* Burning Roses. *

* Rating: Pg-13/ R for some points.

Pairings: Oh, lovely, we've got ourselves a triangle. Noooo, wait, it's better then that. It's a freaking rectangle!

Disclaimer: ::Screams at the lawyers rude words then flips them the bird.:: God, I hate those guys. I still don't own anything…..dernit. And I had the legal documents to prove I owned it too. Wonder what happened to them. :: We see a fire burning somewhere with an idiot pouring all of Silver's portfolio into it. The portfolio holds everything of relative value to Silver. Said person remains clueless. Psychic abilities will kick in soon enough. Then there will be hell for afore mentioned idiot.::

Summary: Well, I figured out a way to cheat and get this chapter up. That is if this works. If you're reading this, then yup, it worked. Yay! PARTY. Which can be said paatii, in Japanese. Which also sounds like potty, but then again, that may be a matter of opinion. But I think you'll agree with me.

Righty. So, anyone ready for your whenever dose of insanity? Yes, no, maybe, kinda, get the hell outa my face, Hai?

Come on. Give me a "HELL YEAH!!"

See, I'm here to liven up the average drab, boring as heaven day and give y'all a good laugh. Also, because it provides me with something to do when I am locked in my padded room hugging my self. I've learned to use my toes to type. Kudos to me, eh?

Oh, I'm most definitely insane. I'm also known as Psychopath to my friends. But, it's all good. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Don't we all just love my sense of humor, loopy as it is. It's fun, makes life worth living. Not to mention it gets me great friends. Look at all you guys. :: Sniffle:: It's just so wonderful.

:: Silver runs into the room, and slams the door on the sparkles.:: Er, hehe, that would be off limits. :: Clears throat. Then points to the exit.:: I'll tell you about it later. Much later.

Heh, yeah, why DOES a 24 hour store have locks? And who is she? She who? Why her, what was so great about selling shells by the seashore any way? Oh…. Goody, now that you've gotten me started on that…again, I'll have to get myself a freaking checkup from the neck up. Next thing ya know, I'm running around, starving myself and trying to find any info on –her- and spouting absolute nonsense –not that I don't do that all ready- but, seriously. My mom's gonna think I'm on drugs and she's going to want me to get tested. You know what that means, right? :: Sees stars and faints. Has nightmares ::

Lesse, Duo and           Quatre get it in their heads to do a little scheming match-making. To do this they need just the right amount of lust, love and the final ingredient …Jealousy. Boil, boil, toil and trouble… Why on earth am I talking about witches? Good Lord.

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Chapter Twenty-two.

So. Apparently it was possible for her to walk through the halls of this ancient castle and meet another human. That is if he was a human. He sure didn't act, or look much like he was human, aside from the usual two arms –which she couldn't really see-, and two legs. Hopefully. Maybe he was just floating there.

Wide eyed, Serena tip toed forward, and bent to peer under the cloak to see if he had legs.

Relieved to find that yes, in fact, there were two nicely muscled legs clad in leather, tight leather, and a pair of tanned leather boots she stood up and swallowed her drool.

She looked back at the guy, who had lifted a dark brow at her little escapade. Nice eyes, she thought distantly. Yummy.

Clearing her throat with sudden meekness, she brushed at her blouse self- consciously, and tried to slap on a smile.

Her efforts wilted under his glacial gaze.

"Ahem. Right, and you are?" She tried. And immediately started laughing. Nervously. " Oh! That's right. I should introduce myself. I am Serena Rose blah blah blah… I have no last name. As far as I know my father disowned me. Now. Who are you, if I may demand? And please don't think me rude. I'm not, not really. And does Beast, Trowa…the master of this castle know you're here? Why didn't he tell me? Oh! I'm babbling now aren't I? Damn- I mean…oops. Oh god…"

She clapped a hand over her mouth and blinked at him.

The stranger looked her over closely, "You are not a vampire." It was a statement, not a question.

Naetheless, Serena balked and shook her head vehemently.

"Nomnot." She blurted through her fingers. Then dropped her hand deciding it was futile to try and shut herself up seeing as how it wasn't going to happen.

He just nodded imperceptivity, his eyes raking over her once more. Before he turned and walked into the shadows, then stopped and looked at her over his shoulders as though to say, "Well, get your ass in gear and follow me, you twit." Without actually saying in.

Needless to say, Serena got all huffy over the silent insult to her person and stomped after him with the intent to yell and scream some manners into him via his ears. That method was as good as kicking his ass from here to The Himalayas.

Or kicking his ass up between his shoulder blades. Jerk. A lovely, pretty guy, jerk but a jerk all the same.

Jesus, what she got stuck with….

Jesus, what he got stuck with, Trowa thought on his 'merry' little way back to Serena's room. What the hell was going on around here anyways?

First of all, ever since Serena and Relena, where ever the heck she was, came along things about the castle had all gone to hell in a hand basket, complete with a freaking pink bow. A giant one.

Damn the color pink.

It was cursed. He was certain of it.

Somewhere, wherever the hell 'somewhere was, Duo was watching all that went on in the castle through your typical magic mirror. It was standard for any peeper, not that particular peeper, you gutter minded reader. He was rather proud that he belonged to a very exclusive club of spies. Well, actually, he had been a part of those years ago. Years and YEARS ago. The others were probably all worm fodder now.

Yummy.

Over his shoulder, Quatre watched what transpired as well with wide eyed …something. Duo wasn't quite certain what that something was. But he did have another idea.

"Hey," Duo whispered over his shoulder to the blonde, " You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Quatre scuttled back a bit to eye Duo with something very much akin to stark horror.

"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, then I think you should think again." Quatre replied as steadily as he could under the circumstances.

Those being the two glittering violet eyes currently boring into his own blue orbs. Very scary.

They were going to give him nightmares.

Really, really bad ones. With pink rats.

Clearing his throat, Quatre reached out and casually pushed the eager Duo over backward. Duo squeaked.

"Quit looking at me like that," He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest in a way that clearly said he was pissed off.

Duo lay there stunned. He stared up at the ceiling then slowly started to chuckle. His chuckles quickly escalated into riotous laughter that made big fat tears leak out the corners of his eyes.

Then, as quickly as it came, the laughter fled, leaving Duo gasping.

"Hot dog," he hooted.

Quatre blinked. "What's a hot dog?"

Silence. Blink, " I do not know."

She was going to kill him. She was going to kill him very slowly, and very painfully. No, wait, she was going to torture him to the point of death, nurse him back to health and then she was going to skin him alive. And then she was going to kill him. She was going to kill…

Before her, the dark, spooooooky, figure paused and looked back at her as though sensing her equally dark thoughts.

Seeing this, Serena immediately began whistling a cheerful little ditty while averting her eyes to the ceiling, the floor, the tapestries on the wall (which depicted a blushing maiden in the arms of a dark knight. Serena's eyebrows shot into her hairline at this.)

Anything to maintain her façade. All in the name of innocence.

The man grunted, then continued on. On to where was what she wanted to know.

She was probably questioning his intentions, the dark figure mused to himself. As she should be. It would be highly moronic to just follow a complete stranger, especially one such as he.

However, he felt he knew who this girl was. He wished to confirm his theory. The only way to do that though…was to test her memory…. What was left of it, that is.

" All right, Duo, I give up. What are you planning?" At least that's what Quatre had tried to say. It wasn't working to well because of the gag he was currently trying not to swallow.

As for the rest of him…well, he was tied and bound to the leg of a chair. How he had gotten there was a mystery to him. One he didn't feel like getting a headache over.

Before him, Duo was pacing back and forth, rubbing his hands in the glee typical of an evil villain scheming up his next big plan.

Boil, boil toil and trouble, Quatre thought sourly. Were they all in for hell.

Letting loose a cackle that could shame a witch to perfect skin, if you get that kudos to you, Duo bounced over to stand in front of a very much freaked out blonde and grinned in a way that would most assuredly haunt the poor little fairy to his dying days (which were getting shorter and shorter).

"Here's what we're going to do…" 

The one sided conniving match makers r 'us duo plotted away, merrily. Well, more or less, one was tickled to death about his evil, but perfectly brilliant plan, the other one was just plain scared to death. He was too young for this!! Hell, he was getting gray hair. Dammit.

End Chapter.

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And there you go. A short, but packed chapter. Get ready for another plot twist my dearies, for I feel one coming on.

Har har har.

I have no joke or tips for Japanese. However, I do have advice.

If your computer no longer answers to your threats of, "Do this or I will fling an enormous rock at you," Then I think it's time to throw it out a convenient window and go buy a new one.