And it's Vyctori back with another update! Yay...!

Can't think of anything to say at the moment, so I'll just move on to the review responses, because I actually wrote part of the last chapter, I can answer!

Katsuharu Miyoku: Sorry, Solaris, but you're right. I am broke...Menardi's an expensive muse.

Menardi: I scarred another person for life? Great! *ticks off something on a piece of paper* So, in my career as Vyctori's muse, I have done so with approximately three hundred people. Not just reviewers, either, but neighbours, acquaintances, friends, even the mailperson. *grins wickedly* You're right. Being a Mars Adept is fun!

Yoshimi Takahashi: You get half a cookie, because you were mostly right. I wrote to "Karst clenched her fists in anger. "Give me that armour! My money's as good as anyone else, so hand it over!"" Then Suzaku expanded the scene with the 'freak, daemon,' etc. comments and Ryou's infliction of physical pain on said shopkeeper. I wrote from "The armour seller frowned and began a reply..." to the end, but Suzaku had to fix up some of Ryou's past for me. And I made up the chapter title, on the spur of the moment.

Here's the update!

Allexandra Radcliffe: The part with Ryou getting mad at the shopkeeper wasn't actually in The Lost Age, but we wanted it in to bring Karst and Ryou a little closer (well, I wrote it and Suzaku agreed with it). And don't worry about ranting. Ranting=very good. I do it all the time. Anyway, here's our continuation!

SSJ-KybokSilverfang: Aw, thanks for the compliments! ^_^ And we will keep writing!

Feral Claw: Yeah, I have to admit that the concept is pretty unusual. I actually am not that much of a Kaiba fan (which is weird, since I wrote an entire fic with him as one of the two main characters, and am planning on a sequel 0_o;;;). Glad you like this--when am I going to see an update on your fic, huh? Kidding!

*****

Well, that's everyone! Now, shoo! Go read another joint chapter by Suzaku and I!

~ * * * ~

When they arrived at the inn, they discovered Alex and Agatio waiting for them in the common room. Alex, true to his word, had reserved two rooms--one for the men, and the other for Karst. The innkeeper did not utter a single syllable until the party of four had exited the main chamber, nor did his eyes leave their fixed positions on their backs.

"What's up with him?" Karst wanted to know as she helped Ryou unpack his gear.

Alex wore an amused expression. "Well, Agatio had finished his inquiries and arrived just as I was paying for our rooms. The keeper of this fine establishment had thought to protest renting out a portion of this building to someone as unusual as Agatio."

"And?" Ryou prompted.

Agatio grinned. "I cracked my knuckles and leaned over the front desk. The expression on his face was beautiful...absolutely priceless."

Alex corrected, "Not precisely beautiful...it was more like complete, unadulterated terror. But we will encounter no difficulties staying here for the night."

Karst couldn't help smiling. "Good enough. And if he does think to open his mouth, I'll just let him admire how nice and shiny and sharp my scythe is for a bit. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm starving. How about we see what kind of food they serve in this place?"

As it turned out, the fare was quite excellent. As they consumed a rather late supper, Agatio filled Ryou and Karst in on what he had learned about Jupiter Lighthouse.

"The villagers didn't actually have much to say about it," he managed around a huge mouthful of food.

Karst wrinkled her nose in disgust and instead focused her attention on Alex, who was seated across from her. The Mercury Adept set down his fork and patted his mouth delicately with a cloth napkin.

"But they did mention several interesting things about Jupiter Adepts," Alex remarked. "Agatio...?"

"Yeah, just about the power of the Anemos." Agatio gulped down his mouthful and guzzled some ale. "Some city of Jupiter Adepts supposedly floated into the air one day. Since then, there haven't been many Wind Adepts around. Which is too bad, 'cause you need this 'power of the Anemos' to enter Jupiter Lighthouse."

"Ryou, would you be able to do anything?" Karst questioned the young man seated next to her.

"I don't even know what the power of the Anemos is, so how can I?" he responded pragmatically.

"Not to worry. I hold the ability in question," Alex informed them. "It is Hover, a type of Psynergy I acquired on my travels."

Agatio stared at him, fork midway to his mouth. "But you're a pure Mercury Adept! How could you learn something like that?"

Alex half-closed his eyes and smiled enigmatically. "That is for me to know..."

"...and you to find out," Karst and Ryou chorused, making faces at each other. It was a common enough phrase around Alex. Even the newly arrived Ryou had learned to dread Alex's mysterious moods.

The four finished their meal with pleasant conversation. Soon, they wished each other good night and Karst departed for her room.

Once the door was shut, she stripped and climbed into bed. However, sleep stubbornly resisted her attempts at capture, and so she thought over the events of the day, including the confrontation at the armour shop.

She grinned. She was proud of Ryou. He had been so timid when they were growing up--except when someone he loved was threatened. In those instances, he became ferocious, the energy within him becoming released all at once in an explosive blast, devastating the attacker.

How sweet and chivalrous of him, Karst thought.

"...she's quite beautiful."

Karst shook her head against the pillow. Where had that particular phrase come from? She recalled that it had been part of Ryou's furious tirade against the shopkeeper. But why did she choose to remember it now? Why that, and not one of his sharp insults? Normally, that was the sort of thing her mind held, so she could employ something along the same lines against the next victim of her razor tongue. Why remember something like that? She mentally resolved to ask Ryou in the morning.

And, still puzzling over the workings of her subconscious, she rolled over and finally caught up with her elusive rest.

* * *

The next day was one of travel towards Jupiter Lighthouse. They didn't make it to the beacon, so that day they camped once more. Ryou watched Agatio and Alex retire. Karst had disappeared into the nearby forest--probably to relieve herself--which left Ryou alone, but agreeably so.

He simply gazed out into the beautiful night. The stars were spread all over the cloak of darkness, and the silver moon seemed to surround everything with a luminous radiance. The sky seemed mysterious, the endless abyss containing a great secrecy that would confound humanity for eternity. Ryou, however, was not one of those who sought to pierce the veil of time and space, but was happy with the here and now. With a content sigh, he laid down on the slightly dew-layered ground, a peaceful feeling overtaking him.

"So there you are!" a charming voice exclaimed.

With an opened eye, the white-haired Adept stared into the face of Karst, a cheeky grin on her face. She sat beside him on the grass, taking in the wonderful sights for a minute. The moonlight seemed to enhance her beautiful sparkle, giving her an angelic appeal.  She simply sighed before saying, "You still didn't answer my question."

Ryou looked stumped. "What question? ...Oh, that one." Once they had set off on their day's hike, Karst had taken her chance to ask about the words that had been restlessly prowling around her mind. Ryou was swift enough to avoid answering at that time, but not at this moment.

She then looked at Ryou. "What do you mean that I'm beautiful?"

"Well," Ryou began, "you just have this…energy about you. It's like a bonfire, and every time you're near, I can simply feel this burst of heat radiating from you."

"I am a Mars Adept, Ryou," Karst said sarcastically. "I radiate heat all the time."

Ryou rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks for the reminder. But seriously, I love your eyes."

The Mars Adept's eyebrows rose up in curiosity. "My...eyes?"

"Yeah." Ryou then stared at the ground, a tiny blush on his face. "They're the most incredible shade of fuchsia. It's like, when I look into them, I can see all of your emotions. When you're happy, they light up the room. When you're sad, they just seem to crystallize with unshed tears. And when you're angry, they have this enchanting fire in them, which is why I get you riled up at times."

Karst then turned away from him, trying to hide her own embarrassment at his words. A slight blush grew over her, yet it was so small that no one but Ryou could have seen it. Oddly enough, she felt a tad warmer inside after hearing his thoughts on her eyes. With a voice so soft it surprised her, she asked him, "Is that all?"

Ryou shook his head. "That's not even close. There's so much about you that make you special."

Moving a tad closer to her without thinking about it, the white-haired boy then looked at her. "I've never met a girl like you before. You have this kind heart, as caring as any, yet you're brave and true. You can be as feminine as any girl, yet you're just as tough and skilled with weaponry as the greatest of warriors."

He then joked, "Although that's made you quite the tomboy..."

"Tomboy?" Karst playfully raged. "I'll show you tomboy!"

And with that, she attacked the unsuspecting boy, pinning his arms to the ground as he squirmed and attempted to get away. His shocked expression became a sly grin as Ryou simply gazed up at her, despite his somehow getting hot and bothered due to the close proximity of their bodies. Though she wouldn't show it, Karst began to feel even hotter than usual being this close to her best friend.

"You know, Karst," he said, "You truly are a great warrior. A master Fire Adept, an expert with the scythe and a user of the martial arts. Yet, despite all of that, I know a technique that even you can't defend against."

Karst looked skeptical, unknowingly loosing the grip on his arms. "Oh really? And whatever could that be?"

With a wicked gleam in his coffee eyes, he said, "It's called 'The Tickle Torture'!"

Taking a surprised Karst unawares, Ryou flipped their positions and placed Karst on the soft earth. A smile crossed his face as he proceeded to have his nimble fingers dance all over her body. Numbed by the pleasure, Karst could only laugh as he tortured her, her giggles echoing throughout the starry night. She tried to roll to her left, yet Ryou tickled her right, and when she moved to her right, he attacked her left. The proud Mars Adept was reduced to tears as he continued to tickle her, her face turning a cherry red as her hands and scythe were rendered useless by the assault.

"Ry-ry-Ryou!" she tittered. "Enough! Cut it-HEE HEE HEE-out! Stop-AHAHAHA!!"

A smug grin crossed Ryou's face as he continued his attack. "I thought you were a warrior! What's the matter? Are you ticklish?"

"N-no!" the Mars Adept cried as Ryou moved his hands down to her bare stomach.

"I think you are! And I'm not gonna stop until you say so!!"

And with that, Ryou then removed Karst's boots and used his Psynergy to tickle her thighs and soles. The combined assault on both legs and midriff made Karst squeal with laughter, though she remained stubborn not to give into the torture. Her spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak, as she began to plead and beg for mercy in between laughs. 

"So are you giving up?" laughed Ryou, who was having the time of his time tickling her. Karst's giggles and squeals somehow made the silver-haired Adept melt, and the way she moved back and forth holding her belly, which was her weak point, made her seem like a cherub.

"Y-y-yes! I give up! I'm ticklish!" cried Karst, who loved being tickled like this. Her eyes were moist with tears of joy, her body surging with energy. She was breathing a tad heavily, though, which caused Ryou some concern. If he did anything to hurt her, he'd never forgive himself.

...And that's what she was waiting for, as Karst then jumped Ryou, preparing to deliver the same treatment unto him.

"It's your turn," the Proxian declared in between breaths as she began to tickle Ryou with furious abandon, delighting in his cries and pleas.

Her agile fingers danced up and down his body. Almost no place was safe as she wiggled her fingertips along his stomach, the palms of his hands, his neck, everywhere she could possibly conceive that her friend would be sensitive.

"Karst, st-stop!" Ryou nearly shrieked as she found a particularly susceptible spot. "I give! I" --he howled with laughter-- "give! Just don't--do this anymore!"

"Uh-uh!" Karst wore a feral smirk. "No mercy!"

Ryou rolled from side to side, doubled up. Whenever he tried to protect one prone region of his body, the fiendish Karst would simply move to the next.

"Karst! Ryou! Shut up already! I'm trying to get some shut-eye!" Agatio bellowed from the designated sleeping area. His words were accompanied by a drowsy mumble of agreement from Alex.

Regretfully, Karst tickled one last time before giving in. "I suppose we had better go to bed as well. Good night, Ryou...and" --she hesitated-- "…thanks."

Ryou gave her his most charming, adorable smile. "It was only the truth. Sleep well."

Karst left for her blanket, able to rest right away, since Ryou had first watch. She fell asleep with Ryou's compliments still happily in her mind.

~ * * * ~

Vyctori: Aww… ^_^ That was so cute!

Menardi: *grumbling* Yeah, except that Ryou had better watch where his hands are going with his tickling, because if he doesn't, I'm going to show off my scythe, which makes my sister's look like a toothpick.

Vyctori: Better not let her hear that, because she won't be pleased. Show your scythe to the reviewers instead.

Menardi: Right. *holds up gargantuan, blood-red scythe* You know what this is for, so if you don't want it used against you, review. Now.