To JennyMikaelson: Thank you for reviewing! I haven't updated sooner because I was hoping to finish Chapter 16 before posting this . . . . And then I decided to post this anyway. I won't say if Mshiagi did or didn't date Pandora. Chapters 15 and 16 should enlighten the ties between these two. I haven't gotten much of a chance to do Stefan-Damon, since it's hard to find circumstances where it's plausible. You gotta love Kol!

To kadienewberg: Thank you! Actually, it wasn't intended, but Mshiagi ("He") and Caroline together might actually be amusing. I have somebody different in mind for him, though. Yay brother moments! Those silly boys and their aversion to affection make it difficult for me to find places to use it. Poor E.J.! The poor girl must be so confused.

To belladu57: Thank you!

AN: Even though I only got three reviews for the last chapter, I still appreciate every single one of them! No more promises, I'm sorry. College is coming up in two days (yikes!) and I can no longer guarantee updates. Your reviews spur me on to write, so please do! Really, I'm losing the drive for this story. Not the inspiration, but I'm not spitting out chapters like I was before. Please feed the starving author! This chapter is focused on Mshiagi ("He," for those of you who hadn't figured out that was his name yet) and his little group. P.S. It's pronounced mih-shee-AH-gee. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: In this chapter, I own Mshiagi, Mabel, Evangeline, Sven, Gerald, and the Other Place (the name not the concept). I also own the idea and the general plot, and I trust you all to take inspiration only. I do not own anything else, including Tatia.

Being trapped in the form of a box for sixty-five years could give one a serious backache, Mshiagi was discovering. He winced as he cracked his back for what felt like the hundredth time and stared up at the blue sky above him. He had not seen the sky for so long: he missed it. He had been able to see in his box form, but the girl had usually kept him somewhere dark and secluded. But even when he had gotten the chance, seeing it now did not compare to seeing it then.

He found himself wandering the streets of Mystic Falls curiously, oblivious to the stares he was receiving. Mshiagi did not know of the effect his mere appearance had on people, and really could never understand why women stared at him like they did. Yes, he did use mirrors from time to time, but he was a guy. A very old, very powerful one, but still a guy nonetheless. He really could not see what it was about himself that females found so attractive.

His thoughts wandered back to E.J., and he shivered. Now she was a beauty. So young and so innocent, and yet so deliciously pretty. Most would not believe that the Devil Hunter could be attracted to the opposite sex, but those who would think that really did not know what they were talking about.

His thoughts on the girl abruptly stopped when he remembered them, and his heart clenched. No, he could never love again. Love hurt and it never worked out for those he loved. He would not subject another innocent soul to a fate as the others had suffered.

"Master?" At the small, timid voice behind him, Mshiagi turned and his countenance immediately lifted when he faced the speaker. He would know her voice, and her presence, anywhere, but it had been so long that he could not be certain until he saw her face.

Tatia smiled at him, looking on the verge of tears. "We have looked everywhere for you," she told him softly. "Where have you been?"

Instead of answering, Mshiagi flashed forward and gathered the girl into his arms. "Are you well, princess?" he murmured to her as he stroked her hair.

Tatia laughed as she cuddled into his hold, reveling in the warmth that he gave off. No person on earth had an aura quite like her master's, one so warm and comforting. Mshiagi was a threat only to those tainted with the Dark, and that fact alone had made history remember him as a killer, a hunter, when that was not what he was.

"You never answered my question," she murmured into his shoulder. She was a few inches shorter than the boy, but, with her heels on, they were the same height. Mshiagi was not a tall fifteen-year-old, but that did not matter, Tatia knew. When being so near to him, she could feel the power throbbing within him and it made her shiver. It was so easy to forget how powerful her master was until he touched her, and then she would remember.

"In brief," Mshiagi replied, finally pulling away to look her in the eye, "I was turned into a box, and my presence no longer sent out beacons to you all."

Tatia stared at him, not quite sure if she believed him or not. "What?" she finally managed to ask. The boy cracked a smile and, instead of elaborating, took her by the arm and led her down the street.

"Where are the others?" he asked after a beat of silence. Having been off the radar for sixty-five years, he knew very well that his children had most likely dwindled in number. The thought saddened him, but he knew that their lot in life was much shorter than his.

"We are currently residing in a small motel in a town a few miles away from here," Tatia replied, trotting along beside him obediently. "Did you know that Mystic Falls does not have proper accommodations for visitors?"

Mshiagi chuckled. "No, I did not, princess."

Tatia huffed. "Really! Is it not considered common courtesy to put travelers up anymore? Where did the age of chivalry go anyway?"

Mshiagi quirked an eyebrow up at the question. "I believe it disappeared with the Dark Ages, my dear. Need I remind you of why it is termed thus?" Although he could not see her, he knew that Tatia was pouting at him.

"Come, come, child," Mshiagi scolded lightly. "Do not behave thus. We must find ourselves better accommodations, no?" Tatia nodded eagerly, and Mshiagi sensed the movement.

"Once I make sure you and the others are settled in," the boy continued, "then I have some business to attend to."

Tatia scrunched her nose up. "Sir?"

Mshiagi's face had hardened, his grip on her elbow becoming unbreakable, and his normally calm aura had darkened considerably. Tatia withheld a whimper, her hand trembling as she reached up to run it through her short, spiked hair.

"Never you mind, young one," Mshiagi finally explained, his tone steely. An image of an immovable boulder came to Tatia's mind and she withheld a frown. It would not do well to upset her master when he was this angry.

"You have more important things to deal with," he finished, phasing to the Other Side with Tatia in tow to quickly move to his remaining protégés.

The reunion between Mshiagi and his remaining children was brief and to the point. Guardians were unemotional creatures by nature, and none of them were apt to act upon their feelings.

Mabel greeted Mshiagi stiffly, looking torn between relief and utter terror. Tatia could not blame the child. Although good in theory, Mshiagi had a hardness and a vibe about him that set people on edge. It probably did not help that Mshiagi went on to lecture Mabel on how she had allowed the power gap to become so wide. The girl's lips remained tight as she was railed on, and she never once raised her eyes from the floor.

Evangeline finally came to her sister's rescue and interrupted Mshiagi mid-lecture. Even with her being one of his own, it was a risky move on her part and Mshiagi's endless blue eyes sliced right through her. "What?" he snarled. Evangeline decided to back off at that point.

Sven and Gerald were both smacked on the back of the head and ordered to take the luggage outside. The two men looked whipped and confused as they did as they were told. Evangeline might have giggled at the sight, if it weren't for how odd the order had been.

"We are moving," Mshiagi said simply. He was not one to let his followers in on his plans, and this was clearly one of those times. Evangeline resigned herself to cryptic responses and bizarre orders for quite some time. She was relieved to have her master back, but she was also already weary of his oddness.

Taking shortcuts through the Other Side had never been pleasant for any of the Guardians. They still did not know how Mshiagi could phase between the planes, but they had learned to grin and bear it. When Mshiagi gave an order, it was not disobeyed.

"Why are we here, Master?" Tatia asked upon their exit. Evangeline immediately took off into the surrounding forest to retch, for she insisted that plane-traveling upset her stomach. Mabel stepped up beside Tatia and took her hand, making the elder woman smile, and glared over her shoulder in her sister's direction. Sven and Gerald stood there awkwardly, holding the luggage. Thankfully, the Guardians knew how to pack light.

"This is our new residence!" Mshiagi informed her brightly. "Do you like it?" Tatia stared at him. "I always have loved this era of architecture." He continued to babble to himself as he ascended the creaky porch steps and marched right through the door. Tatia had an uneasy feeling in her stomach as she followed after him, towing Mabel behind her.

Stepping inside was like stepping back in time. The grandeur of their new residence surprised Tatia and she led Mabel as she explored the house. Sven and Gerald stepped in after them and were already arguing over who should take the suitcases upstairs. Sven seemed to think that because he was older, Gerald should do it. Gerald seemed to think that Sven should do it because . . . . Actually, from what Tatia could hear, the youngest Guardian did not appear to have a reason.

"You might have been alive longer," Gerald protested, "but I'm older! You were turned when you were twenty-nine and I was thirty-eight. So, ha!"

Sven rolled his eyes and stomped up the stairs, holding only his own burden. Gerald seemed to accept the compromise, but yet still felt the need to grumble to himself as he marched up after him.

Mshiagi had disappeared, and Tatia wondered briefly if she should be worried. Her master certainly did not need a babysitter, but he was not exactly in his right mind. She sometimes wondered if living for so long had caused him to lose more brain cells than a person with a normal lifespan. It was certainly a plausible theory, but not one she would ever bring up.

She was interrupted in her thoughts by Evangeline stomping over the doorsill, looking pale but all over well considering she had just regurgitated her lunch. Mabel patted the space beside her, and Evangeline promptly plopped down and cuddled into her twin's side.

"I hate shortcuts," Evangeline mumbled into her sister's hair.

"I know, darling," Mabel soothed, running slender fingers through her sister's hair.

Tatia gazed around the first floor once more, wondering to herself just what this place was called. "Evangeline, where are we?" she asked. Evangeline had an aptitude for reading latitude and longitude and could usually tell exactly where they were at any given time. Somehow, she could even get as specific as the name of the building they were standing in.

"It is called the Salvatore Boarding House," Evangeline mumbled, barely audible. "And it's occupied by"—she jerked up and stared wide-eyed at her sister and her friend—"vampires."

Tatia groaned and fell back against the couch. She muttered under her breath, "Oh, joy."

The trail was a faint one, but Mshiagi was able to follow it as if blaring white arrows were lighting the way. His gaze wandered as he trotted down the stone steps, hand trailing against the stone wall to his left. "The cellar to the old Lockwood mansion," he murmured to himself as he continued deeper underground. "I am quite amazed it is still standing."

Without any preamble, Mshiagi blasted the wall directly to his left to rubble. He did not move or even flinch as it crumbled around him, pieces tumbling to the ground for a few seconds after the initial collapse. If another person had been standing a few feet away watching, he would have seen Mshiagi standing there and then the wall just spontaneously combusting itself. No one would have ever known the strange boy who looked like he was glowing from the inside out was responsible for the destruction.

Mshiagi stepped into the tunnel behind the wall and moved further into the depths of the underground. He could have taken more time to locate the original break, but he was not a patient person and it seemed just as easy to make a new pathway. It followed the same way until it met up with the original pathway and he smoothly moved onto it.

He picked his way over fallen rubble and loose stone without once looking at his feet. His gaze remained trained ahead as he neared his destination.

Abruptly, he reached a turn in the tunnel and came upon a small cavelet. He hurried up to it eagerly and peered inside. Sure enough, he could see his objective. He carried no flashlight but saw on the light that his body gave off alone. He could tone it down if necessary, or he could crank it up on high, which is exactly what he had done.

He could sense a barrier barring his way into the cavelet, but the power behind it was minimal compared to his and it vaporized when he stepped into the cavelet. He could hear screams resonating from the Other Side, and he smirked at what was probably the generator of the barrier. He took the few steps necessary to reach the coffin before him and giggled madly as he grasped it under the lid.

The resistance was far too much to be natural, and Mshiagi realized with a start that the coffin was enchanted. He had to close his eyes and focus, but he soon could sense the spell blanketing the coffin and keeping it sealed shut. He smirked as his eyes grew larger and bluer and his body began to pulse with his inner power. The spell around the coffin that was now clearly visible to him shuddered for a moment before breaking into millions of tiny little pieces.

Mshiagi triumphantly stepped forward and easily raised the lid of the coffin. He smiled down at its occupant and shook his head, tsking under his breath. He stood there patiently for several minutes, watching the figure in the coffin.

Finally, after nearly fifteen minutes, the woman gasped and sat upright, looking around herself wildly. When she saw Mshiagi, she screamed in terror and dove back down into the coffin as if she thought that would protect her.

"Come now, Esther," Mshiagi admonished, reaching in to forcibly remove the witch from her prison. "No need to act thus."

Esther thrashed and sobbed as she was manhandled, collapsing to her knees once she was released and putting her head low to the ground. "What do you want with me?!" she demanded between sobs, looking at her scuffed up and grimy hands instead of the boy standing above her.

Mshiagi sighed as he knelt down and leaned down to plant a kiss atop the woman's hair. The sobbing immediately stopped and Esther stared up at him, eyes wide and wet. His presence was so calming and his appearance so beautiful that Esther found herself relaxing as she lay on the cold, hard ground and lay her head near the boy's feet.

"There, there now, love," the boy purred mockingly as he turned gleaming eyes on the coffin behind them. "Do not go to sleep yet. I have yet to bring our companion."

Esther shuddered as Mshiagi spoke a single word, a word which traveled deep into the Other Side and compelled the ghost there to come. The wait was only a few seconds before a man suddenly appeared beside Mshiagi, looking agitated and confused, glaring at the boy.

Esther's head shot up and she stared. "Mikael?" she breathed in disbelief. The man abruptly tore his gaze from the boy and fell on his knees beside his wife, eyes wide with shock.

"Esther?" he finally managed to garble out. "What—? How are you—? You were dead!"

Esther smiled sadly. "Ayanna preserved my body," was all she said. Mikael might have said something if he hadn't been interrupted.

"Sorry to interrupt the happy reunion," Mshiagi piped up irritatingly brightly, "but I have a task for you both and I expect it to be done well." Mikael slowly tore his gaze away from his wife and stared up at the boy. All he wanted to do was hold Esther, but this child was not allowing him to.

Mshiagi met his fiery gaze and Mikael found himself falling deep into his endless blue eyes. "There is a girl I must protect," the boy began in a low, captivating voice that made Mikael think of a starlit night, "and your children are in the way. I want them removed from the picture."

Esther's expression became solemn. "I created evil," she said evenly, "and now I must destroy it—"

"Oh no, no, my dear," Mshiagi interrupted, "you misunderstand me. I do not want them dead I simply want them occupied elsewhere. Understood? Okay? You and your husband are to keep those silly Originals occupied so that I can remove the girl without having to kill any of them."

Esther's eyes darkened. "And why do you not want to kill them?" she growled.

Mshiagi quirked a pale-blonde eyebrow at her and giggled. "As you kids say nowadays," he quipped, "none of your business. Au revoir, devil spawn!"

With a wave of his hand, Mshiagi sent the two hurtling through the Other Side until they crashed back into the world of the Living on the front lawn of an enormous mansion.

Mikael groaned as he sat up and stared up at the mansion. "If that little pest thinks I am going to participate in this," he growled, "he is out of his mind." The last thing Mikael could remember was being staked by his least favorite son—who was actually not his son. Then all he had known was wandering in absolute solitude and how much he hated it. Now he was standing with his dead wife staring up at his children's mansion preparing to "occupy them elsewhere." If Mikael's sentimental side had not been toned down after centuries of hunting his own children, he might have passed out from the shock.

Esther huffed and stood. "We have a job to do, Mikael, chop chop!" Mikael stared after his wife.

"And why are we obeying?" he asked lightly as he fell into step beside her.

Esther's gaze remained focused ahead as she answered, "Because I need to rectify my error." Mikael made no argument as he followed after his wife.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

The Guardians had spent so long searching for their master, that they weren't quite sure what to do with themselves now that He was back. Sven and Gerald were engrossed in ESPN, watching some sport or another that Mabel hadn't bothered to try to figure out what it was. She and her sister had made a trip to the grocery store earlier, because apparently these vampires did not have much else in their kitchen besides blood. It had only been a little over an hour since their master had disappeared, and they were already beginning to feel lost.

Tatia had not been seen since then either, since she had holed herself up in her self-designated bedroom. The Guardians didn't know what exactly the hybrid was doing, but Tatia was not one for doing what was expected of her.

At that moment, the door burst open and Mshiagi was suddenly standing in the middle of the large parlor, brooding. Sven jumped in shock and hurriedly switched the television off, and Gerald leapt up and tried to make it look as if he had been doing something productive. Evangeline and Mabel came in from the kitchen where they were attempting to prepare dinner, Mabel wiping her soapy hands on a dishtowel and Evangeline trying to wipe the sweat from her forehead. They were not aware that using the oven when it was so hot was a very terrible way to cool the house down.

Mshiagi did not look at any of them as he swiftly strode over to the wine cabinet in the far corner of the room and began rummaging through it. "I have a job for you, Sven and Gerald," he called without looking up. Gerald and Sven shared a wide-eyed look, hoping that it wasn't some kind training exercise. Their master could come up with the most harebrained exercises that seemed to serve no purpose other than amusing him.

"Yes, Master?" Sven spoke up first, his voice timid. He slowly stood up and turned to face his master's back. He realized with a start that Mshiagi must have went shopping, for he was dressed in typical modern-teen garb. His windbreaker was dark blue, and his blue jeans were faded and quite possibly had holes in them. Now where would he have gotten any American currency? Sven thought to himself, hoping his master hadn't stolen. The boy's sense of morality was not the same as his children's.

"There are a few humans in this town I wish to protect," Mshiagi continued. "They are both heavily involved in the Dark, and it is not safe. They clearly do not know what they are getting themselves into. I want you to find them and bring them here, by force if you must."

Sven and Gerald shared another look. Their master had used kidnapping as a form of protection many times before he had disappeared. Tatia had told them that he had used it for centuries, as long as she had known him. Mshiagi seemed to truly believe in the "end justifies the means" philosophy.

"Are you sure that is wise, Master?" Sven asked almost fearfully. Questioning Mshiagi's decisions was inadvisable and sometimes downright dangerous. The normally obedient Guardian only did so because he truly did believe it was an unwise decision.

Mshiagi slowly turned and stood, facing Sven with a hard look in his eyes. Beneath his windbreaker he wore a simple black t-shirt with a picture of a thumbs-up on it. Where has the sense of fashion of young people gone? Sven grumbled to himself. Mshiagi's jeans did indeed have a few intentional holes in them.

"You dare question me?" Mshiagi growled, his voice taking on that steely edge that could terrify the strongest soul. His eyes grew bluer and his body began to pulse with power, although it was muted by the dark clothing. Sven had to turn his head away it was so bright.

"I mean no disrespect, Master!" Sven cried miserably.

Evangeline decided to step in and assist, something she did often whether it was wanted or not. "Random disappearances of humans could warrant police intervention, sir," she stated coolly. "It would draw unnecessary attention to this area if we kidnap even a few humans. I am not so sure that method is any longer advisable."

Mshiagi turned his gaze on her, and Evangeline took a step back in uncertainty. It amazed her just how dangerous the color blue could seem when it was Mshiagi's eyes blazing with power.

"Little girl," Mshiagi spoke in a low voice that sounded like rumbling of thunder, "if you do not step down and silence yourself this instant, I shall have to become very unpleasant." Evangeline had to use every ounce of her willpower to hold his fierce gaze. Her body was beginning to tremble and her legs were in danger of giving out beneath her.

Finally, she could hold out no longer and turned, dashing from the room. A door slammed as she escaped.

Mshiagi turned back to Sven and Gerald as if nothing had happened, his eyes now their normal shade of blue. "I gave you an order," he reminded them smoothly, his tone neutral once more. "It is your choice whether or not to obey it. But, if you do not, the punishment will be severe."

Sven decided that the humans' reaction was the least of his worries at the moment. He grabbed Gerald's arm and towed him out the front door. "We will be back as soon as possible!" Sven called over his shoulder, struggling to calm his frantically beating heart, as they disappeared out the door, pulling it shut behind them.

Mshiagi sighed and glanced over his shoulder in the direction that Evangeline had gone. "Stay here," he told Mabel. He looked as if he might go after Evangeline before he turned and flashed up the stairs instead. Mabel bit her lip, wanting desperately to go after her sister but terrified to disobey.

Tatia glanced up at her master's entrance and smiled. She opened her mouth to say something, but Mshiagi was suddenly in front of her, putting a finger to her lips. "I have a task for you," he said under his breath.

Tatia looked confused as she blinked up at him. "What is it, Master?" She could not remember the last time she had seen her master so nervy. He was shuffling from foot to foot and not looking at her. She noted his wardrobe change and was glad that he had thought to blend into the modern world. He did not always bother.

"I want you to find somebody," he finally said. "She is a vampire and she is currently in Chicago." Tatia raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I know, you were just there. I need you to go back and find her."

"You want me to find a vampire," she repeated. "Any particular reason?" Mshiagi only shrugged. "Do you have a name?" Mshiagi tilted his head at her and smiled.

Tatia sighed. "You do but you're not going to tell me?" Mshiagi's smile widened. "May I ask why?"

"You will know when you find her," was his only answer.

"You'd better get going, princess," Mshiagi said chirpily after a moment, bending down to peck her forehead.

Before Tatia could reply, he was gone. "He's definitely losing brain cells," she muttered under her breath as she trudged over to her suitcase to pack.

Mshiagi came back down the stairs, looking distracted. "Stay here," he told Mabel as he flashed out the door.

"Seriously?" Mabel muttered after he was gone.

Mshiagi easily sensed Evangeline's aura. He found her sitting on the ground with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her short shorts did little to conceal her body, and Mshiagi had to keep himself from staring. At least her t-shirt came up high.

She did not even glance up as he settled down beside her. "Hello, love," he greeted, putting an arm around her and drawing her to his side. Evangeline made a small noise and turned into him, pressing her face to his chest.

The boy clucked under his breath as Evangeline practically scrambled onto his lap. He had put one of his legs up, one arm resting atop it. He easily held Evangeline's weight with the other arm, staring out over the lake. He cocked his head, admiring its beauty.

Evangeline reveled in his warmth, his aura soothing her. Her master could be cruel, but he never failed to reassert himself as her father and creator. The Guardians might address the boy as "Master," but he was truly more like a father. He might technically be only fifteen, but his mind was millennia old.

She and the others stayed with him no matter how cruel he could be because they knew he loved them. He might almost never show it, but moments like this reaffirmed it. Mshiagi need not say anything: His mere presence did all of the talking.

"Your numbers have been severely reduced," Mshiagi said, gently disentangling Evangeline from him. He pulled her to her feet as he stood and began to lead her back to the house. Evangeline knew he expected no response and kept silent, waiting for him to continue.

"There are many here who have been touched by the Dark," Mshiagi continued. "And many of those have passed on." Evangeline slowly nodded when he glanced to her.

"And you are going to bring them back?" she asked mildly. One of Mshiagi's favorite things to do was pulling people from the Other Side and giving them a second chance at life as a Guardian. Mabel and Evangeline had not been turned that way, but Sven had. He had been attacked and killed by a vampire. Evangeline remembered the day that Mshiagi had brought the young man back and given him his second chance. Sven owed Mshiagi his very meaning, for he, like most who passed on, had not been at peace. Life on the Other Side was no life at all, and very few passed on to the Other Place, the plane beyond the Other Side where souls at peace passed on.

"We will begin once Sven and Gerald return," Mshiagi told her as they approached the house.

This would either be very good or very bad, Evangeline knew. If only she were psychic so that she could know which. Not all spirits appreciated being brought back.

AN: I hope it will not be long until I can update again! As I said before, reviews fuel my drive to write, and I could use it right now! Tell me what you thought. Give me some feedback! I know exactly where I'm going with this story, but I'm having trouble getting there. Thanks for reading!