Me: finally, chapter again! So sorry, life is cruel, and write in turn becomes crueler.
Mushra: stop being dramatic, just say you got busy.
Me: well…not got busy, got preoccupied.
Mushra: …*facepalm*
Me: even if it was a wait, hopefully the chapter makes up for it. I hope you all enjoy! Also, for the changes in POV, I will continue to seperate with - I I I - to indicate changes of scene and at times, scene and POV. But I assure you, unless the story needs otherwise, the point of view will only be Jaden's or third person. Hope the POV's are clear, let me know if they're not.

Chapter 2- The Next Step Is Ahead

What are we now….what are we now…?

The claws—I watched them, very aware of how it was me curling and uncurling them. I felt them extend and retract, and despite the pain, I could only continue now and again. These claws…they were mine. They belonged to me…whoever, whatever I was now.

I looked to my sibling, my friend, and the stranger that I could almost wonder if she would be bonded to us for this. As my gaze cast on the Enterran's once more, settling on Sago, I suddenly felt a lurch in my stomach, and I ran for the apartment.

Nearly stumbling as if I hadn't used my feet in weeks, I found myself on my knees on the ground once I finally found the bathroom. It was simple enough, no tub, just a shower, toilet, and sink. Crawling to the toilet, I opened my mouth that had suddenly gone dry. My stomach lurch again, like it was trying to chuck something from my stomach and up my throat. But all that came as a gasp first. It wasn't as if I didn't have anything to up-chuck, but as if the torment of gagging up my meals suddenly turned into the worst headache ever.

I curled up on the ground, grasping my head and trying to massage it, apply pressure. Why, why was I this… I could faintly remember, like a dream, the nights and days spent night-time-imagining and day time writing just how I might become a part of this world, how I might become one of them. It had been something I'd once wanted. And sure, since I'd arrived, I'd again thought of it, but didn't believe it possible. And this…this, no matter if it made it possible, it never should have been, I felt. Something I wanted so much should not have to cause me so much pain, stress, and turmoil.

The knives, the needles, the liquid. I felt the lurch again, and raised myself quickly to the bowl, this time releasing half of Kutaal's meals.

I could hear others finally entering the house, hear some of them calling for me. The weak call of my sister, Heather, even Sago calling. But I didn't call back; instead I just pushed myself halfway in the shower and curled against the wall. Thoughts running as if from a distance from my actual understanding, my head dropped and I started pulling at my clothing, looking over my body then, noticing the wounds. They were almost gone, it looked like. The scars on my arms were apparently, and I still felt faint pain like an ache, but it was almost barely noticeable—more like the ache of overuse than of injured pain. The most noticeable wound was the one in my right shoulder and I reached a clawed hand to run over it. It was tender around the edges, where the skin seemed to cling to it. I swallowed back bile, not even wanting to wonder how or why it clung like that.

"Jaden…"

I looked around the shower curtain, and saw Heather standing in the doorway. We stared for a moment, before Heather entered, half shut the door, and came in. Just nearing the shower, she came to her hands and knees and crawled forward to join me. She curled near me, our forearms laying to touch as we hadn't the energy for any other sort of comfort.

"We're different, now…" I stated and my voice sounded weak. We heard others passing outside the bathroom, Sago stating his assumption that we were in there, and needed a moment.

"We've always been different." Heather pointed out, that strength showing through in her voice for a brief moment.

"…Not like this, though." I replied back. "…Were we meant for this..?"

Heather didn't answer for some time, apparently wondering it herself. But shaking her head and sighing, curling nearer to me, she finally did. "I guess we'll just have to see from here on out."

I considered this, and it seemed our only choice; only time can tell, I think the saying is. All I knew was time was going to test my view of this world. I still held it fondly, and I ached for the thrill and fondness to coincide once again. But the damage Parasite reaped would ache in my chest for a while, this I knew…

I I I

It was all I could do not to run. I had to keep reminding myself, where would I run? The best people to accept me, accept us right now, were with us. The guys, Binka, Kutaal, the kittens—they were endless support, from the moment they'd found us, to now. But I felt…restless, and jumpy. I couldn't bear the close presence of anyone but the three women who I related to most right now. And when the urge to run came again, I had to ask myself what I was running from, and remind myself once again; I was safe, here. With these Enterran's, these people I was safe.

All we could do, of course, was rest among them, under their watch, and with their presence. We slept coupled together, no point (or really, no determination-fueled energy) returning anywhere right now, and when we'd wake, we found food waiting for us. There was always food.

Nothing with utensils. I couldn't bare it, and the others didn't seem inclined either. And only water, the color of the other drinks made me remember injections of chemicals. I was still feeling guilty for the breaking of one of Kutaal's prettier cups that found itself shattered because the shade of the drink. Despite how much I knew I'd ate, that all four of us had, I was still hungry and they seemed to be, too. It's like our hunger had increased. I knew I was craving meat, of all kinds, Earth and Enterran. But that required sharp objects. So I stuck with Kutaal's soups and what little chunks of anything they might give. When I had my fill, or at least knew I'd ate much more than I usually would, I crawled back to a corner where Heather sat, picking at her plate with thigh-meat of some animal they never bothered to find out what it was and remember. Sometimes she tore strips and ate them, sometimes she didn't.

By now, the others had the good graces not to stare or worry too heavily. Some of them even went off to rooms, or like Xavier, back to his home. One of them was always here, though, at least one. Perhaps as an extra safety measure, just in case, or maybe it was just in case we needed something. It was a comfort and I didn't mind.

I really wasn't conscious of the time. It was more of an aggravation to even wonder or keep up with it. One hour could feel as if it seemed to be going as slow as a slug, but then the next hour, I would look back on the past two hours and be surprised, as if it now felt too quick. It gave me a headache. Or maybe it just aggravated me. Anything negative really didn't agree with me right now.

Currently, I watched over my sister, while she conversed with Alex, with worry and curiosity, and with a lazing protectiveness; as if I had to watch over her. She'd stood her ground, held herself up well against everything they'd faced in the past…what was it now? Had it been a week since the date night…?

The date. It seemed like another life, now. Or at least more like years ago than days. I tried to remember…the date ended, and Ryuma took us. He took us, and then we were saved. We were saved, and then he found us. He took us again, and we woke up in his palace. From there, we fought without sleep, without reprieve. Fought to find answers, fought to save ourselves, to save our friends. I looked to the other corner of the room, where a small screen we had originally assumed was a TV was located. It was more a receiver for any calls or messages or updates or warnings from other towns, we'd eventually found out. Mushra, Sago, and Kutaal had done so much work, with Binka, to ensure Enterra was safe. They'd traveled nearly the whole of this world that was free to travel for them once they'd been reunited with Mushra, and they wanted to ensure the innocents were protected, or that they could at least aid them in protecting themselves. There were a few times we'd caught them receiving video calls, seeing authorities or just friends in other towns or cities—I was sure I'd seen Clip and Bolt and the others once.

Standing by the screen was Mushra, looking over us now and again, but when not, he seemed lost in thought. I wondered what those thoughts were, simply because his face was twisted in such seriousness that seemed so rare for him. Heather took notice as well, I could tell, even if she barely watched him.

Suddenly, I heard shuffling near us, and my head shot up as my heart raced a bit quicker. I wanted to smack myself, though, yell that there was nothing to fear, we were safe. The shuffling was only my sister as she scooted and crawled toward us as Alex went to another room, I assumed to the bathroom.

The life in her face warmed by heart, I barely noticed the longing in my chest to feel that same life. It would come to me, to all of us, again. And of course, she wasn't nearly recovered. But I think her recently bloomed strength was probably a large factor. I leaned a bit forward as she finally settled across from me, us creating three fourths of a circle.

"When we return home, we're bringing Alex." She stated to us, her voice sure.

I made a look. That seemed obvious—the woman's been trapped here for some time, of course she wanted to return to Earth. I nodded. "Of course. We'll bring her back to Earth." My voice sounded a bit strained, but I really couldn't care.

"I mean HOME. To our house. To stay with us when we're there." She clarified.

Not that I had a problem with it exactly, but confused, I furrowed my brows. "Why?" I really didn't register if my voice sounded as neutral and curious as it was meant to.

"She doesn't know a thing about Enterra. All she knows is what she's experienced since being kidnapped. I was…thinking…about if we should…show her." Winter reasoned, settling into a relaxed position, but the look on her face was hesitant, like she was unsure.

"Show her…?"

"The TV show. You know…let her watch."

With that my brows raised. Even just imagining it made me feel iffy. It was one thing for us to watch a show, and stumble into a place where it was apparently real. It's a completely different, and possibly harder situation if you stumble into the place first, then see it as a show. Would that even help the woman Alex?

"Winter…I don't…"

"I know. It could be…problematic. I know. But…I want her to see the good in this place, too. Who knows where she might end up, back home and containing what she is now, or here and out of her element…" she sounded sad at the thought. "I want to at least offer it to her…a chance to see what this world can be."

We'd just experienced the worst this world can be, and it has definitely left me questioning whether it was worth it to stay. But then, Earth had its own hardships, and we still endured there, because we had no choice. We had choices now…and I was very sure that from here on out, we would be left to really having to choose. Perhaps watching would do us all some good.

I rubbed my face for a moment, before nodding. I looked winter in the eyes, and noticed her blue green eyes seemed to be more icy among the blue flecks. "Sure. Of course she can stay with us. Just. Prepare her before showing the show. Make sure she understands, and wants to be exposed to it."

Winter gave a small smile, and nodded.

Footsteps were sounding, and I looked to see Alex returning, Mushra just glancing up and nodding when she passed and she briefly took notice. She seemed, in her face, to be in that state of numbness, but the look in her eyes as they settled on Winter—I could almost see that the numbness was like a skin she could shed at any moment. I wasn't sure whether I hoped it to be sooner or later for her. I guess it depends on how she could handle everything without that numbness.

She settled down by Winter, and her eyes cast to us and gave an indication of her head. I managed a smile, which surprised me.

"What are your names again? Sorry. I don't think I've…really been ingesting conversation…or words until today, with Winter." She spoke. Her voice seemed more strained in ways than ours, but she was pushing it to be level, even if the sentences took some time.

"Jaden." I stated, and my brief introduction (if you'd call it that) was followed by, "Heatherrrr…what's…meat, you've betrayed me…why you no taste good..?" Heather sounded very weakly disappointed and I heard her drop the plate.

The other woman nodded. "Alright, I mostly remembered them. My names Alex. Just in case your memories are as bad as mine right now."

It wasn't memory that was bad, we all new that; it was level of importance. But I wouldn't say that. I rolled my neck and felt it pop a few times. My eyes cast to my sister, who seemed briefly peaceful, as if having us talking, or perhaps it was my agreeing, had left her satisfied; if so, I was glad she could be so happy over such small satisfaction. Even if she seemed like she could easily curl up and sleep for days, as they all could, she seemed as content as we were able to be.

"So you guys are from Georgia?" Alex asked then, and I nodded.

"Mostly born and raised." I told her.

"Visited family, made friends, decided I wanted to live with friends and visit family instead for a while." Heather answered with a raised hand, strangely. "Former Californian. Is Californian a word? Yes it is."

Alex nodded, and could almost seem to laugh. "Same, though not California. I was visiting some close family, staying for a while, when I went on a dare-trip to that building…" she stated, gaze dropping as she seemed to be recalling things. Winter was relaxing, and I got the feeling she'd already been told this, if not in detail, then in passing.

"They forced me along when we found the way here." Winter commented, nodding towards us. "Only told me the story about its existence in the mansion when we were halfway there."

My arms raised to crossed over my chest, and action that seemed so normal yet foreign right now—I think it was due to the lack of activity with any of my body, much less my arms. "Yeah-and who exactly begged and argued and tempted a yes for us to go through the portal when we found it?"

Winter sat up a little at that. "Whose fault is it that I was so curious?"

"I was neutral ground during this." Heather told Alex. "Mostly."

I gave Heather a 'Really?' look. "Neutral my ass."

"Mostly!" She exclaimed almost animatedly, and it seemed to send a pulse through my body, as if my body had fallen asleep, and that pulse had tried to stir it into waking (just without the irritating, torturous fuzzy waking feeling). I shook my head, and could have sworn I saw movement from Mushra from the corner of my eye.

I watched the ground, wondering what that reaction was, and all I could think was that it was the familiar energy showing through from the familiar nature to our interactions and our general personalities, and stirring familiar feelings and reactions in turn, stirring it out from under the heap of emptiness.

I looked back up at Alex then, though. "Sorry, we interrupted. You were saying…?" I wasn't sure she wanted to go on.

But, after a moment, she did. "Well, on a dare, we went to a house and found a back way in." Heather sat up at that, and I leaned a bit more forward. A way in we didn't know about? "The entrance to the back way started in the trees, I think it was. It was a tunnel. I'd been dared to enter through there and see if I could find any evidence to give truth to the old story. They of course didn't come with me. I never found out what happened to them…when I'd be crawling in, their voices seemed to die down, and I could have sworn I heard the padding of their feet, felt the dirt shift and some fall from above me like they were walking…

"I didn't know how long I was in there, but as uncomfortable as it was, I was determined to do it. I wasn't sure they were there anymore, and if they'd believe me if I made it. But I'd do it anyways, just to prove it, even if only to myself. I didn't know how unstable the tunnel was, though. I bumped the wall the wrong way, almost completely through the tunnel, and it closed in behind me. I couldn't go back, could barely turn around, so I knew I had to go the rest of the way. There was a block at the end ahead, but I swore there was light…so I started moving rubble, dirt and rocks, the light almost blinding me, but I could only hope it was the way out. I reached my hand into the light, and…it was like a thrilling shock, not exactly painfully, but not entirely pleasant—it pulled me, unwillingly. I was falling, it felt like it was never ending, until I was tossed onto the ground." Alex swallowed, a hand moving to wrapped around her implanted arm.

"I was wandering through the woods, down a hill, and into a camp of…what seemed like…like monsters, or just freaky, unnatural creatures. I was surprised, and a little freaked, so I ran for it, and for a while, I never stopped. It was only when I made it to a town, that had some normal looking people, that I tried to figure out was going on." So that's why she seemed a little uncomfortable with Kutaal. "They were so confusing, though. They talked about an Enterra, I didn't know what that was for sure, though I recognized the terra in it, and I know that means earth. I didn't know what to make of it. I wasn't even sure what that light I'd gone through was, for sure. I focused on talking to this woman. I asked about the creatures she'd seen, and she seemed confused. She ended up bring me to more of them, and I ran again, she seemed so annoyed that I was so clueless, and they…they called me a freak. Eventually, I made it to what I thought was ruins of an abandoned town…that's…that's where…he…" she swallowed harder than before then, leaning forward to hug herself.

"He took you." I finished for her, and the vision of Parasite's card floating in front of me passed through my mind. That desire to slash it was still there, and seemed to pulse now with rage of what she could only imagine Alex was put further through. She had been with him longer than they'd been.

She nodded. "He tested me, mostly, before you guys came. Talked and bragged a lot. I barely understood a thing that was going on, only that he had gems and he said they had power. And he had forms of DNA of rare creatures. It confused me, though." She looked at each of us then. "He…he talked about them, even named them, like they were foreign. Only one did seem foreign. Or fake, is more like it."

"What?" Heather asked curiously.

"A….wyvern, I think he called it? That's a sort of dragon, isn't it? In fantasy stories and games?"

"Sorta, but sorta not. Think of it as the ape to our humanity, maybe?" Heather stated, and Alex briefly nodded.

"But then he talked about the hunter wolf, the sly snow fox, the white tiger—like, as if, those things were extinct! I know tigers are having a toll taken on their species, but…" she shook her head, brows furrowed. She looked to us then. "Things are different here…aren't they? There's…bugs, animals, that can walk, move, and talk like humans. And he talked about normal animals like they were a treasure…"

I bit the inside of my lip, but it was Heather that answered first.

"Things are very different. And we have one or two ways we could explain." She stated. "We could take a while of trying to explain and paint an iffy picture, or… Winter thinks we might be able to show you."

She looked from us, to Winter. "Are you going to tell me then, or not?"

Winter raised her shoulders. "Yes…it's just…a bit difficult to explain." She ran a lazy hand through her blond hair, but she didn't look to us, so she seemed to be trying to find the words herself. Finally she looked back to Alex, who was mostly patient. "We had sort of…information, and knowledge, of this world—beforehand. We knew about a lot of things, and we still wonder if its coincidence or fate, but…I was thinking we could show you that source of information, and maybe it would help you learn a bit more about this place, about what it contains, where it came from, the people in it, and…what good it can hold, despite the bad… If you want…?"

I notice she was still trying to be vague about that source of 'information and knowledge'.

Alex was silent for a moment. She had seemed to be following, up until the last bit, as if it didn't sit right with her. I didn't think it would. Being told that there was good in this world, after what she'd experienced, was probably farfetched. But she took a breath, sighed, and nodded. "…I think I could possibly, maybe give it a try…"

Winter smiled and nodded. She yawned then, pointed teeth showing, and stretched a bit, and I felt an ache of tiredness from that. The other two seemed to be infected by her yawn, and as I yawned, I (eventually) said, "Maybe…we should sleep…before we get to doing…anything…?" I stretched, too, feeling my claws briefly extend. I looked around the room, noticing Sago entering and talking with Mushra. They glanced our way only a few times as I heard the girls settling, and I was decently sure about what those glances were for; the 'how are they doing' look from Sago, and then from Mushra, the 'well this is what I've seen so far so take from that what you will' look. I just really didn't have the energy to care as I would otherwise.

I curled up with the others, pretty sure I ended up using Winter's arm as a pillow and Heather's as a cuddle object once I got settled enough to be in the numb-and-falling-asleep spot. And then I went under, fully remembering just at that last moment where I could feel myself slipping, that going under like this was just like being put under by Parasite…

But I was completely under before I could do anything consciously. And I was floating in darkness, remembering the sting of the pain, being pulled and poked and jabbed—and the searing pain in my arm… Oh god, it hurts….it hurts!

"It…h-hurts…!"

I heard my name faintly in the distance, and as quiet as it was, I heard how desperate it was. And it grew louder, and I heard Heather's name, too.

It hurts!

I woke then, the pain so real, and present in my arm and I looked…to see blood around the implanted jewel, the jewel still faintly shining through the blood. And then I felt a cold sting in my hand and looked as I yanked, to see that Winter was grasping my arm, her touch chilling my wrist.

My claws where out, and bloody. I yanked my hands free, and looked over her, and the other two women, Heather looking worried, Alex looking freaked as she shrunk back against our corner. None of them were bleeding, though Alex looked like she had aggravated scraps.

"D-did I?" I asked her, but Heather pulled my attention away.

"We woke up to her having a nightmare. She was scratching herself… And you…" she stated, and nodded to my other arm where the wound implant was… I did that to myself? The pain in the dream… even though I could see bits of the smaller scraps healing, the sight of it still put me off… Mushra and Sago, and even Binka and one of the kittens were in the room, watching us worriedly. They all seemed as if they had tried to make their way towards us, but had hesitated.

Then I heard the crackling, strange noises… I looked down…The ground around Winter was frosting over…but around me, it's like I was singeing the rug.

"Are we…doing this…?" I asked, though my voice sounded far away from me as I looked at my wrist and rubbed it to warm it, feeling the sting in my arm and hearing Winter apologize.

"Your powers seem to…already be showing themselves. Your powers come through in your natural form, like me." Sago stated, coming a step closer.

"Why are they coming out right now…? We're not attacking." Winter asked, looking at her hand and my wrist. I shook my head, as if to tell her not to worry, but I was still rubbing my wrist to warm it.

"Parasite's experiment," I shivered when Mushra said his name, and I was very sure the others reacted similarly, "was still that; an experiment, which means it was experimental. It wasn't perfect, and who knows what his work brought forth. You're…half and half now." He took a step closer, watching us worriedly, and I hated how he looked at us, how they all did. "Half human because that's what you started as, but half some slightly advanced version of what we are, Enterran…"

"Advanced, how…?" Winter asked.

"We considered this." Sago said this time. "Where there are some of us, like Kutaal, whose forms aren't like what you know as human, they're humanoid animals from your time. From what we got out of Parasite, and what we found in that wreckage, AND what you've been able to tell us or talk about…I think he implanted you each with some sort of animal DNA. That's why you have sharpened teeth, and claws. There have never been any Enterrans, that I've known of, that have been able to be both humanoid and animal. The only thing close are Rusephine's people, and they could be more avian people than they are part animal. And not all Hyper Enterrans can use their element without Hyper Forming. Some can't at all, others can mature into it. Whatever he's done, he was trying to make you four into something unprecedented."

"Great." I muttered, putting my hand to my face, before I felt the blood, and yanked the hand away. And with the jerk, fire spurted towards the ground. It only singed the rug, but even so. It had made Winter jump. "So we're cursed with this shit we can't control!?" I asked, angry and panicked, feeling my body warm up a little.

Sago raised his hands as Mushra stepped closer and said, "Look, guys, it'll be alright. All this requires is control. It's that simple."

"Simple? You think any of this is simple?" Heather asked with aggravation clear on her face, and I looked to her and noticed it was like she was…draining light around her—no, she was just giving off a dark energy.

I felt my hair on my arms prickle, but I was unsure why, as I shook my head.

"It'll be alright, just stay calm." Sago stepped closer, and that's when Winter stood.

"How are we supposed to stay calm!?" she demanded, ice crackling across the ground, reaching one of the windows and shattering it. She backed away from the shattering glass and ice, shrinking back a bit when she realized she'd done that.

I stood and pulled her to me, feeling how cool her skin felt.

Sago stopped advancing for a moment, but he still looked to all of us empathetically, arms in an open and welcoming motion. "I'm sorry, I know that sounds easier said than done. But we're here, we can help you guys."

"How are any of you supposed to help us when no one in this room understands what we're capable of?!" Alex asked then, and I glanced to her, noticing her eyes seeming alight, almost electric blue, before I looked back to the others and she continued. "What can you do to help?"

"Whatever we can." Mushra retaliated to her tone and lack of faith.

"Well excuse me if that vague statement provides no comfort." She returned and I sighed as Mushra seemed to get aggravated.

"Well at least we're trying to do SOMETHING!" Mushra ended up spitting her way, but I felt the accusation, and knew it was meant for all of us, and my eyes narrowed as Sago put a hand on Mushra's shoulder. I let go of Winter and I moved to stand straight across from Mushra.

I stared him down, and from how the others all watched me, I wondered how I looked to them—freakish, unlike myself? I know I turned my head, like an animal observing, but I never blinked, and I'm sure my features and body language held rage… It became apparent when I smelt the faint smoke. "… So sorry, Mushra… Are we lazing about in your home?"

He sighed. "Jaden, I didn't mean—that was—"

"I'm sorry we're not to full, perky energy you boys are used to."

"Jaden, you know we don't actually blame you—" Sago began as calmly as he could, but I kept going.

"I'm sorry we're just taking up space, maybe we should leave!" I took a step closer, and I could faintly hear the girls say my name behind me. I didn't know why until a string of fire whipped out, straight in the directions of the guys, and the flame slashed across Sago's arm, and his yelp of pain made me nearly stumble backward. "S-Sago, I didn't…didn't mean…I couldn't…" I stuttered so quickly and turned, heading for the door, backwards.

He heard he make a pained noise, but he spoke through the pain, and I barely looked to see he was trying to hide the reaction of pain to reassure. "I know, I know… We don't blame any of you. Mushra—we all, are just frustrated, because we want you to be better. And we know there's not much we can do, but as your friends we want to."

I could only stare—his sleeve was singed, and I could see at least a four inch burn through the blackened blue cloth. "I'm sorry…"

Heather spoke up then, and as she did, I saw she was pushing for the other girls to join me near the door. "We have to go…for a little while. Back home, to be…away from here. To recuperate. And get some sort of…control…and just…something back…"

"You don't have to leave…" Binka spoke up then, looking sympathetic, and I look away. "It's alright, you think that's the first time Sago got burned? You shoulda seen what my rocket shots did... And those were on purpose."

"We'll… We'll be back." Heather said, despite Binka's attempts.

"Whatever you guys feel you need to do, you don't have to leave us to do it." Mushra offered, and it left me wondering why they wouldn't just let up. Then it came to me, maybe they were scared about what would happen if we left.

"What do you expect us to do here, now?" Heather countered then, sounding serious. I looked to see her standing her ground, not seeming angry, just adamant. "All we do here is sleep, rest, eat, and wallow. And then repeat. We're barely getting better, other than talking, and until this moment, we only feel like we could briefly talk to each other because anything we need to talk about only makes sense to us, or is important to us, and we just can't handle feeling like we're cradled helpless children by talking to you guys right now. Really Mushra… what do you expect us to do…?"

Mushra, and the others were silent for some time, Mushra turning and shaking his head but seeming to think it over. I couldn't even look at Sago, but I could tell that he was still holding the burn… It was Binka that spoke up then.

"Alright. We can understand that…"

I looked to Heather and the other two, considering leaving. We just needed to be home. We needed to be away, we needed to fend for ourselves, and we needed to not feel like we were being baby-sat. We…needed to find a little bit more of our former selves again. I knew I just couldn't be here, for that reason, and the possibility that if we got emotional, as little as we just did, I couldn't bare hurting any of the others. Especially the kittens…

Mushra once again spoke, but he seemed to have calmed, except for his eyes. Those blues held intensity, barely disrupted by the purple locks that still fell over his crown. "We all have answers to find…I can agree on that. We…all have things to face, to understand, and to get to the bottom of." We could agree to that, and I nodded as he continued. "I feel as if something is pushing what's happened; with everything that's come to pass… I can just feel it. And we need to find out what's pushing visions, and memories, and all of this, before we're pushed too far." He looked over the four of us then, considerably. "You four have your own answers to seek and define, I understand that…and you should do so."

We nod to him, and Alex moves and opens the door.

"Best of luck to you girls." He stated with forced hopefulness, raising his forearm like a fist pump. His smile showed true hopefulness, though.

"And to you guys, too. We're just a phone call away." Winter stated, and I tried to ignore how that was a little too reminiscent of the last time we tried to go home on our own.

We head out of the apartment, me keeping close to Winter as we head down the road, though she steers from it for a moment.

"I need to go see Xavier—let him know." She states, heading towards his smaller apartment a few buildings down. I went along with her, Heather and Alex slowing their pace, and I assumed they were stopping, they weren't following us.

As we arrive, Winter knocks just before entering, not waiting for him to come answer and I just took that as being how they worked by now. I still stayed close to Winter, as we waited just beyond the door, but went Xavier didn't come, Winter called.

"Xavier…?" she called softly but loud enough to be heard.

There was silence, a shuffled or bumping, silence again for about ten seconds before we heard him coming down the stairs. His hair seemed to cover his eyes more than I ever saw before, but then he as he raised his head a bit more, and his eyes zeroed in on Winter, it seemed to cover his eyes less. The smile crossed his lips, and he crossed the room to embrace her, his arms out, though he hesitated just as he reached her. I saw he smile and nodded, and they embraced. I smiled. It was nice to see again. As I watched their sweet little embrace, and looked over Xavier, I realized it felt like it'd been some time since he had come to the apartment. I wondered what he'd been up to that he wasn't there looking after Winter. But the other boys weren't CONSTANTLY there, either, so…

"How are you feeling..?" he asked carefully, seeming unsure and very careful.

Winter shrugged, still keeping in his embrace and keeping him in hers. "Not as much as my old self as I and…everyone else wants, but…for the first time in so many days, I feel hopeful."

He kept his smile, taking her face in his hands. I thought he was about to kiss her, but he hesitated, and then just but his forehead to hers. "I'm glad for that. And I hope for more, from that hope. My sweet Winter…"

She gave a strange laugh, as I raised a brow. I don't think I'd ever heard him call her that. I guess near-death experience with your girlfriend after your first date will do that; give you more names to call and more affection to give in new ways.

They seemed like they were inching towards a kiss, but it was taking so long, and I really couldn't tell…but if they were, I just sort of turned to offer privacy and I ended up bumping something on the ground. Muttering a shoot, because surely people can understand that embarrassment of making noise in a mostly quiet moment, I looked to see what I bumped to make sure nothing had been broken.

It seemed to be some small scale communicator thing, that I'd seen other Enterran's use, like their own sort of phones, with portable Enterran-Skyping. I hadn't known Xavier HAD one of those. Though, then again, maybe there really wasn't anyone who had to contact, like family or friends, so that would account for not having seen that.

I looked up to the other two, and Winter seemed to still be contently smiling, but I noticed Xavier had caught me, and was watching me with…a look that confused me. I got the feeling he didn't want me there. I gave a weak sheepish smile, raised my hands and backed out. "I'll wait outside as you talk…"

Slipping out, I sighed, and turned to the other girls, Alex giving a short wave and I walked over.

"She still talking in there?" she asked.

I nodded. "I think the Mr. to that Love-Bird couple didn't want me in there, though, so, I'll just wait out here with y'all."

She nodded, and as the silence went on and Winter still hadn't come out, Alex ended up striking up a topic herself. Good sign. "Soo…you guys said that, Heather?" she point to said person, who nodded to confirmation. "Was from Cali but moved here? And you grew up here?" she asked me.

I nodded. "Yup. Most my family lived here, including my parents, but in the process of so many family connecting with trips, between us and Heather, my parents got a thirst for the California life and decided to move up there. So they're sorta living close to her parents, living the parents-done-raising-their-kids dream. Which I'm glad for."

"So…your parents went on vacation and you guys are living the working life now?" Alex observed, and I laughed.

"We were, yes. But, uh… We've lost a few jobs…thankfully we saved up money on a few months keeping away from here, like no more trips, so that if we were ever here for some time, we still had bill paying money. But, eventually that's gonna run out."

"No jobs here?" she raised a brow.

"Well, yeah. Things aren't as screwed up economy wise here, though. We just go back and forth so much, we've never really looked for jobs here." I told her.

"We just steal from Sago's stash." Heather informed her.

"Sago is…?"

"Blue hair, blue eyes, blue everything." I informed her and she nodded. She seemed to be about to ask another question, when the door opened.

Looking to Winter, she exited without 'Sweet' Xavier, so I assumed she'd explained and said goodbyes inside. Still felt kind of weird that Xavier was inside, alone, not even wanting to say good bye to us either, but again, he was a bit introverted, I had to remember. I'd just let him be. As long as he treated Winter right, that's all I cared about.

"We ready to go?" I asked, and Winter nodded.

Looking to the others, who also nodded, we started making our trek home, Alex following and keeping close while still observing around with curiosity. I did truly hope that she could accept the show, and it could enlighten her. If not for her to enjoy this world and what it held, than at least to let it mend some of the wounds done on her.

Hopefully going home, and getting away, would mend things for all of us.

Hopefully.

I I I

Xavier had just entered the apartment, and was first greeted by Binka, who was just finishing a meal.

"Well, long days, no see. What have you been up to?" she asked him.

"Personal things." He told her a bit shortly.

She narrowed her gaze curiously. "Personal? Well…did you see Winter before she left…?"

"Yes." He spoke, again shortly, as he went to join Kutaal, Sago, and Mushra in front of the screen that was buzzing and beeping, splitting into a few screens. "Whats going on?"

"Oooh, Xavier, good to see you back around, boy." Kutaal stated, giving him a pat (slap) on the back.

"We're getting some entail from our allies in other towns near the Generals cities." Sago stated, but Mushra took over as some of the screens were starting to settle and clear, showing a beastly but thick looking Enterran, a young female winged Enterran and human, a few bots, and a few bug Enterrans.

"I don't really know that anything could be going so wrong with other Generals, but…the very fact that, through Ungar, Ryuma was able to be told memories and visions of his other past, and his grudge against us and Yakumo that he once held, as well as all other Generals… I can't help but worry whether or not he was the only one lucky enough to come by these facts." The fire Enterran state, turning from looking at Xavier, who stayed behind them and looking over shoulders as Mushra's attention was on the screen.

"Bolt, Exandria, Kahl, Gerran…" he said, as recognition of some of the others on the four screens. "Tell me anything that seems unsettling. Nothing is unimportant; if there's been a single disturbance, we need to know…something isn't right."

Mushra: BOLT, there's that old boy! Was wondering if you'd have him in again.
Me: duh, I love those bots. They'll be reoccurring now and again~
Mushra: as long as they don't steal my thunder.
Me: Mushra, if anyone does it, they're not stealing; they earned it and you lost it.
Mushra: You wanna go
Me: HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY, review if you'd like~