A/N Own? This? Me!? Never.

Lyn was woken from uneasy dreams by a velvet voice. Even sleeping, she heard the steel in the voice, and jerked instantly to full wakefulness. What she saw terrified her to the core; Flea was in her room, fully clothed, standing above her with a sardonic grin. Lyn gasped and threw herself to the floor, kneeling. "Get up. There are worse ways I could have woken you, had I felt like it. Get dressed." The mage tossed Lyn a bundle of cloth, with turned out to be clothes similar to what Flea was now wearing. There was a red tube top, instead of the white and pink Flea wore, a short red skirt which went over brown leggings. Lyn had no choice but to pull the clothing on with Flea watching. After she'd got her boots, Flea handed her a hair tie and curtly ordered her to braid her hair. Lyn quickly complied, braiding her brown hair while following Flea through the castle halls.

Since she was busy, Lyn didn't notice immediately that the halls they walked through didn't lead to the dinning room. Instead they stopped in a high-ceilinged room, with actual windows near the top. Lyn gasped, and didn't notice in time that Janus was there also, and he had just thrown her yet another bundle. She managed to catch it as it fell off her face. It was, she learned without surprise, another article of clothing, a crimson half-cloak which fell to her waist. Upon observing that both Flea and Janus were already clad for outdoors Lyn hastily threw the cloak about her shoulders as Flea opened the castle door. Lyn couldn't help but feel awe; she'd been in the Mystic Castle for over a year, and had not seen the sky in all that time.

Silent, the two students followed the pink-haired mage outside and down the steps, until all three stood on the paved ground. "We're going on a diplomatic mission, so you two had better behave. It is unlikely that we will be attacked, but if we are you are to fight," Flea briefly explained. Before Lyn could as what they were to fight with, Flea grabbed the apprentices' hands and uttered a curt command to the magic of the world. The castle courtyard faded away, forest taking the place of stone. Lyn felt a brief moment of vertigo and fought to stay on her feet. She won, though only just, swaying for a time before she was stable enough to look around.

Trees surrounded her, tall, smooth-barked and stately. The forest floor was largely clear of undergrowth, with only a few small bushes and ferns here and again. The sharp tang of the plant-life was underscored by the clean sent of water, and birds sang and chirped, paying no heed to the three strangers in their midst.

Flea released her grasp and strode through the trees. Janus followed in her wake, and Lyn followed a moment later. They walked for about ten minutes before coming to a clearing, which was filled with Diablos and Gnashers. The Mystics were surrounding a large brownish-yellow beast. The mob parted as Flea strode imperiously toward the monster, Janus and Lyn in her wake. "Yakra," she greeted, ever so slightly inclining her head.

"General Flea, a pleasure," the beast replied in a growling voice. It's small black eyes rested on Janus for a moment, then Lyn. "Why have you brought a human to this place?" The voice grew deeper, angry.

Flea stepped between Yakra and Lyn. "And what does it matter to you? Don't tell me that the great Yakra is afraid of a small human!"

Yakra pulled itself up until it stood on two legs. "How dare you! Even you must respect me, general!"

Flea yawned expressively. "Only to an extent, Yakra dear. Anyway, didn't you have some…business you wanted to talk to me about?"

Yakra glared, then spoke. "Yes… It's these darn humans! They tramp about, and kill anyone they feel like! They must be stopped!"

Flea was intently studding her nails. She looked up a few moments after Yakra fell silent. "Oh, you finally stopped? Yes, I see you have. But what are you wanting US to do?"

"Why…stop them, of course!"

"But why should we help you?"

Yakra was looking decidedly confuse. "Because I'm a Mystic! Whatever happened to your grand ideology?"

Flea laughed. "Oh, please, Yakra, don't tell ME about my ideology! 'Gather all Mystics to one banner, so that all my be protected and we may take our place in this world!!' You don't need to quote Lizard's words to me!" In a heartbeat, Flea's demeanor changed to cruel, hard, and merciless. "But no-where in there does in say that the strong must protect the weak for free. Why should we help you, Yakra? You have shunned us, betrayed us even, and now you wish to be welcomed?"

"I-it wasn't like that, Flea! I, we…" Yakra trailed off, defeated.

"Oh, but we WILL help you. But you must give us tribute."

"Tribute…?" Yakra shook, unhappy. "But what can we give you?"

"Three shares out of every four you capture. And we will give you the help you need."

Yakra was silent, thinking. A bird whistled in the quiet. The beast-like Mystic glanced into the forest, then his eyes grew large and he opened his mouth. Before he could say anything, human soldiers poured into the clearing.

Flea glanced at Lyn and Janus, then muttered a few words. Louder, she ordered, "Keep them busy, you two." Janus nodded and quickly incanted a fire spell. Lyn froze.

Lyn hadn't expected this. She couldn't fight humans, she couldn't. But Flea would punish her… So she froze, lost in her thoughts, oblivious to the battle that surged around her. She didn't notice as Flea ordered the Mystics to run, as she rose into the air, as she begun a spell. Lyn barely noticed as a young human man ran towards her. She came back to reality as she heard what he screamed.

"Die, Mystic!!"

"No!" she cried. "I'm human!! I'm…I'm…" She stopped; he wasn't listening. His sword flashed down, and her training finally kicked in. She rolled away and reached for her sword, only to find that she had none. The soldier didn't seem to care; he was attacking again. Lyn panicked, and screamed the words to a spell she didn't know. There was a lightless explosion, and the man disappeared.

Janus saw the explosion, and he ran back to the girl. "C'mon, Lyn, we have to get out of here!" he yelled, pointing up, where Flea held a crackling sphere of black energy. Lyn didn't seem to notice, so Janus grabbed her arm and began running away, dragging the senseless girl after him. They were lost in the woods when the clearing was obliterated. Janus let go of Lyn and glanced around.

"Wh…what…?" Lyn murmured, reality returning to her.

"Shoot. She left," Janus spat, then looked at Lyn. "You're back? Good. It looks like Lady Flea left us, so we're going to have to get back the hard way."

"Go…back? To the castle?" Lyn looked around, then shook her head. "No way. We're in Guardia Kingdom! I'm going back to my own kind!" She started to walk away, and Janus grabbed her arm again.

Studying her, Janus smiled slightly. "Yes, you are. Your kind aren't here though." He lightly fingered her ear. "Lyn, Lady Flea changed you. There must have been an illusion spell earlier; that's why we didn't notice. You're a Mystic now."

Lyn froze for a moment, then pulled away. Janus let her go. She stood there, disbelieving, then she slowly felt her ears. They had become pointed. "What…what else…?" she murmured weakly. Before the man could answer, she conjured a shard of ice, using its smooth side as a rude mirror. To her relief, she hadn't been changed much. Her eyes were red, her skin somewhat paler, and her hair had taken a more pink tone, but that was all. She might have been able to pass as human, except for the fact that the knights were too paranoid. Lyn sighed in defeat. "I guess… we're going together then…"

Well, now we know what Flea was doing to Lyn two chapers ago! And now Lyn's killed...What's Shanda going to say about THAT? But first, they have to get to the castle...ans what fun they'll have on the way!

RRRT!!

Sarah!!! *hugs* Sorry it took so long...comp virus, and I lost most of this chapter. This is the re-rewrite... Sorry! I WILL get the true next chap up soon! ...I hope.

Ollen: Thanks... Yeah, just a *LITTLE* dark...so's this chap. I enjoy dialouge.

WHY IS THERE NOBODY ELSE FOR ME TO REPLY TO??? WWWWHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!