Fay and Miyu sat across from each other on their respective beds; Miyu was deep in thought, and Fay was playing with her earrings, trying to avoid Miyu's gaze. "Fay, don't you think that this is a little weird?"

Fay looked up at Miyu. "What? Why?"

"Well, we've been with Panther for a couple of weeks, now, and...well, he's been nice and all, but I can't shake the feeling that something is off. Don't you feel it?"

Fay laughed and shook her head. "Miyu, what in the name of all Lylat are you talking about? Panther hasn't done anything to harm us...he's taken good care of us. He really cares for us, Miyu, but you're shutting him out. Let him do for you what he's done for me," Fay smiled.

Miyu tilted her head. "What?" Fay wasn't making any sense, and it was scaring her.

"Panther's taken such good care of me," she smiled. "He could take care of you, too, if you'd let him." As if on cue, Panther appeared from the hallway and walked up to stand beside Fay, slipping his hand into hers. He smiled lovingly down at her, and Miyu recoiled in shock, her hands flying to her mouth. "No...no...no!" she shouted, running out of the room and out of the house, not sure where she was going; she just had to get away.

Miyu awoke with a gasp, shaking in fear. 'This is wrong!' Miyu thought. 'Something is very wrong here! We have to get out of here tonight.' She turned to Fay, but she wasn't there. Miyu's eyes went wide, and she gasped. "Fay!" she hissed tersely."Fay, where are you, dammit?"

A low growl, almost inaudible, assailed Miyu's ears, and she sat bolt upright. "I'm gonna kill him," she murmured. She rose out of bed, creating and extinguishing a fireball in her hand.

She walked down the hall to Panther's bedroom, and could hear Fay's whimpers from behind the closed door. "No...please, stop, Panther..." Fay pleaded.

"Shh..." Panther purred. "I'm just takin' care of you, girl..."

Miyu hissed vehemently, her ears going flat against her skull. She blasted the door open with a powerful fire blast, then charged into the room, knocking Panther off of Fay. Most of Fay's clothing lay in a pile on the floor, signifying just how far Panther had gotten. Fay lay trembling in the bed, unable to curl up in a ball, so frightened was she. Her cheeks were damp from silent tears, and there were a few cuts on her arms from where Panther had been rough with her. Miyu growled venomously. "You're gonna die, Panther!" she snarled, clenching her fists. Her hands burst into flames, then she leapt upon Panther, attacking him brutally.

Panther kicked Miyu off of him and threw her into a wall. "Now you've pissed me off, and that's a really bad idea."

"Ooh...I'm scared, Panther," Miyu snarled. "Bring it."

Panther raised his hands in a fighting stance, then leapt for Miyu with surprising speed. Miyu was unable to keep up with Panther's assault, and was knocked to the floor. She rolled onto her side, panting.

"You're no match for me, girl," Panther sneered. "Can't you see that?" He flicked his fingers, and long claws protruded from his fingertips. "I'm tired of your annoying presence," he snarled. He yanked her up and wrapped one hand around her throat, slashing her brutally with his claws. He pulled his arm back, lining up his hand with her heart. "I'm gonna enjoy watching you die," he smirked. His hand shot forward, but before he touched Miyu, he was knocked off-balance by a series of ice shards. Panther whirled around, and saw Fay had regained her feet, and was holding a series of ice crystals in her hands.

"Leave her alone!" Fay yelled, encasing Panther's hands in ice. Panther growled, and began to stalk towards Fay, bashing his hands against the wall to free them from their frozen prison. However, he had forgotten completely about Miyu, who had recovered somewhat from Panther's brutal assault. She bathed her hands in flames, and she wrapped her hands around Panther's face. He screamed, clawing at her hands, but only succeeded in spreading her fire to his hands. Miyu released her grip on Panther, who fell, shuddering, to the floor.

"Let's get out of here, Fay," Miyu whispered. Miyu extinguished her hands, then slipped her hand into Fay's, and the pair dashed out of the house.

--

"Fay..." Miyu murmured. "Fay, wake up..."

From her position on Miyu's chest, Fay blinked slowly, and her eyes fluttered open. "Hmm? What?"

Miyu gently caressed Fay's cheek. "It's morning, girl," she said softly, smiling.

Fay looked around, seeing the sun's rays filter through the trees under which they were sleeping. "Hmm...I guess it is," she murmured back. She leaned up and gently kissed Miyu. Ever since they had escaped Panther, the bond between the two girls had strengthened and deepened to a point to be nigh unbreakable. Miyu tenderly stroked Fay's hair, smiling. "This isn't so bad, you know," she murmured. "I could get used to sleeping under trees."

"Fay--" Miyu said. "We can't run forever..."

Fay sighed. "We don't have to do anything, Miyu...things are good as they are. Let's not make any ripples..."

Miyu sat up, pushing Fay off of her. "You were the one who was--"

Fay cut her off curtly. "I know, dammit! But all I want to do is forget, Miyu! Not dredge the whole thing back up again."

"Please, Fay..." Miyu pleaded. "If not for you, do it for me."

Fay crossed her arms, pouting.

Miyu ducked her head the looked up at Fay, a coy look on her face. "Please?" she asked, her eyes wide in a puppy-dog look.

Fay giggled, then burst out laughing. "No fair!" she said, shoving Miyu back.

Miyu laughed. "I just want you to see reason, Fay," she said. "We have to do this, Fay. It's the only way we'll get any justice."

Fay sighed. "All right, Miyu. We'll go to court."