- Author's Note-

There will be certain parts within this story where lyrics from P.O.D's "Sleeping Awake" and Unloco's "Failure" will be used. If you've never heard these songs, it would be wise to hear them…beautiful composition.


-Chapter 10: Justice-


| Maybe I...

I didn't seem to have a thing left to say

I bottled it far away

And maybe I...

I tried too hard to find someone to blame Or maybe it's me who changed

And now I'm left with nothing...

Again |


            Testament exhaled silently as he watched the still lake and its periodic rippling due to the force of the wind. There were no outward expressions to determine what he was feeling internally, nor were there inward feelings that could produce an external expression. He was simply quiet, admiring the natural wonder set before him.

"It's…different.." Sol said, breaking the lengthy silence between the two as he sat beside Testament, watching the lake as well.

"What is?" Testament asked. Sol looked at him a moment before looking back into the quiet waters.

"….Never had any time t'sit and think like this before. I'm starting to realize why…and how you became the optimist that you are," he said. Testament chuckled faintly.

"I'm not optimistic….I simply am honest with reality, is all."

| So what if I lost everything?

Would you want me if I was a failure?

So what if I lost everything?

Would you be there even when I am gone? |

Sol smirked, hearing that, but, for once, decided to remain quiet. They were finally alone…and still. For, usually, it had always been Sol's following Testament or Testament simply appearing from nowhere to give his thoughts on a matter and either disappearing or walking elsewhere again.

"My minion brought something has brought something to my attention, Sol," Testament said, breaking the silence again. Sol stared at the water still. If that damned demon said anything false about him….

"Eh? Like what?" he asked. Testament shifted his crimson gaze toward him a moment before responding.

"She has simply informed me that she has felt your ominous presence multiple times and has felt for some time that you were a threat to me. I too felt that presence…but over time it has dwindled. I would like to know the reasons behind it," he said. Sol smirked faintly.

"Damn. I forgot that you were a Gear…oh well. I guess you figured out that I really was trying to push that old feeling down, didn't you?" he began, scratching his head a moment before continuing. "Well, I guess I gotta say it's because…I don't want you to think that I just wanna kill you or anything…and I really like you…and seeing as how you can just about see everything coming, there would be no point in trying to go the sneaky route anyway."

Testament laughed faintly.

"You believe that I can foresee anything?" he said, a tinge of sarcasm in his tone. Sol shrugged.

"Well, hell you either blocked or evaded everything I could throw at you, so what other deduction is there to make?" Sol said, pointing a finger in Testament's direction.

"You were simply putting more power into your attacks than speed…making you slower and easier for me to find a way to evade it," Testament confessed. Sol was about to give a counterstatement, but Testament had made a very good point, leaving no room for any type of argument, for it'd be useless.

"Good point," he said, lowering his finger in defeat. "But obviously you're not good enough to evade me all of the time," he said with a surreptitious smirk. Testament looked at Sol again.


| Baby, I...

I didn't seem to give everything away

Not because I needed you to stay

And I...

I couldn't face the fears I've lived for being hung |

"What has brought you to believe so?" he asked, but before he could get a response, he was tackled by Sol, and had both hands restricted above him.

"Experimentation, that's what," Sol replied before leaning in a bit more upon Testament.

"So what now, Speedy Gonzales?" Sol challenged with a grin. Testament sighed, his crimson pools drifting over Sol's shoulder a moment before he responded.

"I could just as easily have her dispatch you right when you did that…"


| I've tried to answer every question

To why I'm left with nothing...

Again |

Sol wanted to curse underneath his breath, but didn't, and made a mental note to preoccupy that stupid demon from now on.

"So why haven't you, then?" Sol asked. Testament looked a bit odd for a few seconds, but nevertheless, responded honestly, as always.

"Because I haven't felt a flutter of human feelings in so long, yet I do now. And never have I been subjugated, yet here I am now. The only thing stopping me from killing you is my wanting to relish the moment…nothing more."


| Maybe you could take all the pain inside me

And now I feel like this was all for nothing

Cause I'm left with nothing

I'm left with nothing...

Again |


Sol blinked a few times. Did that actually just come from Testament's mouth? He didn't want to say anything and possibly ruin the moment, so instead, Sol opted to take advantage of the situation  and lean in a bit closer, separating their breaths by a mere inch or so.

"Pleasure over pain? That's a first for you isn't it?" Sol murmured. Testament's jaw clenched momentarily as rush of chained human reactions pulsed through him before he could respond properly.

"Honestly…I cannot remember anything but pain.."

Sol breathed gently against his cold skin, smirking momentarily as he too could feel those reactions from testament rushing through his dead nervous system, reviving it slowly.

"I can make you forget all that pain in the next five seconds," he said with a grin.

"And your own pain?" Testament asked. Sol scoffed gently.

"Unlike you, I ditched that a long time ago," he said, afterward enveloping the lifeless flesh that was so cold..yet it warmed underneath his own lips. Testament's demonic underling silently watched underneath the cover of her raven guise, perched a few yards or so from their location. Not wanting to intrude upon her master's privacy, she took to the skies, deciding to admire the dark forest on her own, as she sometimes did until her master would call for her. Subconsciously, she smiled, knowing that he was beginning to turn for the better, than the worse.

Take care of him, Gear Hunter…my master's heart is beginning to beat again…don't make it stop…don't cause him more pain…keep him happy. It's better that way, even if he doesn't see it. I do.

-

"Dizzy?" May murmured as she approached the Gear that lay in one of the guest beds within the manor of the Assassin's Guild, wide awake and staring out of the moonlight window. Dizzy blinked a few times, then looked at May, who was now sitting on the floor beside the bed, looking at her.

"Yeah?" she asked, noticing that May was looking a bit saddened and confused. "What's wrong, May?" she asked.

"Do you think that Bridget likes Johnny?" she asked. Dizzy had never thought about it before, but now that she did, there was a slight possibility. But then, Bridget was the same way with everyone on the ship. Why should Johnny be any different?

"No, I don't believe so…he's the same with everyone."

"Oh.." was all May could say in response. Dizzy pushed herself up a little so that she could sit, legs folded, upon the bed, looking down at May.

"What makes you believe that he likes Johnny?" she asked. May shrugged gently.

"I dunno…I guess it's just me being jealous over Bridget being so happy all of the time…and his innocence…"

"And the fact that you like Johnny yourself?" Dizzy added with a smile. May blushed gently, chuckling a little.

"Yeah…and that. How did you know?" she asked a little meekly. Dizzy smiled.

"I can tell…you're very protective of Johnny without knowing it, May," she said. May blinked a few times.

"Yeah…like when we were outside the mansion and you scared Bridget to death with your worrying about Johnny that you caused him to go find him…"

May chuckled a bit more faintly now.

"Oh..ehh..yeah, I remember that. Sorry I exploded like that…"

"It's okay, May. Bridget's your best friend, isn't he?"

"Of course!" May chirped. "But I guess it was because of the fact that he is my best friend upped my suspicions a little."

Dizzy nodded as the tip of her tail thumped gently against the pillow behind her.

"I remember when I first joined you all…Johnny was such a flirt…but then when he got used to me, we felt like siblings…kind of like the way I feel about Testament."

May blinked a few times.

"I thought you liked Testament?" she said. Dizzy chuckled.

"Yes, but not in the way that you feel about Johnny, May. Testament is more of a brother to me than anything. No one has ever done so much for me as he has. Yet…he is so secretive and secluded. He seems to think that pain is the way he should live, now that he is a Gear…I've tried to convince him otherwise, but he doesn't want to listen. But…I think now that Sol Badguy is the only person capable of changing his heart…despite their history together.."

"Why? What were they like before?" May asked. Dizzy sighed, looking through the window at the moon again.

"Worst enemies…Testament was very spiteful…and coupled with Sol's contempt for Gears…they fought brutally. I think my talking with Testament often softened his heart enough to where whenever Sol approached him without wanting to fight, he wouldn't take advantage and kill him. Sol's reasons for throwing away his contempt for Gears, however…I can't say that I know why he did that…maybe something happened that I do not know about."

"You must have talked a whole lot for you to manage to change Testament's heart about people," May said. Dizzy laughed a little.

"Actually no…I never saw him much…but when I did, I said what mattered most…because of everyone, I am the only one that he will consider listening to…"

May listened to what Dizzy said, and leaned back against the back, looking at the moon now as well.

"You know what Dizzy? I'm glad you brought Mister Zato back for Venom…when we all were helping him free Zato from that weird blob thing, I saw the expression on his face a little when the wind blew his hair back a few times…I see why he wears it that way, over his face. He looked so sad…horrified…scared. And he tried so hard…like if Zato was going to die again, he would have to go with him. It was saddening..and noble at the same time." May said, hugging her knees close to her chest. Dizzy nodded in agreement.

"But it's over…Zato fought very hard…I see now why Venom stood outside his door for so many hours as he slept. The both of them are so good to each other…especially now that Slayer is dead."

"But still, Dizzy…I can't help but wonder what he meant when he said that there would be justice," May said. Dizzy looked at the sheets on her bed before sighing.

"I think I may know…I tried channeling Testament a while ago, but—," Dizzy paused a moment to blush and chuckle faintly. "His spirit wouldn't respond."

May blinked a few times.

"Wha? Why would he ignore you like that?!"

Dizzy laughed before shaking her head.

"No, he wasn't ignoring me, May…if he was, I wouldn't have gotten to his spirit in the first place…it's just that he was preoccupied with something more important."

"But wasn't what you had to say urgent?" May asked. Dizzy shook her head.

"Nothing is more important to me than Testament's happiness…and I am sure that he feels the same thing that I have felt these past few days…only my premonitions came in dreams..or brief periods of what felt like memories…while his simply comes to him at any given moment. It sometimes feels like we are twins," Dizzy said smiled a bit more broadly. May tilted her head a little.

"I wish I knew how it felt to have a brother…" she said. Dizzy looked down at her.

"Well..technically, he isn't related to me…but sometimes, I like to believe so because we are so close. You feel like a little sister to me, sometimes, too, May. And Bridget, too."

May looked up at her.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes…all of you are like family to me," she confessed. "And that's why I do what I can….for all of you. Even the assassins here."

-

Johnny toyed with a pen as he stood out on the balcony outside his guest room, given to him by the assassins. Still no luck with the ladies! Why were they so damn uptight here, anyway! He missed the Mayship…and its crew…especially the crew. Well, as long as Dizzy felt insecure about leaving her other friends alone here, he supposed that it was only right that he stay until her premonitions would stop. He'd taken off his hat finally, and had thrown in onto the floor, beside the bed. Also, he'd done away with those sunglasses, leaving them upon the nightstand. Sighing, he cupped his face into both hands as he slouched forward against the balcony, wondering how it was that he ever came to letting May talk him into these things. Oh…that was right—she always promised beautiful women. She never lied though…but it really wasn't any fun if he wasn't gaining the company of any of them, either!!

"Hi Johnny!!" the chipper tone of Bridget sung as he bounded Johnny's side.

"..How did you get in here?" Johnny asked, muttering a little.

"The door was unlocked!"

Johnny immediately cursed himself underneath his breath. He forgot that he'd left it open for any women that would happen to be playing coy with him…but obviously that wasn't going to happen tonight.

"What's the matter? You look sad," Bridget said, looking a little concerned. Johnny shook his head.

"Nothing that would have anything to do with you, Bridge. You wouldn't understand, anyway."

"Why wouldn't I?" Bridget argued, pouting some. Johnny laughed.

"Trust me, you wouldn't get it. You're too young to understand."

"I'm not a baby, though, Johnny! You can tell me! I'm your friend, too, you know!" Bridget protested. Johnny sighed.

"Fine…fine, kid. You really wanna know that bad, huh?" Johnny murmured. Bridget nodded enthusiastically in reply, causing Johnny to chuckle a little.

"Well…it's just that I wish one of these ladies here would gimme a chance, y'know? There tons of 'em here, but I always get the same thing, over and over again…kinda makes me sick, sometimes. I mean, I could be a pervert like all these other guys, but I'm not! Seriously, I wish they'd hear me out…just once, even.." he sighed. Bridget smiled broadly.

"Aww, Johnny needs a hug!" he yipped before hugging Johnny with all his might. Johnny sighed.

"You're not helping, Bridge," he muttered. Bridget let go, looked at him oddly, then seemed to get another idea.

"I know! Roger can give you a hug!!" he announced before that creepy teddy bear that Johnny detested so much appeared before his eyes, causing him to step back a few paces.

"Um…Bridge?…I'd..rather not get a hug from Roger.."

"Why not?" Bridget whimpered.

"Because…honestly he freaks me out.." Johnny confessed. Bridget sighed.

"Fine.." he muttered, waving his hand dismissively and causing the bear to disappear. "Then when will you cheer up?" Bridget asked. Johnny rubbed his temples a moment before he replied honestly.

"Whenever I can get laid, that's when I'll be happy, Bridge."

"But you just said you're not a pervert, Johnny! Did you change your mind or something?" Bridget asked. Johnny shook his head quickly.

"No! I didn't mean it like that…!! I meant..egh..nevermind.."

"What did you mean, then?" Bridget asked. Johnny shrugged, walking past Bridget and into his room, flopping back-first onto his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Just forget it, Bridge," he sighed. Bridget made an odd face before running and pouncing upon Johnny's sprawled body on the bed.

"Pleeeeeeeaaaaaaase tell me!!!" he whined. Johnny groaned as Bridget's weight pushed him further into the mattress.

"I will when you get off of me," he groaned. Bridget sprung off of him and landed next to him in a sitting position, bouncing a little before settling down. Johnny sat up beside him, and scratching his head a few times.

"Really…I dunno if you can comprehend this, Bridge…I mean, you're just content with that frickin' yo-yo and that bear that creeps me out," Johnny began, sighing. "But I guess you're gonna have to find out eventually, anyway, eh? Well this is what's wrong with Johnny…he's bored. He's tired. And he's sick of women ignoring him," he said as he looked out of the window. Bridget was busy knowing gently on a thumb.

"Well if you're tired, why don't you just take a nap?" he offered. Johnny shook his head.

"Can't sleep, kid. Tried it already—," he began, but was interrupted by the summoning of that teddy bear again.

"Me and Roger can help you sleep, Johnny!!" Bridget offered. Johnny again leaned back, away from the teddy bear. "Fine, whatever you want, Bridge! Just make that damn bear go away!" he shouted. In an instant, Roger disappeared, and Bridget clasped his hands together.

"Okay!"

Johnny was beginning to regret those words already…

"Christ…now what're you gonna torment me with? That stupid yo-yo?" he muttered. Bridget shook his head.

"Nope!" he yipped happily. "A pillow!" Johnny sighed.

"You're gonna torture me with a pillow?' he murmured. Bridget frowned a little.

"Nooo! I'm gonna put you to sleep with the pillow! Now lay down, and at least try to sleep, okay?" he instructed, slapping the pillow down, a distance far enough from Johnny's sitting position so that when he laid back, the pillow met his head perfectly.

"So what now? I'm just supposed to go to sleep?" he said, a bit of sarcasm in his tone. Bridget chuckled faintly.

"Yeah! I'll help," he said, nestling a few fingers within Johnny's lengthy blonde tail before humming sweetly; a lullaby that his mother used to sing for him and his sister when they were younger. And, just as he calculated, Johnny was fast asleep within minutes, snoring softly. Smirking proudly, Bridget re-summoned Roger—this time a less intimidating one—and settled him beside Johnny before pushing himself out of bed.

"Be quiet, okay Roger?" Bridget said in a hushed tone before sneaking out of Johnny's room, and gently closed the door behind him. Yawning sleepily himself, Bridget rubbed an eye before starting off toward his own guest room.

I told ya I could make you happy!

-


| Reveal to me, the mystery

Can you tell me what it means?

Explain these motions and metaphors

Unlock these secrets in me

Describe the vision, the meaning is missing

Won't anybody listen? |


Venom was still awake, sitting up in bed beside Zato, who lay, slumped over onto his shoulder in a slumbering state while Venom supported his weight and had wrapped an arm snugly around his waist, silently watching the moonlit sky. After Zato had told him…told him about what was to come…he couldn't sleep. The only reason Zato was able to sleep was because of his great amount of exhaustion. Venom held his sleeping body even closer now as he recalled their conversation…it hurt to think about it..but the memory playing itself over again anyway.

"We need to rest and muster all the strength that we have, Venom…"

"Why? What else is there to come? Slayer and Sharon are both dead…please don't tell me that they may be coming back again."

"No, no…they're dead, I'm sure of that…but something else is coming…whatever Dizzy was having those premonitions about…the time for them to come true is drawing near…and I don't think that any of us want to be around when it happens…"

"So what is it? What is coming?"

"I'm unsure…but whatever it is, it is worse than all that has happened prior to this point and time. I couldn't place it…but whatever Slayer said, I could feel it…the presence of a curse he spoke to you all before he died…and whatever the curse was, it's nearing its touch to us all."

"That vicious bastard!! He will never truly leave us alone, will he?"

"Not until we are dead with him…it's sad that Sharon had to go with him…but she was fooled..and chose to believe her husband over us all…even if it meant her own demise…"

"True…but it had to be done…for us. And as I have before..I will make sure that whatever this is that is nearing us…I swear upon my life that I will let nothing happen to you…" "Noble…but if you die, then who am I to be left with? You should know, of all the others, how painful heartache can become…how destructive it is."

"Then…I will protect the both of us…and strive as hard as I can to stay alive.."

"So will I…"

Venom sighed again after the memory faded away, and tilted his head some to lean against Zato, hoping to fall asleep as well. And slowly…after many minutes had passed, unconsciousness took Venom away from the rest of the world.

Define the riddles of my mind

Nothing is really what it seems |

- ShuuaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!

-

| Do you see what I see?

Can you hear what I hear?

Do you feel like I feel?

Can't stop sleeping awake… |

Testament sprung forward from the gentle embrace that he and Sol shared for the moment as they slept, eyes wide. His sudden movement jarred Sol as well, who looked just as alert as he was during the moment.

"No…" Testament whispered before springing to his feet. Sol looked angry a moment, but then that anger purified into hatred as he growled, springing to his feet as well, and grabbed the fireseal that had been dug into the ground.

"Son-of-a-bitch…" he growled, sprinting into the dense forest while Testament quickly vanished into the atmosphere.

-

Ky blinked a few times before he gasped. The thunderseal was beginning to glow…starting to crackle with fury! But that could only mean…

"No..not now…of all days, please not today.." he whispered. Officer Russel noticed the thunderseal's behavior as well, and she too knew what it meant.

"Our duty calls, sir…" she said softly…almost..regrettably.

| Can you see it - the writing?

Can you tell me what it means?

Translate, the symbol's enigma

Expressions keep questioning me

The message, it slips and the meaning is missing

Won't anybody listen... |

-

"EVERYONE WAKE UP! IT'S HERE!!" Dizzy yelled loudly as she flew through the halls of the manor, alerting May and the others before bursting through the door. Dawn filled the air..but there was no happiness in the air. No birds chirping. Everything was dark, despite the dawn. And she knew why.

| Prophecy

Interpretate the signs

Nothing is really what it seems... |

"Gears, reunite and let us begin once more our campaign!!"

Justice. Alive. Very much alive. But how?!?! It didn't matter anymore. They had to get rid of him right now!!

"Justice, you sneaky bastard, what brought you back?!?!" Sol challenged as he stepped from within the forest, fireseal pointing at the monster. Justice's eyes narrowed before he made a sound that sounded like laughter.

"To claim what should be ours!! The lives of all humans!!" he roared. Testament appeared beside Sol.

"Humans may be disgusting in my eyes…but all of them should not be eradicated at once.." he corrected the monster. Justice's eyes widened some before his mouth opened a little to try and form a gruesome grin.

"Another Gear that dares defy me?!" he chuckled before Testament began to feel numb all over…and then he couldn't feel anything anymore but anger..hatred. His posture had changed slightly, as well, but not enough for those unfamiliar to him to notice. Dizzy was the first to notice the dullness of his eyes.

"Testament! What is the matter with you?!" she yelled as she rushed to approach him.

"STAY BACK!" Sol yelled, stopping her in her tracks. "He's under Justice's control! Let me deal with him. You all just work on getting rid of Justice!" Sol instructed before a fierce yell from Testament drew his attention, and he quick blocked a downward swing from the scythe with his fireseal.

"Hurry up!" he growled. Dizzy called forth all the power that she had as she charged towards the independent Gear, wincing as Undine and Necro sprouted forth from her wings and delivered several powerful bursts of energy forth, yet each onedid not even phase the monster a bit. Determined not to fail, Dizzy staggered a moment before collapsing upon her knees.

"Undine, protect me…Necro destroy this monster, please…please.." she breathed before an unbelievable amount of pain shot through her body and she screamed, her body arching back a little as bursts of light and energy sprouted forth from all about her, bombarding Justice almost infinitely. Growling some as he began to feel slightly weakened by the force of the multiple blasts, Justice took a few steps back before letting out a painful scream.

"SSSHHUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!" he bellowed, compartments upon either of his shoulders opening and firing a massive beam of what seemed like endless energy toward her. Dizzy whimpered and was shielded by Undine, praying that she would live by some miracle.

| Do you see what I...see?

Can you hear what I...hear?

Do you see what I see?

Can you hear what I hear?

And do you feel like I feel?

Can you dream like I dream?  |

"Gh…hnn…hnnaaaah!" the voice of Zato groaned as he stood in front of herm the white shadow spread fully around the both of them, absorbing as much of the blast as possible before it ended, leaving Zato to stagger some before raising a hand toward Justice while he panted tiredly. Justice chuckled faintly.

"Humans…so weak and eager to die.." he began, motioning with his tail toward the duel between a controlled Testament and Sol Badguy.

"Yet a Gear can battle heartlessly for hours on end! Look at this splendor! A Gear fighting without fear, while..this…disgusting prototype…a mock of our title…fights with his emotions..for love." He mused. Sol blocked another attack from Testament before shoving the hilt of the fireseal toward's Testament's stomach, only to find that he disappeared seconds before supposed impact and reappeared behind him, quickly swinging the scythe at his back.

…You were simply putting more power into your attacks than speed…making you slower and easier for me to find a way to evade it…

Sol quickly spun around in time to drive the scythe into the ground, and then quickly sweep Testament to the ground with a foot. Before he could get up again, the fireseal could be found at his throat, ready to strike if he dared to move. Sol wasn't going to kill him, but he'd converted his entire being to that of the time when he was once known as the "Gear Hunter" so that Justice could not trace his feelings. Justice growled faintly before his claws curled into a fist.

"Useless! I see that I will have to destroy all of you by my own hand! Very well!" he growled before a red light flashed momentarily but brightly upon his chest. Zato gasped wearily, readying himself to attempt to absorb another attack.

Venom…don't watch..he thought as he could feel Venom's desperate longing to aid him…but Venom, once he'd seen the true power of this being, he'd deduced that the best he could do was get Zato out of there alive..but…how..?

"Ride the Lightning!"

Justice growled faintly as he spun around, preparing to unleash the beam of red death upon the Holy Knight as punishment for interrupting his vixtory.

"Ha!" a female tone yelled as a second blade of unknown but obviously powerful origin was jammed into the armored chest of Justice, whose eyes widened greatly.

"Gaaah!" he sputtered as he struggled with the blade, to pull it out, only he found that a second—the thunderseal—was to be jammed within it alongside the first.

"No! No I am the ultimate being!" Justice cried as he swiped blindly with his claws at the knights.

|  Anybody see me?!

Anybody hear me?

Anybody feel me?!

Anybody out there!? |

"No longer," Ky whispered as he watched Justice gasp a few times, fighting death. To deliver him to it quicker, Kiske's accomplice shoved a foot into the hilts of the blades, causing the monster to roar with pain before falling backward onto the earth, still dying as the thunderseal delivered the final blow, electrocuting his insides brutally before flickering a few times and stopping its crackling frenzy. Ky sighed as he pulled the blade from Justice's chest, while his accomplice did the same, and looked over Justice's body.

"Banishing you isn't enough….it's better this way…"

Testament breathed a few times after Sol pulled the fireseal away from his throat, and embraced him briefly.

"You're back," he sighed. Testament looked a bit odd.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"That bastard was controlling you…Justice…but its over now..they killed him…"

"How did he come back?" Dizzy asked as she stood from the ground, approaching Sol and Testament while Venom followed, aiding a weakened Zato to walk as well.

"Slayer.." Venom said. "Zato said that he muttered some kind of subconscious curse…whatever it did, it resurrected that thing again…"

"Someone needs to torture his soul in hell or something," May said as she, Bridget, and Johnny emerged from safety within the manor. As Sol helped Testament to his feet, Testament slowly spoke..

"It can easily be arranged…might I remind you…" he murmured. May grinned.

"Really?" she snickered. Bridget nudged her some.

"Be nice, May!" he said, causing her to grumble something incoherent. Dizzy sighed as she looked at the sky, smiling some.

"You know…now that he's dead…I feel so much more at ease…" she admitted.

"Yeah..so does that mean we can go home now?" Johnny asked. May frowned.

"You just wanna see the crew again!" she accused, causing Johnny to flail a little and defend himself.

"Whoa, May, I uh..um…nevermind.." he uttered. Bridget burst into fits of laughter through it all, earning a glare from both May and Johnny. And Dizzy, through it all, loved it that things were already returning to normal.

-

"So what is there for us to do now, now that everything is over?" Venom asked. Zato sighed as he leaned against his chest, watching the sunrise from the safety of their room. It was quiet again. The Jellyfish Pirates had gone…and, as usual, Sol and Testament disappeared into the shadows of the forest again, along with the two knights that had left after reporting the demise of Justice to their coworkers. What else was there to do for them, though?..Ah yes..take care of old business…

"Millia, Slayer, and Sharon…" Zato whispered. Venom curled a few fingers against the cheek of Zato to caress it fondly before thinking some.

"They've all been buried…properly this time…"

Zato murmured something incoherent a moment before taking Venom's hand, and kissing the palm of it.

"Then there is nothing other than the business of reporting this properly to the others…re-establishing the guild's functions…and then…my thanks to you for everything you've done for me. Thank, you Venom.."

-Fin-