Author's Notes: Read if you want...

Ryu-Sama - Sorry about not updating for a long time... Ff.n's being a f***ing b**** lately. It wouldn't let me upload my story. I don't think I'm the only one with the same problem, though... Well, I've been trying to upload this chapter, and I hope that you think it's worth the wait! If you think it was, I don't mind you telling me... in a review... *big grin*

And a big thank you to all of you -loooooooooovveeelyy- reviewers...

LeDiz, Well... sorry about that, but honestly, the only major exposure I have ta Australian accent and terms is... Steve Erwin and Crocodile Dundee. *lol* I am one sad little monkey over here... If I can find a good place ta have him say that, I will. Remy is awesome. I don't think X:Ev did the poor guy any justice. He has some hilarious lines in the comics... There was something along the lines of "Stop screaming like a girl at a Backstreet Boys concert." And the funny thing about that... I think it was directed at Magneto. *chuckles* John's kinda cool, but if you read the X2 book... he's creepy as hell. Still cool, though. Do well on yer exams!

Max - *waves back*

Ryu - And next...

Danyella Skyler Silverfire, *frowns* I am not evil! *starts to laugh maniacally* *stops* I swear, I'm not! But seriously, "evil in a good way?", isn't that an oxymoron? What's wrong with Jean? (Other than the fact that she hasn't made an appearance yet... *; p*)

shadowgal, Thanks.

Bri Yami-neko, *.'* You didn't dislike the Steve Erwinness that John became? I still have to make him say something cool. I am working good and hard, but I foresee sad events in the future. I'm going somewhere, in a week or so, far away from known civilization, into a place called... "Grandma's House". And I'll be stuck there for a while... But!!! I will update as many times as I can, until then!

Warnings for the chapter: Cramped quarters, Queen, news, MPD, cherry bombs, poking with a stick, and movie stars!

~@~

The ride was hell. Remy drove, because Quatre couldn't see anything, and who would trust John behind the wheel? But the cab of the pickup was too small for the three of them. I'm talking -cramped-. Remy had long legs, John had long legs, so Quatre got stuck in the middle. The other two had broad shoulders also, which meant that Quatre was completely squished.

Somehow, he managed to fall asleep that way. When it got warmer, they made John sit in the back, and Quatre drove (after that one incident near the cliffs, Remy's driving wasn't to be trusted, either). Of course, for Quatre to drive, the seat had to be pulled forward, which meant that the front was even more cramped for Remy's legs. Partially for a change in atmosphere, and partially for a weather report, Quatre turned on the radio.

~I see a little silhouetto of a man

scattamooch scattamooch

will you do the fandango~

"So, how did you get me to that base so quickly? If the drive out is taking this long, why didn't the trip in?"

~Thunder, bolts of lightening

very very frightening

ME~

"Trip in was assisted by Mags." Remy lit a cigarette, rolling down the window. "So, where y' goin', bougre?"

~(Galileo) Galileo

(Galileo) Galileo

(Galileo) Galileo Figaro!~

Quatre frowned at a sign. "Road construction ahead. Figures. I was supposed to be going back to the institute."

~If we go-o-o-o-o~

"Heh, non de hommes dere like Remy."

~I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me

(he's just a poor boy from a poor family,

sparing his life from this monstrosity)~

"Question?"

~Easy come, easy go

will you let me go?~

"Shoot."

~(We cannot, no!

We will not let you go!)~

"Why do you keep speaking third person? I thought that wasn't proper English." He slowed down. A man held up the "stop" sign.

Remy laughed. "Case'n y' din' notice, I haven' spoke proper English t' y' yet."

"Hmmm. Wasn't sure if you realized how bad that was..." Quatre said distractedly, as the construction worker turned the sign to "slow". He started down the road again.

"'Course I do. It jes' gets da point 'cross better som'time..."

-Thank you, that was Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. This is KBNY Radio, and I am Treize Kushrenada, your host this hour. But for now, it's time for the news.-

"Makes you sound like a kid."

"Mais, y' look like one, so dat makes us even, non?"

Quatre stuck out his tongue at Remy, thusly proving Remy's point.

-*corny radio news music plays* Trowa Barton, here, with the news.

High profile Winner heir missing since his return to New York state, this Sunday. Authorities searching, but no one has seen him since he left his plane...-

"Damnit..." Quatre cursed. "Now I'm on the news. Allah, I never get a break, do I?"

-Well known psychics such as Lucrezia Noin and Midii Une are accused of being mutants. Apparently, they are too good at their jobs.

Actor Ryu Bakura was diagnosed with MPD last week. He admitted it to the press earlier today.

Corporate CEO, Seto Kaiba stands accused of the abduction of Jounouchi Katsuya. He stands on his previous statement that he had nothing to do with the boy's disappearance.

And now for the weather...-

There was a knock on the back window. When Remy opened it, John stuck his head in. "It's cold out here, mate... Would ya let me switch with one of ya? Please?"

-Currently, we have fair skies and temperatures at 57. Winds are going North northeast at 14 miles per hour, relative humidity is at 81%. Later today, we are looking at a mix of clouds and sun, high temperatures near in the high 50s to low 60s.. Winds Northeast at 10-20 miles per hour.

With heavier clouds moving in, rain is expected by evening, with low temperatures in the low 40s.-

Quatre shook his head. "I don't trust either of you driving."

"Mais, Remy dun do well in cold, mon ami." Remy shivered. Just the cold from the window was freezing him.

"Can I hang in the window fer a while then? Doesn't get this cold down unda even at night. Ya think it might snow?"

Quatre almost choked. "Doesn't get this cold down -where-?"

John blinked and then started laughing at Quatre's misinterpretation of what he'd said. "Home, mate. Doesn't get this cold in Australia, anywhere near my home. S'posed to in the mountains, though."

Quatre shook his head. "Shouldn't snow. I've been listening to the forecast." He tapped the face of the crappy car radio. It fell off. And so did the forecast. "Damnit! I wanted to know what he was saying about Kaiba! I have deals with that company!"

Remy frowned. "Mais, that proves't, homme."

"Huh?"

John laughed. "Only corporates get upset about that stuff, mate."

Quatre frowned at the remains of the radio, "Oh, well. He didn't sound like he was going to get into it, anyway."

Remy leaned back. "'E sounded like a stiff. That Treize guy sounded happier."

"Treize Kushrenada... I think I might have met him."

"Rich people meet ev'ry'n. If not 'im, y' met som'n of da same name."

"No... It was the voice. He has a nice voice. I'm usually not too good with names. I remember people other ways. Odd things about them that are different from everyone else. Then I try to connect it with the name, so I don't forget it."

Remy lifted his eyebrow. "'Ow'd y' 'member me?"

Quatre looked sideways at him. "Your name is strange enough to remember easily... But to remember that -you- are Remy... Well... You're a memorable person. John... I'd remember you, easily, too. But not your name. I know too many Johns."

John laughed. "It's a common name, I've got. When I went to school, there were about four other Johns in my class. And there were only twenty of us."

Quatre snickered. "So, a quarter of the population was John."

"Yeah, and there was this one chick, her name was... Mai, I think... she liked to call fer 'John', and see us all turn around."

Remy choked. "Dat's bad, homme."

Quatre agreed. "Hey. Looks like we can stop for food. Do either of you have money? I will pay once I can access my bank account."

Remy pointed to a sign. "They got a teller machine."

Quatre frowned at him. "I'd have to hack it."

John sighed loudly. "Then no food. I dun have any money."

"N' Remy eithar..."

Quatre glared at them. "But... fine. I'll do it. Doesn't mean I like the thought, though. Is it illegal to steal from yourself?"

Remy snickered and John was having a hard time breathing. It wasn't that funny.

Quatre sighed. As much as he liked them, he wanted them out of his hair for a while. As soon as possible.

~*~

Duo growled to himself. He wasn't a fighter. Give him stealth operations any day... or night. But it was too bright out, and he was wearing white. This wasn't, for him, a good time to fight.

It was an hour after school, and they were having an "X-Men vs. Magneto's Men" gathering. The Brotherhood and the Acolytes against them. Scott said that the Acolytes seemed to be missing most of their members.

He wasn't supposed to be here even. He hadn't managed to control his ability, so he wasn't actually on the team. He had snuck out to see this. He was rethinking his decision now.

He turned to sneak off, but ran into someone's chest. He looked up into a pair of fiercely burning cerulean blue eyes. The owner of them smirked at him. "And who are you?"

Duo choked. This was the pyrokinetic that the professor had mentioned joining the Brotherhood. Duo did not like fire. Not that much, anyway. "Hey, man. I'm not even supposed ta be here... I'mgonnadie..." He turned again and ran.

Heero frowned in his general direction. That face was kinda familiar.

Duo pulled short around a pile of metal. There was someone else already there. Pietro. "Huh?"

Pietro asked, "Whatareyoudoinghere? Don'tyouknowthatwe'resupposedtobefightinghere?"

Duo nodded. "I was curious. Damnme..."

"Well,youdon'thavetoworryaboutanythingfromme,butIcan'tspeakforeveryoneels. Sorry."

Duo nodded again. And Pietro was gone. He took a deep breath and looked around the corner. Oh shit, Lance.

"Well, whadaya know. Hey, pretty-boy. How's it goin'? I suppose you know, already, but it's time for me ta rock your world!"

Duo panicked. 'Ohshit,ohshit,ohshit! What do I do?' He pulled franticly at his hair. "Found it!" He pulled a lighter out of his pocket and leapt at Lance, narrowly avoiding the first wave of Lance's "concrete-coaster". He landed nimbly beside Lance, who had no time to escape the hand of an expert pickpocket putting something in the back of his uniform top.

"What the...!?!"

-bang!-

Duo frowned at the still figure in front of him. He hoped that didn't hurt him too bad. "Heh. Cherry bomb." He ducked back behind the corner. "I really shouldn't be hiding like this."

"Yer right, ya shouldn't." He jumped. When he looked up Katsuya grinned down at him. "'S more fun when ya can see what's happenin'. Nice idea, ya used on Lance. Had to've hurt like a bitch, though."

He stared. Wasn't Katsuya a bad guy?

"Aa, I'm bad, jes' not dat bad. 'S more fun sittin' back, watchin', ne?"

"Well, I'm not supposed ta be here in the first place." He frowned up at the blonde, who was sitting up on the top of the wall.

"Hai, I got dat from yer talkin' wit' Pietro. Nice ta know dat guy cares 'bout som'n."

Duo jumped up and pulled himself up next to Katsuya. "So, you think cherry bombs are a fair fight?"

"Aa, but I 'ready knew ya had'em. Why ya hide'em in yer hair, anyway?"

"Uhm... 'cause it works better than the pocket. Nobody wants to try and search my hair." He flipped it to prove his point. It was still mostly loose. He had managed to get a hair tie, but he hadn't had time to rebraid it yet.

Now that he had somewhere to watch the fight from, he knew what was happening.

Logan was fighting Sabertooth, of course. Wanda was randomly shooting blue energy at people. Didn't matter which side they were on. Rogue was touching Pietro... Ouch. Jean and Scott were dealing with Freddy. Bobby and Heero were having a fire and ice contest. Evan was shooting spikes at Magneto, who was randomly throwing metal at the X-men. Todd and Kurt were fighting like... well, a toad and a furry gecko... kind of. Mystique was fighting... Rogue. Tabitha wasn't there... Kitty was poking Lance with a stick...? Oh, he still hadn't regained consciousness.

"I hope I didn't hurt him too bad."

"He'll be fine. I know exac'ly 'ow much damage those things do, an' he claims to've 'andled Gambit's cards. So, he'll be fine."

"Kitty's poking him with a stick."

"Huh?" Katsuya leaned over too look. When he saw, he laughed. "I did that ta someone once."

"Why?"

"I din' know if dey were dead 'r not."

Duo frowned. "Were they?"

"Nah, he was jes' sleepin' the sleep of da wicked."

"Huh?"

"He was passed out drunk."

"Oh... I've done that."

"Huh?"

"Been passed out drunk."

"Oh. I can't do that."

"Oh."

"Nice talkin' ta ya, but I'd better go rescue Lance."

"Uhm, see ya." Duo waved. "I better head back to the institute. Bye."

"Bye."

~*~

Duo was just getting out of the shower when everyone else got back. Someone was pounding on the bathroom door. "I need to use the shower, man. I smell like Toad."

Duo wrapped a towel around his waist, and another around his hair, before going to the door. "Shower's cold, man," he said, preparing to run to his room. If he didn't get there fast enough, he knew that Bobby would steal his towel.

Bobby was in the hall, but he didn't seem to be in the mood for towel stealing. Duo paused, "You alright?"

Bobby nodded tiredly. "Yeah... Jes' hope 'e's as tired as me..."

Duo frowned. So the fire and ice contest had been kept up for quite a while. "Who won?"

"As a whole, we did. Me and Heero, well, we were at what you would call an imposse."

"You mean an impasse?"

"Yeah... I'm going straight to bed... Too tired..."

Duo went back to his room and found, to his surprise, that there was someone else there. "Uhm... hello?"

A boy about his age sat on the other bed. "Hi."

"Who are you? That's supposed ta be Quatre's bed."

The boy smiled slightly. "The professor contacted him earlier. He said that he would take a while getting back, and as there isn't much room here, I board here for now. My name's Ryu Bakura."

"Uhm," Duo was shocked, to say the least. "You're Ryu Bakura? The Ryu Bakura that starred in 'Phoenix Rising'? I don't watch many movies, but that one was pretty good."

"Uhm, yes, that was me." Ryu blushed. He didn't understand, he was fine when he was on stage, but embarrassed actually meeting people. "You liked it?"

"Yeah, like I said, it was pretty good. Good action sequences, kinda cool plot. You looked a bit different, though. How'd they find a stunt person for you?"

Ryu continued to blush. "I do my own action scenes. I never fall down unless I want to."

Duo blinked. That was interesting. "So what are you here for? You have an ability too?"

"I don't know. But the other does. You don't watch the news?"

Duo thought back. "Last time I watched the news was over a month ago."

Ryu laughed. "It was announced on E! that I have multiple personalities. But really, it's only two. Me and him."

"So, first I was rooming with Quatre Raberba Winner, the famous heir to the Winner Corporation. Now, I'm rooming with Ryu Bakura, who has played a large role in all of my favorite action movies. Even ones that are ten years old, now. I got luck."

Ryu laughed. This guy was kinda funny.

"Well. I still kinda miss Quatre, though. He was funny. He's night- blind. I got some funny stories about that... But it'll have to wait for another time." He yawned. "'S been a long day, and I'm bushed." He plopped down on his bed. "Make yourself comfortable... as you can at least. Night."

"Uhm... What's your name?"

"Duo."

"If I act different in the morning, that's the other me. He doesn't like people. And... call me just by my last name if that happens... When I'm like this, it's just 'Ryu', okay?"

"Sure... G'night."

"Good night."

~@~

Ryu-Sama - So... What is Ryu's other side's powers? Why was this chapter longer than normal? Why am I acting like an idiot? And was this chapter as bad as I think it was? And remember...

Don't forget to tell me what you think. Is it good? Bad? Did it suck royal ass? Or did you (Kami-sama forgive me for this blasphemy) actually like it?

C'mon people! I live for reviews!! Tell me all! Or else my happy thoughts will go away!! Wah!!!

Max and Ryu - *eating nachos*

Ryu - So.

Max - Hm?

Ryu - Who's your favorite character?

Max - *blushes*

Ryu - What's wrong?

Max - *continues blushing*

Ryu - Okay... So you really like one of them. Like -really- like.

Max - Do not!

Ryu - Who is it?

Max - Ororo.

Ryu - But... She's so... stiff.

Max - No she is not! *tears up* You are so rude. She is beautiful.

Ryu - *frowns* I think there's something wrong with the nachos.

Max - .....................................