WOW, THINGS ARE ONLY JUST STARTING TO BOIL UP, AND WE'RE AT CHAPTER 40! AND THIS IS NOW THE 3RD WORDIEST STORY IN ALL OF HnKnA-NESS! I HOPE YOU'VE ALL ENJOYED THIS STORY, AND SORRY FOR ANYONE WHO DID CRY IN THE LAST CHAPPIE. IT HAD TO BE DONE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. TT_TT I'M SAD TO.

NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE TIME TO RECOMMEND A FEW FANFICS! (ALL OF THE SAME STORY, OF COURSE.)

The Game of Gore and Heartache- by ThatNothWesternGirl; it's incomplete and sad as h***, but it's so well written you won't regret reading it!

The Game of All Hallows Eve- by Exagie; the first in small series of fanfics. Ultra funny, and good, but unfortunately the writer has put everything on hiatus. I really hoped they come back! And, it's BlackXAlice! Who doesn't love that?!

A DANGEROUS ROSE- by I'mSorryAboutThat; an uber long, but pretty interesting fanfic. Personally, I read it when it was still just 22 chapters, and now that that's doubled, I just can't sit down and get through it all again (Because I've totally forgotten what the h*** happens!) But if you like long ones, I suggest this.

Daisuki Papa!- by suzubell-chan; incomplete, but well written and insanely cute! Your moe meters will be off the charts! And she just updated again!

The UnForeigner- by austriantatious; one of the best new fanfics I've read in a long time! It's just starting out, but I'm really enjoying it!

Ch. 40: Memories of a Faceless

Gold shifted, the haze of unconsciousness drifting away, clearing by the second. I leaned over Yuri as he started to shift, blinking away the last of the darkness. I turned my head up, "Hey, he's up!" Said he blinked a few times, as though he didn't recognize me, and then jacked into a sitting position…only to crumple back down when he noticed his head hurt.

I patted Yuri's shoulder, "Take it easy Yuri, you took some heavy damage." He stared at me, as though he were still trying to figure out who I was. White walked over and knelt down next to me, "How is he?" I smiled thinly, tired. "He'll be fine. Probably. Like I said earlier, there's no telling what kind of damage a blow like that would leave." At the sound of my voice, the clouds dissipated from Yuri's eyes and he sat up again, slowly this time. He gently rubbed the tender lump on his head.

"W…what happened? Where…?" I smiled at him, "Good, you can talk. That's a sign that you didn't rattle your brain too much. We're still in the clearing. When the tree…um, fell, you got conked pretty hard." I held up my finger, slowly moving side to side, "Now, watch it." Yuri's eyes obediently followed my finger, not even a little off. Boris leaned over, looking puzzled, "…What are you doing C.J?" I glanced up, "Checking for concussion, what's it look like? …Alright, I think you're ok Yuri. Are you feeling any dizziness, nausea, or lightheadedness?" He tried to shake his head, instantly stopped, and answered me quietly instead. "No, none of that. Though my head feels like I was kicked by a horse and clubbed with a pipe." "That's about what it should feel like. …Hey, are you alright?"

Yuri's gaze had gone inward again, a deep frown furrowed in his brow. He didn't answer. I frowned and snapped my fingers in front of his face. He immediately snapped back to reality. "Maybe you did get your brain a little saucy." He shook his head, "No no, it's not that. It's just…I remember. Everything."

"…WHAT?!"

…..

3rd Person P.O.V Change: Narrative

Childhood for Yuri Petrov wasn't an easy one. He spent much of his time as a child trying to do odd jobs and the like, doing his very best to make up for his single mother's (as his father had walked out on him long ago) low income as a cook.

As beautiful and high class Marmund was then, it, like all cities, had its poor districts. Now, Yuri was 9, sitting on a thread bear rug in the corner of a crowded market street, trying to sell some trinkets, assorted jewelry (which was almost certainly acquired through less than honest means), and other odds and ends. Occasionally curious aristocrats' daughters would stop by and observe the merchandise, rarely buying anything. And, though un-often, sometimes a desperate man would buy an item as a half apology to the lady he was courting for being late.

Every first week of the month, without fail, despite the low prospects of the task, Yuri sat on that corner and tried to earn his meal. You never know, he may get lucky someday! But, today was not that day; as Yuri could plainly see from the line of bullies weaving their way to his corner. Luckily for him though, Yuri had spotted the terrors before they had spotted him. Fearing the creeps would trample on his wares; Yuri got up, gripped a corner of the rug, and rolled it up. Quickly, he hid the roll of items behind some boards that wear leaning against the side of the wall he was standing next to. Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough to do this and escape himself.

Now, we see poor, poor Yuri being chased throughout the city, taking detours, shortcuts and pulling little tricks to try and shake off his pursuers. Sadly, they're as stubborn as they are block headed. As is demonstrated when one of them is knocked clean over by the lid of a trash can thrown by their poor victim, and he got right back up again.

Fleeing to the park, Yuri finally couldn't keep ahead. The creeps closed in on him and circled him, ready to put the poor boy in the hospital. Until a particular group of children came to his defense….

…2 years later

The small group of friends sat in the shade of the post office, waiting for their missing, and youngest friend. Elda sighed impatiently as she leaned back against the bricks, "Where could he have gotten to?" Alister, distant as always, momentarily resurfaced from the world beyond the gravel he'd been starting into for a good time. "Perhaps he ran into trouble." A raven haired lad, propping his head on a trash can, made a dramatic motion (the faceless way of conveying eye rolling). "And cue Mr. Morbid, to bring down everyone's mood. You could take the dreariness down a peg buddy."

The blonde lass, however, took this notion seriously. Perhaps, too seriously. "Alister, do you really think he may be in trouble?! Yuri's such a small boy…." "And tricky like a fox. If he did wrong, it'd take this whole village a fortnight just to smoke him out of whatever hole he'd crawl into. Calm yourself Charlie, he's fine and no doubt on his way." Alistair dismissed the matter until further notice.

The sun had sunk quite a ways before the foursome decided to give up for the day. Elda groaned agitated with her friend's absence. "This is so unlike him! What could be the matter?" Alister straightened himself and started home, "We'll just have to find out tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm going home." Alistair sighed and looked off, slightly worried at Yuri's absence. Suddenly, he straightened, "Hey, there he is!"

Alister stopped and turned around, coming back to join the others. Sure enough, here came Yuri, sprinting shockingly fast for a small 8 year old. He skidded to a stop in front of them, panting like a dog, and fell to his knees. Charlie knelt down in front of him, "Yuri, are you alright?!"

Though the others couldn't have possibly known it, Yuri was most certainly not alright.

He lifted his head, as though with great effort and the others rushed to him in concern. The young boy's face was flushed and he was shaking all over, his voice quaking. "I…M-….Mom…she…."

Alister opened the door to his parents pharmacy quietly, the younger boy following solemnly. Having calmed down earlier, the group had decided to have Yuri spend the night with Alister and his parents (as they didn't have any objections to the group playing together, unlike Elda and Charlie's folks). A young woman, with long dark brown hair flowing down her back looked up from the front desk. She brightened up, "Alister, welcome home sweetie! Oh, you brought Yuri to?"

Both the small boys stood there, not responding to Marian Demos. Her brow crunched as she looked at the silent duo, "Is something the matter?" Breaking his statuesque state, Alister stepped up to his mother, grasped her hand, and tugged her behind the curtain behind the counter. Yuri stood there, trying to tune out the soft whispers behind the curtain.

Not a moment later, the lady threw the shroud to the side and glided over to Yuri, kneeling down and putting her hand on the child's shoulder. "Oh honey, you can stay here with us as long as you want!" Alister, right behind her, face palmed, "Mom, I don't think you should decide that without Dad's consent…."

"Oh, hush Alister!* Of course Dad will say yes; how could he not?" She turned back to the silver head, "He won't be home for another hour, so you can stay in Alister's room till then, ok? Once he gets home, I'll talk it over with him, and then we'll call you boys down for supper. …Yuri?"

"Yes ma'am."

The woman hugged the poor child, "Everything's going to be just fine Yuri, you'll see." Releasing the boy, she gently pushed the guest to her son, "Now get on up there; I have to make supper."

With a nod of acknowledgement, Alister took Yuri's hand and led him upstairs. As he walked to his room, Alister gave the tour, pointing out the bathroom, his parents' room, and the storage room. At the end of the 2nd floor hallway, they had yet to find Alister's room. Yuri looked around, seeing no other doors. "Umm…Alister? Do you sleep on the floor?" Alister actually smiled a bit, "It is good to see you still have your good humor. You'll want to stand back."

Alister walked to the wall at the end of the hallway and, mercilessly, rammed his fist into the wall as hard as any small 9 year old could. Before Yuri could even start questioning this, what appeared to be a chunk of the ceiling came down and nearly caught Yuri's foot under it. Yuri, of course, jumped a foot back and bumped into the wall behind him.

Having calmed his heart, Yuri now saw Alister standing on the first step on a flight of steps, "Are you coming?" Yuri nodded and started up after Alister.

At the top of the steps, Yuri looked around to see an average sized room, paneled and floored with the same wood the rest of the house was. The room was rather cluttered, but neat enough, (a surprising feat for a 9 year old little boy's room!). There was a small desk on one side of the room, wedged between two book cases, a twin bed up against the far side of the bed; just under the round window. Over all, it was one of those rooms you see and know instantly, this person reads A LOT.

Yuri padded in, trying to be upbeat as possible. "Well…I must say, it's rather what I was expecting." "Very funny. Sit down."

Yuri obediently plopped down on the edge of Alister's bed, feeling awkward, depressed, and tired. Alister pulled the chair from out of his desk and sat down, not attempting to make conversation. However, Yuri was on the verge of just curling up and sleeping for a week, so he tried to come up with something.

"Umm…I guess I never noticed it, but your mom has a strange accent…." "Yes, both my parents do. They moved here from far away when I was five."

Alister Demos; the boy who doesn't even know what beating around the bush is.

Yuri sighed, giving up on conversing for now. If Alister felt like talking, he knew the brunette would talk at length.

They continued to sit in silence for who knew how long. Yuri got to the point of counting the floorboards which, as it turns out, is even more effective than counting sheep, so Yuri eventually dozed off.

Alister, noticing the instant the silver head nodded off, leaned forward and stared thoughtfully at his younger friend. "…I've always wanted a brother…."

The door was thrown open with a huge bang as the oak connected with the wall. Han Demos, a tall, rather slight looking young man, came in the usual fashion that fathers enter their son's room. Yuri snapped awake, nearly falling off the bed in surprise. Alister, who was used to it, didn't even flinch. "Welcome home Dad."

"Welcome home Dad?! You bring yourself a brother into this house while I'm gone, and all's you say is 'welcome home Dad'?!"

"So we can keep him?"

Yuri glanced between the older males, confused. …What am I, a mutt they pulled off the street?

"What? Of course he can stay!" Marian came swinging in past the door jamb, a glow in her aura. First, she threw her arms around Han and kissed him passionately. Yuri and Alister both turned their heads, embarrassed by the display of parental affection. Yuri made a gagging noise, which made Alister snicker.

Next, the woman flitted over to her new son and hugged him tight. She then latched onto Alister's sleeve and yanked him over, "Hug your new little brother Alister!"

Han stood in the center of the room, surveying the area. "…This room is going to need some remodeling…." Plans were already beginning to form in his mind for the new furniture he'd build. (Fun Fact: Alister's Mom ran a pharmacy, and his Dad was a carpenter.)

Finally releasing the boys from the hug, Marian pulled back, smiling brightly, "Well, let's get on down stairs. Dinner's ready!"

Yuri lay on his side in bed (well, Alister's bed) trying to sleep, but despite his exhaustion, he couldn't fall asleep. He could hear Alister breathing and his feel his back radiating heat as children do. Yuri turned his head upwards to look at the shadowy ceiling. "…Yuri, are you awake?" Alister's voice was soft and quiet.

"Yes." "…Are you alright?" Yuri opened his mouth to answer, but instead, a choking came out instead. The dam burst.

Alister sat up instantly, grabbing his friends shoulder and gently pulling his upright. Without hesitation, Alister wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, with the lack of awkwardness that only came with childhood.

"It's alright Yuri. Everything's going to be just fine." Yuri was shaking badly, "I…I know, I j-just…." He trailed off, sobbing again. "She just fell! There was no blood, no dyeing words, nothing! She was gone! And don't tell me she'll be replaced, because when she is, she won't even remember she had a son!"

Yuri continued to cry, unable to stop. Alister continued to hug him, unable to do anything more.

Eventually, Yuri's tears turned to sniffles. Alister spoke, knowing he wouldn't be interrupted. "There's nothing you could have done Yuri. It's not your fault." Yuri nodded, "I know that, but…I don't know. It's just that…." "Just what?"

"I knew it was coming." Alister remained silent. "I knew she was getting sick. I noticed it one day and…it just got worse and worse." Alister shivered at the thought of watching his own mother waste away as Yuri had.

"…Yuri…I don't…I can't…." Yuri turned to look at the brunette. To be honest, Alister had always seemed so distant and far off, he was a bit unapproachable to most of the other kids at school, including Yuri himself. Of the group of 5, Alister was the one he was least close to. Now, as Yuri watched the older boy grasp desperately for words of comfort, he understood that Alister wasn't cold, or distant at all. He was just a terrible speaker.

Yuri smiled his best, though it came out a grimace, and stopped Alister before the poor boy blew a gasket. "Please stop trying so hard; it's sad." Alister huffed and turned his head, but didn't argue.

"I should be thankful that your parents have allowed me to stay." "Stay? They may as well have adopted you."

Yuri thought on that for a moment, and then grinned widely. "That would make you my big brother, like OUR mother said." "I suppose it would."

Yuri finally laid back down, yawning and curling up, "I've always wanted a Dad and a brother…." Faint snores were heard as the child fell asleep.

Alister sat for a moment, if that was all it took to get him to sleep, I should have done that 10 minutes ago!

…8 years later; Summer. 3 weeks after Alistair's 18th birthday.

Yuri sat back against the trees shade, hiding from the summer heat, and the dark past events. "…I found you." Elda plopped down next to him, wiping her brown curls out of her 'face'. "…Are you alright Yuri?" The silver-ette didn't even turn his head. His tone was slightly vague, distant; as though he were deep in thought, "…No. I'm not ok." Elda put her hand on his shoulder, "Yuri, you're all starting to worry me. Alistair's completely disappeared, you're getting so jumpy…even Alister's clammed up and made himself scarce. Has he spoken to you at all? Have you heard from Alistair?!"

"…."

"Answer me! You must talk to me Yuri, or I can't help you!"

Yuri's tone hadn't changed at all, still strangely calm. "…Elda, something strange happened last night."

Elda leaned in, eager to hear more.

"I couldn't sleep last night, and I was up until late. I'm not sure when, but I think it wasn't long after the bell counted 12 that Alister came home." Yuri's shoulders tensed. "I knew he'd been getting up early and then disappearing for a few hours, maybe for a few days, but this time he seemed…strange." Yuri paused and shook his head, "No, not strange. That's not the right word. …He was scary, Elda." He shivered and wrapped his knees up to his chest.

"Alister, scary?" Elda echoed.

"Yes. I didn't' even see him, but I felt it. He's changed Elda. I'm not sure how,, or why, but when he walked in, I got this horrid feeling to run away. As though…as though it wasn't really Alister, but some sort of a monster."

"…Go on."

"He just came in, he didn't say a word or check to see if I was awake; and thank the Dealer he didn't. And then he just went to bed."

Elda frowned, "Yuri…are you alright?"

He rested his forehead on his knees, "Elda, something strange, something terrible, is happening to us. I wasn't just scared of him, I was mortified. The only reason I didn't get up and out was that the fear…it was crippling. Since the door shut behind him, the feeling only built up and up, like it was growing."

"What did you do?"

"The only thing I could; I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, which I did eventually. But…it wasn't a pleasant sleep. The dreams, they were madness! They were shattered and broken, but they were like torture! And then, it just stopped. The pain, the horrible, sickening fear: it all just stopped."

"And then?"

"And then nothing. When I woke up, Alister was already gone."

The clock tower counted out 7 o'clock. Yuri waited a moment after the last chime died off, "…I have to go." He left, without another word. Elda didn't even try to stop him.

The brunette girl stared after her friend, desperately wanting to do something, but unable to do anything. After he had vanished from sight, Elda hung her head in shame of her helplessness. She placed her head in her hands, and cried. The tears were silent, no accompanying sods or chokes.

She whispered, so quietly only the tree she sat against could have possibly heard her, "What's happening to us?"

That evening, long after dusk had settled across the city of Marmund, and as the bell tower chimed out 10 o'clock, Yuri Petrov gained his role.

He stared at the mirror, the door locked so the Demos' wouldn't see; not just yet. Golden eyes, so strange and yet so natural, stared back at him. He leaned over the sink and washed his new face, beads of water clinging to his new animal like ears. He looked back in the mirror, faintly surprised that so much had changed along with the role. Not only had he gained eyes, but his once pure silver hair was streaked and tipped with a dark, blood red. Large, fox looking ears sat on his head, replacing the human ears he had had, and a fully functioning tail whipped behind him, both following the same new colors as his hair.

There was a light rapping at the door, "Yuri…are you ok honey?" Honey? She hasn't called me that since I was 11….

Yuri couldn't lie to Marian, "I'll be right down Mom." There was a hesitation, but she left, if not reluctantly. Yuri sighed and looked back at his shocking new appearance.

How am I to explain this?

Mr. and Mrs. Demos sat around the table for late dinner, as Han had come home late today. Marian looked to her husband, worried, "Do you think he's going to be alright?"

"No Mom, I'm not going to be alright." Both adults started at the sound of the boy's voice, both whipping around to the doorway. Yuri wasn't there, but behind the door jamb, hiding himself from them.

Marian and Han automatically knew something was very wrong. Han took a step forward, slowly. "Son, something the matter?"

"Yes. Something is very much the matter."

Marian gulped and clutched the handle of the mug she was holding, suddenly scared by his behavior, "Yuri, is it Alister? Did he come home?"

"No, and he's never going to."

Both adults stopped in their tracks, frozen by what Yuri had just said. Han felt anger well up, "What in the name of the Dealer are you talking about Yuri!? Of course Alister will come home! He has to." This last part was whispered, uncertainty coating it thickly.

A thump was heard as Yuri apparently hit the wall, "No, Dad. He's not going to come back. I'm certain."

Marian was on the verge of tears; truth be told, since Charlie had died, tensions in the Demos house had been building faster and faster. And then, her baby had just started disappearing. It was more than a mother could bare.

She managed to choke, "Yuri, please, what are you talking about?!"

Unable to contain himself, Han stepped forward, and grabbed Yuri's arm roughly, dragging him into the open. He instantly regretted it. In the next moment, his back was against the wall in shock as he stared at Yuri. Because Yuri had a face. Yuri was a role holder.

There was a crash as the mug Marian had been holding shattered on the floor, the herbal tea spilling out to stain the hard wood floor.

Yuri looked up from his hands, his new, razor sharp golden eyes reflecting the light of the candle. "Mom…Dad…you need to leave Marmund."

Han still had his back against the wall, pale with shock. Marian stood gape mouthed on the other side of the table, tea staining the hem of her dress.

Han overcame his shock first, "Yuri…you…what-"

"Yes, I'm a role holder. This happened but a few minutes ago."

Marian could no longer keep herself in check; tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Yuri was across the room in an instant, hugging her, "Mom, please don't cry. Please."

Han stood, still supported by the wall, and then, the muddle of his emotions turned to words. "Yuri…how did this happen?"

Yuri stood there, letting Marian cry into his chest, but he looked up at Han. It was strange really, how much the presence of eyes changed a person's expressions. "I'm not sure. It happened quickly. But I do know this much."

He gently pushed Marian to stand at arm's length. He looked at both of them. "Alister is a role holder now to. And I have reason to believe Alistair is one as well."

Fresh tears fell forcefully down Marian's face and Han shook with his muddled emotions. Yuri wasn't finished. "And I need you two to do me a favor."

Both adults stood stock still for a moment. For a solid minute, nether responded. Marian dried her tears enough to speak at last. "What is it?"

"I need you to leave. Leave Marmund and never return."

Han instantly retorted, "Yuri, have you gone mad?!"

Ignoring the older male, Yuri pressed on. "You must leave as soon as you can, no later than by next week. Take Elda with you; in fact, take as many villagers as will come. Tell them the role holders are planning to destroy the village, tell them a flood is coming, I don't care what you tell them, just get them out. You must get as far away as you can, far away from this place."

"Yuri, this is madness!"

Yuri turned to his father, a hollow look in his new eyes, "No Dad. That madness is just beginning."

…

The Demos' left Marmund within the week. Elda, as well as about 40 villagers, left on the caravans one evening, but four days after Yuri's warning. One may suppose they to sensed the rising catastrophe that was about to swallow Marmund. They traveled far away from their home, before making a temporary nest near the Jokers circus. It was the closet almost anyone had ever been to the circus, but they knew it would be an ideal location to await news from Marmund. They didn't have to wait long. 5 time periods later, news that two unknown role holders, one aided by a ferocious beast, had battled over Marmund.

The one that had tried to protect Marmund failed. The great city was torn and burned to the ground, along with several visiting role holders and all the people that lived there.

That night was the last they ever saw Yuri, and they never saw Alister again.

IN CASE ANYONE DIDN'T CATCH IT, THE DEMOS' GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ESCAPED FROM MARMUND WERE THE ORIGINAL GYPSIES.

I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED THIS CHAPPY AND I'M REALLY SORRY THIS UPDATE TOOK SO LONG! PLEASE DROP A REVIEW, AND LOOK OUT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER!

OK, ANYONE WHO LIKES C.J WILL WANT TO SEE THIS! mizumi28 ON DEVIANTART HAS DRAWN A VERY NICE PICTURE OF C.J AND GUESS WHO! CHECK IT OUT IF YOU'D LIKE, AND IF YOU HAVE A DEVIANTART ACCOUNT, I INVITE YOU TO DO THE SAME! I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER!