A/N: I feel honored to have all your reviews! To all the Pinoy writers, mahal ko kayong lahat! (I'm an Anti-Sandara/ Rainier Castillo, by the way) Heehee… Anyway, here's to my story's fourth chappie! Hope you guys like it, even if I have a large case of writer's block... '-'

To everyone: Feathertop is not being laughed at. She's my good friend and she um… is going home with me to…! Just kidding, FT! Hey… What are you doing with that butcher knife? You're going to hurt someone! Hey, put that down, why are you looking at me like that? Stop it… STOP IIIIT!

Disclaimer: I do not own Ragnarok Online or even Ragnarok: Into the Abyss. (I wish I did though… TT)

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Chapter 4:

Your Choice

The sun shone fiercely in Prontera the next day, signaling one of Midgard's biggest heat-waves. However, amidst the boiling temperatures, Miko slept peacefully on top of Artemis Shroomer's tabletop. He had been dreaming of boucing up and down Mayah's workshop as a Poring. Was it just a dream?

"Good morning, Tacz!" called out Artemis' candy voice, "Are you ready for breakfast yet?"

"Well, that sucks… I really am a Poring…" Miko muttered as he opened his weary eyes, then he remembered normal Porings never speak.

"TACZ!"

"Poing- poing!" Miko squeaked.

Artemis went in the kitchen in her nightgown and her hair ruffled up. Miko held his breath and his eyes widened; even in that state, Artemis looked captivating. The blonde huntress looked into the direction of Mayah's mess the night before and glared at Miko.

"Tacz, what did you do again?" Artemis sighed with a breathtaking, photogenic smile, "You broke a half dozen of my china! What have you been doing all night, having a party with one of your lady friends, I suppose?"

"Pori… poing?" Miko answered in a very Poring-ish way.

"Anyway, here's your breakfast," Artemis beamed at him, "After this, it's time to go to the bathtub with me. We gotta keep that jelly shiny, right?"

For the first time in history, a Poring blushed.

This is gonna be sweet!

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Back in Mayah's old house in the corner of Prontera, heat waves were also making their way in.

"I know what you did, Mayah," Lidia sat down on one of Mayah's handcrafted chairs from her ancestral home in Payon, "And I'm afraid I don't like it one bit."

"I had to do it," Mayah sighed, fixing a cup of tea faster than the chef at the Prontera castle could ever do, "If I didn't, Miko is as good as dead. Anyway, this is only a temporary arrangement. I'll fix it until I find a cure."

Suddenly, the Poring that was supposed to be tied and gagged inside Mayah's room came bounding inside the living room. Mayah scooped the struggling bunch of jelly and poured the contents of a salt shaker on top of the Poring. The creature suddenly slumped in sleep.

"What did you do?" Lidia asked in curiosity.

"Salt makes Porings drowsy," Mayah told her as she placed Tacz back into the room, "I'm surprised someone like you doesn't know this trick."

"I understand it must be blow in your pride not being able to find a cure for Miko's ailment," Lidia said as she sipped Earl Grey tea.

"It's more of a blow in the emotional plane," Mayah mumbled, "But I'm confident I'll find a cure."

"You won't find a clue in any history book," Lidia told her as she dug into the contents of her pocket, "Rather here."

Lidia handed Mayah a yellowed piece of parchment. Mayah adjusted her spectacles and read into the text. The scribbles in it were tiny and almost incomprehensible, but Mayah found it familiar and very readable.

"The missing piece!" she shrieked excitedly, "I've been looking for this thing in years! Where did you get it, Miss Lidia?"

"Your mother gave me this before she died, after she delivered you," Lidia hung her head sadly, "She told me to give this to you when you decide to concoct Aldaria's Draught. She hoped I'd never have to give it to you."

"It says here that the only thing that can reverse the side effects of a wrong concoction of the Draught is…"

"The will of a person to bring him or herself back," Lidia finished for her, "I came here to give it to you before you give the Draught to that kid. He was making the biggest mistake of his life. As his friend, you should've told him that. You know how hopeless romantics are."

"I hate being hated," Mayah said simply.

"Don't make the same mistake I made a long, long time ago, Mayah," Lidia placed both her hands on Mayah's shoulders, "I'm almost a mother to you, so I don't want you to go through the same things I went through in my youth."

"The blue-haired assassin, am I correct?" Mayah sighed again.

"Loki…" Lidia's eyes showed longing and loneliness, "the blue-haired assassin with the eyes as dark as the far-side of the moon… He's still the only man I could ever love…"

"Hey, let's not start crying here," Mayah smiled sweetly at Lidia, "I'm going to go to Miko right now, I've got to tell him all about the cure. I promise, Miss Lidia, Miko is never going to be like my great, great grandmother."

"Aldaria… Bless her soul…" Lidia sighed, "You better go, Mayah, I'll watch over Tacz for a while."

Mayah hugged the old lady and Lidia's sorrow seemed to have evaporated. She gave Lidia one little wave before disappearing out into the heat wave.

She passed Artemis' house and found the huntress preparing to leave for the port office, as she does every morning, to mail a letter to her family back in Payon. She waved goodbye to her Poring and locks the door tight.

"I didn't know you leave Tacz when you go to the post office all alone," Mayah said as Artemis passed her.

"Oh, I do, she'll be ok," Artemis gave Mayah a kilowatt smile, "Thanks for your concern, Miss Mayah, see you later!"

Artemis continued her stroll to the post office as Mayah slowly approached her house. One of the windows was open and the air seemed to smell of Blueberry pie. She saw Miko lounging on one of the chairs in the living room.

"Miko!" she hissed, "Come here!"

"Mayah!" Miko bounced to the window, "What're you doing here?"

"I've found a cure!" Mayah smiled triumphantly, "You have to will yourself back. The only thing that stops you from reverting back is that you actually like being a Poring! Last night was the first night you ever spent that way, so it doesn't count. So, all you need is to wish yourself back into Miko and it'll be instant!"

"And miss this chance?" Miko squeaked, "Are you crazy?"

"What do you mean?"

"The only way Artemis will ever love a guy like me is this way," Miko told her, "For the first time in my life, I've felt real love… The love of a real girl… I… I don't want to be turned back, Mayah."

"You're going mad, Miko, all that Poring food must have taken effect on your head," Mayah shook her own head, "I've been telling Artemis not to use Morroc's Monster Feed for years. It's made of Bigfoot dung, you know."

"I don't care if it's dung or not," Miko replied, "All I care about is that I'm not going mad and that I've made my choice. I'm staying this way, Mayah. I'm sorry to have worried you… Goodbye, my old friend, I don't know if we'll be seeing each other again. Artemis was talking about moving back to Payon…"

"So, that's it," Mayah raised an eyebrow, "Whatever you say, Micz, just don't…"

"Miss Mayah?" called out a candy-sweet voice from behind her, "What are you doing in my window?"

"I was… uh… making sure Tacz was safe! Right, I'm going now," Mayah grinned sheepishly at Artemis.

"Oh, I was just leaving," Artemis said, "I just got a letter that needs my immediate action. It was from a friend in Geffen, he wants me to go to his aid right away."

"Are you going to take Tacz with you?" Mayah asked politely.

"Of course, I never go far without her," Artemis grabbed Tacz from inside the window and started down the street, "I'll see you soon, Miss Mayah."

She approached the Kafra Therence and the Kafra made them disappear in a swirl of white light. Mayah also went up to Kafra Therence.

"Artemis is a brave girl, don't you think?" Kafra Therence told her, "Imagine going to Glast Heim just to save someone. She even ordered extra fast. It was very courageous but very stupid for her to have gone to the Glast without even a support to tag along."

"Glast Heim!" Mayah choked.

"You heard me," Kafra Therence adjusted her glasses.

Mayah sprinted down the road as fast as she can, ignoring the snide remarks about her short dress as she passed old ladies. She arrived in her house panting out her breath. Lidia was sitting on the dining table, reading something that was titled vaguely like Men are from Morroc, Women are from Geffen.

"What's wrong, child?" Lidia asked her, "You look like you've been running the distance to Al De Baran."

"Artemis took Miko to Glast Heim! By herself!" Mayah gasped, her glasses lopsided.

"Well, that's not good…" Lidia muttered, "We have to go after them!"

"No, you're staying here to guard Tacz," Mayah piled potion after potion on her bag, "I'll go!"

"And leave you alone in the Glast, not me, sweetie," Lidia brandished a dagger from her belt, "I may be old, but I still have the razor-sharp skills of thievery."

"I'll watch Tacz," said a voice.

"Kafra Therence?" Mayah faced the purpe-haired personnel, "What're you doing here?"

"I know about your plot, Mayah," Kafra Therence said, "I saw you running down the streets last night, carrying Miko with you. I overheard that you transformed him using the Draught. I want to help."

"Very well," Mayah sighed, "Let's make haste, Miss Lidia, Miko's life is at stake."

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A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to update another chappie, it's Halloween, you know, and I don't pass up the opportunity to watch Ju On: The Grudge all over again!

Akune: Wooooo! Therence, I'm Kayako, feel my wrath!

Kafra Therence: Get away from me, you vile girl!

Feathertop: Riiiight…

Pristine Harbinger: (- -;) Anyways, as always, keep your reviews coming! Rock on!