Author's Note:
Rio: *laughing insanely*
Ryu: Oh, Rio had fun with this chapter...
Rio: He he, the moment you have all been waiting for, everyone's reactions!
Ryu: Remember that only Mia and Alex know of Saturos's revival at the moment... and Alex doesn't really know that he knows...
Rio: Oh, and a few people commented on how well Mia took Saturos's revival. Remember that she is one of the few people who know that (1) Jenna loves Saturos and visa versa, and (2) that Jenna is a Dark Mage.
Ryu: SO, the count stands at: People who know Jenna is a Dark Mage, 6 (Felix, Picard, Mia, Saturos, Alex, Sheba). People who know Jenna loves Saturos, 2 (Alex, Mia,- Felix and Picard suspect something but don't really know)
Rio: You can see why I had fun writing this... hehehe.
Ryu: Do I even need to say "enjoy"?
Fantasies of the Open Mind
Chapter Sixteen: Revelations (Ryu: Man, is this an understatement...)
There were two things that Alex liked to count on in life: coffee and Mia's hangover remedy. However said remedy was not supposed to give its drinker illusions and Alex's mind was fast approaching the idea of "this is just an illusion, I am NOT seeing this."
How Alex's mind got to this state is a simple story. About three hours after Mia left him in the morning he woke to find a steaming hangover remedy on the bedside table which was slightly mint flavored. Alex's mind was very pleased about this because mint was one of Alex's favorite flavors but that is beside the point. Alex had sipped down about half of the stuff before the world returned to its normal logical state, and finding that he could think strait again he went in search of everyone else. He found out from the innkeeper that Mia, a now up and about Jenna, and a Proxian were in residence at the inn at the moment and that the rest of Alex's comrades had left early in the morning and had not returned yet. Of course Alex did not comprehend the last part, wondering why in the name of Mercury Agatio or Karst would be in the inn at the moment without the other. Deciding that Karst was probably off after Isaac's blood and that Agatio had decided to grow a backbone and stand up to his girlfriend, Alex decided to find Mia and Jenna. He had wondered where Jenna had gone off to as much as Felix had although for different reasons.
Reaching Jenna's room Alex had found the door open and was welcomed by Mia with a "good afternoon". However Alex's brain had abandoned all logical thought because what he saw was... well... not logical.
There were three people in the room. Mia, Jenna, and a Proxian that Alex would have sworn up and down was dead, gone, and... not living. Yet, here he was, against all logic, sitting on Jenna's bed with Jenna on his lap.
Alex's mind was now working on overdrive as he just stared at Saturos, who looked right back at him waiting for a reaction. Finally some parts of his brain clicked together and a logical thought process began to explain the situation.
"How did you like Hades Saturos?" he asked calmly, pulling another chair next to Mia's and falling on it.
Saturos smirked, "Dreadful. To watery for my taste."
"The river Styx is actually a river?"
Mia and Jenna rolled their eyes watching the power play between two friends who were to aloft to actually say, "Hello, I'm glad you're not dead anymore." and "Thanks its good to be back."
But they didn't get a chance to as the arrival of two wind Adepts stopped all chances of pleasant conversation.
"HOLY JUPITER!"
Alex winced at the noise, still not fully recovered. And Ivan was loud when he wanted to be.
"Good afternoon Ivan, Sheba." Jenna smiled at the two. "Is everyone else coming?"
Sheba looked a bit confused as she assessed the situation. Jenna was smiling, really smiling. Well, if Jenna was happy then nothing must be wrong so she could relax. "Welcome back Saturos." she said waving at the mars Adept who nodded at her before Ivan brought everyone's attention back to himself.
"Welcome back?" he nearly shrieked before settling for looking very lost and confused. "There's something I'm missing about this situation."
"You won't be the only one." Alex smirked, gleefully imagining the look on Felix's face when he saw that not only was Saturos back from the dead but he was courting his sister.
"I'll explain Ivan." Sheba took pity on the other wind Adept, leading Ivan to the open area of the inn to explain.
By the time supper rolled around, Ivan understood the situation and had accepted the fact that Saturos was alive. The wind Adept had surprised even Sheba herself with his willingness to accept what was very unlogical and to get over whatever issues he had with the Proxian. But, as Saturos reasoned later that night, he hadn't actually done anything to bring Ivan's wrath upon him. Ivan had joined Isaac and Garet sometime before the Mercury lighthouse. No the people he would have problems with were Felix, Isaac, and Garet, maybe Garet most of all since he still had a school-boy crush on Jenna but it was hard to tell who would be worse: the jealous friend or the overprotective older brother.
Jenna watched the thoughtful expressions flutter around Saturos's face as the Proxian stared into the inn's fire place as if mesmerized by the flames. She knew the tongue lashing Saturos would get from her brother and her two best friends, at least until her friends realized her feelings on the matter. She sat down next to him on the couch which the innkeeper had conveniently placed in front of the fire place but said nothing for a few minutes.
"Sometimes it's good to be scared." Saturos said quietly. "But sometimes it's just a pain."
Jenna smiled leaning on the Proxian, feeling one of his arms wrapping around her. "But the great Saturos is not scared of anything." she chided playfully.
"The great Saturos is scared of many things but does not show it. However, your brother in a rage is something to be very scared of."
"My brother will not have the time to work himself into a rage." Jenna said simply. "I will not let him."
"And how do you suppose to do that?" Saturos asked.
"Easy. I will get Picard."
Saturos snorted. "Does anyone other than ourselves know about their relationship yet?"
"Nope. Alex probably suspects something, but no one has any evidence except us two, which makes it even better. And if things get really bad you have my permission to hit him over the head with something hard."
"That is dangerous permission to give me. I may overuse the privilege."
"Yes, but the best fighter of Prox is an honorable one so he would not misuse anything."
Saturos frowned playfully, "I knew there was something about being honorable I didn't like."
Jenna giggled, looking into the fire again. Saturos looked down at the woman in his arms, for no longer was Jenna a child. Her face was illuminated by the fire's light, giving it a more shadowed and godlike look, but to a fire Adept, anything to do with fire looked beautiful. Jenna was no exception.
Smirking Saturos leaned over and whispered, "You know I like the braids but I would like to be able to run my fingers through your hair at some point."
Jenna smiled mischievously, the fire stuttered as if a wind had blown into the room, and her braids began to unwind themselves. The beads still stayed suspended in her hair but it was now back to its original state, long and luxurious. "Is this better?" she asked innocently.
"Much." Saturos leaned forward to capture her lips with his own, one hand holding her to him, and one threading its way through her silken hair.
"I'm telling you Isaac, she isn't on the Rock." a familiar voice spoke as two adepts entered the inn.
"Isaac? Hey... Isaac I'm talking to you."
"Garet... I've lost my mind."
"What are you talking about Isaac?"
"I'm going crazy! I'm hallucinating! Isn't it a sign that you're crazy when you hallucinate?"
"Isaac, buddy, what are you talking about?"
"Look over there and tell me you don't see what I see?"
"Isaac there's no one here, its late at night."
"JUST LOOK ALREADY GARET!"
"Fine, fine... oh my god..."
"Tell me you're not seeing what I'm seeing."
"JENNA WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" an enraged Garet strolled into the open room of the inn from where he and Isaac had been standing in the doorway.
Annoyedly Jenna was released from the kiss and looked at Garet. "What does it look like I am doing Garet?" she asked sweetly, almost too sweetly.
"YOU'RE KISSING SATUROS! Wait... OH MY GOD! YOU'VE BEEN KISSING A CORPSE!"
"Excuse me." Saturos cut in, "I am very much alive, thank you very much."
Garet turned to Saturos. "No, YOU are dead."
"No he is not dead Garet, because he was just kissing Jenna." Isaac put in, a strange look on his face. "But strangely I don't remember him surviving the fight on the Venus Lighthouse."
"That's because I didn't." Saturos put in smugly but was ignored by the two adepts who were to lost in their own train of thought.
"Then... IS MENARDI ALIVE TOO?" Garet looked around the room as if at any time he might see the blond appear."
"No. Menardi is dead." Jenna put in crisply.
Garet sighed. "Well that's a relief. I don't think we could take them both on again."
"What are you talking about?" Jenna asked warily, noticing that both adepts had their hands near a weapon of some kind.
"We're going to send you back to Hell where you belong." Garet snarled at Saturos who rose off the couch a venomous look in his eyes.
"Been there, done that, didn't like it."
Isaac gulped as if he just now realized what had actually happened here. They were up against someone who had died and come back to life... that didn't sound to good once it was put that way.
"Are you sure you two can defeat me... there are only two of you. Two against one isn't very good odds considering that it took all four of you to defeat me the first time." the fire in the fireplace seemed to agree with Saturos as it cackled joyously.
"STOP IT ALL OF YOU!" Everyone turned to see an enraged Mia standing in the doorway to the hall of the inn. "Isaac, Garet, PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPONS." The two did so a bit meekly and waited for Mia to continue. "Don't you realize you're on his side now?"
"WHAT?" Garet raged, while Isaac blinked, thinking.
"You're helping Lemuria right? To light the lighthouses? Well, Prox is doing the same thing as the Lemurians, so you three are on the same side. There is no need for fighting."
"That still doesn't explain why we walk into the room to see them sucking each other's faces off." Isaac put in helpfully.
"Do I really have to spell it out for you?" Mia asked pointedly.
"A little warning might have been nice Jenna." Isaac looked at Jenna and the Dark Mage could feel a guilt trip coming on. "It would have been easier to accept if you had told us."
Garet also entered into the conversation. "I thought we were your best friends, so why didn't you tell us?"
"I think your reaction here proves my point." Jenna said simply, refusing to feel guilty.
"Really?" Isaac asked, "How would you feel if suddenly you walked into an inn to see Garet and Menardi in the middle of a make-out session?"
Saturos burst out laughing at that idea. Garet glared at Saturos, "Do you think that's funny?"
"Hilarious." Saturos managed to get out.
"You have to admit," Isaac said, realizing exactly what he had said and who he had randomly put together. "It is... pretty funny." He then followed Saturos into the realms of laughter. Even Mia was chuckling and Jenna was trying to hold back giggles.
"Well I think it's disgusting." Garet said, as if he was trying not to picture it.
"She would agree with you, I'm sure." Saturos countered, recovering from his laughter.
"Now." Mia said, adopting the role of mother to the two adepts. "You two should get some sleep. Really, up at dawn and back after dusk, its a wonder they can even hold weapons much less use them." She finished to herself, returning to her own room for some much needed sleep.
The four standing there also headed to the bedrooms but Saturos and Garet stopped in the doorway, as if under some mutual agreement that they were not settled with each other's presence yet.
After a few moments of silence Garet finally spoke. "I still don't like you very much Saturos, but Jenna is my friend and I will respect her choices."
"Good." Saturos was fine with Garet not liking him very much. In fact it would have been downright scary if Garet had upped and decided to bury the hatchet after less than an hour.
"But if you ever hurt her I will be first in line to kill you." Garet added.
"Garet. If I hurt here there will be no me to be killed. Hades, her father would see to that."
Garet nodded, his tired brain just going along with this new piece of information. Then he grinned. "At least I have one power you don't."
"Really?" Saturos asked raising an eyebrow and picking up a lit candle from where it was sitting on a notch in the wall. Garet watched as the flame grew and then spread out in a line towards him stopping only inches away from his face.
"Where did you learn that?"
"Magma Rock. Honestly Garet, would you expect me of all people to let anyone have a power that could be mine without having it myself?"
Saturos left the gaping fire adept in the hallway and headed off for a spare bedroom.
It was morning before anyone saw Felix or Picard, and surprisingly it was Garet who saw them first as he was the only one up, besides Saturos and Jenna but no one knew that. The two adepts found him submerged in breakfast and helped themselves before asking him if everyone was back yet
Garet decided to let them find out for themselves about what "everyone" actually meant but nodded as he added another forkful of eggs into his mouth.
"What? Is Jenna all right?"
Garet nodded and Felix was up and walking towards Jenna's bedroom. "Uh, Felix... I wouldn't go in there just yet." Garet said thinking about the inevitable confrontation between Felix and Saturos and he hoped that Mia would be up by then.
Felix rounded on him, "Why not?" Felix asked suspiciously.
"Oh... no reason." Garet looked down at the table as Felix walked out of the room.
"There's something wrong isn't there." Picard asked, "Something that Felix won't be happy about."
Garet nodded. "You should go after him... before they run into each other."
Picard wasn't sure exactly who "they" were but left after Felix anyway.
Jenna looked up from one of her textbooks that she and Saturos had been discussing as Felix entered the room. The earth adept locked eyes with Saturos and had only time to blink before they glazed over and he feinted, landing in Picard's arms who had to run the last few steps to catch him.
"Good morning Picard." Jenna said bravely as Picard balanced Felix in his arms. She watched as the Lemurian also locked eyes with Saturos but then realized that he had no clue who Saturos was.
The Lemurian greeted Jenna as he deposited Felix on her already made bed. He then turned to Saturos offering his hand in greeting. "Picard."
"Saturos." the Proxian answered locking hands with the Lemurian.
"'The' Saturos?" Picard asked curiously.
"Yup." Jenna confirmed watching as Picard looked at Saturos with a newfound respect.
"I don't even want to know what was just implied about me." Saturos grumbled, stretching.
Picard chuckled as he turned his attention to Felix who was still out cold. Checking his pulse, Picard determined that Felix would be fine. "So shall I wake him, or do you want to wait for the wonderful outburst Felix will give when he realizes that you are courting Jenna?" the Lemurian asked Saturos.
"Hey, how did you figure that out?" Jenna asked suspiciously.
"I knew one thing that Felix didn't or else he would have figured it out as well by now." Picard replied. "So shall I wake him?"
"By all means, wake your boyfriend already and let's get this over with." Saturos said bracing himself mentally for the attack.
Felix didn't say much at first, merely doing a lot of blinking before it started. Louder than Garet or Isaac had been the night before and much more knowledgeable about curses, the adept began.
"MOTHER OF VENUS, MERCURY AND NEPTUNE!"
Even Picard was startled by his outbreak, stepping back from Felix in surprise.
"OH HADES, MARS AND JUPITER-" The earth adept had long awoken everyone else in the inn, whom all rolled over and attempted to go back to sleep when recognizing Felix's voice, as they had figured something like this would happen. Garet merely rolled his eyes and thought, "I told him not to go."
"OF ALL THE GOD'S CURSED-"
Jenna stood impassively as her brother went on and on for what seemed like hours, and truthfully might have been hours, waiting for that moment when Saturos would snap, yup here it comes.
"FELIX SHUT UP!"
Felix's mouth closed automatically upon command. One didn't live with Saturos and Menardi for most of their life and not know to obey when Saturos's voice was like that.
"First of all, congratulations on finally learning to use your vocal cords." Saturos spoke snidely. Was Saturos not pleased at the moment? No he was not pleased at all.
Felix just glared at Saturos and one could almost hear the mental curses that must have been thrown Saturos's way
"Or maybe not." Saturos added as an afterthought.
The earth Adept turned to his sister, "Explain. Now." he stated clearly and shortly.
"I brought him back to life."
"I think I got that part already." Felix growled. "The question is 'why did you' not 'what did you'."
Jenna gulped and Picard watched with interest her look over in Saturos's direction who was also looking rather pale. This would be interesting, he thought and prepared to hold Felix back if necessary.
Jenna knew she couldn't just come out and say it, opting instead for showing Felix but she didn't really want to be the one to show him, suddenly wary of his over protectiveness. Saturos saw this and also saw the confused glare that was sent Jenna's way when she did not answer Felix.
"I'll tell you Felix." Saturos said simply, getting up and walking over to Jenna. Feeling Felix's glare on him he reached down and kissed her lightly and then waited for the predictable reaction.
"HOLY VENUS!"
Everyone else not in the room silently thought, "Well Felix found out about their relationship" before attempting to go back to sleep, or in Garet's case, to eat breakfast in peace.
Author's Note:
Rio: That was so much fun!
Ryu: Wow... and everyone had a distinctly different approach... I'm impressed Rio.
Rio: Anyway, next chapter we are moving on with the plot! Oh, and about the Karst and Agatio debate... it's tied. So... I will give you some details to help as I am already constructing the plot-line for the sequel. If they have a happily ever after ending in this story they will not really appear in the next story. However if their ending is not so nice, they will appear in Hades in the next story and get their happy ever ending scene there.
Ryu: Um, that doesn't help.
Rio: Well it does insure that they have a happy ending doesn't it? So only those who feel really strongly about them being alive or dead should vote. And on the idea of voting... what shall I do about poor Garet? This is a love story so everyone should have a happy ending. But the question is who to put Garet with? I could either put Garet with Isaac (if so they would have a slightly bigger part in the sequel) or I could put him with some bonnie lass from Vale (sorry, when I picture a hetero Garet, I see him with a pretty blond and about eight kids...). So what's your pick? (Don't worry, I will give Isaac a happy ending too... if not with Garet in this story then some other way he will be happy and content at the end.) And thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter and waited patiently for everyone's reactions!
Ryu: "bonnie lass???"... *goes to get thermometer* She must be coming down with something... yea that's it.