Disclaimer: don't own DK. don't drag me to court.

Sorry for making Tethesus a little OOC

The Mysteries of Earl Grey

Click-clack, Tethesus's black boots echoed on the marble floor. Tethesus was making his nightly rounds to secure the castle. He had just finished the outside security (He woke up a few guards, turned off the fountains, etc.) and he was begging for a much-needed break. Of course, no one could know this, what with Tethesus's blank expression.

A noise stopped Tethesus's grumblings. His eyes moved and focused on the end of the hallway, where the sound was gradually getting louder. Not budging, he concentrated until...was that Ruwalk? The black dragon officer was thoroughly confused. Here was the yellow dragon officer, at 1:00 am in the morning? Ruwalk looked horrible. His head was bleeding, plaster bits and dust caked his hair, he was moving at the pace of a turtle, and he was lugging a pretty gift basket behind him. Tethesus blinked twice (his first reaction in 346,359,283,482 years!) and kept on staring until Ruwalk stopped right in front of him.

Both officers looked at each other, both in very different ways. Tethesus had adopted his stern, unemotional face, while Ruwalk was staring at him in a crazed sort-of expression. The minutes passed, when finally Tethesus (GASP) broke the silence.

"Ruwalk, What are you doing?" Tethesus wondered if Ruwalk was posessed. Ruwalk opened his mouth (with great difficulty) and when he couldn't seem to work his dry tongue, he pointed at the gift basket behind him. Tethesus glanced at the gift basket. It was pretty, adorned brilliantly with ribbons and crepe paper. He took one step closer to examine the basket, there seemed to some sort of items in the basket. He took another step closer when-

"Demon." Ruwalk rasped. Tethesus shifted his glance, in what he hoped to be a casual way, to Ruwalk. Ruwalk just stared. Quickly, Tethesus broadened his vision and examined the hallway. No grotesque demon was dwelling there. A sudden motion from Ruwalk attracted Tethesus. Ruwalk was pointing at something. He followed Ruwalk's finger to the gift basket.

:OoOoO:

Tethesus shut the door to his study and plopped the pretty yet ridiculously heavy gift basket on top of his desk. He took a seat at his hard wooden chair and buried his head into his hands. This was Tethesus's mediatating hour. This was where Tethesus meditated and thought back to his rounds and compared them to past surveillance checks. However, something was tugging on his mind.

Tethesus snapped out of his meditating mood. It's Ruwalk, he thought. The question that is plaguing my mind is Ruwalk and his...sanity. That was true, Tethesus confirmed. Why in the world would Ruwalk point at a non-living object and state that it was a demon? Something had snapped in the poor yellow dragon officer's brain. Or better yet, Alfeegi brained him with something. Judging by the condition of Ruwalk's hair, it must have been a nice-sized piece of plaster.

Shaking his head, he got up to inspect the basket. Even when the situation was thought out, a dragon officer must check both sides of the problem. Tethesus mentally clapped himself on the back, memorizing the Dragon Officer Manual proved to be handy at some times. He slowly ran his hands around the basket, double-checking for any security alarms or suspicious pieces of clothing. When he came up with nothing, Tethesus finally reached in the basket and pulled something out.

Earl Grey; the strange packet said. Earl Grey? Tethesus pondered, now where had he heard that before? Oh yes, now he remembered. It was one of the many items the demons were smuggling from Arinas (1). Tethesus wanted to report this at once to the Dragon lord, but he knew in his mind that Lykouleon wouldn't want to be disturbed. It was up to him to test the item out, for the sake of the well-being of the Dragon clan and for the sake of him getting some sleep.

Tethesus followed the directions that were printed on the backside of the object. After a few confusing sentences later, he ended up with a cup full of nice smelling tea. Poison! He jumped at the conclusion. Then he shrugged in a very non-Tethesus way. Even if it was poison, he needed something to drink.

So, Tethesus brought the cup to his lips and drank.

"Yay! You're doing something that is very non-Tethesus...y!" A chipper voice rang out.

In a flash (heightened with his instincts), Tethesus slammed the cup down and had his sword out. It was him, yet it was not him. The copy looked exactly like him, like a genetic experiment. Only that something strange made them look different.

The copy was smiling.

Yes. The copy was smiling. It wasn't a nice-to-see-you- grin. It was an -isn't-life-such-a-happy-thing? sort-of grin. The smile was suggesting for walks in the sunshine, eating ice cream, chatting with friends, and just generally being happy for everyone.

Tethesus shuddered, just being ten meters from that thing would give him the shivers. Too bad that only 5 feet seperated them now!

"Stop smiling." was Tethesus's first greeting. The copy blinked then grinned again. My gosh, the thing was blinding him, Tethesus thought grumpily.

"My name is Conscience! And I'm your Conscience!" Conscience chirped. Tethesus opened his mouth, but Conscience cut him off. "I already know who you are! You're Tethesus!" Conscience chirped once again.

Does this guy end all his sentences in exclamation points or what? Tethesus wondered. "What.Are.You.Doing.Here." It was more of a statement than a question. Conscience beamed, (Tethesus at once held up a hand and covered his eyes) "Why to lecture you of course! You silly!" Conscience laughed. It sent chills skating up his spine. "On what?" Tethesus asked flatly.

Conscience drunk his tea and then smiled. ARGH! This thing was killing him! Tethesus writhed. "I'm lecturing you because you're so sad all the time!" The smiling...dude spread out his hands in a welcoming gesture, "Hopefully, you'll listen to me and be happy!" That was 10 exclamation points so far, Tethesus thought.

"Anyway! Tethesus-san, why are you always so serious and cold!" Amazing, Tethesus stared at the smiling...dude. He managed to tack on an exclamation point to his question. "It's because, I...was born that way."

Consciene giggled. "No you wasn't! (BAD GRAMMAR) I remember when you were laughing with Shydeman and Shyrendora long time ago!" After that sentence, Conscience erupted into laughter.

Tethesus immediatly covered his ears. It hurt. He had never heard such loud, annoying, cheerful, laughter before in his whole entire lifetime! "What's wrong, Tethy-chan!"

His whole being froze. Tethesus felt his brain shutting down. Tethy-chan. Tethy-chan. TETHY-CHAN? No one had ever called him that since...Tethesus gasped. He remembered Conscience, it was the being he tried so hard to seal, to forget, to ward off, until he forgot that he even had a Conscience. And now...

He got up slowly, facing the crazed smiling freak. "Are you out for revenge?" Tethesus calmly asked. Conscience cocked his head and smiled. "Revenge! Who saw anything about revenge! I'm here to make you happy!" With that, Conscience knocked Tethesus to the ground with a bear hug.

Screaming, Tethesus beat away the man with the hilt of his sword. No way was he going to be succumbed by this...this...smiling idiot once more! In his rage, Tethesus slipped on the puddle of Earl Grey that was on the floor, banged his head, and blacked out.

:OoOoO:

Groaning silently, Tethesus forced open his eyes. What...had...happened? Suddenly everything came back to him. Reeling, he remembered his Conscience. Taking a quick peek around, he decided that the crazed weirdo wasn't there. He allowed himself a breather. Now what had happened to his cup of Earl Grey?

"Tethy-Chan! Since you dropped your cup before! I made you a new one!" Conscience appeared, all smiles.

Tethesus promptly fainted.

:OoOoO:

Liked it? I'm so glad I finally finished updating. Hope I didn't make Tethesus too OOC.