Disclaimer:  No, of course I do not own Shadow Hearts.  Except I finally have a copy of the game again (thank you Kim!!!  ^^)

**

[Keith]

            It was rather unusual.  For a street urchin, Halley was remarkably reliable, because he was used to others depending on him.  He had said he was staying out late…but had he really meant that to mean the whole night?  I did not think so, he would have said morning if that were the case.  But as Margarete had pointed out, he could contact us immediately in an emergency.

            Either he had been incapacitated so quickly that he could not contact us, or he had become as absent-minded as my brother.  Neither possibility was particularly pleasing, but I hoped for his sake it was the latter.

            "Maybe he just fell asleep near the palace," Margarete suggested.

            We circled the palace, but the aurora light did not reveal Halley.  I swore, wondering where he could have gone off to.  As I stewed, Margarete set to work smoothing out her appearance.  I considered if a bat might not have better luck from an aerial view.  Probably not; I had noticed a large part of the population was blonde, and what if Halley had gone indoors?

            Margarete gave her hair one last rake before approaching a pair of guards.  Unlike most of the inhabitants, they were actually fully clothed and would get roasted when the noon sun came.  She had pulled her hair into a high ponytail, giving her the impression of someone younger—although if they had looked closely, they would have seen she was around thirty.  "Excuse me sir, have you seen my little brother?  He's got the same hair and eyes as me, and he's just a bit shorter," Margarete said as she gestured with her hand.  "He said he was going to see the palace."

            The first guard shook his head, but the second considered.  "I saw someone like that, but he was an Air class."

            "Yes!  That's my brother's class," Margarete said encouragingly.  I wondered why the devil she had to make things so complicated instead of just giving them a detailed description of Halley.  But it seemed to be working, so I kept quiet and watched with Zhuzhen.  "Do you know where he went?"

            "He was asking someone directions for a bar.  I don't know which one though."

            I sighed.  That had to be another person.  Why would Halley go to a bar?  The one time he'd gotten drunk had been his last; Halley was the type to have a temper when he was drunk.  It wouldn't have been a problem except for his ESP, and an also drunk Yuri's insistence on provoking him.

            "Alright, time for the bar," Margarete announced when she returned.

            "I doubt it's him.  He knows well enough what happens when he's drunk," I said wearily.

            "Yeah, and he knows well enough not to be a moron and wander off in a strange world.  I say anything's possible right now."  She had gotten directions from the guards to a nearby bar, and so she led us to it.  Sellers were beginning to set up shop in the marketplace.  I had no doubt it'd be crowded within the hour.

            "Seems a little early to be drinking," Zhuzhen noted.  The bar had a surprising number of patrons for such an early time.  Most of the men were in a corner, surrounding someone.  When I heard Halley's boisterous voice, I swore and made my way through.  I felt ready to yell at him if he was drunk, regardless of the possible consequences.  "Halley!"

            When he came into view, he was sitting across from a burly, red-headed man.  There was a stack of coins in his lap and I realized he'd been gambling.  Halley looked up, his blue eyes glinting in the poor light of the bar.  "Something wrong?" he asked coolly.  He was sober.

            "Get up, we don't have any time."

            "Halley!"  Using her small frame to her advantage, Sharon slipped through the crowd and threw her arms around Halley's neck.  Halley smiled, scooping his coins up with one hand and picking Sharon up with the other.

            "Alright, I'll clean you drunkards out later," he said.  This was met with a round of raucous cheers that did little to help my headache.  I swore I'd never wake up this early again.

            We went to a quieter spot, in an alley behind the bar.  Halley was lingering, making me pace angrily.  We had to go now; Alice had made it clear she would not wait an hour longer.  Defeated, Tiresias, Fox Face and I had been helping her plan a way to get in the City of Darkness without getting killed until Mnemosyne had returned.

            I remembered that moment well.  Fox Face and I had both edged away, not wanting to be in the way if Alice decided a Blessed Light in order; Mnemosyne had gazed at the barely conscious mix of Yuri and Hyuga as Tiresias informed her he was still alive.

            Before the woman could make any sort of reply, Alice had leaned over to Yuri and kissed his cheek, just as Mnemosyne had.  "And do you care about him?" she had asked quietly.

            "Touché, angel," Mnemosyne had said as she hung her head.

**

[Fox Face]

            We were still planning a way for Alice to get in.  Alice's Light aura immediately made sneaking in impossible, which was the biggest problem.

            "Everyone's going to assume she's an angel," Mnemosyne explained.  "We have to take advantage of that."

            "In a city that hates angels?" I said.

            Mnemosyne was helping us plan Ego's rescue now.  After Alice's comeback to her, she was contrite, except when someone made a bad suggestion.  I was usually the one whose ideas got shot down.  Strategy was never a big deal for me, but right now it was important.

            "You said the war is not quite over?" Alice said thoughtfully.

            "Well, the Darkness clan has never rejoined God, so there's some tension."

            "Does the Light clan ever make treaties?"

            Mnemosyne stared at Alice.  "They have, actually.  To keep the fighting from getting too bad.  For some reason they don't like using their godly powers too much."

            "There're no Light classes in the city right now," Alice said.  "I could go in—say I'm an angel from the clan—"

            "Don't say that," Tiresias cut in.  "The angels aren't a clan, they're more of God's army."

            "Then what should I say I am?"

            The Asian woman had a definite smile as she suggested, "Say you're the destroying angel, Sarah."

            Alice looked at Mnemosyne strangely.  She laced her fingers together, pursing her lips.  "But she's dead."

            "No one's seen the body.  The Darkness clan knows the angels might hide secrets to take them by surprise.  You can carry it off; you have her looks, you have her soul."

            Now Alice looked very uncomfortable.  "But won't people talk about an angel coming back from the dead?  What if the angels hear?"

            "They'd hear about an unknown angel presenting herself as a negotiator too."  Mnemosyne grinned in spite of the serious situation.  "Besides, it's the best insurance for your protection.  No demon would be stupid enough to pick a fight with Sarah.  To afraid of that Final Judgment spell."

            "I don't have it—"

            "Bluff your way.  They're not going to doubt you."  Seeing Alice's indecision, Mnemosyne's black almond eyes narrowed.  "What's wrong?  You came up with the treaty idea.  I'm just telling you it'd be safer to say you're Sarah than some unknown angel."

            "I don't want to pass myself off as the destroyer of souls."

            "But you wouldn't actually be doing it," I said.  I nosed my way under her hand and peeked up at her.  She had a pensive expression, but she slowly came out of it to scratch my head.  Maybe having Alice think of me as a dog wasn't so bad; she was still just as nice to me, and now she petted me and let me rest my head on her thigh.  And what a shapely thigh it was.  "Why worry?"

            Her nails raked through my fur and she sighed.  "I guess I just don't like her.  But now's not the time to be picky.  I'll do that."

            "There's still a problem," Tiresias said.  Like Keith, he tended to stay out of conversation when he wasn't involved, but he never stopped listening.  "They won't attack her, but I remember they poisoned one once."

            "I remember that," Ego said.  "He was screaming and spitting up blood."  He smirked.  "Stupid angel."

            I felt the breath Alice drew in.  Ego was more Hyuga right now, but I hadn't heard that cold tone from him either.  "What's with you?"

            He looked at me and Alice with half-lidded eyes.  "I didn't know angels liked bestiality."

            Alice's leg tensed underneath me.  The comment had made her uncomfortable and I cursed, standing up.  "Bastard," I muttered.  His lazy smirk grew wider.

            "I'm never seen him like this," Tiresias said, concerned.

            Mnemosyne waved her hand dismissively.  "It's the lovely young adult stage, emulating Asher."

            "Ah," Tiresias said, "Of course."  There was a heavy tone of displeasure in his voice, which made my ears perk up.  It was rare for Keith to hate someone.  Who was Asher…?

            "Anyway, about the poison," Mnemosyne said, "You're lucky Alice, because you have the perfect bodyguard.  He can die over and over and over again."

            I groaned, knowing it was true.  "I'm taste tester?"

            "Yep.  Feed him a few bites of everything on your plate, and wait a few minutes before you start eating.  If he suddenly keels over, cast Wish on yourself and then run like a devil's after you.  Because there will be a few," she said, almost laughing.

            Alice's eyes were wide.  "What about Fox Face?"

            "Don't worry.  All he needs is some of your magic and he can re-create his body."

            It was true.  Before I'd needed both her magic and malice so I could chase after Yuri no matter how many times he seemed to 'kill' me.  Now I only needed her magic.  "Just don't kill me too much, y'know, I feel it.  And it does not feel too pleasant."

            "Mnemosyne."

            "What?"  She turned to Tiresias, who was starting to grip his blond hair in annoyance.

            "Alice is supposed to pretend to be an angel who's been dead for two millennia?"

            "So?"

            "And be accompanied by a Dark-classed kitsuune to the dinner table?"

            "Well—"

            "And she probably won't even be dressed in the typical angel's garments?"

            "Tiresias, you come up with a better plan.  Or, even better, talk Alice out of going."

            Tiresias looked up with hopeful green eyes, but Alice's stony expression showed she was not about to be swayed.  He sighed and massaged his temples.  "You women…"

            "Lamia would smack you for that tone."

            "Mia would come up with a better plan."

            Mnemosyne shrugged.  "Is it my fault I'm not as devious as her?"

            "You should not insult her," Tiresias snapped.

            "Insult her?" the robed woman laughed.  "From what I've seen, she's proud of being devious.  Why else would she call herself 'Lamia'?  Now, he is right about the clothes thing.  You'll have to look your best," she said more seriously.

            "Um…all my clothes are dirty," Alice said.  My ears perked up at this.

            "You've got one clean outfit," I said gleefully.

**

[Keith]

            "What?" I said incredulously.

            Halley folded his arms.  "I said I don't feel like going."

            My teeth grit together as I ground out, "Perhaps you didn't understand.  Yuri almost died last night, Alice is going to try to enter a city where Light classes are despised so she can save him.  Perhaps you didn't realize that they could both die at any moment!"

            "So if we could please go—" Zhuzhen said, his voice holding the same exasperation as mine.

            "Then go."

            I stared at the teenager, my temper rising.  I did not often lose my patience, but Halley's defiant stance irked me.  He stared at me with a sullen expression.  I was the only one being glared at, and so I shifted from one side to the other, wondering what the devil he was thinking anyway.

            "Halley," Sharon said, "What's wrong?"

            "Yeah, I'm wondering about that too," Margarete said.  "Because we're going whether you come or not.  You want to be stuck here?"

            Halley cocked his head as if wondering, then whispered to Sharon, whom he had been holding the entire time.  Her eyes became more and more distant as he spoke; when she nodded, it was slowly, in the manner of one half asleep.

            "Sharon's coming with me," he said.

            "How does that solve—"  I stopped speaking when I realized Halley had control over every element, which meant he only needed Sharon to return to our world.  And that if he did, Margarete, Zhuzhen, and I would all be trapped in this world until we found Alice or Yuri—if we did find them.  "You--!"

            "Halley, why don't you just tell us what's wrong?" Margarete said calmly, trying to be the voice of reason.  "Why don't you want to go to the City of Darkness?"

            "I don't want anything to do with that beast."

            Margarete's eyes narrowed and she walked towards Halley.  "Alright kid, you're acting really weird now.  Where did you go last—"

            She was cut off as a gale of wind hit her in the stomach.  Halley had cast a spell, and in the narrow confines of the alleyway, it hit all three of us.  Zhuzhen managed to guard himself somewhat, but Margarete and I were unfortunate enough to hit the far wall.  As soon as the spell had begun its damage, Halley and Sharon had fled.

            Margarete was on the ground, curled into a ball.  Her blonde hair was strewn over her face, hiding her expression, but I could hear her heaving gasps and knew the spell had knocked the wind out of her.  I knelt and carefully helped her back on her feet as Zhuzhen began casting a healing spell.

            "Okay.  I say we hunt him down and kill him," Margarete ground out.  Her cheeks were flushed with both pain and anger, a hint of tears in her eyes.

            "Well, I don't think we should go that far," Zhuzhen said, "But we do need to stop them.  And knock some sense into Halley."  He tapped his staff thoughtfully as he walked out of the alley.  With the innocent-looking weapon he indicated a direction before taking off.  Margarete and I followed him, quickly overtaking the elderly Adept.

            Margarete fell behind me, still recovering from her sudden loss of breath.  I moved faster as I saw Sharon's head of brown hair amongst the various cloths.  Halley was being slowed by the girl's small legs, and it was clear he was impatient.  He knocked into a redhead's shoulder, making the girl spin around as he yelled out a hasty 'Sorry!'.

            "Halley!" I yelled.  "Goddamn it, Halley, stop!"

            A tall, blond man standing by the redhead turned to me as  I shouted.  For an instant, I thought I was seeing things.  The redhead had brown hair, the blond black, and another near them seemed to have hair that changed color whenever he moved.  Then I was seeing nothing.

            I stopped immediately, having experienced this affliction before.  Someone had just blinded me using magic.  I couldn't heal myself without causing another harm, and so I called out, "Margarete!  I need your assistance!"

            "I'll have to do," Zhuzhen said wryly.  "Margarete's already ahead."  He healed my eyes and we resumed our chase after Halley, determined to know what had changed the psychic's mind.

**

            For Persephone, the chase had begun after a boy had knocked into her shoulder, spinning her around.  The pain and annoyance did not keep her from noticing who he was.  It was the same boy she'd fought against, and now he was alone except for a little girl…the same girl she had met that day.  They're related?

            "Syth, that's him!" she said, looking up at the unnatural brunet.  "Got the bracelet?"

            "Halley!  Goddamn it, Halley, stop!"

            The boy looked behind him and Persephone realized he was being chased by…another of Hyuga's friends.  What an odd bunch.

            Kain stopped the pursuer, a large, pale blond, with a simple blind spell, though it meant he was forced to drop their illusions for a few seconds.  Then the three of them began their own pursuit of Halley, for entirely different reasons but a similar goal: so they could find Hyuga.

**

[Fox Face]

            "You're not looking, are you?"

            I whimpered on the other side of the bushes.  "Can't I?"

            "No, you may not!  You're looking, aren't you?"

            "I'm looking away, looking away," I muttered.  The splashing sounds continued on the other side, reminding me of how much I was missing.  Alice was bathing, and only bushes kept me from a full vision of all her natural beauty.  I whimpered again and lowered my head to my forelegs.  This was not fair.

            After a few more splashes, Alice sighed.  "Ah, that feels good."  My ears perked up but I kept my eyes forward, on our bags.  There were more splashes, and she started giggling, as if she knew how much torture she was putting me through.  Exasperated, I buried my head beneath my forelegs and sighed.  "Alright, I'm coming out to dry off!  Don't you dare peek!"

            This was a bit tempting.  I knew if I turned around I'd see everything.  I also knew that if I turned around that would be the last thing I'd see.  So I decided to be obedient.

            About five minutes later, I heard rustling sounds as her new outfit was lifted from the bush branches.  I grinned and waited for her to get dressed.

            "Odd…"

            "What's odd?"

            "It actually fits, though it's a little snug."  I grinned, knowing the snugness had been on purpose.  Ego had done a good job.  "I'm afraid to ask how Yuri knows clothing so well."

            "One of the odd jobs.  Selling women's clothing."

            "I see…"

            "He kept that one for a while 'cause he was good at flattering the ladies."

            "Really," Alice said dryly.  "Alright, I'm dressed.  I'm coming out now."

            I turned around, but above the tall vegetation all I could see was the top of her head.  Alice walked to the left and came around the large bushes.  My jaw fell slightly open.

            She was still barefoot and wasn't wearing those bothersome stockings.  I could see what she meant by snug: the white skirt was wrapped around her hips tightly.

            As I had predicted, the top came down to her rib cage before opening and draping away from her body.  The top was also a little snug around her chest.

            Her face was red with embarrassment.  "I feel…indecent."

            "You look sexy."

            She frowned.  "Now I know I'm indecent."

            "That's mean.  Just 'cause I like something, it's automatically bad?"

            "Not bad.  But…it's never been a good sign."

            My tails wagged.  "Too bad.  You have to do it anyway."

            Alice sighed, shaking her head of white-blonde hair.  "I know.  Let me get some shoes on."

            She chose white shoes, like sandals, to go with the outfit.  I proclaimed my approval with a bit too much excitement and she swatted me on the snout before walking off.

**

[Keith]

            Hours later, I was questioning the wisdom of our pursuit.  So far we had not managed to catch Halley or Sharon, but instead alerted the entire city to us when a brief scuffle had escalated in a tornado of fire—a good reason to not mix Zhuzhen and Halley's magicks.  Alice and Yuri were both in danger, and it would take long enough to reach them without chasing a stubborn psychic across a large city.

            "It's not like he'll have any trouble getting out," I said.  "He's not in any danger."  And we would only be trapped if both Yuri and Alice died.  Neither—neither could.

            "You sure?" Margarete asked.  "Cause he's really acting weird.  I think we should at least find out why."

            Grudgingly I nodded and turned to Zhuzhen.  "Have you sensed him yet?"  We could not stay in one place for very long, unless we wanted the guards to be after us again…

            He shook his head.  From his seated position, with his staff laid down in front of him, he looked up at the sky.  "I've got those three though."

            "Those Regina people?" Margarete asked.  She seemed interested as she pursed her lips thoughtfully.  "They might be following Halley still.  Worth a shot.  Speaking of shots…"

            "I know you want to, but don't," Zhuzhen said sternly.

            "Heh, not bullets."  She brought out from her jacket a device like a gun, smaller and shaped a bit differently.  "I wanna test this baby out.  It's a tranquilizer gun."

            Zhuzhen nodded his approval.  "Alright.  Let's go, those three are moving away now."

            We were aware of the second group chasing Halley, consisting of two men and a girl.  We knew from our experience in the Nemeton ruins that the two men were working for Regina, and Halley had told us earlier that the girl from the ruins was the summoner Persephone.

            "Let's catch them then."

**

[Fox Face]

            My tails were wagging merily as I observed Alice's backside, swaying with every step she took.  No ruffles to hide the movement, I could see everything, moving back and forth and back and forth…

            But then there was the City of Darkness, reminding me of the dangerous situation Alice was putting herself into to save my other half.  It made me both worried and jealous, worried that we'd all die anyway and just a bit jealous of Ego.  But I knew Alice loved us both.  Besides, if we did die, I could torture him with the fact that I had gotten to see Alice in this lovely outfit and he hadn't.

            "Fox Face?"

            "Huh?"

            "I just sensed someone having thoughts that are simultaneously lewd, malicious, and morbid."  She turned her head to look at me suspiciously.  I grinned.

            "I'm multi-tasking."

            "Stop it."

            "You want me to stick with just one?"

            Alice stopped to turn completely to me.  At first she was glaring at me, but then she raised an eyebrow.  "Stick with the lewd thoughts, you're usually having them anyways."

            "Oh, that hurts," I whimpered, letting my tails droop.  She shook her head.

            "Does it really?"

            "Well, in the fact that it's true.  But it's not my fault you're—"  My comment, which would have probably earned me a kick, was cut off when I saw the huge gates in the city's wall opening.  Out filed twenty guards in pairs, one guard with a bow and arrow and one with a spear.  They lined up in front of the gate, clearly not intending to let us pass.  My heart sank, if this was the welcoming committee…

            Alice stepped forward.  Her fists were clenched as she tried not to show her fear, but her voice came out strong and clear.  "I am one of the angels of God, here to reconcile with the Darkness clan.  My name is Sarah."

            She surprised me by bowing to the guards, her aura rising as she did.  She was deliberately unmasking her aura, trying to impress them with her strength.  And it seemed to be working; I could smell the guard's onset of fear.  As weird as the part seemed, Alice made an intimidating, yet polite, angel of death.

            "I request an audience with the clan."   

            The captain, who had a gold design on his suit to distinguish him, made a gesture to the others.  Immediately they lowered their weapons and parted in the middle.  The captain walked up to us and inquired respectfully, "You're here to negotiate a treaty?"

            "Yes."

            The man glanced down at me with a puzzled expression.  "And this?"

            "This is my bodyguard, Fox Face," she explained.  I liked that job.  Bodyguard.  That was me, guarding Alice's body.  I stayed close to Alice as we entered the City of Darkness, making sure that anyone who thought of attacking her would think twice when they saw me.

**

            Persephone dashed towards the blond boy as he came into sight again.  The little girl had been scooped up into his arms a while ago, and her small face was pale.  Persephone wondered why, if she was so frightened, she did not summon any creatures to her aid.

            "They're catching up to him," Kain said.  Glancing over his shoulder, he could see the large blond Earth class—which meant the others were nearby.

            "Then delay them," Persephone ordered.  The boy turned left, disappearing into an alley.  She ran into the alley and then looked around, confused.  The boy had vanished.  Carrying a small girl, he couldn't have run that fast.

            A movement caught her eyes and the startled summoner turned to see the boy on the roof.  He must have used magic to get up that fast, there was no way he could have climbed up.  Well, if he was using magic, so would she.

            She turned to face Syth and Kain and motioned for both to get out of the way.  Kain immediately began protesting, but it was too late; Persephone had summoned a large bird, startling everyone in the street and probably alerting the guards to where they were again.  He hated when Persephone was like this, she acted as hastily as Regina did.  If she kept this up, she'd probably get someone killed—probably herself.

**

[Keith]

            "Rats on the rooftops," Margarete reported and pointed; where her finger stabbed I could see two forms kneeling on a roof.

            "Now all we have to do is find a way up," Zhuzhen said.

            The spy grinned.  "Let's make a ladder."

            "What?" I asked.

            A screech and dozens of yells were heard as a bird rose above the marketplace.  On top of it was the brunet and redhead, meaning—

            "They've left their illusionist on the ground," I said.

            "Alright then, bottom on the ladder goes after him," Margarete said.  She surveyed us and then pointed at me.  "You're bottom."

            "I still don't understand," I protested.

            A minute later, I understood and was facing a brick wall as Margarete gracefully climbed onto my shoulders.  Zhuzhen's ascension was a bit more awkward, as his staff repeatedly hit me in the back, but soon he was on top of both Margarete and me.  He climbed onto the rooftop and then turned to help Margarete up.  I accidentally looked up too soon and caught a glimpse of pink polka dots.  I quickly looked back down.  "Sorry, Margarete."

            "What?" she asked.  "Oh, you took a peek at my panties, didn't you?"  Her tone was as teasing as always.  "Don't worry Keith, the first look is free.  You want a second though, and I'll have to charge you."

            I felt that was a good enough invitation to say something.  I opened my mouth but couldn't find any words until—

            "You'll have to tell me the price later," I said suddenly.

            Margarete turned crimson.  Apparently she hadn't expected that response from me.  I hadn't quite expected that either.  I must have been around Yuri too much.

            "Um, right…see you in a bit," she said before taking off after Zhuzhen.

            I sighed, shifting the burden of our supplies on my shoulders.  That had been a rather poor way of admitting my interest.  Still, I had been determined to say something ever since Aquila Rose—and she hadn't let me say it before, so why not now?   I'll think about it later—when she brings my idiocy up.

            Instead I set off in search of the illusionist, going by where the bird had taken off from.  I used my vampire magic to turn invisible.  That should throw the illusionist off.

            The thin blond was sitting in an alleyway, his lithe form prostrate among the refuse scattered around.  He was still save for breath, his eyes fixed on the sky.  I followed the gaze to empty air, but then realized the huge tawny bird was nowhere to be seen.  He was trying to hide it from view.  Well, since Margarete and Zhuzhen were after Halley and Sharon, they should be fine.

            This was poor form to simply sneak like a snake around him.  It had no honor at all in it.  Having him close enough that he could not escape, I appeared in front of him.

            The blond started, changing again to the raven-haired man with skin as pale as my father's.  It was then I learned that Water classes, in general, do not fight fair.

            The illusionist seemed to disappear, though I knew he could not have.  I heard Margarete call my name and turned around, seeing her and Zhuzhen with a contrite Halley in tow.  I laughed.  I did not expect Halley to be at all sorry when he was caught; he had not seemed at all regretful for attacking Margarete, after all.  The Mind's Eye bandanna was wrapped around my eyes; if I couldn't use my eyes, I might as well use the accessory.  With some concentration, I picked out the Water class aura and headed after it.

**

[Fox Face]

            I whined quietly to myself, watching Alice's shins anxiously.  She was keeping her legs crossed, probably aware that I would try peeking if she didn't.

            Fifteen minutes ago I had gotten a nibble of Alice's food.  I hadn't died yet, and I was feeling a bit hungrier now.  The meat had been really good, a little bit rare and tender with rich, thick gravy.  I nuzzled Alice's hand before gazing up at her.  "More?"

            She was talking to one of the clan's members, trying her best to sound like an angel based on what Mnemosyne and Tiresias had told her.  She pushed me down with her hand.  I sighed and nosed along the table, but damn table manners, no one had dropped any food yet.  I slunk back to Alice.  "Please?"

            She glanced down, her blue eyes frowning.  "You're slobbering."

            "I'm hungry," I whined.

            Alice sighed and passed me a hunk of bread that had been lathered generously with gravy.  I gratefully took it and devoured it, savoring every drop of gravy.  This was the good stuff.

            "Can you explain your…bodyguard?"  This question came from a skirt of green fabric.  The limited light reflected off of the shimmering fabric as her legs swung slightly back and forth.

            "He, ah…he is a soul trying to repent and return to God."  Alice's voice was slightly uncertain as she lied.  "This is how he repents of his sins, by serving underneath me."

            "Hmph, sounds like a light sentence."  A boot was tapping on the floor.  His scratchy voice kept asking Alice questions, so annoyingly persistent I considered removing the tapping boot and the foot that was in it.  But that would be causing trouble.  I hated being under the table: too many opportunities to put some people in their places, no way to dodge the consequences.  "It seems like something Remiel would do, not Zerachiel."

            Remiel and Zerachiel were the two archangels in charge of sinners, Tiresias had told us.  Remiel offered mercy, and for those who didn't take it…there was Zerachiel.

            "Yes, it was Remiel's idea."

            "Then he has returned?"  This honeyed voice belonged to a real sweetie, with the nicest pair of legs I'd seen on a woman and suggestive red panties underneath her black skirt.  Unfortunately, she was on the other side of the table and Alice wanted me to stay right next to her.  So I'd stay out of trouble.  I had a sneaky feeling Alcie had noticed the skirt earlier.

            "Of course."

            "Two millennia after his Absolution?"  Black boots again.  I snarled and approached him before Alice grabbed one of my tails.  I whimpered as she tugged lightly.  Didn't she understand that tails were very sensitive?  She probably did.  Goddamn, now I'd have to watch out for that.

            "What," she answered, giving one last tug to make me sit, "gave you that idea?"

            "The fact that every angel has said that for two thousand years."

            Shit.  Mnemosyne and Tiresias hadn't told us about anything happening to that angel.  It must have happened after Tiresias bit the dust.

            "The times are changing," Alice said finally, mysteriously.

            The man laughed.  "Yes, all these people returning from the last Great War.  You, Sarah, and Remiel—even Hyuga is haunting us through his descendent.  He said he was from the mortal world, Tsuki?"

            "Yes, but I think he's just as insane as Hyuga was.  He won't do anything but change into monsters.  It gets boring after a while."  This came from the shimmering green skirt.  I growled, realizing this was the woman who'd nearly killed both Ego and me.  Alice rapped me on the head to shut me up.

            "Nemesis will decide what to do with him.  And we will wait until Nemesis comes before discussing any treaties, Sarah."  This was a firm, but respectful, response to Alice.  It really seemed like they wouldn't do anything to us; their respect for a soul-destroying angel was genuine at least.

            "That is fine," Alice answered.  I hoped only I could hear the relief in her voice.

            The conversation turned to a different subject, but finally they rose from their chairs.  I came out from underneath the table, giving a death glare to the single blond at the table, who wore heavy black boots.  The angel, both pretend and real, motioned for me to follow as a servant appeared.  He led us through the candle-lit hallways to a room.  "This is where you'll be staying."

            It was a lot better than any hotel room we'd been in.  The dark gray stone was a bit depressing, but it was well lit with plenty of candles and there was a really comfy bed.  Wait, it was only one bed.  That meant I'd be sleeping on the stone floor.  It was already freezing my paws off.

            The door closed behind me and Alice sighed.  "Do you think they believed me?"

            "It seemed like it," I said.  "Something wrong?"

            Her hands were wringing each other.  "No, I don't sense anything wrong about this room."

            "Are you nervous?"

            "No.  Yes.  A bit."  She sat on the bed, tugging at her sandals.

            "About?"

            "They believed me."

            Women never failed to stump me.  I sat down and cocked my head at her.  "Now, just why are you worried that they believed you and didn't try to shish-kabob us?"

            "I'm glad that they did, but I'm worried about why."  She laid back on the bed.  "I look like Sarah, but I must act like her too.  So…do I…think like her?"

            I was silent.  What on earth was she even talking about?  What did it matter how she thought?  "Alice?"

            "Yes?"

            "I'm not Halley.  So just tell me why it's bad before my head explodes."

            She laughed.  "I'm not sure.  I just don't like her.  Is that a bath?"  Her eyes were directed behind me and I looked.  There was some sort of bathtub.  It had a drain, but there were no faucets.  I nosed around before I found a scroll.  There were a few of them, just lying around.

            "Water scrolls," Alice said, picking one up.  "I suppose that's the simplest way in this world."  She glanced down at me.  "Hop in."

            "Nuh uh."

            "Before I make you."

            I chuckled.  "Oh yeah, if you think you can hold a kitsuune in a bathtub and use a scroll at the same time, be my guest."

            "Fine."  Alice pulled out her book.  "That was your last warning…"

**

[Keith]

            The illusionist was backing into a corner now.  His endurance was beginning to run low; we had been fighting for well over an hour.  The city was quickly becoming cool, almost cold as the sun set.

            I listened carefully and then felt a dagger slice my sword arm.  His aim was off.  Now I knew where he was.  I struck, having learned by now he was trying to evade me by staying close to the grown—so I swung low.  There was a yell of pain.  I sensed the flow of blood and reached down, searching it out.  It was rather odd searching blood out by scent alone.  Hopefully he had run out of healing magic—it got tiring to have the coppery scent disappear too quickly.

            His shirt was soaked in blood, but it was a shallow wound.  I lifted him up, ignoring his struggles to get away.  I heard the illusionist's other dagger fall to the ground with a clatter and knew I was safe.  I leaned toward him and bit his neck, an act so natural to me it was done with ease despite the blindfold.

            "Keith, stop!  What are you doing?"
            I paused for a moment, hearing Margarete's voice tinged with fear and pain.  The neck was already pierced and the blood trickling into my mouth.  Had the clatter been a gun dropping, or was this another illusion?

            I continued sucking the blood out.  There was a bit of resistance as Margarete's voice continued to plead for me to let go, but she never hit or slapped me as I would have expected the spy to do.  Eventually I felt the body go slack and ripped off the Mind's Eye.  I was holding a dark-haired man, unconscious but with steady breath.  I sighed with infinite relief.  Margarete would have killed me if I had drained her blood.

            I dropped the man and looked around for Margarete or Zhuzhen.  After all, the illusionist was unimportant as long as he was not casting those annoying illusions.  But instead of Margarete or Zhuzhen, I saw Halley run past, Sharon cradled in his arms.  The others must have lost him again.  Good thing I had stayed behind.  I growled with annoyance and then followed him through the streets.

            The stalls were starting to close up since it was dark.  Halley disappeared into one of the buildings—it was the inn we were lodged in, he was going to our room!

            My temper rose higher as I followed him upstairs.  I was on the same floor as our room when I saw the door close.  Was he thinking of taking something?  We had gotten most of our things out, but—

            I flung open the door, drawing my sword in case he wanted to fight.  Halley whirled around.  "Keith," he said uncertainly.  His eyes were wide and frightened.  "Sharon, she's—I can't heal her."

            "She's injured?"  I looked down at her.  Her skin was ashen and her breath came heavily and unevenly.  "Did she get hurt in a fight?"

            "No, I don't know how, just…"

            Realizing there was a definite emergency, I sheathed my sword and examined Sharon more closely.  Her pupils were dilated and she was trembling from head to toe.  "You can't heal her?"

            "I've been trying.  I can't.  She didn't get hit by a spell.  Look."  He held out his hand over her face and concentrated.  The healing magic entered her body, but she calmed only briefly before her face returned to the same gray color and the trembling became even worse.

            I rummaged in the items bag and found a Thera leaf.  It had the same effect as Halley's magic had: she seemed fine for a moment, but in the next instant she was ill again, perhaps worse than before.

            "Alright, you stay here.  I'll get Zhuzhen," I told Halley.  Before I left, I looked at him sternly.  "If you're not here when we return, he's not healing her.  Do you understand?"

            "I'm not going to leave her!" Halley said angrily.  Seeing my expression, he turned his face away.  "I know you guys are mad at me…but I have a good reason why we shouldn't go to the City of Darkness."

            "If it's a good reason, why didn't you tell us earlier?" I said.

            "Because he said…he said you wouldn't listen."

            "He?"  Halley seemed unsure how to respond and I realized that Sharon was only getting worse as the minutes passed.  "Never mind, tell me when I come back."

            He nodded and then I left the room.  Time to find a healer…

**

[Fox Face]

            "In you go!" Alice said.  She whacked me with another weak Blessed Light for good measure and I scrambled in the tub.  She hadn't hurt me, since all the spells she'd cast were low-level, but then again they didn't exactly tickle.  "And now…"  She took out the water scroll and read it.  Soon I was soaked to the bone and growling.  "Don't give me that tone.  I told you I'd get you in here."

            "I hate baths," I complained.  I tried to climb out but Alice put her book on my nose.

            "I don't think so.  You stay in there."  She smiled as I grumpily sat back down.  "Did you always give your mother this much grief?"

            "We just hid when it was time for a bath."

            "So you gave her lots of grief."  Alice rummaged around the bath, searching for something.  She soon returned with some sort of gel, probably soap.  "Let's clean you up with this."

            "No soap."

            "Yes.  You stink."  She opened the cap and examined it.  She sniffed it curiously.  "And this smells nice.  Like lavender."

            "There is no way in hell I'm going to smell like lavender.  Next thing you know you'll be putting pink bows in my fur."

            Alice grinned.  "Don't give me ideas, Fox Face."

            "You wouldn't dare."

            "Well, be a good boy and settle down for your bath and I won't damage your male pride any more than I already have.  Except for making you smell like lavender.  But I don't think you'll mind that too much."

            She probably didn't realize how good a kitsuune's sense of smell was.  I caught one whiff of the lavender, and it was potent.  "Alice.  Please don't."  I'd be smelling only that for the next day if she used it on me.

            "Don't be such a baby."  She dumped it in the water, and bubbles started appearing.  I groaned, knowing I'd have the scent on me for days unless I had another bath.  Maybe that was Alice's point.  "Now let's get you cleaned up."

            "Yes, ma'am…"  Sulkily I sank down into the water so even my head was wet.  This was going to be the worst bath ever.

**

[Keith]

            Getting on the rooftops was simple for me.  I only needed to transform myself into a bat before I flew up.  After a few minutes of frantically flying, I discovered a triumphant Margarete and Zhuzhen near an unconscious brunette.  There was some type of magical chain going from Margarete's hand to the young girl's.  "What is that?" I asked once I changed forms.

            "It's a slave bracelet.  They had it ready for Halley, but we're using it now."

            "They?"  That was right, there was a third person.  He was in the shadows of Zhuzhen's flare, tending to the unconscious girl.  Unlike her, he was not bound.  "Is that safe?" I asked.

            "What, to leave him free…?  Yeah, I think so.  He doesn't seem to have any magical talent, and he might be a worse liar than Alice, if you can imagine that.  And I disarmed him," she said, smirking.  "I'm guessing you took care of the illusionist…"

            I nodded and turned to Zhuzhen.  "Halley's at the hotel.  Something seems to be wrong with Sharon, and he can't heal her."

            "So he wants help," Zhuzhen said.  He sighed, somewhat aggravated, when I nodded.  "Well, at least we know where he is."

            "Can I borrow your staff?" Margarete asked.  "I still have to give him a good whack upside the head."  She turned around to face the man.  "Come on.  Syth, right?  We're going.  If you want to come with us, you better hurry up."

            "They're coming with?" I asked as she started walking.  This seemed rather foolish, but then she usually had good reasons for her actions.

            "Well, that guy was smart enough to shut up after a while," she said, nodding to Syth, "So I only know what this thing does," holding up the bracelet, "and that they wanted Halley since he's psychic."

            "What does that do, anyway?"

            "It's used on slaves in this world.  It doesn't allow them to go outside of a certain range and it suppresses magical talent.  Which I like, because that means I don't have to worry about her summoning anything."

            "And what does this have to do with them coming with."

            "You got me sidetracked," she accused lightly.  She shrugged.  "Interrogation."

            I shook my head.  It was incredible how she seemed so comfortable with taking two people prisoner.  Had she done this often in her profession?

            "Now, what did you do with your guy?  Drain his blood or something?"

            "Yes."

            She turned to me, her blue eyes for once showing some surprise.  "Really?  You killed him?"

            "Not all of his blood," I protested.  I glanced back, where Syth was watching us closely.  He held the sleeping girl to his chest, a very protective gesture.  "I took enough so he was unconscious and there weren't any more illusions.  I was sick of him pretending to be you after a while."

            Margarete laughed.  "Really, he pretended to be me?"  She turned around and jerked the arm with the golden bracelet up, pulling them closer.  Syth had been trailing but now quickened his pace as the girl was almost pulled out of his arms.  The simple gesture seemed somewhat haughty to me—it reminded me of something.  I shook my head.  "He didn't?"

            "No, he did."

            "What'd he do?  Show you panties?"  She grinned as I turned red.  "You did surprise me earlier.  Are you a panty perv, Keith?"

            "I am not," I said, both embarrassed and annoyed.  "I—you were flirting."

            "I was not flirting.  I would say the same thing to Yuri."

            "You flirt with Yuri."

            "But I don't mean anything by it."  She shook her head.  "Oh, never mind.  You just have no idea how funny it was to hear that come out of your mouth.  Zhuzhen wasn't sure if he'd heard you right."

            I groaned.  "Well, you didn't let me tell you earlier."

            "Tell me what, you wanted to see my panties?"

            "No!  Would you—would you stop laughing?"

            But the spy continued chuckling as I turned redder.  Zhuzhen's fire wasn't helping, since I couldn't hide my face from the spy's inspection.  I suddenly wished I was dealing with Aquila Rose here.  Their personalities seemed somewhat similar, but the other had been so much simpler—Margarete was too complex for me.  She had insisted they were different people, but Rose might have been a childlike version of Margarete.

            And Aquila Rose would have actually shut up and listened to me.

            Zhuzhen entered the room first.  Halley had not moved from Sharon's side, and he was already turned to us—he had probably been searching us out with his ESP.

            "Alright, what's wrong with her?" Zhuzhen asked, looking her over.  Sharon was murmuring something as she trembled.  Perhaps she was having a fever dream.  But when I touched her forehead, it was cold, almost like ice.

            Zhuzhen tried his healing spell, Nourishing Potion, then attempted other spells.  Nothing was happening, except that Halley was becoming more frantic.  Finally Zhuzhen lost his patience.

            "Keith, can you give him a Pure root?"

            I found the item and offered it to Halley, who took it.  It was either that or he would be taken out by Margarete.  He calmed down slowly, still watching Sharon closely.  "Please be okay…" I heard him whisper.

            Zhuzhen shook his head.  "I don't know.  I have no idea what's wrong with her."

            "She's the angel, isn't she?"

            It took me a second to realize someone had spoken.  It was Syth.  He was cradling Persephone still as he sat on the floor.

            "Isn't she?"  His gray eyes were scanning over all of us as he looked for the answer.

            "Yes, she is," Halley said.  "Is that why…?"

            "May I see her?"

            "You think you can help her?" Margarete asked him.

            "Only if she wants to be helped."

            What kind of a response was that?  Margarete shrugged and nodded.  "You can try.  I'll just let you know now, you think of hurting her and he," she said, indicating Halley, "will probably kill you before you can even try."

            He shrugged and stood, the light of the room dancing in the crystal strands of his hair.  Very gently, he put the small brunette down and approached Sharon.  He looked at Halley.  "What is her name?"

            The psychic looked puzzled.  "Her name…?  Sharon."

            "Sharon," Syth asked, "Are you disobeying God?"

            The girl continued to shiver, but she seemed to be making a response.  Her lips were moving very slightly, her head shaking very slightly.           

            "Do not lie," the man said lightly, "God damns all liars."

            Halley started towards him, but stopped when Sharon spoke.

            "Y-yes."

            "What were you ordered to do?"

            "I h-have to find Sarah, a-and return her to the path of righteousness," Sharon said.  She seemed to be reciting something instead of actually speaking.

            "And what are you doing instead?"  This brought only silence.  Syth leaned closer to Sharon, and I placed one hand on Tyrving, to make sure he understood not to harm her.  He took no notice of the unspoken threat.  "Why aren't you looking for Sarah?"

            "Because Halley doesn't want to go," Sharon whispered.  "I can't go without Halley."

            I looked at Halley.  He was still watching Sharon with concern, but his hands were starting to ball into fists.  Even though neither of us understood what was happening, we knew where this was leading.

            "But Halley changed his mind," Syth said.  "He's going.  You can go with him and find Sarah."

            Her green eyes seemed to flicker with more life as she looked at Halley.  "Really?"

            Halley forced a smile onto his face.  "Yeah, of course I'm going."

            "So I don't have to choose?"  She looked up at Syth as she asked this.

            "No.  You can stay with him and serve God.  You don't have to choose."

            The trembling stopped as her body completely relaxed.  Her eyes slid closed in sleep, and the color was already beginning to return to her face.  Apparently whatever Syth had done—he had to have done something more than talking—had worked.

            "I don't understand," Halley said.  "What was wrong with her?"

            "You never force an angel to disobey God," Syth said.  His light gray eyes bored into Halley's blue eyes.  "Her orders are to find Sarah.  One way or another, you were telling her to ignore those orders.  God does not tolerate disobedience from his own people."

            "Then—that happened just because they made her an angel?" Halley said angrily.  I looked at Sharon, now resting peacefully on the bed, asleep.  Just what had they done to her at Eden?  "What's going on?"

            "If an angel disobeys God, He will force the angel to His will.  It is inevitable.  They can either surrender to Him or be broken.  This girl wasn't surrendering to God.  If she had continued much longer, she probably would have been broken."  Syth's gaze was still on Halley.  "Either in body, or in mind."

            "If she can't disobey him, and if she has to find Sarah…that means she has to go with us," Margarete said.

            Halley's fists clenched, but he nodded.  "Yeah, I know.  I'll go."  When he looked away, his eyes grew dark for a second before lightening.

            "Now will you tell us the reason you didn't want to go?" I asked.  Halley had always seemed to be a very loyal person.  I was interested in what would persuade him not to help two of his friends when they were in life-threatening situations.

            "It doesn't matter anymore.  I'm going, just like you wanted me to."

            He had that sullen tone again, the same as this morning.  I was in no mood to deal with this attitude again.  "Halley, just please tell us—"

            "It doesn't matter, Tiresias!  I'm doing what you want!  Aren't you ever satisfied?"

            I stared at him after the outburst.  It was then that I realized something wasn't quite right—perhaps hadn't been right the entire day.  Halley's eyes had retaken the hard, skeptical look that wasn't natural to him.  "Tiresias—so are you a shadow soul?"

            Halley's eyes dimmed for a moment before lighting up again, still cool and uninterested.  "Halley doesn't want to deal with you right now.  To be honest, I don't want to deal with you either, but I figured I should give him a break."

            Zhuzhen coughed, drawing my attention away from the blond nuisance.  Even if it wasn't Halley, he was being very annoying.  "Is Halley going to come back?"

            "He should tonight, after he's rested a bit."

            "And he is coming with us?"

            "You heard him yourself.  Although I might have to persuade him otherwise."

            "Right," I said, "Just forget it.  We all need to rest, and calm down."  I looked at Halley, unsure who I was actually talking to.  "Alright?"

            He shrugged.

            After we were all settled in, Zhuzhen having paid for a second night and Margarete satisfied that all weapons were out of Syth's and Persephone's reaches, I went to sleep quickly.  Halley's shadow soul was troubling; it didn't seem much like him.  I entered Yuri's Graveyard and entered.

            As I had expected, Mnemosyne and Tiresias were still keeping a vigil over Yuri—who did not seem much better than from before.  He continued to oscillate between being Yuri and being Hyuga.  Fox Face was by his side, looking sullen.

            "What's wrong?"

            "I got a bath," the kitsuune answered.

            "Oh."  I shook my head, somewhat amused by the answer.  "So I take it everything else went all right?"

            "Yep, they think Alice is a bona fide angel.  Now all we need to do is figure out where Ego is, slap him out of his little spell, and break him out."

            Mnemosyne buried her head into her arms, sighing.  "You make it sound so simple."  I agreed with her; Fox Face shared Yuri's trait of overconfidence.  She looked up at me, idly stretching out her red robes as she shifted her legs.  "How're things on your end?"

            "Halley gave us a very rough day, but I think it's because of his shadow soul."

            Mnemosyne sat a little more upright, her curiosity piqued.  "What?"

            "Well, his attitude's definitely changed.  And he keeps calling me Tiresias, so I thought it might be a shadow soul."

            The Japanese woman was now scowling.  "Exactly what is he acting like now?"

            "Well, he was reluctant about going to the City of Darkness.  To the point that he attacked us when we tried to persuade him."

            "Mm."  She did not look too pleased.  "Tiresias, you stay here.  If Hyuga asks where I am it's to take care of a nasty problem."

            The other vampire frowned.  "Mnemosyne, I know he's a nuisance, but…"

            "Nuisance, nothing.  I have reincarnated him at least fifteen times now, and every single time he's insisted on being a complete pest.  I am not going to tolerate any oath-breakers, not now.  He is taking advantage of Hyuga's weakness for his own games."  Her dark eyes were on Yuri as his chest rose and fell very slightly.  He was still deep in the memories of another man's life, and it would still be a few more days before he came out of it.

            "This shadow soul…he doesn't sound much like Halley," I said, curiously.

            Mnemosyne shook her head.  "No.  I intervened in Halley's life to make sure he wouldn't turn out the same way Asher did."

            "Asher?"  Fox Face's ears perked.  "Isn't that the guy Tiresias doesn't like?"  The fox chuckled.  "I want to see what this guy's like."

            "Oh, you will," Mnemosyne said, standing up.  "Just follow me.  It's time to see what Asher's made of his spirit world."

**

Author's Note:  Okay.  I don't blame anyone who didn't like this chapter.  Seeing as I didn't like it myself.  I was struggling through it the entire time.  -.-;;;  And I will probably never like it.  And I think this time I've made Keith OOC, which is amazing because he wasn't given much character in the first place.  Fizzerschnitzels.

I added another little hint about Mnemosyne in this chapter, since Kim's already guessed who she is.

Anything else?…I just did not like this chappy.  -.-;;  On the other hand, I've finally got the two groups to meet up.

**

Reviewers:

Dac173:  Yuri has a different name in the Japanese version, Urmnaf Bort.  Yuri, on the other hand, means "George" in Russian or "Lily" in Japanese.  Would you rather call him George Hyuga or Lily Hyuga?  : )

DarkFusion: No, that's definitely my fault there.  I seem to like obfuscating things.

Cody the Impaler:  I'm sorry this is late!  ^^;;

PrettyArbitrary:  Yeah, I got Koudelka recently.  Fun fun game.  But Koudelka in Shadow Hearts is given as a Fire class, not Dark class, I believe.  The monsters are scared of her "like bats are afraid of the light" or something like that.  And I'm going to give a different reason why Halley doesn't affect Yuri's souls like that.

Janet Ross' ghost:  : )  That was the point.  I'm glad I scared someone.

MikoNoNyte:  ^^  Were you cheering when Sharon got hurt in chapter seven?  I actually like Sharon a lot, and I'm trying to show that she's not really to blame here.

Hm, a big tromping fusion soul might flatten Eden…but then…it might also be someone else who gets ticked off.

If you're talking about Yuri being the unbalanced soul, there's good reason why she repeatedly reincarnates him.  Such as the fact that she likes him.  ^^

The Setra Prince:  .