Authour's Note:

I'm sorry I don't really respond to any of the reviews people write, but I just want to say to everyone that I appreciate it, and I'm glad you guys love the story so much. It means a lot to me that you continue reading even after I was practically dead for 2 years. I love you guys, and you really make this worth writing. 3

He stood his ground, waiting for the larger man to strike first. His hands became engulfed with the purple flames once more, and the feeling of that absolute, and absolutely horrifying power surged through him. It streamed up his arms and legs, pulsing through every bone, muscle, and tissue, no matter how small. For once, instead of burning him, the pentagram on his back gave him a sort of cooling sensation.

Before long, the chief grew either bored or aggravated by his act of rebellion and disapproval of his decision. His aura turned black with violet and white specks of light. "Let's be quick. Chief tired...and hungry." He hunched over and began growling, pieces of bone beginning to stick through his skin, his teeth growing sharp and claws forming. He charged forward, stretching his black aura out in an attempt to grab Nefarious. Missing only by a hair, he growled and pushed forward again with several strings of his aura. Only one of them managed to break the surface skin of his shoulder. The cut was so light that the energy radiating from his body healed it almost immediately.

Whatever the chief was thinking, he obviously wasn't pleased at how quick this new, young Necromancer was compared to himself. He rocked forward and pressed his hands to the floor, doing a hand stand. The spiked bones that had stuck out of his back had shot out of their positions, now flying towards Nefarious. Unsure of what else to do, Nefarious raised his arms to block them. Much to his, and everyone else's surprise, he had stopped the flow of time around the bone fragments. Twisting his hands around them, he pointed the tips back to the chief, and then made them bullet back towards their owner. Only one hit him, but it was right between the eyes. The chief made the mistake of turning his back to him, attempting to yank the bone out.

"Wonderful." Growing a bit too impatient, Nefarious shifted positions in a flash, reappearing behind the demon-man. The flames around his hand sharpened into a blade-like formation. Jabbing it forward, he sent it straight through the other man's torso. Pulling it out, the chief howled in pain and fell forward. Nefarious took the open opportunity to charge. He had no idea what exactly he was doing, but he siphoned the life energy from the chief to himself. When he realized what he had done, it was too late.

The chief had begun to "dehydrate", or so it seemed. All traces of life essence were leaving him little by little. He was in no position to get up, move, or even escape his fate. He dried out to the point where he laid motionless on the floor, only skin and bones left. Unsure of what to do, Nefarious poked him just slightly. The truly dead Necromancer before him turned into a pile of dust at his feet.

Shocked, and a bit disgusted at himself, Nefarious took a step back. "I...did that...?" He questioned no one in particular. Looking down at the pile of dust, he saw something glimmering inside it. Leaning forward, he realized it was a black crystal. "I thought you can't die twice." He reached out for the rock. As his hand got closer, he noticed that a certain "beat" was pulsing through it and the air around it.

"Don't touch it!" Mariana jumped forward, grabbing his wrist. She was too late. Nefarious had already picked up the throbbing stone. He looked at her, now finally at eye level. "I...um..." Her train of thought was broken, seeing his red eyes shift back to green, and she smiled for the first time in ages. Letting go of his wrist, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. He reacted quickly, pulling her close and melting into the kiss. He had truly missed the cold sensation of her lips, how small and fragile she seemed to be while in his arms, the sweet smell of her skin and hair, and everything else about her. Perhaps now he would be able to find and maintain inner peace. His feelings hadn't changed. She was all he ever wanted.

They simultaneously pulled away from each other upon hearing the quick paced footsteps of the other scientists. Looking up the corridor, Nefarious had never once in his life been so happy to see them. They knocked him over, attempting to hug him all at once.

"DUDE. Where have you been?!" N. Gin cried. "We missed you." He was the first to stand up. Looking down at Nefarious, he chuckled quietly. "We all did." As the others got off, he pulled the taller man to his feet.

"Well, now, Dr. Tropy, I assume you must be wondering what is going on?" Dr. Cortex questioned. He seemed nervous. Dr. Brio didn't speak, just looked away, distraught.

"No. Not really." Nefarious answered honestly. He had just gotten home and had done what he was told to be impossible. All he really wanted to do was rest, or, strangely enough, go out with the group for a good time. Whatever it was, it had some sort of hold on everyone in the room.

Dr. Cortex looked up at the ceiling. "Two years is a long time." He spoke quietly. "Whenever you're ready, we'll fill you in." He looked back to Nefarious and cracked a smile. "But first...who wants pancakes?"

"Me! Me!" N. Gin raised his hand and jumped up and down. "Oh! Can we have bacon, too?" He looked at Dr. Cortex pleadingly, who just chuckled and nodded. "Yay! I'll drive!"

"NO." Everyone else said at the same time.

"Aw." N. Gin punched Nefarious lightly on the hip and smirked. "Think you can still do it?"

"Um...maybe?" Nefarious shrugged. It had been at least four years since it was made necessary for him to drive. The last time they drove somewhere instead of using the blimp, N. Gin had almost made him crash several times. He wasn't too pleased by that, or the fact that everyone kept telling him to pull over to pee every five miles or so.

"I'm pretty sure you can still do it." Dr. Cortex laughed. "Besides. I only had three large glasses of lemonade today!" Nefarious groaned and rubbed his temples. Dr. Cortex crossed his legs and whimpered. "That would be the lemonade now." He ran off to find a bathroom.

"NO PIT STOPS!" Nefarious yelled after him.

N. Gin looked up at Mariana and smiled. "Have you ever been driving before?"

"...no?" She actually had no idea what a car was. Her thoughts of transportation were limited to walking and horses. "Is it fun?"

"Not if you're me." Nefarious huffed quietly. "These guys try to make it hell for me on the road." To his surprise, she giggled at the thought of that. He looked away to hide his blush from the other scientists still in the room.

"Watch out." Dr. Brio smirked. "He speeds."

"What does that mean?" Mariana questioned. All these driving terms were new to her, to say the least. She only really knew what cops were. N. Gin had once described them to her as the people who ruin other people's fun. He also told her that they smelled like grease, and that they all had an unhealthy obsession with doughnuts. She was unsure of how much of that was believable, but considering she knew nothing about them, it may as well have been true.

Dr. Cortex came back soon enough. "All better!" He looked at everyone for a few moments, contemplating something. "You know...perhaps we should find something else to wear." He stopped to examine Nefarious and Mariana closely. "Dr. Tropy...a shirt would be good. And Mariana, I'm afraid people don't wear robes in public anymore. People would look at you strangely, or make accusations."

Nefarious had forgotten just how badly society decided to judge people depending on their appearance. To the scientists, his blue skin was not a problem, nor was Dr. Cortex's yellow skin, or even the rocket in N. Gin's head. They were all too used to things that weren't "normal". He looked to Mariana, worried that she would catch trouble for her alabaster white skin. If anything, she could say that she's albino. But, he decided against asking her to change her eye colour for that reason, afraid that it would offend her.

"We'll find something." Nefarious shrugged. He took Mariana's hand gently and lead her upstairs.