Oh. ATA had fuuuun writing this chapter. So much fun. I like this chapter. Hope you do to.

OMG. I only have one more chapter to write. Neeee….

To my reviewers…

KOS-MOS rox: Hehe. Glad you liked that part.

kikyogirl900: I like long reviews! I'm soooo happy you think my story is, how you say, emotionally inspiring? Heh. Hope your computer feels better soon.

YuhiruK.A.A.K.J.: No, I'm afraid I possess no power of resurrection. Or do I…? I actually got a chance to read your little pre-summary thing of "Stolen Kisses" in your bio. SPI. FFY. It looks like you've got a wicked story brewing!

Yami-chan: WHOOT!

Aubuyn: Neee, I had much fun writing the "cookie" scene.

Umm…that's it actually. See ya later…

Now approaching Dammerung

Time to docking point: one minute twenty two seconds

E.S. status:

Engine: Normal

Weapons: Normal

Navigation: Normal

All systems functioning one hundred percent

Now approaching dock.

I didn't even say goodbye.

I left him without a word or any indication where I was going. I could have upped and gone for good for all he knew.

Now docking

E.S. has been secured

I guess it's too late to worry about it now. I need to be worried about more a pressing matter, like how this far-fetched "plan" is going to even work. I wasn't worried about being caught and thrown into prison or anything; I would probably fit in quite nicely on the Dammerung. Besides, if any one asked, I was here on…business.

First things first, I needed to find out where Wilhelm was on this ridiculously large ship.

After walking what seemed like ten miles of corridor I finally came to a convergence point. Men and women wearing their neatly pressed, extremely colorful Vector uniforms hurried by me without a second glance.

A huge window to the "outside" was to my left. Seeing the massive buildings and those people walking on the streets down below really put the size of this thing in perspective. It was twilight, and the streets and houses were beginning to light up. The view was truly amazing.

Snapping back to reality, I noticed a strangely familiar woman wearing an orange uniform brush my shoulder as she walked past. Where had I seen her before? Did I know her? I think I actually did...

"Miyuki," I blurted.

She whirled around to find the voice who called her.

I hurried up to her. "It's Miyuki, right?" I asked, "You're Shion's friend, you designed her weapon…thing."

"Uh, yeah that's me," she frowned as if she were trying to match my face with a name, "Oh! You're that Realian who was carrying part of that, um, you-know-what data. Canaan...? Yeah! You're Canaan! What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see Wilhelm on...official business."

"Ahh...gotcha."

"But, actually I got lost and I don't have a clue how to find him. Can you help me?"

"Sure! No problem! This place is pretty big...I even get lost sometimes, and I work here!"

She yakked continuously while she led me down the winding hallways. I nodded and said "Is that so?" from time to time, to be polite. I had "met" her very briefly when Shion was talking to her via computer one day...I didn't figure out she was such a chatter box...

"Ah, here we are!" she chirped, stopping abruptly at an elevator, "Just take this all the way up to the top floor and you'll be in the corridor that leads to his office. It's the big blue door on the left."

"Thank you Miyuki."

"Your welcome!" She waved and then was swept away by the crowd.

The door and I were having a staring contest. The door was winning.

What is the WORLD am I going to say to him? "Hey Wilhelm, sorry to bother you but could you give us our android back? Pretty please?" NO. WAY.

I growled and had a sudden desire to strangle the nearest inanimate object.

"Sir…I truly think that…"

Hmm? Voices?

"Yes…yes…but…"

I could hear them clearly now. There were voices coming from inside Wilhelm's office. He must have been at a meeting or something. Curious, I pressed my ear against the door (careful not to have it swing open on me) and listened.

"We have her now…why can't we just get it over with?" A man. Young sounding.

"Why are you in such a rush, eh? Eager to see your little creation at work?" Much older sounding.

"Be patient my dear friend…all in good time." Wilhelm. Definitely. I could recognize that sickly calm voice a mile away.

"We still need too…you can come in now."

My insides nearly leaped out of me as the door I was leaning on flew open. Ears burning, I slowly looked up and came face to face with the two eerie red eyes of Wilhelm.

And…two other figures were with him, the ones I assumed I had heard, each standing by his side. Both were wearing these strange outfits, one red and one blue, with masks that had…were those beaks?

"What is a Realian doing in here?" growled the man in blue.

Nice to meet you too.

"Oh…Canaan? Oh my, what a pleasant surprise! Ignore him, he's having a bad day, please please, come in."

I shuffled my way to his desk. The Red and Blue one's eyes, though I couldn't really see them, followed me with every step. Some strange device, like a compass or clock, was positioned just behind them, slowly turning and whirling around.

"I'm sorry to have interrupted you sir," I said timidly.

"Nonsense. We were just wrapping up. I would offer you a seat, but I'm afraid I have no other. Now, what brings you here? I'm sure you didn't stop by to chat."

I took a slow deep breath. "Two of your messengers came by the Elsa the other day," I stated.

"Yes yes, I am aware of that."

"I'm sure you're familiar with KOS-MOS, correct? They took her away."

"Yes…"

"We need her back."

"That, I'm afraid, is impossible."

"Why?"

Out of the corner of my eye the man in blue was fidgeting something awful.

Wilhelm cocked his head at me.

"Why, you ask? I don't need to explain anything to you. I can do whatever I wish."

"We need her," I said through ground teeth, "We go on dangerous missions, we can't do them without her. You should realize that more than anyone."

"Canaan, to be quite frank, I have my own plans for her…big plans…and I simply cannot spare her for anyone else at this time. Maybe in a month or so, bu-"

"Boss..." Blue hissed, interrupting our conversation.

"What?"

Blue fidgeted and shuddered.

"What is the matter with you? Control yourself!" snapped Wilhelm.

Blue shrank back but still continued to squirm.

That was...odd...

Then again, I've gotten practically no readings for either of those two since I walked in here, so something tells me they aren't quite ordinary…

Deciding to put my brand new upgrade to use (I knew that Professor would be good for something) I focused carefully on Blue and allowed my eyes to analyze him. There wasn't much at first, but then an outline of his true form went into my head. It was strange; it was like I was taking an X-ray of his outer from, or I was measuring a heat signature, either way it was bizarre. I couldn't distinguish enough details to identify him with a face, but I could tell he had strange scars running along his skin...

It looked like the skin had almost been...burned, but very precisely...Why do they remind me...?

Those are no battle scars...

I let out a cry and leaped back nearly two feet.

Wilhelm, startled, asked, "What's wro-"

"He's a DME addict!" I shouted. Not spoken loudly, shouted.I never shout…

"How did you know that?" Red asked. Wilhelm looked bewildered.

"I can just tell! No wonder he's been all worked up the moment I walked in here!"

I gripped my stomach tightly. I felt like I was going to be sick.

That's what those scars were…he eats our…tissue, our skin, he rips us apart and assimilates us into his own body. That's like something from a bad horror movie…THE most disgusting, sick, twisted addiction...

"Mr. Wilhelm..." I said, gaining confidence but still shaking slightly, "How do you think all your Realian workers and soldiers…would react to finding out you had a DME addict working by your side? I personally don't think they would take it too well..."

His eyes narrowed.

"You wouldn't dare."

"But of course, if you gave me back KOS-MOS, maybe I'll just let it slip my mind…"

I glared daggers at Blue. "No matter how disgusting I think he is."

"Shut up you lowly piece of filth!" Blue barked.

"Quiet!" Wilhelm shouted, "And you," he said, eyes flaring at me, "Are you attempting to blackmail me?"

"Perhaps…"

"Boss, I can take care of him…" Red offered.

Wilhelm folded his arms across his chest. "Well, before I make any decisions here, will you at least tell me one thing Canaan?"

"And what would that be?"

He leaned forward. "What I don't understand," he said, "is why you're so hell bent on getting KOS-MOS back anyway. I had a bit of an impression that you didn't like her very much."

"I don't. It's not for me that I'm doing this if that's what you're implying," I said quickly, "I'm doing it for...a friend."

"A friend?"

"You wouldn't know him." I knew this was a lie.

"Him?"

I ground my teeth. "It's not any concern of yours."

He smiled. "Come now, give me a name, any name, I might consider your…proposal if you do."

I quickly weighed the different outcomes in my head.

"...chaos..."

"I beg you're pardon?"

"His name's chaos. There, are you happy?"

Wilhelm leaned back in his chair.

"I see...so you're doing this for this...chaos. Interesting."

He paused.

"Tell me, Canaan, does the name "Yeshua" mean anything to you?"

"No..."

"Oh? Hmm... Another question: Why does this "chaos" want KOS-MOS back so badly anyway? Is he planning to use her for something?"

"No. He just...misses her. A lot. It made him sad when she left..."

Wilhelm rolled his eyes. "Oh for goodness sakes, is he really that weak to make his friend go off and rescue his damsel? People like that are such hypocrites, honestly, I-"

"DON'T MAKE FUN OF HIM!" All three jumped.

"He's not weak and he's not a hypocrite! He's just scared of you for some reason! How dare you say that!"

Why am I shouting again? Too much shouting…control your temper. But I can't stand it when people talk bad about him…

Having recovered from my outburst, Wilhelm returned to his cool persona. He looked me over a while, then awe came across his features, like he had came to a sudden realization.

"You love him! You love this…chaos don't you!"

It was my turn to jump. "I never said I…"

"I know you never said it, but I can see it! I can see it in your eyes! No wonder you were acting so strange! No wonder you wanted to have your emotions suppressor removed! You fell in love with him! A Realian fell in love!"

I blushed a brilliant red. A snicker escaped from the man in blue. Wilhelm's eyes shot open and angrily he hissed out "Silence!"

He shrank back in shame and didn't look at me again, good.

Wilhelm turned back to me. He laughed deeply and said, "Ah...Yeshua Yeshua Yeshua, what kind of game are you playing now?"

His laughter continued, a cruel cold laugh that felt like ice was being dug into my neck, "Canaan, listen, unless I'm dreadfully mistaken, which I doubt, then my Yeshua whom I've been searching everywhere for, and your chaos who fears me...they are one in the same."

"What? But his name's not Yeshua…it's chaos. That's what everyone calls him. I do think you're mistaken."

He sighed. "You don't believe me? Fine."

He closed his eyes and his voice became soft. "Is your chaos…brown in skin color? Young looking, youthful, yet for some reason possesses that ashen hair? Does he have green eyes that make you feel like you're starring into a blissful watery oblivion? Because if that is your chaos, then he's been concealing the truth about himself for a very long time."

"I…umm…I…" I couldn't think of anything to say.

"You don't even no what he is, do you? Whom he his, whom he was," he was gazing at me gently now, "You don't know, do you?"

"But…it's not…"

"There there, that's all right. You couldn't have known. I'm sure Yeshua is a very good secret keeper."

I felt defeated.

"Let me tell you a story Canaan. Once upon a time there was man who loved everyone and everything. He was good and kind and pure of spirit. But then the people he loved turned against him, shunned him, hated him, even betrayed him. He became a lost lonely soul. And then…"

Anger grew in Wilhelm's eyes again.

"Do you know what Canaan? Humans are stupid. They are dull, witless masses that are panicky and scared and lazy and cruel. Such trivial things there are obsessed with, such destructive actions and bitter greed. They are just so…imperfect to you and him and I. Yes, I am happy to say I'm not quite among that blithering race, neither are you and neither is he. I mean, just look at their history! Murder, slavery, rape, manslaughter, lynching, war, torture, drug addiction, concentration camps, suicide, homicide...genocide…can you believe I'm only referring to one race? Just one! And believe me, it goes on and on and on..."

"But…" I began.

"What? If you have something to say, then say it."

"Well, I don't think that all humans are bad…there are some good ones, aren't there?" Even as I said this I thought Why are you defending them?

Wilhelm laughed again, but it was a nicer laugh. "You are truly innocent at heart, aren't you Canaan?"

"Innocent?"

"Yes. You are a soldier, true, but you never chose to become one. You have killed things before, true, but only because humans made you. And goodness, now you're in love with one of the purist spirits this universe has ever been graced by! That is innocent. And in answer to your question, no, I don't think any human is truly good. They are born evil, stay evil, and only a few can somewhat suppress that evil and cover it up with what they think is good."

He softened again. "But…Yeshua always thought humans were good. Even when all…that…happened, he never once faltered in his beliefs. All that he's had to suffer through…"

He looked me straight in the eye.

"Answer me truthfully. Do you love him?"

"...yes." I said with little hesitation.

"And you would do anything for him?"

"Yes."

"And he is in misery now, correct?"

"Yes."

"And if I...gave...you KOS-MOS back, he would be happy again?"

"Yes, I mean, I'm sure he would."

He stopped to think again.

"Fine."

"Fine?"

"Fine. Take her. Take her back to her "proper place." You'd better pray to Yahweh it works, or else I will come and find you."

The red man's head snapped up in attention.

"But sir-"

"Quiet. I know what I'm doing. Our plans can wait, I am in no hurry."

"Sir, if we don't act now, then we may miss our opportunity-"

"KOS-MOS will be escorted to Canaan's ship immediately! My decision is final!"

He whacked a button on his desk.

"Will you two show out dear guest back to his ship please?" He asked into the speaker.

"Yes sir," a voice replied. Wilhelm swiveled his chair around in a huff.

The doors opened behind me and yet another familiar face greeted me.

"Oh…great," I grumbled, "You two again…"

The smaller of the suit's smiled at me. "Us again. Please follow me Canaan."

I scowled and followed him toward the door. Wilhelm's chair was still turned around, and he didn't look back.

"Wilhelm…?" I called.

No reply.

"Thank you…"

The compass was spinning out of control.

It's ironic in a way, isn't it? He was the cause of all this sorrow in the first place, and only he had the power to undue it. And chaos…Yeshua…whoever he is, I really didn't know anything about him, did I? But I still love him; that will never change. And I come to think...maybe…in some weird diluted shadowy way, Wilhelm…loved chaos too.

"I'm impressed, you know." It was the smaller one. Always the smaller.

"And I'm not easily impressed. You called him out in his own territory. Wilhelm could have squashed you like an insect, but he didn't. And that earns my respect."

I just grunted. "I feel so honored…"

He laughed. His dark greasy locks clung to his face.

"Canaan, do you know why my partner never speaks?" This caught me by surprise.

"No, actually, I don't." This did perk my interest quite a bit. The tall, dark, sunglass wearing man that always walked behind him didn't say much, did he?

"He watched his wife and daughter be slaughtered by Realian soldiers during the Miltian Conflict. He hasn't spoken a word ever since."

This fact did honestly startle me. I felt ashamed all of sudden, and wished I were back in my E.S. heading home…

"Just keep that in mind. Not everything is black and white you know. Nothing is truly good, and nothing is truly evil. It is all a fine shade of gray."

"Huh, I don't know what to believe anymore," I snorted, "I used to think all humans were generally good, but then there's people like that…horrible man in Blue. Wilhelm claims all humans are evil, but what about all the Saints and Holy men of the past? And now you say everything is gray. I just don't know."

He stopped in the corridor and cleared his throat. "For starters, Wilhelm might not look it, but he's actually very disturbed on the inside. Second, Saints and Holy men waged war and did terrible things just like everyone else. Lastly, the man in Blue was once in love with a Realian. You see? All gray."

My eyes widened. Was all that really true?

He turned around and smiled at me. For the first time I think I saw a faint glimmer of a soul.

"Goodbye, my friend," he said, "I hope we meet again."

I said nothing to his retreating back. I climbed into Asher without a word, KOS-MOS safely secured in the back, and finally went home.

chaos was working. Again. Surprise surprise. He was so absorbed in his work on the bridge that he didn't acknowledge me when I walked in. He didn't turn around when I crept up behind him.

"What are you doing working again, eh?" I asked loudly into his ear.

He yelped and jumped up.

"Canaan!" he gasped, partly from shock, partly from surprise, "You scared me!"

He quickly hurried over for an embrace. "Where have you been? I've been worrying myself to death, I didn't know what happened…I thought you were taken away too, I…"

"Hey hey, relax, I'm fine, see? Nothing to be worried about."

He sighed in relief. "Oh good…I'm so glad."

Then he scowled. Uh oh.

"What is the matter with you!.? Going off without even telling me! I nearly had a fit looking all over the place for you! I should…"

"Whoa, before you get mad, I have a surprise for you."

"So?"

"Please just look at it before you bite my head off okay? I think you might like it a lot…"

KOS-MOS briskly walked in on her cue. She stood quietly and blinked at chaos.

chaos' jaw…dropped. There was no better way to describe it, it just dropped.

"KOS-MOS?" he asked.

"Yes," she said in her emotionless voice, "Canaan brought me back from the Dammerung only a few minutes ago."

"But how…where…"

She turned to face me. "I did not get a chance to thank you properly. So, I thank you for your assistance in my return."

"…you're welcome," I said quietly, "But I actually didn't do that much…"

"KOS-MOS," whispered chaos. He was positively beaming. "I'm so happy you're back…"

My insides turned to stone.

"You have to tell me everything!" he said, "What happened over there? Did they do anything to you? What was…"

I slowly crept to the door. Neither noticed as KOS-MOS was patiently answering all of chaos' persistent questions. He was still glowing and smiling, he really did look happy.

Told you Wilhelm.

I left the bridge.

You should be proud of yourself. You went against all odds to bring her back, and now you've made him happy. That's good, right? If he's happy, then you're happy for him. Right? Everything worked out for the better. There is absolutely nothing to be sad about. Right?

Then why did it feel like my heart was dying?

ATA: …?