Hello, dear readers! I know a lot of people don't like it when authors ask for Reviews, but I somehow need to know that I'm doing a good job. Thank you for my steady Reviewers, this story is for you, after all. :)

Disclaimer: "Do you have anything of AiW I could borrow?" "No, sorry, because I don't own anything of AiW." "Okay well, thanks anyway." "Anytime."

Inspirational Song: "Do You Want Me (Dead?)" - All Time Low

. . . . .

Absolem took another precious puff from his beloved hookah and exhaled. He was incredibly calm. Bored, some would say, but no. Simply serene in his divine element.

He'd been casually flipping through the pages of the Oraculum (which is really quite a feat for a butterfly) and had once again stopped at the very day's compendium. The shattered and steaming Looking Glass glared back at him. The image repeated its movements over and over, the glistening few remnants of the glass sprinkling down onto the floor, then reappearing in the mirror, only for it to fall again. If the Oraculum had only presented this image a mere moment before the Looking Glass broke, they'd already know who the culprit was. Of course, who could it be, other than Stayne?

But they needed proof, for Mirana was just and loyal. She couldn't just send her White Knights out to barge into someone's home and arrest them. And even if she did, although she'd never, Stayne was banished to the Outlands, which were extremely vast. That Cheshire Cat could always tell them where his hideout was, but Stayne also had an army on his hands now.

Another predicament. The army.

Yes, Mirana had an army. She also didn't want to use it. Personally, Absolem believed that if a creature wished to fight and protect their homeland, that was their own decision and they could do just that. Mirana thought differently. She disliked violence and had vowed to never partake in it directly. That might've changed, though. . .

Mirana had undoubtedly cracked as she witnessed her sister's death. It was a miracle Iracabeth had lasted so long, attached to Stayne's side, at any rate. All, or almost all, of Underland had expected her to be dead and was glad for it. Mirana had wished no such thing, despite her banishing her sister. So a part of her had crumpled that Mutando Day, on the Checkerboard Field. She'd been jittery and restless, constantly having to make potions to control herself. Without the potions, she was just as twitchy as the ever-so-irksome March Hare. Even the wise Absolem's advice couldn't calm her.

He wouldn't dare show her the Oraculum unless Time heeded him to or it presented an emergency to the lands, such as the one he was still staring at. It would only trouble her more.

Absolem wasn't exactly looking at the Oraculum anymore, more as looking down in its direction. When he spotted it.

He gasped gravely as he noticed what was hidden beneath the pile of glittering glass. He, as many others would, recognized the object immediately.

He hastened to his hookah, and as he exhaled the fine smoke, thought: I'll be coming over immediately. Urgent. With a final blow the message-containing smoke swirled away through a mass of trees, flying to Uilleam. The Dodo Bird, being almost as wise as he, could help him dissect all meanings of this and predict what was to come now with this further information.

Absolem quickly fled away from his leaf and onward towards Uilleam's usual resting spot by the TumTum Tree. He had to make haste; the trip to Marmoreal was at least several hours long and the event was to occur that day.

He had only been halfway to the TumTum Tree when he heard the steady pounding of hooves. He craned his neck to see who the passerby was and his monocle nearly fell off in shock. He despised being caught off guard and this he surely should've predicted.

Ilosovic Stayne sped closer and closer upon his black steed, leaning forward with power. He looked even grimier than before, but freer and wilder, nonetheless. Absolem wondered if he had ever been back in the main lands after his banishment. Dirt flew away from the overgrown path as Stayne neared where Absolem hovered. A heavy sheath hung from the man's waist. Absolem made the hasty decision to grab onto the horse's bridle. He clung onto a strap near the horse's thumping neck and remained silent to listen to the two's conversation.

"What will we do when we arrive?" The horse had a deep, rough voice. He hardly seemed out of breath, despite their rapid speed. They couldn't have been able to stop once since crossing the border.

"We will scout the perimeters for any way into the castle," Stayne said. Absolem cringed at his greasy voice. He hadn't changed too much. "There will be a way to the Looking Glass from the outside of Marmoreal. And if not," he added with a crooked grin, "we'll make a way."

The horse chuckled. "I personally prefer the latter."

"That makes two, then. But be as it may, this task is crucial to our plan."

"And if we fail?"

Stayne pulled up on the reins, forcing the horse to stand on its back legs and ordering it to a halt. He let his horse struggle without saying a word throughout it. Absolem had to cling on for, well, not life, but the point was clear. He clung on.

Stayne finally relaxed the reins and the horse fell back onto all fours. He was breathing raggedly and struggling not to shake. Stayne leaned forward and put his mouth to its ear. "We will not fail," he hissed. He sat back again and casually flicked his reins, causing the horse to immediately shoot forward.

Absolem watched as Stayne's expression turned thoughtful. "Although," he thought aloud. "If our plan does take an. . . unexpected turn, there not be need for loss. All it will need is a change here and there, possibly a tweak or two." He nodded importantly to himself.

The horse spoke again, although his tone was much quieter than before. "And if the Champion comes to stand in our way?" Absolem glared at Stayne, willing him to give his answer.

The cretin-in-armor hooted loudly. "Alice? We'll take her down faster than a weed.

"I hear her sword-bearing skills have increased drastically. She has been trained." Absolem silently confirmed that rumor. Although there had been no apparent need, Alice was still taking lessons. Not from Sir Lawrence, for reasons unstated, but by multiple different White Knights. She'd wanted to pick up on different styles, so she'd requested a variety of teachers. All were proud to teach the young Champion.

Again, Stayne laughed. "All that woman would be good for is a night in bed."

Absolem acted without thinking and shot up from his place on the bridle. He zoomed up to flutter around in Stayne's face. He couldn't directly cause damage, but he could definitely cause it. Stayne shouted, "What in the-!" and released his hold on the reins. Absolem flapped his wings even harder and got closer to his face, causing Stayne to lean back whilst still frantically waving his hands in the air. The horse continued to speed ahead and Stayne went flying off the back end, much to Absolem's delight.

Stayne landed on his rear and punched the ground childishly before scrambling back up to his feet. Absolem could hear him grumbling about pestering flies from where he fluttered now and smiled slyly to himself. He looked down the path and saw that the horse only just realized that his passenger was missing from his back. He began to trot back towards them.

Absolem shook his head and chuckled at their stupidity. When he looked back at Stayne, he found that the man was already glaring at him. His smile vanished.

"Why, if it isn't our world's wisest caterpillar," he hissed with a wry grin. "But of course, upgraded. The little triviality has wings."

Uh oh.

Absolem quickly made to fly away, but Stayne was much faster than the elderly butterfly. He caught him by his left wing with a forceful fist. Pain shot throughout his body; his wing had broken immediately. Absolem suppressed a groan and glared steadily at the former Knave in the eye.

"Piss. Off."

Stayne frowned angrily and threw Absolem away from him, turning around to strut back to his horse. He flung one extensive leg over the steed and was out of sight in a blink of an eye.

Absolem had been thrown roughly onto a nearby leaf and lay there, crumpled and broken. The world spun and complete silence took over as the blue butterfly accepted unconsciousness.

. . . . .

Insanity: We had to! We had to make him say it! Twas too perfect! XD

Rachel: If you are in need of facts. . . "The word piss was common in the 1200's and for the next 600 years. Piss occurs in the works of Chaucer, More, Shakespeare, as well as many others. It occurs in old translations of the Bible as well as in the King James version. Piss is from the Middle English pissen and the Old French pissier."

Insanity: And it was funny!