Whitney: I'm BAAAaaaaAAACK!

Erk: Head for the hills!

Whitney: And in this episode of 'Twelfth Night' (maybe I should change that name .), we get some ACTION (if you want to call it that), some =more= romance, and... what else?

Erk: a few headaches from the actors!

Whitney: oh head! Headaches from the people trying to read Ye Olde English.

Heath: Can we flip it so that it's, like, I dunno, MODERN Shakespeare?

Whitney:...Now there's a thought. It might be fun to flip the script. By the way, did you know we're in for about 11 more chapters... 15 with Intermissions? Hehehehe...

Erk: Excuse me, I'm going to go find a cliff or something.

Karla: just tell Jaffar you have naked pictures of Nino. Or tell my brother you think his swordwork is clumsy. That'll kill you a lot quicker!

Jaffar/Karel: ... #pull out swrods#

Karel: You smell of blood...

Erk:...crap. #runs#

Whitney: Disclaimer stuff: I don't own it, any of it, never will, blah blah blah. I never get why I put this here.

Karla: is that why you forget it half the time?

Whitney: ...hm... probably.

Karla: .'

Whitney: now on with the show!

Main Characters:

Orsino - Heath

Olivia - Lyn

Sebastian - Hector

Viola - Nino

Antonio - Eliwood

Maria - Rebecca

Valentine - Wil

Curio - Rath

Toby - Sain

Andrew - Erk

Malvolio - Jaffar

Feste - Matthew

Fabian – Kent

Extras:

Captain: Guy

Attendants: Serra, Priscilla

Servant: Florina

Officers: Lowen, Karla

Priest: Ninian

Hector wasn't in a very good mood. But then again, he rarely ever was. Especially when he had English class, which was every day. So he was grumpy, every day. It made one wonder how he kept friends, let alone got a girlfriend. The fact that he had missed most of his sleep the night before didn't help matters much. He was so tired he was almost walking into the walls of the school. Karel had kept the boys there for almost four hours – unnecessarily, Hector felt – while he got measurements for costumes. They were going to start having dress rehearsals soon, and Hector was dreading it immensely. And, of course, going along with the ton of good luck he was having, English was first thing.

"Hey Hector," Eliwood greeted him, looking almost as tired as Hector. Eliwood had been there for almost as long, but Hector had been the last one out – probably because of the comments he had made about Karel. It wasn't entirely impossible the "holy terror" hadn't heard them. Which would explain a lot that Hector would prefer not to think about.

"Huh," Hector grunted. He wasn't really in the mood for talking, and he doubted he could have strung a full sentence together anyway. Bah, he was screwed. It was only Tuesday, and the rest of the week was probably going to keep playing out along the same lines.

The two of them got to the gym without too many mishaps, and Hector only walked into a corner once, although it hurt a lot. Stone had a tendency to do that. He almost missed the doorway into the gym, and if Eliwood hadn't noticed it, Hector may well have gone on walking. He could only pray that there were no costumes today, and that he wasn't doing any talking. He couldn't even remember if he was supposed to read today. He sure hoped not – neither he nor Eliwood could cover for the other if they tried to blunder through their scenes. Maybe it would be a long scene without Sebastian in it, and he could catch up on his sleep while the others talked. If Lyn let him, anyway. And that was always highly doubtful. Lyn almost never let him do anything, and her newfound "girlfriend" status probably hadn't changed that.

"Hey guys!" Lyn greeted him with a cheerfulness Hector was not ready to face. She was almost always like this, sure, but today wasn't a good day for it. Just keep temper under control... just keep tongue under control... he repeated to himself. He would hate to piss her off so early in the morning.

"Hey," He said tiredly.

"Wow, what happened to you two?" Lyn asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Karla's brother happened," Eliwood groaned. "He kept us there for almost three hours."

"It was after eight by the time I got home," Hector said, making a face. He wasn't going to mention that their homework had kept him up until nearly two in the morning. He wasn't a late night person, and normally he would have just left the homework, be he had learned that doing projects in high school was absolutely imperative, and he couldn't afford to flunk anything. Not when he was so close to getting out of school forever.

"Eight? That's not so late."

"It is when I had to make dinner, to chores, and finish that science project that took me four hours." Hector groaned.

"There's something called 'doing things in advance,' Hector – ever heard of it?" Lyn asked him. Hector groaned. This was all he needed. Today was going to be absolute hell. And this was only the first class of the day. If he didn't get some sleep soon, he was going to cry – or worse.

"Alright class!" Ms. Spencer chirped as she entered the gym. She seemed to be in a much better mood after Karel became the costume maker. Maybe she was just afraid Jaffar would pull a knife on her. No one really knew, and no one was going to ask. Ms. Spencer was weird enough as it was without anyone trying to UNDERSTAND her. "Act two, scene three! Toby and Andrew, you're up!"
Erk's POV
Erk ground his teeth together as Sain practically danced up to the front. At least gave him the chance to get away from Serra for a little while, but he was having to exercise powerful will control to prevent himself from looking over his shoulder at her. The whole school, naturally, knew they were going together, at least tentatively. There were little or no secrets when Serra was concerned – which is why Erk was curious about the fact that Lyn and Hector's relationship was practically a secret kept within class limits. Ah, well – it would get out eventually, he was sure. He'd make sure of it! It was a good way to get rid of the stress of playing a total idiot in the play.

Onstage Sain grinned foolishly at him. Erk was certain that Sain meant for it to be a charming, gallant grin, but all he did was make himself even stupider than normal. The thought of the rumour that Sain actually had GOTTEN himself a girlfriend was disturbing. He pushed the thought out of his mind when Sain started talking – still without his script. How DID he memorize things so quickly?

"'Approach, Sir Andrew. Not to be a-bed after midnight is to be betimes, and "deliculo surgere,"'" Sain stumbled slightly over the Latin –or whatever it was – and Erk smirked to himself. So mister high-and-mighty wasn't so perfect after all. Not that he didn't know that already, of course. "'thou know'st-'"

"'Nay, by my troth,'" Erk interrupted him, as planned. "'I know not; but I know, to be up late is to be up late.'" At least this guy had SOME common sense. And it could've been worse – be could have been Malvolio. He had thought it would have been a better scene for him – until he'd found out what happened to Malvolio. Then he was only too happy to continue as the play's Super Idiot.

"'A false conclusion,'" Sain waved Erk's comment. "'I hate it as an unfill'd can. To be up after midnight and too go to bed then, is early; so that to go to bed after midnight is to go t bed betimes. Does not our life consist of the four elements?'"

Erk had no idea what Sain was supposed to be talking about – something about how after midnight was a new day, so going to be after midnight was going to be too early the next day – but it was even more stupid than his lines. At least 'Toby' could blame being drunk – he was semi-sober, at least. "'Faith, so they say, but I think it rather consists of eating and drinking.'"

"'Th'art a scholar; let us therefore eat and drink.'" Hell yeah, he was a scholar – too smart to be in this stinking mess. But here he was. Surprise, surprise. For some reason, Erk believed he existed simply to serve as something for people to point and laugh at. "'Marian, I say! A stope of wine!'"
Matthew's POV
Matthew almost missed his cue to get up on the stage. He'd thought it was Rebecca who was up next, but he'd caught it just in time. He was much more awake than Eliwood, Hector and Heath – all three who had fallen victim to Karel. Matthew had simply forfeited the project for a note. That was the nice thing about being basically dishonest – he didn't need to worry about morals. Well, not too much anyway.

"'Here comes the fool, i'faith,'" Erk said with as much forced enthusiasm as he could muster.

"'How now, my hearts? Did you never see the picture of "we three"?'" Matthew grinned airily.

"'Welcome, ass,'" Sain said with much sincerity. Matthew made a mental note to steal Sain's wallet as soon as he got the chance. "'Now let's have a catch.'"

"'By my troth, the fool has an excellent breast. I had rather than forty shillings I had such a leg, and so sweet a breath to sing, as the fool has. In sooth, thou wast in very gracious fooling last night, when thou spok'st of Pigrogromitus, of the Vapians passing the equinoctial of Quebes. 'twas very good i'faith. I sent thee sixpence for thy lemon. Hadst it?'" Erk sounded much better, Matthew noted, when he wasn't grinding his teeth together. He hadn't ground his teeth for a while.

He bowed to Erk's compliment on his singing –since that's what it was- and grinned impishly. "'I did impeticos thy gratillity; for Malvolio's nose is no whipstock. My lady has a white hand, and the Mermidons are no bottle- ale houses.'"

"'Excellent!'" Man, Erk almost sounded genuinely excited. "'Why, this is the best fooling, when all is done. Now, a song.'"

"'Come on, there is a sixpence for you,'" Sain encouraged. Matthew flinched inwardly. He didn't know if he could sing well, and if he couldn't... he didn't want to think about that. "'Let's have a song.'"

"'There's a testril of me too. If one knight give a –'" Erk was cut off.

"'Would you have a long-song, or a song of good life?'" Matthew asked innocently.

"'A love-song, a love-song!'" Sain almost chanted, very excited. He reminded Matthew of a little boy on Christmas.

"'Ay, ay, I care not for good life,'" Erk concurred. Matthew made another mental note to steal something from Erk too. Or stick naked pictures of Serra in his locker where Serra would see them.

He sighed inwardly, then started singing.

"'O mistress mine, where are you roaming? / O, stay and hear, your true- love's coming, / that can sing both high and low./ Trip no furthur pretty sweeting; / Journeys end in lovers meeting, / Every wise man's son doth know.'"

There was a little silence that made Matthew's stomach squirm. Then there was almost an explosion of female squealing, a general babble. Looking out in the 'audience', he saw several girls staring in open adoration. He kinda liked it. He grinned and bowed to them, and got a standing ovation. From the girls, anyway. It took Ms. Spencer a good five minutes to regain order, and Matthew wasn't helping.

"'Excellent good, I'faith,'" Erk said in a strangled voice. Matthew had the impression that Erk was trying not to reach over and strangle him.

"'Good, good,'" Sain said without enthusiasm. Sain's sulkiness was easy to understand – Matthew got a better reception than him. But Erk wasn't so interested in self-ego boosting, so Matthew couldn't understand why he was angry. Then he looked again. Serra had been in the group that was screaming like girls at a rock concert, and that solved a lot. The only girls who hadn't screamed were Ninian and Lyn. No surprise. He'd have to work on that.

"'What is love? 'Tis not hereafter;/ Present mirth hath present laughter;/ What's to come is still unsure./ In delay there lies no plenty,/ Then come kiss me, sweet and twenty/ Youth's a stuff will not endure.'"

This time he was a bit louder, and much more sure of himself. As he'd predicted the girls –most of them- went absolutely wild, and Ms. Spencer gave up on controlling them and simply let themselves burn out. That took another ten or so minutes for Matthew to bask in the glory while Erk and Sain nearly strangled themselves in frustration.

"'A mellifluous voice, as I am a true knight.'" Erk said. He was grinding his teeth again.

"'A contagious breath,'" Sain said with equal suffering.

"'Very sweet and contagious, I'faith,'" Erk said, his eye twitching. Matthew suddenly got the feeling he should be backing away.

"'To hear by the nose, it is dulcet in contagion. But shall we make the welkin dance indeed? Shall we rouse the night-owl in a catch that will draw three souls out of one weaver? Shall we do that?'" Sain asked Erk, a threatening note in his voice. Matthew suddenly realized it would probably be a good thing at this point to turn and run.

"'An you love me, let's do't. I am dog at a catch.'" Erk grinned suddenly and Matthew felt trapped. They were going by the lines, to be sure – but it didn't look well for him, and the words were taking a very sinister meaning.

"'By 'r lady, sir, and some dogs will catch well,'" Matthew gulped, nervous. Please just CALM DOWN! He silently pleaded.

"'Most certain,'" Erk said with no hint of slowing down. If anything, he was advancing. "'Let our catch be "Thou knave."'" Uh oh...

"'"Hold thy peace, thou knave," knight? I shall be constrain'd in't to call thee knave, knight.'" Matthew backed up as Sain joined Erk in his advance on Matthew. A few people had caught on to what was happening, and snickers were drifting up.

"''Tis not the first time I have constrain'd one to call me knave. Begin, fool. It be begins "hold thy peace,"'" Erk's hand twitched.

"Uh, um..." Matthew glanced over his shoulder as the stage wall rapidly moved in. "'I shall never begin if I hold my peace.'" Oh, shit, oh shit......

"'Good, I'faith,'" Erk said, cracking his knuckles. "'Come, begin!'"

Matthew knew it was coming, but that didn't stop him from getting Erk's fist right in his face. Sain was there too, adding to the pain by trying to hold him down. The class erupted in screams and yells, and all- around general panic at the three-person fight on the stage. Ms. Spencer was yelling, but definitely not willing to wade in there and break them apart. Even Kent wasn't about to get involved. It was Lyn, her tomboy blood boiling, who jumped on the stage and got involved. But when someone hit her, Hector quickly involved himself as well. In a matter of moments Sain and Erk had backed off, while Matthew was leaned against the wall, panting. Lyn was sitting on the stage, a hand to her cheek where someone's fist had connected. Erk had a black eye, Sain had a split lip and a bloody nose, and Matthew had scratches on his face and a cut on his forehead. Lyn had a bruise, and Hector was on the verge of having an explosion. Neither Erk nor Sain was foolish enough to decide to attack Matthew again. The five endured a ten-minute lecture from Ms. Spencer – who looked as angry as Hector – before the class was given a quick break while the five fighters were allowed to visit the school nurse.

"What they hell were you two DOING?" Hector was almost screaming at Erk and Sain. When a teacher screeched at them from inside a classroom, Hector promptly swore back at them so badly the teacher didn't even venture into the hallway. Hector definitely wasn't in the mood for idiots, and they had just hurt his girlfriend.

Sain gave some small, pathetic excuse about Matthew insulting him, and Hector replied so scathingly that Sain looked at his shoes the rest of the way. Erk didn't even bother to reply and Hector spent the remained of the 'trip' swearing while Lyn tried her best to calm him down. Although, Matthew noted, she didn't look all that upset, since Hector HAD come to her rescue, so to speak. He wasn't about to mention that, though.

When they finally reached the nurse's, they got another lecture as she patched them all up as best she could. The only one without any real injuries was Hector, so he just stood there glaring at Erk and Sain. It took them a good ten to fifteen minutes – Matthew wasn't good with time when he was trying to keep the blood out of his eyes – and it was very uncomfortable between the nurse and the lord.
Lyn's POV
It felt like a long time before they were finally allowed to make their way back to the gym. The hallways were much quieter without Hector's swearing, and Lyn, personally, was thankful. It was almost impossible to get him calmed down after his temper got up. It wasn't the first time she'd seen him angry, of course, but it was one of the worst cases. It probably had something to do with his lack of sleep. He'd been asleep – or semi- asleep – for most of the scene, and had only woken up when the girls went wild over Matt. Then, of course, there was her jumping into the fight since no one else would. She couldn't be sure, but she thought she'd seen Karla about to join her when Hector got involved. That had ended everything, and she wasn't sure if she was upset or not. Maybe she should talk with Hector about fighting lessons; he'd ended the last one with speed if not style.

"Well then, are we all ready to begin again?" Ms. Spencer was still in a pretty good mood, which was a surprise to almost everyone. Everyone thought she'd explode like a volcano, but she kept her cool. There was definitely something up, but no one was going to ask.

"I guess so..." Erk grumbled.

"Of course, Milady," Sain said, actually bowing. Lyn raised an eyebrow. This was kind of creepy. In the play, she could understand this behaviour. But it was like Sain constantly lived in the middle ages or something, despite the fact he walked around a CD player blaring his ears off, with the last fashions, with a stylish car, and with brand-name shoes. He was a modern boy living in a medieval world. Maybe she should look into a nut house for him.

Ms. Spencer didn't even seem to notice Sain's odd behaviour, and nodded for them to start right away. Lyn and Hector exchanged a glance, and they both shared raised eyebrows. They entered together, and Lyn was aware that her face was getting very hot, and she prayed that it wasn't so red that people noticed she was blushing or thought she was crying. She didn't need those two things, to be honest.

Erk, Sain and Matthew, all bandaged in various locations and to varying degrees, re-mounted the stage. Or tried too – as Erk passed Serra, she, very loudly, screamed at him that he was going to get a long rant about his fighting after the class. Lyn was sure that Erk was going to do his best to avoid his over-bearing girlfriend as much as possible. Not that he'd have much luck if Serra put her mind to it. No one could hide from Serra when she was determined. The three boys were joined by Rebecca, who was the only one who looked even remotely normal at this point.
Rebecca's POV
The fight had been a shock to the whole class, although they should have seen it coming. Onstage, Matthew was as far away from Erk and Sain as he could get without being obvious, and Rebecca placed herself between Matthew and the other two. When she faced them, she didn't really have to pretend to be angry, as her character was.

"'What a caterwauling do you keep here! If my lady have not call'd up her steward Malvolio and bid him turn you out of doors, never trust me!'" It was remarkable to her how everything seemed to fit: she could be yelling at them for the singing (as was intended), or for the fight that had occurred a while ago (as she was doing).

"'My lady's a Cataian, we are politicians, Malvolio's a Per-a-Ramsey, and- '" Sain, horribly, broke into song. "' "Three merry men be we!"'" It wasn't actually THAT bad, but it didn't come close to Matthew's hidden talent. "'Am not I consanguineous? Am I not of her blood? Tilly-vally! Lady!'" And he broke into song again. "' "There dwelt a man in Babylon, lady, lady."'"

"'Beshrew me, the knight's in admirable fooling.'" Matthew said with his normal roughish manner. Maybe Sain should take lessons from Matthew. He always seemed to be trying to be like him anyway.

"'Ay, he does well enough if he be dispos'd, and so do I too. He does it with a better grace, but I do it more natural.'" Erk replied, with a hard edge to his voice that wasn't supposed to be there.

Sain started singing again, and Rebecca involuntarily covered her ears. It wasn't BAD singing, it was just that Sain seemed to think that louder was better, and his singing was VERY loud. "' "O, the twelfth day of December-"'" Where was Jaffar?

"'For the love o' God, PEACE!'" She almost screamed. She almost screamed again when Jaffar appeared right at her elbow with very little sound. She hadn't even heard him coming.

"'My masters, are you mad?'" He asked, his voice deadly ice. "'or what are you? Have you no wit, manners, nor honesty, but to gabble like tinkers at this time of night? Do ye make an alehouse of my lady's house, that ye squeak out your coziers' catches without any mitigation or remorse of voice? Is there no respect of place, persons, nor time in you?'" he wasn't yelling, he hadn't even raised his voice. If anything, it was quieter, and it sent a chill down Rebecca's spine. He was creepy normally, and even more so when playing Malvolio, who seemed to bring out the coldest in him.

"'We did keep time, sir, in our catchers. Sneck up!'" Sain tried to smile at Jaffar, but that was very nearly impossible.

"'Sir Toby, I must be round with you. My lady bade me tell you, that though she harbors you as her kinsman, she's nothing allied to your disorders. If you can separate yourself and you misdemeanours, you are welcome to the house; if not, an it would please you to take leave of her, she is very willing to bid you farewell.'" Jaffar said in his icy voice, his eyes never leaving Sain's very uncomfortable-looking face.

"' "Farewell, dear heart, since I must needs be gone,"'" Sain sang again. Rebecca was beginning to wish he would stop.

"'Nay, good Sir Toby,'" she tried to stop him. It was useless, of course, because he kept on singing.

"' "His eyes do show his days are almost done."'"

"Is't even so?'" Jaffar asked quietly. Things were getting dangerous – really. Rebecca wasn't sure Jaffar was just reading from the play.

"' "But I will never die!"'" Sain was still singing.

"'Sir Toby, there you lie,'" Matthew said with his usual finesse.

"'This is much credit to you,'" Jaffar commented to Matthew, his eyes still colder – colder, even, if possible. It was well-known Jaffar and Matthew had some history together, and no one ever asked why they hated each other with such passion.

"' "Shall I bid him go?"'" Sain was STILL singing.

"' "What and if you do?"'" Matthew sang back, and there were a few sighs from the girls. And a few frustrated sighs from the boys.

"' "Shall I bid him go, and spare not?"'" would you STOP SINGING, Sain, please?

"' "O no, no, no, no, you dare not!"'" Matthew sang back one last line.

"'Out o' tune sir! Ye lie.'" Sain exclaimed to Matthew before turning to Jaffar. How he could look Jaffar in the eye was beyond Rebecca, but she knew she'd have to do it as well before too long. "'Art any more than a steward? Dost thou think because thou art virtuous there shall be no more cakes and ale?'" he demanded.

"'Yes, by Saint Anne, and ginger shall be hot I' the mouth too.'" Matthew joined in the attack against Jaffar.

"'Th'art I' the right. Go, sir, rub your chin with crumbs. A stope of wine, Maria!'" Sain cried, turning to Rebecca. She was a little embarrassed to find she blushed a little when he looked at her.

"'Mistress Mary, if you priz'd my lady's favor at any thing more than contempt, you would not give means for this uncivil rule,'" Jaffar told her icily. Rebecca noticed his voice sounded harsher when he talked to her, but she couldn't understand why. "'She shall know of it, by this hand,'" He said raising one hand threateningly. Rebecca glanced quickly at Nino, who winked. Nino was her best friend; Jaffar wouldn't do anything to her... right? She sighed. Everyone was afraid of Jaffar, maybe even Nino. It made things very hard sometimes. She looked at Jaffar's back as he left the stage.

"'Go shake your ears,'" she called after him, shaking her head in a show of anger.

"' 'Twere as good a deed as to drink when a man's a-hungry, to challenge him the field, and then to break promise with him and make a fool of him.'" Erk suggested, looking after Jaffar with the all-familiar jealousy. He may well be going out with Serra, but that didn't mean he'd stopped liking Nino. That might make things interesting later on. Maybe Rebecca and Nino should have a chat later on: Rebecca wanted some tips on how to pick up boys.

"'Do't knight. I'll write thee a challenge, or I'll deliver thy indignation to him by word of mouth.'" Sain said, his sense of chivalry practically screaming, his face excited.

"'Sweet Sir Toby, be patient for to-night,'" Rebecca interrupted. She had a feeling things might get out of hand again if she didn't. Everyone was still a little jumpy from the fight earlier. "'Since the youth of the Count's was to-day with my lady, she is much out of quiet. For Monsieur Malvolio, let me alone with him. If I do not gull him into an ayword, and make him a common recreation, do not think I have wit enough to lie straight in my bed. I know I can do it!'" She pressed, suddenly excited. This was going to be fun!

"'Possess us, possess us, tell us something of him,'" Sain was sharing her excitement.

"'Marry, sir, sometimes he is a kind of puritan.'"

"'O, if I thought that, I'd beat him like a dog!'" Erk exclaimed.

"'What, for being a puritan? Thy exquisite reason, dear knight?'" Sain asked, either confused or incredulous, Rebecca wasn't sure.

"'I have no exquisite reason for't, but I have reason good enough.'" Erk replied defensively.

"'The dev'l a puritan that he is, or any think constantly but a time- pleaser; an affectioned ass, that cons state without book and utters it by great swarths; the best persuaded of himself, so cramm'd (as he thinks) with excellencies, that is his grounds of faith that all that look on him love him; and on that vice in him will my revenge find notable cause to work!'" Rebecca was excited now. She had been a long time memorizing her lines, and was proud of herself. They were still allowed to bring scripts with them, but the sooner the memorized their lines, the better.

"'What wilt thou do?'" Sain asked her, moving closer. Rebecca moved closer, imitating a great secret.

"'I will drop in his way some obscure epistles of love, wherein, by the colour of his beard, the shape of his leg, the manner of his gait, the expressure of his eye, forehead, and complexion, he shall find himself most feelingly personated. I can write very like my lady your niece; on a forgotten matter we can hardly make distinction of our hands.'"

"'Excellent!'" Sain cried. "'I smell a device!'"

"I have't in my nose too.'" Erk nodded. He may not like being in the play, but he got to make fun on Jaffar, so he'd go along with it as far as he could with great pleasure.

"'He shall think by the letters that thou wilt drop that they come from my niece, and that she's in love with him!'" Sain was grinning broadly now, his emerald eyes gleaming with mischief.

"'My purpose is indeed a horse of that colour,'" Rebecca grinned.

"'And your horse now would make him an ass,'" even ERK was grinning now. This was infectious.

"'Ass, I doubt now.'"

"'O, 'Twill be admirable!'" Erk cried.

"'Sport royal, I warrant you. I know my physic will work with him. I will plant you two, and let the fool make a third, where he hall find the letter; observe his construction of it. For this night, to bed, and dream of the event,'" Rebecca said and almost skipped off the stage. Now things were getting fun.

"'Good night, Penthiesilea,'" Sain said after Rebecca.

"'Before me, she's a good wench,'" Erk nodded. Rebecca winced a little. It seemed everyone called her "wench" in this play. That was the one downside.

"Good job," Nino said as Rebecca sat down near her.

"Thanks," Rebecca grinned back.

"Hey, Rebecca?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you think of Sain?"

"Huh? Sain? I dunno. He's kind of a player, huh? I don't really like him, but he's not too bad for short periods of time when his attentions diverted. Why?"

"'Cause you two were looking really close up there."

"What? Oh crap..."

Nino giggled.

"'She's a beagle, true-bred, and one that adores me. What o' that?'" Sain continued airily. Rebecca made a face. She adored him? Right. Only in his dreams. The thought made her shudder.

"'I was ador'd once, too,'" Erk said, and Rebecca noticed he seemed a little sad as he said that. She looked sideways at Nino, who was paying partial attention to the play, but more attention to snuggling against Jaffar, who didn't seem to mind too much.

"'Let's to bed, knight. Thou hadst need send for more money,'" Sain kept plowing ahead, ignoring the tiny bit of regret in Erk's voice. Rebecca wondered if Serra noticed it. If she did, Erk was in for a bigger speech than already planned. All three had been lucky the fight was in Ms. Spencer's class, where they wouldn't get a detention. Ms. Spencer didn't believe in detention. She seemed to think that fighting was natural, and if they wanted to, that was fine so long as no one got killed. Plus, she needed everyone she could get for the play, and couldn't afford to lose anyone.

"'If I cannot recover your niece, I am a foul way out,'" Erk said making a face.

"'Send for money, knight;'" Sain insisted. "'if thou hast her not I' the end, call me cut.'" Whatever that meant.

"'If I do not, never trust me, take it how you will,'" Erk said wearily.

"'Come, come, I'll go burn some sack; 'tis too late to go to bed now. Come, knight; come, knight,'" Sain said, trying to be as convincing as possible. It was very hard to take Sain seriously, however, and his feeble attempt brought only giggles from the class.

"Alright class, we're done. You're free to go, whether the bells rung or not!" Ms. Spencer yelled. There was yet another stampede, as usual, as everyone ran to take advantage of the few free minutes before the bell ringer came running through the halls.
Nino: No FE characters were harmed in the making of this episode

Serra: Not yet #waves healing staff# Erk's hiding from me

Rebecca: I wonder why

Serra: What's THAT supposed to mean?!

Nino: I wonder who's older, Serra or Erk?

Priscilla: Why are you wondering?

Nino: Well, I heard someone say/muse that Erk was 15 years or so. Is Serra the same age?

Karla: ... Remind me to check the Oswin-Serra conversation. I think they give a hint there.

Serra: What's the point of this?

Nino: ...Random musing?

Serra:.. OK.

Karla: why DO you go after Oswin, anyway?

Serra: I DIDN'T!

Karla: You did.

Serra: ...

Nino: she goes after Matthew, too.

Karla: OO

Priscilla: But I think Lyn still holds the record for being able to get the most guys.

Lyn: ... Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

All: ... dunno #shrug#

Whitney: ah, randomness. I love it. Hope you readers don't mind too much.

Nino: read and review... please?

Heath: otherwise Jaffar just might come after you with a killing edge.

Jaffar:...#tries to look innocent#

Nino:... that look just doesn't work for you Jaffar.

Jaffar:... #shrug#

Whitney: -.-;;