Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Character not-quite-death, slash, cursing,
Chapter Seven: Over The River
Twitty didn't even look at Louis as he led him down the street, to the corner he'd parked his standard issue red Volkswagon Bug convertable. Indemnis followed a few yards behind them, arms linked, but Twitty barely knew they were there.
He had spent to much time with humans, and he knew it. As a Dionysian Vampire (or any Vampire) he was supposed to follow his emotions blindly, and without shame. It was simply their way to do so, and respect it when others did so. The Ulovlige was a prime example, though he didn't feel like contemplating them, today.
He knocked a lock of lavender hair out of his eyes irritably. He hadn't bothered with Second Shell today, as he no longer had to worry about his human persona, now that his mission here was finished. He was much more comfortable in his natural form, anyway, and it was releif after having spent so much time in his Second Shell for so long.
But, he still felt to human. It was like a disease, humanity. It made him act so very differently then he would, normally. But, of course, he couldn't act like he did normally in their world, lest he be found out. And it /was/ their world, after all. The Vampires might be immortal, their souls might hold the key to the most terrible, wonderful, incredible, horribly beautifal Magick in the galaxy, but they were, when it came down it, few, while the humans were many.
He let out a low growl, and picked up his pace.
Behind him, Louis' eyes widened, and he bit his lip. Marz took Andromedas hand, and twined their fingers together, then brought her knuckles to his lips. His sister thanked him silently, and drifted closer, until their hips were almost touching.
~
As Ulovlige helped Mizza into the front passenger seat of their standard-issue car, Jack caught Sams eye suddenly. His eyes flickered past his brother, and he grinned broadly.
Sam looked over his shoulder, and his eyes lit up.
"Hell, yeah." he hissed, and he closed the door.
Mizza glanced at the pair of them, then followed their gaze. A pretty girl with dark hair she recognized from one of the times she'd checked on Twitty was walking down the sidewalk across the street. She glared at them both breifly, but didn't say anything.
Jack reached out, and grabbed Sams wrist, pulling his willing twin with him as he approached the girl. They both switched on their glamour as high as it would go- even the straightest of men had found themselves enthralled with them then they were like this.
~
Tawny was dragging down the street, not going anywhere in particular, when she saw them. They were twins, that much was readily apparent, as was their almost ethereal beauty. At first, she wasn't quite sure if they were even male.
Their hair, the color of rich red wine when you hold the glass to the sun, fell nearly to their shoulders. A light breeze swept down the street, and through the silken strands, like fingers, mussing it gently.
Their eyes she, like Annie, compared to emeralds with hearts of flame, shone with something she couldn't quite discribe, but attracted her to them in a way she'd never felt when first sighting someone, however beautifal they may be.
Their features were delicate, and fair, and their bodys were of a little below average height, and better musceled then she generally liked her men- most of her love interests had been competetors for the Ichabod Crane Body Building award.
They were both dressed in tight black leather bell-bottoms, white tank tops with purple cockroaches dancing on them, and black leather vests that had once been jackets- their sleeves had been ripped off.
When they reached her, the one who had been leading the other by the wrist slipped his hand into the others, and grinned at her, showing off even, white teeth that she was so blinded by she didn't notice they were rather sharper then was natural.
"I'm Jack." he said. "This is my brother Sam. We've seen you around town, and we were wondering if you'd like to come hang out with us in our van for a while."
Tawny, defenceless ageinst their glamour, and weak with the crippleing sence of loss she'd been experiences for reasons she didn't know, smiled weakly. "Okay." she said, softly. "I'm Tawny."
Sam smiled to match Jacks. "We know." he didn't quite lie.
~
Mizza watched as they led that girl, Tawny, off, down the street to where their other standard-issue car- a black two-seat van (unlike the Bug, you could choose black, off yellow-tan, dark blue, dark green, or dark red)- had suddenly appeared.
Though Tawnys back was to her, she could see her clearly. She reminded her so much of the other girl Ulovlige had taken as their own, so long ago. Long, blonde hair, sky blue eyes, and a lovely tan. She's worn the long, fluffy skirts, and bonnets of her time, and the Twins had gone to her in guise of rich noblemen.
There was no physical resembalence- none at all, but she was identical, all the same.
The same bewitched light shone in her eyes.
~
Twitty sat on the picnic table, watching the gathering that used the basketball court as a dancefloor, rather then joining in. He was waiting for Ulovlige. There was something keeping them, and he had a sinking feeling he should know what.
Louis had been pulled right into the thick of the dance by Indemnis and Rainbow the moment they got there, and Twitty had politly rejected their invitation to join them. It had been a bad business, refusing a dance, and there had been a look in Vipers eye that suggested she wanted to protest. Andromeda had caught her eye for a moment, though, and she'd soon forgotten when her twin grabbed her wrist in one hand, and Louis' in another, and Marz did the same with the startled newbies other hand, and his own twin.
His eyes darted back and forth quickly. It was growing dark, and the night was hot- unnaturally hot, made so by the burning energys of so many of his kind slowly loosing control, working themselves into a near-demonic frenzy, as they gave themselves over completely to the horrible eighties music they all Vampires lived for. The same music that they would, now and always, throw themselves into so fully it made his head spin, and his body feel light, though he was well away from it all.
Meetings were more celebrations of being alive, young, and beautifal then meetings, up until Roxie called all to order. He closed his eyes, and focused on Louis. He could feel the delicious horror, bewilderment, and drunken joy welling up, and gaining an outlet through the dance Gemini led him in. At some point, Oro and Plata- Opuesto- had appeared, drawn to the sycronized pulse of their fellow Twins.
But, still no Ulovlige.
Ulovlige. He knew what it meant. Mizza had told him the meaning of the Danish word long ago. He supposed it made a sort of cosmic sence, in that it described their actions, reactions, and their very existance as well as any word, though not quite.
There /was/ no word to define SamnJack, JacknSam. They simply were. More then one person, not quite two, in the spirit of Gemini, but there was something else. They were a deity more then an entity, a race all their own. They had been described by more then one as the soul of the Gemini, just as was Kaio the soul of Libra. An embodiment of their sign, their virtue, yet still defying even that definition.
They had an element of innocence that made their name- Ulovlige- slightly off in its description. This element also made it completely impossible to hate them, whatever the circumstance, whatever they did. You could hate what they did, you could hate what they said, you could hate their closeness, and their awful, wonderful perfection, but you could never hate them.
Ulovlige was perfect. Twitty knew it, they knew it, and anyone who'd ever been in contact with them knew it, though that perfection was also their sin, their imperfection, and would someday be their downfall, if they let it.
"Hey, Twits." Roxie said, as she slid onto the table beside him. She hadn't been dancing either, it seemed.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothin`. How's Louis?"
"As well as can be expected. I left him to Gemini."
"All of them?"
"All that are here. Where's Ulovlige?"
"Twitty, I lied when I said there was nothing. They kind of went on the hunt."
"Shit." he said, after a moment. "They went after Tawny?"
"Yeah." Roxie replied.
Twitty sighed. "I'll have to tell Louis. I don't really care, but he will."
"You don't care?"
"Less then you did when I killed Marcie."
Roxie flinched, and glared at him. "I'd appreciate it if you never mentioned that agein, Mr. Preener."
"I haven't gone by Preener in years." Twitty replied. "Are you going to do anything about it? Can you?"
"I can Change her." Roxie answered. "Would you want that? I mean, she still wouldn't have her memorys, or anything, and it might fuck up and slow down your Bond. If you mean can I punish Ulovlige, no. Your mission is finished- she was fair game."
"Praise the Goddess."
"This is a meeting, not a revel. No one's died, yet. You're mate chose a shitty place to live."
"He's not my mate, yet."
"He will be, soon enough."
Twitty shrugged, and leaned back on his elbows, staring at the darkening sky.
"I hope so. You know how much I love him, Roxie."
She lay one hand on his shoulder, and nodded slowly. "Yeah. I know. I'm one of the few people who can."
~
Jack hurried back to the Bug, casting quick glances over his shoulder as he did. Sam had carried Tawny's limp form into a near-by alley, and he was probobly casting some random mugging injurys onto her by now, if he'd found all her cash. The cash they would keep for the Ring, as was required after an attack.
Tawny would be find. He had only taken a little blood- just enough to take the edge off. It was Sam's part he was worried about. Sam wasn't the same sort of Vampire as most of them. He took energy, rather then anything tangible. He sometimes went over-board, because he felt so guilty about it he didn't feed on fresh supply much. Illegal though the practice was, sometimes the only thing that kept him alive was feeding off Jack, when they were alone together.
Jack hopped into the front seat, just as Sam came out of the alley, looking refreshed, but guilty.
Jack suddenly remembered something Ryo had asked them, once.
~"Do you ever get tired of eachother?" he inquired.
"Who get tired of who?" Jack asked.
"Us and other people?" Sam suggested.
"If that's what you mean, yes." Jack said "We and other people get tired of eachother alot."
"When it happens, we go to our room to be alone for a while." Sam concluded.
"Never mind." He didn't get it.~
It had been a strange conversation, and his question had genuinly perplexed them. Of course they never got tired of eachother. They couldn't. And, even if they could, if wouldn't matter. It was like getting tired of yourself. To Gemini, especially Dionysian Gemini, such a thing would /be/ getting tired of themselves.
It had never occured to either of them that they were more then one person- that they could have different experiences, different lives- different deaths. The concept was inconceivable, so they didn't even bother to dwell on it.
Sam leapt nimbly into the car, his guilt forgotten before he got in, and sprawled elegantly across the back seat. He ran his fingers through his hair, then murmered, "I hope I didn't over-do it."
"Ah, love, you worry to much." Jack answered, as he started the Bug. "She'll be fine. You left the mug-marks, right?"
"What do you think took me so long? It's an art form."
"So are many things."
"Many things we aren't very talented at."
Mizza sighed softly, but didn't speak.
Sam cocked a perfect eyebrow at the back of her head, holding his silence, as well. Glamour, or not, Ulovlige was beautifal.
Night was falling, warm, and heavy, like a star-spangled quilt, as Jack turned the car in the direction of the park, and they were more then half-way there when he finnaly spoke agein.
"Hey, Miz?" he began. "Where's the Shift to?"
"I'm not sure." the elder replied. "I've heard rumblings of somewhere around Cape Horn, but I really don't know."
"Cape Horn?" Sam asked.
"Can't say I'm surprised." Jack replied.
"Technically, you could."
"I'd be lying."
~
When the last red Bug finnaly pulled into a parking space among the others, Louis had joined Twitty and Roxie on the table. The three watched as Sam leapt lightly out of the back seat, and opened the door for Mizza, who smiled faintly at him.
Jack materialized at his twins side, and held his hand out to her. She took it, and accepted his help up, even though she didn't need it.
Ulovlige linked arms, then, and followed her to the table. Mizza slid onto the bench behind and between Roxie and Twitty, and said, "Why don't you dance, Roxie? If you aren't careful, before you know it you'll be as old as me, and you'll have missed your chance."
"I know, Miz." Roxie answered. "I also know you're not that old. You're just posing, cause` you're wise, and things."
"Wise and things?" Mizza asked, smiling. "Wiser then some."
"Of course you are." Jack said, dropped gracefully onto the table on Roxies other side. Sam scowled at him, having no place to sit himself, but didn't mean it.
"Wiser then us, I suppose." he said, then made a small noise of surprise when his twin wrapped his arms around his waist, and pulled him into his lap.
"Not difficult." Twitty said, with a smirk. He watched as Jack began to play with his glaring (but not protesting in the slightest) twins hair. "I'm wiser then you two at this point. My mission might be over, but you know the respect laws."
"They couldn't conform if they tried." Mizza said. "And you can't punish violations of respect laws. You can sulk, and give them verbal thrashings, but there aren't any actual punishments."
Roxie interrupted whatever Twitty, or Ulovlige might have said in response by hopping to her feet, and clapping twice.
Everyone on the basketball court dance floor dropped where they were, and looked at her expectantly.
"The Shift will be in roughly three weeks." she said. "We're off to Cape Horn. Or somewhere around there. We're improvising. We're packing it in and moving, and you need to get all your shit together /now/, as liquidation takes about two weeks. Speaking of which, if you're interested in helping with liquidation- Gemini, you don't have any choice- I've put Ulovlige in charge of that.
"Any questions?"
"It's this a bit abrubt?" Viper asked.
"I thought we were staying a while longer." Vespera added.
"Twitty's not done with his mission, is he?"
"I thought the Bond had to be complete."
"That's what I thought, too."
Roxie sighed. "The mission statement, if you read it, just said he had to have been Changed. Nowhere did it say he had to like it, tolerate it, or be in love with the person who Changed him."
Twitty heard Louis' sharp intake of breath, and wished Roxie hadn't been so blunt- up until this point, he had relied heavily on the fact Louis knew next to nothing the Ring, and how things worked. Fuck.
"Any other questions?"
"Once agein." Marz began.
"Isn't this a little abrubt?" Andromeda finished.
Roxie shrugged. "I know, generally, it's my decision." she said. "But I got word from higher up that we're needed over there."
"Higher up?" Opuesto asked.
"Hermes showed up from Upper Olympia about three days ago. There's something Silver brewing in south Australia, and we've been assigned to the Cape Horn area."
At the word 'silver' everyone congregated flinched, except Louis, and Gemini. The newbie looked around in bewilderment, while Gemini smiled, and clutched their other halfs hand.
"That doesn't mean we're going to be kicking any ass, Gemini." Roxie said, smiling faintly. "I'll put in to be on the front lines, but I'm guessing the Aresians, and maybe even the Athenians will get there first."
"Not if Marxi gets her way, Athenisia won't." Mizza said. "She'd rather kill herself then let them go to the front lines."
"Ooh, I hope so!" Sam said, nearly vibrating where he sat. He was in danger of falling over, despite the arms identical to his own, and shaking just as badly, that were wound around his waist.
Roxie rolled her eyes good-naturedly, and said, "Other then that, no one is to bother Twitty with anything until we settle agein. And, the newbie is moving to the concubine chamber in the Inners wing after said settlement, as well. That's all, really, so let's head home. Indemnis, Rainbow, Opuesto, you're coming with me. We have some things to discuss."
~
Louis didn't quite remember how he managed to get in the car after that. He was kind of in shock.
He looked over at Twitty slowly, and gave voice to the only clear thought he had had sence Roxie had finnally stated what the Bond meant.
"Is it true?" he asked, his voice cracking the glass silence that had settled over the car, it's echo shattering it entirely.
Twitty flinched. He wanted to start the car, but he couldn't. He felt as if he were paralyzed. He heard himself saying, "I suppose so. I'm in love with you, Louis." even though he knew he hadn't told himself to form the words.
He looked at Louis, knowing he wasn't going to answer. The other boy looked at Twitty. He blinked slowly, and spoke. He didn't exactly reply to Twittys words, instead changing the subject completely.
"How come none of the twins have romantic relationships with anyone?" he asked.
"They don't need them." the lavender-haired one answered. "They have eachother, so they don't need anyone else."
Louis blinked agein. "Okay." he said.
To Be Continued......
A/N: This took longer then expected, I'm afraid, and I liked this chapter. Next, Rainbow and Indemnis will do some snooping, and watch the after-math of Tawny's attack, and Louis will talk to Ulovlige. The Shift will come in the chapter after that.
Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful Ben Murray, who let me hug him, agreed to give that painting to the Wiggles, didn't seem to think me and Noel were insane when we met him after the concert, and won't care at all.
Warnings: Character not-quite-death, slash, cursing,
Chapter Seven: Over The River
Twitty didn't even look at Louis as he led him down the street, to the corner he'd parked his standard issue red Volkswagon Bug convertable. Indemnis followed a few yards behind them, arms linked, but Twitty barely knew they were there.
He had spent to much time with humans, and he knew it. As a Dionysian Vampire (or any Vampire) he was supposed to follow his emotions blindly, and without shame. It was simply their way to do so, and respect it when others did so. The Ulovlige was a prime example, though he didn't feel like contemplating them, today.
He knocked a lock of lavender hair out of his eyes irritably. He hadn't bothered with Second Shell today, as he no longer had to worry about his human persona, now that his mission here was finished. He was much more comfortable in his natural form, anyway, and it was releif after having spent so much time in his Second Shell for so long.
But, he still felt to human. It was like a disease, humanity. It made him act so very differently then he would, normally. But, of course, he couldn't act like he did normally in their world, lest he be found out. And it /was/ their world, after all. The Vampires might be immortal, their souls might hold the key to the most terrible, wonderful, incredible, horribly beautifal Magick in the galaxy, but they were, when it came down it, few, while the humans were many.
He let out a low growl, and picked up his pace.
Behind him, Louis' eyes widened, and he bit his lip. Marz took Andromedas hand, and twined their fingers together, then brought her knuckles to his lips. His sister thanked him silently, and drifted closer, until their hips were almost touching.
~
As Ulovlige helped Mizza into the front passenger seat of their standard-issue car, Jack caught Sams eye suddenly. His eyes flickered past his brother, and he grinned broadly.
Sam looked over his shoulder, and his eyes lit up.
"Hell, yeah." he hissed, and he closed the door.
Mizza glanced at the pair of them, then followed their gaze. A pretty girl with dark hair she recognized from one of the times she'd checked on Twitty was walking down the sidewalk across the street. She glared at them both breifly, but didn't say anything.
Jack reached out, and grabbed Sams wrist, pulling his willing twin with him as he approached the girl. They both switched on their glamour as high as it would go- even the straightest of men had found themselves enthralled with them then they were like this.
~
Tawny was dragging down the street, not going anywhere in particular, when she saw them. They were twins, that much was readily apparent, as was their almost ethereal beauty. At first, she wasn't quite sure if they were even male.
Their hair, the color of rich red wine when you hold the glass to the sun, fell nearly to their shoulders. A light breeze swept down the street, and through the silken strands, like fingers, mussing it gently.
Their eyes she, like Annie, compared to emeralds with hearts of flame, shone with something she couldn't quite discribe, but attracted her to them in a way she'd never felt when first sighting someone, however beautifal they may be.
Their features were delicate, and fair, and their bodys were of a little below average height, and better musceled then she generally liked her men- most of her love interests had been competetors for the Ichabod Crane Body Building award.
They were both dressed in tight black leather bell-bottoms, white tank tops with purple cockroaches dancing on them, and black leather vests that had once been jackets- their sleeves had been ripped off.
When they reached her, the one who had been leading the other by the wrist slipped his hand into the others, and grinned at her, showing off even, white teeth that she was so blinded by she didn't notice they were rather sharper then was natural.
"I'm Jack." he said. "This is my brother Sam. We've seen you around town, and we were wondering if you'd like to come hang out with us in our van for a while."
Tawny, defenceless ageinst their glamour, and weak with the crippleing sence of loss she'd been experiences for reasons she didn't know, smiled weakly. "Okay." she said, softly. "I'm Tawny."
Sam smiled to match Jacks. "We know." he didn't quite lie.
~
Mizza watched as they led that girl, Tawny, off, down the street to where their other standard-issue car- a black two-seat van (unlike the Bug, you could choose black, off yellow-tan, dark blue, dark green, or dark red)- had suddenly appeared.
Though Tawnys back was to her, she could see her clearly. She reminded her so much of the other girl Ulovlige had taken as their own, so long ago. Long, blonde hair, sky blue eyes, and a lovely tan. She's worn the long, fluffy skirts, and bonnets of her time, and the Twins had gone to her in guise of rich noblemen.
There was no physical resembalence- none at all, but she was identical, all the same.
The same bewitched light shone in her eyes.
~
Twitty sat on the picnic table, watching the gathering that used the basketball court as a dancefloor, rather then joining in. He was waiting for Ulovlige. There was something keeping them, and he had a sinking feeling he should know what.
Louis had been pulled right into the thick of the dance by Indemnis and Rainbow the moment they got there, and Twitty had politly rejected their invitation to join them. It had been a bad business, refusing a dance, and there had been a look in Vipers eye that suggested she wanted to protest. Andromeda had caught her eye for a moment, though, and she'd soon forgotten when her twin grabbed her wrist in one hand, and Louis' in another, and Marz did the same with the startled newbies other hand, and his own twin.
His eyes darted back and forth quickly. It was growing dark, and the night was hot- unnaturally hot, made so by the burning energys of so many of his kind slowly loosing control, working themselves into a near-demonic frenzy, as they gave themselves over completely to the horrible eighties music they all Vampires lived for. The same music that they would, now and always, throw themselves into so fully it made his head spin, and his body feel light, though he was well away from it all.
Meetings were more celebrations of being alive, young, and beautifal then meetings, up until Roxie called all to order. He closed his eyes, and focused on Louis. He could feel the delicious horror, bewilderment, and drunken joy welling up, and gaining an outlet through the dance Gemini led him in. At some point, Oro and Plata- Opuesto- had appeared, drawn to the sycronized pulse of their fellow Twins.
But, still no Ulovlige.
Ulovlige. He knew what it meant. Mizza had told him the meaning of the Danish word long ago. He supposed it made a sort of cosmic sence, in that it described their actions, reactions, and their very existance as well as any word, though not quite.
There /was/ no word to define SamnJack, JacknSam. They simply were. More then one person, not quite two, in the spirit of Gemini, but there was something else. They were a deity more then an entity, a race all their own. They had been described by more then one as the soul of the Gemini, just as was Kaio the soul of Libra. An embodiment of their sign, their virtue, yet still defying even that definition.
They had an element of innocence that made their name- Ulovlige- slightly off in its description. This element also made it completely impossible to hate them, whatever the circumstance, whatever they did. You could hate what they did, you could hate what they said, you could hate their closeness, and their awful, wonderful perfection, but you could never hate them.
Ulovlige was perfect. Twitty knew it, they knew it, and anyone who'd ever been in contact with them knew it, though that perfection was also their sin, their imperfection, and would someday be their downfall, if they let it.
"Hey, Twits." Roxie said, as she slid onto the table beside him. She hadn't been dancing either, it seemed.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothin`. How's Louis?"
"As well as can be expected. I left him to Gemini."
"All of them?"
"All that are here. Where's Ulovlige?"
"Twitty, I lied when I said there was nothing. They kind of went on the hunt."
"Shit." he said, after a moment. "They went after Tawny?"
"Yeah." Roxie replied.
Twitty sighed. "I'll have to tell Louis. I don't really care, but he will."
"You don't care?"
"Less then you did when I killed Marcie."
Roxie flinched, and glared at him. "I'd appreciate it if you never mentioned that agein, Mr. Preener."
"I haven't gone by Preener in years." Twitty replied. "Are you going to do anything about it? Can you?"
"I can Change her." Roxie answered. "Would you want that? I mean, she still wouldn't have her memorys, or anything, and it might fuck up and slow down your Bond. If you mean can I punish Ulovlige, no. Your mission is finished- she was fair game."
"Praise the Goddess."
"This is a meeting, not a revel. No one's died, yet. You're mate chose a shitty place to live."
"He's not my mate, yet."
"He will be, soon enough."
Twitty shrugged, and leaned back on his elbows, staring at the darkening sky.
"I hope so. You know how much I love him, Roxie."
She lay one hand on his shoulder, and nodded slowly. "Yeah. I know. I'm one of the few people who can."
~
Jack hurried back to the Bug, casting quick glances over his shoulder as he did. Sam had carried Tawny's limp form into a near-by alley, and he was probobly casting some random mugging injurys onto her by now, if he'd found all her cash. The cash they would keep for the Ring, as was required after an attack.
Tawny would be find. He had only taken a little blood- just enough to take the edge off. It was Sam's part he was worried about. Sam wasn't the same sort of Vampire as most of them. He took energy, rather then anything tangible. He sometimes went over-board, because he felt so guilty about it he didn't feed on fresh supply much. Illegal though the practice was, sometimes the only thing that kept him alive was feeding off Jack, when they were alone together.
Jack hopped into the front seat, just as Sam came out of the alley, looking refreshed, but guilty.
Jack suddenly remembered something Ryo had asked them, once.
~"Do you ever get tired of eachother?" he inquired.
"Who get tired of who?" Jack asked.
"Us and other people?" Sam suggested.
"If that's what you mean, yes." Jack said "We and other people get tired of eachother alot."
"When it happens, we go to our room to be alone for a while." Sam concluded.
"Never mind." He didn't get it.~
It had been a strange conversation, and his question had genuinly perplexed them. Of course they never got tired of eachother. They couldn't. And, even if they could, if wouldn't matter. It was like getting tired of yourself. To Gemini, especially Dionysian Gemini, such a thing would /be/ getting tired of themselves.
It had never occured to either of them that they were more then one person- that they could have different experiences, different lives- different deaths. The concept was inconceivable, so they didn't even bother to dwell on it.
Sam leapt nimbly into the car, his guilt forgotten before he got in, and sprawled elegantly across the back seat. He ran his fingers through his hair, then murmered, "I hope I didn't over-do it."
"Ah, love, you worry to much." Jack answered, as he started the Bug. "She'll be fine. You left the mug-marks, right?"
"What do you think took me so long? It's an art form."
"So are many things."
"Many things we aren't very talented at."
Mizza sighed softly, but didn't speak.
Sam cocked a perfect eyebrow at the back of her head, holding his silence, as well. Glamour, or not, Ulovlige was beautifal.
Night was falling, warm, and heavy, like a star-spangled quilt, as Jack turned the car in the direction of the park, and they were more then half-way there when he finnaly spoke agein.
"Hey, Miz?" he began. "Where's the Shift to?"
"I'm not sure." the elder replied. "I've heard rumblings of somewhere around Cape Horn, but I really don't know."
"Cape Horn?" Sam asked.
"Can't say I'm surprised." Jack replied.
"Technically, you could."
"I'd be lying."
~
When the last red Bug finnaly pulled into a parking space among the others, Louis had joined Twitty and Roxie on the table. The three watched as Sam leapt lightly out of the back seat, and opened the door for Mizza, who smiled faintly at him.
Jack materialized at his twins side, and held his hand out to her. She took it, and accepted his help up, even though she didn't need it.
Ulovlige linked arms, then, and followed her to the table. Mizza slid onto the bench behind and between Roxie and Twitty, and said, "Why don't you dance, Roxie? If you aren't careful, before you know it you'll be as old as me, and you'll have missed your chance."
"I know, Miz." Roxie answered. "I also know you're not that old. You're just posing, cause` you're wise, and things."
"Wise and things?" Mizza asked, smiling. "Wiser then some."
"Of course you are." Jack said, dropped gracefully onto the table on Roxies other side. Sam scowled at him, having no place to sit himself, but didn't mean it.
"Wiser then us, I suppose." he said, then made a small noise of surprise when his twin wrapped his arms around his waist, and pulled him into his lap.
"Not difficult." Twitty said, with a smirk. He watched as Jack began to play with his glaring (but not protesting in the slightest) twins hair. "I'm wiser then you two at this point. My mission might be over, but you know the respect laws."
"They couldn't conform if they tried." Mizza said. "And you can't punish violations of respect laws. You can sulk, and give them verbal thrashings, but there aren't any actual punishments."
Roxie interrupted whatever Twitty, or Ulovlige might have said in response by hopping to her feet, and clapping twice.
Everyone on the basketball court dance floor dropped where they were, and looked at her expectantly.
"The Shift will be in roughly three weeks." she said. "We're off to Cape Horn. Or somewhere around there. We're improvising. We're packing it in and moving, and you need to get all your shit together /now/, as liquidation takes about two weeks. Speaking of which, if you're interested in helping with liquidation- Gemini, you don't have any choice- I've put Ulovlige in charge of that.
"Any questions?"
"It's this a bit abrubt?" Viper asked.
"I thought we were staying a while longer." Vespera added.
"Twitty's not done with his mission, is he?"
"I thought the Bond had to be complete."
"That's what I thought, too."
Roxie sighed. "The mission statement, if you read it, just said he had to have been Changed. Nowhere did it say he had to like it, tolerate it, or be in love with the person who Changed him."
Twitty heard Louis' sharp intake of breath, and wished Roxie hadn't been so blunt- up until this point, he had relied heavily on the fact Louis knew next to nothing the Ring, and how things worked. Fuck.
"Any other questions?"
"Once agein." Marz began.
"Isn't this a little abrubt?" Andromeda finished.
Roxie shrugged. "I know, generally, it's my decision." she said. "But I got word from higher up that we're needed over there."
"Higher up?" Opuesto asked.
"Hermes showed up from Upper Olympia about three days ago. There's something Silver brewing in south Australia, and we've been assigned to the Cape Horn area."
At the word 'silver' everyone congregated flinched, except Louis, and Gemini. The newbie looked around in bewilderment, while Gemini smiled, and clutched their other halfs hand.
"That doesn't mean we're going to be kicking any ass, Gemini." Roxie said, smiling faintly. "I'll put in to be on the front lines, but I'm guessing the Aresians, and maybe even the Athenians will get there first."
"Not if Marxi gets her way, Athenisia won't." Mizza said. "She'd rather kill herself then let them go to the front lines."
"Ooh, I hope so!" Sam said, nearly vibrating where he sat. He was in danger of falling over, despite the arms identical to his own, and shaking just as badly, that were wound around his waist.
Roxie rolled her eyes good-naturedly, and said, "Other then that, no one is to bother Twitty with anything until we settle agein. And, the newbie is moving to the concubine chamber in the Inners wing after said settlement, as well. That's all, really, so let's head home. Indemnis, Rainbow, Opuesto, you're coming with me. We have some things to discuss."
~
Louis didn't quite remember how he managed to get in the car after that. He was kind of in shock.
He looked over at Twitty slowly, and gave voice to the only clear thought he had had sence Roxie had finnally stated what the Bond meant.
"Is it true?" he asked, his voice cracking the glass silence that had settled over the car, it's echo shattering it entirely.
Twitty flinched. He wanted to start the car, but he couldn't. He felt as if he were paralyzed. He heard himself saying, "I suppose so. I'm in love with you, Louis." even though he knew he hadn't told himself to form the words.
He looked at Louis, knowing he wasn't going to answer. The other boy looked at Twitty. He blinked slowly, and spoke. He didn't exactly reply to Twittys words, instead changing the subject completely.
"How come none of the twins have romantic relationships with anyone?" he asked.
"They don't need them." the lavender-haired one answered. "They have eachother, so they don't need anyone else."
Louis blinked agein. "Okay." he said.
To Be Continued......
A/N: This took longer then expected, I'm afraid, and I liked this chapter. Next, Rainbow and Indemnis will do some snooping, and watch the after-math of Tawny's attack, and Louis will talk to Ulovlige. The Shift will come in the chapter after that.
Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful Ben Murray, who let me hug him, agreed to give that painting to the Wiggles, didn't seem to think me and Noel were insane when we met him after the concert, and won't care at all.