[Alice]

            Fox Face was absolutely clueless.  I could tell from his aura that there was nothing else he was hiding.  I was grateful for that.  Yuri seemed to be confused as badly as he had been when he dug his grave.  Maybe even worse.

            "What does he mean?" I wondered, not really expecting anyone to answer.

            "I would not worry about it," Keith told me.  At least, he looked like Keith.  But he seemed a bit different, even without considering his bloodied clothes.  "He and Hyuga have merged.  He is only confusing his memories."

            No wonder Yuri was so baffling then. I turned back to him.  He was looking at me pleadingly, parts of his trenchcoat flickering.  "Alice wouldn't…I know you wouldn't, Alice."

            I shook my head emphatically.  "No, I wouldn't."  I knelt by him, brushing his long, messy bangs away from his face.  He thought I would destroy his soul.  'Keith' had said he was mixing up his memories.  So did Hyuga expect Sarah to destroy his soul?  As Yuri relaxed, his dark brown eyes closing, I asked the question.

            His trenchcoat disappeared and his eyes flooded with amber.  Keith pulled me up to my feet, away from Yuri.  "No.  No.  Don't.  I'm not a monster.  I'm not a monster!" he screamed, and I jumped back.

            "Hyuga, stop!" Keith ordered.  Yuri was still yelling at me, glaring at me with a mix of such hatred and fear I thought I could die.  I didn't want him to look at me like that.  His shouting stopped when Keith slapped him with the back of his hand.  The hit surprised all of us and Yuri looked so hurt I could feel a wave of regret from the vampire.  "She may be Sarah, but she has changed.  She rejected God."  I opened my mouth to protest, but realized he was referring to Sarah's false god—and also that a protest might upset Yuri again.  "She does not think of you as a monster."

            "Are you sure Tiresias?"

            Tiresias nodded, his pale lips drawing back in a slight grin.  "I am sure, Hyuga."

            Hyuga was silent, his finger sketching in the dirt as he thought.  He looked up from underneath the messy bangs.  "Sorry."

            "It's alright," I said, still shaken by his vehement outburst.  "But, what did you…"  I stopped.  I didn't want to cause another explosion.

            The blond vampire quickly suggested, "Why don't you check on what Tsuki is doing?"

            "Oh…"  Hyuga nodded slowly and closed his eyes, easily settling into sleep.

            Tiresias watched him carefully.  Finally he looked at me with Keith's green eyes.  "I may have an answer for your question.  Alice, correct?"

            "Yes.  Why did Yuri think I was going to destroy his soul?  Was…was Sarah supposed to?"

            He shook his head.  "During the war, yes, but he hasn't remembered that yet.  Sarah's reputation though…"

            "Had she done it before?" I asked, horrified by the thought.  "What exactly does it do?"

            Tiresias crossed his arms and looked at me.  His eyes were hard and stern as he said, "Sarah was the destroying angel.  Her job was to destroy the souls of those who opposed God.  It's exactly what it sounds like; their soul was completely destroyed."

            "Tiresias," Fox Face growled.  "You said yourself she's changed."

            "She has," he said, pointing at me, "But then she's a completely new persona.  I heard that Sarah wants to return to God."

            "To her God," I mumbled.  Was Sarah really a murderer?  No, if Tiresias was right, she was worse: she didn't destroy the temporary body, but the eternal soul.

            "Are you sure you worship a different God?" Tiresias said, arching an eyebrow.  At Fox Face's growl, he added, "Forgive me, that was rude.  However—" The gates groaned as they slowly opened, but I waited for the rest of Tiresias's response.

            "Alice!  Thank God."

            I instantly started.  The similarity in the two vampires' voices was incredible.  Keith slowly closed the gates, keeping his hand on them so it wouldn't make too much noise.  "Alice, where are you?"

            "What?  Oh, you mean—I'm near the City of Darkness.  Just outside.  I'm with Fox Face."

            Keith's face turned blank.  "Fox Face?"

            A low growl alerted him to the disgruntled kitsuune.  "You guys are ignoring me."

            I ran my hand over his fur, soothing him.  "I thought Fox Face was a man, not a real fox.  And didn't Yuri accept him?" Keith asked.

            "Yes, but then he screwed up again," Fox Face replied.  "As you can see, he's on a streak of screwing up.  And I'm a kitsuune because your stupid dad just had to tell him we're descended from a monster."

            I rapped Fox Face on the head with my knuckles.  "Why are you being rude to Keith?"

            "Cause this is not a good day," he grumbled.  He was sulking, his seven tails drooping between his legs.  "I didn't even get a good night's sleep."

            I wondered why he hadn't; I had gotten a very good rest.  Keith looked confused but plowed on.  "We've wasted a day then.  We thought you were here, in Tripura.  We heard about Yuri fusing—"

            "Yet another case of him screwing up," Fox Face interjected.  I rapped him again and he sighed.

            "Is he always like this?"  Keith was amused by Fox Face's attitude rather than offended.

            "I'm not sure, he's usually very nice to me.  I suppose he must be jealous."

            "Am not," Fox Face protested.  "That's what Ego does.  And he gets paranoid too."

            My hand rose again but Fox Face dodged and went over to his slumbering half.  "So Tsuki's still playing with him?"  He nudged the Harmonixer, but Yuri did not respond.

            Tiresias sighed and massaged his temples.  "She leaves sometimes, but she seems to like her pet."

            "Pet?"

            "You don't know?" Keith said.  "Yuri's being kept as a pet."

            Irked that Keith knew more about Yuri's situation than I did, I glared hard at the kitsuune.  "I thought you said he was in jail."

            "He is," Fox Face insisted.  "She's part of the clan and she's keeping him in prison.  Like you'd put a bird in a cage."

            The thought of Yuri caged as someone's pet disturbed me.  I suddenly pictured him looking like—like Fox Face; and at this I felt ashamed.  Was I thinking of Fox Face differently because he looked different?  As a pet?

            I turned red as I remembered the previous night.  His warm fur and the cute whining noises he made in his sleep reminded me of Lissa, an adorable golden retriever my father had given me on my eighth birthday.  Though I doubted Fox Face would find the comparison so pleasing.  I wouldn't blame him.  I shouldn't think of him like that.  He was the same as Yuri.

            "Why is Yuri like this?" I asked.

            "Hyuga decided he wanted to join with Yuri."  Tiresias smiled wanly, looking a sickly white—but that might have been the Graveyard's flat light.  "He always was impatient, as least as an adult.  The problem is he thought he'd still be able to—well, basically, function.  He'd never done an integration before, because Mnemosyne never let him."

            "And you wonder why?"

            Mnemosyne's chains jangled as she appeared beside the tree, kneeling next to the sleeping man.  Despite her disapproving tone, she reached forward and kissed Yuri on the cheek.

            "Oh—" I exclaimed.  There was a certain way in how she lingered next to him, their faces just a breath apart, which suggested intimacy.

            The Asian woman turned her face to me.  "So, you do care about him?"

            My face was red from indignation and embarrassment and a small bit of jealousy.  "Yes."

            She nodded and, careful not to disturb him, stood, the many thin chains of silver rattling against each other.  "I locked Sarah away in Lethe.  I will not let her become one with you for a while—maybe not ever.  Are you angry?"

            I shook my head.  "No.  She's a murderer, isn't she?  She should be locked away."  I felt a bit angry with myself; wasn't I her?  Why would I do something as horrible as that?

            "Don't—don't hate her."  Mnemosyne shook her head.  "She's not that bad.  It's just that, that…she's an angel," she said, lacking better words.  "They're hard to deal with, hard to understand."  She suddenly smiled and turned to Keith.  "And how are you dealing with your little angel?"

            Keith sighed wearily.  "She's used a spell on Margarete.  Now Margarete's senseless and Zhuzhen's healing her.  They bicker so much."

            "That makes sense," Mnemosyne murmured.  "It's a wonder Halley doesn't argue though."

            "But she's like a little sister to him."

            The red robed woman shrugged, but I was busy puzzling it out.  Little sister?  "Is Sharon an angel?  …Did she die?"

            Keith chuckled.  "No, she's fine.  The angels merely took her apart for some time.  When she returned, she was an angel."

            "They're using her to get to Sarah," Mnemosyne said.  She frowned as her hand rested on the rough bark of the tree.  "And Sarah seems to be listening.  Now that I've locked her in Lethe, she's undoubtedly against us."

            "And who's 'us'?" I said coolly.  After all, we didn't know her, and she hadn't explained herself.  It'd be foolish to trust her, though Fox Face did…

            She faltered a bit.  "I would hope… I would hope it's all of you.  At the least I am sure of Tiresias, myself, and Hyuga."  She paused, biting her lip hard.  "I know why the others might be angry.  I never lied to them, but I didn't tell them everything—"

            "Lying by omission," I said.

            "I suppose it is," Mnemosyne said, accepting my judgment.  "But I told you too.  Or Sarah.  And when I told her, she was so happy, she agreed at once to be reborn.  She was more enthusiastic than Hyuga.  She even led him into the river."  As she spoke, her smile increased, but I felt sadness accompanying her joy.  Then the fragile gladness died and she frowned.  "But now—I suppose it's been too long.  Sarah's not so sure."

            "And what did you tell her?" I asked.

            "I might tell you," she said after a moment.  "I'm not bound."

            "No?" Keith said curiously.  "I thought you were reincarnated as well."

            Mnemosyne shook her head.  "I can't bind myself.  If I did there'd be chaos.  Some souls just…well."  She pursed her lips.  "They shouldn't be reborn until there're better psychiatrists."

            Fox Face gave a weak chuckle.  He had flopped himself down on his stomach and was now lounging on his side.  "Should've saved me for then too."

            "Are you alright?" I asked.  His lethargic behavior was unusual; even his head rested on the ground.  His eyes were glassy, looking at nothing.

            "I hate it here," he mumbled.  "I feel like I'm dying."

            "We are dying."

            "What?" Tiresias said sharply.  I turned to see Yuri's barely open eyes, pale pools.  "Are they executing you?'

            "The souls didn't want to talk.  Tsuki tried to make me.  My heart stopped," the child Hyuga rattled off.  "She said she couldn't feel my pulse."

            I knelt by Yuri, examining him.  I placed my hand on the black shirt and began casting Cure.

            "Your spells aren't going to help him.  It's his body, not his soul," Mnemosyne said.

            "What am I supposed to do then?" I demanded.  Focusing harder, I cast the healing spell again.

            "There's nothing you can do," Tiresias said.

            "There has to be something," the other vampire protested.  Keith's heavy boots pounded the grass as he thought.  "How far from the city are you, Alice?'

            "She's too far and she's not going in," Mnemosyne snapped.  "If she dies Hyuga will do something stupid."

            "I am going," I said, standing up.  I stood two or three inches above the short woman, looking down at her.

            "If you die, and Hyuga does anything to harm himself, I will make your existence hell," Mnemosyne promised, glaring at me.  Her aura grew, reminding me of someone similar—but who had an aura like this?

            "Mnemosyne," Fox Face growled.  He struggled to get to his feet, looking unsteady.  His brown fur flickered—he seemed to disappear—and he fell back on his stomach.

            I didn't know what to do.  Who could I help?  "Fox Face, you aren't dying, are you?" My voice shook as I asked the question.

            "Probably, since he is," he answered.  He made a faint smirk that faded with the rest of his body.  "Wouldn't that be ironic…"

            "Tsuki left," Hyuga said.  "Everything's turning black."  Loss of blood was making him lose consciousness.  Soon after that happened, he would die.

            Tiresias turned away, his face ashen.  "Gods…" he murmured, a plea.  Mnemosyne turned to leave, causing me to shout out if she would just let him die.

            "I can't do anything.  I don't care to watch this again," she replied without looking back.  "I'll be waiting at Lethe."

            "He's not coming!" I said angrily.  My only answer was the gates, slowly swinging shut.

            "Can't you fuse?" Keith asked.  "If you do not—"

            "I can't use magic," he answered.  He sounded exhausted.

            "Just try, you goddamn idiot!" Fox Face shouted.  "If you die and I do too, then Alice…Alice's going to be by herself…" He faded out again, only reappearing five seconds later.  "She'll be in danger."

            "Sorry Fox Face," Hyuga said.  The kitsuune faded again.  This time he did not reappear.  "Sorry Sarah."

            His eyelids slid down as though he was sleeping.  Sleeping or dead?

            "The graft's not reappearing," Tiresias noted.  "He's probably dead then."

            Yuri was dead?  I stared at where Fox Face had been, willing him to come back.  I felt Keith's hand as he knelt next to me.  "Alice, find somewhere where you can hide.  We'll come for you.  All right?"

            His voice was extremely kind and soft, as though he was comforting someone grieving.  But I wasn't grieving, because Yuri couldn't be dead.  "Fox Face…this isn't funny," I whispered, covering my eyes.  "Stop hiding from me."

            "Alice…"

            I shook my head.  Yuri couldn't be dead.  Fox Face had just woken up.  That was all.  They'd both woken up.  Maybe it was a prank.  They could be so immature…

            My body shot forward out of Keith's grasp as my eyes opened.  In the twilight, I searched for Fox Face's form and found it.  He was still.  "Fox Face, wake up," I whispered, shaking him lightly.  He didn't wake up and I shook him harder, calling him louder.  Still he didn't respond.

            "Resurrection," I whispered, but the spell did nothing.  He couldn't be alive if Yuri was dead.  He wasn't alive.  Yuri wasn't alive either.

            I still tried to wake him, but gradually I broke down.  I sobbed, burying my face in his cold silky fur.  "Wake up, dummy.  Idiot.  I told you I should go save Yuri…he was in more danger than me—"

            I stopped mid-sentence and listened.  He hadn't been breathing before, I knew he hadn't, but now…  "Fox Face.  Fox Face."

            His breathing grew stronger, more regular.  Had my magic worked?  No, it couldn't be that.  But what did it matter, so long as he was alive?

            Fox Face roused out of his slumber, yawning.  "Alice?  Why'd you leave the Graveyard?…Were you crying?"

            I nodded, fearing my voice would break if I tried speaking.

            Fox Face comforted me as a kitsuune could, rubbing his warm head against my cheeks to dry all the tears.  "Tsuki got an Earth class to heal Ego's heart.  He's still a bit weak, but he's fine."

            So it hadn't been my magic.  I'd only gotten lucky.  It'd been a miracle.

            "I can't believe you thought I was dead," he muttered.  "Don't you remember?  I'm harder to kill than a cockroach."

            I burst out in laughter as tears sprang fresh to my eyes, frightening Fox Face.

            "Now what's wrong?"

            "Nothing—I'm just happy," I said, slinging my arms around his neck and hugging him.  "I'm so glad you're alright."

**

[Zhuzhen]

            "Margarete, Zhuzhen, wake up."

            Keith gently shook me, making my eyes open.  The sun, low in the window, blinded me.  "What are you doing up so early?" I asked, rubbing away the sleep.

            "We need to go to the City of Darkness right now."

            "What about Alice?" Margarete protested.  She was wrapped up in her blankets, kicking feebly to get out.

            "She's there.  At least, nearby," the vampire told us.  He stood up, scanning the room.  "Where's Halley?"

            "Eh?" I sat up.  "He still out?"

            Keith took his pocket watch out, the gold blinding me with the rising sun's light.  I groaned and ducked back under the covers.  "It's half-past five.  He's been out the entire night."

            "Ah, he's alright," Margarete said.  "If he wasn't we would have had an earthquake."

            "But we must go now."

            "What?  I thought we had a while…until that Nemesis guy came back.  Just an hour."

            "Don't go back to sleep!"  Keith yanked all the covers from Margarete's bed, exposing the spy's short shirt and blue panties.  Margarete curled up into a ball.  "Margarete, please."

            "Why's it such an emergency?" she murmured.  "Just a few more minutes."

            "His captor almost killed him.  She made his heart stop."

            Both Margarete and I sat up.  Margarete inadvertently woke Sharon with her movements, and the sleepy child yawned.  "What's going on?  Halley?"

            "We're going to look for him right now," Margarete said.  The spy climbed out of bed and pulled a longer skirt on.  The navy blue fabric hit her knees and she took only a few seconds of raking her hair before declaring that her rumpled appearance was as good as it was would get.

            After a few minutes we were ready to go.  "Where's the last place you saw him?" Sharon asked Keith.  Her face looked a little pale…she seemed anxious.

            "He said he was going to the palace.  We'll check there first."

            "Can we hurry?" Sharon pleaded, tugging on the vampire's sleeve.

            "Don't worry, I'm sure he's fine," I said.

            Sharon's face grew dark and troubled though.  She shook her head and walked out with both Margarete and Keith following her.  She obviously didn't think he was.

**

Author's Note:  Kind of short chapter, but you get the picture.

**

Reviewers:

MikoNoNyte:  Sharon doesn't really mean to be like that, though she has a hard time avoiding it.

I'll admit that Persephone/Lilia is based a small part on me—and I've never dyed my hair, much less even considered dying it an unnatural color like green.  I just do not like the idea.

The game also shows Tigerion, and then Raging Tiger.  I'm pretty sure Lobos appears at least once as the name, and Lobos sounds better to me than Lobo.

Oh, it's not rhetorical, we'll be going more into Hyuga's lovely life experiences, especially the ones involving Tiresias.

Well, Keith is communicating with his SS in the Graveyard; Alice has seen and talked to hers in her own graveyard.  So has Zhuzhen, so everyone's come into contact with their shadow soul at least once.

Majin Yuffie:  Here you go!

The Setra Prince:  Hey, I resent that!  My story is not as confusing as Xenogears!  :p  That might be ch. 12 or thereabouts that you're talking about—the answer is they represent both Yuri's past incarnations, and the possibility for more, which is infinite.

Greyfriars:  I was just getting a kick out of seeing Alice draping Fox Face over her shoulders—bad, very bad.  ^^

Kitty:  Here's the update!

Autumn Dragon:  Yeah, Sharon is being stuck up.  But she's got a good reason for it, I swear.