to remember this spell."

Another went forward and touched the mirror. "Reflector of the world's sorrows and woes, Reflect me to the Palace of Shadows."

The mirror shifted and displayed a black and white garden. The three elves went inside; Omega followed. It was a picture perfect English rose garden, if the picture were taken with an antique camera. The mirror by his side looked antique enough, and the mansion beyond matched perfectly. It had immense columns, grotesque gargoyles, a lavish entryway... and there was a whiff of that powerful aura that was the first thing he noticed after being awakened. It smelled like it would be more delicious than his first victim's aura, and his power had been delectable.

"I see you almost got caught in the sun," Xenith said as he came into the garden.

"You've ruined me," he growled.

"I've made you more powerful than before. You'll realize this in time. Now, this is your part of Shadow Palace. You can't do anything about it, but the three servants I have given you," he indicated the elves who had followed him all night, "They can adjust things to your tastes. But if you want a major change, you'll have to ask me."

"I will not stay."

"This is the safest place. I'm protecting you."

Omega wished he had his blade back, so he could silence this idiot. Instead, he went to tackle him. "I won't..."

Xenith turned quickly and held his hand up. "Not now!"

His whole body went rigid and his soul felt weakened by the sun again. He felt a strong sense of shame for going against the Shadow Master. But why? It made no sense.

"I see you'll need some discipline."

Omega glared at him. "You may have my obedience somehow, but you'll never have my respect."

For a moment, Xenith looked really stung by that remark. That only made his anger worse. "You'll appreciate my greater power soon. For now, get to bed. The sun seems to have made you stupid." He vanished.

"You shouldn't make Master Xenith mad," one of the elves said, fearful and concerned. "He works to protect and empower us all."

"I'm going to sleep," Omega said, trying to disguise the fact that Xenith had given him a direct order and he had to follow it.

July 17, XX59
Fort Cerise

X and Zero were in the guest room with the door shut. But they could still hear Rock in the other room, arguing over the phone. Zero tried to listen in, but couldn't make out the details. He walked over to X, who was on an IC looking up news. "What'd you find?"

"What I didn't want to," X replied, slumping back in the chair. "The Fire Dragon was taken from the museum last night. All of the night guards are in the hospital."

"Can't you track him down?"

He shook his head. "That would take a seer that is strongest in finding things. I'm strongest in visions, so unless I get a lucky vision of where he is, I have no idea."

"We've got to find the phoenixes somehow and warn them."

"I think they might sense the shift. I hope so. There might be a clue as to where the Dragon might be and who took him. One of the guards was taken to the psychiatric hospital. She might be able to describe the incident. Or if the other four recover..."

Zero shook X's arm. "X... your flaming sword."

"It might be the Dragon or his sword, or it could be symbolic. I don't think it will happen any time soon."

"But..."

"What?"

Zero bit his lip. "Your dad... he's arguing with my mom."

X looked over at him. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I heard him. They know about the Dragon. Mom wants us both home, but your dad wants to keep us here."

They were quiet for a while. Zero took X's hand. X said, "Well, we could..."

Rock came into the room. "Boys? Listen, I'm sorry about this, but your parents want you back home now, Zero. X is staying with me."

It was a painful goodbye, especially since they couldn't do a thing about it. Especially since Rock and Roll never acknowledged each other while X and Zero were trying to find a way to say goodbye. Especially since there was no way a civilian communications line could reach Fort Cerise, except paper letters.

Back in the guest room, X wished he didn't have his third eye. It couldn't even warn him properly that this was going to happen. It had to make everything a riddle where he didn't know the answer's deadline. And when a truly dangerous thing occurred, it only darkened and then went completely out. Now it was seeing again, but everything was so hazy.

And what was he going to do now that Zero was gone? He was still restricted in where he could be here, restricted in what he could do, and restricted in what he could hear. He was with his dad; he could think of times when he thought he would give up anything in order to be with Rock all the time. But to give up his friendship with Zero, that was too much.

He walked into his father's apartment. He wasn't sure what to do. There was always arguing, but that was pointless at this time. And it would only make things worse. He knew that was truth when he found Rock sobbing in the bathroom.

Feeling timid and uncertain, X stepped in silently. He stood for a few moments before sitting next to him. "Dad?"

"He's stolen my sister and my home now," Rock said. "I can't believe it. I've sacrificed so much for the safety of everyone and this is what I get?"

X sat by him, thinking that the Fire Dragon had only been awake a few hours, but had already ruined things.

Light residence, Monsteropolis

For the first time in a really long while, Zero felt afraid. He got in trouble for actually fighting with Equinox, who had greeted him by asking where X was. He felt mad at this cousin, who he was supposed to pretend was his brother. It seemed stupid now; everyone knew Equinox wasn't Zero's brother, but it had to be that way. X was supposed to be with Zero, always, but now they couldn't be together.

And the Fire Dragon was back. Not in his body, but Zero still felt fearful of flames surrounding his body again. He felt afraid of hearing that voice in his head. Any unexplained noise made him more nervous. He doubted that even Fort Cerise could protect him, but at least that's where X was.

His parents tried to reassure him, but they made him angry too. When he thought of the Fire Dragon, he wanted to know where they were and wanted to know that they were looking out for him. When he thought of X, he wanted to run away from them, or at least yell at them. He did yell at his mother once, but then burst into tears, hugged her, and begged her to forgive him. But then Solstice started crying because she was hungry. Zero got mad at his sister and his mother, and ran off to find his father.

Overall, this day was horrible.

Late at night, he couldn't sleep. He walked around the large house, winding up in X's room. Many of his things were still here; the room at Cerise was small and the Patrol limited what anyone could have there. Zero sat in the chair that X used to read in all the time. If he couldn't be found, this was the first place to look. But not now.

I wish X was here, Zero thought. I wish, I wish, I wish. But aimless wishes were fruitless.

"Zero?"

He sat up. It sounded like X's voice. Only, he wasn't quite hearing it. "X?" he spoke softly, afraid that he was just imagining things.

"It's me." Zero felt a sense of relief, both from himself, and somehow from X. "I'm glad this worked."

"What are you... we doing?"

"My dad's been very upset about arguing with your mom. But I managed to get him to teach me how to forge telepathic links. And it was very easy, I suppose because the way we've been connected before."

"So now we can talk to each other whenever, wherever?"

"Yes," but this was faint. Zero felt like X's spirit was losing contact. He wasn't as good with aura manipulation, so he just wished hard again to hear him. "Once we get used to this, I mean. This is really draining me."

"It should get better with practice. Go to sleep. I can sleep now."

"Okay." Zero felt like X was laughing with relief. "We will prove stronger than any Dragon's power..."

July 18, XX59
Shadow Palace

The main thing Omega wanted to change about his new home was the color. No black and white only; real vivid colors were preferred. The elves were quite happy to do so, although sometimes their coloring enthusiasm had to be curbed. Like when one wanted to paint the grand ballroom neon pink.

"What are your names anyhow?" he asked the three.

"We dunno," the pink obsessed one said.

"We don't have names," said the second.

"You can name us," the third said with enthusiasm.

"Yeah, give us good names!"

"All right." He thought about it. At least he got to name them, as opposed to letting Xenith do so. "What sort of names do you want?"

"Nice shadowy ones," the second said. The other two giggled.

"Then you are Lilith."

The one who loved pink giggled. "Kay."

He looked at the other giggler, who was also somewhat girly. "And you're Astra."

"Oo, pretty."

And the last, who had proven himself quite masculine when he insisted on painting all the gargoyles and paintings so they'd be ominous looking. "And you would be Memnock."

"I like that one."

"Astra, you paint the ballroom. Lilith can take care of the garden."

"And I get the gargoyles!" Memnock claimed.

"Right, you get gargoyles and the outer walls. Go on."

The three elves flew off to their jobs. Omega was getting tired of listening to them anyways. They kept telling him to not fight with Master Xenith. They said he was the greatest shadow of them all, so he had to be respected. More like the shadows were forced to respect the master, no matter how undeserving he was. These three were enthusiastic about serving Omega as a master, but when it came down to it, who would they chose? Probably Xenith.

He left the ballroom for the music room. There was a mute shadow in there who played all the instruments. It was playing a grand piano now. Omega sat on a couch that had been painted velvet red. It was luxuriously soft and warm, and it wasn't long before he decided on lying on the couch instead of sitting.

For a little while, he thought of Zero Light. Being in his body had not been pleasant. He had been restricted in his senses there, only feeling cold and dark. He would wrap himself in fire from time to time to stay warm, but that always made the child so nervous. Not wanting to draw more attention than necessary, he had to leave the child in peace most often.

After being evicted by the strange white fire, Omega had gone into limbo. That had been a nasty place. It was even colder, and darker. And there were unpleasant things in limbo. He wasn't sure what, but it was awful to run into. All oily and prickly, and disgusting. To be in his own body now, able to feel the sensual pleasures of life... this was paradise to what he'd been through.

Still, he couldn't see himself giving into Xenith's power just for this luxury. The Shadow Master had just entered his domain; Omega could feel it. Perhaps he could overthrow him. Then he could make this place exactly into what he wanted. Encouraged by this thought, Omega got up and began to hunt Xenith.

It was a simple task. He tracked the Master's aura to the garden outside, a black and white area that Lilith had yet to reach. He was alone, sitting on a bench reading a large book. Omega crept up behind him, not making a sound. When he felt he was in range of Xenith's hearing, he dashed forward to strike with a paralysis spell. The entire attack took less than a second.

But Xenith vanished from the bench. He reappeared ten yards from Omega, facing him. "So you want proof of my authority."

"You have none." Lacking his normal blade, he summoned one of pure fire. He dashed forward and should have impaled Xenith.

Instead, Xenith got around him, summoned a similar blade of shadow, and struck Omega in the back. Scowling, Omega faced him and clashed blades. He used all the skills Master Wily had given him as instinct. The parasitic soul helped too, letting him see vital nerve connections in Xenith's body and how his blood flowed. It should have been a cakewalk.

Instead, Xenith blocked everything Omega threw at him. His movements seemed unnaturally fluid, as if he had sped up, or slowed Omega down. And he had no problem hitting the vampire. Omega's wounds did heal up almost the instant they were made, but doing so used up aura. Since he could not produce aura himself, he grew a hunger for blood.

Xenith did not once bleed.

Finally, Omega decided the end the fight with a Flame Breath attack. He blasted it right at Xenith; this flame was so hot that it was invisible. The spell incinerated the rose bushes behind the Shadow Master, as well as a marble bench and the garden path tiles. But Xenith himself was unharmed. He retaliated with Shadow Strike: a black razor thin (and sharp) energy field passed right through Omega's body, causing him serious damage.

He felt as starved as he did when he woke up. He could taste Xenith's soul just by the scent. This sent his mind spiraling into pure instinct where the vampire's soul took over. Omega struck again, this time with a nameless spell made up of two potent spells from both of his half-souls. There was a blinding light, but no noise. Then there was silence and dust. Very fine dust, choking the air. Everything was gone.

Except Xenith's scent. The dust cleared from around the two. Xenith was still untouched.

"Eek!" an elf cried out nearby. "What happened to my lovely garden?"

Xenith snapped his fingers. The garden and the mansion appeared exactly as it had before Omega's last spell. Then he cast Shadow Cure on the vampire. Most curative spells harmed the undead and the shadows. This one harmed most beings and healed undead and shadows. It even restored most of Omega's stored aura; he still felt hunger, but not enough to drive him berserk.

Xenith smiled smugly.

Omega got up. "What was that for? If you could satisfy my aura hunger like that, why did you make me hunt last night?"

"I'm not going to baby you," Xenith said coldly. "Why would I keep a Predator around if I'm going to feed him myself? Honestly, did you want to be a pet?"

"No." And he rather liked hunting. "I suppose you are stronger."

"Then you will give your loyalty to me and me alone?"

Until I find a way to defeat you. "Yes. I accept you as my master, Xenith."

"Good." Xenith smiled broadly, pleased by this. "I'll let you be for now, so that when I need your powers, you'll know them. But any time you need me, send one of your elves to fetch me. I can help you with anything. But I do advise that you be careful when seeking out Zero Light. He is being trained to defeat us, so we cannot take him lightly. Him or his cousin, X."

"I'll keep that in mind."

August 26, XX59
Monsteropolis Museum of Magic and Technology

The break room where the night guards were gathering before shift start was uneasy. Three who had been through the attack forty nights ago, Valiant, Shabrengo, and Luxor, were back on duty. They had needed transfusions and two weeks bed rest, but were fine now. Turquoise had gone back to day shift. And Clarence was dead.

Nobody was sure why, but the reploids harmed that night were able to recover. The one human had grown violently ill. Clarence had been in the hospital ever since the attack; he had died only hours ago. Rumor had it that his internal organs had turned to mush.

There was already a makeshift memorial on the corkboard, which had pictures of Clarence and his family. Talk had gone around about putting together a fund to help his wife and kids through this. Understandably, the three who had been attacked with him were taking this hard.

"Mia, would you mind being in the central station tonight?" Valiant asked. "I'm not up to it right now."

"No problem, Val. You sure you don't want to go home, Brennie? You look kinda sick yourself."

He shook his head. "It's nothing I can't deal with. I'll be fine."

"Who wouldn't feel sick upon hearing how he died?" Luxor said. "I hope that the Patrol or the Guard manages to find that monster."

"That'll be a challenge," Brennie replied. "All the tapes got blacked out and Turquoise still breaks into nervous habits on being asked what she saw."

"And all I remember is being attacked by some wild creature," Valiant said.

Brennie remembered the wild blue eyes and shuddered. But anything else was a complete haze.

"So you have no idea where this knife is?" Shabrengo looked sternly at the ghost he was speaking to.

Red-handed Andy replied, "Nope. Not a clue." He had been a thief in life and had died trying to steal a volatile crystal from the museum. It exploded and gave him an agonizing death. He still took stuff, but usually put his prizes somewhere else in the building.

"Any idea who else might have..." Brennie stopped as the hall seemed to spin. His stomach felt sick and his head hurt something awful.

Andy floated closer to him. "Shabrengo? Your soul feels corrupted."

"My soul... is corrupted?"

"You sit here. I'll go get one of the living." Andy flew off through a wall.

He sat on the floor and curled his tail around himself for comfort. If a thieving poltergeist like Andy was seriously concerned, something was dead wrong. But what? Did it have to do with how Clarence died?

Not that it mattered. It was better to be dead than alive.

The thought struck Shabrengo, seemingly from nowhere. Yet it was true. The dead never had to worry about petty things the living had to deal with every day. They could do whatever they wanted, provided they managed to stay in the first place. And they invariably proved wiser than the living, perhaps because they knew what mistakes in life could ruin one. It made him realize that he preferred the company of the dead because they were better than the living. Valiant proved that, really, because she still wouldn't accept Brennie as a boyfriend when he'd given her every reason to love him.

The living should be ruled by the dead. This afternoon, he would have dismissed the thought as crazy. Now it made perfect sense. And he knew exactly the person who would best lead the dead: the reploid with the wild blue eyes. His name was Omega, and he was the one.

Shabrengo stood up again. He felt weak with a strange hunger, but the other pains had passed. As he did, Andy passed back through the walls again, and Valiant came through a door. "Brennie, Andy says you've been corrupted. What's he talking about?"

The ghost went, not to Brennie, but to Val. "Back off... that's not Brennie."

"I'm warning you," he told Andy. "If you don't give into your masters and betters, you will suffer worse than in what that crystal did to you."

Valiant looked suspiciously at her coworker. "What's going on? Why are you..."

She never got to finish, because he attacked her. He didn't leave her almost dead; he left her dead. By then, Andy must have warned Mia, because the security alarms were blaring. Following knowledge he'd not really learned, he went to the nearest bathroom, found a mirror, and recited, "Reflector of the world's sorrows and woes, Reflect me to the Palace of Shadows."

In Shadow Palace, the rose garden was now filled with bright and pretty colors. Shabrengo watched the mirror for a moment, as the museum faded from view. With his old life completely gone, he searched out Omega. He knew his master's aura. It was engraved upon his memory. So he wasted no time in walking across the garden.

Omega appeared on the path, poised with a runic blade ready to strike. The blade was black with ghostly orange flames slithering up it. And his armor was something amazing. It was like nothing Shabrengo had ever seen, even working in a museum. It was encrusted with gems. Primarily rubies and diamonds, but highlights of yellow, black, and white were around. And his hair was different than he remembered. It was glossier, rather like spun gold.

Shabrengo felt it appropriate to kneel. At this, Omega shut off his blade and considered him curiously. "You are like me."

"Master Omega, my name is Shabrengo. I am here to serve you."

A shadow elf with Omega buzzed like a hornet.

"I'm not sure what is going on." Omega walked up to Shabrengo and pulled him up. "But you are welcome to my home."

October 28, XX59
Fort Hope

Xenophon landed on the ring of the image caster Neko was using. "What're you doing?"

"Looking for something to do."

He walked around and noticed the mission set. "Already? We've only had a two day rest."

Neko shrugged. "What else is there to do?"

"We could go visit the Guises. Angel will be four years old soon and we haven't seen them since she was a baby."

"Except that Star has just about realized his problem. It's better for him that I stay away until he does."

"What about Kiito?"

"He's in the middle of training. I hear he's gotten a reputation for being the drill instructor from hell."

Xenophon laughed at that. "And he's so nice when you meet him otherwise. What about the Lights?"

"The only ones we really know are our mirrors. It would be a little strange for us to just drop in on them."

"I guess. What about Alouette?"

"Busy being a professor at that magic school."

"Have you stopped being mad at Laguna for marrying Ciel so we can visit them?"

"I am not mad. I just don't think it was a good match."

"Fine." He knew better than to argue that. "But we just spent a month chasing down that goblin band, minus our stuff for three weeks of that time. And before that, we were launching satellites in the most forsaken places. Or clearing rails in even worse conditions. I was hoping for at least a week's rest."

"It needed to be done."

Xenophon lay down on the caster ring. "I'd ask why you don't want to just be still and quiet for a time, but I know you better. I think you've been avoiding thinking too deeply."

The corner of Neko's mouth smiled, but it was shortly lost. "I'm not the thinker. You are."

At that moment, the IC squeaked, indicating an incoming voice transmission.

"I thought nobody knew we were here."

"Someone does. Either that, or it's a wrong number." Neko put the transmission through. "This is Master Blade Neko Bandolier. Who is this?"

"Master Wizard Rock Light. I need to speak with you."

Neko sat straighter at this. He was currently a freelancer in the Field Patrol, not specifically assigned to any unit. That meant he never took orders from anyone. Except, rare case that it was, from Rock or Blues. "Go ahead."

"We have a serious situation in development, coupled with a lack of information. I need an investigation into Shadow Palace as soon as possible and you have the best access and skills for this mission."

He nodded. He had the master keys to the Palace still. "All right. I'll head out shortly."

"Not immediately," Rock warned. "It's too close to Halloween."

"Halloween?"

"Yes. There are two main problems. One: there is evidence that the Master of Shadow Palace is growing stronger. Two: the Fire Dragon has been activated and there is a viable theory that he is undead."

"Therefore, we don't want to encounter him on the Day of the Dead, or its eve."

"Right. Also, do not attempt to engage the Shadow Master in battle inside the Palace itself. Under those conditions, no matter what his power, he will be invincible. History has always shown this to be true."

"I see. So my elf and I need to get within the Palace, observe how things are there, and report back ASAP."

"Correct. If it is feasible, try to obtain a hair from the Fire Dragon so it may be tested. He is using the body of Zero Wily from the Monsteropolis Museum."

Neko almost flinched at the mention of his old name, but only Xenophon noticed. "We will try."

"Report back to me at Fort Cerise when you get back. I wish you the best of luck in this investigation." Then Rock smiled slightly. "And my son wants me to tell you to be very careful on this mission."

They exchanged goodbyes. Neko waited for the official mission notice to be sent to him, then signed it. "It looks like we have a few days more to rest and get ready. It shouldn't be too bad."

Xenophon sat up. "But X told us to be very careful. Somehow, that worries me."

"He's just a kid. Probably still paranoid despite the lifting of the curse. We'll be fine."

November XX59
Shadow Palace

"There's one of them."

Neko kept low, under a line of rose bushes. "That must be the most expensive piece of armor I've ever seen. The gaudiest too."

Xenophon's aura blipped as he laughed silently. "It's probably not real. It's a common elf trick to turn an ordinary rock into a jewel by illusion."

"What do you observe?"

"I can't tell much from here. We'll have to get closer."

With the elf looking out for shadow denizens, they moved into the mansion within Shadow Palace. It was a marvel of a building; even knowing that these were mere shadows, Neko was impressed with the image of power it created. There was a definite feel that one could only live here if one deserved it.

Inside one of the halls, Neko discovered an alcove hidden behind a tapestry. He went inside and waited patiently. He couldn't be sure how long he waited. Time didn't flow the same in this place.

But his patience paid off. The Fire Dragon did not walk by, but a white fox reploid did. With his limited magic sense, Neko could only tell this reploid was a creature of shadow and fire. There was something odd about him, but Neko couldn't put a finger on what. When the fox was gone, Neko looked at Xenophon. "Well?"

His aura pulsed quicker than usual. "We have to leave, immediately. That was a vampire."

"A vampire? But I felt fire, and I thought vampires were killed by fire."

"That can only mean that the Fire Dragon is also a vampire, thus his followers are protected from fire. Come. They could kill you easily."

"I trust your judgment." Neko left the alcove and began to search for keyholes.

But it was a frustrating search. The front door had been protected by a lock spell. No inner doors seemed to be secured. If they were, it was like the front door, by enchantment. They finally came across a keyhole in a glass door to a balcony.

Neko put in the gold key and whispered, "Send us to Fort Cerise."

The keyhole did not glow. The door refused to budge.

He pulled out the key and the door opened to the balcony. "What gives?"

"I think it's because this is a glass door. Let's keep looking."

The search went on. Neko was about to suggest that they leave the mansion and find the door out of the garden. But then his danger senses put his battle systems on alert...

He heard a clamping sound and turned to see two shadow elves seal Xenophon inside a canning jar. Just beyond the elves, he spotted the fox reploid and the Fire Dragon. Neko went to draw Zetsabre and attack, but the two vampires hit him simultaneously with paralysis spells. Normally, Xenophon canceled those out for him. He couldn't do so in a jar with a lead seal.

The two were kneeling by Neko shortly. "I told you I felt a delicious aura here, Master Omega."

The lustful and hungry look on Omega's face made Neko feel sharply uncomfortable. "Very good. His aura is ancient and powerful. It could cling to life for a long time."

"Could I take him?"

"No. I've read something that I want to try, and he seems like a perfect candidate."

One of the shadow elves buzzed, followed by a screechy laughter from the second.

"Play with him all you want," Omega said. Then he thought of something and looked suspiciously at them. "Where's Astra?"

The elf said something that made him nervous.

"What is it?" the fox asked.

Omega clenched Neko's hand with surprising strength, enough to actually hurt him. While the fox put another paralysis spell over him, the master said, "You're not taking him."

Puzzled, Neko looked where Omega was looking. A door that had previously been blank now had a doorknob and a keyhole. It opened, allowing the Shadow Master and two elves in. Xenith looked over Neko and Xenophon, then said, "Play with them all you want. But give me the keys in his pocket."

"The keys?"

Xenith scowled. It looked ridiculous to Neko, like a toddler throwing a tantrum. "Give them to me."

But the tone made both vampires flinch. Omega searched Neko's pockets, eventually pulling out the master keys. He threw them over to Xenith. "There."

He looked over the gold key, the silver key, and the bone key, and smiled. He pulled off the gold and bone key, then pulled out a necklace that had been under his armor. On it were an identical silver key and a black key. He put the other two on, then tossed Omega the single silver key. "That will get you anywhere inside Shadow Palace that you want, provided there's a keyhole entry." Then he turned to one of the shadow elves. "Thank you, Astra. This is a great boon to us all. Every shadow thanks you."

Astra grew brighter and made an awful screeching sound.

Neko felt alarmed. Without the keys, his mind and soul were unprotected from Shadow Palace's magic. And with them, Xenith now had full and free access to the outer world. Neither fact could mean anything good.

December, XX60

-from the journal of Roll

I used to worry that my situation would force me to choose between my brothers and Forte. I didn't want to hurt anyone so I kept quiet. But maybe that caused things to turn so bad. I don't know. Would it have come out worse if I had told my family the truth long ago? I might have been disowned back then.

For a little while, it seemed everything was going to work out after all. No matter how he might downplay it, X was brilliant in solving the curse of winter. And the friendship between him and my son Zero seemed to have made things okay. Rock and Blues were accepting Forte for some time and didn't harass him much when we got married.

But then last year, something happened and now both of my brothers have rejected me. I've tried to figure out why and I'm not sure. Does it have to do with my son resembling that last reploid of Master Wily? Or is there some threat to X that gives them no reason to come here? I am afraid of that. It always seemed like, when they did come home, it was mostly to visit him.

Rock once told me that I ruined the memory of those that only he and Blues seemed to remember. He was openly angry at the time, as was I, so I didn't ask what he meant. But I keep wondering that. What did he mean by those that only they remembered? And what else did I do wrong that makes them angry with me? Blues told me that, that it wasn't just me being with Forte that was wrong. But when I asked him what was wrong, he just got frustrated and walked off. I think he was feeling hurt too, although it's harder to tell with him. But what else did I do to hurt them?

They're my brothers and I love them, but I'm also somewhat mad at them too still. I don't want to be, but when they won't tell me what's wrong, I can't help it. And they keep X away from us too.

That really still affects Zero, I'm sure. He does a wonderful job of being the oldest child in the house now, being a good example to his sister and brother as well as sticking up for them. And I can tell that he truly appreciates me and Forte, being able to remember a time when he had no adult to care for him. Still, he misses X deeply. I've noticed that he does have nightmares from time to time, but he rarely comes to us for it. Instead, I usually find him sleeping in X's room instead. Apparently the boys can talk telepathically with each other, but there are times when that isn't enough.

And I've noticed that Equinox feels the same way. He's usually the one to ask if X will be coming home any time soon. And sometimes he gets into arguments over Zero with that. It's odd, but mentioning X seems to make things tense for them even though they both want to see him again. Otherwise, he's not much trouble. Just a dirt magnet and on the sloppy side (especially with his room). Solstice doesn't remember seeing X at all, of course, but even she's come to like him in talking with him over the phone.

I just wish they could get attached to their uncles as well.

December, XX60

-from the journal of Rock

X and I were looking over his class courses from WUST for next semester. Thankfully, all the ones he was interested in were available online. He's got more than enough credit hours to graduate in his chosen degrees this spring, so he was picking optional and more in-depth classes to follow. But we will be going to Monsteropolis for his graduation, then.

I'm not sure how to handle that, though. I want it to be a happy time for him and I know he'll want to visit his cousins. But it's not going to be pleasant to meet with Forte and Roll again. I wouldn't want to argue with them for X's sake, but then to remember the mess that happened fifty years ago when they must have first met and connected, that still hurts. A number of good people, and some close allies of mine, died while we were searching fruitlessly for her. And while one of them must have seduced the other. I'm not sure if I'd be angrier to learn who it was, but the thought we made sacrifices for nothing still makes me feel betrayed, all this time later.

Sometimes I wonder why I can't seem to have a normal relationship with a woman. One died at the hands of my enemy, another was my enemy in disguise, and my own sister was sleeping with the enemy. And then there are times when I can tell one is trying to get attached to me because I'm a famous hero. I really don't like those women.

It's gotten to worry me, though, about how that will affect X. Now that he's been with me constantly for a year and a half, I can see that wants to have some kind of mother figure around even if he says he's okay with just me. The personnel of Fort Cerise changes often and he acts timid around any unknown women. But he does watch them until he spots one he thinks he can trust and then he starts to hang around her. If she brushes him off, he gets upset, but not visibly and not when he's outside our apartment.

If she does tolerate him, X wavers between keeping her as a 'friend' and still watching to see if he can trust her. A couple of them have noticed and confronted me about this. I'm never quite sure how to respond to it. I want to tell them to be kind to him and accept his attention even with how strange he can seem. But these women also work for me, sometimes even under my direct orders, and I can't really make that request of them.

And they generally don't stick around, due to squads being moved around. That makes him sad, although X rarely shows this. In that way, I suppose he is like me. I wish it wasn't that way.

What I really wish is that Zero had some other mother so I could have left X in a better home situation. I might have even accepted Roll and Forte falling in love now. But back then, when things were different, it's not right. I just can't forget my fallen friends.

December 14, XX60
Light residence, Monsteropolis

Equinox went in his closet, cautious. He wore an antenna headband. This allowed his com unit to make long distance calls. He also wore a bandage on his right hand. "Are you sure they're not gonna attack me again?"

"It's day time," X replied. "They won't be awake. You're looking for their nest. It will be like a paper wasp's nest and is probably in an upper corner." He had been given some access to the communication lines, but was restricted to certain times and numbers.

Leaning in and looking up, he spotted a mass on the underside of the upper shelf. "I see it. It's grayish blue and has three holes. Pencil sized holes."

"Then that's the Night Puff nest. Are you ready?"

"I guess so."

"Okay, first you need to spray the nest with the perfume. It'll make certain that they won't wake up.

"Right." He took the bottle he'd gotten from his mom and sprayed the nest a few times. His closet smelled instantly like lilacs. It made him sneeze.

"I think you overdid it," X said.

Equinox put his hand over his nose. "Man, now my closet will smell like flowers for days."

"If Zero makes fun of you, just tell me."

"Okay. Now what?"

"Put the peanut butter over the holes." X waited. "Now carefully pull the nest off the wall. Use the knife if you need to."

With some encouragement from X over the com line, Equinox got the nest off the wall and into an insect cage. He locked it in. "There."

"Good. Give it to your dad; he should be able to take care of them."

"Thanks a lot. Can I trade my brother and sister for you?"

X laughed. "I'm your cousin. That's good enough."

"No it's not. I don't ever get to see you. Are you coming home for Christmas?

"Afraid not. I'd love to, but you know. My dad won't come."

Equinox went over to the door and peered into the hall. There seemed to be no one around, but he shut his door anyhow. "But you'll be ten in a couple of months. Will you come home next year, when you're an adult?

"Maybe. I'll see how things work out."

"Can I come visit you?"

"You know the answer to that. The only civilian that can come visit me is my teacher, Lulani."

"That stinks."

"I know. It isn't fair, but that's how things are."

"I guess." He paused, then added, "X, can I tell you something secret?"

'Sure. I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to."

"Good. Well, you know my slingshot?" He glanced over at where it was, on his dresser.

"The one your dad gave to you for your last birthday? Is Roll still making a fuss about how you shouldn't have it?"

Equinox went over and picked the weapon up. It was white with red-violet bands. "We finally convinced her to let me keep it because Zero has Dusty Blade and I promised not to hurt anybody with it."

"That's good."

"Yeah, but now that I have it all the time, strange things have been happening."

"Strange?"

"It's not really obvious stuff, not stuff other people will notice. But I notice. It makes me feel like I'm living with strangers."

"Your slingshot makes you feel that?"

"I only ever feel that way when I'm holding it. Not all the time, just sometimes. I even feel like I don't recognize my parents."

"Huh. That is strange."

"Oh, but there's one person that doesn't seem like a stranger and feels more real than everyone else."

"Who's that?"

"The man from my dreams."

"Ah, him." X knew about him. Equinox had told only a few people about the man who lived only in his dreams. His parents thought the man was just a reoccurring dream image. But X treated him like a real person, which was how Equinox thought of him.

The man looked sort of like Forte, but not quite. His hair was lighter, lavender like Equinox's hair. He was a warrior who liked bombs and spellbows. Which was peculiar because Equinox didn't know anybody who used a spellbow often.

"Equinox?"

"Oh, sorry X." He turned the slingshot around. "I just spaced out for a moment."

"That's okay."

"I even heard him. It was just a few days ago, when I was shooting at plastic bottles."

"Really? What did he say?"

"He said that I had to be the best I could be. That was it, but it won't leave me. At first I thought it was my dad, but dad wasn't anywhere around, and it didn't even sound like him."

"Hmm."

"What is it about my slingshot that's making me experience these weird things?"

"When you say you feel like a stranger... do you feel unloved at all?"

"No, nothing like that. It's like being in the mall where you don't know who everyone is, but you're fairly sure no one means you harm."

"Okay. If it's just that, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just ignore the feeling and it should go away on its own. However, I do think the man from your dreams is linked to your slingshot."

"That's great. But how is that? I've always dreamed of him, but I only just got this."

"I think the man is a real spirit that's watching over you. A spellbow and a mystic slingshot are similar weapons." X paused. "I'm not sure why, but he seems to be protecting you. I'll consult the Tarot this evening and talk to you tomorrow."

"I know he's a good person. Can you find out who he is?"

"I'll try. Probably the most important thing is that if he's talking to you, you should listen. If he wishes to advise you, then it's probably wisest to follow his words."

"Oh I will, if he wants to tell me anything. Do you think he's trying to talk to me?"

"It could be."

"Can you teach me how to talk to him?"

"I don't know how to talk to a spirit like that myself. I'll ask Lulani. I won't say it's for you, but I'll find out."

"That would be great. I really do wish you were my brother instead."

"Zero's a good brother."

"But he beats me at wrestling every time. I don't get it. I'm bigger than he is, but he manages to defeat me." Then he laughed. "You wouldn't even fight me, would you?"

"Are you so sure about that?" X asked slyly. Then they both laughed.

Just so you know, I came up with the vampiric Omega and his sparkly bejeweled armor way before I knew anything about Edward Cullen.