A/N: I'M A LITTLE TEAPOT!!!

Kioko: Um…okay…good for you.

XP

"Hey there, Beautiful, how you doing?" Asked a familiar tone of voice that did not belong to the face of its owner.

"Kage, what, the, hell do you think you're doing!?" I demanded sharply, spinning around angrily at him. "You can't go masquerading as the prince! Even with his human body!" I yelled.

"Nice to see you again too." He said, putting a bit of a pout into his frown. "I'm just feeling a little left out is all! I just want some attention too." He said, taking me by the waist and pressing my body up against his, his lips coming down to nibble lustfully upon my neck.

"How long have you been in control?" I demanded, pushing him off and glaring at him.

"Re-lax. I can act the part of my lighter half well enough to fool your father and those other b(beep)s. I was tempted to tell him what a naughty girl you are, just to see his reaction, but I resisted. You should be proud of me!" He said, quite cheerfully, grinning almost malevolently.

"I cannot believe the prince let you out! Did he!? Does he even know you've taken over!?" I demanded.

"Judging by the fact that he's not half as aware of what I do as I am of what he does, no, he doesn't know. I just decided to take control by force, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him. So why don't you and I go find somewhere…private?" He asked, breathing into my neck.

I sighed and rolled my eyes, "Is that all you think about!?" I demanded, "Can't you come up with something more productive to do with your time in the prince's body?" I asked.

"Well, if Sacrosanct would give you back your fertility, it wouldn't be so unproductive." He argued back, earning himself a slap in the face. "Owe! Hey now, what was that for!?" He demanded, rubbing the bright red bruise mark.

"Ah HA!!!" I cried, and his eyes widened, "So you do feel pain when I hit you!!! You filthy liar!" I said, grabbing his hair and pulling.

"Ah! Stop that, that feels weird, gah! Quit!!!" He exclaimed, struggling against me, but I had a very firm grip, and the harder he pulled on my hand, the harder he pulled on his own hair.

"This is probably a good part of the reason why I like men with long hair." I snickered, "Now, you are going to tell me exactly what you did and said to the others, and my father!" I ordered.

"Grrr, I told you, I was perfectly prince-like, okay? I can act I'll have you know, and I was very good at it, no one noticed a thing! Not that anyone but Keilic knows the prince well enough to tell, and not even he so much as gave me a funny look. Trust me." He insisted.

"Fine, but if I find out you did do something…"

He snickered, "You'll do what? Pull my hair out? You know if you do that the Prince will be the one to re-grow them." He taunted.

"No, actually, I was planning on giving you over to Sacrosanct to deal with. Maybe the two of you could have a nice little chat." I snarled.

The humor left Kage's eyes and his lips thinned. I could tell he was trying to hide it, but the fact that his face had paled slightly told me that I had caught him with that one. I let his hair go and smirked as he rubbed his head, "Fine…" He muttered, "But you know, Kaida, you're not as much in control of her as you might think you are." He said smoothly.

"She's the only one I can't control." I threw back in his face, "I never could. But she does what I ask more often than not, and she likes you." I said, snickering at his deepening frown.

"She does what you ask when it's convenient for her." He muttered.

"Exactly what are you trying to say, Kage?" I asked with a frown.

"Perhaps it's simply that she's such a mystery, to the both of us." He answered.

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it, before she brought you to this world, did you even know she could?" He asked.

"Well, no, I didn't, but—"

"And what about turning you into that beautiful sand creature, did you think she'd be able to do that either?"

"Well, no but—"

"Think about it, she's made you nearly impossible to kill, hasn't she? We know why, but how? Where did she get this sort of power, and how come you don't know about it? How come she's the only one you can't control? I've been wondering about this, believe it or not, and I think I might know…" He told me.

"Oh, really?" I murmured, staring him in the eyes, wondering if he was trying to mislead me, if he was going to come out with something stupid just to get me…but it didn't seem like that was the case.

"So far as I've been able to tell, your demons stem from different parts of you. Monigan: Desire. Kagero: Temptation. Kukarkin: Lust. Deskor: Nightmares. And Wemlast? I'm guessing she's Fear. But what's Sacrosanct? Well, I think she's your secrets." He told me.

"My…my what, exactly?" I asked.

"Secrets, she's the part of you that not even you know about. The most powerful part, the one you can't control, because you don't know her. She's something truly terrible, right? She's the most frightening, the most powerful, and the least active. Because that's what a secret is, isn't it? The whole point of it is that it's neither spoken nor shared, it does nothing but keep itself. Her desire to keep you alive? What if, what if that's because, if you were to die, the secret that she is keeping would be revealed." He answered, taking my shoulders into his.

"But…but what secret?" I asked.

"No idea, that's the point, isn't it? Maybe it's the real reason you're here, maybe it's the reason why your inner demons have bodies of their own, maybe it's why you are what you are, that there's something more, something extra that we've yet to find, and it has to do with you. Everything that's happening all seems to have to do with you, doesn't it? Even this war has been loosely connected to you through the Dagger of Time, and somehow this Zasalamel has been pulling all the strings, and most of those strings are around you. What if Sacrosanct knows what's going on? What if she knows why? What if…what if that sword, the one in the dark crystal, what if that's apart of your secret, what if she manipulated the outcome because that sword…because you are that swords true master!?" He exclaimed.

"But, but how can I be!? Is that even possible? I didn't think that sword's 'true master' could even be human!" I exclaimed.

"Well, you know, in a way, you aren't human." He told me. "Think about it, Sacrosanct has made you nearly impossible to kill in more ways than one. You are the Empress of Time, you can reverse time, you can stop time, you can slow it down, speed it up. You can control it so thoroughly that you can even heal wounds by reversing time or speeding it up on them. How is someone suppose to defeat a woman who can just reverse time to before they killed her and then stop time so that they're dead the next moment? How is someone suppose to defeat a woman that knows what they're going to do even before they do? And aside from that, you can more than hold your own in any regular battle without time's interference! Your swords just get stronger with use, you just get stronger the more you fight! And you can fight from day in to day out without getting tired! You don't even need to eat at all! How do you function? Off air? Whether you like it or not, you aren't human anymore, you're more, you're so much more." He said.

He was right, I knew he was right, and my stomach churned uncomfortably at this realization. I couldn't properly claim to be human, could I? It wasn't entirely the truth but…still… "I was born human, my body use to be human…"

"Use to be." Kage pointed out, taking my face in his hands, "But what I don't understand is why you want to be." He said, frowning at me, "Humans are weak, Kaida, they're fragile, flimsy, and foolish. They're too easily manipulated, and too easily fooled. It is the strong that survive, it is the strong that become great, the strong which rules over the weak. Is it any wonder humans have so many gods? Because they know that they can't function on their own, they need a supreme being to rule them, to keep them in line. Compared to them, Kaida, you are that supreme being. You are the Empress of Time, you are the strongest of them all. You deserve to be my Queen, to rule over all Persia, and also to rule over these cultists. They have the right of it, Kaida, they know they're beneath you, they know they're like maggots compared to you. So why do you insist upon putting yourself at their level when you're so much more?" He asked, taking my lips up in his and kissing me hard and passionately for a brief moment.

"Maybe I named you adequately after all. You sound just like Kagero." I said, taking his hands from my face and turning my back to him.

"Kaida when will you stop being so stubborn and accept that you're better than these puny dregs!?" He demanded, grabbing my shoulder.

"Because people are people!" I snapped, spinning around and glaring at him. "I've spent my entire life watching humans drop like flies all around me! And as they did I was told about their lives, about their dreams and their wishes, about their loves and their hates! They told me, they told me just to make me suffer! And it worked!!! You might not put much value to a human life, but I do! My heart, my soul, my spirit! Those things are still human! I am still human on the inside!" I exclaimed.

"What does that matter?" He asked evenly, "When it comes down to it, what does it matter what you are on the inside? You're strong on the inside, that's all that matters." He told me.

"You're so full of s(beep)!" I snapped.

"Am I? Do you really—"

"Alright, just who the hell are you!?" Demanded a familiar voice, and my heart dropped as I turned and saw Aizira pop out from around the doorway into the storage room that the two of us were talking in.

Crap.

I hadn't expected anyone, after giving them those rings, to still be in the cabins. They all were too busy getting themselves some fresh air, I was hopping we were alone, but…looks like Aizira doubled back, and there was no telling how long she'd been there either, because I hadn't Seen her come in. Of course, I don't See a lot of things when I'm not paying attention, but only now had it become a bit of a problem.

"Oh dear," Kage said, smirking malevolently at her and tapping a finger to his chin, "Looks like the cat's out of the bag now!" He said cheerfully.

"And you sound just so remorseful." I said through gritted teeth.

He chuckled, "How long have you been listening, little girl?" he asked Aizira directly, "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to eavesdrop?"

"Long enough!" She snapped at him, "Kaida what's going on!? Who is this!? And why does he look so much like the Prince!?" She demanded.

"Wow, you certainly catch on quickly, don't you? Well, I am the Prince, just not the prince that you know." Kage answered cryptically.

"You, shut up!" I ordered, glaring at him, "Don't make things worse! Aizira," I turned, and then I sighed, "You're right, this isn't the prince, not exactly. Suffice it to say, this is his dark side, Kage. It's the same body, but there are two consciousnesses in there, and Kage took over without the Prince's consent, which he's not suppose to do." I said, glaring pointedly at him.

"I was being ignored." He said silkily, smirking, "The prince can only keep me asleep for so long, you know. Sacrosanct's little trick doesn't work all the time you know." He told me.

"So, so is this, like, the prince's inner demon?" Asked Aizira, trying to understand.

"No, it's not like that at all. He and the prince are the same being, but they're two halves of it, one dark, one light. This is the dark, the one you know is the light." I explained. "It's kind of like a yin-yang thing, if you know what that is. One part is black with a spot of white, the other part is white with a spot of black." I told her.

"I guess that makes sense." She mused.

"Wonderful! So, now that you know, we don't have to keep up any pretenses, do we?" Kage asked cheerfully, and the way he was smiling made me nervous, and I suddenly realized exactly what he meant by that.

"Kage don't you dare!" I snapped at him, but it was too late.

His left arm's markings glowed a gold which turned the skin black, crawling up the rest of his body, creating the sand creature in place of the Prince. His hair of smoke falling about his shoulders, almost like an upside-down flame creating a dark halo about his neck.

Aizira screamed, just as I slammed my fist into Kage's jaw. "YOU B(BEEP)!!!" I snarled as he stumbled, clutching the side of his face, "Turn back right now!!!" I ordered.

"What—what—what the hell is he!?" Aizira shrieked, stumbling back through the door, her eyes never leaving Kage.

"I'll tell you what he is, he's DEAD if he doesn't change back now!!!" I yelled pointedly.

"Awwww, now that's no fun." Kage snickered, smirking at me, "That other form is so uncomfortable! Don't you agree?" He asked, taking a step towards me.

"No, I don't." I answered, pulling out the bucket of water I'd been saving for just such an occasion. He stared at it, but before he could get away, I sent the water splashing all over him, and he changed back into the Prince, whom I caught before he fell. "Hang on." I told Aizira as she spluttered out her questions in a garble, trying to ask them all at the same time and only succeeding in sounding like a chipmunk. I gently laid the prince down, resting his head on my lap, and putting a hand on his jaw so I could reverse the damage I'd done to it by punching him. I sighed heavily and turned to Aizira, "I suppose I have some explaining to do."

"Uh, yeah!" She answered.

This was going to take a while, I sighed.

XD

"So, you have that, that form as well?" Aizira asked, just to make everything clear.

"Yes, that was the form I had when I entered this world in the first place. It's only because of this ring that I'm able to keep my original body." I answered, showing her the golden band on my finger. "But with the prince, somehow his dark side is able to transform to and from at will, though I'm not sure how." I explained.

"Oh…Um…well, I might feel a bit better about all this if I could see you like that." Aizira said. I looked at her sharply.

"I'm stronger, faster, and more powerful in that form, but I'm also more frightening, much more frightening. You saw how Kage looked? That scared you, didn't it?" I said severely.

"It was frightening, yes, but it was also…rather beautiful, in a dark, menacing sort of way." She admitted, "So will you show me yours? Please? I want to see how you look." She asked.

I sighed, "I just can't say no to you, can I?" I muttered, setting the prince's head gently on the ground so that I could stand up. "Alright, but prepare yourself." I told her, and I transported the ring into the Manor.

It had been quite a while since I felt that burning sensation in my chest, spreading throughout my body. And it sort of…it actually felt good. It felt like I could breath properly again, like I had shed the disguise and this, this was my real body, finally out of that human costume. I suddenly noticed that I actually grew a bit in height, I was likely a little bit taller than the prince like this, I'd just never noticed before because I didn't usually have the mind to pay attention in this body, because I only wore it when I had to, I mean, really had to, life-or-death situation kind of had to. Because I did not like it. Yes, it was beautiful, but the fact that Sacrosanct was the one that gave it to me…it just made me uncomfortable, nervous. It wasn't a good feeling, but I couldn't help but feel as though something had been unlocked and I was free in a way.

There was a little fear in Aizira's face as she looked up at me, but most of that was replaced by awe, "Wow," She murmured. "You really do seem like a god like that…" She murmured.

"I suppose so." I sighed, staring down at my hands and the intricate patterns about my body, all glowing and shimmering a fierce gold, the chain that was my braid just seemed to hover, slightly curved so as not to touch the ground, and feeling just like a sort of tail that was extending from my head.

Aizira grinned, snickering, "Imagine how the cultists would react seeing you come out like that." She said, and I found myself smirking too.

"Oh, see now, the only reason they didn't recognize me up front was because I didn't look like this. In their legends this is exactly how I look. They also say I have control of an Iron Snake, which is where they got their name, well, I think you've seen this before." I said, letting the daggertail out to show her, and she nodded.

"Yeah, ever since I saw you use that on Malik, I couldn't help but think, I WANT ONE!!!" She said, and I snickered.

"Sorry, it's attached to my skin, afraid you can't have it." I told her.

"What? It is?" She asked, looking shocked. I nodded, and I pulled off both gloves, revealing the markings to continue down my left arm as well in this form, and showing her where the daggertail came out of my wrist.

"It use to be dug into my entire arm up here, but earlier I found another daggertail that I could use in my human form, and this one has come down here as well." I said, showing her the line where, previously it had looked like an infected wound, it was now an elaborately decorated slit in my wrist. "And these, these are the same in my human form as well." I told her, showing her the swords which pushed out of the upper wrist, now with both on either arm just like in my human form. I pulled them back in, and she looked rather uncomfortable.

"So, so it isn't just your gloves? Those are in your, in your skin?" She asked.

"Yeah, they are." I said, calling the ring back and transforming, once more, into my human form. Now the wounds were visible, and watching my swords push themselves out of my arms was far more…disturbing.

"Doesn't that…doesn't that hurt?" She asked.

"Not enough that I notice it anymore." I answered, pulling the blades back in and slipping my gloves back onto my arms. Next to me the prince began to stir, and I kneeled down nest to him, as did Aizira.

"Wh-what happened?" He asked, bringing a hand to his forehead, "I haven't had a headache this bad since…" His eyes widened, and he suddenly sat up, staring from me to Aizira and back again, "Oh hell!" He hissed, falling back on his head, which didn't help his headache much. "What did he do?" He demanded.

"Well, tried to seduce me, as usual, and he showed Aizira his true form, the sand form in other words. Then I splashed him with that bucket of water I'd been keeping in the Manor, and here you are." I explained.

"Your dark side is very rude." Aizira said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, and I should care what she thinks…why?" Kage asked.

"Shut up!" The prince exclaimed.

"What? What did I say!?" Aizira demanded.

"No, not you!"

"Kage was talking to him, and me, somehow I can hear him too." I told her, "He's kind of like Sacrosanct in that he's like this voice in the prince's head. Only unlike Sacrosanct the prince actually has some semblance of control over him." I explained.

"Actually it's just because of you that he doesn't take over as often as he'd like to. I wasn't able to stop him from doing it that time, was I?" The prince asked angrily, sitting up and glowering. "I don't think I have any control over him, really. It's just that trick Sacrosanct taught me to make him sleep that's the only thing I have to use against him." He said.

"So, let me guess, keep all this a secret from the others?" Aizira asked.

"No, you know what? They know almost everything else, I think it'll be a lot easier on the two of us, if we didn't have to work so hard at keeping this private. I just don't want Kassima to know, agreed?" I asked, and both Aizira and the Prince nodded.

"Fine, it's not like the kid's any fun anyway." Kage muttered.

"You touch her, Kage, and no more cookies for you. And I know that you know what I mean by that." I said severely.

"I'll be good." He muttered dispassionately.

XP

Rhea: Once again, no time for an FAQ, I pressed the snooze button one too many times I'm afraid. See you in the next chapter though!!!