A Word From The Author: 21/12/04-Thank you for your support. I truly apologize for offing Squall, cos I really like him, but then I thought for Seifer it would really hit home if Squall was killed that there would be consequences for his actions. Actually I did spend some time debating whether I should kill Squall or not, but in the end I did it. Well, don't say I didn't warn you! More character deaths still ahead…maybe one or two more. Of course, it won't be Seph. He IS the main char after all. Okay, story time!

Oh yeah, remember in Chapter Ten I promised that every ten chapters I would put up a summary for the unfortunate peeps who can't keep up with my plot? K, here goes!

SINCE CHAPTER TEN: Sephiroth spoke to Bahamut, who seems to have lots in store for him. Seifer returned from Coruthary and reported what he had seen to Xu, that the entire city is under siege and that Avine was there. Laguna was killed in Esthar by the son of Angus Feder, Jeremy. Sephiroth takes and passes his practical exam and befriends a new GF, Ebon the Nightmare. Xu arranged a field exam with twofold purposes: to defeat Galbadia amd get Avine back. Sephiroth was part of a team to retrieve Avine; he was successful, but unfortunately Avine had gone insane because she was also injected with Jenova cells during her imprisonment and Sephiroth killed her. Adele/Jenova popped up and had a big battle with Sephiroth, fleeing after he summoned the Phoenix. They joined up with the rest of the SeeDs in the mission and found out that it was one big setup. The siege was fake and Coruthary was already in the hands of the Galbadians. So after the SeeDs had infiltrated the city, they were ambushed and barely escaped with their lives. They returned to Garden in time for the grad party. Sephiroth and Paine passed their exam. Sephiroth told Xu and Elenor his story and Paine produced the plans of the Sting, which steals magical energy, which she had stolen. Meanwhile Skeiz, Laguna's rival, was elected President and Quistis escaped Esthar in a Mirrormist. She returned to Garden to find that Ivan, Selphie's and Irvine's son, had been kidnapped and used by Deling as leverage to stop Trabia from allying with Balamb. Galabdia Garden engaged in battle with Balamb and the latter lost. In the duration, Sephiroth and Paine were captured by Galbadian troops. Squall was dead, stabbed from behind. Balamb fled to a secret location.

Chapter Twenty: Avengement

It is dark. I'm hanging in the void and it stretches out for eternity. Pinpricks of white light shine in the eternal night but is quickly snuffed out one by one. I sense that it will not stop until all light is purged from this place.

Where am I? I wonder. I try to move, but my limbs seem immobile. I struggle against the invisible bonds to no avail. I do not like this place. It is cold and makes me tremble within, shrinking back from the fierce eradication of the starlight from the empty plain. I look down; at my feet is a pool, gleaming onyx. With effort I shift my boot and ripples stir throughout the flat surface. In the depths something twitches and approaches the surface. In it, I can see the light of two golden eyes, flat and cold as the metal itself.

My son, the wind whispers, and it echoes around me as I scream.

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(Balamb Garden)

Xu felt like crying as she sat alone behind her desk, eyes staring into the distance. They had all been prepared for defeat, but it had been a shock when it had come. Perhaps because before they had always won. The classic victory; good against evil. But now the tables were turned; the odds were against them. It was a case of overwhelming numbers and superior force.

What have we done to deserve this? She thought numbly, and as the thought crossed her mind the camera indicated that there were two people at her doorstep. She let them in; they were Elenor and Deckard, both wearing somber expressions. "What's the death toll?" she asked dully, not wanting to know, but she had to update her profiles. And send letters of condolences to their relatives, pensions…she sighed. She dreaded the letter-writing the most, explaining to the parents why their children had to die.

"We're still not sure," Elenor said carefully, as though Xu was some fragile china doll she was afraid to break. "We're currently in the process of recovering and identifying the bodies. We've laid them out in the hall for now but when the sun comes up we'll have to move them. Also…the sabotage team is missing, and some of the pilots got shot down and were left behind; since we are maintaining radio silence we can't contact them to find out if there are survivors. Anyway, roughly three-eighths of the air force is down, forty-two instructors, over a hundred cadets are dead, but most of our junior SeeDs have come through. Commander Wyerheir is laid up in the infirmary getting a bullet out of her ribs. Plus the Galbadian prisoners have been trussed up and left in the shooting gallery in the Training Center. Rather cramped, but there's no help for it."

Xu groaned and rubbed her temples. "You mean to say we have somehow misplaced two of the most powerful beings on the planet? Where people willing to exploit them without any qualms are likely to find them? What happened?"

Elenor looked troubled. "I don't know, Xu. They entered the Galbadian airship, they were following orders—then after that they stopped communications and when the Mirrormist blew our shield dome to smithereens, I stopped paying attention. I wasn't in a position to notice anyway," she added, referring to the fact that she had still been in lycanthropic form at the time.

Xu sighed again, more deeply. "Question anyone who might know of their whereabouts. I hope to Hyne for their sake that if they got captured, they're already dead. Can't be too pleasant."

"That's a sorry sentiment, Xu," Deckard said softly. "And…if they died…who would get their powers? The Galbadians?"

Xu paled. "Will the Galbadians really be as ruthless as that? To go to such an extreme? Oh…lord." She grabbed her datapad and stood up. "Well, it's no use speculating on something that might not have happened. I'll be going to the Hall to see what I can do."

"Are you sure?" Elenor asked uncertainly.

"I can handle it," Xu said firmly.

She wasn't so sure when the three of them arrived at the Hall later on. The sickly sweet stench of decay was very strong on the evening breeze, and made Xu's stomach turn over. She imagined that it would be ten times worse in the noontime. Mustering her courage, she looked at the rows of dead bodies, some of them wearing faces she had known well, some her students, friends, colleagues. Less than twenty-four hours ago they had been fired up and willing to fight for a cause they believed in; now they were dead. Xu wondered if they had known they were going to die the moment they had decided to place their future in SeeD. Many of them were still in their twenties, thirties, in their teens even, armored in youth and confidence. Oh yes, they had known death would come to find them eventually, but it had seemed so far away that it was still a shock when it arrived at last. She stared at their broken, battered faces; most of them simply wore an expression of poignant surprise.

Slowly she walked down the rows, as if paying homage to her SeeDs. Others were there too, searching for each other, their loved ones; the lucky ones running into each others' arms and sobbing in relief; the unlucky ones kneeling at the sides of friends, family, or a lover, touching their cold hands with a look of disbelief etched into their faces. She halted as she came to Rinoa and Arne, next to Squall, who was laid out unceremoniously beneath an off-white sheet blackened by congealing blood. Her captain had never looked quite so young before, his face streaked with tears and his nose red and runny. In a matter of days he had lost his father and his grandfather, two of the people he had loved most in the world.

Rinoa, in contrast, was not crying; her face was whiter than the bone beneath. Xu could practically see the blue-green veins that marbled her skin. She sat quietly looking at her husband, occasionally reaching out a hand to touch him. Not once did she draw back the sheet; as though she was afraid that if she did it would make it real. Xu, feeling as though she was intruding on their grief, moved silently away, and nearly knocked Seifer over. The blond man had been skulking silently a few steps away from Squall, so still that he could have been a statue. He looked at Xu, and she almost flinched at his gaze. It seemed dead, so empty that it seemed that his soul had taken flight and left the shell standing there.

"…Seifer?" she asked quietly. "Are you alright?"

He shifted his bleak stare away and she was relieved. "Of course I'm not," he said harshly. "Will people stop asking me such stupid questions! And why would you care anyway? It's so obviously my fault, as usual. Go find someone else to bother!"

She was taken aback at the viciousness of his reaction. "Seifer, no one is—"

He cut her off, "Just leave me alone. That's the one thing I ask. Can't you do even that?" Angrily he turned his back to her and suddenly found the sky very interesting. Troubled, she left him standing there, head raised, like some tragic and anguished character from a play.

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(? Somewhere in Deling City)

In the pod, the body suddenly jerked, and thrashed violently against its bonds. A red light flashed in warning, and the scientist in charge quickly jabbed a button to release a potent sleeping gas into the glass chamber. The specimen relaxed and sank back into the clear, jelly-like gel after a short-lived struggle, apparently subdued. The woman standing beside the holding cell appeared satisfied, pressing her long-nailed hands against the glass closest to the specimen's face. "Is he ready now?" she asked.

The scientist studied the specimen's vital signs, then nodded in approval. "Go ahead. You know what you need to do, I trust."

"Leave us in privacy," the woman ordered.

The man bowed in respect, gathered in staff and left the laboratory instantly. The woman smiled; sharp-edged, like a shark's. Folding her body across the transparent capsule, she gazed at the youth floating below her with sleepy, admiring eyes. Her son, her pride. Beautiful he was, physically at least. It was his mental state she was not pleased with. Her son, who had obeyed her every order, who had been so properly obedient and adoring, so ruthless and efficient—and the Planet had twisted her hard work into this. He had become soft, soft and merciful and useless, she thought darkly…human. Less than what he could be, and her child had so much potential…No! It would not be wasted. She would have to be patient to reconfigure his mind all over again, but she was confident she could do it. Spineless he might have become, but he—as all of their kind did—an innate love for the hunt, the pounce before the kill. Say what you will, the sorcerers and sorceresses of the old times, when they were strong in numbers and power, were predators.

Lovingly she stroked the glass over her son's sleeping face, her face contorting into a scowl when her attention was drawn unwillingly to the manacle the Planet had placed on her beloved child; to mark him as its own, branding him like cattle. She could not remove it; oh yes, she had tried, only to be repelled by the force of the Planet's anger, so strong even across the light-years of the galaxy. She flexed her red and blistered fingers bitterly as she stared at her son's face, peaceful in sleep.

"I'll make you strong again," she told him; confident that somehow through the odd bond they shared he would hear her and listen. He might not appreciate it now, but someday, she knew, he would thank her for it.

Shutting her eyes, she concentrated, her son's mind opening easily before her; he could not keep out one who knew him better than he knew himself. She sent a ripple of consciousness shivering into his brain, and sat back to let the dream unfold.

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Remember…

Head lifts up wearily…arms hanging limp from bonds. A change is coming, coming for me…what does it portend?

I can see light, vibrant in the darkness, but it is false light. It does not warm me, rather my flesh crawls with goosebumps. I don't want it to touch me; looking into the swirling colors makes me feel sick and nauseous. But it's coming—approaching, closer, and I can't move or stop it—

Explosion…falling…

Life.

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(Sixteen years ago, Wutai)

He advanced across the battlefield, and the Wutaians—the epitome of fierce pride—glared at him behind crossed katanas and raised crossbows. The saying went that ever since he had been transferred to the war zone all Wutaians knew when to shoot and ask questions later when they saw green eyes glowing with the light of Mako. He gave them a brief smile and a salute; the Wutaians were, if nothing, brave and proud warriors, and he was honored to be considered their ultimate enemy.

His own soldiers—most cowards, they were from Midgar after all—crowded behind him, content to let him carry out the intimidation process. He sneered to himself; sometimes he wondered if there was any meaning to what he was doing now, at the head of a so-called, laughably, Midgar's grand and formidable army. It felt like he was fighting the entire war by himself, his spirit inspiring his officers to follow in his footsteps. Or that was what the campaign posters said anyway.

Without the signal ever being given, the two armies thundered across the battlefield; old, crusty veterans hardened and battle-scarred, the hot-blooded youths seeking glory. He slashed his way through the wall of bodies blocking his path, their blood blending in with the Wutaian colors they wore. This was what he found meaning in; the dance of blade and master in an impossibly intricate step that only he and the Masamune could ever understand.

He did not know how long he fought, but every kill seemed to rejuvenate his tired soul and he drank it up; feeding on the fear of his victims. They called him Death, clad in black and armed with a long sword striped red and silver. Eventually a shrill trumpet note cut through the haze of bloodlust and he dazedly shook it off. He felt a surge of disappointment so strong when the white flag appeared, smeared with blood and grime, that he was momentarily stunned. We have won, he told himself, but some part of him would have liked to continue, feeling the Masamune sever through bone and tendon—

His face felt wet; not with tears, he realized, as he touched it, but with blood. He tilted his head back, like a starving man, and blood, still warm and with a metallic tang, dribbled onto his lips. He licked them. Tasting the blood of Wutai. Her people's faces contorted in rage and fear, but Lord Godo had spoken. There would be no more killing here. Wutai would surrender; for the first time in their glorious history.

You were strong then, a female voice told him, sweet like the outer coating of honey doctors put on their pills, but inside, bitter poison. Back in the present, he shook the last vestiges of the violent memory away in denial. In the past, he had not found love, mercy or kindness; he had been different…

My son, she said in a disappointed voice, and it took everything in his soul not to flinch back and drop to his knees and cry for her forgiveness, just as he had done many times before. I only wish the best for you…perhaps you need to remember more.

No more! Mother! Please!

When you have been prepared, she promised, her powerful voice echoing in the barren emptiness of his mind. You will see how wrong you have been.

She swept out imperiously with a sharp rush of wind, leaving him alone, and broken, to face his next memory in anguish, and in desperation he called for help.

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Aeris!

Her name vibrated through the strange bond that held soul and guardian together, and with a start Aeris broke from her mediating trance, sensing that Sephiroth was in trouble. His summons; she shivered at the heartrending pain in his tone. Something had hurt him; hurt him badly; she must go!

Aeris sought the mind of her murderer, his light weak and ebbing in the multifaceted soul of Gaia. Her heart ached with concern; the Planet had assigned her to be his guardian through the darkness, as the Cetra had nurtured the misguided to compassion millennia ago when they were at their full strength. She could not fail him, could not let him fall to the darkness again…not when she was so close! Not when he had found all the things that made his life worthwhile.

The flower girl tried to calm her racing pulse; only an illusion her mind, still discontent with death, conjured up, she knew. She let the soothing pulse of the Planet, somewhat disharmonious with urgency, weave its way through her mind, showing her the way. Aeris missed the Lifestream, where she could communicate directly with the Planet, but she would take the best she could. The Planet's song swirled around the troubled darkness of the young man's mind, and where the emerald strains touched and caressed, the shadows eased and faded. Aeris almost recoiled from the dark images around her, but remembered that Sephiroth was in dire need of her help and turning away from him was not what he wanted to see right now. Her face resolute, Aeris stepped into the buffeting winds that clawed at her skirts and almost dragged her ephemeral body off her feet. Aeris braved it, trying to reach Sephiroth.

She located him, slumped over on his hands and knees at the side of a black pool as still as a plaque of obsidian, his silver hair a bleak beacon in the howling gusts. Aeris trembled at the sight of so many wounds, everywhere; her heart filled with compassion, she knelt at his side. In the imaginary world of his psyche, she shimmered a gentle, vibrant green, the color of the Lifestream. She lifted a hand to touch him, but before she could, a blast of icy wind knocked her onto her backside. Reacting defensively, Aeris called her staff into her hand, only to look into the amber eyes of a woman who had brought about the downfall of two entire races single-handedly, a woman who had ruined her ancestors and denied the people of Gaia their magic by her actions; a woman powerful beyond reckoning and ready to eradicate Aeris' existence completely if need be.

"The Crisis," Aeris dared to whisper, and in response a sanguine smile curled the sides of Adele's lips.

"Foolish girl," she said scornfully, and reached for her with claw-like hands.

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(Balamb Garden)

"Clearly," Xu Fraden said, "There is no hope of us ever beating Galbadia heads-on. They are far too technologically powerful, especially with Mardon feeding them the latest gizmos from the Esthar market. We must resort to our past history of secrecy and sneaking. During the Sorceress War, we relied instead on the elusiveness of our spies and assassins, rather than on how big our guns were…that's not funny, boys," she added sternly, as a whole group of male instructors in the row in front of her burst out laughing and made ribald jokes.

Xu looked at her notes and sighed, waiting them to finish laughing instead of coldly interrupting them as she normally did. Hyne knew that they had far too little laughter nowadays. When they were calmed down, she glanced around at the half-full auditorium around her—so many empty seats!—and continued, "Therefore, I have decided to break our own laws and come up with something more unconventional—we shall post assassins, on our own initiative and without any instigation from a client, into an enemy territory. A two-pronged attack will do nicely."

Someone raised a hand. "Pardon me, Headmistress, but won't that be all the encouragement Galbadia needs to make us all villains and scoundrels?"

Xu smiled icily. "That's war for you. Pull this off, and we will be remembered as heroes. Foul it up…" She shrugged and smiled. "The first thing we need to do is to remove Mardon and his people. Most of the Estharians will support his fall; right now they're afraid to speak up because of the secret police, but I've already heard rumors of a resistance going on. That will be Team A. As usual, it will consist of three people. Quistis, you're in charge of this. Pick two of our people you think who can do it. As for Team B…right now, Trabia Garden is holding back because of Ivan. I'm not blaming the Kinneas', but their hesitation is costing us. Team B will have to break into Deling City and steal Ivan out from under the Galbadian's noses. Won't be easy, but I know you people can do it." She paused, then said gently, "Arne…you'll lead. Are you up to it?"

The captain, who had been slouching in his chair with a depressed expression on his face, now straightened. Fire and new determination burned in his red-rimmed eyes. "Yes, ma'am. At your service, ma'am."

Xu saw Elenor give her a questioning look, are you sure? but Xu chose to ignore it, just giving a firm nod. "Arne, pick your partners, and then the six of you report to me an hour from now in my…" She grimaced, remembering that her office had been reduced to a blackened ruin from a bomb chucked in through the window. "…right here. Got that?"

"Sure, ma'am," they chorused, rising to their feet. The senior instructors quickly bombarded Arne and Quistis to ask for permission to join the mission, but Elenor walked straight towards Xu. The Headmistress groaned, already imagining the interrogation process. The instructor's eyes flashed fire. "What were you thinking?" she demanded in a low whisper that was only a few degrees away from subzero levels.

Xu sighed, tucking her notes in the inside pocket of her coat. "Elenor, look at him. He's lost his father and grandfather. If I just let him loiter around in Garden basically just playing the waiting game, it won't help him a whit. Think about this. I've given him a purpose, a feeling that he really matters. Besides, I've often found myself that fighting in hot blood lets you forget," she finished, a little sadly.

Elenor absorbed this. "That sounds reasonable," she admitted grudgingly. "Are you going?"

"I would love to, but I have too much to do as Headmistress," Xu said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "How about you? I'm sure you will be an invaluable asset."

A fleeting smile crossed Elenor's face. "Thank you, Headmistress. I won't take up anymore of your time." She made a stiff, formal bow, then discarded formalities and hugged Xu. The two women embraced for a few seconds, then separated, going their own ways. It made Xu reassure herself no matter what, her friends would always be at her side.

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(Sephiroth's mind…or whatever)

Aeris shrank back from the Crisis' towering presence, but she could not help sneaking a quick peek at Sephiroth where he lay behind Adele on the rocky ground motionless, almost unnaturally so, his skin ivory against the slick, black rocks. Noticing her interest, the Crisis gave a short laugh and advanced on her, a menacing look on her face. Aeris squeaked and stumbled backwards, almost tripping over the jutting ridges of the uneven path. She felt very small, standing in the shadow of the mighty sorceress. In fear she called to the Planet, but its song sounded weak and reedy now. It was too far away, it could not help her. She was utterly on her own.

"Stubborn girl," Adele said coldly. "Where is your precious Cloud now? The AVALANCHE members? They cannot protect you. For so long, you have stood in my way." She gritted her teeth; in the dim light they seemed pointed, like fangs. "First you meddled in my business by calling Holy, now you seek to sever my son from his destiny!" She pointed at Sephiroth. "Fortunately, not all is lost…"

Frozen to the ground, Aeris could barely breathe. The Crisis' insane laughter tore through the air as bright images flared to life around her. She was kneeling down, praying, and a black and silver demon leaped through the air to tear the life out of her with his devilish blade. Her blood, flowing over the green crystal, staining the clear pool crimson. On the ground, Sephiroth stirred restlessly. The demon from the vision.

Aeris' fear overcame her anew, just as it had when the Planet had first explained her task to her. She had cried, railed, pleaded, against what she viewed as a cruel fate, until the Planet had taken her to see his soul, wounded and adrift, in the Lifestream. Kindness had taken the place of her terror. Until now, forced to see her death over and over again, she could bear it no longer. Despising herself for her lack of faith, for her cowardice, she retreated, tears flooding her eyes, Adele's mad laughter a suitable accompaniment to her shameful flight.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

She has abandoned you…

Loss. Despair. Crushing, on me, like the weight of the world itself…

Aeris. You taught me love and mercy and gentleness…was that a lie too? I thought you were an angel. But, it seems, even angels are imperfect…

But I can't blame you, Aeris. You looked inside me and you saw what I am, and you accepted it, but even then, how can you forget the name of the man who killed you, denied you happiness among the living?

…not worthy…

…you were right after all, Mother…

…I am a demon…

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"I'm so sorry…" Aeris wept, in the warm embrace of the Planet later, enfolded in its living melody. She could sense its disappointment, but also its forgiveness and understanding, and that hurt more than the blow that had killed her. She had been given a mission, and she had failed the trust of the one whom she loved more than life itself, who she had sacrificed her life for.

At last, when Aeris' body had stopped shaking from her racking sobs, the Planet's message flooded her mind in an explosion of color. She interpreted the words out of the pictures, breathlessly, eager to be successful this time.

—Clearly Sephiroth's strength is not enough— the Planet noted. –It should be instrumental if further allies could be summoned in the fight against the Crisis. Oh, child, do not be so quick to place blame on yourself. In this regard you are much like Sephiroth. The Crisis is skilled in manipulation; she has tricked elders older and wiser than yourself—

"Thank you, my liege," Aeris whispered gratefully. "What should I do next? Who do you wish to be your champions?"

She listened, then a smile broke through her tears.

"That would be perfect! I should have known. After all, they've faced her before. Except…" She pulled a wry face. "They don't much like Sephiroth, and I have a suspicion the feeling is very much mutual. Oh dear…"

—I shall take care of it— the Planet replied in amusement. –Now, my sweet daughter, go, and be safe—

She let herself bask in the Planet's love a moment longer, then with a thought, found herself back, immersed, in the emerald blood of the Planet.

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15/2/05: YAY! I'M BACK, FOLKS! After two months, I finally overcame a severe case of writer's block to deliver to you Chapter Twenty: Avengement! I'm afraid Twenty-one will face a similar delay because of a huge load of schoolwork (exams tomorrow and today…ugh…) and again, I'm so sorry for not updating sooner! Can you guess who Aeris is talking about? Hint: It's the event you all were waiting for…time to make use of the crossover theme…

And now, for the thank yous all around to everyone kind enough to review last chapter!

NEXT CHAPTER: THE MARDON AFFAIR

(guess what?)

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Thanks to:

Angelgrl185: Me too, Time of the Twins is my absolute favorite. I love how Crysania changes so much by the time Book Three comes round! Anyway, sorry you weren't included in the last thank you last chapter, I posted it just when your reviews came in.

Zack M. Strith: But of course.

Anasazi Darkmoon: Yeah, well, just bear in mind that not all the character deaths have taken place yet… (smiles evilly)

TheWyldeWestWind: Hey, too many good vs. evil good wins fics out there, I had to do something different, ya know? As for killing Leon/Squall, I know that was a more daring move, but then, it was different! Too many Squall resurrection fics already… so SQUALL IS STAYING DEAD AND THAT'S FINAL!

Squall: I can just feel the love…

(Stomps on him)

Squall (obediently disappears)

Dark Knight Gafgar: That's refreshing, after reading reviews in which people cursed at me/cried after reading that Squall died. And as for Seph summoning Meteor, I think that defeats the purpose of my story, in which Seph is supposed to be a good guy with a halo and harp and everything.

Noacat: No lab explosion. Not yet. But who can guess? This stupid characters keep running out of control. For instance, I didn't mean to make Aeris freak out, I was going to write a huge battle between Adele and the Planet…

tetraflash777: Thanks for the reviews! Keep pouring them in! All opinion helps. Hope you had a good vacation. As for Seph…if I make him TOO DAMN powerful its too easy huh?

KokoroHikaru: Yeah, I felt like I was making Seph too soft…like this chapter…

emerald drake: uh…you okay there?

meowwl: I kept typing out filed instead of field…I guess I missed one.

Jehraldeen: Here you are…silver platter and all…

One Winged Evil: You know what they say…we are, never, ever satisfied with what we have, hee.

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