Holy crap, Chapter Nineteen! Woohoo!

Who wants to learn more about this new Circle being people?!

Everybody?! Okay!

But first, I'd like to thank my readers and reviewers, who never actually cease to amuse me. :3 Seriously, you witty trolls. ;)

Gg180000: It is a bit like Hellcat, but he isn't sharing his body with a demon. It's just his more demonic sense given form. And yes. Yes, Douglas did get owned.

Mia-Teresa-Davenport: *Hugs?*

AllAmericanSlurp: As opposed to hating me forever?

"I'm very clever. :)"

RissA15: "Cookies?!"

Adam –

"I want some cookies!"

Someone stop him. Don't you have a bat, Douglas?

*repeatedly smacks the wooden baseball bat on his palm* "I'm on it."

Well? Were you right?

DisneyXDGirl: "In which case, I shall be off faking my death."

DarkestKing: It doesn't make them half-breed because…

Well, you'll see later.

Anywho, let's get on with it! Ferran?

"Zara doesn't own Lab Rats or anything you recognize. If you don't recognize it, it's probably hers."

"Without stories, we'd have even more trouble recognizing what's real."

Amy Neftzger, The Orphanage of Miracles

"Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides."

André Malraux

Chapter Nineteen – Aesop's Fables

Chase

I wanted to run that glowing asshole out of town.

I wanted to run him out of the friggin' country, for crying out loud!

Why run him out? Tear his head off and drink his blood!

Okay, I might not like him, but that seemed like a bit much. I just wanted him gone.

Which was why I was impatiently pacing on the back porch, watching the fence. He wouldn't show up for a few more hours, but I wanted to make sure I caught him. We couldn't spy on him without knowing where he lived, right? And that involved following him.

So, alone, I paced, waited, and watched, ignoring the slight itch that was becoming more prominent in my back as I forced myself to remain fully human in appearance. I knew that I was being a bit ridiculous, but I was determined to be there when the guy came again. There was no way that I would allow him to get away with whatever he was doing. He tried to break in the night before, for christ's sake! I had to discover his plan before he acted on it. Who knew what it was? Krane could be behind it, for all I knew.

I growled and paced faster, wishing that the glowing man would come a bit early today. What was the hang up? He needed to get his ass here now.

Behind me, the door opened. I could hear someone step out onto the porch with me and close the door behind them, but I didn't pay attention to whoever it was. I was busy. Couldn't they see that?

Suddenly, hands caught my shoulders, stopping me in my tracks. "Stop pacing. You're driving everyone crazy."

Break his hands, my voice hissed. How dare he touch you?

I sighed and shook Mr. Davenport's hands off gently. "I can't help it," I mumbled, glaring at the fence and leaning on the porch railing. "I want to know what that guy is all about."

Mr. Davenport leaned on the railing beside me, nodding his head. "You know, that guy has us all worried. It's not just you who's bothered by all of this."

I sighed. "I know."

"Also, I think Douglas might have tried to confine you because he thinks something is very dangerous about the guy. I know he's a little extreme about things, but he has his reasons sometimes. Maybe he knows something we don't."

I shot Mr. Davenport a sideways glance. Honestly, Douglas and I hadn't talked since I got the key from him and freed myself, and I had no intention of being the first one to break the silence. If he wanted to keep secrets, then let him. "He can't keep me here. Besides, I don't know what his problem is. It isn't like I haven't gone on spy missions before, and he knows that I can control myself. I don't get it. Also, if he knows something, why doesn't he just tell us instead of keeping it to himself. It would make more sense."

Mr. Davenport just nodded again, looking at the fence. After a long pause, he sighed. "Have you ever heard of Aesop's Fables?"

"A couple of times," I answered. To tell you the truth, I hadn't spent much time on fables as a kid, preferring instead to read books regarding astronomy and the like. You know, things that were actually real, rather than stories for children.

Mr. Davenport looked at me as he continued. "Then you've heard the one about the fox and the goat?"

I shook my head.

He sighed. "I should've told you kids those stories when you were little," he mumbled. He then looked at the fence again. "One day, a fox fell into a well and couldn't climb out. After a while, this thirsty goat came along and found the fox. 'Hey,' he called down, 'is the water any good?'

"Now the fox hid his predicament under the falsehood of cheerfulness. 'The water is very good,' he praised. 'The best I have ever tasted! You should come down here and taste it yourself!'

"The goat, thinking only about how thirsty he was, jumped into the well without thinking. When he discovered how they were both trapped, the fox suggested an escape plan. 'You rear up and put your front hooves on the side of the well,' the fox said. 'I'll run up your shoulders and climb out. Then, I'll help you.'

"The goat agreed and did as he was told. The fox jumped onto the goat's back, climbed safely out of the well and ran away as fast as he could."

"What a jerk," I interrupted, snorting.

"Beside the point," Mr. Davenport informed me. "Anyways, when the goat complained at having been left behind, the fox turned around and cried, 'You fool! If you were half as smart as your beard was thick, you would have searched the well for the way out before you jumped in.'"

Mr. Davenport went silent for several moments, so, wanting to hear the rest, I poked him. "Well? What happened next?"

He smiled a bit. "That's the end. It's supposed to teach you a lesson, not entertain."

I frowned. "What kind of lesson?"

"Can you really think of nothing?" Mr. Davenport pressed.

I sighed and leaned on the railing again. What did it mean? A fox tricking a goat to get out of a well seemed like a creative tale, but nothing relevant. The goat was stupid for jumping into a situation without any way to get out.

Wait: That was it, wasn't it? The goat shouldn't have jumped into the well without thinking it through. Stupid goat.

Another realization snuck its way into my mind. Looking at Mr. Davenport, I frowned. My voice was very quiet as I asked, "If I go after this guy without learning what Douglas is so afraid of, I would be the goat, wouldn't I?"

Mr. Davenport shrugs. "Maybe. Maybe he's just being paranoid. But it wouldn't hurt to ask, would it?"

I shook my head. "Probably not."

We stood together in silence after that, just watching the fence. It was kind of nice, to be honest. No one was discussing worrisome things or squabbling for a moment. We were just content to stand there with one another. How long had it been since any of us had been able to do that?

Of course, who would mess it up but loud, overly-excited Leo?

He threw the door open behind us, almost shaking. "Hall is crazy!"

"Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him."

1 Samuel 16:14 ESV

"Mean people don't bother me a bit. Mean people who disguise themselves as nice people bother me a whole lot."

Unknown

Bree

Leo was barely making sense. Apparently, whatever Hall did was incredibly unnerving. Something about demons, new Circles and humans? It was all very confusing. Even Douglas – who had the greatest chance of understanding whatever Leo was babbling about – looked incredibly confused.

"Stop," Chase growled, holding up a hand. He had finally left his obsessive pacing behind on the porch to hear Leo speak nonsense. He had his ears laid back a bit, the tip of his tail twitching. "Think about what you're trying to say, and say it when it makes sense."

"I agree," Bree seconded, nodding towards Chase.

From Adam's good shoulder, Yahn tilted his head. "Humans are a Circle? What are you going on about?"

Oly jumped onto the coffee table in front of Leo, who was sitting on the couch. "He's gone mad," she cooed, feigning sadness. "We need to put him out of his misery."

Tasha popped Oly behind the head from her seat next to Leo. "Stop it." More gently, she took Leo's hand. "I knew this spying thing would turn out bad."

Adam frowned and patted Ysthry's head, who was perched on Leo's shoulder. "Can you explain it?"

Bree rolled her eyes. Why would Adam trust a demon to be able to explain anything without twisting it around mischievously?

Ysthry, however, nodded. "Summoner Hall and Master were in a Summoner's Circle, while some strange man was in the Summoning Circle. When Hall summoned an imp – Rathaz, I think his name was – the imp was bound inside the man rather than the Circle. He started to glow and complain about Rathaz chattering inside his head.

"He started glowing?" Douglas asked as Chase's eyes widened.

Ysthry nodded. "Like a small candle that was lit."

Chase perked his ears. "Demons cause people to glow," he began slowly. Then, he frowned. "Who in their right mind would let a demon into themselves willingly?"

"Sounds like you, Half-Breed," Oly teased. "Doesn't a voice whisper in your head?"

Chase pinned his ears. "I don't have a demon in me," he huffed. "I simply have a voice that won't shut up."

"Of course that's it." Oly rolled her eyes.

Chase let out a low growl, but Douglas silenced the two with a look. Now wasn't the time for petty demonic squabbles. "So humans can invite demons inside of them?"

Leo gave Douglas a look. "I don't know exactly, but I think so."

"And it makes them glow?" Yahn pressed, tilting his head.

Leo nodded.

"And the guy that tried to break in – twice – glows," Tasha added, helping to list out the facts.

"Then he has a demon inside of him," Oly snorted. "Way to keep up, mortals."

"You can't stand Ferran," Douglas stated, ignoring Oly as he nodded at Chase.

"Can't stand that glowing guy, either," Bree snorted. This was just going in circles. Who cared if the guy who tried to break in was, in a sense, "possessed?"

Chase suddenly jumped up, his eyes blazing in anger. "That guy has Ferran inside of him!" he snapped, his tail lashing. Bree found herself looking to see if Chase had randomly sprouted claws. He looked like he was about to, at least. As for Douglas, he looked a bit relieved for some reason.

"So our little thief is really some guy that has an imp named Ferran bound inside of him?" Adam asked, frowning.

"Ferran's a djinni," Yahn corrected gently.

"A stupid djinni," Chase muttered, crossing his arms.

"Then that man must be connected to Hall," Leo realized slowly.

"That would explain how the guy got Azazel's Bane," Douglas mumbled.

"But why would this Hall person target us?" Bree found herself asking. It made no sense. Some guy they had never met was working to get someone inside the house to do…well, to do something. Whatever the reason, it couldn't be good.

Leo shrugged. "I don't know. This is the first thing he's done that apparently has anything to do with us."

"Then we're back to square one," Oly declared. "We follow the guy while you stay close to Hall."

"No," Douglas suddenly said. Everyone looked at him, Bree even raising an eyebrow in question. He sighed before elaborating. "Hall might use you for his strange demon experiment." He pointed at Leo. "It's time to get out of there."

Tasha's eyes widened. "We agree on something? The world must be ending."

Douglas shot her a look. Apparently, he was still sore about being tricked out of his key the night before. However, he nodded in agreement. "The world might actually be ending, if Summoners have the power of demons locked inside them to use themselves."

Leo didn't even protest. "Awesome," he said. "I don't ever want to see him again. He's deranged."

Bree couldn't help but agree. Keeping a demon inside your body seemed like someone was inviting trouble. Could someone even control a demon inside of them? Who could say that it wouldn't find some way to corrupt the person?

Wait; was that what happened to Chase? Did a demon corrupt him, turning him into a being that fully belonged in neither world?

Bree shook the thought pattern off. It was immensely frightening. However Chase managed to change, it didn't matter. It was done now.

"Then it's on us, Half-Breed," Oly spoke, bringing Bree back to the present. "Let's find out more about the idiot who is keeping Ferran inside of him."

"And kick Ferran's –" Chase glanced at Tasha, who was shooting him a pointed look. Censoring himself, Chase finished with a weak, " – tail."

Well, that would explain why Chase hates that guy so much!

And it looks like Leo's done with his mission. Good job, Leo; hit the showers!

Still wondering where Krane is? Well, I could tell you.

But I'd rather you read it. :D

So feel free to review. Or don't. I don't give a flying fuck. I don't give a landed fuck. It's your decision. :P

And enjoy.

*Bows and exits*