Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks or any of its characters. I do, however, own my own characters and plots.

Chapter 39

The smog that enveloped the cursed Terra of Cyclonia hadn't cleared from the last time I visited, and probably never would. A scowl crawled onto my face as I merged into the crowd of Cyclonian soldiers, painting my human visage to mimic those around me. It wasn't entirely superficial, as I was fairly disgruntled I had to join them so openly in the first place.

I had flown into Cyclonia from below through one of the gaping tunnels, navigating my way closest to the supply house higher up. I had placed my ride aside in the darkness of a caged cavity where sordid water rushed underfoot, and from there I made my way down a connecting canal. Rounding the corner and turning inward again, I made my way further down and reached a rusted gate, bars melded into regular intervals of the concave walls. The opening of the gate itself was rectangular, slightly dented. Evidently it had been ages since it had been used, the lock completely demolished and the structure left to crumble. I passed through it absentmindedly to reach the ladder, the bolted metal pegs in the wall. Looking up, the opening that was supposed to be bare was obstructed by a grate. I climbed up the ladder with bubbling perplexity and I reached the top, cautious of anyone who could be close-by. This storage house seemed inactive, but someone had come by and fitted the twin-grate doors with a new, industrial padlock. I reached up and grasped the lock, my upper lip twitching back in irritation. I couldn't destroy it from my side, suspended over a sheer drop back down the well. I would have to come around and unlock it myself.

It was a real misfortune that business brought me to the Capital of Cyclonia, rather than the surrounding peaks where a great majority of the populace lived. It didn't do me much good to be so close to the Empress, and the source of all the smog was from this point, aggravating my senses. Before showing myself in public, I managed to dry off the boots of my filched-Cyclonian uniform so that I didn't leave puddles in my wake. I had taken a pair with the widest-fit imaginable, but keeping my toes so close together threw my balance off brutally. The red goggles over my eyes didn't make matters any better. I was cautious as I followed the flow of soldiers when I got to them, walking straight taking up the most of my attention. The supply house I meant to find was the easiest and most ideal means to get in and out, and it was down near the loading docks.

I had joined the crowd of twenty-or-so Talons outside of a boiler room I surfaced from, and it dispersed a little not too much later after that. We reached one segment of the dock and my mind was a little disoriented; I hadn't memorized the layout as well as I had hoped. I kept pace with some Cyclonians ahead of me, then when they reached their own destinations I hopped over to another group. I had to stay within someone's company or else I'd stand out as a solitary figure, a sight I wasn't fond of adopting. I tried to keep myself inconspicuous as I searched out the storage cell. I wasn't even sure if I was on the right level! I cursed the engineer who decided to lock up my path.

A pair of Talons carrying some cargo barked at me suddenly, and I was forced to spin out of their way. I let out a huff of annoyance and stumbled backwards a little, my equilibrium disturbed. I righted myself, but bumped into someone before I made further progress. The sudden contact had me shrink back from whoever it was. My heart dropped when I recognized the sinewy form of Snipe turn to address me.

"Watch where you're going!" he snapped. He regarded my narrowed shoulders and mistook it for nervousness. "You a new recruit or something? Who do you report to?"

"Uh, Command...er...," I struggled, caught off guard. He leaned forward and cupped his ear.

"What?"

His loud voice was calling over some attention. I briefly took in the number and straightened my back. "Commander Ravess, sir!" I raised my voice in turn. I posed a hand at my temple in salute. "I report to Commander Ravess. Excuse me for getting in your way."

"Ravess, huh? Too bad." He stepped forward, a bit too close for comfort, but I willed myself to keep my posture alert. He lifted his right hand and held his chin thoughtfully, thumb and index placed on the contour of his strong jaw. His other hand rested on his hip.

"Why does she always get the good-looking ones?" he said. His head tilted out of his hand, rendering it idle. He cast me a leer, smirking. "And you've got yourself a lil lisp, don't you?"

I didn't say anything, uncomfortable with the vibe he was giving off. Finding his question irrelevant, I tried to set up my escape. "She, uh, gave me some tasks to do. I really shouldn't keep her waiting."

"She can shove it. We're having a little chat."

I had stepped aside and anticipated his hand reaching out to stop me. Before he could grasp my right arm I slapped his furthest leg with my unseen tail. He tu rned away from me, his focus shifted and hostile. I left him in momentary bewilderment that lead to him accusing a nearby Talon for striking him. I deduced my tail left a pain worth justifying. No one followed me, or at least I hope no one did.

I finally found the supply house, having first spotted and recognized it from the level above it. I descended through a crude, wired stairwell and walked further along the next dock to reach it. I approached the door, gripped the standard bar for a handle and slid open a crack. I slipped inside and closed it behind me, searching immediately for the light switch on the nearest wall. The space flickered with fluorescence, though a bit dull due to infrequent maintenance. The grated hole was at the furthest corner, beyond the rows metal shelves that towered up to the ceiling, every surface covered with boxes. I assumed I was alone, as the lights weren't lit upon entering. The only sounds I could hear were the hum of the lights and the faint hustle from the docks.

Without a key, I wasn't going to open the entrance without decimating the lock. Farida had been coaching me on how to direct the energy in my body properly and I felt more comfortable with it. Regularly charging my Claws was essential for their health, so they didn't ache anymore as I curled them and warmed up. At the point I felt ready, I slashed down upon the lock, scratching the grates as well as slicing the shackle clean off. The body clattered down and shuddered at my feet.

I heard the door of the warehouse shudder, too.

My Claws' hum had fallen silent, thankfully. At the novel noise I hunched down into some shade, hiding behind some boxes. Waiting, I could only make out the ruckus outside. I craned my neck slightly to see past the shelf's contents but saw no one by the closed door. Had someone bumped into it, maybe?

I stood up and inched over to the edge of the aisle I was in, a little bit cagey. For a long moment, nothing happened. Then someone jumped down and landed heavily behind me and I recoiled, my heart flying up into my throat. I diverted the path of my backfist when I registered who it was, and exclaimed in a rasp whisper;

"Sweet Atmos, why would you do that to me?"

Repton straightened up, rolling his shoulders. His narrowed his eyes, and he harrumphed.

"So it is you."

"Agh, I thought I was done-for!" Maia shook her head roughly and proceeded to rub her arms. She was fully garbed in Cyclonian uniform without any indication that she was the Mail-Carrier. No bag, no collar with Atmosia's symbol, no Cloaking crystal. Then again, the collar and crystal had to be covered up with the concealing cut of the uniform. She now had a caramel complexion and dark brown hair, and her voice was tweaked with a lower frequency. Her lisp remained however, and when she spoke up in the dock he had identified her. It had been a little over a week since he last saw her.

She pushed back her goggles, leaving them on her forehead and revealing dark eyes. "Did you really have to sneak on me like that?"

"What's a Raptor got to do with some Talon? The sight's so odd, you don't want that kind of attention." He crossed his arms. "What business do you have in Cyclonia? This is the last place I expect you to be."

Maia looked over to the grated opening in the corner and moved over to it, more pressingly than he expected. There was enough space for her to do it without grazing him, so he merely turned as she went. She took hold of each door and lifted, not with entire ease. The one door propped on the wall of the corner, while the other was gently placed horizontal again. When she retreated, he thought he saw a glint of violet, but it was too brief.

"What other business would I have?" she finally said. She turned around and put her hands behind her back to cushion her as she leaned. Her one leg bent and propped her foot, resting her heel on the wall. She shrugged, her shoulders sagging a bit from what seemed like exhaustion. "I've got clients from all over; Cyclonia is no exception."

The relaxed demeanour irked Repton, and he asked pointedly, "Where is your mailbag?"

She bore her teeth slightly in a smile. "My stealth abilities aren't that bad. I can't walk around the place with it all willy-nilly." She withdrew one of her hands from behind her back and rubbed the back of her neck, sighing a breath through her nose. "I don't have mail on me... I was summoned here by someone."

"Here, at the Capital? There's no one else here to serve other than Cyclonis. An aristocrat, perhaps..."

She shook her head, laughing. "Could be, but I plan to be in-and-out as soon as possible. That's why I've got this thing opened up." She gestured to the opening inattentively. Her eyes watched him inquiringly. "And I'm assuming you've got your own business here. I won't ask you about it, but don't deny you do."

He returned her gaze with a hardened glare of his own. She was right, but he wasn't going to affirm it to her. Cyclonis had called him in for a debriefing of some kind, which he assumed would partly include further plots to capture the Oasium sisters. It eased him that Cyclonis still trusted him enough on that matter, considering he would know what to expect and how to divert it. He could simply send a letter to Nakoto.

"If I had known I'd bump into you, I would have brought a letter from Nakoto with me," Maia piped up, as if reading his thoughts.

"Is that so? Did you see her when you picked it up?"

She scrunched up her nose at the question. "Why?"

After a few days since sending his last letter, Repton could not wait for a reply. Under cover of darkness he flew to Terra Deep and entered the hideout, following Nakoto's instruction for traversing the depths. He had been detected, but he was not apprehended, instead greeted by Nakoto herself.

Repton searched for the right words to say, a little reluctant to be asking Maia of all people, but he wanted to know. "If you had, I wanted to know how she looked to you."

"I'm not sure what you're asking."

"I'm asking if she looked ill to you."

When Nakoto greeted him those days before, she did not look at all rested. She may have even paled, her scales less saturated, darker circles around her eyes. She was breathing normally, and from what he could tell she didn't seem to be in any pain. All he could detect was extreme fatigue, a lethargy he found himself slightly off-put by. She shook her head when he asked, assuring she hadn't caught anything, and joked that he wouldn't get infected. She did not address it as insomnia, which it appeared to be.

Maia chuckled. "Sorry Repton, but diagnosing Raptors isn't in my skill set. But as far as I know, she's not sick."

The Raptor King growled and cast his eyes away from her, glaring at some discarded hydraulics. Maia pushed herself off the wall and looked down her passage again, momentarily contemplating. Satisfied with whatever it was she spent thought on, she turned to him and pushed her goggles back over here eyes. There were circular marks on her forehead from the rims digging in.

"I'll have to stop by Bogaton with the letter... I'm not sure if arranging a rendezvous here would be the best idea," she said. She flashed him a small smile and winked, and since he was so used to seeing her do that mockingly he was only slightly affected by the charm. "Until next time, buddy."

Having no further questions for her, he let her leave ahead of him. He was presented with yet another opportunity to end Maia once and for all, but chose not to for the sake of getting that letter. He could not risk visiting Nakoto himself more than he needed to, not with Cyclonis' gaze so vigilant on Terra Deep. Maia was, admittedly, helpful in this regard, up until Nakoto decided to leave Atmos.

He noticed the body of a lock on the floor. He bent down and picked it up, regarding the cut made into the shackle of it. It was fairly clean, and still warm to the touch. It was a reinforced lock, requiring a powerful tool to turn it into scrap metal so easily. Maia must have carried such a tool on her person, so he assumed she wasn't totally unarmed in the Capital. He tossed the useless lock into the pile of hydraulics he saw before and made his own exit out of the supply house.

After sliding the door shut, he caught sight of a shadowy figure jumping from one level of the docks to the next, skipping the stairs. His snout wrinkled at the sight of the two Nightcrawlers, finding it odd that Cyclonis brought them home so frequently now, away from their errands in the outer reaches of the Atmos. He guessed the challenge of claiming the Oasium Raptors was a continuous endeavour that took a lot from Cyclonis' attention. She was probably trying to divide her focus to other things, such as snuffing out uprisings on conquered Terras and mining crystal deposits dry. She evidently needed a little help from her darker underlings, for elevated security.

Perhaps that was why he was called here, too.

I was still feeling the warmth in my cheeks sometime after I left the storage unit behind. I was sure to be more careful, but I was pleased that I got to see Repton here. It definitely made the visit more bearable, and it was a pity he couldn't stay in my company. Alas, there were plenty of reasons why that would be bad for me, and even if I was willing to take those chances, he would never accompany Maia. I would just have to wait until I took care of things here to see him again.

In truth, I didn't have a letter ready for him yet. I mentioned it as a precaution in case he thought he didn't need Maia anymore. It appeared however that it wasn't necessary, and he surprised me with his question. I tried my best to compose myself these last few days, to hide my lack of sleep, yet Repton was able to see through the ruse. It was still rejuvenating and touching that he showed that kind of attention and concern. Who would've thought, the King of Rogue sparing a few thoughts for my welfare! I guessed I would settle down for slumber that night without the fear of the nightmares that followed me from Atmosia. Maybe his tenderness would keep watch over me. I hoped that he wasn't too absorbed with me, what with the beast on Bogaton stirring at last.

"...shipment! The Parasites set for Terra Bluster are ready."

I was alone in a hallway until some Talons rolled carts out. I stepped out of their way and watched them pass. My eyes widened when I caught sight of the products, my bubble of contentment punctured. Those were... the biological Leachers... I brought some to Atmosia after the infiltration of the Condor was ruined. These ones looked different, though... The metal forged to encase them had more teeth to them now, and the crystals themselves differed in luminosity. Before -when they hadn't been used on someone-, they kept a constant glow. Now their light dimmed and brightened at an excruciatingly-slow pace, not at all like the pulse they exhibited when activated. I only had time to glimpse them before the Talon in control of the trolley pushed it passed. Another one came by with even more of them. I stood still, my gut churning something fierce. I had a bad feeling...

"With Master Cyclonis' improvements, nobody's got a chance of deflecting them now," I heard. I looked to where the carts were coming from, and two Talons were conversing with each other. The one who spoke had a clipboard in his hands. "Try as the Atmosians might, the Parasites are still one step ahead of them."

I swayed where I stood, unable to determine if staying or walking closer was the better action. The Talon with the clipboard chortled, clicking the blunt end of his pen against his clipboard.

"They still don't work on Raptors, but the Master says regular Leachers should work just fine against the special ones. We just have to amp them up a bit."

The churning in my stomach got worse, and I took that as a sign to do something about it. The Talons had noticed me before, but now they addressed me as I walked over to them. "Those crystals... they look crazy," I forced out. "I thought the... Parasites we already had were phenomenal already. Why the upgrade, did I miss a memo?"

Shooing me away was the worst thing that could happen in this scenario. Lucky for me, the Talon was exceptionally chatty. I thought as much by the way he boasted to his colleague.

"Atmosia has been fiddling around with ways to counteract them, ever since they got their hands on some a while back. I hear they've been testing in that medical facility of theirs."

My blood ran cold then, and apparently a dumbstruck look overtook my features, because the man laughed. "Oh, I had the same look on my face too! They keep that place under wraps. We've been able to monitor them for a while now."

Cyclonis must have known about the medical facility if she had planned to send Nightcrawlers after Farida and myself. But the Parasite research? There was no possible way for her to gain that information. Luchas was the only potential link back to her, but ever since he was discovered his activities were strictly supervised. Not to mention that I simply couldn't bring myself to believe he would betray my trust... He had done so much to redeem himself. How could that be?

The Talon eyed the watch he sported on his wrist and promptly excused himself and his partner. They went back through the door the Parasites appeared through. The workshop inside extended to the core of the Terra, and I could see many crystal-organizing take place before the door swiftly shut. I was left yet again with the distant sound of commotion and my own thoughts.

I came to Cyclonia with a purpose, and it kept being diverted by new obstacles. Unlike the locked passage, this was unrelated to that purpose. This was an entirely new objective that had to be investigated. The medical facility and all the people inside -staff and patient alike-, they were in danger with Cyclonis watching them. I had to find out how and maybe warn them in some way... I had to warn Seth, Derik, Tatu, Luchas, anybody!

I was originally on course toward the living sector of the Capital, but once getting to that point my destination extended further. Higher and higher, toward Cyclonis' residence. If what I was looking for wasn't up there, it would at least give me a lead to where I had to look. Now that I was away from the docks, I didn't have to worry about looking obscure; everyone here was either walking alone or in pairs, so it didn't matter. I was getting better at mimicking a natural gait, although my feet were starting to chafe. The look of irritation on my face must have also made me look less prominent.

I didn't know how long I had been walking until a Talon suddenly stepped out of some extravagant doors. I wondered if I had arrived at Cyclonis' quarters but I wasn't sure. Since I was the only one in the hallway at that given moment, the Talon beckoned me over impatiently. I found it not in my freedoms here to disobey.

"Are you the one taking over my shift?" he demanded. He didn't wait for me to reply yes or no. "Took you long enough! Those doctors literally have the most boring jobs in the world. It drives me nuts!"

In so little words, he confirmed my destination without myself asking. He waited for me to say something this time, evidently still responsible enough to make sure he made the right assumption. I nodded my head, entertaining him with a small smirk at his eagerness to leave. He propped the door open and I slipped inside. My heart started to beat faster.

The dim space was a study, with shelves of books and scrolls lining the left wall and a desk and chair facing me, oriented a bit closer to the right. To the far end was a balcony that overlooked a larger room, and there was another door leading elsewhere, currently closed. The entire space was different from the typical corridor in Cyclonia, some sort of dark lavender alloy. On the desk were scattered folders and a box. All of these details reached me at face value, but the object in the centre of the room seized me. A simple chair was stationed in front of large, round crystal on a small table. Papers and pens littered the surface in front of it. Images and colours shifted inside the blue glow of the crystal, but I couldn't see from where I was standing. The man that let me inside clapped my back to push me forward, startling me forth, and he closed the door. I was left alone in the study, staring at the unknown crystal. I could hear a slight murmur coming from it and then I heard a voice ring out;

"A success! The hypothesis stayed true, save for a few minor errors."

"That's to be expected. Let me take a moment to observe the results and then I'll document." That was Seth's voice! My heart's pace started to rush in my ears and I went over to the crystal. Yes, the image was clearer once closing that distance, and I saw a person's hands in front of me. They retreated, and I suddenly found Seth in the peripheral. I felt myself slowly take a seat in the chair, which was probably for the best. They had suddenly lost feeling.

There was a moment of silence before Seth slid the pen he was using back into his chest pocket. "Nowadays I feel relieved whenever we have trials scheduled for the day."

"Is it because we are using Nakoto's blood samples?"

No, please... he was a traitor, all this time?

I saw Seth nod.

"They're still active, which means she's still alive... I only hope that she's safe."

"I'm sure she's fine. She has shown me that her fighting spirit is as powerful as her forgiving heart."

I shook my head violently, unleashing a rasp cry of disbelief. From the beginning! From the beginning, Luchas was a spy all along! How could I have been so foolish to believe that he was just a broken man seeking redemption? I thought the time I spent with him after his cover was blown was enough time for me to determine his character. I thought I was cautious, and soon enough I felt that my trust was well placed, but I was so wrong.

"I understand it bothers you," Luchas continued. "It worries me as well. Just have faith."

Seth hummed to himself, undecided. "I know. But even if she is all right, I don't think we'll ever know; she's still dubbed a criminal. I feel that we won't hear from her again..."

"Keep the faith, keep the pace."

My hands clutched the fabric on my lap, my Claws obviously threatening to shear through the fabric if I squeezed any tighter. The Aurora Stone pendent... This crystal was projecting whatever that forsaken pendent saw, and Luchas wore it every single time I'd seen it. He must have known, why would he wear it otherwise? How else did he have the stone in his possession, if not given by Cyclonis to observe? No wonder she knew about the facility, the Parasite research... and the fact that she sent troops to Terra Deep so soon after my sister and I were taken? She knew everything. She watched everything!

Luchas, how could you?

The doors I noticed before opened up, but I didn't look to address the newcomers at first. I was in a dangerous place then, and I needed to regain my composure. I was a Talon on guard duty. I forced my fingers to loosen up while I took a deep breath. I wasn't really surprised that the Master herself strolled into the room, as this was most definitely one of her studies.

I was dismayed with who was in her company, and I shouldn't have been surprised.

"Have you been here long, Talon?" I heard the young girl ask of me. I commanded myself to lift my chin up and consider her without delay. The presence that Cyclonis held in the Atmos was baleful and intimidating, not at all associated with her apparent age. I only had a moment to absorb her features, as it was the first time I'd ever seen her in the flesh; small, pale, sharp visage under a mane of raven hair.

"Not long, Your Majesty," I managed. Her violet eyes had a steel to them that also did not suit her age. "I've only just started moments before. There are... notes here, though, from the previous shift."

"Excellent, I'll have to review those later." Cyclonis made her way closer to me to see the notes I had mentioned. A sudden surge of clarity struck me when I realized how identical her mannerisms were to the Dead Queen's, and I forced my gaze down. She brought herself to my side and it took every fibre in my being to restrain my desire to lash out. I considered my chances against her and found them laughable; her crystal powers were known throughout the world. She must have even had a crystal on her person in preparation of any assassination attempt. She stood very still as she observed the crystal in front of me, then leaned down and moved the sheets of paper aside with her spindle-like fingers.

"Mm, more blood work," she murmured. "They're making quick use of what Beta left them."

This was agonizing. This devious plot coming to light was still so difficult to process with a sound mind. I cast a look at Repton, who found my eyes and returned them with perplexity. I wished I could have taken comfort in the fact that he was there, but that was no longer possible. Luchas was not the only one to betray me. In comparison, Luchas' deceit was a lot less personal, and thus much less condemnable.

Repton took a moment to recover from the fact I showed up again. If only he knew. "Luchas is still working in the facility?"

"Of course. It would be all too suspicious if he suddenly disappeared after the Oasium sisters had. He's there to collect data I'll find use for later." Cyclonis moved away from me, but still kept her eyes on the crystal. "The Eye has reaped so much more than I could have ever imagined! My grandmother outdid herself."

The Raptor King cast his gaze over to the desk, the one with disorderly files all over it. Cyclonis noticed his change in attention and folded her hands. "You wanted to reassess the Oasium archives?"

"Yes."

"I welcome you to it. I have to leave room for some alternatives; if my Talons can't reclaim Beta, perhaps you can."

My vision started to shudder at the edges, my being overcome with a battle between denial and outrage. I watched Repton from the corner of my eye as he approached the desk smoothly, pushing Maia out of his mind. At least he wasn't going to rat me out, but then again, maybe that wasn't a part of his game plan. He still thought Maia an important tool in maintaining my trust. He filtered through the various folders, obviously looking for something in particular.

He was pretty sure in his movements until he caught sight of something in the box. I had changed my focus to the "Eye" to feign my attentiveness to Cyclonis, but she was watching it so closely herself she hadn't noticed. I looked at Repton again and saw his hand dive into the box and he pulled out a stream of cloth. He unravelled it and I realized with a start what it was.

"What is this doing here...?" Repton voiced aloud, shock enveloping his face. Cyclonis had turned to his question and took a moment to recognize what he was holding. She let out a short "ah".

"Beta dropped a pair of sleeves on Terra Saharr, along with some sort of tube top. Apparently she had them in her possession before the Talons identified her. That was before you saw her that day too, if I remember correctly."

When Repton spoke, it appeared he had meant to ask himself, because he didn't look like he heard anything Cyclonis said. He must have, though, for I saw his mind race for an explanation. I saw the gears turning and comprehension dawning on him. Cyclonis turned back to the Eye.

"Do you know why she had them on her, Repton?"

Repton looked straight at me.

My look had stayed cold, and I kept it as such when his expression changed from disbelief to murderous insight. We shared this intense channel of heated emotion for what seemed longer than a minute, but Repton had to answer Cyclonis. He ground his teeth before tossing the sleeve back into the box.

"...No. I just found it odd for them to be among the archives. She doesn't have use for such things."

I glowered at him. Did he think he was doing me any favours, keeping my and Maia's identities separate from Cyclonis? The Empress shifted her attention and I compelled myself to banish my hostile expressions and turned back to the Eye. Luchas and Seth were still conversing but I didn't have the mind to listen to them at the moment.

"I hope you've reviewed the notes here before documenting any of your own," Cyclonis said to me. I looked up at her, my memory playing tricks on me by switching her appearance with her predecessor. It only lasted a few seconds. "I don't want repeats. Record new happenstances, only."

"Yes, Master Cyclonis," I breathed.

She nodded in approval and turned away. "As I've told you, I have to overlook some production with the new Parasites," she told Repton. "I trust that you're clear with what I've asked of you."

"Yes, Master Cyclonis," Repton grunted. Cyclonis hadn't set her eyes upon him, so he never broke his contact on me. The Empress left through the door and they swung on their hinges of their own accord. The sound of them closing resonated throughout the space before echoing into silence, save for the voices emanating from the Eye. Repton and I were alone.

"You clever, little, liar," Repton said at last. I slowly got to my feet and faced him, pushing the chair with the back of my knees. His pupils contracted, infuriation painting his face. "All this time? All this time?"

A low snarl emitted from my throat, and my voice-enhancer wasn't programmed to translate that into a human sound. It crackled with my true voice for a moment and I didn't care. I hissed at him.

"We all have our fair share of secrets, don't we?"

End of Chapter

A/N: SHIET.

Well there we have it, man. Everything's fallen apaaaaaaart! What's gonna happen next?

Thank you very much to those who reviewed! You are so awesome and I love you. I wish a lot of you others would, too; the number of people the traffic graph say reads this far exceeds the number of reviews and I'm just dying to hear your thoughts, either positive or negative. I hope that you take the time to boost up the number. The more people reading and talking about it, the more inclined I am to write more diligently!

I hope you guys are having a lovely day ;3 tell me if you catch any errors or what you think!

~Vix