(singing in an off tune voice)
Arson: ARGH! (covers his ears) MAKE ME DEAF!!!

Xyphos: (hugs Arson) There does that make you feel better?
Arson: (grins) maybe?

Dawn: I think Busta wants you to say something

Rayne: (waves hand in the air) Oh! Oh! I'll do it! I'll do it! (clears his throat) Arson, me, Dawn, Orissa, Cypher and all the demons belong to Busta and nobody else!

Xyphos: So what about me?

Rayne: (throws her across to Vampy Sparda) Does that answer your question?

Arson: (starts to whine) Hurry u-u-u-up!!! I wanna go home!

Chapter 17

            Dawn and Rayne finally emerged out of the portal. Dawn landed neatly on her feet, watching in amusement as Rayne, ever the clown, landed on his rear. He got up ruefully and dusted himself off.

            'Can you sense him?' he asked after a while. Dawn closed her eyes and concentrated. It was ever so faint, but Arson's scent hung in the air. She began to walk forwards, her eyes still closed as she focussed. Her foot crunched against something and her eyes snapped open and she looked down.

            A charred, blackened skeleton looked up at her, with its eyeless sockets. Dawn screamed with revulsion and jumped backwards, into Rayne's arms. She turned around and nuzzled against Rayne without thinking. Tears trickled down her face as she trembled with shock. Rayne looked unsure as to what to do but then at last, decided to put his arms around her and hug her close. Dawn's sobbing gradually subsided to sniffles. She suddenly realized what she was doing and pulled away, startled, her face growing hot.

            Rayne chose not to look at her face but instead fixed his eyes upon the skeleton.

            'Arson did this,' he said at last, his voice soft as though deep in thought. Dawn looked at him in surprise.

            'How do you know?'

            'He left an energy trace here. Dawn come here for a second. Can you tell who this was?' Dawn obeyed, despite shaking with fear. She suddenly gasped.

            'Orissa!' she yelped. Rayne looked at her piercingly, his red eyes like fire.

            'Well?'

            'Orissa is Mundus' daughter. Or she was. She's very strong and she can play and manipulate your mind with ease. No one has ever been able to defeat her,' she explained. Rayne simply shrugged.

            'Like I always say, Arson's got more strength then you think.'

            'He must do. He is a part of a prophecy after all.' Rayne grinned.

            'What's my role?'

            'You don't have one.'

            'Oh…so why am I here then?' Dawn shrugged.

            'Just…'

            'Just what?' Dawn unexpectedly turned red.

            'Nothing.' Rayne looked at her curiously but then shrugged. Dawn's face regained her natural pale colour, before she shuddered slightly and walked down the corridor. Rayne sighed and then walked after her, thinking that Dawn was so full of secrets.

            The two walked on in silence, each in their own thoughts. Dawn suddenly paused and frowned.

            'He's in trouble. He keeps fading in and out.' Rayne shrugged.

            'He's fighting then.'

            'Yes…but against who? This scent is something I have never come across before.'

            'Meaning?'

            'Meaning that it feels as if two people are mixed in one.' Rayne frowned.

            'That's impossible though, isn't it?' Dawn shook her head.

            'I don't know. But I believe that anything is possible. Especially after I found out what I am.' Rayne leant against a wall just then, smiling. He winced as his arm hit a sharp stone.

            'You know what one person told me about that word, impossible?'

            'No…what?'

            'Impossible is just a combination of two words. I'm and possible. I'm possible.' Dawn gave him a withering glance.

            'That's stupid.'

            'Maybe so…but it gives me some comfort.'

            'Comfort?' Rayne said nothing. Dawn looked at him. 'What d'you mean?' Rayne moved his arm so then he was no longer being hurt. However, the wall behind him collapsed and sent him falling backwards. He gripped at Dawn's arm, dragging her in with him.

            The two fell on loose rock, half of which crumbled to powder under their weight. Rayne fell heavily onto his back, Dawn landing on his chest and stomach. Rayne shifted painfully, while Dawn lay across his body.

            'Argh…' he hissed. 'Damn that hurt!' Dawn slowly raised her head and grinned dazedly at Rayne.  She pounded playfully against his chest.

            'You're pretty strong yourself aren't you?' she giggled. Rayne looked up at her, surprised that she had said something even close to a compliment. Dawn sat up but did not get off the vampire hybrid. She continued to smile down at him. Rayne shifted again.

            'Could you get off me?'    

            'Why would I want to do that?' Rayne's eyes widened.

            'Dawn?' Dawn suddenly blushed.

            'Rayne…I have to tell you something. About why you're on this mission with us. It's because I…' Dawn broke off and lowered her eyes sheepishly. Rayne knew better then to interrupt. 'It's because I…I didn't want to…I didn't want to leave you behind.' Rayne shrugged.

            'It doesn't make a difference to me in any way.'

            'Well it does to me.' Dawn swallowed hard. 'I tried to be as crushing to you as possible ever since we first met. But I can't deny it any longer!' She started to cry. Rayne somehow managed to sit up, so then Dawn was sitting in his lap. He hugged her closer but remained silent. At last, even though he could think of nothing to say, he swallowed hard.

            'Dawn…' he whispered. Dawn wept in his arms. Rayne gently began to nuzzle her, wanting to show her that there was no need for tears. At last, she quietened. She pulled away, looking into his face almost in embarrassment.

            'Rayne…I'm…I'm sorry.'

            'It's okay. I know. I understand.'

            'But you don't!' she cried.

            'Believe me, I do!' he whispered. He hugged her tighter, taking Dawn by surprise. 'I love you, Dawn,' he said fiercely into her ear. Dawn's lips met with his in the semi-darkness, taking him by pleasant surprise. When Dawn felt the warm sweetness of his tongue, she thought she was going to faint. Certainly, her senses were shattered into tiny fragments, which she didn't even want to pick up yet.

            The two pulled away, both looking dazed and embarrassed. Dawn suddenly stiffened.

            'What have we been doing? Arson…' She scrambled up to her feet and ran down the new hidden corridor, past several cells and into the main corridor again. She stopped, confused. Rayne followed her.

            'Which way?' They heard a sudden loud cry of pain and distress. Rayne hurtled forwards, leaving Dawn behind. Dawn hastened to keep up, but then tripped. She rolled over onto her back but then gasped as her eyes met up with a pair of hollow red ones.

            'You!'