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III

"Dani? Dani, get up!" And then came an annoyed sigh. "Dani!" The slap was heard from across the street, as was the cry that followed not long after.

"Damn it!" Dani screamed. She bolted upright in her queen sized bed and black silk sheets. Wheeling around, she came face to face with Lynnax's bright blue eyes and scowling face. "What was that for!"

If it was possible, Lynnax's face angered even more. "Get your ass out of bed. It's 9:30, and we're almost done with second hour. If you hurry up we can make it to third hour right on time." She said pulling the covers off Dani's makeshift sanctuary.

The brunette girl pulled her friend to the black doubled door closet and handed her a black fishnet shirt, and faded orange over-shirt, and black baggy pants. She walked over to the tall cherry wood next to it and handed her a pair of underwear and knee-high socks.

"Go shower." She said handing Dani the garments, shoving her into the private bathroom, and shutting the door behind her.

Dani placed the clothes on her sink counter and stripped herself of her nightwear. Sliding the black and orange plaid shower curtain open she stepped in and turned on the water, thoroughly enjoying the hot liquid hitting her pale skin. It was an instant wake up call, much more delightful than being pried out of bed by her best friend.

She took her apple scented shampoo and lathered it through her hair, the aroma filling her nostrils.

'Today is the day.' She thought to herself. 'Today is the day we shall be together again.' Happily she hummed the tune of 'Helena' by My Chemical Romance. It seemed fitting for the occasion.

After rinsing, her song ended and the water was shut off. While she was toweling herself dry she could hear the sound of voices on the other side of the door. Easily she could pick up Lynnax's semi-low toned words, and she thought she had heard Jocilynn's dark-mannered voice, and Nerika's cheerful and bright sound, but there was another, another that she hadn't heard for a long time. Her curiosity perked, she dressed quickly and made her appearance presentable. Walking out of the door she again came face to face with Lynnax.

"You have a bad habit of that." Dani said amused, but Lynnax wasn't amused. Dani winced at her friend's reaction. Lynnax was never uptight unless something she truly cared about was on her mind. Dani's smiled faded, and she cupped the brunette's full face.

"What's wrong with you, Hotaru?" she questioned. "Hmm?"

Lynnax's eyes were sad, her heart was aching, and Dani could feel it as she wrapped her arms about the full-framed girl, but Lynnax said nothing, only turned away and handed her a pair of four inch heeled boots, an arm defining black trench coat identical to the one she was sporting, and her school bag without a word and walked out of the bedroom.

Dani stared to follow her clearly broken friend when two pairs of arms reached out and held her, Nerika on her right, and Jocilynn on her left, their expressions just as sullen as the other, if not more. Nerika's eyes were glossy as though she had been crying, and the stoic Jocilynn had freshly formed tears threatening to fall.

Dani didn't understand. What had happened in a matter of fifteen minutes that had brought the strongest people she had come to know and love fall to pieces?

"Why didn't you tell us, Dani?" Nerika was choking on her sobs, her long blond hair knotted and mussed.

"Tell you what?" Dani had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She just knew that whatever had happened while she was in the shower had to do with tonight, and her reuniting with Thackery.

"About him, about your plans tonight." Jocilynn's normal voice had been possessed by a mid-pitched whine, something most uncharacteristic about her. Black short hair that was usually unruly was more so than ever. Dani knew that they must have severely stressed on the topic due to their lack of composure.

Then her heart sank. She had been caught. "But how?" It was more of a question to herself, but she got an answer from someone most unexpected.

"Six years after death, one is given the chance to reverse fate. The time to do so will come at the morning hour twelve, and minute eight. Bring burnt roses and a container of pepper, and love will be united forever. Sugar is of no necessity, but bring it if you wish, for they shall be enslaved to you for all time to please and lavish. So good luck to you but be forewarned, that should you fail, you bond to them shall break, and your souls forever torn."

The spell was more than familiar to Dani, as she had remembered it from the Sanderson Sister's spell book many Halloweens ago, but there had only been two others, aside from Billy and Thackery of course, that had ever read it, and since it had been a male voice . . .

"Max . . ."

"I knew you would try it. What I don't know is why you didn't tell these girls that you call your friends." Max stated dryly, a twinge of anger in his voice.

"And Allison?" Dani asked changing the subject.

"She isn't here. She didn't believe me when I told her your plan, so she left me, But that's not that point."

"Where's Lynnax?" the red head asked again, still avoiding his accusation.

"I'm right here." The short haired brunette stepped from behind the tall male. "Now answer his question. Why didn't you tell us?" she demanded. Lynnax too, had been crying, and still was. Her grey blue eyes were completely glassy and bloodshot, her beautiful face was stained with tears and wet, and her make-up was running.

"Hotaru . . ." Dani started to advance on her, but the other girl stepped away hurriedly, and halted her.

"No! No Akiko! Tell me! Tell me why you can't trust us, why you can't trust me. Why Dani!" It was painful, her words. Each one was filled with such sorrow Dani almost couldn't stand it.

"Lynnax, you wouldn't have understood, none of you would have understood, or comprehended it. I didn't want to drag you into this." Dani tried explaining it, but failed all the same.

"Of course we wouldn't have, Akiko." Nerika said, her voice filled with incredulousness. She stepped toward Lynnax and Max and stood to Lynnax's right.

'Emi?' Dani thought in regards to Nerika's actions.

"But that doesn't mean that we don't want to help." Jocilynn stood on the other side of Lynnax now, a look of devotion spread on her face.

'Kenshin.' Dani thought again in regards to the motion.

It took Dani a moment to piece everything together. 'The other voice I heard while I was in the bathroom must have been Max, but I should have figured it was him. He must have told them about Thackery and I while I was in the shower. Ha, he hasn't changed a bit.' She sighed contentedly, knowing that she'd never be able to change their minds about helping her tonight.

"You realize the risk don't you?" she asked. Confirming what she already knew, they nodded, including Max.

"Well then, we have a lot of work ahead of us."

The girls and Max never returned to school that day.

III

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