New chapter! Yay! I think most of you guys will like this one :) I know someone out there will. And, um, no, this chapter isn't named after one of the most awesome video game soundtrack pieces out there ^^;
Many thanks to Rapis-Razuri, Shinn Tsukishiro, melan anime, AnimeKiwi369, FiringShootingStar, theforgottenpeople96, LittleKrus (x5!), Seeker Heart, and RunoandAkizafan for their awesome reviews!
And anons include LDC, ChibiX, PDS (x2!), Mariah (x2!), name (x2!), anon, and Poohbear4u! LDC: The beauty of AUs is that you can warp time and it still works. I mean, it's not every day that a guy from the future is someone's grandfather :P ChibiX: I guess Crow didn't say anything because he was in shock that Yusei looked exactly like his grandfather or something. Carly's just shy, so it's obvious why she didn't say anything :) And I'm glad you're enjoying Z-one. I'm having a blast writing him. PDS: Funny how the last man alive is suddenly a grandfather, eh? And here's another update!
Mariah: Well, Z-one is a military man, and they tend to have different senses of humor than civilians. Better to laugh than cry, right? I'm glad you liked the backstory on Jack. I've had that planned for a while, but I had a lot of trouble trying to fit it in XP Oh, and thank you for the extra review! I'm glad you liked that one. Chapter seven was one of my favorites, too :) name: Haha, thank you! I do have a lot of fun plotting, um, plot twists ^^; anon: I love him, too. Seriously, I love Z-one way too much. Poohbear4u: Thank you!
You know, I actually thought it was a little more obvious that Z-one was Yusei's grandfather. A lot of people seemed surprised by that. Huh.
Also, you guys should know that I'm running low on chapters ^^;
Sunset Horizon
Chapter 28 – Dancing Mad
Yusei stood in front of the mirror, tugging the accursed white fabric. There was a reason he'd avoided ascots like the plague since he'd run from the Capital.
"It can't be as bad as a corset. Get over it."
He glanced through the mirror to look at Akiza standing behind him, causing his jaw to drop. It was the first time he'd seen the dress she'd ordered for the party and it suited her perfect assets very well. The ruby red bodice hugged her figure tightly, curving around her breasts and pulling into satin that crossed over her arms. Her shoulders were bare, the top of the dress leaving very little to the imagination. The rose necklace he'd made for her hung around her neck and fell down between her breasts, drawing even more attention there.
He couldn't even bring himself to look at the rest of the gown, his eyes locked on her cleavage. "A-Akiza…"
"My eyes are up here, Yusei."
He finally tore his attention away and met her gaze, smiling sheepishly for a moment. She reached her hands up his chest and played her fingers along the black wool jacket before fingering his ascot. "You look rather sexy in suit, you know."
A smirk crossed his lips as he set his hands on her hips and tugged her closer. "At this rate, I don't think we'll make it to the party."
She brushed the backs of her fingers across his cheek and murmured, "Good luck getting me out of this dress. It's knotted tight."
He leaned a little closer, his lips a hair away from hers. "I don't think I need to. I can work around it."
Her hands smoothed across his shoulders and settled on his back, holding him close as she cooed, "But this dress was expensive. And I've been dying to go to this party."
Giving a slight groan, he released her hips and muttered, "You're so evil sometimes."
She smiled brightly and kissed him quickly before saying, "We'll see about after the party, okay?"
He reached out and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest and tipped his chin to whisper in her ear, "Keep talking like that and I won't make it that long. Fair warning."
"All right, all right," she said, pulling away and raising her hands in mock surrender. "I yield."
He sighed as he tugged at his ascot one more time and fixed his coat, saying, "I haven't worn a suit in almost ten years. If that doesn't tell you how much I love you, nothing will."
She winked as she moved to pick up her white shawl from the bed. "A diamond ring might do more."
He choked slightly at the blatant insinuation, but quickly swallowed it down. Marriage… He loved her, yes, and he definitely saw himself settling down with her one day—he hadn't chased her for five years to let her go now—but the thought of marriage seemed more frightening than facing Roman tonight.
Yes, the plan had been set. During the soiree, they were going to slip out of the room and track Roman down. Tonight, he would confront his old mentor and find out exactly why he followed him and felt the need to hide.
But, for now, he would enjoy the moment with his special woman.
He extended his arm for her, running on the automatic manners ingrained in the depths of his mind. He was raised in court and knew the rules well. Everything, from holding a door for a lady to tying an ascot, stayed buried deep. He'd tried to forget, but tonight he would make an exception. It would be worth it if he could make her smile.
He hadn't seen her smile that perfect smile of hers ever since she'd found out she most likely wouldn't be able to have children. She had smiled, yes, but they were so paper-thin. He wanted to see her smile from her heart again. He wished he could do something to make her smile like that. So far, the only idea he'd had was to treat her properly at the party.
She loved parties, and he knew she would like the upscale atmosphere of this Capital-style one. He'd already had to correct her and tell her the technical term was 'soiree,' but she had only acknowledged him and gone back to calling it a party right away again. Oh, well. If she was happy, then that was what mattered.
He walked her out into the hall, moving for the stairs while biting back his discomfort with his current outfit. He wasn't a fan of ascots, cufflinks, or dressy leather boots. The whole outfit was out of his comfort zone, but he would deal with it tonight. It wasn't the end of the world.
"Well, aren't you just taking a step out of the past?"
Yusei looked over at the gruff voice to find Z-one sitting back in one of the chairs with Bruno across from him, both smoking cigarettes and drinking beer. Yusei's eyebrow went up as Akiza muttered, "Bruno, did Z-one make you start smoking?"
The blue-haired man shook his head with a smile, saying, "Nah. I just smoke one every now and then. We've got a lot to catch up on."
Sighing, Yusei muttered, "So you two know each other, too?"
Z-one waved his hand to dismiss the subject before saying, "You two going to that soiree, then?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
A slight moment of silence passed until he finally asked, "Going to confront him?"
He sighed and ran his hand through his hair on a habit. "So you know, then?"
"Of course. He spoke to me for advice before coming out here."
He hadn't realized Roman had known Z-one so well, but with them being next-door neighbors, he imagined it was possible. Shaking his head, he shifted to set his hand on Akiza's to include her in the conversation and to let her know the subject wasn't getting to him. "Aren't you going, too?"
He shook his head. "Nah. There's nothing for us to talk about just yet."
He wanted to ask what he meant by 'yet,' but decided it could wait. Instead, he nodded once and said, "Have fun. We'll be heading out, then."
"Yep. You kids behave yourselves."
Flashing a grin, Yusei countered, "You know me better than that, Z-one."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
…
They walked arm-in-arm through the wide double-doors, the glowing chandelier lights making the room intensely bright. It was decorated lavishly, with plants and paintings accenting the white walls. Servers in suits walked the floors with trays of champagne glasses while a small string quartet was placed on a raised platform, providing lively music for dancing.
Yusei couldn't help but notice the sneer Trudge shot his way, but shrugged it off. Old habits died hard, he knew, but nothing would get in his way tonight.
On this night, the final night of the year, everything would be about Akiza. He would do anything to make her happy and, even if he was far too unprepared for marriage or children, he could at least give her a cheerful night of festivities.
"You're… not happy to be here, are you?"
He turned to glance at her, arm still looped through his, and smiled, "I'm a little uncomfortable, yeah, but I'm not unhappy."
She smiled weakly in return. "But you aren't happy."
He inhaled a deep breath and replied, "I'm not happy, but I'm not unhappy, either. Just a lot of stuff from my youth coming back."
Nodding, she faced forward again and quietly asked, "Are you prepared? To face Roman?"
He shook his head with a coy smile and brought his free hand up to touch her lips. "Shh. That's happening later." Glancing through the richly decorated ballroom, he released her arm to step in front of her. He settled one arm behind his back and held the other gloved hand out towards her, asking, "May I have this dance?"
She gave a girlish giggle and shook her head at his antics, then stopped when she realized he hadn't moved. "You're serious, aren't you?"
He nodded and said, "Tonight is all about you. Honestly, this is probably the only night you'll see me in this environment, so enjoy it while you can."
A bemused expression crossed her face as she took his hand. "All right, then. I will. But, erm, I've barely ever danced this style before."
"It's okay." He flashed a smile as he led her to the floor. "I haven't in nine years."
She gave another laugh as he walked with her to the floor, still holding her hand. He'd been trained to dance since he was six years old and the lessons had kept going until he'd run from home at the age of twelve. He'd had a pretty solid foundation, but he hadn't danced since, unless the practice sessions with Luna counted.
They found an open space on the floor and he shifted, setting his right hand on the back of her waist and taking her right in his left. She shifted to place her hand on his shoulder as he took a second to watch how other couples were dancing—Wonderful. Her parents were just a few paces away—before bravely taking the first step. She moved with him, a little unsure at first, but quickly adapted and started to dance fluidly with him.
His eyebrow rose as he murmured, "I thought you said you didn't know this style of dancing?"
She shrugged slightly while still moving with him. "I know just as well as everyone else in this room. People moved to New Domino and they brought culture with them. A part of that includes dancing. My parents taught me when I was little, though I always did prefer the livelier dance style."
"Is that so?" he asked, moving in tune to the music on instinct from the hours of training he'd had as a child. "I've never danced that style. You'll have to teach me before the next spring festival."
She giggled and leaned slightly closer to kiss him quickly. "Oh? You'd dance with me there? I thought this was a one-time thing?"
He grinned boyishly. "I said the coat and ascot was a one-time thing, not the dancing."
"Ah," she toned, offering a sound of comprehension. "Then I'll be happy to teach you."
He smiled and shifted to spin her out before pulling her back against him. "Good. I think you'll find I'm a quick learner."
"Oh, that I already know," she murmured, flashing a seductive smile.
He tugged her a little closer, leaving her hips just a hair away from his. "And what did I say about talk like that?"
Her smile turned a shade darker as she brought her lips right against his. "And did you ever say you minded?"
His eyebrow rose as he realized she had him pinned. "Damn, you win. But," he started, pausing to make a point. "No complaining or pushing me away when you make me snap."
"I make no promises," she cooed, pulling back slightly.
…
Hours passed as they danced together and, gradually, he noticed his friends start to blend in. First, he saw Jack and Carly slip in through the side door, dressed impeccably, and merge into the dancing crowds. Sometime later, Kalin and Misty came in, blending effortlessly onto the dancefloor. Though the Enforcers were residents of the town, and therefore invited to the soiree, they wanted to avoid drawing attention to the fact that they were all going to be there that night. Crow came alone at some point, slipping in through the back door and hanging out by the champagne stock.
They'd left the choice up to Misty as to whether she went with Kalin or Crow, but she only smiled secretively and said she would accompany Kalin. He had blushed slightly, but acknowledged her choice. It was becoming more and more obvious that his white-haired friend was attracted to the woman, but he had yet to say anything about it. Given Misty's special ability, it was possible she might already know and was just waiting for the right time.
A glance at the grand clock on the wall revealed it to be eleven-twenty. The plan was to break out and slip into the house proper at eleven-thirty. He swallowed his spit and glanced back to Akiza, murmuring in her ear, "It's almost time."
She nodded slightly and whispered back, "Are you ready?"
He hummed a sound of acknowledgement. "As I'll ever be."
"All right. I'm going with you, you know."
"I know. I won't stop you, but promise me you'll stay behind me?"
She drew away from him slightly and frowned at him. "You brought Stardust, didn't you?"
Shrugging slightly, he muttered, "I want to be prepared."
She sighed and shook her head, then met his eyes with a smile. "I love that about you."
He nodded once, then glanced towards the side door to see the latch snapped. Carly had already moved in. Since she could move faster than most people could see, the plan had been that she would go first, break the latch and get inside the house before anyone else. They would follow a little at a time.
Yusei spotted Kalin and Misty moving towards the door, looking around to see if anyone was watching. Despite how late it was getting, the soiree was in full swing, couples still dancing, groups of friends still conversing, wallflowers still waiting for a dance. It was strange, how carefree and cheerful all of these people could be.
Granted, he had a shadow from his past hiding somewhere in this building and he was going to confront him tonight. It was going to be a rough encounter, he was sure, but he wanted to know why he'd come to this town. Roman was a retired military leader from his time in the fifteen-year war with the Nazca. Why would he become a politician and follow him to this town? What could he possibly be after?
He nodded to Akiza and extended his arm for her, then moved casually over towards the door. He took a champagne glass from a passing waiter's tray, passed it to his lover, then took another one for himself. Taking a sip, he deliberately took steps to make it seem as though they were just wandering away from the dance floor to rest.
Glancing through the room, he looked to see if anyone was watching, then reached out, pushed the broken door open, and nudged Akiza inside before following quickly. Shutting the door behind him, he found himself face-to-face with Jack, Crow, Kalin, Misty, and Carly. The five of them were already inside, waiting for himself and Akiza to arrive.
Nodding to his friends, he said, "All right, let's go."
They nodded an answer as he reached under his jacket and drew Stardust from behind him. It was time to get some answers. Moving down the hall, he headed in the direction of the office that belonged first to Kalin's grandfather, then to Goodwin, then to Sayer, and now Roman. Chances were, they would find him there.
It was going to be an interesting night and he wasn't going to risk anything, especially with Akiza right there. He didn't know what would happen, but he would fight with his old mentor before he would let anything happen to her. Of course, he wasn't sure if a fight would break out at all, but he wanted to be ready in case it did.
They moved as silently as they could down the halls, pausing for a moment as the women removed their heels for better mobility, and finally stopped outside the doors to the governor's office. This was it. The final moment of confrontation. Yusei raised Stardust beside his head and leaned back against the door, silently raising his eyebrow to Akiza. She closed her eyes, pinpointing her senses inside the room, and nodded.
Roman was in there.
Nodding one more time, he waited as his friends readied their weapons and Akiza moved to the back, then shoved the door open and pointed Stardust forward. He scanned the room quickly, then paused at the sight of a man standing by the window, looking out into the waning moonlight. He froze, recognizing the figure in the darkness and immediately knowing it wasn't Roman.
Silence passed as the man slowly turned, his hands folded behind his back, and spoke, saying, "Yusei. Eto bylo davno."
He slowly lowered Stardust, shock completely consuming his mind as he took in the sight of the man, dressed impeccably in a hunter green suit jacket, a white ascot, and black trousers, then lowly murmured, "F-Father…"
He heard a few gasps from behind him as his friends realized this man wasn't Roman, but Yusei's father. He took a few steps closer, moving his hands from behind his back and extended a hand towards his son. "U nas yestʹ o chem pogovoritʹ, ty i ya."
Yusei finally got ahold of himself and reinforced his grip on his weapon, raising it to point straight at his father's forehead. "Speak Yliast. Anything you have to say, you can say to these people, too."
He lowered his gaze, completely ignoring the gun pointed at him, and shook his head slowly. "No, Yusei, I can't."
"He's right. There're some things you need to hear on your own first."
Misty's voice sounded behind him, greeting the newcomer, "Z-one…"
Turning slowly, Yusei glanced at his grandfather, then back to his father. "I told you. You can tell these people. I trust them a hell of a lot more than I'd ever trust you."
Z-one walked over and dropped into a plushy armchair, smoking a cigarette. "Yusei, just cooperate once, will you? If you want them to know, you can tell them later. Kitty's your father. He's not going to try killing you when you're alone or anything."
He turned slightly, making eye contact with Akiza for a moment. He didn't want his father to know about his relationship with her, but if he'd been in town for two months, chances were that he already knew. She nodded first, acknowledging the need for their privacy, and moved for the door. "I'll wait at the bar, Yusei."
Jack, Crow, Kalin, Misty, and Carly offered nods of their own, and gradually left the room. He knew they would be fine, but he was more worried about himself at the moment. He hadn't ever wanted to see his father again, and the idea of being stuck alone with him was even worse. Never mind the fact that Z-one was there.
Once the door closed behind his friends, he reached behind him to tuck Stardust back into his jacket before sighing. "Fine. You've got me alone. What's so important?"
His father, Senator Katsuro Fudo, sighed. Before he could speak, Z-one walked over and grabbed Yusei's wrist, shoving his sleeve up to reveal the dragon head tattoo. "This is."
Pulling his arm away, he glared at his ancestors and set his hand on the mark, muttering, "Then by all means, tell me what's so important. Why is everyone so obsessed with this thing all of a sudden?"
Z-one shrugged and dropped back into his chair, mumbling, "That's more Kitty's forte. I knew you had it, but I only know the basics on what it means."
He really wished people would stop beating around the bush. If everyone seemed to think it was so dangerous, then why wouldn't they just tell him why? Sighing, he glanced at his father and crossed his arms, muttering, "Well?"
Katsuro walked over to sit in another chair near Z-one and folded his fingers together. "I've been preparing myself to explain this to you for the last thirteen years. Ever since your mother passed away and I saw that mark had moved to your arm, I knew this conversation would happen one day. Even with thirteen years to prepare, I was never able to decide exactly how to start."
Yusei sighed and crossed his arms, leaning back against a decorative buffet. "I'm waiting. Hurry it up, will you?"
Staring into the distance, he murmured, "Do you remember the stories of the Crimson Dragon your mother told you?"
He groaned and rolled his eyes. "I'm not here to reminisce."
Katsuro nodded and met his gaze, saying, "I wasn't intending to. This does reflect back to that mark."
Turning, he glanced absently out the window and muttered, "Of course I remember. It's one of the few happy memories of my childhood."
He flinched, so quick it was barely noticeable, then caught his composure and leaned his elbows on his knees. "You recall the stories of the Crimson Dragon and its generals, I'm sure. After all, Z-one told me you named your masterpiece after Stardust Dragon."
"Yeah, what of it?" he snapped, not wanting to be in the same room as his father for any reason.
"What your mother's stories didn't tell was the history of the Signer. Tell me, what do you know of that mark?"
"Not much. But people seem to like making a fuss over it. What the fuck is so special about this thing, anyway? I mean, I've had it for thirteen years and nothing bad has happened. What's the worst thing that could possibly-"
"Yusei."
He cut off midsentence and sighed, glancing back at his father. It had been years since he last saw him and he couldn't say it had treated him well. He had to be almost fifty years old by now and small wrinkles creased the corners of his eyes. Though Yusei's appearance was exactly like Z-one's, his father looked quite a bit like the both of them, too. It had been that way for generations. Every male in the Fudo family looked almost the same. The main thing that set his father apart from the other two men was the height. If the three of them stood side-by-side, Katsuro would have towered a full head taller than the other two.
His father leaned back in his chair and locked eyes with him, saying sternly, "That mark is what killed your mother. I suggest you shut up and listen."
He froze and glanced down at the tattoo, silently observing it. That mark had… For years, he knew his mother's death had been bizarre and unreal. The way she had simply collapsed and died with no warning. People didn't just die like that. Running his fingers over the mark, he asked, "How?"
"This is where we go back to the history of the Signer. Bear with me."
He nodded once, no longer caring about who he was talking to more about what he was being told. The thought that this tattoo was the cause of his mother's death had him concerned. What made it kill her? Why? He didn't care a whole lot for his own life. If he died for a good cause, he could be happy. But knowing there was something that could spontaneously kill him had him worried. More than anything, he wanted to avoid hurting Akiza and he knew that his death would hurt her. It was worth a blow to his ego.
That thought alone made a realization click as to just how much Akiza had made him mature.
Katsuro inhaled a deep breath and folded his hands thoughtfully, saying, "Many millennia ago, the Crimson Dragon lived among humans. It governed wisely and led people in the right direction. Peace reigned and all was well. After the battle with Red Nova—and I'm sure you remember that story—the Crimson Dragon realized its constant presence was sequestering human potential. It decided that mankind would have the potential to excel if it was no longer shepherding humanity. It decided to leave and return to the Spirit World, giving humans the gift to explore their underlying strength."
Yusei listened quietly, keeping his place against the buffet. He wanted to know the dangers, but he was getting a little old for bedtime stories.
"On the day the Crimson Dragon planned to depart, a single girl ran forward and begged it to stay. She was about thirteen years of age, but boldly approached the god and asked it not to abandon them. It had to go, but it granted a compromise. It promised the girl that if she ever needed its help, she could call on its generals and bring them to the human world. On that day, she was branded with a sign that separated her from the rest of humanity. She started the church of the Dragon and became the first archbishop.
"However, before the Dragon left, it warned her. The powers it granted were great, but if she ever used them for ill will, she would be punished. There was nothing the Crimson Dragon loathed more than violence. Even in the battle against Red Nova, it struggled to seal it and avoid killing. Two of the girl's friends came forth at that time and asked the Crimson Dragon what it meant. It replied by saying that if she ever became drunk on that power, she would lose a fraction of her life. The two boys were worried for her, and the Dragon noticed this.
"It granted them similar signs, however, rather than being in the shape of a head, they were in the shape of claws. They were destined to be her guardians, her pillars of support. It was their duty to make sure she never lost control. One of the boys was her brother, the other became her husband. Time passed, and she held to her duty faithfully. She spoke with the generals, but she never called on them for any violent task. She lived a long, healthy life."
"And…" Yusei started, absorbing the story. "You're saying that, all these thousands of years later, I now have the same power she had? To summon the Crimson Dragon's generals from the Spirit World?"
"Not just the generals, but the lieutenants and infantry, too. You have the ability to summon any spirit save the Crimson Dragon itself."
"So why…" He swallowed, collecting himself. "Why did my mother die?"
"Elise…" he said, musing on a long-past memory. "Your mother… She was a faithful follower of the church. She would do whatever was asked of her by the Archbishop. I'm sure you're aware of the fifteen-year war with the Nazca?"
He nodded. History books were chock-full of it. "Of course. Z-one and Roman both fought in it."
"Mm," he mused. "That they did. It ended when you were three years old. Eighteen years ago already. The church knew of Elise's mark and they abused her dedication to them. The Archbishop at the time ordered her to send the dragons to the war and decimate the enemy. Time after time, they told her to call on them and have them fight. Tens of hundreds of people lost their lives at those orders. She was able to fight from the comfort of our home. I knew of her powers and I begged her to stop, but she would only smile and say it would be fine. But then…" He shook his head. "You can put the pieces together."
A moment of silence passed before he finished, saying, "That, Yusei, is the extent of your powers."
He glanced down at the floor, ignoring Z-one's whistle. "I have one question, though."
"By all means."
His hand seemed to stay on his mark during their conversation. When he noticed it was there, he'd move it away only to realize it had drifted back there moments later. "I know one person with the claw mark you mentioned, but has there always been two throughout the generations?"
Katsuro nodded. "Yes, there have been two. Oftentimes, one is associated with the church, providing a religious standpoint on the Signer's decisions. The other is usually someone very close to them. A sibling, or a lover." Sighing slightly, he released the cufflink on his sleeve and pushed his jacket up, revealing a red mark of a long claw on his arm. "I received this mark shortly after I asked your mother to marry me. I became her pillar of support, and I failed horribly in my given task."
"That's not your only failure," Yusei muttered under his breath, then leaned closer to take a closer look at his father's arm. "So, what? Am I supposed to abide your wise council now?"
Shaking his head, he replied, "I don't expect you to suddenly listen to me, but I ask that you take my words tonight to heart and truly consider them. If you have further questions, you know where to find me."
Z-one's attention snapped up as he glanced towards the window. "Who's there?"
One frame of glass shattered before two figures shifted to stand. Yusei had Stardust in his hand and pointed in their direction at the sound of his grandfather's voice. He now held a whole new level of respect for the old man. No one had picked up on danger faster than he had before, though he now suspected it was a part of his 'powers' that had warned him since he always sensed it as a tingle in his gun hand. Even so, the fact that Z-one recognized a threat before him proved the old man still had his military reflexes.
The two males who jumped inside stood up to reveal their faces. Yusei's eyebrow rose as he asked, "Bruno? Lester?"
The older of the two looked at Z-one as he said, "We've got trouble, Sir."
Sir? Yusei had no idea what Bruno meant by that. Maybe he had worked under him in the military in the past?
Lester held his pistols in his hands and added, "The Underground is here, Sir. They're swarming the town."
Z-one cursed under his breath and pulled his pistol from his holster. "Time to go, boys. We got to find us an escape route."
Katsuro stood up and moved over to his desk, reaching underneath to pull a belt with a pistol holster from underneath and strapping it around his waist. Reaching under again, he pulled a thicker belt with a shotgun attached and slung it over his shoulder, arming himself. "This way."
"Wait!" Yusei called, raising his voice to catch the four men's attention. "What about Akiza? And the others?"
"They'll be fine. Misty's with her, along with those gun-toting friends of yours," Z-one muttered. "Right now, if the pretty thing means anything to you, you'd better think about saving your own ass."
Act II – End
Well, there's Act II for you! Act III is when everything goes down. Trust me when I say it's going to be rough. We all like to torture our characters a little bit, right? Right? Riiight…?
It won't be too bad. Yet. XD Thanks for reading!
Oh, and I'll be out of town Thursday and Friday to check out my new school. I don't know if the hotel has internet or not, but I may not get to reply until Friday night or Saturday. Even then, I have a Halloween party on Saturday and my first real attempt at using makeup. I'm not sure I like this 'having a life' thing. It's making me very busy and I don't like it. I kid. Kind of. XP
Anyway, please review!
-Valk