Remember last year when we had a Christmas special? We're not doing that this year. It's only late February in Emblemme.

Azura was not a woman to display her emotions. Silas, Kaze, and the Hoshido siblings insisted that they were the only ones to have heard her laugh. She kept her feelings to herself, giving a smile or a disappointed look when necessary, and kept herself calm at all times.

Told she could die? She worried on the inside and immediately set a plan in action to sell her family's song for the surgery. Her song got rejected? She told Silas about her problem and spent the next three hours talking him down from quitting law school to get a job or three to help her out.

So she was very glad that when she squealed in excitement upon seeing that the famous Izana had liked her song, no one was around to hear it.

"Your song 'Lost In Thoughts' is exactly what I wanted for the end credits for the movie. I'll speak with the director and meet you when I make it back to Emblemme."

There were other details, but that was what she got from it in the first reading. She picked up the phone to call Silas, but stopped herself - it might be better to wait until things were set in stone before bringing it up. And Revan was out of the question, he always got a bit touchy around the annual Hoshido family game night.

She wished she had more friends.

Jakob dropped Rowena off at her birth family's place, making her promise not to drink too much this time. Rowena, though bright red in the face, promised.

Now she was sitting at the table with a game of Apples to Apples, going through the rules as if she'd never played before. Of course, at the Nohr house, game night usually ended with either Camilla giving all her points to her younger siblings or Garon tripping over the table. Usually the latter.

She wasn't surprised to see Felicia there - Revan had asked her how to ask out a girl. What she was surprised to see was that Revan was not going to play the game with them.

"Is there a problem with Revan and game night?"

"You two were playing Truth or Dare when the accident happened," Hinoka admitted. "Maybe he just assumed that playing a game with you would bring up memories."

"But Truth or Dare didn't kill Dad," Rowena objected. "We were six. We were playing a game in a car, all kids do."

"We told him the same thing," Ryoma promised. "But if he refuses, that's his choice. Now, on to the game..."

Rowena noticed that they were acting off. But it wasn't in a courtroom, so she wasn't going to press them on it.

"You guys have fun," Revan said, walking into his bedroom. "I've got a princess to rescue. See you all tomorrow."

And he closed the door behind him. Felicia stopped, confused, and knocked on the door.

There was a groan on the other side. "Guys, stop."

"It's just me," she promised. "I...thought you liked family fun."

"Usually. I'm just not up to it tonight."

Felicia pushed open the door. "Then can I get you anything? I was invited, you know."

Revan thought about asking for a can of soda, but knowing Felicia, she'd stumble so much it would just shake it. "I could use a cheerleader," he decided. "I'm going up against Ganon."

"Can you pay me in explanation?" When Revan looked unsure, she backed off. "I mean, you don't HAVE to. I just wondered, since you usually love your family..."

"It's fine," Revan promised. "It's just...game night sucks."

Felicia waited. Revan stayed silent. "Ok," she said. "I guess that you weren't hiding some big, dark secret -"

"You're the one with baggage!" Revan snapped.

This time, both were quiet. "Well, you have to tell me now," Felicia taunted.

"No one sees the wizard!"

And he closed the door on her. Which, of course, only made her more interested.

Izana stepped out of the car and took a deep breath of air. He may have escaped to Los Angeles, but there was something about his hometown that kept calling him back. It was as the locals said, "No one leaves Emblemme." It was a curse, or a tradition, or something else.

But at least the streets were cleaner than LA.

"This is great," he told his manager, who had not been born in Emblemme and was confused by the lack of people in the streets. Noticing where the man's thoughts were going, Izana laughed. "Don't worry, we have homeless people. They're just part of the Church of Skroogles here - the leaders provide food and shelter."

The manager, by now used to Izana being borderline psychic, was not disturbed by the mind-reading. "Do you belong to the Church of Skroogles, Izana?"

"Yeah, I joined. For giggles. Made it all the way to High Priest. Then I went Hollywood." He brushed his admittedly gorgeous hair off his shoulder. "Well, let's get going. I promised this Azura that I would meet her at the library."

"Libraries still exist?"

"I know, I know. Hard to believe people still read." He nodded to his silent bodyguard. "I don't know where she is right now. She could be waiting for us. She says she's pale with blue hair, keep an eye out for that combination."

Azura was not the only one waiting for Izana. Charlotte had heard a rumor that he was coming to Emblemme, and she had decided to stalk the usual autograph-signing places in the hope of meeting him.

Keaton wasn't exactly fond of this decision.

"What are you trying to accomplish?" he asked, even as he drove her to the bookstore so she could check her makeup.

"I'm trying to get into show business."

"Shouldn't you move to Hollywood for that?"

Charlotte made an unladylike sound. "What, are you that desperate to get rid of me?"

"Of course not! I'm asking why?"

"Because this face," she gestured to her face, and Keaton briefly took his eyes off the road to look, "needs to be on screen."

"Yeah, you're pretty." He shrugged. "But I think we have a good thing going here. Nice apartment, good friends, a boat -"

"We live in a crapshack apartment, with one of the good friends, and the boat was destroyed by an old man's cherry bomb."

"He only chipped the top! It looks better this way!"

Charlotte sighed. "Keaton, honey...you're an artist who makes his sculptures from garbage."

"One man's trash is another man's treasure." He grinned, but she didn't respond.

"Wouldn't you like to live in our own house? Make your sculptures from normal materials? Not bother Benny so much?"

Keaton shrugged. "Never really thought about it. Hard to get a house when you can't keep a job, you know."

"Which is why I'm doing this, you idiot!" Charlotte took a deep breath to calm herself down. "I'll get a job as an actress. I'll buy us a place and a better place for my parents. I'll pay Benny back for your third of the rent -"

"I pay him for it!"

"Just making sure you were paying attention." She patted his head like a dog. "Now let's get star stalking!"

Felicia stopped by the Hoshido place once again after work, this time bringing along a DVD. Yukimura let her in, and she knocked on Revan's door. He invited her in, and she was surprised to find him packing.

"You and Kaze found a place, then?" she asked.

"Yeah, he found this two-bedroom place for cheap close to his school. I failed another job interview, but Ryoma said he'd pay the rent for the first couple months."

"He must really want you gone," Felicia said absently, then she clamped her hands over her mouth when she realized it slipped out.

Fortunately, Revan just laughed it off. It was slightly forced, but the humor was real. "Hey, Orochi's moving in soon. One less person to overhear their 'shenanigans,' I guess." The laughter died. "Plus the whole 'Mom died here' thing. It's kind of bugging me, you know?"

"I get it," said Felicia. "I lost my mom, too. I-I mean, it wasn't recent, but -"

"I know."

The two stood in awkward silence for a while. Then Felicia pulled out the DVD.

"If you want to take a break from packing, we could watch Sword Art Online. I don't have the dub, but I do have subtitles."

He agreed. Soon enough, the two were sitting on his bed, the TV playing the anime. Felicia gripped her purse like a teddy bear, and spoke again.

"Do you want to tell me why the game night sucks?"

A subliminal message of 'YES' flashed across the screen briefly.

"No," said Revan.

The bag fell from her grip. "But the subliminal message!"

"Hey, I don't speak Japanese."

Felicia groaned and fell backward onto the mattress.

Izana's manager had brought the contract along. Azura had brought her boyfriend along, as the closest thing to a lawyer she trusted. He was going over the contract while Azura and Izana discussed the history of the song.

"It was one my mother used to sing for me," Azura explained. "I just found some people willing to put it to music and paid them to do so."

"Your mother's song, huh?" Izana remembered the lullaby-like nature of the song, deciding that it made sense. "And she's not angry that you sold it?"

"I don't believe she is."

Azura fell silent once more. Izana's smile faltered - he'd expected her to ask for an autograph, at least. But he wasn't demanding, and accepted that maybe he wasn't as famous as he thought he was.

"I have to see Izana!" a female voice called from outside the private meeting room. Izana looked over. So did everyone else, including Silas.

Charlotte, meanwhile, was pushing forward through the shelves, Keaton holding onto her arm. Every so often, one would gain some advantage and pull the other along a few steps, but they usually just stood together, neither willing to give in.

"Ma'am, I need you to leave," said the librarian, and Charlotte's rage increased.

"Ma'am? You dare call me ma'am like I'm some old lady?"

"My family uses it to address any female," the librarian defended herself. "And I don't know how you found out, but -"

The sound of a police siren finished the sentence for her.

"Revan?" Felicia asked once things had settled slightly. "We're friends, right?"

As much as he wished they could be more, Revan nodded. "Right."

"Good friends?"

"I'd like to think so."

"And good friends share secrets, don't they?"

Dear lord. "I guess?" Revan said, knowing exactly where this conversation was going.

"So that means that we should share secrets."

"So, what's your secret?" Revan asked.

Felicia froze. "What?"

"You wanted to tell me a secret, right? Go on, I won't judge."

Holy backfire. "Secretly..." Felicia began, going over all of her secrets until she found one she could dare to say, "I'm the one who ate the last of Takumi's lemon squares."

"Wow," said Revan. "I never would have guessed."

"So, what about you? What secret are you going to share?"

Revan shrugged. "None."

"What? I told you a secret! Now it's your turn! That's how it works!"

Revan shook his head, smiling slightly despite the situation. "First of all, it's not how it works. Second, I didn't want to hear your secret, so it's not a fair trade. Third, I believe that what you're doing is called extortion. It's a lot like blackmail, except not as cool, and it's almost as illegal."

Felicia's face fell. "You won't press charges, though, right?"

"Nah, we're good. I forgot what we were talking about, actually."

"Why you hate game night so much."

"Oh. That." He remained silent, to her frustration.

"Who ate my lemon square?" Takumi roared from down the hall.

"Felicia!" Revan called back, as the former maid went pale.

"Revan! What the hell? I trusted you with that information!"

"And now I can't trust you." He smiled innocently, enraging her further.

Takumi began pounding on Revan's door. "Felicia! I know you're in there! Quit making out with my brother and make me more lemon squares!"

"What happened to saying please?" Felicia squeaked.

"What happened to, you ate my lemon squares, you bitch!"

Felicia slowly slipped out of Revan's room. Revan wondered if he should have tried a method of distraction instead.

"I can't believe I didn't get to meet Izana!" Charlotte complained as she was stuck in the back of Benny's car.

"No," Benny said, "you got arrested. You're lucky she was too scared of me to press charges."

"You wouldn't have needed to get involved if Keaton had backed me up like he was supposed to!"

"You can't go dragging your boyfriend into fistfights with librarians! That's not how relationships work, Charlotte!"

"I was gonna back you up," Keaton said at the same time. "I just got distracted by a pretzel!"

"You're both horrible people," Benny said as if it were a fact.

"Thank you," Keaton and Charlotte said together.

"Not a compliment."

"Screw you," the couple corrected themselves in unison.

Benny shook his head in disappointment. "You two deserve each other."

Charlotte was studying the notes on her phone. "Izana's doing an autograph signing at the mall," she announced. "Keaton's car is at the library, so the cops won't recognize us..."

"You're not going to let me go unless I drop you off at the mall, are you?"

Charlotte gave him a big, flirty smile. Despite the relationship being strictly platonic, Benny relented.

Revan wasn't surprised to find Felicia there, holding out a tray of fresh-baked lemon squares. He was surprised that she didn't put out the fire before bringing them up, but he had an emergency extinguisher in his closet.

"Don't ask," he said when he noticed she was wondering why.

"Not going to. I just wanted to offer you some lemon squares, since Takumi didn't want them. Not as a bribe," she added quickly. "As an apology. I was out of line, pressuring you like that. Still friends?"

"Still friends," Revan promised. "I think I'll pass on the lemon squares, though."

Felicia looked down at the formerly burning pan covered in the extinguisher's white substance. "Fair enough," she admitted.

There was silence.

"I won't press anymore," she promised. "I just got upset that there was something you couldn't tell me. I'm over it."

"Cool."

"Come ON!" Felicia groaned. Then, realizing what she'd just said, she cleared her throat. "I'll get over it," she said quickly. "I promise."

Revan watched her turn to leave, then gave in. "It wouldn't be good for...whatever we are...to keep secrets," he said, and Felicia turned back around, stumbling slightly but catching herself. "It's just...game night killed my dad."

Felicia went quiet. "Is this...too traumatic for clarification...?"

"Yeah, I probably phrased that wrong." Revan pulled her inside, not seeming to notice how it would look if anyone caught a rich young man dragging an attractive woman into his room. "It got him killed."

"Yeah, still not following."

"I was six," he told her. "The game was Ultimate Truth or Dare - you could avoid an uncomfortable situation by dropping out, last one in the game wins. The parents dropped out immediately because Rowena asked Mom where babies came from, and then Hinoka dared Dad to tell us. Once it was down to us kids, we played for hours, until Mom dared us all to go to bed. Once we woke up, we kept going - and it lasted for a whole week. We were all playing to win. We got Ryoma and Hinoka out, then Takumi forgot we were still playing, and Sakura was too young to join the fun. But us twins...well, you're a twin, too. Would you let Flora win something easily?"

"Not at six years old," Felicia admitted.

"And when we ran out of truths, we started coming up with dares we were sure would get the other to quit, but we never did. I made Rowena eat a worm. She made me wear her Snow White costume to school - I had to tuck the skirt into a jacket so Mom wouldn't get suspicious. I made her put gum in her own hair and Ryoma had to be the judge on if an unchewed stick counted. It did, by the way, the girl was born to be a lawyer."

"You remember all of this?"

"For years, they were the last memories I had of her."

Felicia couldn't even remember what it was like to lose sight of Flora at the park when she was six. "So how did your game lead to...?"

"We had to tone it down when our parents figured out we were still playing. She had dance class and it was my turn to give the challenge. They decided to let me come with them to get her, and Yukimura would take the others to the movie we were all going to see anyway. I dared her to lick her seat belt. Then she dared me to backseat drive, so I held out my hands and pretended to steer. She laughed so hard Mom turned around to see. Then Mom laughed, and Dad looked in the mirror to see what was so funny." His fist clenched. "The next thing I remember is waking up in a hospital, being hugged by Takumi. Dad was dead, Rowena was missing, and Mom was four rooms down."

Felicia leaned back in surprise. "You were being hugged by Takumi?"

"Not the takeaway, Felicia."

"No, it's just...I knew most of that." She shook her head. "I knew you were playing Truth or Dare. I knew there was an accident that killed your dad and sent you to the hospital. Takumi came out of left field."

"Hey, he wasn't always the turd you know."

"Still." She frowned, touching his arm gently. "You're blaming the wrong thing. Game night didn't kill your dad, the thing the car hit did."

"He wasn't paying attention. Thanks to me and that stupid game, he looked back for a second and crashed."

"My dad's taken his eyes off the road for a second before. He's still here, a glance isn't enough."

"It's been playing in my head for years," Revan said, voice turning bitter. "Like a GIF from hell. Just...my dad, laughing as the lights got brighter -"

"Lights? Did he hit a streetlight? Streetlight pole?"

"No, I would've heard about the destruction. I'm thinking it might have been headlights."

"So what do you know about what hit him?"

"Surprisingly little," Revan admitted. "And considering that he was obscenely rich, and if it was headlights, how could the other driver get out of a vehicular manslaughter charge?"

"Maybe they did," Felicia suggested. "Or maybe they bought their way out. I've heard of dirty cops in Emblemme."

"Yeah, Takumi bribed his way out of a speeding ticket once. But who can bribe their way out of a vehicular manslaughter charge?"

"Rich people?"

"But who's rich enough for -"

Revan finally stopped. It was just a theory, of course. But it would explain a lot.

"Holy mother-forking shirtballs."

"Revan?" Felicia asked uncertainly. "You're quoting again."

"I can't believe we never got to meet Izana," Charlotte complained as she and Keaton sat next to the fountain at the mall. Izana was signing autographs, but she, Keaton, and Benny were all banned from the area. "Now how am I supposed to get on TV?"

Keaton watched silently as Charlotte draped herself across a bench dramatically. "Maybe we can find another actor," he said helpfully, to Charlotte's groan.

"Or maybe I'm just not meant to be an actress," she said quietly. "I'll be a waitress my whole life. I'll never help out my parents. I'll have to live with Benny even if he gets married and has a family."

"I don't see why you wouldn't get promoted out of waitressing."

"Keaton. I'm trying to mope here."

"And Izana's not gonna like a mopey mongoose."

Charlotte sat up. "What." The word wasn't even a question.

Keaton ignored it. "Even if Izana doesn't see how great you are, he's full of it. Let him be like the guy who passed up on the Beatles."

"I've never heard people passing up on the Beatles."

"Exactly. You've never heard of 'em."

Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Are you here to cheer me up or distract me? Neither is working."

"I'm here to do both, actually." Keaton reached into his pocket, pulling out something dusty - did he even wash his pants? She was prevented from commenting when he got down on one knee.

"Charlotte. Forget that loser over there. You've got a good life here, with me - and I've been thinking that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

Charlotte looked down at the item in his hands. "Is that a ring pop?"

Keaton tilted his head, acknowledging the stupid decision. "I couldn't afford the real thing."

She didn't take her eyes off the ring pop. "At least it's still in its wrapper," she sighed, picking it up and gently tossing it back at him. "I love you, Keaton, but I'm not getting married until I can afford the big, fancy wedding I've always dreamed of. My answer is - eventually."

Izana had been on his way out, but at the sound of the crowd's gasp he'd turned around. He couldn't help the smile as he watched this go down. "I like this girl," he told his manager, who looked at him like he'd sprouted a third nostril. "Put her on TV!"

"Where do you plan to put her?"

"I'm taking the part of co-producer of that Bewitched remake," Izana said with a shrug. "Audition her for Samantha."

"The lead? Don't we want someone more experienced?"

"I said audition her for Samantha. If she doesn't fit, we'll give her a smaller role. Besides, I wasn't thought to be qualified when I started my career but look at me now!"

With an 'oop,' he did a cartwheel on his way to his limo. His entourage collectively groaned.

But they did as told - they invited Charlotte to the audition. And she happily accepted.

"Garon Nohr!" Revan shouted as he charged up the driveway to Nohr Manor. He kicked the front door, only to immediately flinch back - this was the leg he'd used in the fight against the Death Knight.

Jakob opened the door to find Revan, balancing on one foot, and Felicia, supporting him and providing equal stability on her two feet. "Did you seriously just try to kick in the door?" Jakob asked, thinking to himself that no, his brother-in-law couldn't possibly be so stupid...and knowing very well that he could. "The giant, locked, solid oak door?"

"Might've," said Revan.

"With his bad leg," Felicia added.

"Don't tell him that!"

"But I'm worried about your leg!"

"Just get me your boss, Jakob!" Revan demanded, gently putting his leg down.

"Which one?"

"The drunk one."

Jakob stood aside. "Garon Nohr! Revan Hoshido is here to see you." He looked back at Revan. "Bringing karma, no doubt."

"Karma with the rage of the gods."

"Garon Nohr!" Revan demanded, this time letting Jakob take them to the man's office. Garon looked up from his paperwork, unsurprised. "How do you live with yourself?"

Garon showed off the cigar he had in one hand, and gestured to the glass of whiskey on the desk. "With my happy sticks and my forget-me-juice," he said with a slight smile. "Why? What's the problem?"

"Tell me how you came to adopt Rowena."

"This story again? I don't tell Leo about the day some guy showed up on my doorstep and told me he was mine."

"You do, actually," said Jakob, and Garon growled.

"Shut up your pants."

"Just tell the story!" Revan interrupted. "The whole truth! Unfiltered!"

"Why would my pants need to -" Jakob started, but a chorus of "SHUT UP" from Garon, Revan, and Felicia silenced him.

Revan pointed dramatically. "Tell me!"

"There's not much to tell," said Garon. "I found you all on the street. She twitched, you didn't, I took her home. I would've brought you if you moved."

"So how did you find us? Were you taking a leisurely stroll? Or were you driving while drunk off your ass, like you do everything else?"

"I could have been taking a leisurely stroll while drunk off my ass! What's all this about?"

"This is about me knowing the truth!" Revan slammed his hands on Garon's desk, sloshing his drink. Garon lifted up the paperwork to prevent it from getting wet. "You killed my father!"

Garon was silent for a moment. "Jakob, fetch me a napkin."

"I'd rather see where this goes, thank you," said Jakob.

"You're the butler. Get me a napkin."

"Rowena fired me when we got engaged."

"And this is important!" Revan interrupted. "You were in the car that hit ours! You killed my father!"

All traces of amusement vanished from Garon's face. "That is a serious accusation, boy," he warned. "What proof do you have?"

"The demon GIF in my head!"

The room fell into silence once again.

"Revan," Jakob said, "as intrigued as I am at the thought of my former employer going to jail, I believe he has the right to a fair trial?" Revan grunted. Jakob continued. "And you have to understand that a, quote, 'demon GIF in your head' is not admissible evidence."

"What, you joining Rowena in law school now?"

"It's called common sense."

"I'll tell you my story," said Garon. "I was driving, well under the legal limit - I might've had one beer, I might've been sober. I saw three bodies and a crying little girl. I took the girl and raised her as my own. That's the story." He took another puff of cigar. "Maybe the adoption wasn't as legal as it should've been, but she's not pressing charges."

"I will take you to court for this!" Revan hissed.

"Again," said Jakob, "not admissible evidence."

Garon took another sip of whiskey. "Escort him outside, Jakob, before I start charging you rent. And pick up a napkin on your way back."

Jakob and Felicia half-carried Revan out, but even as he left, Revan shouted over his shoulder.

"How do you live with yourself, Garon?"

Garon put out the cigar, waiting until he couldn't hear their footsteps anymore.

"With happy sticks and forget-me-juice." He looked down at the glass. "And it's still not enough."

He downed it.