Ok, so she was lost. Well, not exactly lost, but… aah… well… er? Strayed. Yes. that's the one. She was strayed. And it wasn't like it was her fault either, Martel had refused to tell her what she was going to give to her not-quite-good-friend Presea, and being the curious seraph she was, it annoyed her. And distracted her. So she took a wrong turning. Could've happened to anyone though.

You know came the tired, bemused and ever so slightly muffled voice of an exasperated, Botta deprived form of intelligence

you could always just follow the general trail of destruction …?

Fmuh. And this Martel was more clever than she was. It just wasn't fair.

Aaaw quit your moping and hurry up! I've got a wedding to destroy here!

Martel massaged her temple. Well. As well as you can massage your temples when you don't have a body. So she doesn't have a body and that last sentence doesn't make sense. Well what else am I supposed to write? Aaw come on! Fine. Be like that. Ill just have to change it, wont I?

Martel sighed. Well that's hardly interesting, is it? She could be sighing because she was upset, or overjoyed, or in the throws of … something with Botta that shall remain nameless. Try again.

Martel sighed and massaged her temples as well as a disembodied one can and tried very hard to put aside any thoughts of suicide that were floating through her mind in a calming… tempting… soothing …fashion… that made her wonder if she really… she really…

"I'VE FOOOOUND HEEER!" came the window shattering squeal from Colette that jerked her back from whatever dark corner she had been in and into an even darker one. Stilling her hands that were wrapping themselves around her- well- Colette's neck even though that notion was getting more and more tempting by the second, she breathed deeply and explained again.

You don't have to tell me anything anymore honey, I can read your thoughts. And I can see what you can see. And I can hear what you can hear. And if you weren'tthe chosen, I could control what you say. You don't need to spell it out to me, I'm not as bloody stupid as you are and … we've been through this one lots of times.. We made a pact, remember? For just one day and possibly the wedding, I'll share your body having pretty much total control over you, yes? I'm in your mind and the only thing you can do without me is talk, but don't talk TO me cos you don't need to. You'd look like you were talking to yourself and we don't want Presea to know we are one

Sniggering delightedly, Colette approached Presea muttering under her breath "you ripped that directly from the Lion King.."

Martel's eyes misted over and a lump welled in her throat as she recollected the bewildering desolation she had felt the first time she had watched it. A pain suddenly shot up her cheeks and her eyes felt heavy with tears.

"SHUT UP YOU LITTLE BRAT I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT."

Colette blinked. Yes, I know she does that a lot. But this time Martel also blinked.

"wh-- what?" Martel whispered

"did you just call me a br.. A BRAT??" Colette wailed, beginning to get hysterical again.

"Colette.. look.. .. I'm.. I'm talking through you! Whatever I say, you say! I didn't think it was possible but.. but I am and whatever I say.. you say.. and.. wait.." the smile that would have been upon Martel's face if she had one of her own would have turned to a frown

"ok, what did you do, chosen? You accepted this and unless you let me have complete control of you willingly..?" she questioned, testily

"I didn't mean to really… I just had this.. feeling.. and .. well I knew if I wanted to I could block you out, but… but" her face suddenly crumpled "I've never had anyone as close to me before! Everyone just thought I was stupid and clumsy, and I thought Lloyd like me but then it turns out he's gay and only wanted to be with me cos of my incredible powers.. and.. and" the whimpers and snuffles turned into loud shuddering sobs "I'm.. I'm LONELY alright? I don't have anyone other than me cos I cant trust anyone other than me cos no one other than me and Zelos are as clever as me and Zelos, and I try to hide it by being stupid so that people wont hurt me BUT/THEY/ALWAYS/DO." her legs buckled and she sank to the floor covering her face and weeping. Martel suddenly found herself shaking slightly.. before she knew it, she was hugging her Colette/self as best she could and weeping with her. When she'd made the pact with Colette 'to make it easier' so that Colette couldn't screw up, the one thing she hadn't counted on was it being a two-way thing. She could use Colette's body. She could use Colette's voice. She could use her powers- this pact had meant she'd got a share in everything- and a share in what Colette really felt. She was as lonely as she was .

its ok. It really is. No matter what- even when we've finished all of this ..I… wont leave you. I'll stay here.. I promise you I'll look after you, I'll stay with you, I'll stay here..

Colette re-opened her eyes and ground a fistful of dust she had into the palm of her hand.

"they always say that" she whispered.

But this time Martel wasn't just making empty promises, she was next to her and holding her. And she was crying for her.

Presea coughed. Touching as this scene was, she'd absentmindedly watched Colette try to find her for the past two hours. She'd joined minds with someone else, that much was clear and she kept talking to them.. or they kept talking to her through her, whatever, it was getting slightly confusing to watch someone argue with themselves and then comfort themselves. Alternatively Colette had suddenly got a split personality disorder. But her other personality had a wider vocabulary. Hhmm.

"can I be of assistance with anything?" she ventured.

"what? Oh shit I mean, er… um, what was it again, Martel? oh yeh, Presea, we've- I've got a present for you!"

"if you intend to drop yet more subtly obvious hints about myself and Genis which will then prove to be wrong anyway and proceed to give me a karma sutra book again I admit your intentions are noble, but futile. Possibility of being able to bend myself into most of the positions: less than 17"

Giggling and shoving her fist into her mouth to suppress them, Colette concentrated on breathing, found this proved too much and let Martel take over.

"er- well, not quite. The thing is- I feel you've been somewhat neglected as a valuable member of our group and as thanks for your efforts to be anything other than a boring Presea-bot we've got a present for you" finding herself with oxygen again, Colette continued.

"what's the thing you've always wanted, more than anything?"

"to feel the heat of Genis's bed" she replied solemnly. By now, both girls were in fits of hysterics and repeatedly telling themselves oxygen was overrated anyway.

"what/we/meant/was.." she giggled once more and then thought better of finishing her sentence.

"well, whether you want it or not, we've got a present for you. SURPRISE!" she screamed, throwing a handful of green powder at her and leaping backwards. Presea's eye twitched nervously and she opened her mouth to speak.. but that was as far as she got, because then.. then the screaming began…