"Oliver, Oliver!"

Oliver let out a lazy grunt.

"Ollie, come on!"

That voice was too high pitched to be Allen's. "What...what is it?"

"You gotta come to the Realm!"

"No, I don't really."

"Uh, yes you do, mister! This is something you can't possibly miss out on!" When Oliver did not make a move, or even open his eyes, Lila sang, "You won't feel sick in the Realm! It's all mind stuff for you there! So get your butt over there now! Before you miss it!"

"Does it have to happen now?" Oliver weakly furrowed his eyebrows as something clattered in the kitchen. He swore he had just said his farewells to the fairy. A small weight pressed into his cheek, and it had to be Lila prodding his face in persistence. Sick or not, curiosity got the best of him, and it was another opportunity to let his body rest. "All right, I will be right there..."

His spirit had lifted beyond the grip of sickness, and Oliver opened his eyes with a sigh of relief to the endless clouds. A faint buzzing circled around him, and he pushed from the bicolored grass. The fairy exclaimed, "There you are! Come on!"

Lila zoomed off without giving Oliver a chance to ask questions or complain. He leaped after her, down the path toward the flower fields where the other fairies tend to linger, but she turned in the opposite direction, toward another forest swooping down the mountain and across the plain. Those trees were greener and more welcoming than their higher neighbors.

Her voice bounced off of the brown trunks, "It's this way!"

"Great," Oliver grumbled, but the fairy swooped under the branches without acknowledging his grumpiness. Enough light shot through the lower trees, less dense, and there were less creepy spirits encircling above his head. "These plants are so vibrant and green!" He exclaimed aloud. "That is so strange!" He drew a skidding breath as a white elk galloped several paces ahead of him.

Lila was suddenly in his face, and he grabbed at a nearby tree to stop quickly enough before he would ram head-first into her. She raised a finger to her lips. "Shh! You gotta be really, really, really quiet! I last saw him through these trees."

Oliver dug his fingernails into the soft bark, wondering what his friend could be getting the both of them into. He pushed from the trunk, and took wide steps on his tip toes, even though walking normally would be quieter with how much noise his legs made against the shrubbery. A small opening beneath the trees spread out to a small clearing. The dirt morphed into bleach-white sand toward the middle, where the boy stopped when he heard low muttering.

Lila whispered-yelled, "What's that?! That's gotta be him!"

"Who?"

She darted off his head, and into the other line of trees, more dense, and more shadowed. Oliver hesitated, not wanting to follow, but the fairy could be getting into trouble or danger if he did not investigate. The sand squished beneath his feet, but he only took a few strides to the other side of the clearing when another person stumbled into view with Lila hot on their trail.

"Will you just..." The gray-cloaked figure stopped a few feet in front of Oliver, and the boy could see his jaw slacked in disbelief. "Just...buzz off?"

Lila was circling around the stranger. "Look! This is who I was talking about! I thought you came in here, and I went to see you, but it wound up being someone different, or at least I think it is You have nearly the same spirit! It's so weird!" She suddenly yanked on the material, and head of light blond hair erupted from the disturbance. The stranger grabbed at his hood as Lila released it, and rushed toward Oliver.

The boy gasped in wonder, "Apparently the same face, too. Who are you?!"

She did a double take to the other teen as he quickly snapped his hood over himself again, and glared at Oliver with fierce verdant eyes. "Where the hell am I?!"

"What do you mean? Have you ever been in the Realm?"

Before the other boy could say anything, Lila asked, "Why are there two of you?"

"There is not! That is not me!" Both boys claimed at once. They whirled on one another, thick eyebrows furrowing. Before Oliver could stammer out the realization of the other boy being the spitting image of him, besides the strange colors and clothes, the blond whipped around, and pelted into the trees. "Wait!" He called out, but that did not stop the stranger from plunging into the dark and potentially teeming-with-spookies-forest.

"You wait!" Lila tugged on a thick clump of hair. "I don't think you should go in there."

"What? How come? There is another person that can access the Realm of Spirits, and you do not want to chase after him?"

"Those funny stomach feelings are telling me not to go in there, and yours should, too! Something was off about that boy!"

"Aside from the fact that he looked remarkably alike me?"

"Not only that, but both of your souls were almost the same! If I closed my eyes back there, I don't think I'd be able to tell the two of you apart aside from your voices. He was...a little bitter."

"Well, I think he's gone now," Oliver murmured, still gazing into the shadowy forest. "I wonder if this was his first time in the Realm, and we spooked him."

"You spooked him."

"Excuse me! You were the one trying to disrobe the poor bloke!"

"You were the one that looked like him! I was just trying to show you his face!"

Another, distant voice ran though his head, "What, what?!"

Oliver spun around, looking for the source of the sound. "I think I heard something!"

Lila shrunk into his hair, holding on for her dear life. "Who?"

"How'd you get this number?"

The boy recognized that voice entering through his unconsciousness. "I need to get back to my world."

"So soon? But Ollie-"

"Keep your eyes open for that me again!"

"What do you mean?" Her voice dropped in pitch, but jumped in volume. Oliver gasped as he felt as if he was being crushed out of the Realm.

"Are you fuckin' kiddin' me?"

Oliver's eyes flew open, and groaned from an unpleasant sweat. "Oh, it's awful." Another string of curses came across the living room. "Stop screaming," he grumbled, and kicked his leg out from the blanket, almost knocking over his old cup that sat on the coffee table.

Allen's voice came from the kitchen, low and aggressive, "Yeah, I get it! Don't you think I have important things to do? Ollie's sick as a dog-wait, what?! Why didn't you say that in the first place? Dammit!"

The baker jumped as something clattered against the floor, causing the other boy to curse more. He pushed himself from the couch with a drawn out complaint, feeling better with sleep, but being forced out of the Realm kept his head swimming with his sickness. Oliver stumbled to the doorway, and supported himself on the wood as Allen had his butt to him, plucking a knick knack from the floor.

"I'll see what we can do...I said we'll see!" He slammed the phone on its receiver, turning the decoration in his hand. "The fuck is this? What kind o' paint job-"

"Who was that?" Oliver croaked.

Allen thrashed, almost dropping the knick knack again. He set it on the counter, and hurried toward him. "Ollie, what are you doin' up? You feelin' better? You were mumblin' a lot in your sleep!" Not waiting for a coherent reply, he pushed Oliver's bangs up, and patted his forehead. "You're not all hot anymore," the teen claimed, pulling him closer to dot his jaw with his lips.

Oliver turned his head away so Allen did not breathe in his sickness. He asked again, "Who were you talking to?"

He was promptly squeezed for a tight moment before a sigh eased Allen's shoulders. "It was Matt. Somethin' happened at the House when we were out. Lutz was attacked, an' he needs stitches, but nobody is fessin' up that they sew-"

"Why did you not say anything before?" Oliver barked, pulling away. "Come on, then."

"No way!" Allen grabbed his forearm. "You are still sick-"

"I am not going to lay and mope all day. I have to go back and wash up, anyway!"

"Shit, babe!" Allen stepped back to snatch his jacket off one of the dining chairs. "At least put this on when you go outside! Yer shakin'!"

"What about you? You are going to get sick!"

"Pssh, like a few sniffles and coughs is enough to get me sick. Come on," he gave the leather a shake.

"But it does not even fit you completely..." Oliver weakly dissented as the heavy material lain on his shoulders. The other boy lifted his arms to stick them in the sleeves. "I can do that. How is Bella?"

Allen waited until the baker was finished struggling with the zipper and sneezing to grab his hand and tow him to the stairs. "She was awake earlier, but she didn't eat anythin'. I got her more water, but she's sleepin' now." He hopped down the last few steps, and turned to watch Oliver descend more carefully, gripping the railing as if he were expecting to slip any moment. "Damn, you know how to pull that off!"

"Oh, be quiet," Oliver sniffed, and knelt to snatch his shoes he left at the bottom of the steps. Despite the warnings, he exclaimed in disgust as a wave of cold air smacked their faces once outside. The walk was most unpleasant, save for the moments Allen tugged on his arm when he wondered too close to the road. Lutz? Stabbed? For what? From who? Oliver did not really want to ponder to hard at the moment, and decided to put off the heavy thoughts until he saw what happened for himself.

"Wassup," Allen greeted Miss Warden.

She looked up from her biscuit, raising her eyebrows at their unkempt outlooks and windblown cheeks. "You look sick, Oliver."

"I am." As if to prove this, he sputtered into several coughs.

The elder's nose crinkled. "I have pills for that."

Allen asked, "Do you got any gauze?"

"You need gauze, too?" Miss Warden snapped, digging in one of her desk drawers. She shook some pills out of a white bottle, and set a thin bundle of wrapping on the edge of the table. "Does it require professional medical attention?"

"Naw," Allen shook his head, grinning brightly despite the situation. Oliver pressed closer to his side, stealing warmth. "Just a lil' cut. Don't you worry."

Miss Warden turned back to her breakfast, making a noncommittal sound as if she was not worrying in the first place. Oliver took the gel pills dry, earning double looks of shock. "Come on then," he prompted, not forgetting to grab the gauze.

"Y-yeah, up this way," Allen gestured lamely to the stairs. "Keep watch out fer any crazy fellas, Ollie. Some kids are armed now, apparently, an' ain't afraid to show it."

Oliver grunted in reply, and stopped before a door near an upper front window. The other boy rapped on the wood for him. Something clattered on the other side, followed by several flustered tones.

"Someone is at the door!" Oliver could tell Luciano's higher voices apart from the others. "Dammit, what if it is one of those idiots again?"

"He is sort of right, you know," Oliver commented. Allen gave him an unimpressed look.

"Do you think they would knock, Luciano-san?" Kuro's low voice snuck through the panels, "That is above their politeness."

"Who is it?" A close voice snarled. Oliver glanced down, staring at the shadow of feet peeking though the bottom of the door.

Allen drawled, "It's us, Matt. Come on an' let us in."

The door swung open from the inside. "It's about time," Matt growled. "When I say it's an emergency, I would think that calls for urgency."

"Uh, yeah!" Allen snapped, "The bakery isn't right next door!"

The blond swished a hand to usher them inside. "Come on." As soon as the duo passed him, he clamped the door shut, and twisted the lock. Lutz and his brother sat on the edge of the joined beds, looking up with haunted eyes. Siegmund held a wash cloth to the other's arm, but the rag was dyed red. His dull rosy eyes were wide, but he would not be able to say anything even if he could speak. Luciano paced around the tight quarters, while Kuro watched from his stance against the furthest wall. Flavio was nowhere in sight.

Luciano stopped his antics, stopping before Oliver. "You can work with thread, right?!"

Oliver sniffled loudly, leaning away from his proximity. "I used to help my grandmother with her sewing."

"That is more than enough," Luciano claimed. "As long as you can sew straight." He suddenly shouted, "Flavio! Come out here!"

A voice came from the bathroom, "I told you I do not want to see some kid cut up like a hot dog!"

"Get out here and find your damn sewing kit!"

The door creaked open. Flavio's tanned face shot glares at his brother. "It's in the bottom dresser drawer." He slipped into the water closet again.

Luciano turned to Oliver. "You heard him."

Oliver was still thinking about hot tea and naps. "If he has a sewing kit, how come he does not do it?"

"My brother is...!" Luciano spewed in his native language, and the baker stared at him blankly. Allen fetched the kit during his outrage.

Lutz announced, "This cloth is soaked!"

"Flavio! We need a new damn towel!"

Oliver grasped the small sewing kit and padded to the bed. "Sorry, dear," he told Siegmund, "I need to be up close." The mute understood, rising to his feet, but still awkwardly held the soaked cloth beneath his brother's arm. "Goodness, what happened?"

"I was cut up!" Lutz said, as if it were not obvious.

"It was those...those-" Luciano crowed several offensive slurs. "They shanked Lutz! Look! Look at what they did to his arm!"

Oliver glanced down, and peeled back the cloth that covered the wound. Three long gashes scored across the length of his forearm in the same direction. Oliver's stomach felt queasy again. The owner of the gruesome wound lowly whined, wiggling on the bed, "It's still bleeding!"

"Flavio!" Luciano called, "Where is that new towel?!"

The bathroom door swung open again. "Right here, idiot. Calm down; your boy toy still has his other limbs."

Luciano responded with a choked gasp. His brother handed Siegmund the clean rag, and skittered back to the bathroom without taking the soiled cloth the mute held. Instead, the other teen dropped it on the floor to press the new one against Lutz's arm. It immediately soaked with blood.

Oliver wound up triple knotting the thinnest string available, working with trembling fingers. "This will be better than leaving those gashes open." Siegmund peeled the cloth away, and the baker brought the needle to the blond's skin before it became overly bloody again. "Just keep still..."

Lutz flinched. "Aargh!"

"What did I just say?!"

Siegmund shook with quiet laughter.

"Shut up," Lutz growled, hissing every time Oliver tugged on the string. The baker suddenly thrashed with a sneeze, almost jabbing him in the upper arm. "Watch it!"

"It is not my fault you had to get ganked, and bother me when I am sick. Now, what did you do? Who did this? Is there a reason you were attacked?"

"Those boys out there...they're animals," Lutz grunted, jerking under the thread. "They were going after Siegmund. I was simply defending my brother."

"Siegmund?" Oliver furrowed his eyebrows, glancing at the boy kneeling in front of them. "Whatever for? You did not say anything to them did you-" He snapped off when he caught onto his slip up. "Oh, pardon me." The mute grinned, and shook his head. "So you are innocent?"

"Just for this ordeal!" Lutz exclaimed. "Ow, ow, ow!" He snapped when Siegmund squeezed his wrist. His brother signed something, and the blond rolled his eyes. "That was not necessary."

Instead of staring at some kid get stitched up, Matt jerked a thumb to the door. "I'm going to get something to eat in the dining chall."

Kuro pushed from the wall. "Allow me to go with you."

The blond nodded in understanding, and unlocked the door. Allen threw his arms up. "Food! Wait fer me!"

"Siegmund, you should go," Luciano announced. "The more the messier."

The mute jumped, flying to his feet, and violently shook his head. Lutz told him, "It's fine. You know how this works. I'll be fine."

Matt coughed into a fist, "They will be more reluctant approaching a larger group of people."

"We will be fine," Kuro narrowed his dark eyes. "However, another person will do no harm."

Luciano stared at Siegmund's forced departure. Once the door was closed, he hurried toward it, and twisted the lock. He glided to the other boys, falling in front of Lutz, and grabbed the hand Oliver was sewing. The Italian picked up the towel the mute was handling, and dabbed at the blood trailing down Lutz's arm. Oliver glanced at his distant violet gaze, but refocused on tugging the thread through skin when the eyes flickered up to his.

"That Crooked idiota does not know where he belongs," Luciano hissed. "His pals act like they run the show. We were all trying to enjoy ourselves in this place, and then-" He cut himself off with a high noise of frustration. "They need to learn to know better."

Lutz made a breathy sound, as if he were laughing, despite how tense his shoulders were. "Anyone who would expect less is a fool."

Oliver lifted his eyebrows, but continued to work quietly out of politeness. He only interrupted them with his sniffles and coughing. The sewing job was a little crude, but it came out better than expected with the consideration of all the blood and his sickness. Luciano gently ran the towel over the freshly sewn wounds as the baker discarded the scraps. To top it off, he pulled out the gauze he obtained from Miss Warden, and wrapped the stitches to preserve the work. "What really happened?"

Both looked at Oliver in question. He settled back on the bed, leaning on the headboard. The wood was cool against his flushed state. "I know those...idiots prance around as if they have nothing better to do, but what is with the violence all of a sudden?"

Lutz said, "They're pissed at Matt." He glimpsed to Luciano, who shifted from the floor to settle next to him on the bed.

"It is rather complicated," the Italian explained at Oliver's vaguely bewildered expression.

"I can keep up."

The duo exchanged a doubtful glance as he leaned his head against the wood, and his blue eyes fluttered. Luciano began, "I don't know if you know this, but Siegmund has been hanging around Matt a lot lately."

Oliver made a soft grunt. "I have noticed that. It is rather strange, is it not?"

"Siggy claims he is tolerated because he can't speak."

Luciano rolled his eyes. "Si, si. Matt needs to get that stick out of his ass. I am getting tired of seeing your brother follow him around like a little lost puppy."

Oliver glanced between the two. Luciano's distaste was a bit hypocritical. He prompted, "Anyway..."

"Oh, anyway," Luciano seemed to think hard for a moment to find his thoughts again. "Um...those monkeys have been ticked off at Matt for sometime now, because apparently, he kicked their asses. Good for him."

"I saw it," Oliver's lips uplifted in a slight smile. "It was glorious."

"I guess they were starting shit with him, and he didn't like it-"

"No, they were targeting Allen."

Luciano sighed. "Allen? Why am I not surprised?"

Lutz shrugged. "What did he do?"

"It is more of a question of what he did not do." Oliver rubbed his nose at the stuffed sensation. "They wanted Allen to be a part of their...little clique, but of course, I would not have that, and persuaded him to avoid them."

"With food?"

Oliver lifted his head from the bedframe. "How did you know?"

Luciano smirked. "Lucky guess."

"I suppose they held grudge against him since then. Also, I hope I correctly assume that they are mad at me, because..."

"Because what, Oliver? Did you do something?"

"Oh, it was such a while ago, but I told him I wanted nothing more from him." Oliver leaned against the bed again. "Crookednose has been ticked at me ever since I refused to play spy and matchmaker with the girls on the benches for them."

Luciano snorted. "They wanted you to do the dirty work? How horrible. Everyone knows to woo pretty ladies, you have to directly go to them-"

Lutz interrupted his passionate speech, "I guess Matt was not having any of them having intentions to hurt his brother?"

The brunet pulled a sour expression. Oliver shook his head, but not so much to make himself dizzy. "It was marvelous. I am going to stay on that bloke's good side. So, they tried to get back at Allen for refusing them, but then Matt beat them up instead."

"Ja, and since Matt did that, they are mad at him, and tried to beat him, too, but Siegmund and I were with him that time, and jumped in for his defense. I could not stand by and watch my brother get mauled." Lutz glanced down to his arm, and ran a hand over the gauze.

"They are stupid monkeys," Luciano seethed. "We have to do something to stop them. Kuro thinks so, too. It's about time someone puts them in their place. The real world will kick their asses if they think they can get one up on someone, especially us." He picked up his head from eyeing the wound. "Who knows? They may thank us down the road for this."

"I doubt it," Oliver said. He peeked at Luciano scowling, and sticking his tongue out. "Do not get pissy at me. What do you expect to do? Form two lines facing each other and go about it?"

"What do you suppose we do?" Luciano retorted, "More kids will get hurt if we don't so something."

"More kids will get hurt if you launch a full out war between your pals and the other gang."

"We could knock down the leader," Lutz suggested, breaking their glares. "The rest will run amuck without the reassurance of him."

Oliver swiped a hand over his forehead, lightly groaning, "My neighbor? Gosh, I can assure you, it was not always like this-"

"That little crooked face snot-head!" Luciano spat.

Lutz put in, "It may work."

"It may, or it may become a series of revenge, ending in the same place if we just go after them!"

The blond boy had another suggestion. "We could talk to Miss Warden about the issue, too." He glanced at the other teens, fatally nervous under their stares. "C-call the police?"

Luciano stared at Lutz until the blond dropped his gaze to the floorboards. "Well, anyway, we should wait until they come after one of us. Perhaps we can bait them with something, or someone. Then we won't look like the bad guys. We would be protecting ourselves. Is that good for you, Oliver?" He asked almost sourly.

Oliver gazed at the blankets for a long moment before announcing, "A nap would be good for me at the moment."