Chapter 22

Impending Reunions

"Excuse me, can I help you, sir?" The receptionist stared narrowly at the man in the wide-brimmed hat who had entered the building and stood without a word, his patched coat and gnarled cane making him stand out in the midst of the office building's opulent lobby.

His presence was made all the more unusual by the time, most nearby buildings having fallen dark hours prior, and by the nature of the structure he had entered. On the outside, it seemed quite reputable, a high-rise featuring offices for several trading companies, but the people who lived and worked nearby avoided it as much as possible, noting the ever-present men in black suits and sunglasses. Those who were forced to near the imposing tower of steel and glass carried the word 'yakuza' on their lips, and it was whispered that there had been several disappearances in the area, which were widely agreed to be the result of kidnappings and gang-related murders.

It was good that the people who lived nearby did not know the truth, lest they live in even greater fear. Yakuza were a danger, but were still human; that was nothing compared to Fairy Tale.

With all that considered, it hardly made sense for anyone to brazenly stroll into the high-rise at night, ignoring the receptionist's diminishing temper as she demanded his attention. She and the other watchers quickly arrived at the same conclusion: this man was probably not entirely in his best senses, judging from the way he dazedly stared around the lobby as if not understanding where he was. His appearance contributed to that impression, as his heavy coat was worn and the cane he carried looked almost decayed, yet his short grey beard was well-trimmed and his skin looked clean, if pale. Most unusual was the hat he wore, the brim extending out from its base before sagging floppily, nearly hiding the thick glasses he wore, which gleamed in the artificial lighting.

Her patience expired, the receptionist nodded sharply to two of the men who stood nearby, and both black-suited guards started forward, one of them reaching surreptitiously into the breast of his jacket for the holster hidden therein. Before the pair could reach the strange old man, however, he turned and stared directly at the receptionist, as if finally coming to his senses. His cane tapping on the ground, he walked hurriedly over to the high counter, staring wide-eyed at the thin-faced woman. "Excuse me, can you direct me to the office of the man in charge here? I really need to speak to him." His voice was reedy, and his words rushed enough to nearly jumble together, but it was the words themselves that made the receptionist gape at the man.

"Ah, I am sorry sir, but unless you have an appointment I cannot-"

"No, no, that won't do! I really must see him, now. It is of the most dire importance, most dire indeed!" The man leaned towards the woman, his eyes growing even wider. "I have to ask him why. I have to know why!"

This was enough for the receptionist's taste, and confirmed her earlier suspicions about the man's dubious sanity. She nodded again to the two guards, who walked forward, reaching for the man's shoulder. "That's enough, buddy. Come with us and we'll talk about it," one offered in a gravelly voice, while the other slid the pistol from his jacket.

"I must see him!" the man yelled, ignoring the heavy hand on his shoulder. He shook his head, and for a moment dust clouded from his hat's brim. "I have to ask him why they brought him here. Don't you fools know what you've done?" The guard behind him yanked sharply on the old man's shoulder, but it was barely enough to make the surprisingly-sturdy man shift his weight. "Fairy Tale, you've gone too far!"

Irritated, the other guard decided to dispense with civility; disposing of corpses was a routine task for them, and no one was around to see. Before he could raise the pistol, however, a wracking cough forcing itself from his throat made him pause, and its successor made him double over. Behind the desk, the now-terrified receptionist clutched at her stomach and leaned away from the old man, and the guard holding his shoulder sneezed violently.

"Don't you know what will happen when he comes back?" The old man trembled in fear, the tip of the cane tapping erratically on the floor as his hand clutched its grip with frenetic strength. "You are no match for Death!"

Now, sounds of coughs and sneezing rang out through the lobby, and the receptionist was the first to add her own liquid exclamation to the chorus, heaving behind the desk. The old man paid the chaos no mind, staring blankly ahead of him, continuing his unhinged ranting. "Death comes for us! He will return, and this world will suffer, and it's all your fault!" Tears ran unchecked down his cheeks and he shook his head as dust wafted from his shaking shoulders. "He'll kill me… he'll kill us all…"

The cacophony in the lobby reached a fever-pitch, and then fell quiet, interrupted only by a few desperate gasps and the sounds of someone scratching mindlessly at the tile floor. Through it all the man stood staring at nothing, his voice choked almost into silence. Finally he glanced around the lobby at all the motionless forms, his eyes wide as if he didn't understand why he was suddenly alone. Shaking his head, he unsteadily turned and walked towards the doors leading out of the building, carefully stepping over one of the guards without glancing down. Even as the automated doors slid open, he still mumbled to himself, though there was no longer anyone to hear him.

"Death comes… Death comes…"

And then all was silent as he disappeared into the night.

In the darkness, the two men stared at each other, one's face twisted in a mask of rage, the other wearing a gloating sneer. It was the younger man who spoke first, his voice trembling as he shook with barely-restrained emotion. "Mori Retsu," Tsukune growled, his fists balled. "I should have known. Why are you here?"

"And is there something wrong with me just visiting?" The grey-skinned man laughed loudly, breathing heavily in triumph. "I must say, though, it looks like you are doing quite well enough without me."

"You… were you responsible for this?" Tsukune thrust an arm out behind him, motioning towards the darkness that surrounded them. Just moments before, that darkness had held the grief-stricken forms of his three closest friends, all of whom were devastated because of his choice, a choice he had not yet made. Tsukune knew he was in the midst of a nightmare, and considering his previous encounter with Mori Retsu knew that the villain was likely the cause.

"Ha, no." The man with the black wings shook his head, his sneer slipping into a slight smile. "I would have found a delicious little memory to play with, instead of something so… mundane." He shrugged indifferently, disregarding Tsukune's doubting glare. "Anyways, I'm afraid that I'm not quite up to conjuring anything like that at the moment; it was just happy circumstance that you would have a dream that would allow me to come to you like this."

Tsukune was silent for a long moment as he considered his enemy's words. "If you are as weak as you say, why did you come, then?" he demanded, still not relaxing his guard.

"To gloat." The honest reply did little to appease Tsukune. "Even if I won't get the honor of killing you myself, it does feel good to know that, no matter what happens, your end will come before mine."

"What do you mean?" Tsukune prompted, his curiosity sparked.

"Haven't your allies told you yet?" Mori Retsu chuckled incredulously. "How considerate of them." The black wings spread in concert with his arms as Mori shook his head sadly. "You will die, be forgotten, Tsukune. In defeating me, you sealed your fate. One far darker than I comes for you, and then for me. Your end will be my sole solace, but I intend to revel in it."

Biting back a reply, Tsukune remembered the reading materials that the Headmaster had been sending him. "You mean that a lich is after me?"

"Hardly!" Mori Retsu's snapped response was nearly a growl. "That wraith is not worthy of the title. But he is powerful, and he is coming for you. Soon."

"And you chose to warn me about it. Why?" Tsukune glared at the other man.

This made the grey-skinned man pause, and all mirth slipped from his face. "I feed on your pain, Tsukune Aono," he spoke in a fatal whisper. "Your aura, above all the others, is… refreshing. Even if I hadn't been directed after you by my 'allies,' I still would have chosen you. Perhaps it is that I am disappointed that I will miss the greatest feast of all." He motioned towards the shadows that Tsukune had previously indicated. "Tell me, how would you like it if someone else made your choice for you? Would that bring you peace, if you only had to weigh your love for two, instead of three? What if there was, had always been, only one?" Mori Retsu's heartless smile sent cold fingers racing along Tsukune's spine. "You shall see how that feels, before he comes for you."

"What do you mean?" Tsukune demanded, taking a threatening step towards the villain. "Speak clearly, or-"

"Or what?" Mori Retsu frowned irritably. "No, I can't be troubled with this now; I am out of time. The seal on my home, my prison, is nearly complete, and then I shall be paralyzed. It is time we part." Tsukune lunged desperately for the man, only to discover that Mori Retsu had vanished, appearing behind him. "But I will give you one last favor, enemy of mine. It would be a shame for you to waste your last days worrying about the end… so it is best you not remember this at all." Tsukune stared in shock as Mori began to dissipate into grains of sand, his limbs collapsing and his torso fraying. His head was the last thing to go, and his eyes gleamed darkly at Tsukune through it all. "Farewell, Tsukune Aono. We shall never meet again."

Tsukune took a step towards the vanishing monster, but suddenly a wave of exhaustion struck him, and he fell to his knees. He struggled to rise as he felt his body go numb, and tried desperately to engrave Mori Retsu's words into his memory. Despite his efforts, however, his mind dissolved into the growing greyness, and soon he thought nothing at all.

Kurumu's eyes cracked open, and she blinked against the sunlight that had managed to penetrate the blinds of her room and fall onto her bed. Confusion gripped her as she considered this; typically the light didn't reach the head of her bed. She was curled into a ball, and as she stretched her sleep-sore muscles her feet brushed the wall that her bed rested against. Her bewilderment growing, the succubus propped herself up on one hand and glanced around at her surroundings.

Instead of laying normally in her bed, she found that she had fallen asleep curled horizontally at its foot. She was surprised to see Moka asleep beside her, leaning against the headboard, and a quick search revealed Mizore sprawled on the floor nearby. After a blank moment, she realized that they all had fallen asleep while talking the previous night, when they had taken turns discussing their dates with Tsukune. Kurumu smiled poignantly as she remembered that; it had definitely hurt to hear about the other dates, especially at first, mostly because the things the other girls had done with Tsukune were things she hadn't gotten the chance to do with him, and might never get the chance. Still, it had bothered her less and less as the night had progressed, as they had all started laughing and teasing each other. She had been relieved to hear that Mizore hadn't kissed Tsukune, and she and Mizore had taken their revenge on Moka for doing just that by taking up pillows and assaulting her mercilessly. It had hurt, talking so openly, but it had started to feel… cleansing.

But that was over with. Kurumu's face fell as she remembered what this dawn meant. Tsukune had gone on all three dates, and though he was under no real compulsion to do so, this would be his first opportunity to make his choice. If he did, then he would have fulfilled his side of the agreement they had made after they had defeated Mori Retsu, and… that would be that. They had all agreed to go along with his decision, even though the thought of that was…

The date had changed everything, Kurumu wailed inside herself. Being with Tsukune like that, having him alone to herself for a while, having his eyes on her, almost kissing him… it had been addicting, like a drug that she now found she couldn't live without. And, after last night, she figured that the other two girls felt the same way. If Tsukune did make his choice, then two of them would have to give up and walk away, forever. She couldn't imagine that.

The deal they had made, it had been horribly flawed from the start. She had never believed it would be possible, but she loved him even more now. And, she dared to hope and believe, his feelings for her had to have grown as well. To have that severed… For a very long moment, Kurumu wished with all her might that he wouldn't choose, that things could continue just as they were, so that they all could be with him. Even if her life felt like… like their incomplete kiss, wavering on the border between ultimate happiness and ultimate despair.

"You sigh too much." Kurumu jerked at the quiet voice, turning to look over to Mizore as the snow maiden sat up from the floor. Mizore ran her fingers through her hair as she met Kurumu's eyes, and for once her lips showed no sign of her usual sharp humor.

"You know why," Kurumu responded, more harshly than she intended. She glanced over to where Moka slept soundly before turning back to Mizore.

"That's the problem with gambling like we did, hm?" Now Mizore smiled, but the expression still lacked any mirth. "Win it all or lose it all. Sometimes you just want to play."

Kurumu stared at the yuki-onna for a long moment, uncertain of how to reply to that, even though it mirrored her own thoughts. Finally she smiled coldly. "I guess we've already bet everything and thrown the dice. Maybe today we'll see how they roll."

"Maybe." The faintest hope tinged Mizore's reply as she shrugged. Shaking off her melancholy, she tilted her head as curiosity sparked in her blue eyes. "You never did tell us what you had planned for today…"

Before Kurumu got the chance to reply, Moka moaned quietly, twitching as she began to break out of her slumber. She rubbed at the corner of one of her eyes with a hand, blearily struggling to recognize her surroundings. "Morning," Kurumu greeted her, and Mizore repeated the sentiment. Leaving Moka a moment to come to her senses, Kurumu turned back to Mizore. "Well, we've gone through most of our personal funds, but we should have enough for one last big outing. So, I figured we could call taxis and all go out together somewhere, all four of us." She shrugged, smiling mischievously. "I don't know if everyone will agree, but… how does karaoke sound?" Mizore hesitated, mulling this over, before grinning and nodding. The two turned to Moka, whose eyes were finally clear, and with a bright smile of her own the vampire nodded.

"Sounds great!"

Tsukune groaned as he fought to wake up, the grey haze of sleep blurring into the glow of morning. His sleep-fogged mind rang out with a feeling that there was something that he needed to do, something he had to remember, but for the life of him he couldn't force it forth. Instead, his eyes shot open as he remembered his nightmare, the three girls he loved crying out for him, and him sinking to his knees uselessly. Had there been something else? Someone else? Someone with an arrogant smile…

No, there hadn't been. Probably. Tsukune groaned and clutched his head, writhing on the bed. He was rescued from his thoughts as a knock rang out from his door. Unsteadily climbing to his feet, he stumbled over to the door and opened it, blinking into the darkness of the hallway beyond.

"Good morning, Tsukune!" rang out a trio of voices, and he was greeted by the beaming faces of all three of his roommates, who were crowded together into the hall. They moved forward, and he unconsciously backpedaled in a retreat towards the bed, not quite certain what was going on.

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" Kurumu insisted, managing to look longingly at his tousled bed for only a second or two.

"What do you want for breakfast, Tsukune?" Moka asked, her green eyes wide.

"If you just want to go back to bed, I wouldn't mind keeping you company," Mizore offered, smiling coyly as she adjusted the stick of her lollipop.

Tsukune blinked as he brushed up against the edge of his bed. Shaking his head, he fought to comprehend his situation. Why were they being so-

Oh. The choice. The stab of pain he felt at that notion almost surprised him.

"I'll be down for breakfast in just a second," he said, smiling with a little effort as he raised his hands to fend off the trio. "I just need to lay out some clothes for- wait, that reminds me. Kurumu, you said you had something in mind for today?"

The three girls shared a grin at that. "Tell me, Tsukune, how are you at karaoke?" Mizore prompted.

"I'm sure you'll do great at it!" Moka declared optimistically.

"He's not bad," Kurumu interjected. When the others, Tsukune included, gave her a curious glance, she blushed. "It's hard to explain, alright? I told you that, when I charmed him by accident back at school, we weren't doing anything bad, right?" She waved her hands to try to fend off further questions. "Anyways, maybe after we do our homework today we can head down to town and go out for a few hours. What do you say?"

Tsukune thought this over for a second. Getting to spend time with all of his friends together, a relaxed evening that might just be able to distract him from the question that would wait him at the end… how could he pass that up? "Sounds good to me," he consented with a smile, and the girls cheered in chorus. "Let's go eat, and then get to our homework, so we can leave before it gets too late."

Together, the four friends left Tsukune's bedroom, chatting as they walked through the hall and down the stairs. Maybe it was just his imagination, but something seemed different; though there was a palpable tension in the air, the girls seemed more relaxed around each other, and their usual competition for his attention was simultaneously more intense and more good-natured. The jabs and tricks the girls played on each other didn't feel as harsh as usual, which was a relief for Tsukune.

He needed all the relief he could find. The notion of choosing hung over him as the day passed, catching him unawares in random moments, leaving him desperate for distraction. Being with his friends, seeing their smiles and hearing their laughter, helped him stay away from that hovering anxiety, but it was ever-present, and he knew they likely felt much the same.

For now, though, they could keep it at bay. Just like every other enemy they faced, as long as they worked together and trusted each other, they would be alright.

Despite their best efforts, the afternoon grew old while they struggled with their respective assignments; it seemed that a couple of teachers had gone on a homework rampage, and Tsukune cringed to think what might have brought that about. It had also not helped that they took a break to clean up the house, which, with all of the dates and other events, was beginning to grow cluttered from want of attention. Mrs. Cooper had not visited in days, and none of them wanted the Resting Place to be in shambles if she decided to drop by later. So, with all of that in front of them, the four teens worked together to chip away at the tasks they had set for themselves.

Finally the last shelf was dusted and the last dirtied glass replaced in the cabinets, with all of the textbooks tucked aside, and so the girls returned to their rooms to get ready while Tsukune, blessed with a far simpler process of preparation, took a moment in his own room to glance at the new text the Headmaster had assigned him. He abandoned it only moments after starting; the book's introduction was dense, full of abstract descriptions and references to famed magicians that he, growing up in the far more mundane human world, had never heard of. Such reading could wait for the moment, Tsukune conceded; for now, he had other things to consider. With a pained smile, he leaned back on his bed and stared up at the ceiling, quickly lost in his own thoughts as the faces of his three closest friends danced through his mind.

He was not the only resident of the Resting Place being dominated by heavy thoughts; much the opposite. Each of the girls were consumed by their anxiety and memories, struggling to take especial care of their preparations for this occasion as their mind constantly wandered onto well-trod, if troubling, paths. One of the girls in particular had a hard time focusing on her efforts to get ready for their excursion, since, while the other girls also had to answer to the voices in their heads, her discussion was a tad more vocal.

"We never should have gone along with this plan. I can't believe you agreed to this," grumbled the voice from the rosario.

"It was the only way," Moka responded quietly as she ran a brush through her hair. She stared into the mirror, carefully critiquing her appearance as she outlined her remaining preparations. "At least this way we can all see some resolution."

"But is that resolution preferable to keeping that boy around? Because, if he chooses one of them, everything will change." Even her inner persona's voice seemed tighter than usual. "Tsukune is important… to you," she added, somewhat hastily. "Are you willing to take a chance with that?"

Moka sighed, letting the brush sink to her lap as she looked down. "I don't want to lose Tsukune," she admitted, shaking her head. "I want to stay with him, no matter what. You're right, he's incredibly important to me. But…" She glanced back at the mirror, staring into her own eyes. "This was the only way that we could move forward without ending our friendships, I know that now."

"And do you think that your friendships are any safer for it?" The red gem set in the center of the rosario seemed to glare balefully at Moka's reflection. "What do you think will happen after he chooses? This isn't going to make it any easier for the two he doesn't pick. These dates, they've only made you all love him more. Will you be able to stay by his side if he chooses one of the other girls? If there is no chance that he will ever love you?"

"…Stop." Moka's shoulders trembled as matching trails of moisture wandered down her cheeks. "Just stop."

"You have always had the advantage. Give him a push, and I am sure that-"

"Stop!" The shout made the rosario fall silent, and for a long moment neither side of Moka spoke. Finally the inner half, her voice uncharacteristically soft, conceded.

"Sorry," she offered, lapsing back into silence as the vampire's shoulders shook from her quiet sobs. After a moment, she tried once more. "Stop crying," she commanded, but still her voice was tender. "Otherwise your eyes will be puffy, and we want to look our best tonight." Her outer half nodded to this, wiping at her eyes. "That boy is too much trouble," Inner Moka grumbled, and this drew a chuckle from her other half, who nodded before opening her eyes and beginning to clean up the results of her overtaxed emotions.

"I trust in Tsukune," Outer Moka finally said, confidence returning to her eyes. "Whatever happens, I'll do anything it takes to make him happy."

For several minutes after this, her other half was silent, wisely choosing not to voice any further doubts. Eventually, however, a notion struck her. "Hey," she prompted as her outer self reached for the bag she would carry with her to the karaoke club, "why don't you bring the Belmont along?"

The green-eyed Moka considered this, looking down at the necklace. She nodded, turning to pick up the leather whip with the faintest of smiles upon her lips. Inner Moka had a part in this too, she knew, whether she would admit it or not. With that item stowed safely in her bag, she turned to leave her room, steeling herself for the battle that would soon arrive. No matter what, she swore, she would enjoy all the time she had to the fullest, and would face the final verdict when it came.

With that assurance, Moka stepped out of her room with a smile.

"Wahoo! We're here!" Kurumu thrust a victorious fist out of the window of the cab as it pulled up beside the entrance to their destination. Beside her, Mizore shook her head in exasperation, while Moka fumbled with her purse to pull out the money to pay the driver of the taxi they had hired. Behind them, the second cab also drew to a stop, and Tsukune stepped out of it, walking up to open the door Kurumu had leaned out of.

They had chosen to take two cabs for the same reason that they could not rely on Mr. Cooper to take them to town; four people and a driver in a single vehicle would be far too crowded, they knew. Tsukune had preempted an argument by declaring that he would ride alone; not only would that deprive his potential co-passenger of the advantage of extra time with him, but it would also give him time to think. The girls had grudgingly agreed, but Tsukune internally lamented that, while he had put his time alone to good use, he still had not come to any conclusions. The night wasn't over; perhaps he would have an epiphany, although he somehow doubted that possibility.

The three girls poured out of the car and, after Mizore pried Kurumu off of Tsukune following her unnecessary, if not unexpected, reunion hug, made their way into the squat building. Behind them, the two cabs pulled away, both drivers simultaneously envying the boy for his good luck in taking three girls, and incredibly attractive ones to boot, out for the evening. The two cabs had barely had time to turn the next corner when another car arrived, this one parking in a nearby lot. The two men inside stared at the building the four teens had entered, their reactions quite different.

"Karaoke," one of them said dryly, shaking his head. "It will be loud in there, and crowded. Best that we stay outside and monitor from here." He stroked his goatee as he spoke, as if thinking up reasons as fast as he could.

"Oh no," the other man purred, beaming at the neon sign at the entrance. "The enemy might already be inside. Hey, for all you know, Fairy Tale could own the place. Stranger things have happened." He shook his head mock-mournfully before turning a grin to his partner. "Naw, we have to go in. A sacrifice, I know, but-"

"Why don't you go in, and I watch from out here?" Michael leaned back in the driver's seat, watching his partner warily. "That would cover both angles."

Gabriel thought this over for a moment. While it would leave a certain stick-in-the-mud out of his hair, it also meant he would have to go into the club alone. Plus, if he could find a group of ladies willing to allow him to join their party, he would have better luck with a friend at his side; if he couldn't, well, karaoke was no fun without an audience. Even an unwilling one.

"Nope. We should stick close, just in case." Gabriel popped his door open, not allowing his partner a chance to reply. "Hey, I'll even cover the cost, so no worries, right?"

"You're just going to use the Academy's card, aren't you?" Michael sighed, but conceded defeat, opening the door and stepping out into the red glow of late afternoon. He trailed despondently after the blond-haired guardian, shaking his head as he went. For what was hardly the first time, he lamented the fate that had left him partnered with the most unpredictable and uncontrollable of the Hell-King's guardians, but, he once again reminded himself, there had been far worse choices. Far, far worse choices. That bitter memory souring his mood even further, he stepped into the karaoke club, the lobby's loud music blasting out as he opened the door. Relative quiet fell again as the door closed behind him, sealing his fate.

A short distance away, another watcher shook his head in amusement. His chest tightened as he took a long drag on his cigarette, quickly turning the last of its dwindling length to grey, before flicking the bud into the shadows of the alley beside the karaoke club as he exhaled a cloud of smoke. He smiled as he pushed his sunglasses higher onto his face and shrugged his shoulders to pull his leather jacket tighter about him, and he pushed off of the wall he had been leaning against. So, Michael and Gabriel were relaxed enough to kick back and enjoy a little karaoke? He chuckled as he thought about the Hell-King's Fist singing into a microphone, and amended his previous thought: so, Gabriel was relaxed enough, and Michael was complacent enough to let his scatter-brained partner do as he liked?

How disappointing. Perhaps they needed to be reminded of what they were up against. His smile growing, the man walked towards the club's entrance, sinking his hands into the pockets of his jacket. After all, their time was almost up; it would be a shame if something happened to Tsukune Aono before Thanatos could arrive.

With that thought warming his bladed smile, Sam opened the door to the club and stepped inside.

Author's Note: As you may recall, this chapter was supposed to be out in a week after its predecessor, not two days. My response to that? …I lied, so sue me. Or, to amend that, I misjudged my work ethic, specifically as to whether or not I have one. To be more frank, I have found that productivity closest follows inspiration; I recently penned a 37-page short story over the course of two nights on a whim, for example. If I tried such a feat routinely, I'd go crazy, but with my writing mojo burning it was nothing. So it was with Out of Nightmares, which was eight days old when I typed the concluding words. While I am certain North-sama, my artist, might kick my ass if she finds out that I'm barely 10% complete with my next section for Toren, I couldn't help myself since I have been looking forward to writing the initial scene of this chapter ever since I first created its concept. So, allow my to shift the week-long delay that was intended for this chapter to its successor. Consider this, if you will, my recompensation for the two-week dry spell that preceded'Washed Up.'

I admit, I feel guilty about the delay on the next chapter also, since this chapter didn't include everything I had intended it to. Had I pushed for that, however, the karaoke scenes would have been what suffered, and quite frankly I didn't want that. So, instead expect a full-length chapter to cover everything I had intended to shove into this one that didn't make it; I think that's the better route, even if I am starting to dread the notion of typing the words 'Chapter 50' before this thing ends. Perhaps the second phase will go faster than I think.

Knowing myself and my fondness for following unexpected developments… I doubt it.

While I am being frank (a skill of mine, so much so that 'Frank' became a nickname I carried among some of my closest friends for a while after my fair-weather comrade Jack Daniels loosened my tongue a tad too much one evening), I will admit that I originally intended to push this chapter back another night, even after it was completed, in order to allow any final reviews to trickle in for its predecessor, especially since one of my most regular commenters probably has not yet had time to chime in, if they so choose to do so. Despite this, I couldn't resist; writing frenzies make me impulsive, or maybe that comes from still being hyped up on the night's Pepsi Float. Either way, I got impatient, and so here it is. If anyone feels that this comes too fast on the heels of the prior chapter, please let me know, though I hardly intend to make a habit of this.

After all, eventually I'm going to have to sleep. Sometime. Someday.

~Wynn Pendragon