*sigh* Ok, all of my readers out there that have been waiting for this update, I first want to give you all my apologies for not updating sooner, for I have no excuses besides the fact that I have been slacking. And as for punishment, I shall go to Algebra tomorrow and actually pay attention. NO, HAVE NO MERCY ON ME! *cough* Now that that's out of my system, here is chapter 18 with the main characters back into the Inkworld. Surprises will start appearing more often now and I truly have many other chapters written, its just getting them on the computer that I hate. Plus with soccer going on, I kinda lose track of what I should be doing for my readers out there.

Oh! And by the way, for those of you that actually give me ideas of who you want Ann to end up with, I have a poll on my page now so that I can actually see who most of you want Ann to end up with. If you want you can vote there and still tell me. Either way I would rather look at the poll and see. But I'll shut up now, so ENJOY!

"Damn it! I told that Silvertounge to read us into Ombra! Now we are stuck here in the Wayless Woods, having to trek all the way through the godforsaken forest just to find a decent civilization!" Capricorn shouted, kicking a nearby log and scaring away a flock of birds as he shouted his rage. He resembled a child having a tantrum after not having his way. It was not like the black jacket leader to act in such a way, but he must have been frustrated after having to wait even longer for his plans to be carried out.

Dustfinger, while seeming amused by Capricorns actions, did remember very important hints that would very much save their lives (not that he cared what happened to the rest of them, just him and Ann) and get them out of the Wayless Woods in one piece.

"Capricorn, I know that we've just returned but do you not remember that the elves and nymphs do not appreciate being woken at this hour? And if I recall correctly, the forest trolls are not very happy when people scare away their afternoon meal."

Many of the black jackets that had returned with the rest of them, grabbed their guns and looked into the trees that surrounded them.

Ann and Dustfinger, though stuck with a group that they detested, each had a smile on their face. It may have not been the first place that they would've wanted to end up in after being gone so long, but any place was fine with them as long as they were back where they belonged. Not too far, Dustfinger noticed a nest of fire elves buzzing around an oak tree. Their nest was a simmering red and the creatures were constantly buzzing in and out of the thing. Their glowing figures were becoming more prominent as the sky grew darker.

"My Lord, I'm afraid we'll have to wait until sunrise to continue treading through the forest. Its dusk and the nightmares and wolves will be out and about looking for food and prey." Cockerell said each word with revulsion. It was no surprise that he was going to have to teach the others the ways of their world, and he was going to hate every minute of it. But some of the black jackets were new and didn't understand exactly what they had gotten themselves into.

"Go and get some wood you lot. You don't want to be stuck in these woods with no fire to keep some things at bay. I'll come along to make sure none of you dip-shits get yourselves killed while poking around looking for wood." Cockerell and the others stood and heading into the trees, most hesitant at hearing the sounds of the night start to echo across the Wayless Woods.

After a while, Ann decided to speak up and break the silence that had settled over them after the others had left.

"You didn't have to send them away Capricorn…you know we can start a fire any where now that were back." Ann and Dustfinger had both taken a bit of the fire elves honey and had practiced making little flames on their fingertips and were talking in the unknown language.

"You think I don't know that my dear? The men have to learn what their going up against, so why not have a couple of nightmares come and put them in their place for some of the over confident ones. I will not have men along my side unless they can stand it here. This is why I brought Basta with us as well. He may be an idiot, but he knows his way in our world."

The said 'idiot' had remained silent the entire time they had returned. Not one yell, comment, or insult to others or to anyone. Ann almost missed his old self, but changed her mind when she saw that Basta had noticed her glance at her and gave her a leer of his own. Dustfinger seemed to be relishing the silence from his old foe as he sat down on a fallen log and put his hands together and slowly pried them apart, making a small fire flower bloom in his hand. Ann walked over and sat down on the ground beside him and laid her head on Dustfingers lap, like she used to do when she was younger.

The older fire eater extinguished his fire flower to stroke Ann's hair and lull her into a state of calm and peace.

Capricorn could only watch in disgust and envy as Dustfinger stroked Ann's hair and her weary eyes began to close. Soon, Ann was fast asleep.

"Your men sure are taking quite a bit of time trying to find some firewood. Soon I'm just gonna light a small fire for myself. I don't know about you, but I don't feel up to—

Dustfinger was cut off from making his fire larger as Capricorns hand shot up, with a familiar black surrounding it, and chocked him. The black jacket leader smirked when he saw that the fire eater couldn't breathe the precious air.

"I'm very tired of your tiresome attitude and smirks Dustfinger. In fact, if you weren't so valuable to my plans then I would take sweet pleasure by snapping that neck of yours. Then, I would feed your body to the wolves. You know how they enjoy fresh meat."

Dustfinger managed a small chuckle. "But there's another reason isn't there? Another reason why you won't kill me."

"And what would that be?"

"Ann."

Both men became silent, Capricorn glaring at the man being held by the neck, while the other examined the pale man before him.

"What about her?" Capricorn asked. Basta seemed attentive now and it reminded Dustfinger of the time the old author Fenoglio was telling everyone in the church of Capricorns past and of his family. Except this time it was only the three of them and a sleeping Ann. She amazingly had remained asleep while her 'pillow' was being choked.

"You know what I mean. You care about her. More than just a tool or an item. I've seen the way you look at her, how you are overprotective of her, and how violent you become when someone even touches her. You care about her no matter what you say."

Capricorn tried to mask his surprise that Dustfinger had managed to notice all the things that he tried so hard to cover. He wondered if Ann truly knew what he thought about her. But he had to try and make Dustfinger think that his assumptions were wrong.

"You think I care about someone who's family consists of the Motley Folk and freaks? I only wish to get her on my side and allow her to see my way so that I may rule what is rightfully mine."

Dustfinger scoffed. Now the black jacket leader was trying to cover everything up.

"You care about her enough that you killed, and tortured your 'army' of black jackets because they touched her. Even your most loyal.

"She is a possession, nothing more."

"Stop fooling yourself Capricorn, because your fooling no one. Your own men are even noticing changes in you. They've seen how you go all soft around her. How you watched over her every day while she was in recovery, how you took care of her. If she's a mere possession, then you wouldn't be so jealous of her always wanting to be near me.

I heard you even struck her in the face because she was asking for you to set me free."

Capricorn made no comment to anything the fire eater said, but the anger shone in his eyes. Now Basta, due to the black jacket listening all along to Dustfingers ranting, knew about his softness around the girl (though he had known all along). He could see Basta grinning from the corner of his eye, from the pain he was causing Dustfinger or the information he had learned he didn't know, but he didn't like it all the same.

"To prove me wrong about you not caring about Ann, or being jealous of others, allow her to walk with me tomorrow. After all you've tortured her enough."

"Enough! I have not tortured her, I have…"

Both men had quieted down. Capricorn abruptly stood up, releasing the hold on Dustfinger's neck.

"My Lord I hear shouts coming nearby." Basta said. He reached for his knife on his hip pocket. The gleam from the sharp piece of metal gleamed in the shadows because of the small fires reflection.

"What the hell is going on?!"

A knife flew from the shadows and hit a tree that had been only a few inches from Dustfingers head. All of a sudden men came running from the trees, dressed in black and covered in dirt and grime. Jackets and guns were slung over their backs, some flecked with blood.

"Bandits!" Dustfinger shouted. Ann, now awake to the sound of Dustfingers shouts, jumped up when she saw the rugged looking men come running from the shadows of the trees. Some of them were wearing familiar looking guns and black leather jackets with speckled blood on them, making her wonder what had happened to those who went to look for the fire wood.

Basta, when he saw the men, immediately began slashing at any man crossing his path, while Dustfinger was merely making the men unable to fight. Him not being of the killing type.

Ann's eyes flickered to Capricorn just in time to see him sprinting towards her.

She felt a fresh stab of fear wash over her before she told herself to run, and she did. She ran for the only safety that could be offered to her, the Wayless Woods.

Dustfinger had unarmed a man trying to punch him, and turned to look for Ann to see if she was harmed, but he instead saw her looking at Capricorn, not noticing the bandit sneaking up on her. But she was only looking at Capricorn who too saw the bandit. He took off towards Ann when she started to back away and she headed straight for the trees when she thought that the black jacket leader was heading for her.

Running into the Wayless Woods at night without protection would usually be instant death.

"Basta!"

"What do you want Dirtyfingers!" The knifeman yelled.

"We need to go after Capricorn and Ann."

"And why should I listen to you? Your nothing but a lousy fire eater who comes around and runs away from danger!"

"Listen to me damnit!" Dustfinger yelled, before kicking an unlucky bandit in his back then knocking the mans' head into a tree to make the man unconscious. "Ann ran into the woods with Capricorn on her tail because he saw a bandit sneaking up on her. She thought Capricorn was after her so she took off. We need to go after them. You owe her!" I heard she saved you from having a face like mine. The least you could do is suck up your pride and help her. Because if I was in her spot, I would've let them kill you."

Dustfingers voice was dark and he gripped the front of Basta's shirt in a tight hold.

"And, if you do, Capricorn might let you go back to the way things were before all of this shit ever happened."

Basta avoided Dustfingers glare. Then, like his old self, snarled and ripped Dustfingers grip from his shirt.

"First, let's go save the little 'sweetheart'. Your right, I do owe her something, but after this no more of this 'working together' thing.

Dustfinger smiled, a rare occurrence when around the man who cut his face.

"Truce, for now?" He held his hand out.

"Truce…for now." Basta grasped Dustfingers hand and squeezed tight enough for Dustfinger to flinch in pain.

Ann's breathing was becoming haggard as she pushed herself to run faster and faster farther into the Wayless Woods. She could hear Capricorn rushing after her, practically on her heels. How he could keep up with her when he didn't get any exercise, astounded her, but she supposed his powers helped out somehow. But besides that, the only thing on her mind was to how to avoid getting caught by him and where to go to get away.

'Where's that disappearing trick that Dustfingers knows when you need one?'

Then, an idea struck her! Quickly make a turn and hide before Capricorn sea's that she was no longer running.

"Why keep running when you can hide and let him run by." Ann mumbled to herself. Then, she launched herself to the nearest tree after she turned into a thicket. She went to the tree and hid in the giant hollow hole in the trunk that was as tall as her, but large enough for her to slip in. The sound of footsteps came closer and closer to her, before she could suddenly no longer hear the sound of crunching leaves and heavy breathing.

"Where did it go?" She whispered to herself.

Not wanting to be stuck in the hollow, Ann slipped out, and looked around the corner of the tree slightly, trying to see if Capricorn had found out her plan.

When she saw no one, she was about to take off in a sprint, but a hand clasped around her mouth and waist, holding her close to the body behind her. Ann's muffled cries couldn't be heard over the pale hand covering her mouth, and then a very soft voice came closer to her ear and whispered. She could feel the person's breath.

"Ann, be very quiet." Capricorn said.

Ann still didn't know about the bandit that had been chasing her and it was the reason that Capricorn was sprinting after her, so she continued to struggle even though she knew Capricorn was the one holding her. She was just more concerned as to what she thought he was going to do to her to care about what he told her to do.

He whispered something softly and removed his hand from around Ann's mouth. She immediately tried to shout out, but she found that she couldn't. And when she tried to move her feet, she found that they were stuck as well. She was trapped and could do nothing while Capricorn continued to have a very stern face as he looked around.

What's he looking for? Aren't I the only reason he chased me all the way in the woods?

"Mmmm!" Ann tried to speak, but Capricorn paid no attention to her, he was only looking at their surroundings.

Chirps, howls, clicks, and the sound of a river nearby were all that Ann could hear coming from the surrounding trees. But then she heard the familiar sound of soft footsteps crunching on the newly fallen leaves that were beginning to shrivel.

The black jacket leader was very stiff and seemed to hear the footsteps as well because all of a sudden his hands took on a familiar hue of pitch black

The snap of a twig seemed to make everything in the forest stop and a dead silence fell over the Wayless Woods. Capricorn made a sudden movement into the shadows, his black suit making him blend in

Ann stood still, breathing quickly through her nose due to the magic holding her mouth shut. Her eyes were darting back and forth looking for the hidden Capricorn and the source to the twig snapping. But all she could see was trees, some fireflies, the shadows from the moons gleam coming through the leaves, and a occasional bat flying by.

What's going on? Why did Capricorn chase me all the way out here, only to shut me up and hold me still then disappear?

Just as Ann was beginning to think that the black jacket leader had gone and forgotten her, Capricorn burst through the trees just as a whizzing noise came by her. Capricorn jumped in front of her and held her close while a dull thunking noise was heard and the man in front of her let out a pained gasp. Capricorn slowly was going to his knees and then Ann saw what had happened.

Five small throwing knives were sticking out of Capricorns back, each one starting to bleed quickly, drenching the French suit in a deep crimson color.

"Mmmmpfff!"

The bandit finally revealed himself from the trees, a grin on his face showing his yellow and black teeth.

"It's 'bout time I got that damn man! Been chasing me throughout this hole damn forest. But now," The bandit walked in a slow step towards the panicking Ann, and the pained Capricorn. "I got me a nice pretty lil thing to take to the merchants now. We'll find ye a nice lil 'ome to give ya."

Ann was shaking as the bandit came closer and was about to grasp Ann's chin, his accent as thick as the smell of whiskey on his breath, when Capricorns hand shot up and grasped the bandit by the collar of his shirt and raised him to look the man in the face.

"Do…not…touch…her." Capricorn rasped his voice thick and heavy. His appearance was changing as much as his voice was, with his pale hands slowly turning black, along with his face, neck, and hair. The only thing that remained the same were the mans eyes, who continued to glare and the now petrified bandit.

"P-please let me go! I weren't the one trying to start nothin, it was all George and the others. They forced me to come along and steal along with the likes of 'em."

"And I'm supposed to believe that you are the victim? I doubt that, now for your punishment."

"What for? I didn't do nothin to the likes of ye besides chasin you and the lass through the woods!"

"Do not think that I didn't hear what you had in store for the young miss behind me. For I heard every word and now that I think about the kinds of things that you and your comrades would've done to her before even getting her to the markets, I can assure you that I have a suitable punishment for the likes of scum such as yourself."

"Would it be to let me go with cuts and bruises?" The bandit said, somewhat hopefully but stupidly as well.

"…how about death?"

The bandit shouted as Capricorn laughed darkly. The bandit's body was slowly turning black as well, but his body was slowly disintegrating and shriveling like a raisin. Ann had to close her eyes when the man finally realized what was happening to him and he tried to struggle out of Capricorns grasp. Even though the man was going to try and kill Capricorn and sell her, she still thought that a quick death was better than what he was getting.

After a while the mans cries died and Ann finally got the courage to open her eyes. What she saw was no longer a mans body, but a pile of ash lying on the ground right beside her feet. Shock came to her once she saw that Capricorn had collapsed on the ground and was trying to hold himself up but was barely managing to do so. The color of his skin had managed to return to him, but his back was still a bloody mess and his breath was coming in ragged.

"C-Capricorn?"

The black jacket leaders' eyes immediately looked up at the girl almost as if she was a threat. His shoulders tensed and he stood tall and loomed over her. His black hand reached out to her and Ann though for a second that he was going to kill just as he killed the bandit, but then he seemed to notice that it was her and he calmed down and stroked her face softly.

"Ann…are you alright? You are not harmed?"

"N-no, I'm fine. But what about you? Your back still has the knives in them."

Capricorn merely shrugged and then took a step to try and get closer to her when he noticed the sudden piercing pain erupting from his back." He hissed.

"Then I will ask if you would be so kind as to pull them out because they are causing quiet a bit of pain, now. Ann," he looked over his hunched shoulders to look at her.

"Yeah?"

"You're going to have to pull hard. They are very deep in my back and if you try and pull them out slowly I'm only going to feel more pain, so make it swift and put pressure on your pull."

Capricorn made it seem so simple, pulling some knives out of somebody's back like picking flowers, but Ann soon found it to be hard just as Capricorn had said, because the little daggers had embedded themselves deep in his skin and she had to use more force to get them out of him than she wanted too. Every time one came out, she saw the man flinch and clench his jaw tightly so as to not let out a groan of pain.

One…two…three…four…

The first four came out fine and swiftly, but as Ann got to the last one, she found it to be the deepest and she had to lay her other hand on Capricorns back to keep herself stable so she wouldn't cause any unnecessary movements that would shift the dagger. Then with a big pull she managed to get the dagger out of Capricorns back.

The black jacket leader let out a sigh then collapsed on the ground, moaning softly in pain. His back was still slightly bleeding and Ann knew if she didn't stop the blood flow, he would pass out or even possibly die.

'But if he died, Dustfinger and I would never be bothered by him again! Mo and his family could truly live in peace, the people in Ombrea could live without fear, and...'

"I'm not that type of person, no matter who it is." Ann whispered.

So she knelt down by Capricorn and gently pried him up.

"Come on Capricorn. We have to get out of here. I know you're hurt but if we stay in the woods any longer without any fire or protection we're going to end up a lot worse. Especially with you bleeding everywhere. Now come on, just lean on me and we'll manage to get out of here."

Even though every nerve in Ann's body was telling her not to let this particular man so close to her, it was the only way she could support them both and still walk at the same time. So she wrapped her arm around his waste, with his arm over her shoulder and the other being held onto by her other arm, they set off at a slow but progressing pace through the Wayless Woods.

Silence was all that Ann heard while continuing to tromp through the woods with a grown man leaning on her shoulder for support.

"Ann…You don't have to carry me." Capricorn rasped.

Ann scoffed.

"If I don't carry you, who will? The fairy's? I think not. Besides," Ann sighed. "I couldn't just leave you there to bleed to death. Even someone like you doesn't deserve that."

Capricorn was truly shocked that Ann, who had been beaten, taken from her home, and kept in the hands of black jackets for several months, would save the man who caused all of her trouble. But he appreciated it, no matter if she cared or not.

"Thank you anyhow Ann." He whispered in her ear, his breath warm against her cheek.

Ann blushed and nudged his head away from hers.

"Knock it off or I'll shove you off of me and make my own way through the woods, seeing as you have enough energy to flirt and talk."

But Capricorn just chuckled then remained quiet the rest of the night.

R&R and I will try and remember to update much sooner. I apologize once more for making all of my great readers out their wait on me to get my stupid ass in gear and finish writing. Dont forget about the poll, if you wanna give me an idea of who you want Ann to end up with! Salut!