"Don't be afraid...

...Don't run away."

-Jamie Rowe, "We're Taking Over."

The sun set gingerly behind the over towering Bank of The State building, causing the structure's billboard to blend in with the blackness of its walls.

Three dark green hands moved along the pale, bright face of the bank's clock, announcing silently that the time was 8:30 pm.

Four pigeons sat at the base of the clock, pecking randomly at the ground at fragments of imaginary bread. One of the birds paused a moment and stared upward, the other three soon followed. And just as quickly as they silenced themselves, they fluttered violently away from the figure coming towards them.

Kyleen Freenome strolled slowly towards the Club Corner, guitar case clutched in one hand and her key chain in the other. She slid her index finger into the loop of her key chain and twirled it around in circles causing a light sound of clanking metal when the set of ten keys hit her palm.

A light caught the corner her eye, as well as a quick shadow wavering.

"Hey!" Came a muffled shout. "HEY, Kyleen!!"

Kyleen turned her head upwards and looked into the "2-Four" convenient store window.

And tried not to smirk.

Flailing his long arm in the air was Eli, his now shoulder blade length hair (still frosted, yet with newly added orange-ish streaks) surrounded his face, casting a light shadow on his copper skin.

"Come in here!" He wavered his hand again, beckoning toward her. "C'mon, sweetheart!"

Kyleen shook her head for a moment, looking downward. She mumbled to herself a few times, but not even her own quiet whisper could keep her lips from spreading in a grin.

"Hey Eli," She said, pushing the door open.

A light chime announced her entry.

Eli wrapped his arms around her and gave her a light squeeze.

"How are you, hun?" He said, smiling.

"Oh, I've been pretty good," She said, returning the smile. "How 'bout you, Eli?"

"Ah, you know, still directing here, choreographing there. I'm not going to give that up anytime soon, dearie," He giggled, flicking his wrist toward himself so that his fingertips touched his chest. "I mean come on, where would D'indulge be without me?"

"I don't know, they'd have Jonah. Right?"

"Well yes, but it takes an artistic mind to handle the actors and actresses of the theater."

She chuckled. "Jonah's artistic enough I believe."

"Well true," Eli chortled. "I mean, it does leak out of him. Look at his hair."

"I think my hair is just fine, thank you very much."

Both looked toward the Isle with snacks to see Jonah, a box of candy in one hand, and a 42 ounce Snow-ee in the other. He made the goofy gesture of sipping at the blue beverage, and then gave a toothy smirk.

Kyleen noticed that he kept his hair the same length, and it was still that lovely shade of purple, with the slight streak-age of blue.

Other than that, not much changed about Jonah, save for the new dark green shirt with a depiction of Darth Vader holding up a blue light saber. A speech bubble above Vader said: "I believe this is yours, Obe-wan."

Kyleen set her guitar down and raised her hand to point at the candy. "Are those Runts?"

Jonah raised one of his eyebrows, and grinned. "But of course."

"I swear, Jonah," Eli said, walking over to poke the orange box. "Those are, SO bad for you."

"It's better than smoking," Kyleen piped in, still chuckling.

Jonah's grin faded for a moment. "Yeah, way better."

Kyleen blinked, and looked at the floor. Her smile too, had faded.

"So," Eli said. "How are things on the home front, Kyleen?"

"Oh, they're fine. Still working at the Club Corner," She reached toward her guitar case. "Red asked us to go in for an early rehearsal, you know how tha-"

"Oh don't I EVER, sweetheart," Eli whimsically flicked his wrist again. "Don't I ever."

"You seem rather happy," Kyleen blurted, still feeling a slight hint of uncomfortableness. She had her hand around the handle of the case, and she was gripping it tightly. "What's been up?"

"Oh, you wouldn't believe," Eli flamboyantly began.

Jonah just rolled his eyes, and shook his head, smiling a little as Eli spoke.

"You see, we got this new play, totally new," Eli stated. "It's about this young man who gets this nifty little coat of many colors. Blues, purples...all that fun stuff..."

Eli continued on about the "new" play/musical, and during the shpeel, Jonah and Kyleen would eye each other with a "Um...hello?" look. Both tried their best not to snicker at all.

Then, Kyleen said her goodbye. It was simple really.

Despite the fact that this was the first time in over three months that she had seen them, she really did not feel the need to make discussion.

After all, she knew Jonah would be on her case.

She left, guitar case in hand, and headed to the club.

-----

Jonah watched her exit, and set the Runts down on a shelf clearly made for travel sewing kits and batteries.

He held his hand on the box, and stared at it.

She'd changed so much. It wasn't surprising.

After all, her only real family did die.

He remembered how she used to be. Willing to talk, her green eyes full of life. Her voice so chipper and high pitched whenever she talked of things she liked, or what she was exited about, or Red.

"He came to me and asked if I wanted to be in their band...can you believe it???" She had said, almost jumping out of her PF flyers. Her short, cheekbone hair bobbing up and down with every jump. "All I had to do was NOT play stairway to heaven!"

Jonah laughed when she had mentioned that. And he would then give her a hug.

"Some birthday isn't it?" Jonah said while hugging her.

"Gods, you have no clue!" She would reply, still shaking.

Jonah backed away, and held up a small white envelope.

Kyleen looked clueless as she took the card, flipping it over to read the front.

"'To Kyleen, Happy 17th'. Really origional, Jonah." She snickered and turned the envalope around again to open it.

The little card was blank. No picture, nothing festive. Just a plain black card with two red words. "Well Deserved." And on the inside there was a small peice of paper, with six numbers on it.

"What's this?" She said, eyeing the numbers.

"You should know, Kyle," Jonah said, smiling and waiting for her brain to kick in.

She flipped the peice of paper around a few times in between her thumb and index finger.

And then it hit her.

"Oh..." She muttered, near dropping the paper. "Jonah, you didn't."

"Oh, but I did," Jonah would reply.

"But I did," He muttered aloud.

"Did what?"

Eli's voice brought back reality.

It was now years later, and Jonah was in a mini-mart with his hand on a box of Runts.

"Nothing," Jonah said, and he took his hand off the box. "Just don't feel like having candy anymore."

"Well good for you," Eli snickered and made his way to the front. "Perhaps now you'll go on a good diet?"

The door opened as Jonah scoffed at Eli's remark, following him to the front of the store to get his blue drink.

They were a little too late. A tall, skinny man in a dark forest green, knee-length jacket

was hunched over with his hands placed on the counter. His whole being was soaked in water, and the coat was dripping furiously.

"I...would like...to know..." He Began. He sounded very cold for his voice wavered violently. "Where...I could find the nearest...theater."

The woman at the counter looked up from her magazine, and stared with a blank expression. Her jaw moving in a steady rhythm while the gum in her mouth continued losing flavor.

"Did'ya want a map of the town, hon?" She said in a Canadian drawl. "I can give you one on me if you'd like. 'Cause honestly, no one wants them anyway."

He held up one of his hands, and the lady laid the map in it.

"Thank you," He managed to say, as he turned around to walk off. "Sorry about your counter."

The woman chuckled and reached below to grab a rag. "No, it's okay. Happens all the time."

The door opened and closed again, and Jonah could see the man in the corner of his eye.

He was hunched over still, clutching his arms to himself.

Though silhouetted by the bright light from the outside street corner, Jonah couldn't help but notice the mans facial frame. It was narrow, solemn, and through the shadows Jonah could see a gleaming green eye staring ahead.

"Jonah? It's our turn," Eli wavered a hand in front of Jonah's unblinking eyes. "He-lloooooo?"

"Yeah, yeah I know," Jonah Replied, setting his cold, blue drink down.

Something kept nudging Jonah.

Tapping his head, his brain. Telling him to go outside.

It annoyed him like an itch that was impossible to reach and despite his efforts to scratch at it mentally, it nagged at him, pulled at his internal alarm, nearly begging him to just take a step outside.

"I'll be right back," He said hurriedly, pushing through the door before Eli could say anything in protest.

Jonah darted toward his left and caught glimpse of the man that had just taken leave.

He was quite a ways away, walking hastily.

"Hey," Jonah said quietly. He cleared his throat. "HEY!"

The figure turned around, shouting back in a very rough voice. "WHAT!?"

Jonah then realized he really had no clue why he was out there in the first place.

The low breeze blew against them both in the silence.

Jonah shivered a little as his spine reacted to the coldness hitting his skin.

"I...uh..." He started. "Look! Do you need any help!?"

The figure ahead of him slouched even more, as if exasperated.

"You're not serious, are you!?"

Jonah flinched at that. "Pardon!?"

The man stood up straight a little. Even from so far away, Jonah could see his coat dripping like mad.

"No! I'm fine, thank you!"

"You sure?!" Jonah noticed his own voice getting lower and lower with every turn. "I mean...you look like you cou..."

"Of course I'm sure! Numb-nut!!" The voice was forced. A fake joking tone was noted, followed by a dry chuckle.

Jonah blinked at the last response.

The tall man turned around, and started walking again.

The hollow footsteps of motorcycle boots followed by the heavy thick sound of damp fabric rubbing against fabric rang through the very empty street.

Jonah saw him turn the corner, and he heard nothing more.

He stood alone, near the door of the store. Forcing himself to stand up straight, he turned and opened the store's door.

Ring-a-ling went the bell.

Ring-a-lang it went again when he closed it slowly.

"You okay there, Jonah?" Eli asked him, toting the blue drink along. "You look funky."

"I feel rather funky," His eyes were open wide and his brows were furrowed into a worried look.

"Let's get home then," Eli said quietly. "I think a good rest should do you good, Jonah."

"Rest?" Jonah looked up.

"Yeah, you look pale."

"Oh?"

Eli pushed open the door...Ring-a-ling...and ushered Jonah back outside. "Well, yeah, you really don't look well at all."

"Something doesn't seem right, Eli." Jonah said quietly as he grabbed his drink. "You know?"

Eli really didn't know, to be fair.

He actually was rather clueless as to why Jonah was acting the way he was. Right now, Eli could have dismissed the weird notions all together, and he thought he should.

"Let's go home," Eli said in a low voice.

"Yeah, good idea."

They both walked out into the night air and looked up at the sky in unison to feel water droplets fall onto their face. Clearly the rainy season was now at its peak. More clouds were ready to burst and they were just as full as the ones from the previous night.

Turning left, Jonah and Eli walked along the same path that the tall man took.

Jonah couldn't help but look at the floor, secretly hoping that he'd see footprints, or a dark forest green coat, or something to let him know he wasn't seeing things.

And even though Eli tried to assure him that he was indeed seeing what he saw, it did not calm the doubtful tapping in his soul.