Part Nine
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"We figured you could use a little backup." Youji smirks, pulling out his garrote to stretch taut between his hands. "Mind if we play a little, too?"
Schuldig raises an eyebrow, looking over the suddenly arrived crew. It seems Weiss has appeared out of the nearby woods—where whatever vehicle they took to get here must be hiding—and are now poised with all their weapons at the ready. "Nice new looks, Weiss. Feeling fashionable lately, eh? Better than the sorry excuse for looks you used to have."
"What are you doing here?" Brad asks bluntly, gun already drawn in preparation to deal with Farblos, though he now seems very ready to point it at Weiss.
"Let's just say…" Ken begins in reply, flexing his claws. "…we had a premonition that you'd be needing our help."
Brad huffs, Schu snorts, and Nagi…does his best to repress a smile as his grey eyes land on a friendly face.
As for Farfarello, he has managed to pin Sergei to the ground, though his hold will most likely not keep once Silva and Amlisch pull the triggers on their weapons, which are quickly focusing on the Irishman's head and chest.
"Save the conversation for later." Ran speaks, rushing forward with his sword. "We have a mission to complete."
CLANG. His katana collides with Silvia's machine gun, spinning it into the air and out of her hands. She had not seen him coming, but now that she is more than well aware, she reels back a tight fist and strikes him hard across the face. Caught off guard by the woman's surprising strength, Ran is almost sent to the ground, but counteracts quickly, attempting to strike at her with his weapon.
Amlisch, more aware of the situation unfolding than one might imagine, aims his gun at the still clustered, remaining members of Weiss, and fires.
Thank God for fast reflexes.
Weiss descends like a ravenous swarm, Omi and Ken heading for Amlisch and Youji going to ensure Farfarello stays in control of his prey. Seeing as how the fight is rapidly increasing in intensity, the stationary members of Schwartz decide it is time they moved into action as well. Schuldig goes straight for Ran and Silvia, and Brad and Nagi go for Amlisch, knowing that the majority of their numbers will be needed in subduing him.
Still lying stunned on the cold ground, Sally looks around her at the progressing battle, frightened and confused, not knowing how to tell which of those around her are on her side, save Farfarello who is madly beating on Sergei like a depraved villain. Still, she believes he must hold some goodness in him, if only for the connection she feels.
Sally nearly jumps out of her skin, feeling the firm hold of a foreign arm gripping her shoulder. She whips her back, discovering the kind face of a man she had not noticed with the rest. He has come up from behind the jeep, ducking low to keep out of the others' sites.
"My name is Himiya Shioshiro, Miss Schumars. A friend. I'm going to bring you back inside the base where you'll be safe until this is over."
The stranger, Shioshiro, is handsome and seemingly more genuine than any of the men she has met thus far tonight, at least upon first glance. His long brown hair falls into violet eyes and hangs past his shoulders gently, softly.
Sally trusts him instantly.
Taking Shioshiro's hand, she is brought to her feet, and with clever maneuvering the pair is soon at the base's entrance.
"I have to join the fight, but you should be safe. If something happens…scream."
And with that her rescuer is gone, into the fray to join the others. Sally watches in amazement as nine young men face off against two greatly outnumbered men and one disarmed woman. For all of Farblos' powers, they are overwhelmed and ill prepared for the battle they now face.
It is Sergei who falls first, his weapon lost due to Youji's wire while Farfarello finishes him off. When it is certain Sergei is dead, Youji and Farfarello regard each other with awkward acceptance before looking out to see how the others are fairing.
The two redheads have Silvia on the ground. Ran flinches from the occasional telekinetic punch, but Schuldig seems to be capable of fending them off to an extent, even enough to share a little of his shielding with Ran. As they close in on her, Schuldig's swift hands dart suddenly to take hold of Ran's sword.
"I'm borrowing this for a moment, Fujimiya. I swear I'll give it back." he grins, casting his fellow redhead a sly smirk. Ran scowls but says nothing. Schuldig looks down at Silvia like he could eat the world in one ravenous bite. "You know what, Sil, I don't know how good I've gotten at making a woman happy, but I'm sure as hell gonna make myself happy with this."
Sally looks away as that katana comes down brutally upon the other woman's form, not wanting to see the results of that blow. She turns instead to watch the last of the battle, set between Amlisch and five very capable men, now including her savior.
It is quite the sight to see how adept the blind man is at deflecting nearly every blow directed at him, even when he can no longer be an offensive force with his weapon lying some yards away. Still, with Brad, Nagi, Omi, Ken, and Shioshiro coming at him with different weapons from different angles, he soon falls, the last blow fittingly coming from Brad Crawford himself.
"Goodbye, Colonel. It was good to see you again." the American says plainly, the shadow of a smile touching his lips as he cocks his gun…and fires.
Mission accomplished. So far.
"Now…as for you, Weiss…" Brad begins, swinging his gun around grandly as if to search out a new target before suddenly depositing it in his coat. "I believe an explanation for your well-timed appearance is in order, wouldn't you agree?"
-----
"He's your son?"
"Yep."
"Yours AND Fujimiya's?"
"Uh huh."
"And he's come back in time to save the world from Estet?"
"Pretty much."
"Hey Brad, where's the last place we had Farf's straightjacket?"
For many reasons, Ken is not amused by Schuldig's antics and responds with a very angry scowl. Schuldig only laughs, thoroughly enjoying himself as always, tossing Ken an infuriating wink through the billows of smoke wafting up from his bummed cigarette. Youji, who had offered the cancer stick, leans against the wall nearby.
The entirety of the remaining crew is spread out in Schwartz' common room, for the moment feigning a truce if only to discover what is actually going on. Farfarello is the only one who seems to have sustained much damage in the recent fight, mainly due to the fact that he began the fray by jumping out a window.
"You can finish this discussion without us." Sally says suddenly, standing from her seat to walk towards the injured Irishman, who is breathing heavily near the door. She looks back at Brad, holding very little respect for him for obvious reasons. "You have some sort of first aid around here, I imagine. I want to help clean him up."
Farfarello's expression remains indifferent, but Brad nods, understanding the woman even if he would still put his own safety far above hers—and anyone else's for that matter. "Take a left out that door. There are plenty of supplies, second door on the right."
Sally barely acknowledges him for replying before motioning Farfarello out the room and moving to follow him. It is curious that Farfarello listens to her, though he does not say anything. Brad is rightly concerned by the pair's departure, if only due to the prospect of Farfarello suddenly getting out of control without proper supervision.
"Someone should go with you." he calls after the retreating young woman.
She ignores him.
Brad's gaze smolders as he watches the two of them disappear out the door.
"You want me to follow 'em?" Schuldig asks with a rather unsavory expression. His thoughts concerning the lovely blonde beauty are obvious even to those who can't read minds.
And Brad is clearly not thrilled by that. "Stay put. I wouldn't let Farfarello near her, either, if I thought that woman would listen to me. I don't want you getting too close to her."
"Ooo, jealous are you?"
Naturally, such a comment is not fit to be dignified with a response.
"Is she really all that dangerous…?" Ken asks, situated as far from the members of Schwartz as possible with his son standing next to him. All of Weiss are unnerved by being on Schwartz' turf, possible truce be damned, but Ken most of all. He almost flinches when Brad turns that bronze gaze in his direction.
"Someone like you cannot sense it, but that woman radiates power. Some divine essence surges through her unconscious soul. Depending on the person, she may well bring into being a new testament."
A short, barely contained laugh. "And just what the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Youji asks incredulously, a single eyebrow raised.
Schuldig would have laughed, too, if not for Brad's impressive glare.
"It means what it means. If your skulls are too thick to comprehend, then I am not going to degrade myself by explaining it to you."
Schuldig's laugh is surely heard now; Youji is bristling. "Listen here, you little--"
"Ooookay, let's not be getting into a fight with each now, huh?" Shioshiro jumps in, taking a step forward to come between Youji and Brad, who seem about ready to leap across the space of floor between them and beat the other into un-recognition. "We're going to be needing each others' help here, more than any of you realize. The things that'll happen are beyond even your precognition, Crawford. Please, just listen to me. Then, if you don't like what I've had to say, you can maul each other to your heart's content."
The usual suspects—Brad, Schuldig, Ken, and Youji—like the sound of the former very much. Ran hangs back as always, not even caring if he gets involved in any of this or not, and Nagi and Omi sit near each other, trying not to look as comfortable as they feel. Of course, their comfort is significantly reduced by the amount of animosity raging between their companions.
"Good." Shioshiro says with a smile, taking the heated silence to be the most he is going to get as far as cooperation. "Now, let me explain as much as I can…"
-----
Meanwhile, inside the small, makeshift infirmary, Sally is attempted to help Farfarello as he patches his own wounds. Each time she tries to get close to him, however, he flinches and gives her a guarded look. After several minutes of this, Sally is at her wit's end.
"You're hurt. I just want to help you." she says firmly, reaching for his arm.
Farfarello pulls out of her reach. "Don't touch me." he growls
Sally stubbornly closes that increased gap and grabs onto his wrist. "Please, I just--"
"I said, don't touch me!" he screams, pushing her away hard enough to knock her to the floor. He remains sitting on the cold, metal operating table, a mess of first aid supplies piled next to him. "My body...feels none of the pain. It makes no difference if you help me or not. I couldn't die if I wanted to. God bewitched Death into abandoning me. I feel nothing…"
Sally slowly pulls herself up, her bright blues eyes filled with sorrow, not fear as Farfarello is so used to expecting. "Farfarello..."
"So...so you shouldn't care about me." he continues, ignoring her pleading voice and compassionate eyes. "I'm depraved, can't you feel it? I've heard it for years now—that I'm crazy. Everyone who's hated me, I've killed. Everyone who's...loved me, I've killed. Any person who touches me...I kill!"
To Farfarello's even further surprise, Sally starts to laugh bitterly, her arms folding easily in front of her chest as she looks at him fearlessly.
"You think that's funny? You think it would be something to laugh about if I killed you?"
"Haha. Well, considering you saved me—twice—it would be pretty funny. Ironic really. But that's not why I'm laughing." Moving cautiously so as not to alarm the albino, she crosses back to the table and sits down next to him, on the side not scattered with gauze and antiseptics. "Everyone...everyone who's touched me has died a miserable death. I was singled out as a child, even had stones thrown at me. All through my youth, the girls, boys, all of them, all thought me some kind of enemy. Men sought after my body and I've been hurt countless times. But once in a while someone would come to rescue me and tell me I wasn't some kind of witch, but a holy woman. They'd tell me I was destined for great things. But...they all died. Because of me. Every last one…"
Her clothing rustles as she suddenly lunges to the side and embraces Farfarello, clinging tight to the bandaged arms and chest. The Irishman flinches, tensing, his breathing increases as he tries to pull out of her grasp.
"Please, please don't run away! It's all right. Please? Let me...just hold you tight like this...please?"
"…why…?" he breathes, still rigid within her hold. Without understanding the reasons, without meaning to, he starts to sob, the unfamiliarity of the act causing his chest to heave as tears fall onto his pale cheeks. "Didn't I tell you...not to touch me...?!"
"You're the one who came to me. You saved me, risking your life. Why? Tell me why you saved me?"
"I...don't...know...I...I…AHHH!" Farfarello throws his arms wide, knocking her away from him. He tries to get off the table to escape her, but stumbles, landing hard on the floor. Up on his knees, he pounds the tile beneath him, his back to the woman left stunned on the table. "I'm a monster! I'll...kill...you...if you don't leave me alone. I'll kill you!"
"Then go ahead."
Farfarello pulse seems to still—almost stop—and he looks behind him to see Sally standing not a foot away with a look of complete resolve. And, as before, without a trace of fear. "What...?"
Getting down on her knees beside him, Sally looks into the beauty of his single, tawny eye, longing so much to reach out and touch the scars covering his face. "If you can suffer like this, then you lie, saying you feel nothing. You feel the pain of your soul; you understand the pain of others. But since you have always felt this pain, you never knew what it was. It is the suffering of those around you amplified within your own."
Farfarello doesn't know how to respond to that. "I...I..."
"If you're going to kill me, then kill me." she speaks plainly, resigned to whatever fate he chooses to give her. "If it will bring ease to your pain even in the slightest, please, do what you feel you need to do."
For an agony of moments, Farfarello merely stares back at the woman beside him, still poised on his hands and knees. Carefully, he falls into a sitting position and tilts his head to regard her, trying vainly to hold back the remaining tears still falling. You…you're so... kind...just like Sister was to me. My…my…"
"It's all right, you can cry." Sally soothes, daringly reaching out to pull him against her again now that she has fallen into a sitting position as well. To her surprise, Farfarello's strong arms wrap tightly around her, his head against her chest as he clings even more desperately than she had.
"I've...I've killed...everyone. Everyone...I loved." the albino sobs, abandoning his attempt at holding his tears back. "Hold me...please...please just hold me like this…"
Sally feels herself all too close to tears as well, and squeezes him tightly. "Of course. As long as you keep holding me..."
-----
All throughout the base, the power hums oddly, the lights flickering as if interrupted by an unknown surge of outside power. Within the common room, the gathered many look up at the lights curiously.
"What...what was that?" Ken asks, not doing a very good job keeping his unease a secret.
Standing from his seat beside Omi, Nagi walks to the center of the room, eyes closed as if soaking up an intangible force. "It was...a very warm, gentle feeling. I've never felt anything like it." he smiles, truly smiling, as he opens his eyes.
Brad scoffs, folding his arms stiffly. "Naturally. Of course it would be him."
Weiss and Schuldig look rightly perplexed, but Brad and Nagi—and Shioshiro, too, to be honest—are not in a sharing mood.
"So…tell me, Crawford, what have you decided." Shioshiro asks, looking to the three members of Schwartz still in the room, though he finally rests his gaze on the one he knows to be the leader.
A grandly raised, dark eyebrow looks back at the young brunette as Brad pushes himself from his perch against the wall. "I've decided…you're all fools." he states bluntly, affording him a laugh from his redheaded subordinate. "If you want to go off saving the world, be my guest, but it does not correspond with our directives. We may no longer work for Estet, and have no affiliation anymore with Rosenkreuz, but we do NOT work for you. Good luck, though. I'm sure you'll be dead within the month."
Schuldig's distinctive laugh echoes high now, slapping each member of Weiss across the face. But they are not the ones who know what is going on—not fully—so the obligation of dealing with any setbacks falls on the lone person who does.
"I had a feeling you would say that." Shioshiro smiles bitterly, casting a quick glance at both his parents. "And if that's the way you feel then so be it. It has to be your choice. We'll do what we can without you. I just hope you change your mind in time."
"Hmph. Stubborn as your parents, I see." Brad laughs. He then turns to Nagi and Schuldig. "Come. Let's collect Farfarello and leave this place. Rosenkreuz will be sending agents to check on Farblos."
Schuldig obeys instantly—what could he possibly have to think about—getting out of the chair he had so languidly been lounging in. He turns back to Youji as he moves across the floor. "Thanks for the smoke, Kudo. Guess we'll be seeing you boys around."
Turning swiftly for the door, Brad does not feel the same need to say any goodbyes. As he reaches the door, however, Weiss quiet in the room and Schuldig close at his heels, Brad's precognition sends him an unnerving jolt.
He whips around, looking past Schuldig to stare at the defiant brunette still standing near the center of the room, and not looking in the least as if he plans on moving any time soon.
"Don't be a fool, Nagi. This mission of theirs is suicide and you know it. You lived in Rosenkreuz with the rest of us. You know the extent of its power."
Schuldig, being an empath and NOT a precog—and not being able to read Nagi's mind due to the boy's impressively improved shielding over the past year—loses his cigarette from between his lips. "You're not thinkin' of stickin' with 'em, are ya?"
Nagi's face is unreadable but very firm.
"Shit, kid, you must be crazier than Farf."
"Nagi-kun…" This hopeful plea comes from Omi, and the familiarity with which he addresses the young telekinetic causes all of Weiss to feel suddenly very unobservant.
Youji almost kicks himself; no wonder Omi had shut the laptop so fast.
Fists clenched tight, Nagi takes a breath, looking directly into the bronze eyes he has feared in reverence for most of his life. "I'm going with Omi." he states, confirming all of everyone's recently raised suspicions. "I don't want to be a part of this anymore. Against our directives? We don't even have an agenda anymore, Crawford! What are we doing but running and vainly trying to get back pieces of what we tried to do. I didn't even want to be a part of it then. I was corresponding with Omi since our first confrontation with Weiss and you didn't even know. You're so blinded by what you think you want you never even see the important things. Heh. As if you even see me as something important. I doubt you ever did…"
For the briefest breath of a moment, Brad's face betrays hurt—but whether it is only hurt pride is debatable. "Fine. Live with your choice then. We won't be coming to rescue you." And with that, Brad whips just as swiftly back around, heading again for the door.
Before he can reach it, however, Sally and Farfarello enter from the hallway.
This time, Brad's precognition practically kicks him. "Impossible." he says through clenched teeth. "Impossible!"
Sally smiles, looking at the new man in her life with completely unfettered adoration. "I'm sorry to be such trouble for you, Mr. Crawford." she says, her attention not focused anywhere near Brad. "But I'm afraid Jei and I won't be sticking around."
The varying emotions playing on Brad and Schuldig's faces are giving Shioshiro and the members of Weiss quite the show. "Shit, Farfie, you look almost sane." Schuldig gapes, attempting a smile despite his shock.
Farfarello does indeed appear calmer than any in the room have ever seen him. He looks hard at Brad and Schuldig, and then turns his head to meet Sally's loving gaze. "I've been wrong about who I am and what I am supposed to do for over half my life. I don't want that. I realize finally that I was never abandoned by God or Death...I merely lived without dying...so that...so that finally, I could meet this woman and start again."
"Oh for fuck's sake."
Farfarello turns his head back to look at Schuldig. "I'm sorry, Schu. I'll miss you, too."
Usually cruel, blue eyes widen, but the German quickly recovers himself with an admonishing, "Che," before turning his gaze away from his aberration of a friend.
"Fine. Be fools together then." Brad grits out, fists unwittingly clenching. "Come on." And without another thought, he pushes past Farfarello and Sally out of the room, not looking to see if Schuldig is following him.
Schuldig has every intention of following Brad, of course, but trails slowly after his leader, tossing strange, little smiles at all those he passes. When finally reaching the door, he looks over his shoulder to catch Shioshiro's eye. "Have a good time, kiddo. There's a good chance you won't be coming out of this alive." he winks. Shioshiro smiles in reply—honestly. For some strange reason, Schuldig rather likes that. "You know what? I'll give ya a free one." His grin lengthens impressively. "If he was any closer to cracking…well…let's just say…you wouldn't want to be standing between 'em."
And Schuldig is gone—a cryptic message left that only Shioshiro understands. And Brad is gone. And Nagi has stayed behind…to join Weiss. To join Omi at least. And…and it seems Farfarello and this woman, Sally, have stayed behind as well.
"Heh." Ken laughs, smiling proudly at his son before tossing his gaze over the entirety of those still in the room. "Won't this be interesting?"
-----
As it stands, not quite as interesting as one might think. Half an hour after the events in the common room of Schwartz's base, Weiss, Shioshiro, and Nagi are inside their rented van on their way back to the airport. But Sally and Farfarello are not with them. They explained their desire to help in whatever ways they can, but sadly reported they have a few things to accomplish on their own first.
Weiss didn't protest because Shioshiro didn't protest, and—after all—he is their leader more or less until all of this is over. Shioshiro explained that the most important thing for Sally and Farfarello to do is to remain safe in whatever ways possible, and in truth, that will probably best be accomplished away from the front of the fight.
Therefore, six young men now drive along a foreign road on their way back to home sweet home.
There isn't as much privacy in this van as in their RV, but still, Ran has managed to find the one secluded spot. Youji is driving, Omi and Nagi are smushed into the front cab with him, and Shioshiro and Ken are sitting in the two seats just behind them. But there is also a larger area in the back that is closed off by a small door, and that is where Ran has confined himself in hopes of maintaining his brooding silence.
It is the redhead's continued silence that most unsettles Ken. Perhaps that is why he feels the sudden urge to be bold.
"I'm gonna check on Aya." he explains simply to his companions, shrugging off Shioshiro's comforting smile. Right now, he would rather not put much stock in hoping for anything.
Opening the door, Ken quickly climbs into the back and closes it again behind him, blinking in the almost pitch-black of the large space. There must be some form of overhead light, but Ran has chosen not to turn it on.
"Hey, Aya…?" Ken calls softly, looking around for some signs of life. He is not greeted with a reply, but the sight of almost glowing white from Ran's pale skin tells him where his quarry is seated. He advances slowly. "You okay back here, sitting in the dark? We've still got a good hour til we reach the airport. You can come up front with the rest of us if ya want."
Silence. Ran is staring out the back window, it seems, faced away from Ken.
"Don't be like this. Please. I know you're like…in this perpetual pissy mood—more so than usual—but…we're still friends, aren't we? You don't have to give me the silent treatment just coz you know I'm in love with you."
'Shit, why did I have to remind him? Not that he could forget…'"Come on, Aya, I'm so sick of you being such a royal jackass to me. I'm not exactly in the wrong here, ya know? I can't control who I love. I didn't choose this; it just happened. So, I'm sorry if that messes with your head and screws up your life but it isn't gonna change. So…will you just say something?"
After another agonizing silence, Ken has had enough. He stomps his way to the back of the van, crouches in front of Ran ready to clock him back to Tokyo, when he suddenly realizes that Ran is completely justified in not answering him.
The redhead is asleep.
All of Ken's recent fury burns away into nothing. Ran is sleeping not a foot in front of him, knees pulled up into his chest as he sits in what cannot possibly be a comfortable spot, his sword clutched in his arms almost like the parody of a stuffed animal. Almost.
But it is the peaceful, unguarded expression on Ran's face that truly melts Ken into a large puddle of adoration. Ran just looks so…cute. So approachable. Naturally, this moment can only come when the redhead isn't awake to ruin it.
"Yeah…I didn't stand a chance." Ken whispers whimsically, studying the fine porcelain of Ran's features, for once in an expression that does not scowl or condemn. "One look at you…and it was all over. So…you can't blame me for loving you, Aya. It's your own fault for being so perfect…and commanding…and strong…and…beautiful…"
Ken feels the heat rise swiftly to his cheeks and has to take in a shuddering breath to remind himself that despite all his longing, there is nothing he can do to satiate those feelings until…unless…Ran returns those feelings.
"I'm gonna keep loving you, okay? I don't know how to stop anyway." Ken says with a soft laugh, daring to flick a dangling strand of red out of Ran's face. "So…so…so you go ahead and hate me…or…or be afraid if that's what this is really about. But…I'll still be here, hopelessly in love with you, even if…I never get…to steal even one…little…kiss…"
Ken doesn't realize his little narrative has brought him that much closer to Ran until it is over and he is suddenly barely a hair's breath from brushing his lips against the other man's. He swallows, knowing he is teetering on the edge of suicide being so close when Ran could wake at any minute.
'Well,' Ken thinks with the twitch of a smile, 'if this gets me killed, it'll be one hell of a way to go…'
Shivering with anticipation and justified fear, Ken gives himself leave to do what might be the stupidest thing his impulsiveness has ever put him up to. He tilts himself just enough forward for his lips to suddenly brush Ran's, finding them impossibly soft when he believes his own to be so rough and dry. He knows it is wishful thinking to imagine getting away with pushing the kiss any deeper, so he merely moves his lips in a whisper of the most tender kiss he has ever imagined bestowing upon anyone, savoring the quiet, the perfect feel of…Ran.
Ken knows he has lingered too long, even as he is pulling back, but he is both happily surprised and slightly disappointed that Ran has not stirred in the slightest.
Honestly, Ken doesn't know if he should consider this a blessing or not, but he got to fulfill a dream, nonetheless, and for that he is grateful enough.
Standing back up, Ken sighs deeply, looking down at the still peacefully sleeping redhead, and praying to any god that will listen that one day he will get the chance to do that again. Preferably when Ran is awake and willing. For now, Ken is content enough, and treks his way back into the cab to let the others know Ran is perfectly fine but won't be joining them.
What Ken unfortunately misses on his way back, is the sight of two very beautiful, amethyst eyes opening and watching closely as he slips through the door.
A/N:
AH! I loved that! It was purely the characters leading me at the end there, too, not originally planned. What should we think about Ran obviously being awake for that kiss but not saying anything? Who knows? ;-)
Not much response on the last chapter, but it hasn't been that long and I know how busy we all are (and I realize it had very little RanXKen interaction). But hopefully, this chapter is more appeasing. I know I like it more. And...the next two parts should be rather fun, too.
Thank you all and I hope you enjoyed this. I also hope you are pleasantly surprised to have two chapters so close together. I'm going to try to have another up by Wed or Thur so be ready. Love you!
Crim
P.S. What I keep forgetting to say is that all teh stuff with Sally and Farblos is cannon from the Schwartz Drama CDs, Eins and Zweit. I took a little liberty, but pretty much stuck to the script to maintain realism. I love Farfie being saved and brought back to God for real, and I rather like Sally, too. I have to know, are any of you perceptive enough to know what Brad meant concerning Sally? It makes me get so excited. It will be mentioned again later, but Sally and Farf aren't major players. Neither are Schu and Brad, though they will be back. Ja!