AN: Chapter title is a saying that has a long history and has been attributed to several people, yet fellow Broadway devotees likely know which song the inspiration came from. Hm, a lot of "Wicked" references with this one.

Lina had dreamt of red storm clouds enveloping Dianna and had a difficult time shaking the disquiet she had felt even after she awoke. Unlike Gourry, who seemed to ready to believe that Dianna had simply vented her rage on a hapless opossum and was now okay, Lina couldn't shake the feeling that something was brewing.

The feeling grew as breakfast progressed without Dianna taunting Min. Even when her jealousy wasn't triggered Dianna tended to tease Min, but after a setback like the one the day before, combined with the knowledge that Min would be going to the ball, Dianna should have been in full retaliatory mode. Instead, she sat there quietly, picking at her food, as everyone else talked. And while there was a measure of relief in that she had asked Gourry to watch her to ensure that she didn't do anything bad and was even going to the store with him today, Lina couldn't help but feel that Dianna was deliberately leading them into a false sense of security so she could strike when they least expected it.

Lina's stomach twisted at the thought. But Shabranigdu was not an enemy Lina felt she could ever underestimate. Much as she wanted to hope that there would be a day when Dianna's passenger would be completely cowed and they wouldn't have to worry anymore, Lina also couldn't bring herself to believe that it would ever be a reality. Still, as one by one her family got up from the breakfast table, Lina realized there was little she could do but wait. What would happen would happen. She would just have to sleep with one eye open for a while.

Min had just finished arranging the flowers on Nielnieh's desk when her friend, Josephine, came in. "Wow, you've transformed this office!"

"How do you like it?" Min asked with a sly smile. With Nielnieh on vacation, she had decided to commandeer his office for the meeting with Julienne. Her chair at the circulation desk simply wouldn't do. Min would need to look like a person with power.

"It's wonderful." Josephine said as she folded her arms under her breasts and looked around, "But I don't know how you're going to keep your job if Nielnieh finds out."

Min waved her away dismissively, "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. Especially if you can cry on command. I'll keep my job and then some!"

"I wish I had your daring!" Josephine commented.

"Is Julienne here?"

"Yes, are you ready to see her?"

"I am!"

"I'll bring her in then."

"Thanks, Jo." Min said as she sat down on the comfortable leather seat and reflected that she liked sitting behind the big desk very, very much. But before she could get caught up in her dreams she reminded herself that she had to look important, and quickly grabbed some of the papers she had gathered earlier and a quill and started writing.

A few short minutes later Josephine led Julienne in. "Minerva the Blue." Josephine announced. "Julienne Louis."

Min stood up and shook her hand as Josephine left and closed the door behind her, "Please have a seat."

"I hadn't realized that you and Dianna were twins." Julienne said as she sat down.

Min laughed as she started fixing some tea, "We're not, we just happen to look rather much alike. We do like to pull pranks, though. Pretend to be each other and see how many people we can fool."

"Children do pull pranks." Julienne commented as Min handed her a cup.

"What sort of pranks did you pull?" Min asked.

Julienne chuckled, "Well, I convinced my sister to run away once. She was three."

"Really?" Min asked eagerly.

"Yes, I suggested it to her, helped her pack a pillow case with food and water and showed her out the door and to the woods. Thank goodness my mother came to check on us before I left her there!"

Min smiled, "Thank goodness indeed."

"Well, I found your message intriguing. What are your reasons for wanting to speak with me?"

"Well, it's about the grant."

Julienne straightened, "Yes?"

"I'm rather interested in pursuing avenues of research that would make childbearing easier and safer for women."

Julienne brightened, "I'm so glad to hear it. So often my requests seem to fall on deaf ears!"

"Well, there is such a fear of trying to become a copy of Saillune City or Sellentia that most researchers here don't want to touch White Magic. I see things differently, though. White Magic improves people's quality of life everywhere, and I don't see why Zeferia shouldn't be in on it." Min explained, "I am concerned, though. I want to support your mission, but you don't seem to support my sister."

"Dianna." Julienne sighed as she set her cup down. "My colleague raves about her talent. But there are some rather disturbing stories about her. And I have concerns about trusting her among my patients."

"Dianna was ferocious child." Min said as she fingered her blue velvet choker necklace, "I bore the brunt of her anger many times. But let me assure you that she has changed. She's learned to manage it. When she didn't get the job I feared she would lash out, but she's kept it together. And people do change as they get older, and it would be horrible if we were to forever pay for the stupid things we did as children."

Min took a drink of her tea and added, "Such as leaving our sister in the woods."

Julienne sighed, "So I suppose in return for the grant you want to see me train Dianna."

"Give her a chance is all I ask. Give her the opportunity to prove that she has changed."

Julienne took a biscuit and bit into it as she contemplated. "I'll give her a chance then. But should she mess up…"

"A chance is all I'm asking for." Min said.

Julienne smiled, "It's a deal then."

Gourry was managing inventory as Dianna was wiping down the windows when a young girl ran into the store, "Dianna Gabriev?" she asked.

"Yes." Dianna said as Gourry looked up to see what was happening.

"Julienne Louis requests a meeting with you at your earliest convenience." She explained.

Dianna put a hand over her heart, "Thank you."

The child ran off, and Gourry folded his arms across his chest, "Do you think that means something good?"

"I'm not sure if I dare to hope." Dianna said, "But if she was going to reject me why ask to see me in person? She'd just send a letter."

Gourry smiled, "Looks like Min was right, it's not over until it's over."

"Indeed." She said, but there was a tension to her voice that concerned Gourry. Suddenly she looked at him pleadingly, "Walk there with me. And wait for me to get out. If we're wrong I don't know what I'll do!"

"Let me give your grandparents' a heads up, then we'll go." Gourry said as he patted her on the shoulder.

"I imagine you're wondering why I summoned you here." Julienne said.

"Yes," Dianna replied as she attempted to keep the nerves from her voice.

"For that, you must thank your sister."

"What?" Dianna asked.

"Minerva the Blue has quite the interest in seeing you succeed." Julienne explained, and Dianna felt a pit open in her stomach.

"What do you mean?"

"She advocated rather strongly that I give you a chance. So I agreed to have you do your training with me so I can keep an eye on you."

"Thank you." Dianna said.

"Thank your sister." Julienne said, "I wouldn't have agreed without her intervention. And Dianna, there will be no room for error or foul temperament."

"I understand. I won't let you down." Dianna said quickly. Somehow she'd have to keep it together until she left Julienne's office. She's already likely ruined things beyond repair but she didn't need to further the damage!

"Training starts tomorrow then."

Gourry leaned against the temple where the midwives trained and worked as he waited for Dianna. If only this would fall into place he was sure things would be okay. And it was encouraging that they had asked to see Dianna. Afterall, if they didn't want to work with her they would have just sent a letter, if they bothered to contact her at all. Yet when Dianna finally did emerge she looked despondent.

"Oh Di," he said, "Something else will turn up."

"I got the job." She said in a clipped fashion.

Now he was very confused. She didn't seem jubilant and excited, "But…"

"Min is going to kill me."

"What?" Gourry asked, mystified, "But why?"

Dianna bit her lip, and it was obvious she was trying not to cry. "Because she got me that job! And Dad, I've done something horrible!"

Min smiled when she saw Drake standing near the statue they would meet at for lunch, and she bounded over to him and threw her arms around him, "Hello, sweetheart."

Strangely, he pulled away, barely meeting her eye. "Min." he acknowledged.

"What's wrong?" she asked, stunned by his coldness.

Drake looked behind him, as though checking for an enemy, and then he said, "Your sister!"

While Min knew which one, she still asked, "Which sister?"

"Dianna!" Drake said, "She's not right!"

Min felt as though she'd been punched in the gut as Drake continued, "She needs to be locked up!"

"What did she do?" Min asked.

Drake looked over his shoulder again. "Come on, let's walk to the office. Everyone is out for lunch right now."

As Min followed him her feelings of both foreboding and anger grew. Just how bad was it? Finally they reached the office Drake was working at. She followed him in, and he checked to make sure no one was there before he locked the door. "Have a seat."

Min went ahead and sat on one of the chairs as she asked, "What happened?"

Drake looked around again and then ran his hand through his hair, and Min noted he was sweating slightly as he stared off at a desk. "I stupidly followed her into the woods, she said you wanted to see me. I don't know why I did. It will be the end of my career if word gets out that I was stupid enough to follow her there, I had to tell several people who saw her approach me that I'd gotten away before we'd gotten to the woods. I knew I'd made a mistake but I couldn't turn away, I don't know why. Once we got to her shrine she overpowered me and tied me to the tree, and then she caught a opossum and tortured it to death all while forcing me to watch! The whole time she told me that she would do the same thing to me if I kept seeing you or if I told anyone!"

Min put her hand over her mouth as the bile rose in her throat as Drake continued, his voice high and anxious, "I thought she was going to kill me! Really, Min, what is wrong with her?"

"We can only speculate…" Min said pitifully, aware of what a weak excuse it was, resentful that after everything she still had to protect Dianna.

"That's bullshit, Min!" Drake responded.

Min bit her lip as it started to tremble. He deserved to know the truth, and she no longer wanted to keep this secret. That she had to hide this from his was agony, and after he had suffered so he deserved to know why. Min opened her mouth, but the words died in her throat. Memories of her parents and aunt drilling into her the fearful consequences of what would happen if word about Dianna's situation got out rose. And then Min shuddered as she thought about what Luna would do to her if she said anything. She choked, and finally managed to say, "I know it's not fair! If I could tell you I would but please believe me, it would be a lot worse if you knew the truth."

"Fine." He spat, obviously unsatisfied with her answer.

Min grabbed his arm, "I'll make sure she's taken care of, that she won't do this again."

"And if it is that bad, then just how are you going to do that?" he asked.

"Have you met my Aunt Luna?" Min asked.

Drake exhaled. "Point. Damn, I should have gone straight to her after it happened. I still don't know why I let her do that!"

"I am so sorry, this never should have happened." Min said. "How can we make it up to you?"

"You just stay out of my way. You and both of your sisters!"

Min felt as though she had been gutted, "Drake, we can't let her get between us, we can't let her win like this!"

"I'm sorry Min." he said, his voice gritty as though he was trying to hold back a torrent of emotion, "We had an incredible dream. But I can't! Not right now anyway. You look just like her! And Attie is sweet, but she also looks just like her! Right now I can barely stand to look at you because I keep remember what she did! In fact, I need you to leave."

Min did all she could to keep from erupting into tears as she thought about all that Dianna had cost her after all that she had done for her. As much as it hurt, the very least that she could do was respect Drake's wishes. Shakily she stood up. "If you ever think you can work past this, you know where to find me. I am so sorry, she won't come near you again, I'll make sure of it."

Gourry stood by the window as Dianna sat on the couch, hunched over and looking despondent. Attie sat beside her and kept a hand on her shoulder. Gourry felt much the same way. Up until now he had hoped that they could get Dianna to a point where she could control the rage well enough that they wouldn't have to keep such a close eye on her, but now it seemed impossible. While she could be fine one moment, with the wrong combination of factors, she would still lash out even after all they had taught her. And goodness knows when they would find out about who she had harmed.

Gourry worried that Drake would go to the authorities. He couldn't blame him. At the same time, he didn't want to see Dianna go off to jail, and if she were behind bars, it would likely be devastating to her mental state. And then, if they were lucky to avoid such a tragic outcome, the bad blood that would spill between Dianna and Min seemed inevitable. He had always feared that the estrangement that marked his family of origin would visit the family he'd created with Lina even as he had done everything in his power to prevent it. Now it seemed to have been in vain.

Gourry's stomach knotted as he saw Min walking towards the house, looking thunderous as she walked beside Luna. That she was with Luna told Gourry that Min knew. Gourry looked at Dianna, "Min has your aunt with her."

Dianna's eyes widened as she pulled at her hair, but then stood up as though resigned to face the music, "Let's get it over with, then."

A few moments later, Min stormed into the house and marched up to Dianna and shoved her back down onto the couch. "How could you? Do you realize I stuck my neck out for you and got you that job? That I gave Julienne my promise that your fits of rage were over?"

Luna closed the door behind her as she looked at Gourry, who was staring at his daughters helplessly. And the question was where to intervene? Min had a legitimate grievance she needed to air. But Gourry had to believe that Shabranigdu was more responsible than Dianna and that there was only so much she could do to fight him. He couldn't let himself believe that Dianna was capable of such maliciousness, he had to see her as a victim of her passenger. And ultimately if Dianna lost hope of ever getting better she would merge with them. But where the line was between letting Min have her say and keeping Dianna mentally well was so faint that Gourry couldn't detect where it was. And as he looked at the uncharacteristically worried expression on Luna's face, he could tell she was experiencing the same difficulty.

"I've already talked to Julienne." Dianna said as she grasped the couch and looked at Min beseechingly, "Min I am so sorry, I feel horrible!"

Min's blue eyes flashed and her hands clinched into fists, and for a moment Gourry thought she was going to start swinging. Instead she started screaming, "Well imagine how I feel! Really Di! I live with the scars, physical scars from you, and the mental ones, dammit, Di! For years you've torn me down as being shallow and vain while I've been busting my ass working the system so I could get you into a position that you love, that you ruined any chance of getting on your own, so you could have that fresh start. And after all of that hard work you not only terrorize Drake, which is horrible enough on his own, but you hurt the man I love! And now he wants nothing to do with me!"

Min broke down into a sob as she covered her face for a moment as Diann erupted into her own tears. Min moved her hands to her side as she looked at Dianna disdainfully and asked mockingly, "Are those even genuine or are you just trying to get me to feel sorry for you? The whole I have a shard of Shabranigdu, it's not my fault, don't push me or I'll destroy the world."

"Min…" Gourry said.

"No! I'm sick of it!" Min said as she rounded on him, "I'm not holding back anymore! I've bitten my tongue so much through the years I'm surprised it still exists!"

"It's alright, Dad. I can take it." Dianna said.

Min turned back around and yelled, "Do you know how hard it is when people ask me what the hell is wrong with you? How I've never been able to have a friend over for the night for fear of the shit you would pull? How many sacrifices I've had to make so you wouldn't go off the deep end and destroy the world? And now Drake can't stand to be with me because I look too much like you! Most ambitious men like him want a house wife, but we wanted to transform Zefiel City into a hub of culture and research with me! He wanted to support me in my ambitions and insisted that both of our careers were important! How many men can I find like that? And even if I find another one, it won't be Drake!"

"I thoroughly hate myself."

"Good!" Min yelled.

"Min," Attie asked tentatively, "What can she do to make this better?"

"Dianna can stop ruining my life for one!" Min said.

"How can I do that?" Dianna asked.

"You can't keep attacking people like this for one. I can't believe we're still having to worry about it. If you keep attacking people like this, well, Drake is too embarrassed to make a public statement, but someone eventually will. You're not a little girl anymore! You've got to get it under control! If Julienne knew, after I'd promised you were past this…"

"I won't screw up! I'm going to be the best midwife there ever was, I will have Julienne thanking you! This will be the last time, I promise!"

"It had better be. I'm not cleaning up any more of your messes or pulling anymore strings for you! And while we're at it, you stay the hell away from Drake! If you see him in town you turn around and walk the other way, I don't care how much out of your path it takes you! And for that matter you stay away from me. You spend as much time in your room as you can, you eat your meals alone, if you see me around you get out of my way! As far as I'm concerned I only have one sister right now!"

Gourry tensed and thought about asking Min to back down, but it was as though she had run out of steam, as she abruptly ran into her room and slammed the door behind her. Dianna looked gutted as she stared at the floor, while he looked at Attie and Luna awkwardly. Attie gave Dianna's knee a squeeze, and then she got up and followed Min into their room and closed the door behind her, and Dianna seemed to sink even more. While Gourry felt too stunned to say anything, Luna suddenly seemed to have found her momentum as she grabbed Dianna by the shoulder and said, "I'd like a word."

AN: It kind of hit me that, given my earlier reference to this being a twisted version of Little Women, fans of the book may think that Josephine was a homage to the spunky Jo March. Really I was thinking of Josephine Butler, for some rather tangential reasons (original characters either have a logic behind their name even if it is rather obtuse, or they are names I picked by turning to a random page in a book I'm reading or junk mail on my desk, or they're something spelled backwards). Still, now that I have Jo I guess I should see if I can work in a Meg, Beth and Amy, lol.